I timothy 1: 8 We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. 9 We also know that law[a] is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine 11 that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me".
The righteous shall live by faith. Faith without deeds is dead. The law condemns us all, and only Christ's righteousness can make us new, so that the sinful become obedient, slave traders stop trading slaves, the ungodly become godly, liars stop lying, perverts stop perverting, and adulterers become faithful. When Ananias and Sapphira thought they could ignore their sanctification and obedience, they were in fact denying their faith, and paid the penalty of death. It is as Paul said, it is no longer I but sin that lives within me. So Paul stopped persecuting Christians. Paul stopped his pride. He changed. And he wrote I Timothy.. I Timothy ,
Presumably, most seminary graduates would have learned most of their world view perspectives and "every square inch belongs to God" before they attended seminary. Hopefully they would have attended Christian world-view colleges.
Elly, your story is great, with the help of people to get a quadriplegic on a hiking trip. But if you google Camrose Alberta for a 3D view, you will not see any mountains at all anywhere from Camrose. An 8000 foot mountain is pretty high, and Camrose is still in the prairie part of Alberta. Should the location have been Canmore perhaps?
These stories are great! I am reminded of a girl, Colleen Buitendyk, who has been in a wheelchair all her life with cerebral palsy, who used to enjoy having a two wheel cart attached to her powered wheel chair and pulling little kids behind her in it, across the grass and the gravel parking area at our place. Or her independance in tearing across the playing field at the local Bible Camp.
I am reminded of a nephew in a wheel chair with mental capacity issues, who attended his sister's wedding. When the minister asked her if she would take "this man to be her husband", her younger brother yelled out, "No!" .... and there were some chuckles.... and no one was upset.... and the wedding went on....
Jolanda, I appreciate what you've said here. It is really important for the teachers to capture the vision. This helps them to go beyond just going through the motions, to realizing that we are helping our children to put on the full armor of God, in an eternal life and death situation.
I wonder if the way to make sure we see needs, is to stop always calling it injustice. We probably don't see injustice because we do not see it as injustice. We do not see our own actions as injust, nor the actions of others as unjust, yet there are needs. For example, are victims of the tsunami considered to be victims of injustice? Are victims of hurricane Isaac victims of injustice? yet, they have needs. Needs, yes, that's something we can see.
Yes, maybe we should see injustice where we don't see it now. But how does speaking in generalities help? Will you be more likely to help someone because they are unjustly treated than simply because they have a need? Will you adopt an orphan quicker because they are unjustly an orphan, than because they are an orphan who has a need? Will you adopt an orphan due to a tsunami less quickly than an orphan whose mother simply abandoned her? Will you adopt a handicapped orphan quicker because no one else will, than a healthy whole child for whom adoptive parents are competing?
If a person cannot get a job because they have no skills, is that unjust? Do you then help them to get some skills, or just complain about injustice? or try to create work for them? or give them some food? or ignore them because there is no injustice?
In order to make sense of injustice, you need to be specific, don't you think?
Julia, interesting comment on Aristotle's moral compass. It seems that in general, he equates virtue with moderation. Eg. Don't be too courageous, but don't be too afraid. or... don't be too stingy, but not too generous either. While this often seems to be common sense, it is not the kind of standard we want to apply to Christian living, it seems to me. It is a bit arbitrary... and ends up saying something like, have faith, but not too much faith. Pray some, but don't pray too much.
I believe that common sense and balance does play a role, but that doesn't mean that somehow using common sense is more virtuous than stepping out in faith. Jesus command to the rich man to sell all he had and follow HIm might seem to lead to the vice of carelessness by worldly and aristotelian standards, but Jesus' standards are different. For Jesus, fishing for men instead of for fish, is not as extreme as many might think. Caring for and sharing with the poor is okay, no matter how extreme. Claiming all the world (not just Sundays) for Christ is the right kind of extreme.
