Thursday, June 27, 2013

How Should Christians Respond to the Court Ruling on Same Sex Marriage?

As you know, the Supreme court has set the stage for a full legalization of so called same sex marriage. As Christians living in this nation, we must think biblically about how to respond. Here are a few thoughts I've rounded up:

This from Denny Burk "Enemies of the Human Race"
Christians need to beware of going to extremes in the face of today’s news. Some may be tempted to view this in apocalyptic terms, as if it’s the end of the world. Others will be tempted to shrug their shoulders as if this is no big deal. I think that neither of those reactions rings true. If God is sovereign and His purposes unshakable, we can have courage in the face of whatever may come down the pike. Likewise, if we love our neighbors, then how can we be indifferent about things that hurt them and debase the culture? That is why we have an interest in promoting ours and our neighbor’s good in the public space. And that means that we have a continuing stake in the public debate over gay marriage.

I had a reporter ask me today if a hysterical and panicked response from Christians would be helpful to the cause of traditional marriage. I think the question kind of answers itself. We may be unjustly labeled as “bigots” and “enemies of the human race.” But panic and hysterics help no one, much less Christians who profess to believe in a sovereign God. Nothing happened today that diminishes the power of the gospel or the fortunes of Christ’s church in this culture. The Supreme Court found itself on the wrong side of history today. The Kingdom of God marches on, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.
This from Russell Moore's article "How Should Same-Sex Marriage Change the Church’s Witness?"
This gives Christian churches the opportunity to do what Jesus called us to do with our marriages in the first place: to serve as a light in a dark place. Permanent, stable marriages with families with both a mother and a father may well make us seem freakish in 21st-century culture. But is there anything more “freakish” than a crucified cosmic ruler? Is there anything more “freakish” than a gospel that can forgive rebels like us and make us sons and daughters? Let’s embrace the freakishness, and crucify our illusions of a moral majority.
This from Mark Dever's article "How to Survive a Cultural Crisis" (If you are going to read one article, this is the one to read.).
The whole Christian faith is based on the idea that God takes people who are spiritually dead and gives them new life. Whenever we evangelize, we are evangelizing the cemetery.

There's never been a time or a culture when it was natural to repent of your sins. That culture doesn't exist, it hasn't existed, it never will exist. Christians, churches, and pastors especially must know deep in their bones that we've always been about a work that's supernatural.

From that standpoint, recent cultural changes have made our job zero percent harder.
...
Each nation and age has a unique way to express its depravity, to attack God. But none will succeed any more than the crucifixion succeeded in defeating Jesus. Yes, he died. But three days later he got up from the dead.
Christ's kingdom is in no danger of failing. Again, Christians, churches, and especially pastors must know this deeply in our bones. D-Day has happened. Now it's cleanup time. Not one person God has elected to save will fail to be saved because the secular agenda is "winning" in our time and place. There shouldn't be anxiety or desperation in us.

Dever gives 7 points in the article mentioned above:

1. Remember that churches exist to work for supernatural change.

2. Understand that persecution is normal. 

3. Eschew utopianism.

4. Make use of our democratic stewardship.

5. Trust the Lord, not human circumstances.

6. Remember that everything we have is God's grace.

7. Rest in the certainty of Christ's victory.


I hope this encourages you and helps you have a biblical perspective.  

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

"'Waiting for the Other Shoe' - The Supreme Court Rules on Same Sex Marriage"

Here is an article on the Supreme Court's rulings on two "same sex marriage" cases. In both cases, the court ruled in favor of so called "same-sex marriage." Mohler's assessment is worth reading.

