Week 1 2013 New Year Resolutions

Every year many people make New Year resolutions.  These are either new, or old, commitments to growth.    Most of the time these have to do with self-improvement of some sort.  Last year I had resolved to read through the Bible again, except with a little different twist.  The translation was a new one to me, Today's New International Version (TNIV), and the plan was to do so chronologically.  I also wanted to write a devotional thought each day.  It felt good to reach that accomplishment.  The benefits coming from reading through God's word are incalculable.

In 2 Peter 3:18 we are encouraged to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  I have been blessed to have had a number of mentors throughout my life who have modeled this verse for me.  In the late eighties, my wife and I attended the Houston Bible Training Work (now known as the South Houston Bible Institute).  This wonderful work was begun in 1946 by G. B. Shelburne, Jr.  It was my honor to have had this man as one of my mentors.  He was in his eighties, and I was in my thirties.  He had been a Christian longer than I had been alive.  While he was my teacher, he was also my student.  It was extremely impressive to witness this spiritual giant being able to learn and grow in his grace and knowledge, and to actually have the humility to do so from his students.  He continued this growth throughout his life.

Unfortunately, there are those who quit growing in their Christian walk.  These come to the conclusion they have received and accepted the truth, and need nothing else.  On the surface this may sound good.  Yet, to have this attitude is actually very arrogant and only promotes stagnation.  To believe this way is to say that one completely understands the mind of God, with full knowledge of all the truth revealed in His word.  It is also saying that your interpretation is the only valid interpretation, which is to say that you have reached perfection.  Those who believe this way are depending upon their own righteousness for their salvation.  When these come to the end of their days, they are filled with doubt, not having as assurance of the salvation found only in the righteousness of Christ.  Grace is often misunderstood, and difficult to fully accept.

When we choose to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord, we find ourselves placing our complete trust in Him for our salvation, and are at peace in our final days on earth.  Thus, might I suggest that you make it your resolution to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?

Redefined Sex Part Two

A fourteen-year-old girl was performing oral sex for one of her classmates as a teacher rounded the corner, looking to buy a soft drink from the bank of machines in an alcove off the main hallway.  Of course, both the children were expelled.  Over the next several days our administration was assailed by students, teachers, parents, even the Mayor.  They were all saying that what the kids were doing is not that bad.  Most of them were saying that the kids were just doing what comes natural.  All of them were saying that the punishment was too harsh.  The one thing missing was outrage for what the kids were doing.  No one was saying that it was wrong.

Tiger Woods, Magic Johnson, Charlie Sheen, Madonna, Sex in the City, Playboy Mansion, Paris Hilton advertising a hamburger through sexual innuendo.  Just a small sampling of the sexual bombardment the average citizen endures on a daily basis.  Everything from a President claiming that oral sex is not really sex, to porn stars being exalted, our children are shown a world where illicit sex is running rampant.  Prostitution is overlooked, and in some cases, exalted as an honorable profession.  Online pornography is one of the fastest growing online businesses.  Married couples are engaged is this line of business to supplement their income.  Business people, teachers, ministers, and government officials are almost daily being exposed for their involvement in child pornography.  Human slavery is on the rise, where young people are sold to be used as sex toys.

Some will say that this kind of thing has always been around.  There is no denying the truth in that statement.  There have always been those who would abuse sex.  Just as there have always been those who commit murder.  The difference is that there are very few people trying to justify murder.  On the other hand, there are those who would justify wrongful sex acts.  In fact, justification is the norm.  Talk shows promote the concept that infidelity is not only normal, it is to be accepted.  We are to believe that abstinence is archaic and unreasonable.  Expecting people to be monogamous is silly, we just can’t have that kind of self-control.

While it is true that there will always be those who make mistakes.  It is equally true that our response to those who are penitent should be filled with grace.  The sad truth is that many are not penitent.  This is what needs to change.  None of us are beyond sinning.  However, the correct response to our sin is remorse.  Before the sin is committed, there needs to be a plan helping us to prevent the commission of the sin.  Yet, when that fails, and there are times when it will, one must repent, being sincerely sorry for what they have done.  Sex is an activity that is reserved for only one circumstance.  God offered this gift to a man and woman who are in a covenanted relationship known as marriage.  Sexual activity in any other circumstance is wrong – just as wrong as homosexual activity.  Neither should be overlooked, swept under the carpet, or justified.  We should be calling sin what it is . . . sin!

Finally, sex should be a celebration of our love for our mate.  We should rejoice in this joining together of man and woman in an act of pure love, given by God, created by God, ordained by God.  Let’s keep it unpolluted!

