Is That Blood On Your Shoes?

“Who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant…an unholy thing?” Hebrews 10:29

After Saddam Hussein’s statue had been toppled in central Baghdad ’s Paradise Square , pent-up emotion burst forth from those who had felt the scourge of the Iraqi dictator. Many expressed their disdain of Hussein in a way commonly understood in Middle Eastern culture: they stomped on anything tied to him. One news story reported that “Kuwaitis have been vilified in the Arab world for supporting the US led war but locals now feel vindicated by TV pictures of jubilant Iraqis stomping on images of Saddam Hussein.”

The bible uses graphic images to convey penetrating messages. These images often become universal symbols. In this way, the feet, and by association, the shoes, represent power and authority over something or someone. Joshua called for the men of Israel to “Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them. (Joshua 10:24.) The prophet Malachi wrote “And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet. (Malachi 4:3.) This symbol culminates in a powerful verse in Romans 16:20 , “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.”

With this tradition comes a warning: be careful what you step on. Anything you put your shoes on means you despise it. Indeed, God indicated this very thought to Moses in Exodus 3:5. “And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.” God was saying to Moses, “Take care how you stand in my presence. Don’t be crude, insensitive or uncaring of my holiness. Let your very demeanor acknowledge who I am.” While God reached out to Moses via the burning bush, he demanded profound respect from Moses.

This warning bears repeating today. In their zeal to expand the frontiers of evangelism, some have confused free salvation with cheap salvation. But we must not re-cast God’s grace into a Big-Lots-type buyout frenzy. Shoving aside the essence of God’s perfection, whether ignorantly or presumptuously, imperils our relationship to God. Is it possible for anyone who has known the grace of God to fall from that grace…or for a friend of God to become his enemy? Paul thought so. “Christ is become of no effect unto you,” whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:4). The smaller the impact Calvary makes on our lives, the more it shrinks into insignificance. Gradually, salvation becomes a meaningless exercise in semantics.

Do you have blood on your shoes? Do you hate your brother? Do you love the world? Are you abiding in Christ? Are you continuing to commit sin? “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (1 John 2:15-17.) What about s ins of commission? Sins of omission? Prejudice and racism? An attitude of superiority? Sowing of discord? Gossip and backbiting? Hypocrisy? Stealing? Lying? Pornography? Cursing? Withholding God’s money? Defiling the temple of God ? Trusting in uncertain riches? Check your shoes.

Where is the blood of Christ in your life? “ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7). We need to clean the precious blood of Christ from our shoes and apply it to our hearts! When we walk in sincerity and purity, we walk in power! It is not enough to be doctrinally correct. We must have purity in our lives as well. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Titus 2:11-15.

Watch Out for the Plateau

“Plateauing” entered the language way back in frontier days, when wagon trains often pushed along in mountainous terrain for many long, grueling days. Suddenly, the punishing pathway opened up into a high, level plain or plateau, bringing a welcome relief to the climb. Today, business analysts use the term to describe flat lines in their growth charts. All of us use it to describe a period of time in our lives when we’re not climbing any higher and we’re not going downhill. We’re just taking a break.

Spiritual plateaus, however, do not bode well for believers. They yield a false sense of security and beguile weary travelers with smug satisfaction. On a plateau, distant goals lose their luster, the stretch of tomorrows in the trail ahead blurs together with numbing sameness, and the temptation to stop and camp is nearly irresistible. Here are some thoughts, with interpretations, that signal a perilous plateau.

I have a good understanding about the basics. (Read: I don’t need to learn any more.) People often take two illusory courses of action with regard to the Word. Either they lose interest in reading and studying the Bible, or they venture off into novel and radical doctrines. I firmly believe in reiterating the basics of the Gospel, of salvation, of the nature of God, of living a separate lifestyle, of discipleship and of all the fundamentals of the faith. Never lay aside the basics as though you have no need for rehearsing them yet again. God has packed more treasure in the bedrock foundations of the church than you will deplete in your lifetime.

I have my personal life in order. (Read: Relax! I am not going to do something stupid.) Pay attention to basic discipleship. Why? Because indeed you will do something stupid if you assume you won’t. The fundamentals of prayer, church attendance, giving, Bible reading and ministering to others are not little things that will take care of themselves. You must take care of them. Personal responsibility never stops being important in your heavenward journey.

