Joining a Church is NOT Like Marriage

...he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, 

in accordance with his pleasure and will—

Ephesians 1:4-6 

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I've heard it said that joining a church is like a marriage. The idea or teaching here is that it is a marriage to one another, a life-time commitment to the "people" of that church. When you "come to the Body" you are leaving everything else behind and "joining" yourself to this group of people, and it's "till death to us part." I have been searching for this idea in scripture and I just don't see it. The only way to get at this idea is through proof-texting. I can certainly appreciate the high level of commitment to one another. The world certainly needs more of that. But the primary imagery used in the Bible to describe what it means to "join" a church is one of adoption -- into the family of God -- where we become brothers and sisters to one another, not spouses. So in this post I'd like to explore more of what it means to "join" a church body, when that happens, and who we are commitment to, as well as describe what I think to be some of the pitfalls to saying "membership" is like a marriage.

In an age when commitment levels to a local body seem to be at an all-time low it is no wonder some groups or churches take on the "marriage to one another" teaching in order to counter this. Unfortunately this is another case of the pendulum swinging to far and overreacting to the problem. The problem is real for sure.  For some of the most immature reasons, people seem to drop their church like a peeing frog. I think the way we church shop in America makes God really sad. So there does need to be a higher level of dedication to one another. Absolutely. But we must be careful to not make commitment to one another an idol that competes for our ultimate allegiance to Christ Himself. In order to guard against this we should take a close look of what it means when we "join" with the Body of Christ. One of the best places to start in my very humble opinion is found in the word "adoption."

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. ⁶ Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. Galatians 4:4-6

The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”Romans 8:14-16 

So we ARE adopted. And just like any healthy adoption we get a new life, a new name, and a new future inheritance. When are we adopted? We are adopted when we are saved. We are saved when we are adopted. But when does this happen? Does it happen when I join a church? No. It happens when the Spirit of God comes in, for this is a spiritual adoption. It happens when we believe. And it continues as we grow in our new identity, our new life, and our new name-sake. But it begins when we first believe.

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God---children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. --John 1:12-13

There are many, many more scriptures in both Old and New Testaments which establish this point -- that we are adopted children of God, according to God's heart's desire from the very beginning. He has always wanted us to be part of a Spiritual family as His children and in fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ. Scriptures like these:

Exodus 4:22 Exodus 4:23 ; Numbers 6:27 ; Deuteronomy 14:1 ; 26:18 ; 27:9 ; 28:10 ; Deuteronomy 32:5 Deuteronomy 32:6 ; 2 Samuel 7:14 ; 1 Chronicles 22:10 ; 28:6 ; 2 Chronicles 7:14 ; Proverbs 14:26 ; Isaiah 8:18 ; Isaiah 43:6 Isaiah 43:7 ; Isaiah 63:8 Isaiah 63:16 ; Jeremiah 3:19 ; Jeremiah 31:9 Jeremiah 31:20 ; Hosea 1:9 ; 11:1 ; Matthew 5:9 Matthew 5:45 ; 13:43 ; Luke 6:35 ; John 1:12John 1:13 ; 11:52 ; Acts 15:17 ; Romans 8:14-19 Romans 8:21 Romans 8:29 ; Romans 9:8 Romans 9:26 ; 2 Corinthians 6:17 ; Galatians 3:26 Galatians 3:29 ; 4:5-7 ; Ephesians 1:5 ; 2:19 ; Ephesians 3:6 Ephesians 3:15 ; Philippians 2:15 ; Hebrews 1:5 ; Hebrews 2:10 Hebrews 2:13 ; Hebrews 12:6Hebrews 12:7 Hebrews 12:9 ; 1 John 3:1 1 John 3:2 1 John 3:10 ; 4:4 ; Revelation 21:7

SO...

If I'm a child of God and you're a child of God that makes us brothers or sisters. It makes Yahweh our Father and Christ our brother. When I was saved I instantly gained brothers and sisters all over the world, and became part of an extensive family of believers. If I come visit your church, or if I even decide to "join" with your church Body, that is not when my salvation begins. Further, if I come visit your church and do NOT decide to "join" I'm still just as much your brother in Christ. This is not meant to down-play nor deminish the important role and work of the "local" Body of Christ. We do NEED each other. But my being part of this church or that church does not change the fact that we are brothers and sisters in Christ. This is the way God intends for it to be, and this is how we can say there is one Body.

