Category Archives: Christian Conduct

Hearing God and Sharing With Others

Posted by Dan C. on

When I want to hear God speak, I open the Bible and read it. If I want to hear God speak audibly, I read it out loud. B. B. Warfield, eminent Princeton theologian of the 19th and 20th centuries, is known for saying “When the Bible speaks, God speaks!” I agree.

If God’s revelation of himself in the Bible is everything we need to live a godly life and equip us for every good work, I have the best possible standard by which to order my life; ALL of my life within it’s pages. If my God spoke the universe into existence, he is more than capable of ‘breathing out’ scripture (writings) into the minds and hearts of men and ensure his infallible and inerrant truths are transmitted to us. Compared to speaking the universe into existence, transmitting his inerrant word to us is probably on the order of ‘chump change’.

And if the Bible is completely sufficient for my life, I don’t need ‘private revelations’ whispered into my ear. What I do need is the ‘illumination’ of God’s word to my heart. Isn’t that the role of the indwelling Holy Spirit? If it is, then we DO receive ‘revelation’ from God as the Holy Spirit illumines (sheds light upon) God’s word and sends it straight into our hearts.

At the same time, I need to choose my words carefully when I share what God is teaching me. We hear a lot of people say to us “God spoke to me…”, or “I had a revelation…” followed by the details. While both statements might be ‘technically’ true when the Holy Spirit teaches us, using those phrases might might not be wise. Here are a few reasons.

For one thing, most, if not all of the big name televangelists use them often and frequently to mean they have a special private communication link to The Divine – a virtual private network (VPN) to God, so to speak. And we are to receive what they say as the direct word of God, no matter how outlandish or theologically vacuous are their pronouncements.

Both phrases are also often used by ordinary, everyday believers. And because they are used so much by spurious televangelists and various false teachers peddling their snake oil, I feel the need to ask the “what do you mean” question and am suddenly hit with some version of the “why are you questioning me” demon.

Also, why would I use words that cause “issues” when I can just talk about what I believe God is teaching me? Am I trying to communicate that I am somehow special or am a more mature spiritual Christian? Maybe or maybe not, but why take a chance on there being any confusion because of how I express myself. I might not have evil intentions, but Satan sure does and he loves to pounce.

Lastly for now, claiming to have a VPN to God leads to the tendency to be declarative and assert as gospel truth what we share with others. I know some who will hardly ever say “I think”, “I believe”, or “it’s my opinion”, if they begin the conversation with “God told me” or “I had a revelation”, or if they are just convinced in their minds of same.

Am not judging (please stay off of that horse) but I’m old, sometimes tired, have listened to, read, and watched much in the last 40 years. It is was it is. And please note the frequent use of the hypothetical “if” in the above.

I pray you all have a blessed Lord’s day!

It Has Pagan Roots!

Posted by Dan C. on

Let’s talk about decorated trees and nativity scenes for a minute. Forget the Christmas ‘culture’ wars that we sometimes make too much of, what about the Christmas ‘pagan roots’ wars? OK, maybe calling the whole ‘Christmas is based on a pagan holiday’ thing doesn’t deserve ‘war’ status, but it does surface every year about this time.

Like many children I grew up with Christmas trees, nativity scenes and traditions of gift giving. For our family everything ‘Christmas’ focused first and foremost on the birth of Jesus Christ, the savior of the world. I knew absolutely nothing about ancient pagan idolatrous practices, festivals or holidays. It was about Jesus’ birth, love and exchanging gifts.

Are Christmas trees and nativity scenes examples of ‘Christianized’ pagan idolatrous activity? I really don’t know. Was Martin Luther thinking of old Egyptian and Roman traditions associated with false gods when he thought of adding decorations to evergreen trees already used by Christians as a symbol of Christmas? I don’t know that either.

Were the painters of nativity scenes thinking about pagan idol worshippers dancing around statues in the woods, or were they thinking about the description of Jesus’ birth given to us in the Bible and wanted to use their God given talents to put on canvas a remembrance of a special moment in history? I don’t know that either.

Well Dan, what DO you know?

