In our recent conversation about “Sacred Cows” some comments were brought up which I thought might be good to discuss further, yet in a different way.
You will often hear evangelicals talk about the “basic essentials” that one must believe to be a Christian/saved, etc. For example, the absolute infallibility of Scripture, the believer’s hope of heaven, the death, buirial and resurrection of Jesus, the trinity, and more would all be on this list. I find this interesting considering some of these basics are things I would disagree with Scripturally.
Can anyone think of the “basics” that you have been refering to as listed in Scripture? I think it would be easy for someone to argue that their list of basics is essential while another would disagree and have an entirely different list! Can we turn to Scripture for some guidance in this area? What do you think?
The picture related to this post is of one of the most famous archaeological pieces of all time. It is believed to be a small pomegranate piece which may be the only known surviving object from Solomon’s Temple. Many scholars believe that it has the following insription on the top of the rounded portion of the piece - “Holy to the priests, belonging to the Temple of Yahweh.” Isn’t that amazing?!
This past week, a large Lutheran organization has been debating how to involve or exclude, recognize or remove the homosexual leaders of their church as well as determine their position on the union of same-sex couples.
Click here for the story in USA Today
USA Today reported: “The Rev. Robert Goldstein, a gay minister at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chicago, wore a rainbow sash around his cleric’s collar as he urged delegates to “go beyond the justice of incrementalism” and remove all limits on gay leadership in the denomination. I’m a gay pastor in this church. I serve faithfully. I love it,” he said. “Our church must go beyond institutionalizing fear.”
Thought the following article from Eric Simmons was very good. I found it at Boundless Online. Please read and comment with any thoughts.
Gray matters. We all deal with them … those places in our lives where the line between “right” and “wrong” gets fuzzy. Or even disappears.
- Is it OK just to fast-forward the sex scene and watch the rest of the movie?
- Should I smoke a cigar with my unbelieving father?
- How tight is too tight?
- Can a Christian play poker?
- Can I have a beer with dinner?
I can’t tell you which movies to watch or what music to listen to. I can’t give you a list of Do’s and Don’ts. But together we can go to Scripture to cultivate discernment in the gray matters.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8vENZwp1rk
What would Jesus do is a great question to ask in our lives in this evil age? Recently there was a Hindu clergy member who was invited to say the opening prayer in the United States Senate. He was interupted by shouts by Christians from the viewing gallery who were eventually removed.
There are some obvious circumstances that do not make this situation like something Jesus would have specifically dealt with (for example, the Senate is not the Jewish Temple or a church and the United States is not Israel or the Kingdom of God), but what do you think Jesus’ actions, reactions or inaction would have been to this? Would he have done what the people in the balcony did? Why or why not?
When we think of what it means to be a disciple perhaps concepts of living a disciplined life or the famous twelve come to mind. Our Greek word for disciple in the New Testament actually means what our English word “student” communicates. A student is one who hears the words of their teacher and learns so that they can do likewise. When you sit in your math class, you are supposed to be hearing and watching the teacher so that eventually on the exam, you will be able to complete the same problem that the teacher taught days before. It is this same picture that can help us understand what it means to be a disciple of Christ.
This week was LHIM’s annual family camp, though I was unable to attend, the event itself brings wonderful memories to mind. The camp takes places in Silver Bay, NY on Lake George (which in my personal opinion is one of most beautiful places on earth).
While you are at Family Camp (or its youth version, Teen Camp as well as other similar events and retreats) you will experience something very special. Lives are changed at events like this. People become committed to the LORD at events like this. People develop habits of daily Bible reading and prayer. For those who have been, I bet they would tell you it is the highlight of their year and perhaps even their life.
Evangelism is such an important part of Christianity, yet it is probably the most neglected and avoided aspect of following Christ. Here are some amazing quotes on the subject:
“Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you are not saved yourself. Be sure of that.” - Charles Spurgeon
“If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay. If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for.” - Charles Spurgeon
“God save us from living in comfort while sinners are sinking into hell!” - Charles Spurgeon
Without a doubt, the main message of Jesus’ preaching of the gospel was the Kingdom of God. Had we been in 1st century Palestine, we could have asked Jesus just what his purpose was. I believe this was his answer:
Luke 4:43 - But He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.”
But what about the apostle Paul? Many churches today look only or first at Paul and then look at Jesus’ words to know what should be preached as the gospel. Many will use I Corinthians 15:1-3 to define what Paul’s message was:
Matthew 6:25-34 - “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”