Even though the Court did not rule today that all states must legally recognize and allow for same-sex marriages, the handwriting is on the wall. Justice Kennedy’s majority opinion implicitly invites any citizen who resides in a state that does not allow for same-sex marriage to claim that his or her constitutional rights are violated on the basis of the Court’s opinion handed down today. You can count on a challenge of this form arising in short order.
As Justice Scalia noted in his dissent today, “As far as this Court is concerned, no one should be fooled; it is just a matter of listening and waiting for the other shoe.”
The Court’s majority did not want to pay the political price that a decision as immediately sweeping as Roe v. Wade would have cost. Instead, the majority decided to send a clear signal that such a case will now be well received. It struck down DOMA by employing a logic that, as Scalia noted, cannot stop with the striking down of DOMA. It can only stop with the full legalization of same-sex marriage in all fifty states by judicial fiat.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Songs for the Summer

If you are looking for some good music to direct your soul to God, let me suggest Sixteen Songs for Summer:

From Age to Age (Sovereign Grace)
  • Great Things
  • Our Song from Age to Age
  • Glorious Christ
  • Mighty Fortress
  • All is Well
  • Gladly Would I Leave Behind Me




The Good Life (Tripp Lee) 

  • New Dreams
  • Take Me There
  • Beautiful Life (on topic of Pro-life)





God and Sinner Reconciled (Stephen Miller)
  • God and Sinner Reconciled






Risen (Sovereign Grace)

  • Alive
  • To Live is Christ
  • Behold Our God 





The 6th Day (Flame)

  • The 6th Day
  • Scripture Alone 
  • Let Go






I am sure we could make this list much longer, but I was trying to keep it to the length of one extended album. I'd love to hear your list of songs that direct you to God and encourage you in the faith. Feel free to share in the comments section.

Boys Using Girls' Restrooms? A Sign of the Times

In today's edition of "The Briefing," a daily analysis of events from a Christian worldview, Dr. Mohler discusses a case in Colorado in which an elementary school boy won a court case giving him access to the girl's restroom. Why? Because he, and his parents, identify him as a girl.

The Washington Post, reporting on the story, said,
"Colorado officials say a suburban Colorado Springs school district discriminated against a 6-year-old transgender girl by preventing her from using the girls’ bathroom, in what advocates described as the first such ruling in the next frontier in civil rights."1
Notice how the media seems to give approval to the whole thing by referring to Coy (the little boy) with feminine nouns and pronouns. And what is shocking is that they might be right in saying this is "the first such ruling in the next frontier of civil rights."

All of a sudden, a self-defined orientation is now the basis of determining minority status and "civil rights." What happens when a high school boy self-identifies as a girl and demands civil right protection to use the girl's restroom or locker room (this isn't hypothetical, if you read the article above, Maine is considering a case now)? I think we can all see the chaos that comes with such arguments. Nevertheless, the arguments have been made as we continue to live in the "wild west of sexual ethics." 

Sometimes a slippery slope argument is a fallacy. Sometimes its really a slippery slope we are sliding down. I hope and pray we find a way to stop the landslide, but I am not worried.

Christianity has never been tied to a culture. And as our culture becomes more and more dark and confused, we have the chance to put the Light of the World on display. We may face more persecution, but we must love those who would hate us, and that takes a lot more courage than our culture's current (mis)understanding of "tolerance" (see DA Carson on this topic of tolerance).


1 Washington Post Article - "Colo. rights case ruling favors transgender girl who wasn’t allowed to use girls’ bathroom"

Monday, June 17, 2013

"How to Survive a Cultural Crisis"

I found this article by Mark Dever, pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in DC, quite encouraging. As our culture seems to have put Christians more and more on the defensive, Dever's words are a helpful reminder of what a biblical perspective looks like. Below are his seven main points, but you really need to read the whole thing:

1. Remember that churches exist to work for supernatural change.

2. Understand that persecution is normal. 

3. Eschew utopianism.

4. Make use of our democratic stewardship.

5. Trust the Lord, not human circumstances.

6. Remember that everything we have is God's grace.

7. Rest in the certainty of Christ's victory.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Is "Gay the New Black?"

