Light is sown like seed for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Psalm 97:11
Showing posts with label ENGLISH - Relationships. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ENGLISH - Relationships. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Out from under cover: Covering Theology and its impact
Out from under cover: Covering Theology and its impact
Posted: 16 Oct 2012 03:29 AM PDT
Reblogged from http://the-end-time.blogspot.com.br/
Spiritual abuse... it's real and it is devastating.
I've written about the encroachment of the Gnostics into evangelical churches. Also the intrusion of mysticism, ecumenism and seeker friendly liberal theologies. All these attacks on the Bride of Christ, His church, are foretold in many scriptures in the New Testament. (2 Peter 2:1; Matthew 7:15; Gal 2:4; 1 Timothy 4:1 to name a few). Colossians itself was a corrective epistle to the church at Colossae which was falling under the sway of the Gnostics. The Nicolaitans of Revelation 2 are mentioned as a group bringing liberal false teachings, also.
But those are the liberal teachings and heresies. Just as much, we need to be wary of the legalistic, conservative teachings of the end time. These teachings are the ones that the Pharisees, Scribes, and Sadducees brought in Jesus's day.
The Pharisees were the original spiritual abusers. As Solomon said, there is nothing new under the sun. Their special kind of abuse which brings bondage is coming in again. The legalistic, oppressive teachings are coming into church of today like a tsunami. It has different vocabulary, but the same source. It has a variation of the old methods for oppression, but the same outcome.
The Pharisees were a sect of the Jews who were the strictest of those observing the Mosaic Law, (Acts 26:5). The Pharisees were the most zealous, (Galatians 1:14), the most outwardly moral, (Luke 18:11) but the most inwardly dead (Matthew 23:27). They were oppressive to those who needed grace the most, and bitterly cruel in persecuting those who opposed them. (Matthew 23:4, Acts 9:1-2). They had everything backward- calling Christ's miracles of the devil (Matthew 12:24) but believing themselves to be of God. (Luke 18:9, Acts 22:3).
How did the Pharisees spiritually abuse their sheep?
"Examples of spiritual abuse are found throughout the Bible. God describes (and condemns) the "shepherds of Israel" who feed themselves rather than the flock, who do not heal those who are hurting, or seek to bring back those who were driven away but rather discard them, ruling with force and cruelty (Ezekiel 34:1-10). Jesus reacted with anger against the thievery of the money changers in the Temple as they misused God's people for selfish reasons (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-18; Luke 19:45-47; John 2:13-16). He was angry at those more concerned with rules and regulations than with human suffering (Mark 3:1-5). In Matthew 23, Jesus describes the abusive spiritual leader in great detail. In John 9 the Pharisees "cast out" the man born blind simply because the truth he told about his healing exposed their own corruption. In Acts 7:51-56, Stephen called the Jewish leaders to account over their spiritual abuse." (Source)
Others were afraid they would be cast out: “Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue.” (John 12:42). Threat of dismissal or excommunication is a favorite tactic of abusive leaders. A shepherd's job is to feed, nurture, care for and keep safe the flock. The abusive leaders of Jesus's day were more content to simply throw people away.
So authoritarianism, oppression, and legalism was a characteristic of abusive leaders who were more interested in themselves than their flocks.
And so it is today with some.
I am not talking of the difficulty inherent in a proper cycle of church discipline. I am all for that. The bible is followed and Jesus is the invisible but very present overseer of the proceedings. If all is done biblically, prayerfully, and correctly, the best case is to restore a wayward one. For today's purposes I am not talking of discipline but of abuse that perverts, uses, or simply ignores proper church discipline plan outlined in Matthew 18.
I am also not talking of not behaving well for your pastors, deacons, leaders and teachers. I honor those men highly, and pray for them because they are on the frontlines of satan's targets for spiritual attack. I esteem them, pray for them, tithe for them, praise them, encourage them, speak well of them, but I do not follow them. I follow Jesus.
Even though we know there is nothing new under the sun, where did this latest iteration of legalistic abuse come from?
Though we can trace it back to the Pharisees, and indeed, all the way back to the Garden, of this generation we can see a heightening of the authoritarian tendencies emerge in the 1970s. Five Florida pastors in the Charismatic denominations (Bob Mumford, Derek Prince, Charles Simpson, and Don Basham) felt that the Charismatic movement was too loose and that there was not enough accountability. The five created an accountability system of hierarchical structure in the shape of a pyramid. The five pastors, of course, were at the top. They all claimed they had submitted to one another, and they made a national network of followers who formed pyramids of sheep and shepherds below them. Down through the pyramid went the orders, while up the same pyramid went the tithes. This was the beginning of the Shepherding Movement.
But between the Shepherding Movement of the 70s and today's spiritually abusive pharisee, there is the book called Under Cover: The Promise of Protection Under His Authority, by John Bevere. It came out in 2001, and it is the answer to every Pharisee's prayer. The book itself is widely held to be error-ridden, if not heretical, but that does not stop every would-be Pharisee from making it his manual.
The book brought a new theology, called "Covering Theology."
"Covering theology is an erroneous doctrine that claims all Christians must be under the authority (covering) of a church leader to be protected from the warfare of the devil. It also claims this same covering is necessary to receive God's blessings. However, there is no Scripture foundation for this doctrine. Covering theology is a leftover from the debunked Shepherding Movement that appeared about 40 years ago." (source)
Lies Under Cover is a segment of a blog series exploring today's apostasy by Blogos/GotQuestions. This part asks the question:
"Should believers allow pastors to rule over them? This posting is part 2 in an 8 part series about deception in the church addressing the Under Cover book by John Bevere, its teaching, its origination, why it is wrong, and its impact on the church."
It is a very good essay and the series itself is good too. I recommend it. Here are some excerpts from the essay on the Covering Theology. The essay continues:
"Not too long ago I learned about a new question circulating in the evangelical circle asking "Who is your covering?" Soon thereafter the full meaning of that question became apparent. In the church I attended, its leaders announced they were adopting the Under Cover teaching by John Bevere. The central theme for the teaching is God guarantees protection for believers who submit to pastoral authority. On the flipside of the theme, failure to submit to the pastor places believers outside God's protection, removing the protective hand of God. In other words, a believer who does not submit to and obey the pastor falls out from under the protective covering of God and that of the church. After researching the teaching, I found it to be pure heresy."