I have achieved a level of respect. (Read: Everybody thinks I’m okay.) No one is saved by his reputation. Regardless of the favorable opinions others may have of you, your spiritual welfare is between you and God alone. Please God, period. Reject the elixir of popular opinion.

I have accomplished something of significance. (Read: I’ve done enough.) None of us has done enough. God may have rested on the seventh day, but man still labors on in the sixth. Your tasks may change or the expectations of your performance may diminish over time, but you haven’t arrived until the pearly gates close behind you. Work for God and resist the temptation to look behind you and admire your accomplishments.

I have nothing to prove. (Read: I have no more real battles ahead of me.) Satan never gets discouraged and walks away, even after years of hassling you unsuccessfully. He continues to probe for a point of entry. When major transitions take place in your life such as graduation, marriage, children, new job, pay raise, moving into a new home, death of a loved one, and so on, brand new battles will crop up on your horizon.

I have no pressing spiritual needs. (Read: No need to pray, fast and study). Because the plateau has no discernible inclines or declines, you may feel cocooned into security. But other threats such as the wind, sun and approaching enemies loom larger than you might expect. The danger is not the climb; it’s the respite at the end of the climb. Just as eating and sleeping are daily needs, so also your spiritual life makes constant demands. No one matures past his or her spiritual needs.

I’m not perfect, but I’m not as bad as others. (Read: Actually, I kind of like myself.) This is the favorite refuge of the flesh. Don’t forget that there are infinite ways to fail, but only one measurable way to succeed. We have to continually reference our progress to Christ, himself, not to the bad guys, or even the good guys around us. You may be more perfect than your neighbor, but that’s not the point. Our goal is to be remade into the image of Christ.

One final danger that plateaus represent: loss of spiritual momentum. Sometimes momentum carries us through a crisis when nothing else can. The only way to keep up momentum is to keep climbing. Jesus said, “While men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares.” Matthew 13:25. Stick with the task. Stay “on message.” God’s will in our lives does not reside in maintaining the status quo, but in the unrelenting reach for higher ground.

Treat Me Special!

Hey! I’m talking to you.  Yes, you, bright guy. You need to know something about me. I know you expect everybody to play by the rules and do what they are supposed to do. But, I’m different, you see. I’m just one of those people who does things differently. You need to treat me in a special way.

Take bills, for example. I just don’t pay my bills on time. You got a problem with that?  One of those things, you know? Other people need rules, deadlines, penalties and punishment for violation. Gotta keep the peons in line, you know. It must be in their nature. Not me.

I don’t need to drive within dotted lines, use turn signals or stay in one lane. I don’t need to sign on dotted lines or initial every place you want me to. For that matter, don’t look for me to go to the back of the line, get work done on time, show passes, apply for licenses, get permission or make reservations. Granted, you have to make everybody else do these mundane things. I know we would have total chaos if they didn’t. I’m not stupid, you know. But all that stuff is for them, not me.

I really don’t have to be on time for my appointments. Other people may let the clock run their lives, but I’m not built that way. It’s stupid to impose something as insignificant as a minute or second hand to control me. Sometimes, though, I do need to get into an office or store before opening time. And other times I need to get in after closing time. Be there to unlock and lock the door for me. It’s because I’m special, you know.

When it comes to grades on tests, evaluations or appraisals, you cannot possibly hold me to the same standards to which you hold others. Regardless of how I may have answered any particular question, my value of just being me is far more important than that. Just give me a good grade.

Don’t even think about holding me to personal commitments either, like in engagements or marriage vows. I’m a free spirit. It might be my good looks and charm that makes me so lovable, so irresistible. I really think it’s because I love everybody so much that I can’t be held to loving just one person. On the other hand, you’d better be there for me. I don’t like to be two-timed or double-crossed. That’s for me to do, not you.

Hey!  You’re mouth is hanging open.  Was it something I said?  Look, it’s not all that complicated. I’m just special. Period. Pardon me for being blunt, but my time is more valuable, work is more important and my opinion means more than others. You have to make special allowances for me.