Below are some excerpts from an article by Voddie Baucham from about a year ago addressing the arguments comparing homosexuality to the civil rights movement. He does a great job showing why the argument that the homosexual rights movement is just a continuation of the civil rights movement doesn't work. He does this by showing the distinctions between the two.
His main arguments are:
  1. Homosexuals are an unidentifiable minority because it is impossible to tell who is homosexual apart from their own self-identification as being homosexual. This is completely different from being white, black, asian, latino or even man, or woman.In these cases you can tell by looking at the person or do a genetic test.
  2. Marriage cannot be redifined (you will have to read this section as there are several arguments he puts forth).
  3. It is an unsustainable precedent to open up marriage to any "group" that wants it. 
The whole thing is worth reading, especially if you want to get a clear view on all the issues, but below are a few excerpts that I found insightful.

In short, it's impossible to identify who is or is not a homosexual. As a result, how do we know to whom the civil rights in question should be attributed? Should a man who isn't a homosexual (assuming we could determine such a thing) but tries to enter a same-sex union be treated the same as a woman who isn't Native American but tries to claim it to win sympathy, or casino rights, or votes?

...
It should be noted that the right to marry is one of the most frequently denied rights we have. People who are already married, 12-year-olds, and people who are too closely related are just a few categories of people routinely and/or categorically denied the right to marry. Hence, the charge that it is wrong to deny any person a "fundamental right" rings hollow. There has always been, and, by necessity, will always be discrimination in marriage laws.

...
One thing that seems to escape most people in this debate is the fact that homosexuals have never been denied the right to marry. They simply haven't had the right to redefine marriage. 

...

Perhaps the most damning aspect of the civil rights argument is logical unsustainability. If sexual orientation/identity is the basis for (1) classification as a minority group, and (2) legal grounds for the redefinition of marriage, then what's to stop the "bisexual" from fighting for the ability to marry a man and a woman simultaneously since his "orientation" is, by definition, directed toward both sexes? What about the member of NAMBLA whose orientation is toward young boys? Where do we stop, and on what basis?
...
It is very important for those of us who oppose the idea of same-sex "marriage" to do so not because we wish to preserve our version of the American Dream, but because we view marriage as a living, breathing picture of the relationship between Christ and his church (Eph. 5:22ff), and because we know that God has designed the family in a particular way. 

Monday, June 3, 2013

Good Books for College Students

If you are entering your freshmen year of college, you would do well to spend some time this summer preparing yourself for college spiritually. Even if you have been in college for a few years, it is good to keep preparing as you navigate college life (a skilled athlete doesn't stop preparing after her first track meet). 

Here is my top 5 list (There are others that I could have included, but these came to mind).
  1. Thriving in College by  Alex Chediak
  2. Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World edited by CJ Mahaney
  3. The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
  4. Stop Dating the Church by Josh Harris
  5. Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God's Will by Kevin DeYoung

Don't Waste Your Summer: Plan to Share the Gospel

Yesterday, I posted on how not to waste your summer and specifically encouraged you to study the Bible and read a good, Christian book.

One more word of encouragement. Why not use some of your extra time during the summer to focus on sharing the good news of God- the gospel? Below is a list of some ideas on how to be intentional with evangelism this summer (taken from Southern Seminary 2013 Summer Challenge).

