Does Paul Really Mean This?

 1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler--not even to eat with such a one.

11 νῦν δὲ ἔγραψα ὑμῖν μὴ συναναμίγνυσθαι ἐάν τις ἀδελφὸς ὀνομαζόμενος ᾖ πόρνος ἢ πλεονέκτης ἢ εἰδωλολάτρης ἢ λοίδορος ἢ μέθυσος ἢ ἅρπαξ, τῷ τοιούτῳ μηδὲ συνεσθίειν.

This is one of those verses that is easy to gloss over because it cannot possibly mean what it seems like it means, right? Paul uses the word συναναμίγνυσθαι. This is an infinitive form and it literally means "to mix together with." This word appears in the LXX in Hosea 7:8 where it reads that "Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples." It appears earlier in 1 Corinthians 5:9 with basically the same usage. It also appears negatively in  2 Thessalonians 3:14 where Paul commands that the recipients "have nothing to do with" certain people. Clearly this word connotes close fellowship.  


Does Paul really mean that we are not to associate with those who do such things if they are in the church? What about grace? Shouldn't we love on these people rather than purge them from our midst?


Obviously there is a place for grace. There is always a place for grace. However, that does not mean that such people should worship in the fellowship. This is tied into the commands for church discipline in Matthew 18. There is a standard of holiness expected for believers.


Now this can easily turn into the kind of legalism seen in some independent fundamentalist churches if we focus on conduct. This is similar to how well-meaning Christian parents raise obedient Pharisees because they focus on the conduct. Obedience to this command starts with the heart. 


What it does not mean is that we should feel comfortable driving to our megachurch in a $50,000 vehicle to hear a sermon about how other people have problems and we need to fix them. It does mean that we need to examine our own hearts and look for these sins. We need to confess them and repent. 


And we also need to take care not to become morality police. This passage refers to people whose lives are characterized by these practices. It does not mean someone who looks at a brother's iPad 2 and thinks how great it would be to have one. It does not mean someone who is out with his friends and occasionally drinks one pint too many. It does not mean someone who has clicked on a link he knows that he shouldn't have and then repented of it. No, this refers to people whose lives are characterized by these sins. You could call them "besetting sins" to use some old parlance. There are no hard and fast lines to be drawn here.


The point is that to Paul the idea of accepting Christ as your Savior without repentance is unthinkable. If anyone does that and his life shows no change then it is time to get back to the gospel because he is not a brother in Christ. 

The Weaker Brother

Romans 14:13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.

13 Μηκέτι οὖν ἀλλήλους κρίνωμεν· ἀλλὰ τοῦτο κρίνατε μᾶλλον, τὸ μὴ τιθέναι πρόσκομμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ ἢ σκάνδαλον.

Here in the South, many folks think that you're a Christian if you attend church, don't drink, and don't swear. There is a culture of abstinence here, particularly in the more Baptist circles. There are some pretty strange exegetical gymnastics used in some arguments. For example, I have talked with someone who says that the wine Jesus made was just grape juice and that the wine Paul told Timothy to drink was as well; however, he also says that when we are warned against becoming drunk from much wine that refers to wine with alcohol. That of course is patently ridiculous and a great example of just trying to defend one's doctrine no matter what the text reads.


This verse is probably part of the best argument for abstinence. More reasonable exegetes understand that the Bible does not prohibit the use of alcohol and in fact encourages it in moderation (it makes the heart glad). But there is always the "weaker brother" argument. We are encouraged not to partake in some of our freedoms lest we cause someone to stumble.


This argument certainly has merit if we have specific examples. If I am with someone who has struggled with alcohol I am not going to drink a pint of beer. That much is obvious. However, if we're going to be consistent then we need to think even more deeply about this. If I'm with someone who has struggled with covetousness and poor stewardship then I am not going to browse in Best Buy with him. If I'm with someone who has struggled with gluttony then it would be unwise to dine at the Golden Corral (for both of us and for various reasons). The key is to think outside of our American box of "respectable sins" as Jerry Bridges calls them and think of sin in general.