I know that there was an issue a long time about food offered to idols and being a stumbling block to brothers and sisters in Christ. It’s in 1 Corinthians 8:

“1Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. 2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.

4 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” 5 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.” (1 Cor 8:1-9, ESV)

There are ‘stronger’ and ‘weaker’ believers. Those who know that idols are really ‘nothing’ are not to get puffed up about it, and are not to cause a ‘weaker’ brother to stumble. In Romans 14, Paul said that it is better not to do anything to cause another brother to stumble. It seems that the real issue here is spiritual growth and health. That’s what I know.

If I want to get into a ‘pagan roots’ discussion that might actually matter, it might be about something like ‘glossolalia’, or the ‘speaking in tongues’ that is not the Biblical gift of speaking in unlearned real languages. There’s some really interesting history in that one!

But actually, rather than debate ‘pagan roots’, I think it might be more helpful to take a cue from Paul and stick to discussing Christ crucified for our sins.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Can Fighting for Our ‘Rights’ as Christians Ever Be ‘Wrong‘?

Posted by Dan C. on

That’s a question I’ve been considering (off and on) for some time. The recent issue with Gideon Bibles in Navy Lodging facilities turned it back on again. Bibles were out and are now back in, at least temporarily, while the issue gets ‘higher’ leadership review. How will it end? God knows, and I’m not even going to hazard a guess, at least in this article. What I will do is repeat the above question:

Can fighting for our ‘rights’ as Christians ever be ‘wrong’?

After giving it a lot of thought, my answer is a resounding ‘Yes!” Let me explain.

First of all, please know that I don’t believe that we should just roll over whenever an atheist starts complaining about the mention of God in the public square (or a Bible in a Navy Lodge nightstand). Neither do I have an issue with legal entities or constitutionalists fighting about it – it’s what they do. I’ll answer the question at hand with another question:

What’s more important, our religions ‘rights’ or the eternal souls of those who rail against God?

To most, if not all believers, that should be a rhetorical question. I like the German term for it – ‘selbtsverstandlich’, or ‘self-understood’. It’s the answer I received from everyone in our Sunday morning Bible study at the Chapel I attend on Ft. Carson, CO. While the answer was automatic, it was also followed by a ‘but’ in some cases and a discussion about America’s founding fathers and the Constitution. Therein lies my point.

There is a lot of fighting for ‘our’ rights going on these days and not a small number of organizations, with the ‘Christian’ flag flying high, engaged in the battle against those pesky ‘atheists’. While it is commendable to take a stand for ‘rights’, what I almost never hear in the midst of all the ‘us’ vs. ‘them’ rhetoric is concern for the lost and dying ‘them’ who are rushing headlong into a Christless eternity while they rail against the God they know exists.

While on one hand I don’t hear much about what we freely answer is more important than our ‘rights’, on the other hand I sense an air of prideful self-righteousness as we stick out our bony ‘Christian’ chests while making our demands. Somewhere we’ve crossed a hard to detect line in the sand and lost sight of the Great Commission – the making of disciples of all nations that, by nature, begins with sharing the gospel with the lost and dying. And I’m guilty. It’s probably connected to the ‘sin hangover’ we all have.

And that’s when I think that fighting for our ‘rights’ can be ‘wrong – when we cross that line. Sadly, one of the results of crossing the line is the image of ‘Christians’ that’s projected to the same lost and dying we should be reaching with the message of the gospel. The ‘us’ vs. ‘them fight that they see eclipses whatever else we are trying to communicate about our Christianity. In a way we’ve aided and abetted the enemy in his never ending quest to discredit our testimony.

So can fighting for our ‘rights’ ever be ‘wrong’? Absolutely! When our rights become a higher priority to us than sharing the gospel, even with those ‘pesky atheists’, we’re wrong.

Think about it.

Do We Have an Authority Problem?

Posted by Dan C. on

Michael McKinley, Pastor, Writer

Mankind has had an authority problem since the Garden.