I know you may not like this. But I figure you are just jealous, or scared, or stupid. It doesn’t really matter to me what your problem is. Actually, it’s a good thing that I don’t care. If I did, I may have to do something about it that may not feel good to you.

What? You still won’t believe me? Okay. Be that way. There’s a new guard on second shift. Maybe he’ll understand.

Everything Revolves Around Evangelism

When you think of the church, what image comes to your mind?

When you think of the church, what image comes to your mind?

• A safe house for the people in trouble?
• Kind of a spiritual fort in an ocean of cultural craziness?
• A gasoline sation for the soul?
• A gathering place for believers?
• A place for singing and preaching?
• A cool place for weddings, showers and funerals?

Actually, the church is many things to many people. Your image, whatever it may be, sets the priorities which determine the church’s actions.

If, for example, you think the church is a safe house, then you believe it’s main goal ought to be comfort and security. A fort suggests strength, a gathering place means meeting social needs, singing and preaching speaks of religious ritualism, and weddings, etc. casts the church in the light of present material needs only. None of these images fully capture the church Christ conceived.

More than anything, the number one job of the church is to reach out to the world of the lost. If this mission gets distorted or lost, we will marginalize ourselves. In fact, a church that does not consider evangelism as its primary objective, fails its founder! Jesus came to seek and to save that which is lost. Bethlehem of incarnation, Gethsemane of consecration, Bethany of ascension, and the upper room of empowerment all revolve around evangelism.

Evangelism is vital to the life of the church . Picture a gigantic conveyor belt. New people come into our churches through salvation, move-ins, and newborns. But people are also constantly leaving due to job transfers, retirement, sickness and death, spiritual failure, or people just being people. All of us work to maximize the gain and minimize the loss as much as we can. Every church, however, has this challenge. When the loss is greater than the gain, the church suffers decline. In order to simply maintain the status quo, equilibrium needs to exist at both ends of the line.

Evangelism means growth . On the other hand, when the gain is greater than the loss, growth ensues. As obvious as this seems, we still spend too much time at the wrong end of the line, trying to slow down or stop the loss. Let us do what we can, but not to the neglect of the main focus of the church—-evangelism! Actually, evangelism is the healthiest kind of growth the church can enjoy.

Evangelism works . Farmers often suffer bad years because of drought, flooding or blight. Never once, however, do they doubt the natural cycle of spring, summer and fall, sun and rain. Amazingly, God’s people often lose faith in evangelism, as though God capriciously retracted His plan for building His church. Outreach still works. So do revivals, visitation programs, Home Bible Studies, mail-outs, Sunday School contests, canvassing campaigns, and every other effort to reach people. Despite the occasional drought, the evangelism still means growth. Maybe the soil needs to be reworked, the timing adjusted, or the methods changed, but the seed and the plan remain true.

Evangelism feeds on inspiration . The joy of the prospective bride inspired Jesus to suffer through the agony of the cross. Likewise, all of us must become overwhelmed with the joy of evangelism. Motivation for evangelism can undergo erosion, but seeing and hearing some faith-building testimonies and anointed messages can get it back. Don’t wring your hands and shrink back into a corner. Go somewhere, read something, talk to somebody and get an injection of inspiration. Move aggressively into the field. The souls are there. Jesus promised it.

Unclaimed Treasures

“After scouring historical records and following a trail of broken pottery scattered on the ocean floor, an American diver appears to have found the largest Spanish galleon built in the New World , which sank off the coast of Ecuador nearly 350 years ago. The diver, Robert McClung, traced the legendary ship to an almost irritatingly logical place: under 30 feet of water a mile offshore from El Real, the coastal village founded by the wreck’s survivors. Treasure seekers believe that the ship, the Capitana, carried silver coins and gold worth millions of dollars.”

So read the New York Times. In classic irony, the story went on to say, “Now, in the dusty fishing villages near the wreck, poor working people watch the recovery team warily. In some streets, dogs, pigs and chickens outnumber people.” Squalor, a mile from the stash. Hand-to-mouth subsistence virtually next door to wealth only dreamed about.

