"The Panoply of God" by Ruxandra Ionce THE ARTIST'S STATEMENT Written from prison, Apostle Paul's epistle to the Ephesians stands as a testimony of complete victory over hindering circumstances. The Gospel was being preached in full power, even if the means were sometimes restricted to ink and paper. The Apostle Paul truly was a free man: his body was in prison but his soul enjoyed heavenly freedom. In Ephesians 6, beginning with verse 11, Paul emphasizes the need to put on a full armor: not just a shield, not just a sword, but the full military attire. It is highly likely that what Paul envisioned was the image of a Roman soldier, as he himself was being surrounded by Roman soldiers. Moreover, the image of a Roman soldier would have been more vivid and relatable for the Gentile readers. The full armor of God implies martial discipline with no room for compromise, sacrifice, and complete dedication to the calling we have in our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. These weapons are not forged in fire but by God Himself to make us fearless and victorious in the ultimate battle mankind is facing: spiritual warfare. Like this Roman soldier, let us humble ourselves every morning and surrender completely into God's hands in prayer. The victory has already given, but we still have to go through the battle. Humility comes before honor (Proverbs 18:12) and what an honor it is to serve in the Lord's army and become victorious soldiers! YOUR TURN Does this illustration resonate with you as a conservative Christian? In this time of self-quarantine, stay-at-home orders, and social distancing, are you moving about spiritually with the kind of soaring freedom Paul enjoyed while imprisoned? While the world dons on face masks and applies hand sanitizers, are you taking the time to get fully dressed each day in the full armor of God? We are soldiers in God's mighty army and, today, we have a spiritual battle to fight AND win. Are you ready?
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Are you ready to have your faith validated? Are you ready to see the promise of God perfectly fulfilled? Are you ready to see Palm Sunday as you have never seen it before? If so, please focus and concentrate on the Scripture, details, facts, and mathematics to come! As we approach this time of year that we call “Easter," perhaps we ought to ask, what about Palm Sunday? Why do some celebrate it? Is it a day of significance? Should it mean something to us today? The answers to these questions could lead us to great encouragement and a sense of anticipation in our faith. One quarter of the Bible is prophetic in nature. God takes great pleasure in saying, and seems to often say, “No one can tell you what is to come except God Himself...so, let Me tell you what is to come!” God foretells the future, so that when the future unfolds, we will understand that He is God and that His plan for us is trustworthy, and in fact, that He Himself is trustworthy! What if I told you that the screen, or piece of paper, which you are reading this article is about to turn multicolored, flash with stars and sing Happy Birthday to you, and that after that I had something very special to tell you specifically about your future? You would probably think that I am delusional and not in my right mind! But what if, just now, the screen or page which you are now reading did turn multicolored, did start flashing with stars, and did start singing, “Happy Birthday to you!”? Might you be ready to hear from me about the special thing that is about to happen in your future? I suspect you would be all eyes and ears. That is precisely what God did in predicting the exact day of the coming of the Messiah, the ‘Sent One’, so that when he came to present himself to Israel as their long anticipated Savior, they would recognize him and accept him! Well, did they? Please take the important time to read Luke 12:12-41, and John 19:28-44 to become familiar with the account of Jesus’ formal entrance into Jerusalem to present himself as King. As Jesus rounds the Mount of Olives riding on a donkey, the symbol of a King coming in peace, he wails and cries over Jerusalem because he knows that they are about to reject their long-awaited King, when they could have known that he was arriving on this very day, prophesied of by Daniel the prophet! If they had been reading and believing the Scriptures they would have anticipated this exact moment and been ready for the coming of the Messiah. In John 12:42 he said, “If you had known, even you, especially in this, your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.” He goes on to tell of the impending destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, and says, “you did not know the time of your visitation.” Because they would not hear the scriptures written hundreds of years before, they were rejecting, as a nation, on this very day, the promised One who could deliver them. If this prophecy was not fulfilled, then God was wrong. If God was wrong, then we are lost! Next, you will see how God pre-stated and foretold the exact day that Messiah would be rejected by the nation of Israel. You