What is agape love? Agape was a generic word for love that was hijacked by Christians. It became a word that was used to describe God's "unconditional" love.
We often use it when we tell each other to love like Jesus, but what does it mean to love unconditionally? You see, many Christians use agape the same way the world uses tolerate. What I mean by this is if Christians are to love like God then we must accept everyone and everything about them. Question, I thought we are suppose to influence the world and not the other way around?
Agape is not the same as the world's definition of tolerate. God's agape love is this... All people, no matter what they have done, can receive salvation. It is not limited to the "good" or "qualified."
That is God's agape love, but we have to also remember that God hates sin. He loves us so much that he is unwilling to allow sin to reign in our lives. The greatest act of his love was allowing his son to take our place on the cross. He hated sin so much, and loved us so much, that he gave us a way to be reconciled to him. So obviously he does not just accept us and our sin unconditionally.
We as Christians need to understand the difference. We love the sinner and hate the sin. When it comes to the non-Christian the most important thing is to show them the love of Christ and point them to Jesus as Lord and Savoir who will convict of sin. When it comes to the Christian it is important that we confront sin and seek their repentance. We cannot tolerate sin in the church.
Jesus showed us how this is to be done in Matthew 18:15-20 (Mind you early texts do not contain the words "against you." It simply says "If your brother sins...") After sin has been confronted and there is no repentance then we go back to square one with the person and see and treat them as unbelievers.
This is Christlike love. Christlike love is doing the best and right thing for others, and it is different from agape. How does agape play a part in the life of a Christian? No Christian has the right to condemn an unbeliever. What I mean by this is we don't get to pick and choose who we share the Gospel message with. Salvation is not our call. We are called to share the love of Jesus with all.
If you use agape to say tolerate then you need to stop. God does not tolerate. Sin will be dealt with one way or another. I love my Christian brothers and sisters. I will continue to expose and confront sin. If you love me you will do the same for me.
Saturday, May 31, 2014
The Apostasy of America
What really gets me more than anything anyone has done is the response of Christians to sin. There is a difference between how we respond to the actions of a believer and nonbeliever. A nonbeliever does not see the world the same as a believer. A nonbeliever's actions are done without confessing Christ as Lord. A believer, on the other hand, should know better. So we confront them with truth, but too many Christians are turning away from truth and condoning sin.
Paul spoke of this in his letter to the Thessalonians. He said that before the anti-Christ appears there must be an apostasy where many in the church leave the truth behind. More and more Christians are accepting the lies and teachings of the enemy and endorsing a lifestyle of disobedience to God. Shame on you! JESUS said you will be held accountable. It is better for you to tie a millstone around your neck and jump into a lake than teach/cause someone to sin.
Stand up for truth no matter how difficult it be. Don't back down. And just because you don't condone sin doesn't mean you don't love. God hates sin! He loves all! That is why he offers salvation to all.
Paul spoke of this in his letter to the Thessalonians. He said that before the anti-Christ appears there must be an apostasy where many in the church leave the truth behind. More and more Christians are accepting the lies and teachings of the enemy and endorsing a lifestyle of disobedience to God. Shame on you! JESUS said you will be held accountable. It is better for you to tie a millstone around your neck and jump into a lake than teach/cause someone to sin.
Stand up for truth no matter how difficult it be. Don't back down. And just because you don't condone sin doesn't mean you don't love. God hates sin! He loves all! That is why he offers salvation to all.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
World Vision and the Real Issue
This week World Vision's president Richard Stearns announced that the organization was changing its policy and would now employ "married gay couples." In the wake of what Stearns described as an attempt to unify a storm is now raging. I've been reading the various responses. Frankly, I am quite dismayed.
Of course you have the gay community applauding World Vision, as they should, for taking such a stand, and you have conservative Christians condemning the decision that was made based on clear biblical teaching concerning homosexuality and marriage. These are no surprise. What I am surprised about is the number of Christians saying that it is really none of our business what World Vision wants to do. As one Facebooker put it "My question is, why do you care who someone marries or sleeps with at night. It doesn't concern or affect you" or stating that our condemnation of this decision is not showing the love and grace of Christ to the gay community.
