Instructions to Abraham...and to Us

I was reading Genesis 12 a few days ago, and a few things stuck out to me about the covenant God makes with Abraham (one of many total) in that chapter.  Let's look at the passage together.

Now the Lord said to Abraham,
"Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father's house,
To the land which I will show you;
And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing;
And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.
- Genesis 12:1-3

Now, when God spoke these words to Abraham, he was asking him to literally pack up and move far away and literally promising to give him many descendants, and that last line (about the whole Earth being blessed through him) is a promise that the Messiah would descend from him.  But there are also many ways this entire passage applies to us modern believers, as well.  [To those of you unfamiliar with this blog, links (usually to Bible verses I'm referencing) are in pink.]

Christ also asks us to leave our homes and families for Him.  For some people, like the early disciples and modern missionaries, but as for the rest of us, we are all commanded to value Christ far above our families, careers, lifestyles, etc.  We leave our old way of life behind and become a part of God's family. 

We are heading a different "land" that God will show us - eternal paradise with Him.  Just as Abraham's journey to his new home was difficult, so is ours - but the end destination is worth it!

We are also instructed to create a sort of "great nation" (a group of people with common heritage - in this case, being sons of God) for God by spreading the Gospel.  Through all us believers serving as the Body of Christ, bearing His message to those around us in different ways, the whole world will be blessed because they will come to know Christ through the testimony of our words, our actions, and our lives.

If you haven't yet accepted God's forgiveness, becoming one of His children, click here to learn how to do so in English, or here to learn how to do so in another language.

Any questions or comments?  Leave 'em below. :-)

Correction and the Number Two: Matthew 18:15-20

Correcting a Fellow Christian

 

15 "If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.

 

16 "But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED.

 

17 "If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

 

18 "Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."

A lot of church-goers in American society think that you should never take another believer aside and point out something they're doing that's sinful or may appear sinful to others because to do so would be "judging them," which we are clearly instructed against.  But it all comes down to your heart, motivation, and how you handle the situation.  Judging would mean thinking less of them or more of yourself, or making assumptions about their overall state based on that behavior.  But when you lovingly correct a believer, your motivation is to help them get back on track with Christ.  In that regard, correcting them is an act of extreme love.

 

The ideal way such a situation can turn out is one-on-one.  If it works, it doesn't spread to others who might engage in judgmentalism, and the person repents immediately.  We are given instructions on what manner we are to do this in:

 

Galatians 6:1

Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted [presumably tempted to judge or join in the behavior].

 

2 Thessalonians 3:15

Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

 

Also note that this isn't about a sin they openly acknowledge they're struggling with; it's something they're either perhaps unaware of or choosing to not take action to rectify.  However, if they're struggling with it, you might offer help, guidance and prayer in helping them improve - especially if their sin is causing problems for other believers.

 

If the person doesn't listen to you, bring one or two other solid Christians who you know won't gossip, will approach the correction with the right heart (as outlined above), know the person well, love the person as a brother/sister in Christ, and have witnessed the sinful behavior or a strong indication of the sinful behavior.  The point to this is that if the person didn't respect your opinion or thought you didn't know what you were talking about, hearing it from more than one person might convince them of the truth.

 

If the person still chooses to continue in that sin, bring it before the Church.  I would personally suggest handling this by bringing it before the clergy first.  They can choose if it's wiser to approach the sinful person as representatives of the congregation or bring it before the whole congregation itself (this way, it doesn't spiral out of control into gossip).  I think the clergy, as the spiritual leaders, should definitely be involved in this process to at least some degree.  One reason the leaders may choose to bring it before the entire congregation is outlined in 1 Timothy 5:20: Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest will also be fearful of sinning.  It's a reminder of the seriousness of sin.

 

So what's the punishment?  They are kicked out of the church, excommunicated, removed from fellowship.  If they are not living as a follower of Christ, they cannot fellowship with followers of Christ.  This is precisely what the bit about Gentile and tax collector means (because the Jews did not associate with those groups), and what the whole "binding and loosing" refers to (we did a giant study on that one phrase; check it out here if you don't remember it).  2 Thessalonians 3:14 tells us, "If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame."  This type of church discipline is partly to protect the others in the flock, but it also still has the objective of drawing the person to repentance - because not being able to fellowship will demonstrate to them the seriousness of their sin and how they cannot possibly be right because everyone else agrees that they are wrong.  Once it's apparent that they have genuinely repented, they are to be welcomed back wholeheartedly into fellowship!  2 Corinthians 2:6-11 is emphatic about this point.

 

So far we've focused on how to correct another, but it should also be noted that this is a lesson for how we should respond when another believer corrects us!!!  I have been both a corrector and a correctee - it's healthy!  We shouldn't be so focused on learning the correct procedure to correct another that we don't realize we will be on the other end at times.

 

Are there exceptions?  Yes, perhaps.  For example, Titus 3:10-11 takes a particularly strong stance on those who cause division within the church.  And while 1 Timothy 5:19 requires multiple witnesses to a church elder's sin in order for there to be discipline, the power of passages such as 2 Peter 2:1 and Revelation 2:18-29 makes it seem as if false/heretical teachers/leaders should be dealt with swiftly and definitively for the protection of the flock (which means you must determine the line between a leader being a heretic and a leader being in sin).  I would suggest approaching any such situation with prayer, reliance on the Holy Spirit's guidance, and the advice of a trusted spiritual leader.

 

Two or Three, Two or Three

 

19 "Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.

 

20 "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst."