Redefined Sex

I have a degree in English, with a focus on Shakespeare.  For those of you who have studied Shakespeare, you have an idea of what I endured with my conservative views.  My mentor/teacher, Eugene Zumwalt, was an existentialist.  He believed that William Shakespeare was a homosexual.  The reason I respected Professor Zumwalt so much was that he allowed me to have a different opinion, and he even respected my opposing view.  One day in class we were covering love letters seemingly written from one man to another man.  Knowing I was a preacher, and that I held an opposing view, Mr. Zumwalt called on me to express my opinion.  My response was simple, but honest.  I said that I felt it to be a sad state of affairs that we in modern times have redefined love to necessitate sexual activity.  There was a time, not so long ago, that a man could love another man, or a woman a woman, without any sexual connotation.  It is a modern concept that distorts love.  From the beginning sexual activity has been an intended part of monogamous marriage.  The primary purpose to populate the earth.  God, in His infinite wisdom, made it pleasurable.  Thus, as a side benefit, it becomes an expression of our love to our mate.

However, love outside of marriage, is expressed in many non-sexual ways.  In fact, the primary function of love does not include sexual activity.  God is love.  To attach sexual activity to this primary basis of love is unthinkable.  We have a love for our children that causes us to sacrifice our lives for their benefit.  When sexual activity is attached to this love, we rightfully see it as perversion and prosecute these offenders without concern for the offenders welfare.  I love my brothers and sisters, both those biological and those in the Lord.  Attaching sexual activity to these relationships would not only destroy those relationships, but it would just be wrong.  From the beginning of time, men have loved other men without any sexual activity.  In fact, when men did engage in such behavior, it was rightly viewed as a perversion.  God destroyed two cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, primarily because of this kind of aberrant behavior.  He states plainly that homosexual offenders will not enter the kingdom of heaven.  When listing those things that are an abhorrence to Him, homosexuality finds its way to that list.

There is no good reason to redefine love in order to bring legitimacy to sexual perversion.  I understand that my words fly in the face of current thought.  Furthermore, I understand that some people are born with an inclination toward homosexuality.  However, others are born with inclinations toward violence, dishonesty, and other aberrant behavior.  We don’t justify this behavior because they have this inclination.  So, why do we do it with homosexuality?

In the early seventies I drove a Yellow Cab in Sacramento, working the night shift.  During my one and a half year tenure I hauled a lot of homosexuals in my cab, transporting them from one gay bar to another, and often back to their home.  Without exception, every single homosexual male that rode in my taxi propositioned me.  Now I ask, is that normal behavior?  If so, why didn’t every woman also proposition me?  Another little dirty secret that few want to talk about is the high percentage of homosexuals who are also pedophiles.  There are actually resorts in Mexico that cater to these homosexual men, bringing in poor young boys from the surrounding villages.  Instead of embracing homosexuality, we should be outraged!  Now, please do not get me wrong.  I am not advocating the mistreatment of homosexuals.  Quite the contrary, I believe we should love and have great compassion toward the homosexual.  They have a tremendous burden to overcome.  Having said that, it is no different than any other aberrant leaning that needs to be overcome.  Just as we try to rehabilitate thieves and those who suffer with anger management, we need to help rehabilitate the homosexual.  The one thing we don’t need to do, is redefine love.  Let’s keep love pure, the way God intended

The Gift of God

Romans 5 tells us that because of the death of Jesus Christ we receive the gift of eternal life from God.  Along with this gift comes the gift of Christ’s righteousness, reconciliation to God, justification through faith, and peace with God.  This sounds wonderful, and it truly is, at least for some, beyond belief.  This raises a few questions.  First, why is it beyond belief?  And, what is the alternative?  Or, is there an alternative?

The first part of this gift that defies belief is eternal life.  We have all experienced death in its many forms seen throughout the ages and places.  The great statesman, Benjamin Franklin, is known to have said, "In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."  This is a truth we can sink our teeth into.  There is no escaping the fact that we will all die.  Outside of the Bible narrative, there is no documented source of anyone escaping death.  It is an inevitability we must all face, whether we like it or not.  Many have sought out a way to avoid death, and all have failed.  Thus, the promise of a way to defy death is, indeed, appealing.  However, the old axiom “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t” comes into play.  For many, the biblical promise of eternal life simply sounds too good to be true, so they reject it as just another myth in the long stream of age-defying remedies that have existed throughout recorded history.  So, why should they believe this over all the others?