Fortunately, we DO get to be with one another and "join" with one another. But this is NOT getting married to one another. This is simply getting to better know the brothers and sisters in our family, in God's family, in order that we might work together to advance our Father's Kingdom. It's that simple. If I come to a another person who is saved by Christ I think to myself, 'Here is another brother whom I have not met.' Or 'Here is another sister.' If I'm so lucky as to have on-going fellowship or even partnership with this brother or sister in a church then it's even more glorious, for we get to start taking care of one another as good brothers and sisters do. We get to do everything a happy, functional family gets to do-- eat, sing, pray, comfort, admonish, encourage, exhort, and love! We get to BE a family. But not just any family- we get to BE a Spiritual Family, set apart to do God's Will by the power of His Eternal Spirit-- and we get to do it together. So not only does our family full of brothers and sisters have honest relationships and terrific fun, we have the most important of family traits -- we have purpose! The result of understanding and accepting God's adoption, as well as coming to cherish one another as equals in a new family, and thereby joining together for God's common purpose, leads to one glorious and powerful thing -- freedom!!

Now, contrast this with the idea of joining a church as that of being married to one another. If we think of joining a church as getting married to another person or to a group of people then we more likely to get highly offended should a person leave. We might even say this is like a divorce. We are tempted to think, 'This person moved into my life, promised him or herself to me saying, ''till death to us part,' and now they are moving on. I'm crushed for they have left me!' Never mind that perhaps God's Spirit has prompted the person to move on to another work or another city. The offense is too great for that, for this idea of marriage clouds the very fabric of what it means to be brothers and sisters in Christ. The person who thinks of church membership as a marriage to one another cannot shake the emotion of rejection, nor the thoughts of betrayal, abandonment, and desertion. For this very reason, the marriage to one another idea is more than God ever intended. God reserved the marriage contract for husband and wife only. The commitment to a spouse IS supposed to be this high. But to put the idea of "church is marriage" on another person in a like manner is to tread on the paths of guilt and manipulation. There is no other way around it. We are not in a marriage to one another. We are Brothers and Sisters in Christ. This family status is not in any way weaker than the bonds of marriage; in fact, because God has deposited His Spirit in each of us as a guarantee of our mutual inheritance, I suggest it is stronger. And if we truly drop the marriage comparison, as well as the doctrinal divisions, opinions, and feelings that separate us, I believe we have a greater chance as brothers and sisters of an actual 'till death do us part,' regardless of where we live.

As a Brother or Sister in Christ I get to rejoice when I find you. I will ask you how you came to know the Lord. I will learn your story, your history, your likes and your personality. I will accept you as saved before you come to me. I will rejoice in your adopted status as much as I do my own, for in this I have gained another cherished treasure, one which bolsters my own faith and secures my own adopted status just a little bit more in my own mind. And as a Brother or Sister in Christ I get to be part of your life, even if God calls you to another work or to another city. I get to believe that God the Father speaks to you by His Spirit. And although I may not like it if God tells you to move away from me I will still treat you as a brother or sister by blessing and sending you, just as I would my own earthly brother. I will not break from you nor get offended. Nor would I consider your parting like that of a divorce. I would not feel betrayed nor abandoned. Instead, I would keep in touch with you, your new direction, church, and purpose in Christ. And I would always, always consider you family! What a wonderful way of Family our Father has given to us!!

The idea that joining a church is like a marriage to one another is not found in the Bible, nor is it healthy. It creates an idol of relationships that ties the feet to the ground and puts a burden on the heart. I know the proponents of this ideology mean well; and I fully agree that the Christian world could use a lot more church commitment and a lot less church shopping. But the idea is faulty for too many reasons. There is only one marriage, and that is the marriage of ALL of us -- of all brothers and sisters in the family of God to the one and only groom -- that is the marriage of the Lamb. Until that time we are brothers and sisters in Christ.

And here's the real quintessential freedom -- I consider you a brother and a sister in Christ whether you return the believe or not.

Love and Peace in Christ,

david.