When Adam and Eve were presented with the temptation to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they had a crisis of authority. God had spoken clearly and asserted his authority to create the rules in His universe. He had forbidden them to eat from that particular tree, and they were expected to obey. But when the serpent came along, he encouraged Adam and Eve to distrust God’s authority. He questioned both God’s truthfulness and His care for Adam and Eve and held out a seductive and ultimately disastrous alternative: total autonomy.
Well, as we know, Adam and Eve failed to resist temptation. Given the opportunity to throw off the shackles of God’s law and follow their own desires, thus installing themselves as their highest authority, they jumped in with both feet. And since that time, men and women have spent their lives perfecting the craft of rebellion. From Cain to the tower of Babel to Sodom to our day, human beings have lived their lives in conscious rebellion against God’s authority. As a result, we see flagrant disregard for God and His authority throughout the wider culture and in our private lives.

But there is one particularly subtle, more socially acceptable way that our distrust for God’s authority manifests itself. According to the Bible, when we show disrespect for human authority we are actually rejecting the authority of God Himself. The Bible is clear that all human authority is established by God. Therefore, it demands our respect and obedience.
Some examples:

1. God instructs children to obey their parents. In Ephesians 6:1, we read: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

2. God instructs us to obey the government. Romans 13:1 tells us: Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

3. God instructs wives to submit to their husband’s authority. Colossians 3:18 says: Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

4. God instructs church members to obey their elders. Hebrews 13:17 instructs us: Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account.
All of this is, of course, provisional. We can never obey any human authority if it would cause us to sin against God. So in Acts 5:29, we see that the apostles refused to obey the Jewish leaders. They told them: We must obey God rather than men.

Given that God’s Word is clear on this matter, why do we find it so difficult to respect the authority in our lives? And why do we find rebellion against human authority so natural and easy? Two reasons come to mind.

First, human authority is often abused and misused. A huge proportion of the world’s governments are corrupt. Many husbands are cruel to their wives. Some parents abuse their children or lack personal and moral character. Church leaders sometimes manipulate and harm the very congregations they are called to shepherd. Because human authority is exercised by fallen men and women, there will always be abuse and incompetence that tempts us to disrespect and rebel.
Second, we are proud. Even when authority is exercised in an appropriate way, we naturally desire to rule ourselves. In our pride, we often think that we know best and, therefore, being required to submit to a government or parent or husband or church leader feels humiliating. And so we bristle against authority.

So what should we do about our natural problem with authority? Again, two things.

First, resolve to honor God by humbling yourself and honoring those in authority over you. God doesn’t primarily encourage us to obey human authority because it is worthy of our respect in and of itself. Instead, he roots his commands in His own authority. So we are to obey the government because God has established it. When we show respect to our political leaders (even though we may not be thrilled about their policy decisions), we are showing that we trust God’s wisdom and we respect His authority. When church members show respect for their God-given leaders, they show their confidence in God and His decision making process. When children honor their parents, they are showing that they honor the God who gave them these guardians.

Second, learn to trust God’s authority. It is good that God runs the universe and you and I don’t. We lack the wisdom, power, and knowledge to order the world. God does not. So learn to trust him and honor Him. He has promised that he has instituted authority for our benefit (see Romans 13:4, Proverbs 3:1-2), and so we should trust Him. When we rebel against those in authority over us, we rebel against God.
So let us resolve to be people who honor those in authority over us. Let our comments about our political leaders be seasoned with respect for the authority God has given them. Let us speak respectfully of and to our parents, church leaders, husbands, and all those whom God has established as authority figures in our lives. And in so doing, we will honor God Himself.

Michael McKinley serves as senior pastor of Guilford Baptist Church in Sterling, VA. He is a contributing writer for 9Marks Ministries and the author of Church Planting Is for Wimps (Crossway Books, 2010).

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He Knew What Was In Man

Posted by Dan C. on

Jesus, that is:

“Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.”  – John 2:23-25 (ESV)

And now that Jesus is no longer with us in person, the Holy Spirit indwelling each and every one of us who names the name of Christ, is the discerner or all of our thoughts and intentions.

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” – Heb 4:12 (ESV)

The written word of God is so powerful’ and aided by the Holy Spirit will dig into the deepest regions of our innermost parts (soul & spirit/joints & marrow), and ought to convict us when we claim to know what Jesus knew; when we think we have the right to declare before all the world, (via the blogosphere) the motives in the hearts of other Christians  when they aren’t behaving in the manner we, in our self-righteousness indignation, declare they ought to behave.