  1. Join a community athletic program or summer sports league and interact with non-believers with whom you can share the gospel.
  2. Invite a non-believing friend/coworker/neighbor out for coffee and share the Gospel through casual conversation.
  3. Organize a summer book club and read a book that explains the Gospel or contains Gospel themes, such as Reason for God, by Tim Keller.  Advertise at bookstores, coffee shops, and local stores.
  4. Volunteer at a local soup kitchen and share the Gospel with those you meet.
  5. Put together a community Worship/Bible Study (i.e. Answering hard questions, apologetics etc.)
  6. Invite someone or a group of people to attend a church service with you. Offer to drive.
  7. Build relationships with others by going to dinner, movies, etc. and having intentional gospel conversations.
  8. Strategically schedule your weekly activities in a way that makes you have intentional moments with those non-believers around you.  Be willing to get out of your comfort zone.
  9. Visit your neighbors, asking how they need prayer, and offer to pray with them.
  10. Challenge yourself to share the Gospel at stores, restaurants, clubs, or even gas stations you visit regularly.
  11. Display Christ through your daily attitude.  Be intentional about the way you answer simple questions such as “How are you?” (i.e. Tell the truth about how God has blessed you recently, or explain, in appropriate measure, how God’s grace is helping you to get through difficult circumstances)
  12. Use a church/personal vehicle to drive around your area to meet people, take prayer requests, and engage others with the gospel.
  13. Offer to take a co-worker out to eat one day to hear their story and to get to know them better.  Offer to share your personal life-story and use your testimony to clearly articulate the work of the gospel in your life.
  14. Volunteer in a ministry at the church where you would not normally be active; particularly one in which you feel you can best share the Gospel. Step out of your comfort zone.
  15. Volunteer at a local nursing home and share the Gospel with residents.
  16. Serve at a local summer camp some and share the Gospel with campers.
  17. For those working at a café or restaurant, invite Christian friends/church members to do a regular bible study or fellowship at your place of work, getting to know your coworkers.  Follow up with your coworkers and use this as an opportunity to voice your prayers for them and share the Gospel.
  18. When you tip your waiter, leave a track or note with the Gospel on it and with addresses to local churches and numbers to contact pastors.  Tip well.
  19. When on vacation, leave a Gospel track or note encouraging the housekeeping staff that will be cleaning the room.
  20. Within your work place, neighborhood, or family, find opportunities to distribute Bibles to those you have had conversations with about the Gospel.
  21. Invite a lost neighbor to join you as you walk the dog, go on a run, or participate in other outdoor activities. Use the opportunity to strategically share the Gospel.
  22. Put an ad in the local newspaper with an article about the Gospel.  Encourage those who do not know Jesus to follow up using the contact information you have provided in the ad.
  23. On a weekly basis, ask your pastor how you can help him share the Gospel in the community.
  24. In your family, lead a daily devotion time for your wife/husband and kids and encourage them to share the Gospel. Take them out to share the gospel in an appropriate context listed above.
  25. Find someone in your church who is new to faith that you can mentor/disciple for the summer. Bring them along to share the gospel in one of the above contexts.
You may want to read a good, Christian book on the topic of evangelism. Try Tell the Truth, by Will Metzger or The Gospel and Personal Evangelism, by Mark Dever.

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Will You Invest Your Time Well This Summer?

Just like an investor, we must seek to wisely use our God given resources including time and energy. So, how will you invest your summer?

There are many good ways you might use your summer:
  1. Work to save money
  2. Take summer classes 
  3. Serve others (servant evangelism, serving other Christians, serving parents).
  4. Fellowship with other Christians
  5. Get to Know God and his Truth Better: study the word and learn from others who studied a lot

Many of these (#3-5) are really non-negotiables because they are commanded of all believers. And it is the last point I'd like to focus on in the rest of this post. I'd like to encourage you to plan to grow in your knowledge of God and his truth. If you do not plan to do it, it will not magically happen.

First, I encourage you to pick a book of the Bible to study this summer. By study, I do not mean to merely read over it (though that is included). I mean to dig into it and seek to get more than just a surface level understanding. Maybe you are thinking, "Great...but how do I do that?". Here is another post that has a handout I have put together on how to study the Bible. Start with a small book (one of Paul's letters maybe).

Second, I encourage you to read through at least one good, Christian book to feed your mind and soul this summer. Learning at the feet of those who have spent much time and spiritual energy studying God's Word is a profitable use of time. To ignore this fact is pride. That being said, I would caution you against picking up the latest "best seller" at the Christian bookstore. Reading a book is an investment of time and energy, and you will only read through so many in your lifetime. So, pick wisely. One reason we do the "summer reading" in the church library is to help you pick a book that we, as shepherds of this church, believe will be a wise use of your time and energy. Here is a link to the list of books for this summer.