will see this prophecy in Daniel chapter 9 as God’s promise that Jesus would come, and that if we wanted to be ready for him, we could know it for sure! Below is a rather basic diagram that hopefully will allow us to visualize the prophecy and fulfillment of the very Day of the coming of the Messiah. However, there are some things that must be addressed before understanding can be made clear. Found in the book of Daniel, chapter 9, there is a prophecy that is made concerning the first and second comings of the Messiah, the promised and anointed One, who is to deliver Israel. It is a foretelling of the end-times. Beginning in verse 20, Daniel says that while he was praying a man/angel appeared to him and told Daniel that he was about to give Daniel understanding of the dramatic events that would unfold in the future and said, “consider the matter, and understand the vision": “Seventy ‘weeks/sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy.” First of all, we need to understand that the Hebrew word that is translated as “sevens” or “weeks” is the word “shebua." This word means any period of seven days, or seven years (the context to determine which meaning). The number “seven” is important in Hebrew culture. They observed a seven-day week, rested on the seventh day, the Sabbath, and they were also required to observe a seven-year “week” where every seventh year they allowed the fields to lie fallow in order for the ground to regain its nutrients. In the context of this prophecy, it is clear that the “sevens” described here are to be understood as yearly “sevens” and not daily “sevens”. Therefore, this prophecy takes place over Seventy Weeks of years, or 70 years x 7 years = 490 years (see the diagram title). It is important to note that this prophecy is directed to the people of Daniel and the holy city. Therefore we see that this whole prophecy is referring to the Jews and to Jerusalem. It is written to the Jews, but for the benefit of us all. Many people did not see the first coming of the Messiah and the second coming of the Messiah as two separate and distinct events, just as someone looking at multiple mountain ranges can not see the valleys between them. The mountains ‘appear’ to be close to each other, or one and the same. The prophecy ends when the six things, or events, spoken of in verse 24, have been completed - that is, that Jesus Christ will return at the end of the Seventy “Weeks” or 70 years x 7 years = that is, 490 years. The timing of the Messiah’s First Coming: Daniel 9:25 “Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler (Messiah the prince), comes, there will be seven ‘sevens’, and sixty-two ‘sevens’.” We deal here only with the promised first coming of the Messiah (the other prophecies will be left to another time). We are told here that ‘the Messiah, the Anointed One’ will come after a total of 7 “weeks” or years of 7 years (49 years) , AND/PLUS 69 “weeks” or years of 7 years, (434 years), making a total of 69 “weeks of 7 years, which is 69 x 7 = 483 years. Again, refer to the chart and focus! That is all well and good, but where and when do we start counting from? When do the 483 years begin until the Messiah comes? We are told precisely! Nehemiah 2:1-8 tells us to start counting from the day that Artaxerxes gave the command to rebuild Jerusalem, which was the first of Nisan, in the 20th year of Artaxerxes reign. This corresponds to March 14, 445 BC. It was told that sixty-nine weeks, or 483 years later, the Messiah would come. Using the Jewish calendar year, 360 days/year times 69 years gives us 173,880 days (see diagram). If we add that number to March 14th, 445 BC, we come to April 6th, 32 AD. This calculation has been verified by many sources, including the British Royal Observatory of Greenwich, England. Jesus’ ministry ended on the eve of Passover. In 32 AD Passover fell on April 11th. April 6th would have been the Sunday we now commonly celebrate as Palm Sunday. This was the very day, April 6th, 32 AD, that Jesus Christ rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, presenting Himself to the nation of Israel as the Prince of Peace, as their promised Messiah! The Messiah was predicted to come exactly 173,880 days after the command to rebuild Jerusalem! It is important to realize that this prophecy was written about 2500 years ago. The Dead Sea Scrolls say that our Scriptures are reliable and true! Yes, there were those individuals who believed that Jesus was the Messiah and Savior and cheered His entry into Jerusalem, laying their garments and palm fronds on the ground before Him, shouting, “Hosanna! (Save now!) ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ The King of Israel!” However, the many, and the nation of Israel rejected Him, and even plotted to kill Him. The voices that Jesus would soon hear would cry, “Crucify him!” Will you ignore this fulfilled prophecy and reject the Savior? Or, will you know the Scriptures and realize that the Messiah, Jesus, arrived on the very day God said He would come and welcome Him as your Savior? The choice is still yours. Messiah has come to you! This is your Day! Will you overlook it?!