You Shine

Ezekiel 37

The Valley of Dry Bones

 ¹ The hand of the LORD was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. ² He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. ³ He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

   I said, “Sovereign LORD, you alone know.”

 ⁴ Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! ⁵ This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath^[a] enter you, and you will come to life. ⁶ I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”

 ⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. ⁸ I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

 ⁹ Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” ¹⁰ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

 ¹¹ Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ ¹² Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. ¹³ Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. ¹⁴ I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’”

Last Night's Prayer and Prophecy

It would be pretty difficult to fully describe how amazing was last night's prayer and prophecy. God moved to speak and to care for each one of us. Prayer time is not just prayer "time." It is in fact an encounter with the living God, an encounter where God speaks. Prophecy is simply a picture or a word which tells the story of what we need, in our lives, right now. Prophecy is not mysterious in this sense -- it is instead God's great LOVE right in the room.  


Imagine God being in the room and speaking right to you -- to your deepest fears, concerns, worries, burdens, hopes, dreams, to everything. This is the true nature of prophecy -- not a telling of future events through some ubber-spiritual prophet -- but the loving hand of God on your shoulder and the sweet words of Christ in your ears. God does in fact speak. God does in fact speak to each one who will listen. He Speaks through His Spirit. And He speaks to everyone of us. Don't let anyone tell you differently. God loves you and wants to say things TO you; not about you; not offset by one person or another. He does not only speak to some great teacher, leader, or pastor. He speaks to you. Go boldly to hear his words....  and let it shine! 


God wants to deliver you from every chain of bondage; from faulty thinking, from every weight of misplaced trust, ..... from every dry bone in your body.... he wants to deliver you. And he wants you to see that He alone is the one true God; God who is very active in your life. If only you will let Him speak. And listen.


Just close your eyes and believe. Reject the voices which keep you confused and desperate for His glory. His glory is right in front of you... all the time. Just close your eyes and you will see. You will see that he cleans our eyes, lifts the fog, breaks the chains, spreads your wings, shields from arrows. Let it shine! 


Want it all. 


Let it shine. 


Want it all. 


Come alive. 


God speaks. 


Come alive!!!

Receive the Spirit and Be Set Free!

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.  - Romans 8
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Picture by Heaven's Family. www.heavensfamily.org

The more I go along this journey in life, watching the fallout of religion and legalism, witnessing the strongholds of spiritual power and manipulation, seeing the masses of weak and insecure Christians, the more I realize it all comes down to one thing: Our Identity in Christ. Romans eight is a lot of things but mostly it is a treament of our status as a new creation. It begins with "there is now no longer any condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." And it ends with the above look at spiritual adoption and testimony in our very spirit, from God's Spirit, that we are His children. By this we are then able to call God "Abba Father." Imagine: The creator of the universe wants to get initmate with us and give us not only a new name but a new identitiy altogether. Anything, I mean anything, that makes you question who you are in Christ is not from God. Let me repeat that: Anything, and I'll add anyone, who makes you question your status as an adopted child who can call God 'Abba' is not operating in the Spirit.


But what about a "healthy fear" of God? I've heard this phrase a few times and I think it's interesting: "healthy" fear. What would be a "healthy" fear. Given the scripture above wouldn't a healthy fear be one that creates more spiritual health? Shouldn't a "healthy fear" lead you deeper into security in God and not away from it? Shouldn't it make you question your status as God's child less and not more? Think of it this way. 


Recently, in a whirlwind of family discipline, I gave in and used the age-old parenting ploy of calling my children "Parkersons" as in, "You are Parkerson's. And Parkerson's don't act like that!" Now what did I mean by that, by using the "last" name in such a way? I meant to call into focus their identitiy, of course. My children DO have an identity in me and in April. They are our children. Now what if they began to refuse their very identiy? This is what I mean. What if I was extending to them everything I am, granting it to them because they are my children? What if I offered them unconditional love, a place as an heir of all that I am and have, and they began to refuse that, or questions its reality. What if they said, "I'm not really sure I am a Parkerson?"  It would crush me. And I would be angry. 


So here's what I think. 


I think a healthy fear would be a fear of what God might think of us if we refuse to take in all that He has for us, and all that He believes about us, provided to us through Christ -- His Son and our Lord. That's a healthy fear. 