Beyond El Real, scattered around the human coastlines and across the landscapes of the world, God has placed goldmines of opportunity and treasure troves of grace within our reach. Daily, we trudge over the top of unclaimed promises, totally unaware of their close proximity. We cast our eyes hundreds of times over familiar shores beaten by interminable waves, and never see beneath the surface. In terms of churches, ministries and saints, we drive down streets of cities, look at the same houses, buildings and scenery, spend our limited time in narrowly-defined zones with few expectations and even fewer rewards. Too often, the treasure remains undisturbed, still waiting for a diver or a digger to claim it.

Had the people of El Real had forgotten about the gold-laden Spanish galleon a mile offshore? Had the descendants dismissed legendary reports as apocryphal? Maybe they had no way of reaching the gold. Or could it be that they were they so preoccupied with the struggle of their existence that didn’t give it a thought? Could it be that they had learned to live with less? Had 350 years of deprivation traced such deep ruts into their minds that the prospect of a brighter future became forever dimmed?

God forbid that the church should accept a dead, uneventful, listless kind of existence. We must never believe that defeat is our destiny. Sometimes we may even be tempted to anoint failure as simply “the way it is.” Our vision, however, does not come from our surroundings but from a viable, powerful relationship with God. Anyone who dares to look through God’s eyes will see what God sees. When we refuse to look and think superficially, the elements of spiritual success that the carnal mind cannot know will overwhelm us.

McClung did not locate the sunken ship all at once. Over a number of years, he painstakingly traced his find from a clue, a small bit of information. How much more should the people of God search diligently and confidently for the spiritual rewards that God has promised us? We have a map, a guide, the instrumentality of the Spirit, and the supply of strength along the way. One person may be the key to revival. Knocking on one door, making one phone call, sending one card, praying one prayer may trigger a huge find.

The eye, even with the aid of powerful lenses, can only see approximately eighteen miles across the surface of the earth. The curvature of the earth prevents a longer view. My thoughts always go to the nineteenth mile. What is out there that we cannot see? How foolish it would be to draw a circle with an eighteen-mile radius and refuse to believe anything beyond that circle is possible. There is more. To see it you either have to move your center, or move to a higher perch. “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)

Grace: The Open Door to Obedience

“Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision.”  Acts 26:19

The people who recite the “grace alone” mantra must feel a measure of discomfort whenever the subject of obedience comes up. That’s because the questions they must answer are impossible to answer. For example, if salvation comes by grace alone, are all Biblical commands that call for an obedient response from each person unnecessary? Did Christ absolutely do it all, including repentance? Baptism? Spiritual rebirth? Is grace an all-encompassing panacea that shifts every possible aspect of salvation to Christ and leaves nothing to man? Does God really require obedience? Does he condone disobedience?

“Grace alone” implies that man has nothing to do with the opportunity to be saved. What’s more, it intimates that man has no responsibility at all. It makes salvation absolutely unconditional. It is “grace alone.” Whether one believes or disbelieves, obeys or disobeys, is conscientious or lacks conscientiousness, continues in faith or falls away, it makes no difference. If man did nothing to obtain his salvation, he can do nothing to keep his salvation. Neither can he do anything to negate his salvation. In fact, any response on his part may invalidate the very salvation he desires. Ironically, perhaps one’s greatest worry should be whether or not he is guilty of human effort. If he is, his salvation is lost.

Exactly what does “grace alone” mean? Does it mean that we can separate Jesus from any other aspect of his ministry or work? Does it mean that we can dissect his essence from his word or doctrine like a ninth grade biology project? Do we have his person on the one hand, and the incidents of his life, on the other? Does anyone who attaches any other aspect of Christ besides his person alone as a requirement for salvation encumber the simplicity of salvation in Christ alone? The message seems to be grace alone—-without doctrine, without response, without obedience, without qualification—-defines salvation.

If we make a distinction between Jesus and his doctrine, what value do we assign to each? If we place the greater value upon his person, do we then place a lesser value upon his doctrine? Does this mean that it is possible to embrace Jesus but not his doctrine? Further, does this mean that one could accept Christ but deny his doctrine? And if one claims that he accepts Christ but denies his doctrine, what impact does this denial have upon his standing with Christ?