An issue is being made that is not the real issue. This is not an issue of condemning homosexuality. It is not an issue of whether we are showing grace and love to homosexuals. The real issue is a Christian organization has taken a stance on a very controversial issue and has decided to go against what Scripture says (though they try to deny it this is what they have done). This is not an argument about whether homosexuality is right or wrong. This really is an issue of faith and obedience. As with many things in today's society the issue is being distorted.
For the sake of not getting into a homosexual argument let me focus on marriage. Scripture explicitly states that marriage is between one man and one woman. We find this in Genesis 2:24 says "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh" (ESV). Jesus confirms this. He did not make any changes but stated in Mark 10:6-8 "But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two but one flesh." He then adds this in verse 9 "What therefore God has joined together, LET NOT MAN SEPARATE." (emphasis mine). God created marriage!
Genesis reveals that the man (meaning humankind) was expected to procreate. The creation of male and female makes sense. But there was also a deeper purpose to the creation of marriage. Paul reveals the mystery of marriage in his letter to the Ephesians. "'Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband." (Ephesians 5:31-33). "This mystery is profound!" "It refers to Christ and the church!" What this reveals is there was a purposeful design behind marriage. Marriage is the human relationship that God has chosen to symbolize his relationship with the church. No wonder the enemy has fought so hard to degrade, downplay and pervert it!
Again, the issue is not that we are condemning homosexuals. Frankly, the Bible has already done that. "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral...nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality...will inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). The list is longer, but what I want to show is that there is a created and expected order when it comes to the sexual relationship. World Vision, up to this point, has recognized this order. God created sex when he created male and female. His order, or will, is that sex be confined to a one-man/one-woman-for-life-marriage-relationship. This has already been established in Scripture. The issue than is, as stated before, a Christian organization taking a stance on a controversial subject (that should not be controversial because Scripture is clear) has denied the truth of Scripture and made a choice succumb to the will of man and not the will of God. That is the issue. Period.
No one is condemning the homosexual. The condemnation of homosexuality has already been made. This is an issue of faith and obedience. Do we believe that God and Jesus are Lord? If so, the commands of the Godhead must be obeyed. We do not get to pick and choose what we want to obey and what we don't want to obey.
One of the mottoes of the Restoration Movement is "We speak where the Scripture speaks. We are silent where the Scripture is silent." The Bible is not silent on marriage. Therefore we should not be silent as well and condemn the action taken by World Vision to not uphold the sanctity of marriage as revealed in Scripture.
Of course you have the gay community applauding World Vision, as they should, for taking such a stand, and you have conservative Christians condemning the decision that was made based on clear biblical teaching concerning homosexuality and marriage. These are no surprise. What I am surprised about is the number of Christians saying that it is really none of our business what World Vision wants to do. As one Facebooker put it "My question is, why do you care who someone marries or sleeps with at night. It doesn't concern or affect you" or stating that our condemnation of this decision is not showing the love and grace of Christ to the gay community.
An issue is being made that is not the real issue. This is not an issue of condemning homosexuality. It is not an issue of whether we are showing grace and love to homosexuals. The real issue is a Christian organization has taken a stance on a very controversial issue and has decided to go against what Scripture says (though they try to deny it this is what they have done). This is not an argument about whether homosexuality is right or wrong. This really is an issue of faith and obedience. As with many things in today's society the issue is being distorted.
For the sake of not getting into a homosexual argument let me focus on marriage. Scripture explicitly states that marriage is between one man and one woman. We find this in Genesis 2:24 says "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh" (ESV). Jesus confirms this. He did not make any changes but stated in Mark 10:6-8 "But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two but one flesh." He then adds this in verse 9 "What therefore God has joined together, LET NOT MAN SEPARATE." (emphasis mine). God created marriage!
