Tag Archives: Jesus Christ

Where Does Our Hope Lie? (re-post)

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In spite of the gloomy weather, the impending crowning of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and the prospect of tomorrow’s New Testament test, I’m feeling upbeat. You know why? Because none of this caught God off guard. He’s not thinking, “Uh oh! What do I do now?” What allows me to be filled with joy in this world of shifting sand is the constancy of the Creator who is ever faithful and ever true to His words that He’s so generously recorded for us in the Bible. Instead of looking at the waves and the wind, I need to focus on the steady arm of our Heavenly Father and the marvelous work done by His Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross.

What pessimism those who don’t have an all powerful, all good God must have! Where lies their hope? In themselves? I know I frequently let myself down. In humanity? One look at the many genocides and wars of the 20th century would cloud your outlook at any hope of an utopian society. In money? One tumultuous day on the stock market or one thief could take that all away. In a loved one? They may be here today, and gone tomorrow.

No, these things provide little realistic hope that tomorrow will be better than today, or that today will even be better than yesterday. Instead, let me join with Habakkuk and say,

“Though the earthly things I counted on do not come to pass,
Though my money and resources are taken away,
Though the people around me fail me,
And though the political future looks dim,
“Yet I will exult in the LORD,
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
The Lord GOD is my strength,
And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet,
And make me walk on my high places.”
-Habakkuk 3:18-19 NASU

Thank you for allowing me to candidly speak from my heart.

Originally posted 11/8/2006

I Am Not Silenced

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For a couple of years now, I’ve been reading the blog of Rachel Held Evans. While I don’t agree with everything she says, I find it helpful to read the views of someone who has a different take than me as it gives me deeper understanding and polishes my views.

Lately, Rachel has talked a lot about some recent comments of  John Piper about the masculinity of Christianity, as well as some things Mark Driscoll has previously said about the subject. I have read John Piper’s original statements and was not phased by them. I believe I, even as an unmarried woman, will benefit by the strengthening of the men in my church. When they grow in faith, we all grow.

If I understand Rachel correctly (and I’m open for correction), she and many of her blog followers feels like statements like these are evidence that women are being silenced in the evangelical church.

I’d like to go on the record as saying, as a woman, that in no way do I feel silenced in the church.

Yes, my church and I believe that God only calls men to the pastorate. I believe that both the home and the church are rightfully led by men. Not because they are better or smarter than women, but because this is the order that God has set up.

I don’t think I, as a woman, have a lesser status if I choose to submit to authority. Jesus submitted to the Father’s authority, and I don’t think that makes him inferior to the Father.

I don’t claim to be speaking for all evangelical churches. But in this post, I will gladly talk about my own.

If I will never speak from the pulpit, in what ways do I have a voice in my church?

1. In my small group. Public teaching is great, but it’s in this small group time that the real sussing out of our faith happens. It’s where we work on applying the sound teaching we’ve heard and work out what it means in our daily lives.

2. Through access to the pastors. Any concern I have I can take to the leadership of my church and they will listen. I know this, because they have listened previously. They don’t treat me like a child who needs correcting, but as a sister in Christ with valid opinions and concerns.

3. I’m encouraged to not stick to soft topics in my studies. My church supported me while I was receiving my Master of Divinity, not a “soft” degree. I studied theology and biblical languages, among other subjects that interested me. I’m not using this degree professionally today by choice, not by force.

4. My church believes that being a woman is not an excuse for poor or weak theology.

5. I’m a vital part of my church. If I did not do my part, my church would suffer for it. This is as God designed the body of Christ. Most of us aren’t the flashy parts of the body, but we are all necessary for a well-functioning body.

6. My church leaders know my strengths and will seek my help and even advice when they see that they could benefit from it. They don’t seem to think arrogantly that women have nothing to contribute.

7. My church invests in me, providing me the training and support I need to take a more active role in our church’s counseling ministry.