FOUNDATIONAL QUESTIONS TRINICY: What spiritual habits and disciplines do you follow on a daily basis? TIATEMSU: In the past few years I have been studying the Bible with commentaries and writings by scholars on different themes as an everyday routine. I have also had great opportunities with fellow Christians to discuss, pray, and encourage each other on a weekly/monthly basis. During my college and university studies, I was involved in a student ministry which helped me to explore my faith holistically. These days I've been exploring the christian faith from an outsider point of view with the help of some of my friends and it is immensely helping me in my personal belief and growth. TRINICY: Out of all God’s attributes, which one amazes you most? Why? TIATEMSU: The attribute of the Christian God being a personal God amazes me the most. This very attribute of God I believe has multidimensional ramifications. The one that comes to my mind now is: If God is infinite and we are finite beings adding to the fact the God is also personal - it implies that, even though all of our collective effort to understand God will always fail, God will work in us through our shortcomings and failures. TRINICY: Who led you to Christ? Who are you leading or hope to lead to Christ? TIATEMSU: From my childhood days I've always wondered about the nature of God and the world, which eventually got me interested to study science. My Grandfather was the one who sowed the seed in me but my trust in God came about through a long process of experience and people that I've come across. I believe God has a way of getting around each and every person and that we are only an instrument. TRINICY: What primary talents and gift(s) has God given you? How are you using them for the kingdom? TIATEMSU: From my college days I've always wanted to be a scholar. I knew that doing research, reading, speaking, and writing are some of the areas which I was fairly good at. The fact that I'm a research scholar itself is a testimony of God using me as a small agent for the greater glory for his kingdom. In God's kingdom, I believe, there is no secular and sacred divide; every person does not get the opportunity/luxury to do research, read tons of books, and debate about ideas - academics is one such area where God shares his knowledge with us. TRINICY: Which person from the Bible do you resonate with the most? Why? TIATEMSU: Two Bible characters that have influenced me the most are Paul and Nehemiah. Nehemiah was indeed a very great leader who made bridges with people and mended walls (both physical and spiritual). On the other hand Paul was an intellectual giant who was a very secular person but also one of the most prominent character in the New Testament. TRINICY: What social issue do you care most about? Why? TIATEMSU: I believe that Christians should be concerned about all social issues but the one that concerns me the most is exploitation and marginalization of people through different means. Interestingly, in India (only 2.3 percent are Christians) the place where I live is dominated by Christians but Christianity has not proved itself to be a positive agent to the exploited and marginalized people. TRINICY-RELATED QUESTIONS TRINICY: What does being a Christian mean to you? Why Are you a Christian? TIATEMSU: Being a Christian is a way of asserting that the claims and the person of Jesus Christ can be trusted. I'm a Christian because I believe that the person of Jesus Christ is the way through which we reach the climax of the revelation of God to human beings. OTHER QUESTIONS TRINICY: What is an interesting/unusual fact most people don’t know about you? TIATEMSU: During my high school days I used to sing in a band and also I played guitar. TRINICY: What passion or dream keeps you up at night or wakes you up in the morning? TIATEMSU: Firstly, my Ph.D. work, which I'm doing for my people; and, secondly, my passion for reading, writing, and the dream of becoming a Professor. TRINICY: If Jesus were physically here now, what would you want to ask Him or talk about? TIATEMSU: I would ask the question that I've always asked to myself. "How are you God and man at the same time? Please, explain the dynamics." TRINICY: What are the three greatest life lessons you’ve learned thus far? TIATEMSU: The three greatest life lessons that I've learned thus far are: 1) Never assume that you know until you research it yourself. 2) Don't take the words of people from your own community for granted. 3) Differences are good. TRINICY: What legacy do you want to leave as a Christian? TIATEMSU: With my life and work as a Christian, I want people to realize the importance of giving, building each other, and sacrifice. TRINICY: What is your life verse? Why? TIATEMSU: 2 Corinthians 5:17 is the verse that I've been contemplating on again and again with richer inputs. As human beings we often want the things around us to improve/change but the verse talks about a new version of you which is found in Christ alone. WE WOULD LOVE TO FEATURE MORE CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS ON TRINICY. If you know of other conservative Christians on or off campus we could feature, please email us at [email protected].