Genesis reveals that the man (meaning humankind) was expected to procreate. The creation of male and female makes sense. But there was also a deeper purpose to the creation of marriage. Paul reveals the mystery of marriage in his letter to the Ephesians. "'Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband." (Ephesians 5:31-33). "This mystery is profound!" "It refers to Christ and the church!" What this reveals is there was a purposeful design behind marriage. Marriage is the human relationship that God has chosen to symbolize his relationship with the church. No wonder the enemy has fought so hard to degrade, downplay and pervert it!
Again, the issue is not that we are condemning homosexuals. Frankly, the Bible has already done that. "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral...nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality...will inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). The list is longer, but what I want to show is that there is a created and expected order when it comes to the sexual relationship. World Vision, up to this point, has recognized this order. God created sex when he created male and female. His order, or will, is that sex be confined to a one-man/one-woman-for-life-marriage-relationship. This has already been established in Scripture. The issue than is, as stated before, a Christian organization taking a stance on a controversial subject (that should not be controversial because Scripture is clear) has denied the truth of Scripture and made a choice succumb to the will of man and not the will of God. That is the issue. Period.
No one is condemning the homosexual. The condemnation of homosexuality has already been made. This is an issue of faith and obedience. Do we believe that God and Jesus are Lord? If so, the commands of the Godhead must be obeyed. We do not get to pick and choose what we want to obey and what we don't want to obey.
One of the mottoes of the Restoration Movement is "We speak where the Scripture speaks. We are silent where the Scripture is silent." The Bible is not silent on marriage. Therefore we should not be silent as well and condemn the action taken by World Vision to not uphold the sanctity of marriage as revealed in Scripture.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
"The Blessing of Abraham": What It Is and What It Is Not
"so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith." - Galatians 3:14 ESV
Just a cursory search on the world wide web shows that this passage of scripture is used by many in the health/wealth and word faith movement to justify a belief that God wants us to be healthy and wealthy (usually the emphasis is on material wealth). The argument is that if the blessing of Abraham comes to the Gentile then we also should expect to be blessed with everything that Abraham was blessed with (again with emphasis on material wealth).
There is a huge problem here. CONTEXT! CONTEXT! CONTEXT! I hate how people take one verse out of a passage to justify what they want to believe. Reading this passage in context pretty much tells us what Paul meant when he said "the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles." It certainly doesn't mean all the blessings ever given to Abraham.
The key to understanding this verse is found in a few verses proceding this one. Starting with verse 7 "Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham." God promised Abraham that he would make him into a great nation. Paul is trying to help the Galatians see that they are a part of the promise, but they do not have to follow the law as some are teaching them in order to inherit the promise. Abraham is used as an example of someone who received promises through faith and not works. They to have received salvation through faith and not works (particularly the demand of circumcision by "Judaizers").
Continuing in verses 8 & 9 it says "And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, 'In you shall all the nations be blessed.' So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith." Two things are going on here. First, Abraham is being used as an example of a person who is blessed through faith. (Look at verse 6 "just as Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.") Verse 9 picks up this theme. Abraham was blessed through faith and so can we be blessed through faith. The nagging question becomes, with what kind of blessing?
The assumption is often made that a Christian is blessed with all the blessings of Abraham, but, and secondly, verse 8 really revealed the blessing that is being spoken of. Paul equates God's words "In you shall all the nations be blessed" with the Gospel message. The Gospel message is that Jesus came and currently offers a place in his kingdom. The blessing of all nations (which means Gentile nations) is through Jesus Christ. Essentially, to paraphrase what Paul is saying, "You, Gentile, part of a nation outside of Israel, can be a part of Abraham's family through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ."
Think about verse 14 now when Paul says "so that in Christ Jesus THE blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles" (emphasis mine). "THE blessing!" He did not say "the BLESSINGS of Abraham." He is speaking of one blessing. "In you shall all the nations be BLESSED" (emphasis mine). Paul is not speaking of the blessings given to Abraham by God. He is speaking of the blessing of the nations by God through Abraham (essentially Jesus). He is not saying that we can partake in all the blessings that Abraham received from God (with an emphasis on material blessing). He is saying we can partake of the ONE greater blessing through Abraham: salvation through Jesus Christ.