So, how will you invest your time this summer? I pray you invest it in many God glorifying ways (enjoying his creation, deepening friendships, serving others). I pray you will make it a priority to grow in your ability to study Scripture and to benefit from a good Christian book.



Don't Waste Your Summer: Read Good Books

Here is the 2013 Summer Reading list (these books are available in the church library):

Theology
The Man Christ Jesus by Ware
The Pleasures of God by Piper
The Holiness of God by Sproul

Biography
The Legacy of Sovereign Joy: God's grace in the lives of Augustine, Luther, and Calvin
The Mighty Weakness of John Knox by Lawson
Christian Living
Holiness by JC Ryle
What is a Healthy Church Member by Anyabwile

The Disciplines of Grace by Bridges
WomenPracticing Hospitality by Ennis and Tatlock

Men


The Shepherd Leader at Home by Witmer

Studying the Bible


Here is a resource to help you develop the skill of studying the Bible. Studying the Bible involves reading, but goes more in-depth.  Use the following 3 step approach to help you.

1.      Observation This is simply to ask the basic questions about what is in the text (who, what, where, when, why, how). 

                                                  i.      What type of writing is it (genre)?: Narrative (Acts), Law (Leviticus), Poetry 
                            (Psalms), Wisdom (Proverbs), Prophecy, Gospel (like narrative, but focuses on
                            Jesus and his ministry on earth), Epistle (letter).  This affects how it is suppose to
                            be read. 
                                                ii.      What is being said? Are there promises made or commands or warnings
                             given.Are there comparisons being made (ex. Light/darkness; truth/falsehood).
                                              iii.      Who- If it is an epistle, note who is writing and to whom they are speaking in
                               the passage you are reading.  If it is a narrative or Gospel, note who is speaking
                                and who their audience is.
                                               iv.      When did the events take place (also note if it is New or Old Testament).  Within
                              the passage, what is the order of events described (look for words like: after
                              this, immediately, until).
                                                 v.      Where did the action take place? 
                                               vi.      Are there any repeated words or themes (ex. Rejoice/joy appears many times in
                              Philippians).
                                           vii.      Look for important connecting words like “therefore” (usually telling you to
                             look back and see the reasons for the statement about to follow), “in order that
                             (the purpose or result of what was just said), “for” or “because”(which signifies
                             that what is about to be said supports the previous statement) “if…then” (a
                             conditional statement), “but” or “and not” (contrasts), “like” or “as
                             (comparisons).

2.      Interpretation This is actually trying to understand what the author meant.  What were the original readers suppose to understand by what was written?

                                                  i.      Think about how the type of writing (genre) affects they way it should be
                              interpreted (ex. poetry should be handled differently than law).
                                                ii.      Note the context, what is happening before and after the passage.  Within a
                              book, each passage is connected to the others around it.  The context helps you
                              understand what is being said.  (example, Luke 4:7 “worship me and all will be
                              yours.”  This is not a promise to Christians. The context shows that this is Satan
                              tempting Jesus.).                       iii.    Are there any other Scriptures that come to mind which provide insight
                              (cross references, related themes, etc.)?
                                              iv.      Look up any words you don’t know or that are repeated in a Bible dictionary
                             (http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/dictionaries/).
                                               v.      Try paraphrasing important verses- this will force you to really understand it
                             and put it in your own words.
                                              vi.    Look at a commentary to help you understand verses you don’t understand
                             (maybe even get a study Bible like the, ESV SB or MacArthur SB).

3.      Application The blessing of God’s Word is in the doing of it.  Application involves understanding how it applied to the original readers (mostly done in the interpretation section above) and how it transfers and applies to you today.

                                                  i.      Ask:
  1. Is there an underlying principle that can transfer from the biblical time period to me today?
  2. Is there a command to obey?
  3. Is there a sin to forsake?
  4. Is there a promise to believe?
  5. Is there a truth to hold on to?
  6. Is there an example to follow or avoid?
                                                ii.      Pray and ask God to help you apply what you have learned