I wonder if the first type of illness we ought to be thinking of is spiritual illness. Spiritual illness would be a misunderstanding of who God is, or a denial of God, or lack of a confident relationship with God. It is this type of illness that often leads to a moral quagmire, sometimes moral illness, since there is no real reference point for truth and behaviour outside of oneself and thus might lead to all kinds of immoral behaviour. This is a situation where there is no immunity or resistance anymore to the immoral behaviour which is displayed by others on tv or internet or magazines or conversation.
I would think spiritual illness can also lead to some types of mental illness, once that realization of a lack of reference point, and a lack of purpose, a lack of real relationship sinks in. This can be a common cause of depression and anger and unhappiness, both for non-christians, but also sometimes for christians.
Moral illness leads directly to sin, and because we cannot always read the heart, we must deal with the sin more than with the moral illness that might cause us to sin. But moral illness can be catching, even for Christians. It helps if we put a quarantine on ourselves or on those who are morally ill, so that it will not infect us. On the other hand, spiritual health can heal the heart, will help us to resist, and our relationship with God will have an impact on how we live.
Well yes, good question. And I don't know about other consistories in general; only a few. It has been said that heresy creeps into the church quicker thru music than in any other way. Sometimes it is not just whether a song is technically correct theologically or not. Sometimes a very popular song only expresses a very limited aspect of our faith, or of our christian life, and gives us a lopsided christianity. So we need to have a good balance of songs, which is why it is good to have many to choose from. The amount of monitoring also depends sometimes on the spiritual maturity or experience or education of those who choose the songs, and the consistories confidence in their theological background. But I know I tend to have a subconscious evaluation of most songs, trying to evaluate their spiritual impact. But other times I just sing them, especially if they are familiar. I can't be analyzing all of them all the time; it leaves little room then for praise. I mean, just think of some of the Psalms, if someone wrote stuff like that today; parts of Psalm 38, 39. Pslam 40: 12, 14,15. and others. But it all has a place, part of our prayer in song.
I am wondering about our over-riding concentration on "relationship", particularly relationship with God. It seems to be a theme that reduces almost everything else to insignificance. Our ideas about God, about people, about concepts, principles, policies, ideologies all seem to get subjected to the principle and idea of "relationship". But is this not a bit of lopsided Christianity?
While relationship is very important, is not God bigger than just relationship with us? Is not there more to God than only relationship?
So Al, your statement that "God listens to our prayers and answers our prayers with our best interest in mind. " is theologically and confessionally true, but it is not soley God's purpose to only consider our own opinion of our best interest. Sometimes God's purpose is mysterious, unknown, and we can only trust His answer to our prayers, when we don't understand it. God answers even the prayers we have not yet uttered, the prayers that contradict the other prayers we make. God answers in ways much superior to the ways we would think are best. In that way, God is not tamed to our control, even though he promised to answer our prayers. God is out of our control, but not out of His own control. God is greater than the relationships He has with us, which makes his relationship with us even more amazing, more loving, more cherished.
Lots of good suggestions. But, I would like to add the most important and significant step. #1 - Pray. Pray that God will protect the children. Pray that God will protect the teachers and leaders from themselves and from others. Pray that eyes will be opened to problematic situations, and to situations that need to be corrected, whether it is a better handrailing for the elderly, a better ramp for the wheelchairs, or a better monitoring of the young children at play or in the classrooms. Pray that people will recognize their weaknesses. Pray that Christ's love may shine in our treatment of one another, and that Christ's commands to love one another are fulfilled by the leadership in the way God wants us to do. Pray that our young people may understand the committment of marriage and the place of God given sexual activity in our lives. Pray that wisdom for youth leaders, and for the young people who experience much temptation, may be given to them by God, by scripture, and by the preaching and teaching within the church.
We believe God is powerful to save, and that prayer is effectual. While not neglecting practical procedures, it is prayer that has the greatest effect, bringing safety to a whole new level in our obedience to Christ to love one another, as Christ loves us.
Posted in: God's Referee?
I timothy 1: 8 We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. 9 We also know that law[a] is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine 11 that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me".