"John Bevere's heresy teaches that obedience to the pastor is on the same footing as obedience to God. To disobey the pastor, even when the pastor is wrong, is to disobey God because the pastor is always in authority and God the ultimate authority. In other words, the pastor stands in authority between Jesus and the body of believers, becoming the spiritual covering over his or her church."
Covering theology emphasizes the following:
If you are in a church where the pastor has set himself up as the sole or final arbiter of spiritual matters, interpretations, or church or financial decisions, you may be in a spiritually abusive church.
If you have a palpable feeling, or have had an overt threat of excommunication, unless you blindly follow the pastor in all he says and does, with no questions asked, you may be in a spiritually abusive church.
If you have been told that performance/work/submission is the indicator of faith, you may be in a spiritually abusive church.
If you have been told to leave a church or fired from a ministry because you were told you were divisive, critical, a hazard to the brethren etc., but have NOT been through the steps for church discipline outlined in Matt. 18:16-18, you may be in a spiritually abusive church.
If you have been threatened with the phrase "You will be out from under my covering" you ARE in a spiritually abusive church.
R.C. Sproul writes, “The church is called not only to a ministry of reconciliation, but a ministry of nurture to those within her gates. Part of that nurture includes church discipline..." but the key words are nurture and reconciliation. The man who was healed by Jesus and went to the Pharisees was not nurtured nor reconciled to leadership. They tossed the man out summarily. Read John 9:13-38 and see if you don't weep at the terrible grilling the abusive Pharisaical authorities put the man under, and their abuse of him who had the Light come into His life but instead who wanted to put him back in the dark!
Across the country, parishioners are now being challenged to legalistically take oaths, perform vows and sign covenants. People who question the legitimacy of these activities or even ask for a biblical foundation for them are attacked, dismissed from ministries, and/or told to leave the church, all without benefit of biblical standards for reconciliation or even proper discipline. It is bewildering, devastating, and causes much harm to the body of Christ.
It happened to me.
Of all that occurred, what captured my attention the most was threat that "you no longer have our support or covering." Though I was told I was negative, immature, led by the devil, divisive, critical, and more, I knew I was not those things. I was surprised that the bible was not opened, consulted or interpreted for my wayward behalf in pursuit of reconciliation for whatever wrong I had committed. Nor I was corrected in grace and love. I was confused as to what was happening because it didn't jibe with the outline in Matthew for church discipline. It was simply an attack and a dismissal.
But what intrigued me was the phrase 'no longer have the covering.'
It immediately rang bells in my spirit, and seemed 'off.' What covering? Where was this covering? Why didn't I know about it before? What will happen if I don't have this covering? Where is it in the bible? It all seemed so vague and somehow...wrong. Now that I've read the theology behind the Bevere book Under Cover, I know why. Things clicked, finally. It is a false theology used and wielded by hyper-authoritarian pastors and leaders and teachers who seek to control rather than share and worship on the same blood-soaked ground that Jesus died on for us all.
I grieve so deeply for churches that do this to the lambs and the sheep. I mourn for people who are withering under leadership that oppresses rather than shepherd rightly. I lament the loss of time and spiritual growth for people who, when threatened with dire events should they be loosed from some artificial pastor "covering", stay in a church where the vine is withering.
I'm passionate about the Christian life. I am a sinner and not perfect, to be sure, but I strive so hard to live up to what He wants us to be for the lost world's behalf. I want to do my part in the Spirit's work of shining the light in me brighter and the church I'm in to be blessed by me and not embarrassed by me. I know a bit of the bible enough to understand some of the standards of what Jesus wants the church to be, and when it isn't that, it is a grief. When it is deliberately wrested away from His holy ground for abusive purposes it is a woe that cuts my heart in two.
Far from the dire threats that were leveled against me in having some unbiblical covering removed, coming out from 'under cover' is a praise to the Lord, who is the Great Shepherd! Finding a good church with leadership one can trust is a heaven-sent gift! However through the praises, I will not diminish the toll. It is a devastating thing to happen. Ask the Petry family, formerly leaders in Mark Driscoll's Mars Hill Church. Jonna Petry wrote, "Seeing your loved ones abused, their hearts broken, their emotions heavy and dark, and their faith nearly destroyed, is the greatest pain of all."
I shudder to think of this happening as frequently as it does - and it does. When it happens to families, or employees, or people who are new in the faith, or tossed from a church where they had been for a long time, I absolutely grieve just thinking about them!
Jonna's story and mine and I am sure, many others, has a redemptive ending. The Lord Jesus is trustworthy and He knits together broken hearts, opens eyes to see, allows for time to heal, and supplies with deeper faith than ever before. I love the Lord even more now that I did before and I never thought my love for Him would have deepened so beautifully, but it did. He is faithful in trials and all you need to do is trust Him.
I wanted to bring you this information for several reasons:
--The watchful who are on guard against liberalism might miss the legalism creeping in,
--You are not crazy, spiritual abuse is real,
--Watch out for talk of 'the covering' !!!!!!!!! It is a huge red flag!
--JESUS IS LORD and He is love. Rest in Him even through trials. He has a reason for all that He does, even if you can't see it through the tears.
I've written about the encroachment of the Gnostics into evangelical churches. Also the intrusion of mysticism, ecumenism and seeker friendly liberal theologies. All these attacks on the Bride of Christ, His church, are foretold in many scriptures in the New Testament. (2 Peter 2:1; Matthew 7:15; Gal 2:4; 1 Timothy 4:1 to name a few). Colossians itself was a corrective epistle to the church at Colossae which was falling under the sway of the Gnostics. The Nicolaitans of Revelation 2 are mentioned as a group bringing liberal false teachings, also.
But those are the liberal teachings and heresies. Just as much, we need to be wary of the legalistic, conservative teachings of the end time. These teachings are the ones that the Pharisees, Scribes, and Sadducees brought in Jesus's day.
The Pharisees were the original spiritual abusers. As Solomon said, there is nothing new under the sun. Their special kind of abuse which brings bondage is coming in again. The legalistic, oppressive teachings are coming into church of today like a tsunami. It has different vocabulary, but the same source. It has a variation of the old methods for oppression, but the same outcome.