By Immanuel Kwesi Arthur | TRINICY.org “Take the world, but give me Jesus, sweetest comfort of my soul; with my Saviour watching over me, I can sing though billows roll” – Ascend the Hill In Romans 1:20-22, Paul explains that God manifested Himself to man through His created things but man never found the need to glorify Him as God. Man became vain in his imaginations making his heart darkened. God still saw the need to reconcile man back to Himself by revealing Himself to man through His prophets but this too proved futile. Hebrews 1:1-3 says that God in many times and in diverse manners spoke to man by His prophets but has in these last days spoken to man by His Son, Jesus. God had to present someone who is His replica (express image of His person) so that man could clearly see God. God knew man was saying, ‘Give me Jesus!’ and God had no option than to give Him to us. Today, believers enjoy free access, truth, and eternal life because we have Jesus. The song "Take the World, But Give Me Jesus" by Ascend the Hill speaks volumes about the Son of God. This song reminds the world that Jesus is the Ultimate. If we would give ourselves holistically to Him and believe that He is always watching over us, we can happily sing though the billows roll. Who then is Jesus? He can be summarized to be the height and depth of mercy; the length and breadth of love; the fullness of redemption and the pledge of endless life. He showed mercy when the two blind men sitting by the way side cried for mercy (Matthew 20:30-34). He heard the cry of the ten lepers and cleansed them (Luke 17:12-14). John recounts that there is no greater love than what Jesus did by laying down His life for us (John 15:13). Jesus is the length and breadth of love. He is the fullness of redemption and He pledges of endless life above. He came for a reconciliation and He confidently crowned it with eternal life. Boldly, Jesus said, ‘In My Father’s house are many dwelling places, if it were not so, I would have told you…’ (John 14:2). Outside Jesus Christ there is nothing, but with Him there is everything. If you have no proper relationship with Jesus Christ, just cry out to Him. He is all we need to have our needs met. PRAYER Precious Father, thank You for giving Your Son to me. If my situation ever becomes unbearable, remind me of Jesus whom You have given me. Remind me of His presence in my life because He is all I need to have my needs met. Help me to better appreciate Him by inviting Him in all things I do. Amen. WANT TO SUBMIT A DEVOTIONAL?
If you are interested in writing devotionals for TRINICY, please email us at [email protected]. We would love to hear from faithful servants of the Kingdom who have the desire and talent to communicate the word of God in a way that is relevant to our conservative Christian students, scholars, staff, and supporters! FOUNDATIONAL QUESTIONS TRINICY: What spiritual habits and disciplines do you follow on a daily basis? MONICA: Pray, read the Bible, read a book, meditate on God's word. TRINICY: Out of all God’s attributes, which one amazes you most? Why? MONICA: His balance between Mercy and Justice. As humans we cannot comprehend His timing; He is full of mercy; at the same time he is just at the right time and in His time. TRINICY: Who led you to Christ? Who are you leading or hope to lead to Christ? MONICA: The Holy Spirit and the believers that God placed in my journey. It is my desire to lead the Children God has given me and the people that I get to know. TRINICY: What primary talents and gift(s) has God given you? How are you using them for the kingdom? MONICA: I would say that I have the gift of discernment, exhortation, and serving. Currently at home I get to share the gifts God has given me, also in the community in the different roles and opportunities given. TRINICY: Which person from the Bible do you resonate with the most? Why? MONICA: Between Moses and Peter. Moses because I don't think I am equipped. Peter because sometimes I am fast to act or respond. TRINICY: What social issue do you care most about? Why? MONICA: Three come to mind: The revision of the family structure; Gender (hot topic for today's environment); Education disparity (bringing topics to school that are not really necessary and taking out topics that are necessary). TRINICY-RELATED QUESTIONS TRINICY: What does being a Christian mean to you? Why Are you a Christian? MONICA: Love the Lord God with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my mind and to love my neighbor as myself. TRINICY: What does being a Conservative mean to you? Why Are you a Conservative? MONICA: To abide by God’s word. TRINICY: What has your experience been like as a Conservative Christian on and/or off campus? MONICA: I feel to be the minority, also it is like swimming against the current. The Biblical stance is not really on fashion and, oftentimes, there is a preconception that, if you are a Christian, and to top it of a Conservative Christian, then you are a bigot, oppressor, etc. TRINICY: What were your first thoughts when you heard about TRINICY? MONICA: What does it means? And I also like the IG posts and some of the "conversations" with people questioning certain stances. TRINICY: What book(s) do you recommend conservative Christians read to help strengthen their faith