In fact, if you keep all of chapter 3 in context there is no way you can leave this passage believing that what Paul is saying is that we can experience the same blessings that Abraham experienced. To do so is to miss the point and promise of this passage. Paul's major concern is to show the Galatians that salvation (the greatest blessing and promise of the New Covenant) is not by works but by faith. Salvation through Jesus Christ is the greatest of all blessings and will be the only blessing we will truly be concerned with when this life is over.
I want THE blessing that comes through Abraham more than I want all the BLESSINGS given to Abraham. For THE blessing that comes through Abraham will be what gets me into heaven. The BLESSINGS of Abraham will only fade away when this world is gone. They will do nothing to help me inherit the greater promise. How about you?
Just a cursory search on the world wide web shows that this passage of scripture is used by many in the health/wealth and word faith movement to justify a belief that God wants us to be healthy and wealthy (usually the emphasis is on material wealth). The argument is that if the blessing of Abraham comes to the Gentile then we also should expect to be blessed with everything that Abraham was blessed with (again with emphasis on material wealth).
There is a huge problem here. CONTEXT! CONTEXT! CONTEXT! I hate how people take one verse out of a passage to justify what they want to believe. Reading this passage in context pretty much tells us what Paul meant when he said "the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles." It certainly doesn't mean all the blessings ever given to Abraham.
The key to understanding this verse is found in a few verses proceding this one. Starting with verse 7 "Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham." God promised Abraham that he would make him into a great nation. Paul is trying to help the Galatians see that they are a part of the promise, but they do not have to follow the law as some are teaching them in order to inherit the promise. Abraham is used as an example of someone who received promises through faith and not works. They to have received salvation through faith and not works (particularly the demand of circumcision by "Judaizers").
Continuing in verses 8 & 9 it says "And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, 'In you shall all the nations be blessed.' So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith." Two things are going on here. First, Abraham is being used as an example of a person who is blessed through faith. (Look at verse 6 "just as Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.") Verse 9 picks up this theme. Abraham was blessed through faith and so can we be blessed through faith. The nagging question becomes, with what kind of blessing?
The assumption is often made that a Christian is blessed with all the blessings of Abraham, but, and secondly, verse 8 really revealed the blessing that is being spoken of. Paul equates God's words "In you shall all the nations be blessed" with the Gospel message. The Gospel message is that Jesus came and currently offers a place in his kingdom. The blessing of all nations (which means Gentile nations) is through Jesus Christ. Essentially, to paraphrase what Paul is saying, "You, Gentile, part of a nation outside of Israel, can be a part of Abraham's family through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ."
Think about verse 14 now when Paul says "so that in Christ Jesus THE blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles" (emphasis mine). "THE blessing!" He did not say "the BLESSINGS of Abraham." He is speaking of one blessing. "In you shall all the nations be BLESSED" (emphasis mine). Paul is not speaking of the blessings given to Abraham by God. He is speaking of the blessing of the nations by God through Abraham (essentially Jesus). He is not saying that we can partake in all the blessings that Abraham received from God (with an emphasis on material blessing). He is saying we can partake of the ONE greater blessing through Abraham: salvation through Jesus Christ.
In fact, if you keep all of chapter 3 in context there is no way you can leave this passage believing that what Paul is saying is that we can experience the same blessings that Abraham experienced. To do so is to miss the point and promise of this passage. Paul's major concern is to show the Galatians that salvation (the greatest blessing and promise of the New Covenant) is not by works but by faith. Salvation through Jesus Christ is the greatest of all blessings and will be the only blessing we will truly be concerned with when this life is over.
I want THE blessing that comes through Abraham more than I want all the BLESSINGS given to Abraham. For THE blessing that comes through Abraham will be what gets me into heaven. The BLESSINGS of Abraham will only fade away when this world is gone. They will do nothing to help me inherit the greater promise. How about you?
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
How Does Someone "Lose" Their Salvation?
First off, I don't like the term "lose your salvation." This to me implies that one day it was there and the next day it was gone with no explanation whatsoever of how it got lost. I don't believe people "lose" their salvation. However, I do believe people can "walk away from," "give back," or even "drift from" salvation, and I believe the Bible states that such can happen.