If you think I have specific examples in mind of Christians wrongfully judging the inmost thoughts and intents of other Christians, and broadcasting their judgments to the entire world, you are dead on. This post is specifically for some of those I have come to know in recent months who do exactly that – declare that they know the innermost thoughts and motives of other Christians’ hearts. I am not, however, going to name their names, or the names of their ‘victims’. After all, I might think I know what drives them to do what they are doing, but I’m not Jesus so I won’t go there. The best I could do is tell the world what their motives might be, not what they are.

I will say that they feel they are justified in their actions. They will, and have told me that because out of an evil heart come evil acts (Luke 6:45. Matt 15:18), it means that they have the right and authority to declare exactly what heart motive prompted whatever alleged evil is on the table. That ‘evil’ could be from individuals they will name, churches where there are ‘rules’, or it can be entire ‘movements’ (like homeschooling). But all those passages tell us is that where there is evil, there’s a heart problem. It’s quite a leap to claim that they give us Christ-like power to see into men’s souls.

Am I saying that we ought to ignore the bad acts of brothers and sisters in Christ? By no means, What I am saying is that we need to allow church discipline and civil courts to run their course without our interference. We also need to apply love, grace, and compassion to everyone (alleged victims or accused perpetrators) involved in cases/situations where where there is  real or perceived wrong doing.

In a word, we need to be on our knees, not our soapboxes! We have every right and duty to judge ‘things’, but not the thoughts and intents of any man’s heart. God will judge all of our hearts, and will do so justly.

And that’s really all I have to say for the moment.

Picking Our Battles Wisely

Posted by Dan C. on

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. – Eph 6:11-13 (ESV)

In these three passages we can easily see two simple points, based soley on the plain text and ordinary grammar. Without considering the ‘armor of God’ specifically (a subject all its own), we are told:

  • exactly who our real enemy is and
  • exactly why we need to wear the aforementioned armor.

The who is highlighted below:

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. – Eph 6:11-13 (ESV)

We are told that our main enemy is the devil. He is a scheming and conniving fellow. He uses rulers, authorities, cosmic powers and evil spiritual forces in various ways to carry out his plots and nefarious schemes. You might call those ‘four battalions’ in the ‘devil’s brigade’. Therefore, when we engage in battle (and we do like to fight), we must keep in mind the real enemy, otherwise we will get beat up by the enemy. Simple, yes?.

The why is highlighted below:

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. – Eph 6:11-13 (ESV)

Here we are told that we need the armor of God to be able to stand against something (schemes)and withstand in something (the evil day).

Out here in the blogoshpere, I keep running across my brothers and sisters fighting against other brothers and sisters, against all sorts of ‘isms’, against everything and everyone except the real enemy! I guarantee you that fighting the wrong battles will accomplish two things:

  1. We will get beat up by the schemes and fall instead of stand in the ‘evil day’.
  2. We will be (and are) guilty of dragging the name of our precious Savior through the mud. Might as well be a Roman soldier in Jerusalem pushing the crown of thorns deeper into His brow.

If you are reading this and don’t much like it, I don’t apologize. There’s nothing personal here.

One last thing. If you are in fact all upset at me, try and put that away and just consider the text. Consider it a grammar lesson.

___________________________________

And oh yes, have a great day!

On the Behavior of Believers

Posted by Dan C. on

How is it that Christians should behave/respond in various situations in which we find ourselves?

If you answer “Depends of the situation” you would be absolutely correct. It is also extremely advantageous and profitable for us that we have’s ‘book of standards’ that helps us along the way – our Bibles.

The question that follows is this: “What about those situations for which there is no specific command, or answer that is ‘caveman’ plain to guide our behavior?

Well, I’m glad you asked that question! I am happy to announce that we are even given guidance for the tough situations! Consider the following:

First, we have the very first teaching point found in the Westminster Shorter Catechism that, while not specific to any particular situation, asks and answers one of the greatest questions known to all men everywhere, in every language, tribe, and nation, across all time.

Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, [a] and to enjoy him for ever. [b]

     [a]. Ps. 86:9; Isa. 60:21; Rom. 11:36; I Cor. 6:20; 10:31; Rev. 4:11

     [b]. Ps. 16:5-11; 144:15; Isa. 12:2; Luke 2:10; Phil. 4:4; Rev. 21:3-4

I invite you to consider both the Q&A and the scriptural support. After doing that you think it’s a wrong answer, contact me.

Then we have at least one preacher (there have been many more) that took the first premise (man’s chief end) to an even broader conclusion:

“Christianity says, “the end of all being is the glory of God.”  Humanism says, “the end of all being is the happiness of men.” And one was born in hell – the deification of man. And one was born in heaven – the glorification of God.” – From a 1964 sermon by Paris Reidhead “Ten Shekels and a Shirt”

If you are still not convinced we have a passage from the Apostle Paul to the believers in Thessalonica that closes any loopholes we think we may have uncovered from the words of mere men:

31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God.. – 1 Cor 10:31-32

The context of that passage had to do with idol feasts and partaking of the Lord’s Supper, and the ‘whatever you do’ is the loophole closer, and an airtight one at that.

“Whatever you do, do ALL to the glory of God.”

When we are unsure of how to behave or how to respond to situations around us, we can always ask ourselves “Does this behavior/response Glorify God?”

Another question we might ask is: “How does my behavior/response help or hinder the proclamation of the Gospel to a lost and dying world?”

Bear in mind that those who are still in bondage to their sin are by nature rebels and enemies of God, looking for any excuse whatsoever to continue running from the God they know exists. Poor Christian behavior in the marketplace/public square by a professing believer will always provide a reason to keep running away from God (suppress the truth –[See Rom 1]). Non-believers, although they excuse certain behavior of other non-believers at times, have an uncanny knack for knowing how we ought to behave and calling us on it, all the while putting the ‘pedal to the metal’ in their flight from the truth that can save them from Hell and a Christless eternity.

There you have it. A bit of behavioral guidance for professing believers. How do we apply that guidance to our daily lives? Simple. Just ask yourself a couple of questions and let the answer guide your behavior.

______________________

Food for thought on a Sunday afternoon.

A bit of wisdom in a difficult situation. . .

Posted by Dan C. on

The following article was written by Tim Challies, an outsider to the issues surrounding Sovereign Grace Ministries. At least one ‘Christian’ blogger has thrown the author under the bus, where C.J. Mahaney has been has already been tossed, along with anyone any everyone who has not already pronounced judgment, by many who claim to be doing God’s work of ‘discernment’.  We are talking about professing believers passing judgment here, Anyway, I think it is a well written article from an ‘outsider’ – at least it expresses my own thoughts about the situation.

Thinking Biblically About C.J. Mahaney and Sovereign Grace Ministries

by Tim Challies

These have been troubling days for C.J. Mahaney and everyone associated with Sovereign Grace Ministries. Once a thriving and growing group of churches, SGM has recently seen many of its key churches and leaders disassociate themselves, including the flagship Covenant Life Church under the leadership of Joshua Harris. This turbulence has followed allegations that C.J. Mahaney has proven to be unqualified as a leader, having damaged many important relationships through pride, judgmentalism and deceit. These charges forced a leave of absence, decisions about church governance, discussions about the jurisdiction of denominational leaders, and so much more. As churches have separated, friendships have been disrupted and long-time working relationships severed. In the midst of all of this, SGM’s ministry headquarters relocated from Gaithersburg, Maryland to Louisville, Kentucky, where C.J. has planted Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville.

More recently, the ministry has faced allegations that many years ago there was significant sexual abuse within Covenant Life Church and its associated school. Though none of the current SGM leaders have been implicated in this abuse, a lawsuit that will soon go before the courts alleges that they responded unwisely when it was reported to them and that they failed to take sufficient action on behalf of victims. National media outlets have taken up the story. SGM has sought dismissal of the suit on the basis of the First Amendment and on the basis of unclear allegations.