Prayer: "Please God, forgive us for questioning our new creation identity, for not fully believing in our full status as your children. And thank you.... THANK YOU... for calling us your very own. For making us, redeeming us, and confirming us as heirs of all that you are and all that you have. Can't wait to be with you for ever.... but for now... we will serve you as members of your wonderful family. Amen!"

How to Avoid Proof Texting

Church learders are the most guilty of creating beliefs that do not take into consideration ALL the scriptures on a certain topic. Usually they do this by "teaching" from a pre-conceived idea or a negative experience, or an opinion, which is already in place -- and then they open the Bible.

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In a previous post I mentioned "proof texting." This is a term I learned while in my 20s, from a professor of theology at Abeline Christian University. Proof texting is simply taking one or two passages of scripture and building a belief around them. But that's my short wording. Here is a longer definition: 

A PROOFTEXT is a verse or short passage from the Bible used by someone as part of his proof for a doctrinal belief he wishes to substantiate to others. However, since verses and passages may rely extensively on the context in which they appear for correct interpretation, pulling these out of their context and having them stand alone in a "proof" can, at times, be very misleading. In addition, a set of such prooftexts can completely ignore other passages which, if added to the mix, might well lead to an entirely different conclusion.
Someone who relies strongly only on a list of prooftexts in order to make a doctrinal argument may have a very weak case for his argument. Noting that a religious teacher relies heavily just on prooftexting is viewed in theological circles as a very negative evaluation. Doctrinal beliefs based strictly on proof texts can lead people to believing, and even whole churches to teaching, something which is not Biblically correct.

Church learders are the most guilty of creating beliefs that do not take into consideration ALL the scriptures on a certain topic. When was the last time your church leader said, "Go read all the passages in the Bible on Baptism and don't be afraid to ask questions."? Proof-texting is meant to prove something the teacher already believes and it does not release people to study for themselves. Usually church teachers do this by "teaching" from a pre-conceived idea. And they may not even be aware they are doing it. Many times this is fueled by a negative experience which is already in place when they open the Bible. The negative experience often-times comes in tandem with an opinion about the world, or about another church, denomination, religion, or even another teacher. 

Many times proof texting takes place when a church leader is reacting to something or someone; to the culture around them or to another church's beliefs. This reaction effectively places a lense over their sight and they approach the Bible with a filter on, making it where they see one thing but do not see another. Then they "teach" their church from their "conclusions" about a topic and the church does not question their "authority" but instead passes on the newly created doctrine to their children. The ONLY way to avoid proof texting is to read ALL the scriptures on a certain topic and then read them ALL again. Don't wait on a church leader to teach you what it says. Read it for yourself and believe that the Holy Spirit will guide you. When you do this a couple important things will happen:

• As you read ALL the scriptures on a certain topic you'll likely start to have questoins. There will be more questions than answers; more open thought and more mystery will follow your study. You'll immediately begin to question much of what you were "taught" from the church leadership. This is all ok. Don't sweat it. And don't draw conclusions. Just keep studying. It's actually fine to not have all the answers, even for the rest of your life. If you are in a church where you can discuss your questions with your church's leaders then you're very lucky and blessed. So go for it. If you are met with resistance or even fear from your church's leadership then it is a sign that proof texting is being used and maybe even in full swing. At this point you'll have to pray and ask God for wisdom and guidance -- and ultimately you'll have to decide if you need to keep quiet about your personal study of the scriptures or find a different church. 
• Finally, and most important of ALL -- You can trust that God will honor your pursuit of HIM, not a pursuit of "truth" or "right thinking" but a desire to KNOW HIM more. That is the point of all Bible study and the point of everything else we do in this life -- to know Him more!

More on proof texting later... for now, just for fun... check out all the passages on Baptism by typing the word in here.

Did you hear of the city on the hill?