The Pharisees were a sect of the Jews who were the strictest of those observing the Mosaic Law, (Acts 26:5). The Pharisees were the most zealous, (Galatians 1:14), the most outwardly moral, (Luke 18:11) but the most inwardly dead (Matthew 23:27). They were oppressive to those who needed grace the most, and bitterly cruel in persecuting those who opposed them. (Matthew 23:4, Acts 9:1-2). They had everything backward- calling Christ's miracles of the devil (Matthew 12:24) but believing themselves to be of God. (Luke 18:9, Acts 22:3).
How did the Pharisees spiritually abuse their sheep?
"Examples of spiritual abuse are found throughout the Bible. God describes (and condemns) the "shepherds of Israel" who feed themselves rather than the flock, who do not heal those who are hurting, or seek to bring back those who were driven away but rather discard them, ruling with force and cruelty (Ezekiel 34:1-10). Jesus reacted with anger against the thievery of the money changers in the Temple as they misused God's people for selfish reasons (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-18; Luke 19:45-47; John 2:13-16). He was angry at those more concerned with rules and regulations than with human suffering (Mark 3:1-5). In Matthew 23, Jesus describes the abusive spiritual leader in great detail. In John 9 the Pharisees "cast out" the man born blind simply because the truth he told about his healing exposed their own corruption. In Acts 7:51-56, Stephen called the Jewish leaders to account over their spiritual abuse." (Source)
Others were afraid they would be cast out: “Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue.” (John 12:42). Threat of dismissal or excommunication is a favorite tactic of abusive leaders. A shepherd's job is to feed, nurture, care for and keep safe the flock. The abusive leaders of Jesus's day were more content to simply throw people away.
So authoritarianism, oppression, and legalism was a characteristic of abusive leaders who were more interested in themselves than their flocks.
And so it is today with some.
I am not talking of the difficulty inherent in a proper cycle of church discipline. I am all for that. The bible is followed and Jesus is the invisible but very present overseer of the proceedings. If all is done biblically, prayerfully, and correctly, the best case is to restore a wayward one. For today's purposes I am not talking of discipline but of abuse that perverts, uses, or simply ignores proper church discipline plan outlined in Matthew 18.
I am also not talking of not behaving well for your pastors, deacons, leaders and teachers. I honor those men highly, and pray for them because they are on the frontlines of satan's targets for spiritual attack. I esteem them, pray for them, tithe for them, praise them, encourage them, speak well of them, but I do not follow them. I follow Jesus.
Even though we know there is nothing new under the sun, where did this latest iteration of legalistic abuse come from?
Though we can trace it back to the Pharisees, and indeed, all the way back to the Garden, of this generation we can see a heightening of the authoritarian tendencies emerge in the 1970s. Five Florida pastors in the Charismatic denominations (Bob Mumford, Derek Prince, Charles Simpson, and Don Basham) felt that the Charismatic movement was too loose and that there was not enough accountability. The five created an accountability system of hierarchical structure in the shape of a pyramid. The five pastors, of course, were at the top. They all claimed they had submitted to one another, and they made a national network of followers who formed pyramids of sheep and shepherds below them. Down through the pyramid went the orders, while up the same pyramid went the tithes. This was the beginning of the Shepherding Movement.
But between the Shepherding Movement of the 70s and today's spiritually abusive pharisee, there is the book called Under Cover: The Promise of Protection Under His Authority, by John Bevere. It came out in 2001, and it is the answer to every Pharisee's prayer. The book itself is widely held to be error-ridden, if not heretical, but that does not stop every would-be Pharisee from making it his manual.
The book brought a new theology, called "Covering Theology."
"Covering theology is an erroneous doctrine that claims all Christians must be under the authority (covering) of a church leader to be protected from the warfare of the devil. It also claims this same covering is necessary to receive God's blessings. However, there is no Scripture foundation for this doctrine. Covering theology is a leftover from the debunked Shepherding Movement that appeared about 40 years ago." (source)
Lies Under Cover is a segment of a blog series exploring today's apostasy by Blogos/GotQuestions. This part asks the question:
"Should believers allow pastors to rule over them? This posting is part 2 in an 8 part series about deception in the church addressing the Under Cover book by John Bevere, its teaching, its origination, why it is wrong, and its impact on the church."
It is a very good essay and the series itself is good too. I recommend it. Here are some excerpts from the essay on the Covering Theology. The essay continues:
"Not too long ago I learned about a new question circulating in the evangelical circle asking "Who is your covering?" Soon thereafter the full meaning of that question became apparent. In the church I attended, its leaders announced they were adopting the Under Cover teaching by John Bevere. The central theme for the teaching is God guarantees protection for believers who submit to pastoral authority. On the flipside of the theme, failure to submit to the pastor places believers outside God's protection, removing the protective hand of God. In other words, a believer who does not submit to and obey the pastor falls out from under the protective covering of God and that of the church. After researching the teaching, I found it to be pure heresy."
"John Bevere's heresy teaches that obedience to the pastor is on the same footing as obedience to God. To disobey the pastor, even when the pastor is wrong, is to disobey God because the pastor is always in authority and God the ultimate authority. In other words, the pastor stands in authority between Jesus and the body of believers, becoming the spiritual covering over his or her church."
Covering theology emphasizes the following:
- Sin is disobedience to God’s authority
- Grace is the power of God to obey him
- All authority is instituted by God
- God establishes his rule in the church through people he has delegated to be his authority
- The 5-fold ministry (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers) represents God’s authority on earth
- Obedience to the Lord requires obedience to God’s delegated authorities (employers, church leaders, civil authorities)
- Rebellion against God’s delegated authority is rebellion against God
- Rebellion to authority opens one up to the demonic realm resulting in deception
- People should live by the principle of obedience rather than reason
- People should always obey authority [usually the pastor] unless they are clearly instructed to violate scripture [but he is the final interpreter of scripture, so...]
- Spiritual authority and blessing flows to those who suffer under authority
- God does not judge people on the fruit of their life but on how faithfully they followed authority
- Those outside the local church and the covering of its leaders are at serious risk of spiritual attack
If you are in a church where the pastor has set himself up as the sole or final arbiter of spiritual matters, interpretations, or church or financial decisions, you may be in a spiritually abusive church.
If you have a palpable feeling, or have had an overt threat of excommunication, unless you blindly follow the pastor in all he says and does, with no questions asked, you may be in a spiritually abusive church.
If you have been told that performance/work/submission is the indicator of faith, you may be in a spiritually abusive church.
