The Tulip Driven Life

 By: Thomas F. Booher  "Cretans" might as well be "Martians" to us today. So the Apostle Paul's words below do not make us queasy: “'Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.'” This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith." But replace Cretans with any country or race, especially one in your own nation, and perhaps other than applying it to whites, you will immediately begin to object. "Hispanics are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." "Blacks are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." "Indians are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." "Whites are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." My point is not to say that these statements apply to any or all of these particular races in a one-to-one (though I have no problem saying it applies far more to some than others, and today in our wicked age is a generalization we all could wear to on...

  "Natural affection must give way to divine grace. Our country is dear to us, our kindred dearer, and our father’s house dearest of all; and yet they must all be hated (Lu. 14:26), that is, we must love them less than Christ, hate them in comparison with him, and, whenever any of these come in competition with him, they must be postponed, and the preference given to the will and honour of the Lord Jesus. (2.) Sin, and all the occasions of it, must be forsaken, and particularly bad company; we must abandon all the idols of iniquity which have been set up in our hearts, and get out of the way of temptation, plucking out even a right eye that leads us to sin (Mt. 5:29), willingly parting with that which is dearest to us, when we cannot keep it without hazard of our integrity. Those that resolve to keep the commandments of God must quit the society of evil doers, Ps. 119:115; Acts 2:40. (3.) The world, and all our enjoyments in it, must be looked upon with a holy indifference and con...