Jesus offers this gift in that familiar passage, John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  We have heard this so many times that we often lose the depth of what is stated.  Especially when we look at in light of what Paul says in the first chapter of Romans.  God is revealed in creation.  All know within their heart of hearts that God exists.  It is this inborn knowledge that reveals more to life than the few years lived out on this earth.  Thus, Jesus offers the love of a God who is made evident to all.  And, in offering this love, He offers two alternatives: eternal life or perishing.  He backs this up by overcoming death in His own body.  The resurrected Jesus, witnessed by hundreds, puts to rest the argument against eternal life.  Through His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus demonstrates His ability to raise the dead to eternal life.  Knowing this, we have a choice to make.  We can believe in Jesus and gain eternal life, or choose to reject Him and perish.

It’s actually pretty simple.  However, there are those who still choose to not take advantage of this free gift of God.  Some have chosen to not believe in God, even though He is revealed in every little intricacy of nature.  For some reason, these often believe that acceptance of Jesus means that they will have to give up the pleasures of this life.  That misconception is truly unfortunate.  Those of us who have received the gift of God realize that in entails more than eternal life.  This gift includes a truly wonderful, abundant life in the here and now.  I have often said that if I got to the end of this life and God did turn out to be a myth, my life would still have been better for having believed in Him.  On the other hand, for those gambling on Him being a myth, they not only miss out on the good life He offers while here, they take the chance of missing out on eternal life and facing the consequence of perishing.

Which is it for you?  Choosing eternal life, or choosing to perish?

A Capella Singing

“There’s within my heart a melody.”  A lyric from an old hymn that speaks to what most believers feel when worshiping.  Visit any place of worship today and you are bound to hear singing.  Scripture assures us that God hears what our heart produces, regardless of what our voice sounds like.  This is comforting when we listen to some who are tone-deaf.  My wife fits into that category, but she loves to sing and praise the Lord.  She often says that she knows she will be a singer in heaven, because she can’t sing on earth.

In our travels we come across quite a variety of churches and music.  Some have instruments, ranging from a single organ or piano, all the way up to a full blown orchestra, and everything in between.  The music ranges from rock ‘n roll to classical, and all points betwixt.  It can put worshipers in a somber mood, or hyped up to a fever pitch.  People raise their hands, eyes tear up or close, and toes often pat the floor.  The music follows a theme, or not.  It coincides with the sermon or misses the mark.  The one thing we have found is that we are sure to find something different wherever we visit.

Our tradition is a capella.  Historically, our people have learned to sing four-part harmony from hymnals that use fasola notation.  That means that instead of the standard form of notation, our music has shaped notes, identifying the do re mi notes instead of by the letter.  This has been useful in helping our congregations learn the four parts that make up the harmony.  For this to work well, a small church has to be gifted with really talented singers, or grow themselves to a point where the stronger voices can help those who are weaker come out with their part, be it soprano, alto, tenor, or bass.  When you are blessed to be in a large congregation of believers who know how to sing, the music can be awesome.

In years past, this beautiful form of music was very prevalent in churches of Christ, and can still be found.  However, over the past several years we are seeing a decline in our ability to generate four-part harmony in many of our congregations.  This has led to lively discussion of the cause for this apparition.  Many of our churches have been using overhead projection for some time.  Many of these projected songs are not accompanied by the written music.  There are those who feel this is the reason we seem to be losing our harmony.  Another change has been the use of praise teams.  Again, some feel these have aided in the decline of four-part congregational singing.  And, then there is the practice followed in many churches where they use anybody and everybody to lead the worship, whether that person is qualified or not.  This would seem an obvious contributor to our lack of harmony.

I’m not going to offer an opinion, other than to say that it would seem that all of these are contributing factors.  I will say that it saddens me to see us losing this tradition.  Our ability to produce beautiful music from the voices of our members has long been an asset, and a distinction among churches of Christ.  Unlike many in my tradition, I don’t believe a capella singing is a legal requirement.  In fact, I firmly believe that when we make it so, we take away from its beauty.  Having said that, a capella singing, done right, is like no other music.  It is beautiful and brings glory to God.  There’s nothing that can stir the soul like good, harmonious congregation singing. However, if we are going to hold on to this tradition, we need to make some hard choices in reinventing the ways to bring about good congregational harmony.  I pray it is done soon!

Dust Removal

In offering this criticism, I find myself in a peculiar position.  While pointing the finger at others I am, in a very real sense, point back at myself.  However, it would be difficult to address the subject of judgment without committing the said violation.  With that in mind, I take up my keyboard and begin.