If I were to stop right here a huge question should be forming in the minds of those reading. Just how does this happen, and if it does happen how does a person know it hasn't happened to them? Such an idea, if not fully explained, can cause a person to doubt their salvation. Clearly salvation is a free gift and cannot be earned. That is what Scripture reveals, but when a person hears that it possible to be saved at one point and not at another it often produces the effect of immediately looking to one's works for the answer. "Am I doing enough to keep my salvation?"
Works are not what is in question here. A person does not gain or lose salvation by what they do. If it can't be acquired through works how can it be "lost" through works as well? Salvation is obtained through belief. Belief influences behavior. Behavior confirms salvation, but each person is in a process of completion meaning that every person is at some different level of faith and obedience.
Both the letters to the Galatians and Hebrews indicate that salvation can be "abandoned" or "drifted away from." Look at the following verses.
"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel..." (Gal 1:6)
"Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it." (Hebrews 2)
Now one might make the argument based on observation that neither of these verses expressly say that it is salvation that is being abandoned (deserted) or drifted away from, but it cannot be denied that the authors of these two epistles were writing to two groups of people who were turning their backs on the message that brought about salvation. A message they once accepted as true! The obvious indication is if one turned their back on the Gospel message, or in the case of the book of Hebrews the teaching of who Jesus Christ is (which the Gospel hinges on), they turn their backs on salvation.
This is where we come to an understanding what it means to abandon or drift away from salvation. What saves us? Faith! Faith in what? In the Gospel message (Jesus Christ). How can a person continue to be saved if they quit believing in the Gospel revealed through Jesus? A person "loses" their salvation when they once accepted and then reject the Gospel message.
So if you are a believer struggling with sin don't question your salvation. Question who is in control of your life at the present moment. You can't earn salvation, but you can live it out through obedience to Jesus. So I am not giving anyone an excuse to not live out their salvation, but I am saying that even if you struggle in some area of sin it does not mean you are not saved. It simply means you are human and in continued need of the daily saving grace of Jesus our Savior.
On the other hand, know the Gospel message. Embrace it. Stake your life on it. Share it. Above all, don't abandon it or drift from it by listening to teaching that clearly contradicts it. There is only one way to be saved, and it is through faith in Jesus Christ. He is the only one who is uniquely qualified to save mankind being one complete person with both the divine and human nature. Only he can fulfill the requirements of the law and give us hope for the future.
If I were to stop right here a huge question should be forming in the minds of those reading. Just how does this happen, and if it does happen how does a person know it hasn't happened to them? Such an idea, if not fully explained, can cause a person to doubt their salvation. Clearly salvation is a free gift and cannot be earned. That is what Scripture reveals, but when a person hears that it possible to be saved at one point and not at another it often produces the effect of immediately looking to one's works for the answer. "Am I doing enough to keep my salvation?"
Works are not what is in question here. A person does not gain or lose salvation by what they do. If it can't be acquired through works how can it be "lost" through works as well? Salvation is obtained through belief. Belief influences behavior. Behavior confirms salvation, but each person is in a process of completion meaning that every person is at some different level of faith and obedience.
Both the letters to the Galatians and Hebrews indicate that salvation can be "abandoned" or "drifted away from." Look at the following verses.
"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel..." (Gal 1:6)
"Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it." (Hebrews 2)
Now one might make the argument based on observation that neither of these verses expressly say that it is salvation that is being abandoned (deserted) or drifted away from, but it cannot be denied that the authors of these two epistles were writing to two groups of people who were turning their backs on the message that brought about salvation. A message they once accepted as true! The obvious indication is if one turned their back on the Gospel message, or in the case of the book of Hebrews the teaching of who Jesus Christ is (which the Gospel hinges on), they turn their backs on salvation.
This is where we come to an understanding what it means to abandon or drift away from salvation. What saves us? Faith! Faith in what? In the Gospel message (Jesus Christ). How can a person continue to be saved if they quit believing in the Gospel revealed through Jesus? A person "loses" their salvation when they once accepted and then reject the Gospel message.
