It is difficult in 2018 to know whom to trust, what is accurate and where one should go to obtain reliable information and perspective on the state of things. In an era of Facebook, Instagram and ?Google-knowledge,? the worlds of politics and Pop culture are inextricably linked, it seems. As columnist Daniel Henninger observes, ?The culture of social media?a tireless preoccupation with fleeting surface effects?has changed all media.? Years ago, cultural critic and observer Marshall McLuhan predicted (at the dawn of the TV age) that mass media would engulf everything, for, he argued, ?the medium is the message.? Our social media culture has enhanced the confusion, the absurd and the tragic in our current culture.

Dr. Eckman discusses Peter?s writings on the practices of the apostates: how the contempt & unruliness of these false teachers can be appealing to the weak & unknowing, but will still be met with God?s judgement.

Peter writes of the precepts & punishment of apostates: false heretical teachings, and how God holds false teachers accountable.

The home-going of Billy Graham marks a watershed in American evangelicalism. He received a number of accolades during his life, but perhaps none is more endearing than ?America?s Pastor.? He had his critics, but, for the most part, Graham was universally admired as a man of integrity who preached a consistent, simple message of the Gospel?and that is the heart of his legacy. Why was he such an important figure in American evangelicalism? By the grace of God, why was he able to consistently maintain his reputation as a man of integrity?

Dr. Eckman reviews & expands on the Christian concepts of Revelation, Inspiration, & Illumination.

Of all the issues facing American civilization today, none is more controversial and volatile than that of immigration. It is a legal issue, a social issue, a political issue, and it is a spiritual issue. In this Perspective, I hope to focus on the legal and the spiritual issues informing the immigration debate. Even as I set the boundaries, I am not naive. What I say will upset some Christians, but I am going to do my best to raise the important legal and biblical themes that deal with this issue.

Peter reminds us of his commitment to remind believers of the Truth, and reinforces that prophesy does not come from human interpretation or will, but rather comes from divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Over the last year or so, Americans have been on a spending binge. The stock market has reached record levels. (Although, as I am writing, it is falling precipitously, having lost 1300 points in three days.) And the US Congress, at the insistence of President Trump, passed a massive tax cut. America?s GDP is stable, unemployment is low and wages are slowly increasing. But all of this is a façade. One of the significant risks, with all this spending, the tax cuts and rising wages, is inflation, which is one of the reasons the stock market is falling. What I hope to address in this Perspective are the underlying systemic challenges facing America. They are serious and potentially very destabilizing. Let?s review some of these systemic issues:

Since the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision 45 years ago, the pro-life (or anti-abortion) side of the debate has focused on the ethical issue that the baby growing in its mother?s womb deserves to be protected as any other human being having rights under the US Constitution.  Increasingly sophisticated technology is changing the nature of the debate.  Indeed, Emma Green in a recent issue of The Atlantic has argued that ?science is giving the pro-life movement a boost.?  In addition, columnist Michael Gerson suggests that the way the Court framed its 1973 decision created a tension between autonomy and inclusion, producing a conflict that ?will only be managed, not settled.?  Let me explain both of these observations.

Peter continues his encouragement to believers: because we have already reached justification in God’s eyes, we are to carry ourselves with holiness & grace, and to love others. Through these actions, we will know Jesus better, as He conforms each of us to be more like Him.