"Don't know much about history
Don't know much biology
Don't know much about a science book
Don't know much about the French I took."
"Wonderful World,"

by Sam Cooke

"There never was an American Civil War." So says Harvard graduate and author Thomas E. Woods, Jr. Of course there was. We know there was – 1861-1865. But Dr. Woods says, "No," and proves it.

"Strictly speaking . . . a civil war is a conflict in which two or more factions fight for control of a nation's government. . . . that was not the case in the United States between 1861 and 1865. The seceding Southern states were not trying to take over the United States government; they wanted to declare themselves independent." ("The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History," pages 61-62).

We know that the President has the power to send men into battle. But that's not correct either. Only Congress has the power to declare war. Once Congress declares war, then, and only then, is the President to direct that war as commander-in-chief.

It's interesting what we're sure we know. We know the Bible says, "Money is the root of all evil," but it doesn't. We know the Bible tells us that "Cleanliness is next to godliness," but it doesn't say that either. We're absolutely sure that Jesus said in the gospels, "It's more blessed to give than to receive," but He didn't. We're positive that Moses never made it into the Promised Land, but he did (Matt. 17). Is the road to hell really paved with good intentions? Does God take care of those who take care of themselves? We're certain that one can make the Bible say anything he wants it to say, but that's only true if one is an allegorist.

Will Rogers once said that the problem in America isn't so much what people don't know; the problem is what people think they know that just ain't so." People think they know the way to heaven. Ask them; they'll tell you, and in the telling they out-Pharisee the Pharisees.

An overwhelming majority will chatter on about good deeds, good works, praying, pleading, begging, asking, the Golden Rule, the Ten Commandments, walking an aisle, making a public confession, making Christ Lord of one's life, commitment, baptism, naming sins, feeling sorry for sins, shedding tears for sins, praying through, and whatever else in the way of human effort and emotional responses sound spiritual.

Whatever happened to, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved?" Whatever happened to ". . . whoever looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up in the last day?" Whatever happened to, "He who believes in Me will live?" That's the question, whatever happened to "believe?"
"Believe" dies a thousand deaths by a thousand qualifiers, and in the dying, grace dies with it. Once the word "believe" is followed by "and," grace dies; dead at the hands of "and." The simple conjunction becomes a murderer. "And" after "believe" always introduces "believe" to works and works is the grace killer (Romans 11:6).

Our hubris craves something to do, some shred of dignity in salvation; "and" gives hubris that dignity. But grace has no room for human merit and once a patina of merit intrudes, grace leaves the room.

A Trojan citizen, looking at the Trojan Horse left by the Greek army said, "I fear the Greeks, even bearing gifts." We fear those bearing the words, "Believe and . . ."

Dr. Mike Halsey,
Pastor, County Line Church