So if you are a believer struggling with sin don't question your salvation. Question who is in control of your life at the present moment. You can't earn salvation, but you can live it out through obedience to Jesus. So I am not giving anyone an excuse to not live out their salvation, but I am saying that even if you struggle in some area of sin it does not mean you are not saved. It simply means you are human and in continued need of the daily saving grace of Jesus our Savior.
On the other hand, know the Gospel message. Embrace it. Stake your life on it. Share it. Above all, don't abandon it or drift from it by listening to teaching that clearly contradicts it. There is only one way to be saved, and it is through faith in Jesus Christ. He is the only one who is uniquely qualified to save mankind being one complete person with both the divine and human nature. Only he can fulfill the requirements of the law and give us hope for the future.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Politics in Ministry
This post has nothing to do with church and state. It has to do with the "political games" played in ministry.
Ryan, my youth director, and I are going through a book called "Sustainable Youth Ministry" by Mark Devries. In the first chapter he talks about youth ministers who claim they don't play the "political game" that in truth is an excuse not to get along with others. Mark points out the that "etymological cousin" of the word is polite, and redefines "playing politics" as doing the polite thing.
I got to thinking about this. The politics in church, as with in any organization, has nothing to do with doing the polite thing, and yet when it comes to a group of Christ followers it should have everything to do with doing the polite thing. Too many Christian people get caught up doing the impolite things when playing politics: gossiping, talking about others or behind their backs, positioning oneself as the authority and yet never offering to help those who truly need the help to succeed, allowing negative thoughts toward a Christian brother/sister to fester into resentment which is used by Satan to disrupt the work of God through his people. How much more can God's people look like the world they have been called out of?!
As Kingdom Citizens we have the responsibility to do the polite thing. This doesn't mean we lie or skirt around issues. If that is how we interpret being polite then we have just fallen into another trap of the world. Being polite is being respectful. It is seeing others in the same light that God sees them. If we see them any differently then we have placed ourselves above God. In essence, we have committed sin.
Being polite is confronting issues with the understanding that none of us are perfect. Being polite has the goal of working together to accomplish God's will. It is getting along with one another. How did Jesus ask us to do this? He said "Love one another as I have loved you."
Kingman Christian Church is no exception to the rule. I believe the Bible is clear. If you are playing politics the same way the world plays them than you are in sin. Plain and simple. You are not treating others as Jesus treats you. You are acting as if you are better than Jesus. There is no excuse to not do the "polite thing." If you find yourself playing the politics of the world in church ministry (or the rest of life for that matter) then I encourage you to change course. Let us not give Satan victory. Instead, let us show Satan how much greater God is!
Ryan, my youth director, and I are going through a book called "Sustainable Youth Ministry" by Mark Devries. In the first chapter he talks about youth ministers who claim they don't play the "political game" that in truth is an excuse not to get along with others. Mark points out the that "etymological cousin" of the word is polite, and redefines "playing politics" as doing the polite thing.
I got to thinking about this. The politics in church, as with in any organization, has nothing to do with doing the polite thing, and yet when it comes to a group of Christ followers it should have everything to do with doing the polite thing. Too many Christian people get caught up doing the impolite things when playing politics: gossiping, talking about others or behind their backs, positioning oneself as the authority and yet never offering to help those who truly need the help to succeed, allowing negative thoughts toward a Christian brother/sister to fester into resentment which is used by Satan to disrupt the work of God through his people. How much more can God's people look like the world they have been called out of?!
As Kingdom Citizens we have the responsibility to do the polite thing. This doesn't mean we lie or skirt around issues. If that is how we interpret being polite then we have just fallen into another trap of the world. Being polite is being respectful. It is seeing others in the same light that God sees them. If we see them any differently then we have placed ourselves above God. In essence, we have committed sin.
Being polite is confronting issues with the understanding that none of us are perfect. Being polite has the goal of working together to accomplish God's will. It is getting along with one another. How did Jesus ask us to do this? He said "Love one another as I have loved you."