If you have been told to leave a church or fired from a ministry because you were told you were divisive, critical, a hazard to the brethren etc., but have NOT been through the steps for church discipline outlined in Matt. 18:16-18, you may be in a spiritually abusive church.
If you have been threatened with the phrase "You will be out from under my covering" you ARE in a spiritually abusive church.
R.C. Sproul writes, “The church is called not only to a ministry of reconciliation, but a ministry of nurture to those within her gates. Part of that nurture includes church discipline..." but the key words are nurture and reconciliation. The man who was healed by Jesus and went to the Pharisees was not nurtured nor reconciled to leadership. They tossed the man out summarily. Read John 9:13-38 and see if you don't weep at the terrible grilling the abusive Pharisaical authorities put the man under, and their abuse of him who had the Light come into His life but instead who wanted to put him back in the dark!
Across the country, parishioners are now being challenged to legalistically take oaths, perform vows and sign covenants. People who question the legitimacy of these activities or even ask for a biblical foundation for them are attacked, dismissed from ministries, and/or told to leave the church, all without benefit of biblical standards for reconciliation or even proper discipline. It is bewildering, devastating, and causes much harm to the body of Christ.
It happened to me.
Of all that occurred, what captured my attention the most was threat that "you no longer have our support or covering." Though I was told I was negative, immature, led by the devil, divisive, critical, and more, I knew I was not those things. I was surprised that the bible was not opened, consulted or interpreted for my wayward behalf in pursuit of reconciliation for whatever wrong I had committed. Nor I was corrected in grace and love. I was confused as to what was happening because it didn't jibe with the outline in Matthew for church discipline. It was simply an attack and a dismissal.
But what intrigued me was the phrase 'no longer have the covering.'
It immediately rang bells in my spirit, and seemed 'off.' What covering? Where was this covering? Why didn't I know about it before? What will happen if I don't have this covering? Where is it in the bible? It all seemed so vague and somehow...wrong. Now that I've read the theology behind the Bevere book Under Cover, I know why. Things clicked, finally. It is a false theology used and wielded by hyper-authoritarian pastors and leaders and teachers who seek to control rather than share and worship on the same blood-soaked ground that Jesus died on for us all.
I grieve so deeply for churches that do this to the lambs and the sheep. I mourn for people who are withering under leadership that oppresses rather than shepherd rightly. I lament the loss of time and spiritual growth for people who, when threatened with dire events should they be loosed from some artificial pastor "covering", stay in a church where the vine is withering.
I'm passionate about the Christian life. I am a sinner and not perfect, to be sure, but I strive so hard to live up to what He wants us to be for the lost world's behalf. I want to do my part in the Spirit's work of shining the light in me brighter and the church I'm in to be blessed by me and not embarrassed by me. I know a bit of the bible enough to understand some of the standards of what Jesus wants the church to be, and when it isn't that, it is a grief. When it is deliberately wrested away from His holy ground for abusive purposes it is a woe that cuts my heart in two.
Far from the dire threats that were leveled against me in having some unbiblical covering removed, coming out from 'under cover' is a praise to the Lord, who is the Great Shepherd! Finding a good church with leadership one can trust is a heaven-sent gift! However through the praises, I will not diminish the toll. It is a devastating thing to happen. Ask the Petry family, formerly leaders in Mark Driscoll's Mars Hill Church. Jonna Petry wrote, "Seeing your loved ones abused, their hearts broken, their emotions heavy and dark, and their faith nearly destroyed, is the greatest pain of all."
I shudder to think of this happening as frequently as it does - and it does. When it happens to families, or employees, or people who are new in the faith, or tossed from a church where they had been for a long time, I absolutely grieve just thinking about them!
Jonna's story and mine and I am sure, many others, has a redemptive ending. The Lord Jesus is trustworthy and He knits together broken hearts, opens eyes to see, allows for time to heal, and supplies with deeper faith than ever before. I love the Lord even more now that I did before and I never thought my love for Him would have deepened so beautifully, but it did. He is faithful in trials and all you need to do is trust Him.
I wanted to bring you this information for several reasons:
--The watchful who are on guard against liberalism might miss the legalism creeping in,
--You are not crazy, spiritual abuse is real,
--Watch out for talk of 'the covering' !!!!!!!!! It is a huge red flag!
--JESUS IS LORD and He is love. Rest in Him even through trials. He has a reason for all that He does, even if you can't see it through the tears.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Authentic Love for God
Authentic Love for God – Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org
"But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you."
What does it mean to love God? There are some distinguishing marks of someone who truly loves God.
First, a person who loves God will want to be with Him. When you are in love with someone, you like to be with him or her. And when you are walking with God, you will want to be with God.
Second, a person who loves God will love the things that He loves. We know what God loves by what He has declared in His Word. If you love God, then you will love the Word of God. You will want to read the Bible. You also will love lost people, because you will love what (and whom) God loves.
Third, a person who loves God will in turn hate what God hates. God hates sin, and we should do the same. The psalmist tells us, "You who love the Lord, hate evil!" (Psalm 97:10). The problem is that sometimes we are fascinated by evil. Don't flirt with evil; run from it.
Fourth, a person who loves God will love other Christians. We read in 1 John 3:14, "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death." You cannot love God and hate your brother.
Fifth, a person who loves God will long for His return. The apostle Paul looked forward to Christ's return. He wrote, "Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:8).
"But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you."
— John 5:42
What does it mean to love God? There are some distinguishing marks of someone who truly loves God.
First, a person who loves God will want to be with Him. When you are in love with someone, you like to be with him or her. And when you are walking with God, you will want to be with God.
Second, a person who loves God will love the things that He loves. We know what God loves by what He has declared in His Word. If you love God, then you will love the Word of God. You will want to read the Bible. You also will love lost people, because you will love what (and whom) God loves.
Third, a person who loves God will in turn hate what God hates. God hates sin, and we should do the same. The psalmist tells us, "You who love the Lord, hate evil!" (Psalm 97:10). The problem is that sometimes we are fascinated by evil. Don't flirt with evil; run from it.
Fourth, a person who loves God will love other Christians. We read in 1 John 3:14, "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death." You cannot love God and hate your brother.
Fifth, a person who loves God will long for His return. The apostle Paul looked forward to Christ's return. He wrote, "Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:8).