However, I think that it is unreasonable to expect a Christian to think of the hypothetical "weaker brother" everyone he goes. If that were true, then perhaps we should all be Franciscan monks. But even then someone who has a bent toward religion would struggle because it would be easy to find pride in asceticism. It is logically impossible to avoid hindering every possible person around you. Of course, we should be reasonable and prudent, but we don't need to avoid every potential stumbling block for every potential person. Romans 14 speaks to knowledge of a brother who is stumbling because of some freedom. Respect that if you know about it, but don't shut down your life for someone hypothetical.

Undeserved Freedom

Romans 5:7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-- 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

7 μόλις γὰρ ὑπὲρ δικαίου τις ἀποθανεῖται· ὑπὲρ γὰρ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ τάχα τις καὶ τολμᾷ ἀποθανεῖν· 8  συνίστησιν δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀγάπην εἰς ἡμᾶς ὁ θεός, ὅτι ἔτι ἁμαρτωλῶν ὄντων ἡμῶν Χριστὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀπέθανεν.

Romans 5 is one of the Calvinist's favorite chapters.  Here we see the nature of mankind.  It's not a pretty picture, is it?  As Paul continues his argument in this chapter we see that man inherits Adam's sin.  We are sinners by nature and by choice.  We deserve nothing but God's righteous wrath.

But in these two wonderful verses we see a strange truth.  Instead of giving us what we deserve, Christ came to earth to die for sinners.  Keep in mind that Paul is writing to saints here.  He is saying that while those saints were still sinners Christ came to die for them.  Paul should know since he committed more than his fair share of sin while he was still Saul.  The construction of ἔτι ἁμαρτωλῶν ὄντων ἡμῶν uses an infinitive and an adjective to show that they were in the state of being sinners.

Think about this from the perspective of Paul's argument.  Let's say that you just witnessed someone commit a cold-blooded premeditated murder.  How eager would you be to help this person out?  How eager would you be to die for that person?  If you're anything like me, you would want to do whatever you could to bring this person to justice.  In many states that person would get the death penalty.  Would you die in behalf of that person?  I know that would not be my instinct.

Yet that is what Christ did on the cross.  We were dead in our sins, but He died to make us alive with Him.  We do not deserve this, but it is our gift for the taking.  There is a cost to following Him, but is any cost higher than the death penalty?

Earning Rewards

Matthew 16:24-27
(24) Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
(25) For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
(26) For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
(27) For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

I've been listening to the audio book of John Piper's Desiring God. Piper's big idea is that as Christians we are to be "Christian Hedonists." In other words, he changes the beginning of the Westminster Confession to read that God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him. It is both our duty and our delight to treasure God for the sake of Him being God.

What does that have to do with this passage? We have developed a kind of gnostic asceticism in today's church. We tend to be of the belief that good works are their own reward and that they somehow lose value if we try to gain anything from them. This passage tells us something different.

Instead of gnosticism we should become hedonistic in enjoying the pleasures that only come from God. This passage tells us that what we do will ultimately have reward. We naturally seek gain from everything we do. We sin because we think that sin will give us something that holiness will not. The problem is that sin becomes more attractive when we think that holiness has no gain.

Let us instead fix our eyes on the eternal. Sin may have its immediate effects, but long-term only holiness will truly satisfy us and give us what we need. Let's remember this.

Learn from Others

Ezekiel 23:11

(11) "Her sister Oholibah saw this, and she became more corrupt than her sister in her lust and in her whoring, which was worse than that of her sister.

This is a very graphic chapter. In fact, I would have a hard time with Lily reading this now because of some of the stuff I would have to explain. The overall theme is that Samaria was unfaithful to her covenant promise and then Judah was even worse. Not only did Judah behave more badly than her sister Samaria, but she had a chance to see Samaria in action and the consequences of her actions.

There is no doubt that examples are important to us. Kids want to emulate their parents. When we're in a new situation we need someone to show us what to do. I think of the buddy system that Lily's school uses for the new kindergartners. It works well because the fifth graders show the kindergartners what to do. We all need someone like that sometimes.

But what happens when it is a bad example? Basically, Judah should have known better. However, she was so corrupt that she not only followed after her sister's bad example, but she intensified it.

1 Corinthians 15:33

(33) Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals."

How could Judah have known better? Obeying this key text from Deuteronomy would have helped:

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

(4) "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

(5) You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

(6) And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.

(7) You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

(8) You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

(9) You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Or reading Psalm 1 might have helped too. Judah shows us why we must know the Word of God and delight in it. We must delight in the Lord more than in sin. Otherwise we are going to be chasing after men in turbans, in some way or another.

