1 Corinthians 15

1 Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. 2 It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. 1 Corinthians 15:1-2

I grew up in LA, lower Alabama, that is. When it came time to register to vote everyone became a ‘yellow dog’ Democrat. (The supervisor of elections had thrown away all the Republican forms!)

I first heard the ‘good news’ of the Republican Party from Ronald Reagan and other ‘evangelists’ for the conservative cause. I was convicted that the core principles of less taxation, more personal freedom and free market economics would build a better future for America. When Melane and I settled in Florida we took a stand with the GOP.

As a GOP Florida Legislator one on my primary roles was spreading the ‘good news’ of Republicanism to all who would listen, especially while recruiting and screening candidates to run for the legislature as Republicans.

I was sworn in as Speaker during the recession following the 911 events. I was surprised that many Republican legislators, mostly Republican state senators, were clamoring to raise taxes and raid state trust funds to ‘stimulate’ Florida’s economy and assure continued government spending levels. In my first speech to the legislators I stressed a simple message. If conservative principles of less taxes and free market economics had worked during the good times, we should stick with those same principles during the bad economic times. In other words, if the principles of the GOP were a lie, we were all doomed.

So, Republicans, real Republicans that is, have a set of core principles that clearly separate them from the Democrats, Libertarians, Communists, National Socialists, and others. (Yes, Virginia, there are still communists and socialists in America.) Believe it or not, some people have a problem with core values. That's a bit confining for many folks, like folks who were elected as Republicans but never really believed in all that malarkey about less taxes and small government. And, don't forget those on the Left who are too elitist to be held to any universal truth (the liberals down at the Tribune and St. Pete Times come to mind). Those of us who actually try to take a consistent stand on Republican principles are taunted by the Progressives as they shutter at the thought of a "litmus test' for party loyalty. (What a backward concept they say - saying what you mean and meaning what you say - come on!)

On a higher plane, the Christian faith is based upon a single core belief: that Christ died and was resurrected in a victory over death that confirms an everlasting life for those who believe. The ‘lynchpin’ of the resurrection can be a stumbling block to new Christians and those who lack faith.

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul reminds the new Christians at Corinth of how they first believed in the ‘good news’ of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ and His victory over death for them. Some of those new Christians were having a hard time ‘getting their arms around' this core principle of the bodily resurrection of Christ. As a result, they were not able to fully appreciate the exciting prospect of their own eventual bodily resurrection and new spiritual bodies.

For those who had been saying that there was no bodily resurrection, Paul gave a methodical and logical explanation of how the resurrection is central to a complete faith in Christ. Read More...

Tags: Paul, Resurrection

31But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way. 1 Corinthians 12:31

Some say that Florida is really five states, not one. There’s no better proof of that than the sixty days each spring when Florida legislators from around the State descend upon the otherwise sleepy college town of Tallahassee. From the rural Panhandle to transnational Miami, and everywhere in between, state legislators bring their special and unique talents and dreams for the future of the Great State of Florida.

At first blush one would wonder how this menagerie of politicians could accomplish anything. Yet, believe it or not, during the closing weeks of the legislative session the vast majority of all bills pass unanimously. What unifying force prevents this cacophony of diversity from devolving into permanent deadlock? What’s the secret?

Like the members of the ancient Christian church at Corinth, the Florida State legislators are a diverse group of gifted, ambitious, and to a large degree, self-oriented individuals, many of whom are seeking acclaim and prestige. Whether a collegial body such as a church or the legislature can succeed at its work depends less on the individual gifts of its members than whether the members will embrace the higher need of unifying the majority behind common goal. So, what gift is needed to reach the goal of unity? Read More...

Tags: Love, Agape Love

“Man is made to adore and to obey: but if you will not command him, if you give him nothing to worship, he will fashion his own divinities, and find a chieftain in his own passions.” Benjamin Disraeli

Just like a church, to say that there are ‘factions’ within any legislative body is an understatement.

For example, it is the tradition in the Florida Legislature that the legislators of each political party select one of their own as ‘speaker-designate’ to serve as Speaker of the House in the event that their party wins a majority of the 120 House seats in the upcoming election. In other words, the internal process of selecting the one who will rise to the office of Speaker of the House can go on for years with the members dividing into various factions supporting one candidate or another.

After I was selected as speaker-designate and even after I was elected Speaker, the contest to determine my successor narrowed down to a hotly contested campaign between Miami legislator Gaston Cantens and Panama City legislator Alan Bense. The process raged on for several years, but finally Bense won the approval of the majority of the Republican caucus. Unfortunately, the members remained so polarized that they continued to self-identify themselves not as Republicans, but as either being on the Bense team or the Cantens team.

Because of this disunity, the focus on a conservative agenda was ‘put on the back burner’ as the factions jousted for leadership within the Republican caucus. Eventually, the Democrats ... Read More...

Tags: Disraeli, Paul, Jesus, Florida Legislature, Alan Bense, Gaston Cantens, 1 Corinthians, factions, divisions in the church, corinth