The righteous shall live by faith. Faith without deeds is dead. The law condemns us all, and only Christ's righteousness can make us new, so that the sinful become obedient, slave traders stop trading slaves, the ungodly become godly, liars stop lying, perverts stop perverting, and adulterers become faithful. When Ananias and Sapphira thought they could ignore their sanctification and obedience, they were in fact denying their faith, and paid the penalty of death. It is as Paul said, it is no longer I but sin that lives within me. So Paul stopped persecuting Christians. Paul stopped his pride. He changed. And he wrote I Timothy.. I Timothy ,
Posted in: One Login, Many Sites
Tim, I appreciate the work you do to make this website work.
Posted in: Why Seminaries Need Scientists, Artists, Economists and Athletes on Staff
Presumably, most seminary graduates would have learned most of their world view perspectives and "every square inch belongs to God" before they attended seminary. Hopefully they would have attended Christian world-view colleges.
Posted in: Climbing Together: What Disability Concerns is All About
Elly, your story is great, with the help of people to get a quadriplegic on a hiking trip. But if you google Camrose Alberta for a 3D view, you will not see any mountains at all anywhere from Camrose. An 8000 foot mountain is pretty high, and Camrose is still in the prairie part of Alberta. Should the location have been Canmore perhaps?
These stories are great! I am reminded of a girl, Colleen Buitendyk, who has been in a wheelchair all her life with cerebral palsy, who used to enjoy having a two wheel cart attached to her powered wheel chair and pulling little kids behind her in it, across the grass and the gravel parking area at our place. Or her independance in tearing across the playing field at the local Bible Camp.
I am reminded of a nephew in a wheel chair with mental capacity issues, who attended his sister's wedding. When the minister asked her if she would take "this man to be her husband", her younger brother yelled out, "No!" .... and there were some chuckles.... and no one was upset.... and the wedding went on....
Posted in: Is Teacher/Leader Orientation Essential?
Jolanda, I appreciate what you've said here. It is really important for the teachers to capture the vision. This helps them to go beyond just going through the motions, to realizing that we are helping our children to put on the full armor of God, in an eternal life and death situation.
Posted in: What We Don't See [Video]
I wonder if the way to make sure we see needs, is to stop always calling it injustice. We probably don't see injustice because we do not see it as injustice. We do not see our own actions as injust, nor the actions of others as unjust, yet there are needs. For example, are victims of the tsunami considered to be victims of injustice? Are victims of hurricane Isaac victims of injustice? yet, they have needs. Needs, yes, that's something we can see.
Posted in: What We Don't See [Video]
Yes, maybe we should see injustice where we don't see it now. But how does speaking in generalities help? Will you be more likely to help someone because they are unjustly treated than simply because they have a need? Will you adopt an orphan quicker because they are unjustly an orphan, than because they are an orphan who has a need? Will you adopt an orphan due to a tsunami less quickly than an orphan whose mother simply abandoned her? Will you adopt a handicapped orphan quicker because no one else will, than a healthy whole child for whom adoptive parents are competing?
If a person cannot get a job because they have no skills, is that unjust? Do you then help them to get some skills, or just complain about injustice? or try to create work for them? or give them some food? or ignore them because there is no injustice?
In order to make sense of injustice, you need to be specific, don't you think?
Posted in: Mental Illness or Moral Illness?
Julia, interesting comment on Aristotle's moral compass. It seems that in general, he equates virtue with moderation. Eg. Don't be too courageous, but don't be too afraid. or... don't be too stingy, but not too generous either. While this often seems to be common sense, it is not the kind of standard we want to apply to Christian living, it seems to me. It is a bit arbitrary... and ends up saying something like, have faith, but not too much faith. Pray some, but don't pray too much.
I believe that common sense and balance does play a role, but that doesn't mean that somehow using common sense is more virtuous than stepping out in faith. Jesus command to the rich man to sell all he had and follow HIm might seem to lead to the vice of carelessness by worldly and aristotelian standards, but Jesus' standards are different. For Jesus, fishing for men instead of for fish, is not as extreme as many might think. Caring for and sharing with the poor is okay, no matter how extreme. Claiming all the world (not just Sundays) for Christ is the right kind of extreme.