“Grace alone” implies that a man may basically disregard every spiritual principle, every scriptural command and every apostolic doctrine without effecting his justification with God to any degree. If it does not mean this, then there is no reason for a “grace alone” position. If spiritual principles, commands and doctrines are indeed essential, however, then someone, somewhere must define what they are. Someone, somewhere must say, “You can disregard some principles, some commands and some doctrines, but not all of them.” But, if the “grace alone” position is correct, who gives anyone the right to draw any line anywhere?

No, the Bible does not teach a “grace alone” position. This doctrine promulgates a subtle and insidious distortion of the Bible message of salvation. Specifically, it violates the unity between Christ and his work for us and in us, it endorses an attitude of non-compliance with clear, scriptural commands, it abrogates the spiritual progress that was expected and intended for Christians to enjoy, it forces God to accept the very behavior that he condemns in his word, and it represents faulty and incomplete Biblical exegesis. It is a beguiling, unbiblical notion that relieves man from the duty of obedience. It speaks of an indulgent, doting God who allows men to trample on his eternal precepts. It depicts a vacillating deity who cannot or will not enforce his word. That is not the kind of God who authored the Bible.

So if grace isn’t everything, what is it? Simply this: there was an access door to salvation that sin padlocked, bolted, sealed shut. The Mosaic Law could not open the door. The blood of bulls and goats could not open the door. Tradition could not open the door. The grace of God, however, opened that door. Through the precious blood that he shed at Calvary , Christ broke the lock, smashed the bolts and unsealed the way for our entrance. His grace was the strongest of all. By obedience, we then walk through the door that grace opened.

Faith in the Parenthesis

(For we walk by faith and not by sight.)  II Corinthians 5:7

How far away is the mountain?  How long is the railroad?  How tall is the tree?  Even our eyes cannot send enough information to our optic nerves to guarantee us the correct facts and figures.  At some point, our depth of field perception fails us.

The same thing is true with communicating.  Try as we might to speak and write clearly, sometimes it seems impossible to say what we want to say. That’s why we use a little mechanism called parentheses to help convey our meaning. A parenthesis is a statement or expression that is beside the main point. Often, it is a key to understanding the point that has just been established.

In this passage, the Apostle Paul probes into the dark enigma of death. Death wreaks havoc, devastation and grief. When it happens to those of us who profess Christianity, it seems to explode our entire position on the superiority of our faith. This is a faulty impression, however, and it results from a forgetfulness about faith. The inspired writer makes a powerful and revealing point by using this parenthetical reference to faith.

We know much about faith. For example, we know that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1). What we find in II Corinthians 5 is not a theological problem about faith, but a tactical one on how to use it. This is not a matter of misunderstanding faith, but knowing when to apply faith to the circumstances of our lives.

Why, then, do people abandon their faith? Why do people give up in the middle of their spiritual journey? Why do people pay more and more attention to their circumstances? The Apostle Paul links this difficulty with faith to walking by sight. Let’s analyze the following limitations of sight:

• Distance. The farther we are from an object, the fuzzier it becomes.
• Size. Small objects are more difficult to see.
• Light. Dimness or darkness make it harder to see.
• Time. The aging process affects our ability to identify people.
• Perception. Things look different in various surroundings.
• Perspective. People see things differently from different vantage points.
• Optical illusion. Our eyes lie to us.
• Visual barriers. Objects block our sight.
• Sleight of hand, trickery. Others can fool us.

In all of these instances, it is critical that we do not rely upon natural sight and human perception as our sole point of reference. Neither can we depend upon our human perception for spiritual success. Faith emerges as our only reliable tool for spiritual navigation.

Under what conditions must we walk by faith and not by sight?

• When we do not know where we are going. (Genesis 12:1-3).
• When we face extreme hostility. (Acts 7:57-59).
• When we are confronted by visible evidence contrary to our beliefs. (Acts 14:8-9; Romans 4:22).
• When it seems the establishment is against us. (Acts 14:22 )
• When something happens which hurts us. (Ephesians 6:16; II Thessalonians 1:4).
• When we become disappointed or disillusioned. (I Thessalonians 3:5).
• When we are assailed by feelings of inadequacy and unworthiness. (Hebrews 10:22-23).
• When the enemy triumphs over us in battle. (I Corinthians 16:13).

