Sunday, March 22, 2026
“They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you” (Galatians 4:17,18 KJV).
Let us see if we can identify and comprehend the dangers of relying on emotions….
An emotional person announces, “We can best support poor people by taxing the rich and diverting that money to social programs!” However, a thinking individual proposes, “Find ways to reduce wasteful government spending first—and start by decreasing the salaries of the politicians who are mismanaging funds and more likely embezzling monies meant for social programs.” If wealthy business owners are taxed, they simply increase the prices their customers pay. When taxes become oppressive enough, the wealthy move elsewhere, so the region’s tax base shrinks. Who will pay for the poor now? It will definitely not be the politicians! Emotions aside, and critical thinking operating, this economics lesson is most profitable.
The death penalty has always been controversial. Supposedly, capital punishment is “cruel and unusual,” and therefore inappropriate; this too is emotionalism. Observe the renewed mind now. The Bible is absolutely clear that, any individual who takes a human life forfeits his or her own: “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man” (Genesis 9:6). Furthermore, this is not restricted to the Old Testament. If worthy of death, the Apostle Paul was willing to be executed (Acts 25:11). He even wrote about government retaining the right to “bear the sword” (behead offenders) in Romans 13:4. Does not the possibility of sentencing innocent people to death argue against capital punishment? This also is emotionalism. If potential mistakes are grounds for ruling out the death penalty, we would be forced to eliminate life imprisonment as well because many innocent individuals have sat in a jail for decades only to be proven not guilty and released! Moreover, how cruel and unusual for the guilty person spared the death penalty to be enabled to harass the victim’s family with years of appeals. Above all, you can be sure that, once the murderer is killed, there will be no chance of recidivism or financial burden to taxpayers.
Indeed, it helps to use the brain than the emotions….
333 Words of Grace 