These are just a few points that came to me easily…I’m sure I’d come up with a more complete set of points if I spent even more time on it. But I do want to be clear that I am not silenced.

Christ’s Body

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I mentioned in last week’s thankful post that I was thankful for my small group at church, my second family. But I’m also thankful for my church as a whole.

When I moved to North Carolina, I had only planned on staying here for school. I’m not a southern girl at heart, so this would not be my first choice of places to settle. But I have settled, almost entirely because of my church.

My church certainly has it’s flaws (it’s made up of sinners!), but I believe the trend is that we’re growing closer to Christ in word and deed. The elders and staff are great models and encouragers. They don’t allow us to get away with being superficial in our faith any more than they would settle to do so themselves.

In my church is where I started to learn what real ministry entails. It’s where I’ve learned to say, “I don’t know.” It’s where I’ve learned to love God and others more (though I have a long way to go).

I feel for those Christians who try to go it alone. What gifts and opportunities for sharpening their missing!

“Born This Way” or “God Made Me Like This”?

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I read Justin Lee’s answers on Rachel Held Evans’ blog, and I’ve been chewing on it for a few days. To better understand what I’m going to say here, read that post. Justin’s words didn’t necessarily change my views on homosexuality, but it did refine how I express them a bit.

For the record, I don’t understand how Justin makes the leap to the idea that marriage can between two individuals of the same sex. Like in all issues, I believe the burden of proof in a Christian debate belongs to the one who is going against traditional Christian understanding. Not saying the Christian status quo is always right, but to go against what has been handed down to us through history, you should be able to provide reasonable proofs for that breakaway. I haven’t seen that from Justin, though to be fair, he says he will be addressing that more.

But is it wrong to be “gay?”

Yeah, I put “gay” in quotes, because I think that there is already a worldview assumption by labeling someone “gay” or “straight,” and that is that our sexual attractions are a defining characteristic. I don’t believe that’s the case.

I do believe people when they say that they were born with desires for the same sex. I was born with addictive tendencies, but that doesn’t excuse my addictive thoughts (“I have to have some ice cream”) and behavior. So I’m not opposed to the idea that someone is “born this way,” as long as they’re not using that an excuse for their sinful thoughts and behavior.

But I don’t think it’s right to say “God made me like this,” because God has better plans for your life than for you to be marred with sinful desires. Unfortunately, you are born with a sinful heritage and aren’t perfectly how God created you. But if you trust that He did the work to pay for your sins, you can be born anew. God doesn’t usually remove our sinful desires, but He can use them to mold us more into the person He wants us to be.

So then, is it wrong to be attracted to someone of the same sex?

Yes, and no. It is wrong to look lustfully at anyone other than your spouse, no matter their sex. But I don’t think it’s wrong if you look at someone and think, “Wow, they’re attractive.” But we rarely leave it at that, do we? Most of the time we continue to look, dwell on the thought, and play with it in our imaginations.

Sexual sin is rampant in our culture. Even among the most sexually conservative, it’s usually believed to be okay to look, but not touch. But this is not the standard that the Bible gives us (see Matthew 5:27-28).

God sets a hard standard for us. One so high that I believe it’s impossible to live by apart from the grace of God.

Ah, and that’s the sweetness. Regardless of our history and regardless of our desires, God offers us His mercy through His Son and his grace through His Holy Spirit.

While I don’t like the term “gay Christian,” I think it’s possible to be saved by the grace of the God and still struggle with homosexual desires. These desires can be frusterating, I’m sure, because there’ s no lawful (speaking of God’s law) fulfillment of these desires.

But all our desires will ultimately be eclipsed by God and great goodness and blessings.

So what is a Christian who struggles with same-sex desires to do?

First of all, they need to share their struggle with a couple trusted, mature friends. Hopefully, you’re already in a church family so that makes the choice easier. Your small group leader, a pastor or their wives would be good people to ask to come alongside you.