in a secular and/or liberal setting? MONICA: Gospel Fluency: Speaking the Truths of Jesus into the Everyday Stuff of Life by Jeff Vanderstelt; You Who: Why You Matter and How to Deal With It by Rachel Jankovic TRINICY: What advice or resource would you offer to fellow conservative Christians today? MONICA: Trust in the Lord; the way is narrow; times may become more difficult. Let's remember the Apostles and how the remained strong because Christ conquered death. This life is a glimpse when compared to eternity; let's continue running the good race until we meet our Creator. OTHER QUESTIONS TRINICY: What is an interesting/unusual fact most people don’t know about you? MONICA: Most people don't know that I have a sister with mental disabilities. She is forty one years old, mentally she is three. When I was in high school we had a debate about abortion and I was on the side of keeping the baby alive regardless of the challenges - I kept my sister in mind the entire debate. TRINICY: What passion or dream keeps you up at night or wakes you up in the morning? MONICA: The idea that each day is a day full of opportunities. There is something unique about enjoying God's creation early morning. I am often in awe by His creation and by how faithful and slow to anger God is. TRINICY: If Jesus were physically here now, what would you want to ask Him or talk about? MONICA: I would ask him to touch the heart of the many people I know and to change their desires, for them to surrender to His love. TRINICY: What are the three greatest life lessons you’ve learned thus far? MONICA: 1. Death is not the end | 2. The Christian walk is a daily walk | 3. The way is surely narrow TRINICY: Which Christian song best connects with you? MONICA: There are two: "Beautiful Eulogy"; "Build My Life" TRINICY: What legacy do you want to leave as a Christian? MONICA: To show the goodness of Christ through my actions and words. TRINICY: Which teacher has impacted you most? How? MONICA: My father, mother, husband. I was able to witness firsthand their obedience to Christ rather than following their own desires. They walk the talk and continue to do so. TRINICY: What is your life verse? Why? MONICA: Joshua 1:9 because that verse has become real in my journey, time and time again. In difficult times to remember that Christ is with me wherever I go, at the mountain tops because Christ is with me wherever I go. TRINICY: Which world events have influenced, changed, or shaped your life? MONICA: Anytime I hear of war or issues in the culture, the word of God becomes super real. TRINICY: What is the most difficult thing for you about being a Christian? MONICA: To balance Truth and Grace, to not be so hypercritical. TRINICY: What, thus far, has been your greatest "praise report"? MONICA: There are many: My parents reuniting after seven years. My husband overcoming alcohol addiction. The sons given to us making a decision to walk with Christ. TRINICY: What is a question you wish we had asked but didn't? What is your response to this self-selected question? MONICA: How do you deal when it seems that God is not changing the heart and desires of a person you care for? I trust God is in control. He is God and I am not. WE WOULD LOVE TO FEATURE MORE CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS ON TRINICY. If you know of other conservative Christians on or off campus we could feature, please email us at [email protected].
By Garrett Smith | TRINICY.org
In a very successful manner, Reagan compared the ideological conflict being waged between the two world superpowers to a battle between good and evil. Christianity and Christian principles, as he understood, must stand strong in the face of their ultimate socialist foe. The Soviet Union was officially formed in 1922, towards the end of the Russian Civil War. (1) Following the ideology put forth by Karl Marx, the Bolsheviks - led by Vladimir Lenin - overthrew the Russian Empire and established the world’s first communist state. Over the following decades, various nations would follow suit, including North Korea, Cuba, North Vietnam, and Angola. By 1980, communism still seemed to be holding a firm grip on the world. REAGAN'S POLITICAL ASCENSION Ronald Reagan’s prominence on the national stage began in 1964, following his delivery of an impressive speech at the Republican National Convention in San Francisco, California. (2) In this oration, titled, “A Time for Choosing,” Reagan warned of the dangers that would follow if socialism were to be fully embraced by Americans. “So, we have come to a time for choosing,” he stated. “Either we accept the responsibility for our own destiny, or we abandon the American Revolution and confess that an intellectual elite in a far distant capitol can plan our lives for us, better than we can plan them ourselves.” (3) Twenty years later, Reagan would seek God’s guidance as the leader of the free world. The world that Reagan inherited as president was a mess. The American economy was in shambles, Iranian revolutionaries had captured over 50 American citizens and diplomats in Tehran, (4) and communism seemed to be on the rise once more. With the Soviet Union having been on the global stage for roughly six decades, along with the fact that it seemed to be proliferating, Reagan knew that it was time to take a stand. Using his talent for words, he would fight the Soviet Union with ideas, rather than war. AMERICA'S CHRISTIAN FOUNDATION On March 8, 1983, President Reagan set foot on the stage at the 41st Annual Convention for the National Association of Evangelicals in Orlando, Florida. (5) This oration, though used to describe the Soviet Union as a threat to Christianity, was also used to proclaim that America was founded on Christian values. Likewise, it was also used to call forth a restoration of those principles. At the beginning of the speech, Reagan stated,