Today I want to explore how we can think about all of this in what I hope is a distinctly Christian way. Some have heard bits of information through blogs or word of mouth. Some have read stories in the Christian or mainstream media. Most of us struggle to think well and wisely about it. I have no more information than you do, so will be relying on what has already been made public through media new and old.

Before I begin, it may be useful for me to explain the nature of my relationship with C.J. Mahaney and Sovereign Grace Ministries, though there is actually very little to explain. I recall meeting Mahaney only one time and for no more than two or three minutes. To my knowledge we have never corresponded by email or any other media. He and I have never shared a speaking platform and I have never spoken at a SGM event (though I did liveblog a couple of them several years ago). All this to say that I write as an outside observer rather than as a personal friend and write this article primarily for the benefit of other outside observers.

Now, let me share how I have been thinking about it.

There Are Implications

Obviously the situation carries far-reaching implications for Mahaney and for SGM. But there are implications for you and me as well. The Bible is clear that a distinguishing characteristic of Christians is to be our love for one another. John 13:35 says it plainly: "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." Love for other Christians is the great test of our commitment to Christ and our likeness to him. This love is put to the test in a unique way in the midst of trouble and disagreement.

This situation is unfolding before a watching world that loves nothing more than to see Christians in disunity, accusing one another, fighting one another, making a mockery of the gospel that brings peace. You and I are responsible to do well here, to be above reproach in our thoughts, words and actions. We are responsible to be marked by love whether evaluating a difficult situation or taking appropriate action. We can make the gospel look great or we can make it look insignificant.

Believe and Hope All Things

The great theme of the Bible is God’s unfailing love. In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul explains some of the implications of this love, saying that it "believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things" (v7). This is not a call to be naive or to deny the obvious, but an instruction to maintain a hopeful attitude toward others, even, and perhaps especially, those who have been accused. The Christian’s attitude toward others, especially in difficult times, is to be one of optimism rather than pessimism, hope rather than doubt. We, of all people, should be slow to put aside hope and belief. This means that I owe it to C.J. Mahaney, to SGM and to those who have levelled allegations to believe the best about them, to hope all things for them.

As it pertains to the sexual abuse lawsuit I do not take this to mean that I necessarily presume innocence until guilt is proven (since, after all, there are professed Christians as both accusers and defenders) but rather that I am to do my best to withhold judgment until the God-ordained civil authorities have been able to do their work. It is for them to evaluate the case and to pass judgment, it is for me to withhold judgment until that time, especially so since these are, by their very nature, allegations and not yet proven facts.

As it pertains to the other charges and to the rift between SGM and the former SGM churches, I am also being deliberate to hold back judgment, believing that both the SGM leadership and those who are leaving are doing what they believe is right before the Lord. This sinful world is such that this happens, that believers, churches and associations of churches are at times driven away from one another. Even Paul and Barnabas had to go their separate ways for a time. Sometimes this happens when a deliberately divisive person disrupts unity; other times it happens when Christians can no longer agree. It is always sad but also a fact of life in a sinful world where we are all opposed by an enemy who is bent on our destruction. Because I am not a part of SGM I am not forced to take a side and, therefore, will not.

The One Who States His Case First

I have been careful to keep in mind Proverbs 18:17 which says, "The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him." It is so simple, but so consistently and demonstrably true. There are always two sides to a disagreement and often one side chooses to speak loudly and boldly and the other to remain silent. This is particularly true when one side is acting on the counsel of legal advisors who will almost always insist upon withholding evidence until formal legal proceedings have begun. We tend to believe that the side that is slow or hesitant to release information must be in the wrong, that their silence is an admission of guilt. Keep in mind, though, that Jesus did not protest his innocence and that people took this as a sign of his guilt, though he, of all men, was completely innocent.

If I am going to believe and hope all things, if I am going to be slow to pass judgment, then I also need to understand that neither side has publicized all of the facts. These things may be known in time and I do well to wait for that time if it comes.

Consider What I Need to Know

This is an issue of greater urgency to some than others. The way each of us thinks through it will depend on the extent to which we are stakeholders, to our relational proximity to those involved and even geographic proximity. If you are a member at a SGM church this issue is very urgent, and particularly so if your church is considering withdrawing from the association. However, the majority of us are far on the outside with very little at stake. For this reason many of us simply do not need to have an opinion.