I wonder if the first type of illness we ought to be thinking of is spiritual illness. Spiritual illness would be a misunderstanding of who God is, or a denial of God, or lack of a confident relationship with God. It is this type of illness that often leads to a moral quagmire, sometimes moral illness, since there is no real reference point for truth and behaviour outside of oneself and thus might lead to all kinds of immoral behaviour. This is a situation where there is no immunity or resistance anymore to the immoral behaviour which is displayed by others on tv or internet or magazines or conversation.
I would think spiritual illness can also lead to some types of mental illness, once that realization of a lack of reference point, and a lack of purpose, a lack of real relationship sinks in. This can be a common cause of depression and anger and unhappiness, both for non-christians, but also sometimes for christians.
Moral illness leads directly to sin, and because we cannot always read the heart, we must deal with the sin more than with the moral illness that might cause us to sin. But moral illness can be catching, even for Christians. It helps if we put a quarantine on ourselves or on those who are morally ill, so that it will not infect us. On the other hand, spiritual health can heal the heart, will help us to resist, and our relationship with God will have an impact on how we live.
Posted in: Everyone's A Deacon!
What's interesting, is that the same basic word used for deacon is also used for (translated into) "minister" and "ministry".
Posted in: Check Out the Music
Well yes, good question. And I don't know about other consistories in general; only a few. It has been said that heresy creeps into the church quicker thru music than in any other way. Sometimes it is not just whether a song is technically correct theologically or not. Sometimes a very popular song only expresses a very limited aspect of our faith, or of our christian life, and gives us a lopsided christianity. So we need to have a good balance of songs, which is why it is good to have many to choose from. The amount of monitoring also depends sometimes on the spiritual maturity or experience or education of those who choose the songs, and the consistories confidence in their theological background. But I know I tend to have a subconscious evaluation of most songs, trying to evaluate their spiritual impact. But other times I just sing them, especially if they are familiar. I can't be analyzing all of them all the time; it leaves little room then for praise. I mean, just think of some of the Psalms, if someone wrote stuff like that today; parts of Psalm 38, 39. Pslam 40: 12, 14,15. and others. But it all has a place, part of our prayer in song.
Posted in: Check Out the Music
I am wondering about our over-riding concentration on "relationship", particularly relationship with God. It seems to be a theme that reduces almost everything else to insignificance. Our ideas about God, about people, about concepts, principles, policies, ideologies all seem to get subjected to the principle and idea of "relationship". But is this not a bit of lopsided Christianity?
While relationship is very important, is not God bigger than just relationship with us? Is not there more to God than only relationship?
So Al, your statement that "God listens to our prayers and answers our prayers with our best interest in mind. " is theologically and confessionally true, but it is not soley God's purpose to only consider our own opinion of our best interest. Sometimes God's purpose is mysterious, unknown, and we can only trust His answer to our prayers, when we don't understand it. God answers even the prayers we have not yet uttered, the prayers that contradict the other prayers we make. God answers in ways much superior to the ways we would think are best. In that way, God is not tamed to our control, even though he promised to answer our prayers. God is out of our control, but not out of His own control. God is greater than the relationships He has with us, which makes his relationship with us even more amazing, more loving, more cherished.
Posted in: Ten Steps to Safe Churches
Lots of good suggestions. But, I would like to add the most important and significant step. #1 - Pray. Pray that God will protect the children. Pray that God will protect the teachers and leaders from themselves and from others. Pray that eyes will be opened to problematic situations, and to situations that need to be corrected, whether it is a better handrailing for the elderly, a better ramp for the wheelchairs, or a better monitoring of the young children at play or in the classrooms. Pray that people will recognize their weaknesses. Pray that Christ's love may shine in our treatment of one another, and that Christ's commands to love one another are fulfilled by the leadership in the way God wants us to do. Pray that our young people may understand the committment of marriage and the place of God given sexual activity in our lives. Pray that wisdom for youth leaders, and for the young people who experience much temptation, may be given to them by God, by scripture, and by the preaching and teaching within the church.
We believe God is powerful to save, and that prayer is effectual. While not neglecting practical procedures, it is prayer that has the greatest effect, bringing safety to a whole new level in our obedience to Christ to love one another, as Christ loves us.