This my end up to be a two parter because so much has been said over at different websites and some topics may need more attention than others.
#1. Jesus & Marriage– http://thinktheology.org/jesus-sex-gay-marriage/
I do not know much about these people but here is a link to their about page
http://thinktheology.org/about/
and by putting your cursor on the ‘about us’ button you can get individual blurbs on the people behind that website. I read through their article and I didn’t have a problem with it and since they said better than I could, it is best to link to their post so you can read it for yourself.
They explain the issue quite well and there is no point in being redundant. One of the keys to Christian living is not to look at someone else’s life and then interpret scripture from that example.
One must look at scripture with the help of the Holy Spirit and then make their own decision to obey God. It is not smart to look at someone and say, ‘Well he is on his fourth wife and still in the church so I can get divorced and re-marry…’
You may not know the full story behind that person’s life, his acts of repentance, his receiving forgiveness etc. Other people’s lives are not permission for others to disobey God.
Please take the time to read the article, it is very well written with great explanations.
#2. Purity Balls— http://unsettledchristianity.com/2014/03/what-what-freud-would-say-about-purity-balls/
Purity balls, in which a girl pledges to remain ‘pure’ until her wedding day, symbolically ‘marries’ God, and promises her father that she will remain a virgin until she’s a wife, have become a phenomenon in America, now taking place in 48 out of the 50 states.
The balls resemble giant wedding ceremonies, with the girls – all around the age of 12 – wearing white gowns and dancing with their fathers who promise to ‘protect’ their daughter’s chastity.
I am sorry to say that I am not in favor of such events. I do not disagree with the girls promising to remain virgins till they are married, I disagree with the actual event itself. I see too much pressure being put on young women by adults who want their children to live a certain way.
I tend to side with that the parents should be teaching their children correctly- privately, where the child can ask questions and their parents can give proper spiritual answers. Then I think the choice is up to the individual, made in their own time after much reflection on the issue.
I do not see ‘purity balls’ as being a defense against social pressures, as a teen is bombarded with unbiblical romantic attitudes from the t.v., their schools, and other sources. They need more and they need intelligent, wise information to combat the pressure they face.
Even the best christian family who does teach correctly fails once in a while thus it is better to learn how to handle those situations spiritually, wisely, with understanding than to point to some vow made when the child was too young to make it or understand why they were doing so.
I see these purity events as a replacement for good, solid biblical teaching and example and it is not a good replacement. What helps children stay strong in the faith is for them to see their parents stay strong in the faith and then receive good instruction from them
#3. Women & the Church— http://www.patheos.com/blogs/formerlyfundie/ameninchurch/
One of the things that always bothers me is how those who do not believe or have left the faith tend to lump every person into one Christian category. That link is talking about a pastor who seems to say weird stuff and denying omen the right to say ‘amen’ is one of them.
I would either put the guy in the category of misguided believer or in the one for false teachers. I do not know enough about him to be more specific. If we use the example of the logic talked against in the Jesus & Marriage post, we could say that Jesus did not say to go get a degree before preaching thus preachers shouldn’t have college degrees.
But since the Bible talks about learning, knowing the truth, and that Jesus spent 3 years training his disciples we know differently. Preachers need to know the truth, how to discern the truth from the lie, they need to be trained so that they know what they are talking and about and so on. A lack of calling for a formal education does not mean a preacher is to be uneducated or not have a clue.
Now it looks like I am agreeing with the owner of that website but I have issues with his 4 points as well:
1. The Bible is a collection of 66 ancient books, not a church rule book that was written in the context of our time and our place.
In other words, the Bible and what it says doesn’t apply to today’s believer or church. No, the Bible is the church rule book even today and its teaching applies to all walks of life from government to law to science to garbage collecting.
We do not get to change the Bible because secular culture doesn’t like what it says.
2. If we do not value legitimate theological educations, we’re going to be dealing with a lot more of this nonsense
In other words, if you do not go to the academic schools I approve of you are not allowed to preach. Yes there are questionable bible schools and seminaries out there but that doesn’t mean all unaccredited schools are bad.
If believers are following the Bible then they know how to avoid the bad schools and learn correctly how to preach. False teachers will rise up regardless of what school they attended. The Children of God cult was started by a minister who left the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_of_God_%28cult%29)
A very Christian denomination. An approved religious pedigree doesn’t stop one from becoming a false teacher.
3. We must recommit ourselves to praying for and helping people who are stuck in oppressive churches such as Faithful Word Baptist Church where Anderson is the pastor.
What is an ‘oppressive church’? Is it one that teaches the truth and disagrees with the ideology of the owner of that website? He should be more worried about his own false teaching than the misguided adventures of someone else. Like Apollos, (Acts 18: 18-28) maybe this Anderson guy needs someone to take him under their wing and to instruct him in the ways of Jesus instead of calling him names and belittling him.
4. We need to get educated on what the Bible actually teaches about women
In other words, he is saying that biblical teaching on women is as he says it is and not as the Bible states it. Everyone, including God, are wrong when it comes to women and the church except him and secular culture.
Why have the bible if God is wrong? Why even use it if one is not even going to obey its teachings and ants to change what it says to fit what one likes and wants? Why not just write your own scripture and replace the Bible with those words?
God wrote the Bible for a specific purpose–so his creation would know what is right and wrong and what is the correct action to take. If God does not want women teaching in the church then he doesn’t have to. After all it is HIS church not the world’s and he gets to set the rules not those who disagree with his rules.
People may not like God’s rules but we are not talking about rules, we are talking about obedience. God said, why do you call me lord lord yet do not do the things I say? (Luke 6:46)? God wants people to obey not change his rules.
#4. Creeds and Human Knowledge—http://www.patheos.com/blogs/peterenns/2014/03/should-church-creeds-and-confessions-change-with-advances-in-human-knowledge/
Here again, Lincoln thoughtfully and clearly articulates the responsibility of theologians and teachers to reflect on ancient creeds in terms of present states of knowledge. Frankly, I’m not sure a good argument can be made for not doing so.
Enns needs to get a little more specific and just say what he means instead of pussyfooting around. Here is a link to the creeds and you be the judge
http://dakotascba.com/Church-Creeds.php
Not all the creeds of the church are posted there but the important ones are. I can bet that Enns is talking about the creation parts but then you need to compare his words with the creeds and see for yourself.
The Nicene and Apostle creeds do not need changing nor do any biblically based ones either. Clearly those who opt for false teaching want the Church to do the same and that is not right. If a person chooses to go with lies then they need to be man enough and leave the church and start their own designing it in a way that they feel comfortable.
They have no right to tell others to change their creeds or beliefs in their own church. I guess I am tired of people like Enns because they are cowards. They cannot stand up and be counted with their false ideologies but try to worm their way back into the CHURCH and attempt to lead others to sinful ways.
They hide behind the word ‘Christian’ because they want the good things of the Bible yet refuse to pay the price that comes with those benefits.
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Yes, this will be a to parter with the second part written tonight.
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