Do you love God? This is what loving Him really means and what it looks like.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
The Wisdom of Patience - Please pass the cheese
The Wisdom
of Patience
Written and published by Jean-Louis
Written and published by Jean-Louis
He has made everything beautiful in his time.
The end of the matter is better than its beginning
and patience is better than pride. Ecclesiastes 3:11; 7:8.
A few years
back a Kraft commercial for their Parmesan cheese attracted my attention. I
love the way Jewish, Italian, French or Brazilian families to name a few make the
dinner table a place of great communication in sharing political debate, loud
banter and laughter while at the same time respecting the experience and wisdom
of the elders in the family.
On the screen
a wonderful long table was set with all the delicious dishes cooked by the Mama for
her Italian family. In the middle of the table a small child was sitting next
to his grandpa, anxiously waiting his turn to devour the delicious spaghetti
with an appetite already stimulated by the wonderful aroma of the Bolognese
sauce.
His big round
eyes were following the can of Parmesan cheese as each one was passing it
around the table. He was so eager to start eating that he lifted his eyes and
asked his grandpa permission to start: “Now, Grandpaw?” who was answering: “not yet”. Then the same
questions and answers were shared just by an inquiring glance from below and a
negative movement of the index finger from above. Slowly everybody was shaking the
can in a heaping serving of grated cheese on their plate.
You could
see the impatience grow on the kid´s face and in his eyes imploring his
grand-father to give him the signal. Nobody else seemed to pay attention to the
silent complicity between the oldest and the youngest member of the family.
Finally after the can had made the rounds to his grandpaw and the child had
victoriously shaken the container onto his plate, (there was enough left) one last time he obediently
raised his eyes and with a grin waited for the green light from one he
respected and that he knew loved him enough to teach him the important lessons
in life. The grandfather, an affectionate smile on his face released the
hungry boy with a simple nod.
This
beautifully thought commercial presentation reveals a spiritual lesson that the Lord was trying to teach me.
How many
times when we pray asking our Father in Heaven in faith and according to his
will knowing that he will answer us do we then grow impatient when the answer
doesn´t come right away?
Do we understand the number of levels the Lord works on simultaneously and perfectly?
Do we understand the number of levels the Lord works on simultaneously and perfectly?
Do we know
that He has already answered us, but that we are not the only ones he wanted to
bless? Do we realize that he may be sending his messengers, be they men or
angels to affect the lives of people half way around the world and connecting
events that took place 40, 50,100 years ago to bring about his desired end
according to his will and his purpose?
To
everything there is a season and I would add a “Seasoning”. To read about seasoning with salt in the season of brokenness click https://thelightseed.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-seasons-in-life-of-christian_23.html
So next
time you are tempted to reach and grab for the Parmesan cheese across the
table, be patient and remember the wisdom of the elders.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
According to the Word of God, can a woman be ordained pastor of a Christian congregation?
Written and published by Jean-Louis.1995
Revised 2026.
First, let me state that my views do not stem from misogynous feelings and bias.
My premise comes from the prayer of our Lord Jesus when He taught his disciples to pray at their request. Let’s examine Matthew 6:10 that declares: “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”.
I. Kingdom authority
I. Kingdom authority
How is our Father’s will accomplished in heaven?
Partly through his servants, the holy angels or messengers. In any kingdom and any army there are different levels of authority and a chain of command. For instance, the Lord Jesus appeared to Joshua in a theophany and referred to himself as the Captain of the host. Joshua 5:14 or later on as Lord of Sabaoth or Lord of the armies of heaven in Romans 9:29. So, here we have the Father King, Jesus Christ, the son, Prince who is also the King. He has the function and title of Captain of the armies of angels.
II. Roles of Christians under delegated authority
Now, how is the Father’s will accomplished on the earth?
Through men at different levels of authority going through a chain of command.
In Philippians 2:25, Paul referred to Epaphroditus as a fellow worker and a fellow soldier. Also, in 2 Timothy 2:3, Paul asks Timothy to suffer hardship with him as a good soldier of Christ. Of course, generally speaking we are all, men and women, soldiers of Christ in his spiritual army.
A. Function of the soldier
Throughout the ages, it has always been man’s role to fight in wars. It has only been since the feminist revolution that women have demanded to play a role as active combatants. Women have always participated in the military in different capacities where they could use their much-needed skills. They possess God-given abilities that sometimes are lacking in men. There are however, examples in the Bible and in history when women have risen to positions of power in a military situation. I can think of two instances, one is Deborah the Judge in the Old Testament and the other one is Joan of Arc of France who led the French army against British invaders during the first half of the 15th century AD.
I personally think that God raised Deborah to shame the men who were not valiant enough to defendIsrael
I personally think that God raised Deborah to shame the men who were not valiant enough to defend
B. Function of the worker
In Philippians, Paul mentions the function of fellow worker. Here, let’s note the difference between function and identity. In Galatians 3:28, Paul says that: “there is neither male, nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus”. He is not talking here about function in the body of Christ, such as a pastor who has delegated authority over the congregation or a teacher who has delegated authority over his students, but rather about the believer’s identity in Christ regardless of gender.
All workers have an authority over them, whether a supervisor or a manager or a department head. Whatever our place of work happens to be, this is the way any organization functions, through transferred responsibility at different levels, each one having their respective authority.
III. Role of the woman
Now let’s see what Paul says about authority in the Church regarding the role of women. In I Timothy 2:12, Paul gives this injunction: “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man”. If we apply this general principle and survey the New
Testament writings, we will find ample passages to show us that women played a very active role in the development of the New Testament church.In Acts 2:17, Peter reiterating Joel prophecy said: “In the last days, God says, I will pour my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy”.
In Acts 21:9; we learn that Philip, the evangelist had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. From the wording in I Corinthians 11:5, we can infer that women were allowed to prophesy, provided they wore a symbol of the man’s authority over their head.
In the New Testament, women were allowed to pray and to teach in the church.
Titus 2:3 reveals to us that he, Titus was commanded to “teach the older women to … teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children… and to be subject to their husbands, so no one will malign the Word of God”.
In addition, they could exercise their gifts of mercy, helps and I suppose that of giving and administration.
In all, the only function they couldn’t perform was that of an elder or that of a pastor. Why? I believe it is because these two callings involve exercising authority over not only a man (her husband) if she is married but also over the other men in the assembly who, if they wanted to apply the Word of God to their lives couldn’t and wouldn’t have subjected themselves to a woman’s authority, thus creating divisions in the church.