Having it Both Ways

Ezekiel 18:25-29
(25) "Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?
(26) When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it; for the injustice that he has done he shall die.
(27) Again, when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life.
(28) Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
(29) Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?

This is part of a bigger passage that deals with the need for repentance. The repeated phrases in verses 25 and 29 bracket this section nicely. God is saying that the wicked have second chances if they repent, but the righteous can blow it if he turns to wickedness.

This is a passage that must be handled delicately on this side of the New Covenant. I do not think it means that any sin will thrust the believer back into his old state. However, I do think that it tells us something very important about the human condition. The assumption that the people made was that they were basically good and that they should get a lot of credit for their previous righteousness. This passage turns that upside-down.

I think on this side of the cross we realize that man is not good. Our righteous deeds are as menstrual cloth. Paul described his great devotion to being a Jew as being manure. This is some pretty vivid imagery. Basically, there is nothing we can do to merit salvation. No one is good enough.

Except for one person. Jesus was good enough and His righteousness stands in our place.

My hope is built on nothing less,
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness.

Overcoming Great Sin

Ezekiel 16:62-63
(62) I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the LORD,
(63) that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord GOD."

Ezekiel 16 is pretty graphic. He compares Jerusalem to a beautiful girl who is even worse than a prostitute. Jerusalem went after other lovers, but instead of receiving payment for her services like prostitutes she actually gave gifts to her lovers. The overall message is that Jerusalem broke her side of the covenant. But then the chapter finishes with this passage.

What is this covenant? I have a hard time seeing it as any of the covenants made up to this because the tense is future, though in Hebrew you have to be careful about being too dogmatic about that. Still, the rest of the sentence indicates that this is something that will happen in the future. So what does this mean?

It seems to me that this points us forward to Christ, which would fulfill the covenant made to David and to Abraham with a new one. The Lord promises to make a new covenant that will atone for all that they have done, which is plenty. They deserved to be cut off forever.

I don't know about you, but that reminds me of me. I deserved death for my sin. I went hard after my sin. I was at least as bad as Jerusalem with my idolatry. Yet God made a way for atonement for my sins. It's at the cross.

Won't you look to the cross today? There is forgiveness there. The blood of Christ washes away the guilt and shame of sin. Ezekiel 16 describes how Jerusalem was unclean in her blood, but in the New Testament we have:

1 John 1:9
(9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Oh, how precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow!
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Holy Indignation

Ezekiel 9:4-6

(4) And the LORD said to him, "Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it."

(5) And to the others he said in my hearing, "Pass through the city after him, and strike. Your eye shall not spare, and you shall show no pity.

(6) Kill old men outright, young men and maidens, little children and women, but touch no one on whom is the mark. And begin at my sanctuary." So they began with the elders who were before the house.

This continues Ezekiel's vision. He saw that the Lord wanted this man clothed in linen to put a mark on those who were upset by what they saw in Jerusalem. This reminds me of what Peter had to say about Lot and his reaction to Sodom:

2 Peter 2:7-8

(7) and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked

(8) (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard);

It seems that there is something to be said for being upset by what we see around us. However, I also think that there is a danger in this. It is popular, particularly in more fundamentalist circles, to build a bunker against the world. Yes, the world is filled with wickedness. We even have whole Christian denominations calling evil good. The homosexual lobby practically has a whole broadcasting network dedicated to their cause. Our churches are filled with gossip and slander.

Yes, there is much to get upset about. However, unless that indignation comes from the right place we are nothing more than Pharisees. Are we upset because we want to feel good about not doing what we see others doing? Or are we upset because we realize how much sin grieves God?

More importantly, are we starting with the mirror? Are we mostly concerned with dealing with our own sin. I know how easily my heart is led to seeing things I shouldn't. I know how easily my stomach is led to eating when I don't really need the fuel. I know how easily my mouth can go to gossip and slander. I know how easily I move to laziness when I should be working to earn the salary I am paid each month.

Yes, let us groan about the abominations before us, but let us start with those we see in our own lives, amen?

What We Deserve

Jeremiah 17:9-10
(9) The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
(10) "I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds."

