We assert that all human life is sacred and belongs to God because all people are made in the image of God (Gen. 1:27). Since every human being is created by God and in His image, every human being has intrinsic rather than relative value. People are not valued according to their quality of life or their usefulness to serve the desires of others. They are not to be destroyed when “unwanted” by us. God, in making them, wants them. They are not to be discarded, sacrificed, or euthanized because they are useless to others. They have sovereign use to God. (John Ensor, Answering the Call: Saving Innocent Lives One Woman at a Time)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! As the new school year begins, new opportunities to speak the truth in love abounds. Not only at school, but also at work, with family and friends. To prepare for this, this week’s links are geared to help you be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in you. Here you go!

• The Center for Medical Progress continue their series of sting videos with Planned Parenthood representatives discussing the selling of fetal body parts this week. This most recent video reveals StemExpress, a biotech supply company, as a company that partnered with Planned Parenthood to buy human fetal parts, some possibly born-alive infants. Since then, Planned Parenthood has sought to discredit these videos. The Daily Signal reports on CMP’s response.
• How do you prepare for entering the university setting? Most students coming from a Christian home are instructed to stay away from parties, study hard, and make good decisions. However, the intellectual arena is largely untouched in the preparation of a young believer. Professor Michael Kruger gives some sound advice as to how to be ready to represent Christ well in this post-Christian culture. Youth, collegians: click that link!
• In an effort to address a common misunderstanding of what the Bible is all about, Pastor Jared Wilson provides a helpful corrective in his article, “The Bible Is Not an Instruction Manual.” Let us never get tired of what we need to be reminded of in this article.
• The Biblical Counseling Coalition has been working on a series related to biblical counseling and higher education. This week, Dr. Robert Jones offers eight reasons why theology and theological training matters. Lilly Park offers a female perspective on pursuing biblical counseling training, and Kevin Carson explains why you should pursue further training in this area. If anything, I hope your desire to offer biblical counsel is heightened by reading these posts.
• In a very simple yet biblical manner, R.C. Sproul gives us a peek into how he would counsel someone who is unsure of their salvation. I hope this will be bring much comfort to those who are struggling in this area.
• A common objection to only recognizing marriage as the one-flesh union of a man and a woman is that there are many couples who are infertile, thus pointed out that marriage doesn’t require every couple to have kids, since some can’t. Ryan Anderson responds. Over at The Federalist, another article addresses why same-sex ‘marriage’ will never measure up to the real thing.
• Examining the bumper stickers of a car while driving, Michael Kruger lays bare the common mantras you hear promoted in our day. A beautiful display of sound, biblical thinking.

That’s all for this week! Make sure you pray for the collegians, as College Life begins the new school year tonight! See you at church on Sunday (and at FITS)!

Soli Deo Gloria