Again, we see the protective hand of God in not having a woman ordained as pastor because usually a pastor is in a most difficult position since he is Satan’s prime target and carries a tremendous responsibility to his flock.
The Bible doesn’t mention anything about women’s natural abilities and skills that would make them suitable to lead a congregation. Rather, God uses willing and available men and women empowered by the Holy Spirit to raise up a people of His own choosing. It is very clear that He chooses us and not we, ourselves.
The Bible doesn’t mention anything about women’s natural abilities and skills that would make them suitable to lead a congregation. Rather, God uses willing and available men and women empowered by the Holy Spirit to raise up a people of His own choosing. It is very clear that He chooses us and not we, ourselves.
Hebrews 5:4 states that: “No one (talking about priests) takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was”. You might argue that this refers back to Old Testament teaching. But I do not know of a passage in the Epistles of the New Testament where God called a woman to be the pastor of a congregation. If the instructions found in the New Testament are given to us as guidelines and patterns to be applied for the building, equipping and proper functioning of the Church, I don’t see how some women can claim to be called to serve in a function that obviously is not mentioned in the Epistles.
Are we to obey God in everything else, but not on this debatable point of conflict resulting in arguments that do not have any ground in the Scriptures to stand on? It sounds to me like the forbidden fruit that was offered to Eve by Satan in the Garden of Eden.
It is interesting that in I Timothy 2:11, Paul links this command of woman not to have authority over man with the first temptation in the Garden of Eden. Those are his words:
“ A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach (men) or to have authority over a man… for Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner”.
“ A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach (men) or to have authority over a man… for Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner”.
After all, Eve could have said to Satan: “I am sorry, but I never make a decision about trees or fruit without consulting my husband first. He has been delegated keeper of the garden by God himself; I am happy in my function of helpmate and I always wait until he tells me if a fruit is ripe enough to eat or if it is going to give me indigestion or may be premature death by poisoning.” Or she could have replied: “I am sorry, but I never eat dinner without my husband. It would be very impolite. After all, we live in the southern part of the Garden where people are well known for their genteel manners! There is a good reason for that. It is listed in the marriage manual under the heading: order of creation”.
In any case, she could have used her husband’s role as a protector to defeat the lies of the devil. Man is the main one to blame for Eve’s being deceived. So this idea that women and wife can act independently of man and husband, regardless of the order of God in creation is nothing new, it goes back to the fall of Mankind.
In any case, she could have used her husband’s role as a protector to defeat the lies of the devil. Man is the main one to blame for Eve’s being deceived. So this idea that women and wife can act independently of man and husband, regardless of the order of God in creation is nothing new, it goes back to the fall of Mankind.
IV. Paul’s Arguments
Now in case somebody might think that it was just in the Old Testament or that it is a chauvinistic attitude on the part of backward, women-hating men who wrote into the Bible what the customs of the times dictated regarding the treatment of women, Paul wrote in I Corinthians 11:3-12,16:
“But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.
For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.
For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.
Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.
For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God”.
I may be wrong, but it seems to me that Paul refers to hair as a symbol of covering for women to illustrate the more obvious point of his teaching which is that men have delegated authority and duty from God, as servants, to care, protect and provide for their wives and their Christians sisters in general. It certainly is nothing demeaning to the women. And to reinforce his point, he adds in verse 10: “and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head”.
You might point out that Paul while teaching women to wear long hair as a covering declares that it is a shame for a man to wear long hair; maybe because it was a Greek custom to have short hair. This passage really argues in favor of Paul being flexible and adapting to the cultural context of his time.
Here Paul is not opinionated or narrow in his assessment of the situation. As a church planter and an apostle, he had great concern for the welfare of his spiritual children. He was referring at this point to the shaven head of the Corinthian prostitutes and wanted the testimony of Christian women to be blameless. We are to avoid the appearance of evil. You might point out that Paul while teaching women to wear long hair as a covering declares that it is a shame for a man to wear long hair; maybe because it was a Greek custom to have short hair. This passage really argues in favor of Paul being flexible and adapting to the cultural context of his time.
In Revelation chapter 2:15 John mentions the Nicolaitans. They are mentioned twice, forming a marriage of the Church and the world, through the ordination of a supposedly superior clergy elite class ruling or lording over a supposedly inferior laity, the spiritually uneducated masses if you will. This in Greek is the meaning of Nico and Laitan. It begins with a compromise and ends in powerlessness and destruction when the Lord judges and removes the candlestick of such churches.
Who were these Nicolaitans? It is supposed that this group whose name is derived from a man named Nicolas, compromised with pagan practices in order to allow Christians to associate with popular customs.
Who were these Nicolaitans? It is supposed that this group whose name is derived from a man named Nicolas, compromised with pagan practices in order to allow Christians to associate with popular customs.
Does it remind you of another time in Israel´s history when the people wanted a King like the other nations around them and rejected God´s rule. God told them that their King would lord it over them. This is exactly what happened to the institution of the church through the ages, the clergy, a separate hierarchical class of trained ministers, taking the control of God´s people through different methods that are not from God and are not recorded in His Word.
We, born again believers are ALL members of a nation of priests according to Peter, none of us superior to the other. In the last half of the twentieth century more so pervasively and rapidly than before, the Church has been infiltrated by the world’s philosophy of Satan´s seed and has found a most welcome reception in the more liberal elements in its ranks.
As the tree keeps growing from its bad seed beginnings, its grafted branches has invaded almost all church denominations and parachurch and lay movements. One of these influences has been the feminist movement, allied with the lesbian agenda and witchcraft principles and practices whose aberrant tenets turned to activism and militancy in all but the most conservative Bible believing churches in the
This is exactly what Paul, Peter and John were warning their flocks about. In Revelation chapter 2, the teaching of Balaam is mentioned in the same paragraph as the teaching of the Nicolaitans. To study more about this, see 2 Peter 2:15 and Jude 11.
Of course, this practice in the churches is not new. Since the absorption of pagan practices in the church under Roman Emperors Constantine’s and Theodosius’ reigns resulting in a syncretism which has permeated the church until now, we have witnessed this phenomenon in the modern church that will culminate in the unification of all the apostate ecumenical churches under the rule of Antichrist during the greatest deception ever perpetrated on mankind. This is why Paul in verse 16 of chapter 11 says: “If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God."