We all naturally have a Pelagian view of man. The idea of damnation for those who do not believe the gospel seems unfair. After all, they aren't bad people, right? I mean, most of them aren't, right? They go to work every day and try to take care of their families. They keep up their yards on the weekends and they watch their kids' soccer games. Sure, they may be a little too obsessed with work or with hobbies sometimes, and maybe they don't honor their wives like they should, but they aren't too bad, right? And sure maybe they surf porn on their own, but that doesn't hurt anyone. After all, those models are well-paid and are there because they want to be, right?

I think that is the typical American view of salvation. We need Jesus as an add-on. However, most people don't think that they really need Him. By everyone's standards they are just fine.

This passage tells us a different story. Here we see that the unregenerate heart is sick. God judges people completely justly. He does it based on the heart. He just gives us what our hearts want. If we do not know Jesus then we really don't want salvation. We just want a more comfortable life on our terms.

My prayer is for a fully-committed life. I am overwhelmed by how far short I fall with that. However, I the desire encourages me. I don't think I would have this desire apart from the Holy Spirit working in me.

What do you want? What does your heart seek?

Boasting

Jeremiah 9:23-24
(23) Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,
(24) but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD."

I look at my life and I wonder what I have to boast in. I could boast in my family. The kids are healthy and generally well-behaved. I could boast in my wife. She is a good wife and she turns some heads when we're out in public. I could boast in my job. It's nice to have a stable white-collar job in a good environment. I could boast in my learning. The guy next to me at the baseball games says that he told a coworker about how much mintuae I remember about games I've seen. I also could boast in my knowledge of the Bible. I've read it several times and know what it says better than most people.

The problem is that I have boasted about those things. Maybe not out loud because I know how to play the Christian game too well for that, but I have boasted about them internally. I have put my hope in things like these.

What I realize is just how much folly there is in my heart. I know how easily distracted I am by so much junk online (both visual and mental). I'm also distracted by otherwise good stuff when I should be doing other things. I'm distracted by my own desires more often than I'd like to admit.

Yet through it all I have the Lord. He needs to be my source of strength. He needs to be my comfort. He needs to be what I rely on to get me through the day. He needs to be the basis for all my decision. This passage also reminds me of:

Galatians 6:13-15
(13) For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.
(14) But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
(15) For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

The outward stuff doesn't matter so much as the heart. I am so glad that I am not to be judged on what I do but on what Christ has done!

Afflicting God

Isaiah 63:9
(9) In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

The note in my ESV Study Bible got me thinking about this. The affliction of God's people afflicted Him. This is true despite the fact that their sin led to their affliction. Plus, God brought their discipline upon them. Yet in their affliction He was afflicted.

There's an old control tactic with kids in church to say, "that makes Jesus sad" to get them to stop doing something. While there is truth to that and it's actually a good reason not to do something, it also sounds a bit trite. Yet I think that is what this verse tells us. Our sin afflicts Him. It certainly afflicted Him at the cross.

Does that ever factor into your decisions? I know that there are times when I sin and the thoughts of how it affects God are furthest from my mind. Frankly, I think they have to be. If I really let the weight of this sink in I'm pretty sure I would sin a lot less. I would certainly commit much fewer of the "little" sins that don't seem to have much effect on anything that I can easily see.

It's a dangerous prayer to ask God for more perspective on how my sin affects Him. However, as I type this I think that is what I want.

Finding Real Joy

Isaiah 35:10
(10) And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

This is something I needed to be reminded of. It's so easy for me to pursue other things for joy. I think that mindless time online will bring me joy. I sometimes look at things (well, people) I have no business looking at because I'm not married to them. I sometimes think that just the right thing will bring me joy.

Everlasting joy comes from the Lord. Why can't I remember that? How is it that I can spend time memorizing Scripture and 5 minutes later find myself drifting off into sin? Why am I so fickle?

I know that I am not alone in this and that is some comfort. I think of the great words of "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing"


O to grace how great a debtor
daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here's my heart, O take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above.

That is my prayer. Is it yours?

What do You Love?

Isaiah 33:15-16
(15) He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking on evil,
(16) he will dwell on the heights; his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks; his bread will be given him; his water will be sure.

The study note in my ESV Study Bible got me thinking about how this verse applies directly to me today. Certainly I should not tolerate corruption in society. I should despise the gain of oppressions and I should not seek the hearing of bloodshed nor should I want to look on evil.