John F. Kennedy, Jr.’s tragic death in a plane crash has been officially ruled as pilot error. Investigators surmise that he flew his craft at a near perpendicular angle into the ocean. Kennedy, along with his new wife and her sister, crashed in a twilight fog, which made the horizon impossible to see. Some say he was not fully trained on navigating by instruments. Some wonder whether he bothered to look at the instruments. Whatever the reason, it is certain that he did not deliberately destroy himself and his passengers. What he saw must have differed dramatically from reality.

Sometimes, the view from the window of life looks dramatically different from our scriptural training. The visuals seem to contradict the needles and gauges. In these conditions, it is possible to be so overly confident in our visible assessment of the surroundings that we disregard the instrument readings. In spiritual matters, we cannot rely upon our natural eyesight. We need a power beyond carnal ability. Faith is the radar, the para-normal instrumentation, the only link we have to divine navigation. We must not only use it, we must protect it. Ignoring the parenthesis of the superiority of faith over sight may truly be a matter of life and death.

A Concern for Conservatives

(March 4, 2006)  I am way too busy to do all the research necessary for this critique, but I want to express my opinion anyway. I could be wrong, or I could be exaggerating my belief. In a nutshell, I think the conservatives, especially in the conservative press and blogosphere, are starting to focus more on attacking liberals than on proclaiming positive values and virtues.

For example, today’s “scoop-du-jour” for the conservative media involved blasting the wacko geography teacher in Denver who open criticized George W. Bush’s State of the Union speech and compared him to Hitler. A student recorded the spiel on an MP3 player and sent the file to a conservative news agency. Another example is Ed Lasky’s story on “Myths the Beltway Journalists Peddle” in The American Thinker. Lasky makes his point in a superb fashion, so I do not criticize or rebut his content. While these are just two illustrations that come to mind, all one has to do is read the table of contents of e-publications like NewsMax, WorldNetDaily or The American Spectator to draw the same conclusion. A daily perusal of blogs like PowerLineBlog, HughHewitt, MichelleMalkin or AceofSpadesHQ further supports my contention. Rush, Sean and Laura also make the case.

I am concerned that the conservative movement seems to be heading down a reactionary path. Admittedly, liberals make themselves easy targets with their daily smorgasbord of idiocy and bias. Dan Rather’s forgery faux pas, Algore’s vituperations, Hillary’s shrillaries and Harry Ried’s vacuities literally beg us for derision. But that’s the point. It has become far too easy for us to pick them off as the predictable liberal sideshow dangles them in front of us. The harder work is to continue pumping substantive concepts and stories about conservative values into the public arena.

I would like to see more stories and articles which validate freedom, stress the triumphs of capitalism and glorify the heroes of democracy. Tell me why the war on terror is right, not just why the opponents of the war are fools. Tell me why we need a strong military, not just that the San Francisco council which opposes the military is made up of idiots. Tell me why we need to lead the world, not just that the leftists’ accusation of American arrogance is outrageous. Tell me why this is the best nation in the world, not just that liberals are stupid for thinking otherwise. Tell me about celebrities who are good, not just the ones who are bad. And when you tell me these things, don’t just spout off. Use history, charts, graphs, statistics, quotes, reason and logic. Sure, this demands hard work. So what? I work hard at my job, too. When we spend most of our time beating down the opposition, we forfeit valuable energy that could be used to strengthen conservative ideals. We say that the liberals are driven by their hatred of Bush. We must not be driven by our hatred of liberals.

I do not speak in absolutes. Certainly, many of the positive articles to which I refer exist in the conservative media. I do speak in terms of trends and perceptions. Yes, we must answer our enemies and counteract their lies, but we must not substitute these rebuttals for positive proclamations of our values. Today, the liberals run academia. We must out-academe, out-educate, out-work, out-research, out-think, out-write and out-publish them if we are going to out them from their entrenched positions. They may not have facts and logic on their side, but they do have tenure. That may be strong enough to insulate them from our broadsides without a convincing demonstration to the world of our superiority of ideas.