Maybe our human hands build buildings imperfectly on faulty foundations that will crack and not support the weight. Not so with the Lord and his Word. Everything He creates and builds is perfect. We do not need to try and improve on it.
Maybe our human hands build buildings imperfectly on faulty foundations that will crack and not support the weight. Not so with the Lord and his Word. Everything He creates and builds is perfect. We do not need to try and improve on it.
Furthermore, there are warnings throughout the Bible for those who would try and change it. Deuteronomy 4:2 declares: “do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you”.
Several other passages give the same command, with consequences added in the case of Revelation 22:19: “And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.”
Further in 2 Corinthians 10:8, Paul continues with this theme after explaining to us the good use of his authority when he declares: “For even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than pulling you down, I will not be ashamed of it”. We can see from these words that Paul always had his disciples’ best interest at heart.
Further in 2 Corinthians 10:8, Paul continues with this theme after explaining to us the good use of his authority when he declares: “For even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than pulling you down, I will not be ashamed of it”. We can see from these words that Paul always had his disciples’ best interest at heart.
Then, in chapter 11:3 of the same letter, after talking about his motive for exhorting his fellow Christians, Paul introduces false teachers and their teachings by referring to the fact that Eve was the one to be deceived.
Conclusion
Brothers and sisters, let us beware of practices prohibited by God in His Word, first introduced by people outside and inside the Church who distort the Scriptures to back up these practices and later on formulate a false theology once the practice has been entrenched in the lives of people.
True Christian practices should always have as their basis pure, sound doctrine and should stem from biblical principles and the leading of the Holy Spirit who will never contradict His Word. Sound teaching should always precede good practices, not the other way around because the human heart is so deceitful. Let’s leave this type of behavior to the politicians who have perfected it to an art form.
Conclusion
Brothers and sisters, let us beware of practices prohibited by God in His Word, first introduced by people outside and inside the Church who distort the Scriptures to back up these practices and later on formulate a false theology once the practice has been entrenched in the lives of people.
True Christian practices should always have as their basis pure, sound doctrine and should stem from biblical principles and the leading of the Holy Spirit who will never contradict His Word. Sound teaching should always precede good practices, not the other way around because the human heart is so deceitful. Let’s leave this type of behavior to the politicians who have perfected it to an art form.
Jean-Louis.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Fear of Judgment
The Christian Post > U.S.
Sat, Nov. 26 2011
Fear of Judgment
By Tullian Tchividjian
Christian Post Guest Columnist
As you all know too painfully well, relationships flounder in an environment of judging. Both the Bible and our experience teach us that where judgment reigns relationships are ruined.
At some level, every relationship is assaulted by an aroma of judgment–this sense that we will never measure up to the expectations and demands of another. Critical environments are contexts which (while never explicitly stated) shout: “my approval of you, love for you, and joy in you depends on your ability to measure up to my standards, to become what I need you to become in order for me to be happy.” It’s a context in which achievement precedes acceptance. We’ve all felt this. We’ve felt it at school, in churches, in the workplace, with our friends, a boyfriend, a girlfriend, and most painfully, at home with our spouses, our children, our siblings, and our parents. This is why any relationship where criticism is constant, where you always feel like you’re being evaluated and falling short, is an unhappy relationship.
In his book Who Will Deliver Us? Paul Zahl writes:
I wonder if any of us are strong enough to withstand the perceived judgments upon our lives, which touch the fears within. Have you ever tried to win the favor of a person who actively dislikes you? To get him to like you, you may have changed your style of dress. You may have altered your schedule. You may have stopped something you’ve been doing or started something new. You may have carried out their wishes to the last detail. You may tried once, then again, then a thousand times. But you have not won from this person the affirmation you so deeply desire. Judgment steamrolls over most of us.
Can you relate to that? I can.
The deepest fear we have, “the fear beneath all fears”, is the fear of not measuring up, the fear of judgment. It’s this fear that creates the stress and depression of everyday life. And it comes from the fact that down deep we all know we don’t measure up and are therefore deserving of judgment. We’re aware that we fail, that our best is never good enough, that “we’ve been weighed in the balances and been found wanting.”
The judgment of others is a surface echo of a judgment that goes deeper. So if we’re living in an environment or we are in a relationship that feeds this fear of judgment with constant judging, we deflate and detach because it becomes discouragingly exhausting trying to satisfy the demands and appease the judgment of the other. We become depleted of the hope that we can ever attain the affirmation that seems so necessary for us to live and breathe and so the relationship flounders.
The fact is, that relational demand always creates relational detachment. Control produces relational chaos, criticism produces relational commotion.
Most preachers and parents, spouses and siblings, fall prey to the false idea that real change happens when we lay down the law, exercise control, demand good performance, and offer constant constructive criticism. When we do this, we are failing to acknowledge the obvious: “Judgment kills. Only grace makes alive.” We wonder why our spouse, or our children, or our friends, or our colleagues, or our congregants become relationally and emotionally detached from us. It’s because we are feeding their deep fear of judgment by playing the judge, by being the voice of law.
When we feel this weight of judgment against us, we all tend to slip into the slavery of self-salvation: trying to appease the judge (friends, parents, spouse, ourselves) with hard work, good behavior, getting better, achievement, losing weight, and so on. We conclude, “If I can just stay out of trouble and get good grades, maybe my mom and dad will finally approve of me; If I can overcome this addiction, then I’ll be able to accept myself; If I can get thin, maybe my husband will finally think I’m beautiful and pay attention to me; If I can help out more with the kids, maybe my wife won’t criticize me as much; If I can make a name for myself and be successful, maybe I’ll get the respect I long for.” But, as is always the case, self-salvation projects experientially eclipse the only salvation project that can set us free from this oppression. “If we were confident of ultimate acquittal”, says Zahl, “judgment from others would not possess the sting it does.”
The Gospel announces that Jesus came to acquit the guilty. He came to judge and be judged in our place. Christ came to satisfy the deep judgment against us once and for all so that we could be free from the judgement of God, others, and ourselves. He came to give rest to our efforts at trying to deal with judgment on our own. Colossians 2:13-14 announces, “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”
The Gospel declares that our guilt has been atoned for, the law has been fulfilled. So we don’t need to live under the burden of trying to appease the judgment we feel. In Christ the ultimate demand has been met, the deepest judgment has been satisfied. The atonement of Christ frees us from the fear of judgment.