Did you hear of the city on the hill?
Said one old man to the other
It once shined bright and it would be shining still
But they all started turning on each other

You see, the poets thought the dancers were shallow
And the soldiers thought the poets were weak
And the elders saw the young ones as foolish
And the rich man never heard the poor man speak

And one by one, they ran away
With their made up minds, to leave it all behind
And the light began to fade, in the city on the hill
The city on the hill

Each one thought that they knew better
That they were different by design
Instead of standing strong together
They let their differences divide

And one by one, they ran away
With their made up minds, to leave it all behind
And the light began to fade, in the city on the hill
The city on the hill

And the world is searching still
But it was the rhythm of the dancers
That gave the poets life
It was the spirit of the poets
That gave the soldiers strength to fight
It was the fire of the young ones
It was the wisdom of the old
It was the story of the poor man
That needed to be told

It is the rhythm of the dancers
That gives the poets life
It is the spirit of the poets
That gives the soldiers strength to fight
It is the fire of the young ones
It is the wisdom of the old
It is the story of the poor man
That's needing to be told

One by one, we'll be running away
With our made up minds to leave it all behind
As the light begins to fade, in the city on the hill
The city on the hill

One by one, we'll be running away
With our made up minds, to leave it all behind
As the light begins to fade, in the city on the hill
The city on the hill

Come home
And the Father's calling still
Come home
To the city on the hill
Come home 

Gossip Guns and Relationship Suicide

(Disclaimer: I wrote this about a year ago. And I wrote this to me, to you, to the church, to churches, to leaders, to shepherds, and friends; but mostly to me. I am deeply sorry for any time that I have participated in gossip and now beg the Spirit of God to change me more deeply and bring to mind those whom I have sinned against so that I might ask their forgiveness.)

Part One: Gossip Guns

Have you ever fired a weapon? Ever seen the damage it can do? I grew up shooting guns of all sizes. My dad was one of the field trainers for the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Memphis. He was good enough on the range to compete in the annual tri-prison tournament...and win. I was carried along to the rang as a twelve year old boy, and all his friends loved to put a new gun in my hand. "Here... let him try this 44 mag. with the 8 inch barrel! It'll be a hoot." (This is one of the biggest handguns around. Think Dirty Harry, if you saw that one.) And it was a hoot. My dad had to brace himself against my small frame and put his hand over the top of my wrists. BOOM!!!! The recoil was incredible. Even with my dad holding me to the Earth I felt like a helpless rag doll thrown into his body. I'll never forget it, nor will I forget the damage that one bullet could do. Once it's fired... it's gone. Never getting that one back. And never going to repair the wound it made in the target.

That experience is what I think about when I start reading the scriptures about gossip.

A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. Proverbs 16:28

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts. Proverbs 18:8 
Paul even lumps gossip in with some of the worst things imaginable when he wrote, They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil. (Romans 1:30)

Gossip is just like a loaded weapon. Once those words are fired... their gone. Never getting that one back. And often times, you will never be able to repair the wound it made in the target.

But we need a working definition of gossip, I think. There is way too much ambiguity here. Is it gossip if you are just "bouncing your idea off of somebody"? Is it gossip if you "have the other person's best interest in mind"? Is it still gossip if you, "are just venting to your friend and you know they can handle it"? Well, hmmm. I like this definition:  Gossip is speaking anything to anyone at anytime in any circumstance where you have not actually talked to that person, having first hand information and understanding, as well as permission to discuss what you learned about them with someone else.

But wait, what if we are "spiritual people"? I mean, if we are "spiritual people" maybe we really can know something about someone else without ever really talking to them. Sorry, I don't buy it. If we are really spiritual people then I think we'd shake in our boots at that thought, and stop dead in our tracks before speaking. I think "spiritual people" would always -- I mean always -- doubt oneself first. Then, rather than jump to conclusions about someone, the spiritual person would give someone the benefit of the doubt, followed by talking directly to the person to discover the truth. Now that's spiritual.
  

If there is any real doubt about the power of the spoken word just take a stroll through all of the Proverbs. Several years back, I did just that. As I read through them I was shocked by the number which had to do with our words. Ones like this one: The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. And this one: Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor (Prov. 25:18). If this were written today perhaps it would read, "Like a gun, or a grenade, or a canon, is one who gives false testimony about a neighbor." That's the context we live in. A few verses later and this one applies as well, "Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control."

Dear Pastor, or church leader, or Elder, if you have gossip in your church you have people running around with loaded weapons. With great force and destruction they can bring you and your flock down. The careless words of only a few will quickly reap destruction and unravel all that for which you have labored. Look at it. Call it a sin. Then go after them with strong condemnation, not of the person, but of the sin of gossip. It is one of the most important things you will ever do for your church. Gossip guns are deadly. And they will continue to kill unless you put a stop to it.