Una said to me the other night, “Have you noticed how judgmental preachers and their wives can be?”  I considered her question, relating it to the many preacher families we know, and came to the conclusion that there is some validity in this judgment.  Since I, too, am a preacher, I am also indicted.  Why do we do this?  We are all familiar with the Lord’s injunction to remove the plank from our eye before we attempt to remove the speck of dust from our brother’s eye.  Yet, we insist on removing that particle of dirt.  Is it because we study so much that we become acutely aware of what sin is, and are able to readily identify it in others?  Or, is it, I fear, due to our own self-righteousness?  Do we preacher-sorts come to the point where we see ourselves as sacrificial lambs, pure in deed and mind, cleansed because of our baptism in the Word, and in our knowledge of all things scriptural?  Is that a little too harsh?  Maybe so.  But, it does not relieve us from the duty of taking a hard look at ourselves and how we approach others.  It is so easy to become pharisaical when one devotes their life to doing God’s work.  We feel the weight of responsibility to not only preach the truth, but to also model what we preach.  After all, our words carry little meaning if we are just admonishing others to do as we say and not as we do.

This brings us back to judgment.  In all our piety, we would do well to remember that when we are encouraging others to follow the Lord’s command in Matthew 7, we have the responsibility to do the same.  It would strengthen our ministry if we would not bind on others what we bind upon ourselves; leaving judgment on disputable matters to Him who judges rightly.  I understand the “fish bowl” effect, and the unfair position of having to be more circumspect in our lives because we are recognized as God’s special vessels.  However, this does not give us the right to project those same expectations upon others.  If you wonder why members of your flock avoid you, it just might be for this very reason.  Understand, from your own position, how uncomfortable it is to know that someone is standing in judgment of all that you say or do.  We preachers, as unfair as it may be, signed up for that position.  But, our brothers and sisters did not.  Ready for some plank removal?

Worship Priorities

As we travel the country in our 38 foot motorhome one of our greatest challenges it finding a place to worship.  It isn't that there are a shortage of churches.  It isn’t even due to our unwillingness to worship in any church, because we have attended many different churches with many different names over the doors.  We are unashamedly members of the Church of Christ.  However, we do not believe that the CHURCH is limited to those who attend Churches of Christ.  It is our conviction that the church is made up of believers, and that these believers attend congregations in various diverse groups throughout the world.  God’s church is not limited by man’s design.  Our belief is founded in the diversity of the churches named in the New Testament.  For example, the seven churches of Asia Jesus addresses in Revelation.  Each of these churches practice worship in a different manner.  Jesus has a problem with six of them.  However, He calls ALL of them His church.  It is apparent in New Testament history that churches, while practicing and binding different things upon themselves, did not expect the same from their brethren in other places and congregations (see Acts 15 and Romans 14).  This is just to address why we have no problem going to church outside of our immediate fellowship.

So, one might ask, “Then, Rod, why is finding a place to worship such a challenge?”  To answer this question I must reveal my own personal prejudices.  As I look at the many different stripes of Christianity, it becomes clear that each one has its own traditions, customs, and practices.  As to our core beliefs, there isn’t much difference.  However, when it comes to what we do for an hour or so each week in our public gatherings, there can be a lot of variety.  One of our customs in the churches of Christ is participation in the observance of the Lord’s Supper.  I know that many in our church believe this is a law.  However, I find nothing in scripture to support that position.  Indeed, it is my position that in making it a law we take away from it’s special significance.  Jesus died to set us free from law, not to set up another system of law-keeping.  Having said that, it would seem to me that the early church felt this sacrament of communion to be an important custom.  There is much historical evidence showing that our first and second century brethren observed communion every time they came together, often as much as seven days a week!  Scripture does point out that it was Paul’s custom to observe the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week.  And there are numerous scriptures that deal with this rite.  The Lord’s Supper should be a very special privilege to each and every Christian.  When we partake of the bread and wine, we demonstrate our faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It is at the very core of Christianity.  I find it to be a wonderful time of celebration, and I look forward to it every Sunday.

My brethren who do not observe it every Sunday usually have a special service monthly, quarterly, bi-annually, or sporadically.  The usual explanation I receive for their custom is that to observe it every week would make it too common, taking away from its specialness.  I find just the opposite to be the case.  I don’t mean it as a criticism, but I do find that these brethren do offer the opportunity to partake in a public contribution every Sunday.  Yet, when I look in scripture I find only two references to the church having a collection during a public meeting.  Is this more important than observance of the Lord’s Supper?  Does it take away from its specialness when we offer the contribution weekly?  I would just like my fellows in other churches to think about it, and maybe consider returning to the custom of our first-century brethren.  It would sure make my search for a place to worship easier ;>).