Kingman Christian Church is no exception to the rule. I believe the Bible is clear. If you are playing politics the same way the world plays them than you are in sin. Plain and simple. You are not treating others as Jesus treats you. You are acting as if you are better than Jesus. There is no excuse to not do the "polite thing." If you find yourself playing the politics of the world in church ministry (or the rest of life for that matter) then I encourage you to change course. Let us not give Satan victory. Instead, let us show Satan how much greater God is!
Friday, April 5, 2013
Reflecting
I am frustrated today, and I don't know if I know how to put it into words.
I have worked in the Church since 1994. Up until July 2011, when I became senior pastor, I had worked as a youth pastor and worship leader. I have served in 4 churches with most of my pastoral career has in the current church I am serving. In these 10 years of service I have seen many teens come and go.
Over the last couple of years I have witnessed some of "my" teens seemingly turn their backs on the person they once called Lord of their lives. Bisexuality, sex outside of marriage, divorce and even sporadic or no continued church attendance are indicators of this happening. Each time I hear something else I loose heart. Has my ministry been for nothing? Did I fail to help these young Christians really understand what it means to be a kingdom citizen? Why are they turning away?
The American culture has such a strong allure. The allure comes from the fact that the culture allows for all types of sinful behavior. It does not recognize the Bible as a standard or foundation for moral behavior. So much so, basic moral living is not only frowned upon but discouraged. Society tells us that such ideas are antiquated and lead to intolerance in a tolerant society. So we have teens (okay, we have teens and adults) who continue to give into the culture despite the fact that God calls his people to be counter-cultural.
There really is nothing new in what I am saying. Culture, perhaps, has been the biggest enemy of Christianity throughout the ages. Christianity encourages a complete break from culture, but breaking away is hard when a person has been shaped by their culture from the day they were born.
What is the answer? Ultimately it is God who does the work, but he has called us to do so a few things ourselves. Jesus gave a mandate to the church and each kingdom citizen. He said to make disciples. I think this is where part of the problem lies. The Church (and the church) is not doing a good job at discipling. Part of the problem...culture. We have become too busy and too shallow. What many of us call discipleship is really a very poor reflection of what it truly is supposed to be. I will have to save that for another day.
All I know is I want to break the cycle. The problem is, I have not broken the cycle in my own life. I, like most American Christians, am stuck in a rut. God help me get out of the rut!
I have worked in the Church since 1994. Up until July 2011, when I became senior pastor, I had worked as a youth pastor and worship leader. I have served in 4 churches with most of my pastoral career has in the current church I am serving. In these 10 years of service I have seen many teens come and go.
Over the last couple of years I have witnessed some of "my" teens seemingly turn their backs on the person they once called Lord of their lives. Bisexuality, sex outside of marriage, divorce and even sporadic or no continued church attendance are indicators of this happening. Each time I hear something else I loose heart. Has my ministry been for nothing? Did I fail to help these young Christians really understand what it means to be a kingdom citizen? Why are they turning away?
The American culture has such a strong allure. The allure comes from the fact that the culture allows for all types of sinful behavior. It does not recognize the Bible as a standard or foundation for moral behavior. So much so, basic moral living is not only frowned upon but discouraged. Society tells us that such ideas are antiquated and lead to intolerance in a tolerant society. So we have teens (okay, we have teens and adults) who continue to give into the culture despite the fact that God calls his people to be counter-cultural.
There really is nothing new in what I am saying. Culture, perhaps, has been the biggest enemy of Christianity throughout the ages. Christianity encourages a complete break from culture, but breaking away is hard when a person has been shaped by their culture from the day they were born.
What is the answer? Ultimately it is God who does the work, but he has called us to do so a few things ourselves. Jesus gave a mandate to the church and each kingdom citizen. He said to make disciples. I think this is where part of the problem lies. The Church (and the church) is not doing a good job at discipling. Part of the problem...culture. We have become too busy and too shallow. What many of us call discipleship is really a very poor reflection of what it truly is supposed to be. I will have to save that for another day.
All I know is I want to break the cycle. The problem is, I have not broken the cycle in my own life. I, like most American Christians, am stuck in a rut. God help me get out of the rut!
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