However, there is an even sadder side to the gossip gun damage, and that is the damage done to oneself.


Part Two: Relationship Suicide

Have you ever met someone who just "couldn't keep a secret"? Most people have. Ever met a person who always had something to say about other people? Most people have. Question -- cutting right to the chase -- Do you trust those people? I mean, if you have learned of their tendency to talk, their gift of gab, or their motor mouth, do you still trust them? You see, this is the real sad part -- those people who gossip have committed relationship suicide. People around them are guarded. They are careful. They are not going to open up and be vulnerable. That's way to risky. If they do they know the result my be a headline on the unpublished church tabloids, and their reputation will be ruined, perhaps forever. The real sad part is that the gossips rarely have very close friends.

Even worse off, the gossip is usually and quite naturally grouped with other gossips, for they too have very few close relationships. Then the unreality sets in. As the gossips begin to feed one another those unconfirmed facts and juicy tid-bits, they begin to think of the other gossips as their only close friends. At this stage the relationship suicide is nearly complete, for these are no longer spiritual relationships at all, but just shells of some sinful nature, spreading pessimism and despair, to all whom will listen. At this point there is a deep and lonely spiritual death. 

Relationship suicide.

Ok, sorry! What a depressing post! Why would I write such a thing on the "Journey to Life" blog?! You guys come here to read encouraging words of fun and fluffiness, right? ... and to look at cute pictures of our friends and family? Well, this post is only depressing if you think of it as such. This post might be the most life-giving posts I've written because it's about what steals life away. We can talk all day about what gives us life and we'll be doing pretty good. But if we can get down and dirty and really read and write about what causes us death, then we'll be doing really great. Gossip causes death. Christ and the Spirit causes LIFE.

This is about honesty and reality. I don't have all the answers. And I'm guilty, too. To break the back of destructive gossip we must confront it as sin and talk, directly, to those who participate in it. Sure, you might ruffle some feathers if you confront those gossips in your church. You might even loose them to another church. But that's what a good leader -- and a good friend -- does. He never compromises that which leads to life and he never allows, nor participates in, that which leads to death.

Gossip guns and relationship suicide go hand in hand.

I've fired a lot of guns and it's a terrifying thought when you consider the damage they can do. Words can kill in an instant.

Pastor/leader -- Think about the hard sermon you should give your church.
Friend/follower -- Think about the exhortation you should give your friend.
Me/You -- Think about getting on our knees and begging God to tame our tongues and keep us silent.. unless we have actually talked to that person, and have first hand information and understanding, as well as permission to discuss what you learned about them with someone else.

Re-Posted on my NEW blog, too. Terrific Article!

January 12, 2012 | 0 Comments

Legalism, License, Lordship, and Liberty by Viola [Repost - Cause it's awesome!]

Legalists are people who believe that salvation is by grace alone, but sanctification comes by their own efforts of trying hard to be a “good Christian.” Legalists tend to push their own personal standards onto everyone else. They are quick to judge other people’s motives, thinking the worst of them and their intentions. They confuse obedience with trying to serve God in their own strength.  Click here to read more...

GREAT ARTICLE!!! Legalism, License, Lordship, and Liberty!

APRIL 5, 2011 [REPOST]

Legalism, License, Lordship, and Liberty by Frank Viola

***Prelude: This blog post is an introduction to a subject; it is not a complete statement. The book delves deeper.***

When my editor read the pre-publication manuscript of REVISE US AGAIN, he told me that the chapter called “The Three Gospels” had a huge impact on him.

“History,” Martin Luther said, “is like a drunk man on a horse. No sooner does he fall off on the left side, does he mount again and fall off on the right.”

The same can be said about the Christian life. (So it seems to me anyway.)

In the chapter entitled “The Three Gospels,” I discuss three distinct “gospels” (messages) that many contemporary Christians have accepted.

Some have accepted the gospel of legalism. Reformed people tend to restrict legalism to be the attempt to earn salvation by human works. But for the genuine Christian who is saved by grace, legalism goes much deeper than that.