This story told by my friend and former professor, Steve Brown, illustrates well the radical discrepancy between the ways in which we hold other people hostage in their sin and the unconditional forgiveness that God offers to us in Christ.
Do you remember the story about the little boy who killed his grandmother’s pet duck? He accidentally hit the duck with a rock from his slingshot. The boy didn’t think anybody saw the foul deed, so he buried the duck in the backyard and didn’t tell a soul.
Later, the boy found out that his sister had seen it all. Not only that, she now had the leverage of his secret and used it. Whenever it was the sister’s turn to wash the dishes, take out the garbage or wash the car, she would whisper in his ear, “Remember the duck.” And then the little boy would do what his sister should have done.
There is always a limit to that sort of thing. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore-he’d had it! The boy went to his grandmother and, with great fear, confessed what he had done. To his surprise, she hugged him and thanked him. She said, “I was standing at the kitchen sink and saw the whole thing. I forgave you then. I was just wondering when you were going to get tired of your sister’s blackmail and come to me.”
Jesus took on himself all the judgment we deserve from God so that we could be free from the paralyzing sting of judgment we draw from others.
Sat, Nov. 26 2011
Fear of Judgment
By Tullian Tchividjian
Christian Post Guest Columnist
As you all know too painfully well, relationships flounder in an environment of judging. Both the Bible and our experience teach us that where judgment reigns relationships are ruined.
At some level, every relationship is assaulted by an aroma of judgment–this sense that we will never measure up to the expectations and demands of another. Critical environments are contexts which (while never explicitly stated) shout: “my approval of you, love for you, and joy in you depends on your ability to measure up to my standards, to become what I need you to become in order for me to be happy.” It’s a context in which achievement precedes acceptance. We’ve all felt this. We’ve felt it at school, in churches, in the workplace, with our friends, a boyfriend, a girlfriend, and most painfully, at home with our spouses, our children, our siblings, and our parents. This is why any relationship where criticism is constant, where you always feel like you’re being evaluated and falling short, is an unhappy relationship.
In his book Who Will Deliver Us? Paul Zahl writes:
I wonder if any of us are strong enough to withstand the perceived judgments upon our lives, which touch the fears within. Have you ever tried to win the favor of a person who actively dislikes you? To get him to like you, you may have changed your style of dress. You may have altered your schedule. You may have stopped something you’ve been doing or started something new. You may have carried out their wishes to the last detail. You may tried once, then again, then a thousand times. But you have not won from this person the affirmation you so deeply desire. Judgment steamrolls over most of us.
Can you relate to that? I can.
The deepest fear we have, “the fear beneath all fears”, is the fear of not measuring up, the fear of judgment. It’s this fear that creates the stress and depression of everyday life. And it comes from the fact that down deep we all know we don’t measure up and are therefore deserving of judgment. We’re aware that we fail, that our best is never good enough, that “we’ve been weighed in the balances and been found wanting.”
The judgment of others is a surface echo of a judgment that goes deeper. So if we’re living in an environment or we are in a relationship that feeds this fear of judgment with constant judging, we deflate and detach because it becomes discouragingly exhausting trying to satisfy the demands and appease the judgment of the other. We become depleted of the hope that we can ever attain the affirmation that seems so necessary for us to live and breathe and so the relationship flounders.
The fact is, that relational demand always creates relational detachment. Control produces relational chaos, criticism produces relational commotion.
Most preachers and parents, spouses and siblings, fall prey to the false idea that real change happens when we lay down the law, exercise control, demand good performance, and offer constant constructive criticism. When we do this, we are failing to acknowledge the obvious: “Judgment kills. Only grace makes alive.” We wonder why our spouse, or our children, or our friends, or our colleagues, or our congregants become relationally and emotionally detached from us. It’s because we are feeding their deep fear of judgment by playing the judge, by being the voice of law.
When we feel this weight of judgment against us, we all tend to slip into the slavery of self-salvation: trying to appease the judge (friends, parents, spouse, ourselves) with hard work, good behavior, getting better, achievement, losing weight, and so on. We conclude, “If I can just stay out of trouble and get good grades, maybe my mom and dad will finally approve of me; If I can overcome this addiction, then I’ll be able to accept myself; If I can get thin, maybe my husband will finally think I’m beautiful and pay attention to me; If I can help out more with the kids, maybe my wife won’t criticize me as much; If I can make a name for myself and be successful, maybe I’ll get the respect I long for.” But, as is always the case, self-salvation projects experientially eclipse the only salvation project that can set us free from this oppression. “If we were confident of ultimate acquittal”, says Zahl, “judgment from others would not possess the sting it does.”
The Gospel announces that Jesus came to acquit the guilty. He came to judge and be judged in our place. Christ came to satisfy the deep judgment against us once and for all so that we could be free from the judgement of God, others, and ourselves. He came to give rest to our efforts at trying to deal with judgment on our own. Colossians 2:13-14 announces, “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”
The Gospel declares that our guilt has been atoned for, the law has been fulfilled. So we don’t need to live under the burden of trying to appease the judgment we feel. In Christ the ultimate demand has been met, the deepest judgment has been satisfied. The atonement of Christ frees us from the fear of judgment.
This story told by my friend and former professor, Steve Brown, illustrates well the radical discrepancy between the ways in which we hold other people hostage in their sin and the unconditional forgiveness that God offers to us in Christ.
Do you remember the story about the little boy who killed his grandmother’s pet duck? He accidentally hit the duck with a rock from his slingshot. The boy didn’t think anybody saw the foul deed, so he buried the duck in the backyard and didn’t tell a soul.
Later, the boy found out that his sister had seen it all. Not only that, she now had the leverage of his secret and used it. Whenever it was the sister’s turn to wash the dishes, take out the garbage or wash the car, she would whisper in his ear, “Remember the duck.” And then the little boy would do what his sister should have done.
There is always a limit to that sort of thing. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore-he’d had it! The boy went to his grandmother and, with great fear, confessed what he had done. To his surprise, she hugged him and thanked him. She said, “I was standing at the kitchen sink and saw the whole thing. I forgave you then. I was just wondering when you were going to get tired of your sister’s blackmail and come to me.”
Jesus took on himself all the judgment we deserve from God so that we could be free from the paralyzing sting of judgment we draw from others.
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