You may never be attracted to someone of the opposite sex, which means you may never get married. In that case, you’ll be given grace from God (day by day!) to live a celibate life. Will that be easy? Absolutely not. I know this because at least to this point, I’ve been called to live a celibate life.

I’ve already gone on longer than I usually do, but I don’t want to end before I encourage my fellow Christians to share the compassion and grace of Christ. That means we don’t joke about homosexuality or fear those who have homosexual desires.

Did you read that post (linked above)? What are your thoughts? You’re always great, but remember to be civil in the comments.

My Thoughts on Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.

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The next selection the Faith and Fiction Roundtable was the science fiction book Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr. The book is in 3 parts, each part being 600 years further in the future than the last. The first section takes place 600 years from now, with some sort of nuclear holocaust happening in our time. Canticle takes place in a Catholic monastery built with the desire to preserve Western scientific knowledge as much as possible through the new dark age.

The setting of Canticle for Liebowitz had me thinking a lot about the place of the Church (as a whole, not specifically the Catholic Church) in changing times. The members of the monastery in this book were much more concerned with preserving their sacred texts than in saving the people, many of whom were suffering greatly due to the consequences of scientific advancement. The Church—or as much as we  are shown in the book—seems to have no answer for this suffering.

So what should be the Church’s answer in troubling times? While we no longer have the cloud of the Cold War over our heads as it was when this book was written, we still live in a time of uncertainty. The amount of physical destruction I’ve seen with my own eyes this spring has sobered me and taking away the joy I once had in watching storm clouds rolling in.

I believe that the Church–and thus individual Christians—has no greater task in times like these than to point people to Christ. While there is a place for meeting physical needs—a practicality that should not be overlooked—this can’t be the only outreach to hurting people. At the same time, preaching to spiritual needs while disregarding physical needs will fall on deaf ears. Both must go hand in hand.

But the chief task of both word and action is pointing to the hope found in Christ. There is great peace to be found at the foot of the Cross, and we do others a disservice when we downplay it.

Other Faith and Fiction Roundtable Participants:

Amy
Brooks
Carrie
Florinda
Hannah
Heather
Julie
Liz
Nicole
Sherry
Thomas
Tina

Peace, Joy, and Strength

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Week 2 of my Summer of Growth challenge and we’re to point 2 of John Piper’s Challenge to Women:

“That the promises of Christ be trusted so fully that peace and joy and strength fill your soul to overflowing.”

I’ll take this in pieces. “That the promises of Christ be trusted so fully that…

1. “…peace…fill[s] your soul to overflowing.”

Would I characterize my life as being filled with peace?

Yes and no. I don’t fret about the big things: death or the after life. It’s just the little things.

I think I’ve grown in the area of worry, but it’s all too easy to fall into it. I know it’s when I’m focusing too much on those little things, so they seem really big.

I frequently sing the hymn “Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus” to myself:

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.”

2. “…joy…fill[s] your soul to overflowing.”

I think this is an area that I’ve been lacking in lately. My life over the last few months could not be characterized by joy. Ho-hum would be a better term. I’ve allowed my relationship with Christ to become more of a duty and less of a joy. And for that, I do God a disservice. Reading the Bible, prayer, and worship aren’t items to simply be checked off of a list.

3. “…strength fill[s] your soul to overflowing.”

If God’s strength had not filled me during those weeks in April, I wouldn’t have made it. It might sound melodramatic, but I fully believe that without God’s help, I would have struggled more emotionally (that may have exacerbated my physical problems).

But how much more would I know of God’s strength if I was more closely walking with Him?

The truths in the Bible are powerful. But I have to know them and remind myself of them frequently through consistent Bible reading and study…

Why I (try to) Submit

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Last fall I talked about the “S” word, that is, “serve.”  But the more I think about it, the more I’ve realized that what our society hates more than serving one another is submitting to one another.

Submit — another “S” word.