Legalism

Legalists are people who believe that salvation is by grace alone, but sanctification comes by their own efforts of trying hard to be a “good Christian.” Legalists tend to push their own personal standards onto everyone else. They are quick to judge other people’s motives, thinking the worst of them and their intentions. They confuse obedience with trying to serve God in their own strength. They demand other people do things that they themselves would never carry out. They regard the sins of others as more severe and grievous than their own. (Philip Yancey described the legalist perfectly when he said, “Christians get very angry toward other Christians who sin differently than they do.”)

Legalists also feel that it’s their right to become intrusive meddlers, or as Paul put it condemningly, “busybodies in other men’s affairs.” They are blind to their own self-righteousness, and they pride themselves on being “clean” on the outside (without realizing that they are defiled on the inside). For all of these reasons, they unwittingly bring a lot of pain and heartache into the lives of others, yet sadly they seem to be out of touch with this.

Forgive the personal reference, but when I was in my teens, I came to the Lord through a legalistic denomination. I was fed a steady diet of the gospel of legalism and was surrounded by legalists. Thus I used to be a legalist without realizing it. But God was merciful.

Libertinism

In reaction to legalism and the devastation that it brings to other people, some have accepted the gospel of libertinism. Libertines are folks who live the way they want and have skirted the Lordship of Christ and all that it means. They are apt to justify carnality by pulling the “grace card,” the “I’m free in Christ” card, and the “don’t judge me” card. For the libertine, grace becomes license to live in the flesh and silence their conscience.

(Regarding the “judge not” card, the Bible gives us a sharp paradox on the matter of judging. There are scores of texts that exhort us to judge and scores of texts that forbid us to judge. I have written a blog post that I will release sometime in the future that resolves this paradox. It’s tentatively called To Judge or Judge Not?)

Some libertines have rationalized to themselves that they can continue to practice a particular transgression and God is “kewl wit dat,” irregardless of the carnage it brings. (A mark of sin is that it produces unnecessary pain in the lives of others. Sin and love are the exact opposites. Love is benefiting others at the expense of yourself. Sin is benefiting yourself at the expense of others. Sin is selfishness; love is selflessness. Love is a greater force than sin – God’s life is more powerful than satan’s nature – and “love covers a multitude of sins.”)

Some libertines have gone so far into deception that they have reinvented Jesus in their own image to justify their rebellion against the Lord and clothe it with spiritual talk. Others have gone further off the beam and have become practical atheists.

Note that there are degrees of legalism and degrees of libertinism. But these descriptions should give the general flavor of each.

In short, the libertine lives as if there is no God. The legalist lives as though she/he is God to everyone else.

Both attitudes are incompatible with the life of Christ.

Complicating Factors

What complicates the situation further is that . . .

The legalist doesn’t know that he/she is a legalist and tends to view all non-legalists as libertines.

The libertine doesn’t know that she/he is a libertine and tends to view all non-libertines as legalists.

Without the Holy Spirit’s illumination, this deception is difficult if not impossible to break.

The truth is, we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. And we all need Jesus Christ to forgive, deliver, and keep us each day from both the defiling acts of the flesh andthe self-righteousness of the flesh.

Lordship & Liberty

In “The Three Gospels,” I discuss both the gospel of legalism and the gospel of libertinism in great detail, comparing and contrasting them and giving examples for each.

I then contrast these two “gospels” with the gospel of Jesus and Paul, which I call the gospel of Lordship and Liberty. And I explain how those two words go hand-in-hand.

But the gospel of the New Testament is rooted in reality – the real Jesus – and it sets us free from the defilement of the flesh and the self-righteousness of the flesh—both of which come off the same tree. Both of which bring bondage and cause untold pain to others. For both violate love, the nature of God’s own life.

One of the things I’ve learned in my spiritual journey is that the closer someone gets to Jesus Christ, the less judgmental, self-righteous, harsh-toward-others, and selfish he or she will be.

Again, we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. And we all need Jesus Christ to forgive, deliver, and keep us each day from both the defiling acts of the flesh and the self-righteousness of the flesh.

To my mind, this chapter (though not the best in the book in my opinion) is worth the price of admission.

See the new video trailer for the book from the publisher

A Vanishing God (excerpt)

Jesus in a Dilemma (excerpt)

Why I Wrote REVISE US AGAIN

Order REVISE US AGAIN