However, in our society I think that this perhaps has even more application. What kinds of movies am I watching? What do I look for in the news? Do I sanction movies that glorify violence and evil? This is why I've stopped watching James Bond movies. They're fun with the gadgets, the one-liners, and the exotic locales. However, they also glorify sex and violence. As a Christian should I be entertained by that? Probably not.

I've noticed that my pants are getting a little small. They're tighter than they've been in about 6 years. This concerns me because it tells me that I've been letting myself go a little too much. It's a reminder that I need to repent of letting little sins into my life. It seems like the fight against sexual sin is sort of my touchstone. It's when I became serious about the overall pursuit of holiness. This verse reminds me that I need to get serious in all aspects of my life. It's far too easy to slide!

The Refuge

Psalms 59:16-17
(16) But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.
(17) O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love.

It's incredible to read this the same day that Romans 8 comes up. Amanda and I watched Fireproof last night and it forced me to think about my past life in porn. While I was never as violent as Caleb in the movie, I was living for myself and was immersed in me. I had the conflict of trying to do the right things as a husband, which is a little different from him, but I was still so immersed in me that I was blind to how much I was hurting Amanda. I have to admit to getting pretty teary at the end.

This is good for me though. I need to be reminded of what happened at the cross for me. I need to remember how anything good in my life is a work of grace, whether it is God's general grace or the particular grace He has shown me. I have so much to thank Him for in this world. I can't imagine the joy when I meet Him in the next.

How God Uses Evil

Genesis 50:18-21
(18) His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, "Behold, we are your servants."
(19) But Joseph said to them, "Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?
(20) As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
(21) So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones." Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

This is one of the most often-quoted passages of Genesis, at least in the circles I run in. This is at the very end of the book and right after Jacob died. Joseph's brothers are terrified that he will enslave them as retribution for what they did to him. Yet he shows them compassion.

First of all, I think that this is a great example of grace in action. Joseph models forgiveness for us in an incredible way. I don't think too many of us have been wronged to the degree Joseph was and yet we are often not so quick to forgive.

However, I think that this passage also speaks to the nature of God. Many wonder how a good God can allow evil in the universe. It's a fair question. Why doesn't He just clean it up? He will someday, but in the meantime He uses it according to His purposes to further His plan. In this case, He used the sin of Joseph's brothers to save a good bit of the world from a famine.

Why didn't He just stop the famine? That too is a good question. This to me speaks to the ultimate purpose in how God acts. He does things for His glory because that is ultimately the only thing that truly matters in the world. He derived greater glory from the record of this story than He would have from averting the famine. Also, the people would not have a story of the Exodus were it not for this famine bringing them to Egypt.

All of this goes back to the garden. If Adam and Eve had made the right choice none of this would matter. Yet ultimately their sin will bring God glory.

The Value of Affliction

Psalms 119:65-72
(65) Teth. You have dealt well with your servant, O LORD, according to your word.
(66) Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments.
(67) Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.
(68) You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.
(69) The insolent smear me with lies, but with my whole heart I keep your precepts;
(70) their heart is unfeeling like fat, but I delight in your law.
(71) It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.
(72) The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

This stanza continues the theme of how the Psalmist delights in the Word of God. It is pretty clear so far that we are to do the same because there is tremendous value in this delight. We are commanded to delight, but fortunately God gives us the grace to do just that.

Notice the common theme of verses 67 and 71. The Psalmist speaks of the value of affliction. As someone who has worked in a ministry for people struggling with enslavement to sin I can attest to this. I also can attest to it as someone who has come out of some enslaving sin. Our natures seem to like things comfortable. It takes pain and affliction to shake us out of that. God's Word recognizes that as well. It speaks of the value of affliction to incline us toward obedience.

This was something that Josh Hamilton spoke about last night. He said that as he travels to various cities he meets lots of people that either want to talk to him or have him talk to someone else. He told a story about meeting a woman and explaining to her that she needs to hit rock-bottom. He did before he was able to see his utter helplessness. Now he is walking in victory and God is glorified in his ministry.

I also wonder what the various prosperity preachers do with this stanza. They speak of the victory that we are to have in Christ. While it is true that we are to have victory, do they address the need for affliction before we can enjoy that victory? Do they define victory as enjoying God's Word more than thousands of gold and silver pieces?