SOCIAL PROGRESSIVISM The 1960s and 1970s marked an increase in social progressivism. Issues such as abortion and drugs were now in the spotlight, following the counterculture revolution of the 1960s. Regarding abortion, Reagan stated, “More than a decade ago, a Supreme Court decision literally wiped off the books of fifty states, statutes protecting the rights of unborn children. Abortion on demand now takes the lives of up to one and a half million unborn children a year.” It is all-too common for a Christian to occasionally get discouraged at the amount of sheer evil that occurs in this world; however, we must always remember that, as Christians, we were called to be unlike earthly ideas. Though evil may reign now, it will not last forever, and Christ’s teachings will always prevail, regardless of what occurs. On this, Reagan said, “Now, I’m sure that you must get discouraged at times, but there you’ve done better than you know, perhaps. There’s a great spiritual awakening in America...a renewal of the traditional values that have been the bedrock of America’s goodness and greatness.” Not long after, Reagan said, “There is sin and evil in the world, and we’re enjoined by Scripture and the Lord Jesus to oppose it with all our might. Our nation, too, has a legacy of evil with which it must deal. The glory of this land has been its capacity for transcending the moral evils of our past. For example, the long struggle of minority citizens...for equal rights, once a source of disunity and civil war, is now a point of pride for all Americans. We must never go back. There is no room for racism, anti-semitism, or other forms of ethnic or racial hatred in this country.” REJECTING MARXISM Toward the end of the speech, Reagan addressed the largest issue pertaining to global affairs. Sixty-one years after the formation of the Soviet Union, he called out the communist state for what it truly was: an evil empire. Communism and Christianity cannot coexist. Communism is the belief that all things and individuals belong to the state, and the system punishes those who do not fully submit. Christianity is the belief that Jesus Christ loves and died for all individuals, and it promotes the fact that people were created for more than submission to worldly government. In the speech, Reagan remarked that Vladimir Lenin - the first Soviet leader - said that “they repudiate all morality that proceeds from supernatural ideas - that’s their name for religion - or ideas that are outside class conceptions. Morality is entirely subordinate to the interests of class war...Well, I think the refusal of many influential people to accept this elementary fact of Soviet doctrine illustrates an historical reluctance to see totalitarian powers for what they are. We saw this phenomenon in the 1930s. We see it too often today.” Reagan soon states what all Christian must hold dear: “We will never give away our freedom. We will never abandon our belief in God.” Some were suggesting that the United States impose a freeze on the USSR, but Reagan believed that would not accomplish anything in the long haul, as the Soviets could achieve their goals in the midst of a freeze, and could perhaps even reward them. To him, the USSR must not be compromised with, and it must be brought to its knees. The Cold War officially ended on December 26, 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. The fall of the USSR occurred in large part due to Reagan’s firm peace-through-strength initiative. Toward the end of the speech, he ushered in the line that would earn the oration its name. “...I urge you to beware the temptation of pride - the temptation of blithely...declaring yourselves above it all and label both sides equally at fault, to ignore the facts of history and the aggressive impulses of an evil empire, to simply call the arms race a giant misunderstanding and thereby remove yourself from the struggle between right and wrong and good and evil.” Reagan wraps up, stating, “I believe that communism is another sad, bizarre chapter in human history whose last-last pages are now being written. I believe this because the source of our strength in the quest for human freedom is not material, but spiritual.” In 1988, Reagan visited Moscow. (7) Upon being asked if he still believed the USSR to be an evil empire, he essentially said that he did not, as times were changing, and the Soviet Union no longer posed a threat to the world as it did before. Some have said that Reagan won the Cold War without firing a single shot. Today, we must remember Reagan’s words more than ever. May we always stand strong for Christ, no matter which evil empires we face in our midst. |
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