The farther we are from being stakeholders, the less the likelihood that we are equipped to helpfully evaluate the facts and that we can do anything helpful with the information we learn. The farther we are from being close to those involved, the greater the likelihood that we are drawn more to the scandal of it all than any noble purpose. Not all knowledge builds us up; not all knowledge helps us; not all knowledge helps us love God and love one another in deeper ways. The fact that today’s media allows us to have access to facts, does not necessarily give license to avail ourselves of them.

If it is true that I am called to love other Christians, that I am called to believe and hope all things, that I am far outside this situation, then I think I do well to learn less rather than more. I need to know only enough to understand that I don’t need to know anything more! For example, when the leaders of a church call a members’ meeting knowing that there may be someone there transcribing the meeting with a view to making it public, and when that church’s pastor specifically asks outsiders not to read the meeting’s proceedings, I, as an outside observer, do well to honor that request as a show of love and respect to a brother in Christ. When thousands of pages of documentation appear on web sites, I do not benefit from reading and studying every word.

For this reason I have deliberately avoided learning too much. I have had to question my motives, especially since I have repeatedly been on the receiving end of scathing criticism for not using my platform to speak out against Mahaney. I have chosen to read the news stories, to understand the basic facts, but conscience compels me to stop there. To do more may not be spiritually beneficial, it may not reflect good time management, and it may not be loving toward those who are involved.

Conclusion

In a situation as difficult as this one, especially in a situation as difficult as this one, the Lord calls me, he calls each of his people, to pursue peace and love and unity. I take this as a call to consider carefully what information I learn, to keep in mind that none of us has access to all of the facts, that I am to believe and hope all things of every believer, and that there are important and wide-reaching implications for each one of us.

Kentucky High School Graduates Ignore Objections, Pray at Ceremony

Posted by Dan C. on

A Kentucky high school continued its tradition of having a student lead a prayer during graduation ceremonies, despite objections by at least six students, Fox News reports. Jonathan Hardwick, class of 2013 president at Lincoln County High School in Stanford, was given a standing ovation after he delivered a prayer during Friday’s commencement. A video of Hardwick’s prayer quickly hit social media, with most online comments supporting his decision. "Thank you for helping us get here safely today, Lord, and thank you for the many blessings you have given us," Hardwick said as part of the prayer. Lincoln High principal Tim Godbey acknowledged that six students — including at least one atheist — had asked him not to allow a student-led prayer at the ceremony. Godbey, who is Christian, said under separation of church and state laws, faculty members have never been able to pray publicly on school grounds or during school-sponsored events, but he noted that the U.S. Constitution does not prohibit students from praying as long as they are not disrupted. Ricky Smith, an atheist who has been lobbying for a "moment of silence" to replace prayer during government meetings in the area, said he intended to notify the American Civil Liberties Union and the Freedom From Religion Foundation about Lincoln’s public prayer, which he feels violated the civil rights of students who are not Christians. (Online Source)

While I heartily commend those who take a positive stance for prayer, I think there are several common threads in these situations:

1. The false interpretation of ‘church/state separation’ is always a factor. It was about the state establishing a state religion such as was in England.

2. The protesters’ objections aren’t, at the deepest level, about prayer. They have ‘God’ issues. No one’s civil rights are really violated when there are public expressions of faith, any more than the civil rights of believers are violated when the world around them slanders and blasphemes their God.

3. Freedom ‘from’ religion cannot be obtained via institutions of men. We are all ‘religious’ by nature (Romans 1). The best that can be obtained is ‘outside’ reminders being removed from the minds of those who suppress truth they inherently know.

4. Christians can be a bit over the top in their ‘celebrations’ , whether it’s thunderous applause for the one who actually prayed in public (as in the video clip), or viral social media ‘idolizing’ the individual who prayed. It might be better to  just humbly added an ‘Amen!’ to the prayer instead of displaying the ‘us v. them’ aspects of the issue.

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Food for thought on a Friday morning.