Prop 8

Proverbs 29:2
(2) When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.

I understand the arguments against Prop 8 in California. Who are we to decide someone else's morality? Just because we think an act is sinful shouldn't stop others from doing it, right?

There are problems with this argument on a couple of levels. One is that marriage is something God created, not man. Same-sex couples are welcome to have civil unions, but don't cheapen the "one flesh" relationship described by Scripture.

What I notice in reading the Old Testament is that wicked, idolatrous nations get their punishment. It happened to the nations that the Israelites eradicated in Joshua. It happened to Israel and Judah as they turned from the Lord and pursued their own idols. I realize that we do not live in a theocracy, but I don't think that God's rules have changed about sin. He must take it pretty seriously or else He would not have sent His son to die for it, right?

Let's not compromise biblical values for the sake of "tolerance," amen?

Answered Prayer

I do not believe that God is ever beholden to us like a freed genie. However, I do know that He answers prayer. I don't really understand how this mystery works, but I do know that Scripture gives us some guidelines about prayer. Here is a pretty clear one:

Psalms 66:16-20 ESV
(16) Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
(17) I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue.
(18) If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
(19) But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
(20) Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!

Note verse 18. I can remember when I lived in sin that my prayers seemed to hit the ceiling and just stop. Now I think mine go as far as the sky and stop, so I guess that's better. However, I also think that there are times when I feel like I'm really plugged in. Verse 18 seems to be one of those keys. How can God hear our prayers when we cherish iniquity in our hearts?

I think it's easy to overreact to this and think that we must be sinless if God is going to hear our prayers. That cannot be true or else no one could pray. Of course, we are sinless in one sense since we are clothed with the righteousness of Christ. However, what I think this verse means is that we should not be in a state where we are actually cherishing sin. We may sin. We may be tempted with evil thoughts. And so on.

But what do we cherish? Is our deepest heart desire to pursue the Lord and be more like Jesus? Or is our deepest desire to enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin?

Core Elements of Biblical Counseling

Here are the seven core elements as proposed by Jay Adams:

1. God is at the center of counseling
2. Commitment to God has epistemological consequences
3. Sin, in all its dimensions is the primary problem counselors must deal with
4. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the answer
5. The biblical change process which counseling must aim at is progressive sanctification
6. The situational difficulties people face are not the random cause of problems in living.
7. Counseling is fundamentally a pastoral activity and must be church-based

I imagine that many who read this blog might think that this is an over-simplistic view of the problems man faces. However, I've worked with Setting Captives Free for too long not to believe in the truth of these elements.

The key, I think, is how we communicate the timeless truths of Scripture to those who need to hear them. I am firmly convinced that these elements are correct, though of course there are times of doubt. However, I also know that if these elements are not true I would have to throw out a lot of what I believe. That of course does not make anything true or false, but if I am really sure about other beliefs then that helps to cement what I believe about this.

Fighting in Cyberspace

I've just spent the last 30 minutes or so reading a big battle in the blogosphere about homosexuality and Christ. I'm not going to link to it because it is so disturbing. On one hand you have a woman who is open about living in a homosexual lifestyle and calls herself a Christian. On the other you have a woman who was delivered from the homosexual lifestyle, but then is proud of her husband for "ripping Deb to shreds" in his radio show.

This debate represents everything that is wrong about both sides of this issue. One side cherry picks the Bible and reads it very liberally. It figures that Christ loved sinners, so it's OK if we sin. And after all, isn't the command against lust? And since I'm in a monogamous relationship it's OK. The other side comes across like the "God hates fags" crowd. This just sickens me too.

When I read the Bible I see a message of love and acceptance for all sinners. But I also see a message of repentance. Both sides seem to miss half of the equation. I can handle the side that reads Scripture very liberally as I know how darkened my understanding was when I lived in habitual sin. But the side that focuses just on wrath is much worse because they should know better. To me, neither side is "getting it".

Now are they saved? That's not for me to say. But my instinct would be to say no on both sides. Given the rhetoric, it looks like they either both are or they both aren't.

Ephesians 4:1-7 ESV
(1) I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
(2) with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
(3) eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
(4) There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call--
(5) one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
(6) one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
(7) But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.