Though I’ve never specifically talked about it on the blog, you may have realized that I have a fairly traditional view of gender (know that the fact that “it’s always been so” has no part in my reasonings for taking this view), formally known as the complementarian position.  Basically, I believe that God created men and women equal in value, but different in function.  (For more on this, check out my discussion of Women’s Ministry in the Local Church over on Offering Hospitality.)

One of the major differences between this view and others found in evangelical churches centers around that “S” word.

I do believe it’s a part of the wife’s role to submit to her husband. (The sound you hear is a dozen readers unsubscribing to this blog.)

I think that this is an unpopular view because:

1.  We like to be gods of our own worlds. We’re sinners whose sin taints everything.

2.  Our culture equates roles with worth. The doctor and lawyer are viewed with respect while the guy who empties the trash or the lady working at the cash register are dopes who don’t qualify for a “real” job.

3.  We wrongly think that being submissive to someone is choosing to be their servant. Yes, serving someone (as in putting their needs before our own) is a part of submission, but doing their biding is not.

4.  Awful, sinful things (spousal abuse, domineering attitudes, slavery, etc.) have been associated with the word “submission.” While the Bible commands submission, it never gives anyone the right to force submission.  Submission is done only by willing choice of the one submitting.

5.  We forget that Jesus Himself is submissive to His Heavenly Father. If we don’t think that Jesus is any lesser for submitting to His Father’s will by dying on the cross, then we shouldn’t think a wife is any lesser because she submits to her husband, letting him have the final say on a family decision. (She definitely has a primary role in the discussion, and should lovingly share her views on the matter to her husband.)

6.  We also forget that all believers are commanded to submit to one another. “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:21, NIV)  We should all be placing each others’ interests above our own, so a good husband may choose his wife’s preference over his own simply because it’s her preference.

I know that submission in marriage will be hard for me, harder than I probably think it will be.  I’m independent and think I’m always right.  But I’m getting good practice now (or at least I’m learning, in part, how hard it is!) by submitting to God, my church elders, and to others.  Submission isn’t easy, but it’s easier when you know the heart of the one you are submitting to.

Photo by kaimar

Food is Not My God

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Since the end of tax season, I’ve been working on getting new (and old) habits in place.  I thrive on a routine, so I knew that establishing a good one early was key.

One of my major problems for both healthy living and a healthy budget is the amount of fast food I was eating.  Part of that was fueled by the stress and busyness of tax season, and part of that is just my weakness for junk food and ice cream.

So, once tax season was over, I made the plan of not eating out unless:

1.) I’m with a friend.

or

2.) My schedule requires it (usually just on Wednesdays).

It’s not been easy.  And I’ve not been perfect, either.  If I was graded, I’d probably have just barely squeaked out a C that first week.

But I’m doing much better than I would have been if I hadn’t even tried.

As hard as it is to admit, food is an idol in my life.  I really wish it was something that you could quit cold turkey. Progress would be easily measured then.  Instead, I’ve been having to work on ways to not let my desire for food rule me.

One thing our pastor said Sunday in his sermon on lust and purity was this: Say “Sex is not my religion.  Jesus is my religion,” when temptation comes.

I’ve adapted that for my struggle and now when the temptation hits, I’m telling myself, “Food is not my god. Jesus is my God.”

I might have to say this a dozen times a day, but it’s a great reminder to put food in it’s proper place in my life. It’s a great blessing, but it is not my ultimate comfort.

I’m like a child…I can’t make myself eat something I don’t want to eat.  If I try, I seriously gag.  So, the key for me is to keep it something that I want to eat, but that is also cheap, easy and healthy.  Monday, I’ll post recipes that I currently have in my arsenal that I know make great leftovers and are tasty and decently healthy.

Photo by Tammy Green

Resurrection Day: Our Only Hope

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While we celebrate Christ’s resurrection today especially, it’s something to remember year round.  If Christ didn’t rise from the dead, we have no hope!

“Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?  But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised;  and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.  Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised.  For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised;  and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.  Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.  If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.” – 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

Praise God, He is Risen!