"5 Myths about Abortion"

This week is the 46th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Perhaps you will have opportunities to speak on behalf of the weakest, most vulnerable members of our society. Here is a helpful article over at crossway from Scott Klusendorf entitled "5 Myths about Abortion" which might help.

Here are the myths he tackles (you should read the article for the answers):

1. Myth #1: Christian pro-lifers impose religious arguments on a pluralistic society and thus violate the separation of church and state.
2. Myth #2: Men have no moral authority to speak on abortion.
3. Myth #3: The only way to end abortion is to preach the gospel because outside of Jesus, pro-life arguments make no sense to unbelievers.
4. Myth #4: Pro-life advocates must take on a broader “whole life” agenda to legitimize their efforts.
5. Myth #5: The call of the church is not social issues like abortion, but discipleship.

If anyone is willing to read his book, Stand for Life: A Students Guide for Making the Case, Saving Lives let me know and I'll get you a free copy (the catch is you have to agree to read it within the next 30 days). 

Are You Glorifying Jesus in Your Desire for Marriage?

John Piper deals with this issue on the most recent episode of The Ask Pastor John podcast entitled "Why is God Withholding Marriage from Me?".

Below are his main points and a few quotes.

The desire for marriage is in proper perspective when:

1. It is desired for Christ's sake. 

"St. Augustine prayed, “He loves thee too little, O God, who loves anything together with thee which he loves not for thy sake.” He knew from the Bible that it is not wrong to desire food, or drink, or clothes, or friends, or knowledge, or health, or safety, or marriage. It’s not wrong to desire that. And he wrestled with the question, When do these legitimate desires become sin? And his answer was that they become sin when they’re not for Christ’s sake."

2. The desire is shaped by faith. 

3. The desire does not result in cynicism and bitterness. 

"I think sorrow at the loss of innocent desires is not sin, not unless the sorrow overwhelms godly joy and sours into cynicism and bitterness and drags a single person into isolation and sin rather than friendship and service."

4. The desire does not diminish zeal to glorify God in singleness. 

"He [Paul]  loved partnership, he loved friendship, he loved people. He needed people. But he wished everyone could have the freedom of singleness for ministry that he had (1 Corinthians 7:7)."

5. Marriage is not seen as the key to happiness. 

"Let your desire for marriage be tempered and kept in proper perspective by this. Marriage is a temporary covenant, just as full of sorrows as singleness is, and pointing to a heavenly covenant, that single and married we enjoy."

6. That desire doesn't keep you from enjoying the family of God in your church, which is the family that will last forever.