 

Some people will try to take verse 19 as an absolute promise that they can "claim" to manipulate/force God to do whatever they want - like make them rich, or heal them of cancer.  But we must look at the context: The verses before it are clearly referring to a situation in which a group of Christians are fully tapped into the Holy Spirit and actively seeking God's will.  The fact that they are gathered together in Jesus's name (verse 20), a phrase which (in the original Greek) communicates living as He did and seeking His will, makes it explicitly clear that what is "asked" in that situation is in alignment with God's will.  The word for ask is also aiteo, or "request," so it's spoken with the right attitude, not as a way to try to force God into anything.  So, with all that clarifying out of the way, what is the actual point of the statement?  That when Christians actively seek God's will together, He will absolutely, positively bless their efforts.

 

Finally, verse 20's statement that God is in our midst when 2-3 Christians are gathered together does not mean that He isn't with each one of us all the time.  We know that when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us, and that God has promised to never leave us.  So, what this refers to is that special presence where the Holy Spirit is especially heavy to the point that you can sometimes even feel it.  When believers are gathered together to seek His will, that extra presence will abide!

 

Questions for You

 

Have you been in a situation where you corrected or were corrected by another believer?  Was the situation handled well, as outlined above?  What was the correctee's response?

 

Do you have any other comments, insights, Scripture references, opinions, or life experiences to add to our discussion?  Or any questions?

 

Leave 'em below. :-)

 

Giving Credit Where It's Due

 

Image: A Women's Bible Study on the USS John F. Kennedy, by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Chris Weibull.  Wikipedia.  Public domain in the United States.

Tackling Binding and Loosing - Matthew 16:15-19 (and 18:15-19)

The Scripture Passages

 

In our last study post, we arrived at the point where Jesus mentions the issue the American Church knows as "binding and loosing."  I saved the topic for its own post because it is a very complex, important issue to address.  It is only mentioned twice in Scripture, both in Matthew; we will look at both of those occurences, along with some surrounding verses to provide context (which is critical for their interpretation).  Like some other sayings of Jesus that appear multiple times, this phrase can have multiple different (albiet related) meanings in different contexts.

 

Matthew 16:

 

15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"

 

16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

 

17 And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

 

18 "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

 

19 "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."

 

Matthew 18:

 

15 "If your brother sins, go and who him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.

 

16 "But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED.

 

17 "If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

 

18 "I truly say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.

 

19 "Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that theyu may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven."

 

The Controversy

 

Different denominations, doctrinal groups, and scholars interpret the issue of binding and loosing to mean many different things.  What follows will be my personal view on the matter, a view backed up by two solid Bible teachers whom I trust.  However, I do not stand as firm on this issue as I do many of my other stances precisely because there are so many views, and so little Scriptural material from which to derive and understanding of this matter.

 

One interpretation of "binding and loosing" that I do stand against with firmness is the idea that every time a believer is tempted to do something, he can "bind Satan" for tempting him.  There are multiple Scriptural and logical flaws with this:  (1) Satan will not be "bound" until Revelation 20, at the end of the Tribulation; (2) if Christians have to keep binding him, clearly he keeps getting free...so clearly, it doesn't work and is not backed up by God's authority by which he grants Christians power to command demons; and, (3) it ignores that fact that, in addition to being tempted by Satan and his demons, we are also tempted by our own fleshly natures and by the world (Matthew 13:22, 1 Corinthians 2:12, Galatians 4:3, Ephesians 6:12, etc.).  I think this practice also has the negative consequences of denying personal responsibility, distracing Christians from God because they're obsessed with the demonic realm, and damaging Christians' witness to unbelievers since it appears "crazy."

 

That said, however, again, what follows now is very much just my view on binding and loosing.  Everything I post on this blog except the core of the Gospel I identify as my opinion, but this matter I am less firm in my stance than other issues.

 

Yay, Grammar (but it's Important)!

 

I really like how the NASB translates these verses, because rendering the verb tenses correctly, even at the cost of easy readability, is imperative when it comes to this matter's interpretation.  Let's look at Young's Literal Translation (which stives for pure literalness, not readability at all), and then a modern rendering of it from another Bible teacher I trust:

 

...whatever thou mayest bind upon the earth shall be having been bound in the heavens, and whatever thou mayest loose upon the earth shall be having been loosed in the heavens.

 

...whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound already in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall have been loosed already in heaven.

 

Now, let's look in the original Greek:

"Bind" is deo, meaning to bind or forbid.

"Loose" is luo, meaning to loose or allow or destroy.

So that gives us:

 

...whatever you shall bind/forbid on earth shall have been bound/forbade already in heaven, and whatever you shall loose/allow/destroy on earth shall have been loosed/allowed/destroyed already in heaven.

 

And finally circling back to interpreting our Scripture passages... :-)

 

Matthew 16

 

As we discussed last time in a bit more detail, Jesus was stating that Peter's faith was remarkable, that that type of faith would be the basis of Christianity, and also that Peter would be a Church leader.  That genuine type of faith would never be overcome by the devil.

 

In Matthew 16, I believe binding and loosing refers to Jesus transfering His authority and backing to those with Peter's faith in their witnessing efforts - basically, He's saying He is pleased with that faith, and was planning to use it to further His kingdom.  Where do I get this?  Context, and a whole lot of verses using the same wording, such as these examples:

 

Acts 2:24 KJV

God has raised up, having loosed the pains of death.

 

Psalm 147:3

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

 

Ezekiel 34:16

I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick.

 

So, God is the ultimate One who looses pains, cords, chains, etc., allowing them to go free, and binds  up their wounds, forbidding their sin to rule them.  With the literal renderings of today's verses, He has already done these, but will use us to accomplish that on earth.

 

Matthew 18

 

In Matthew 18, the context is about Church discipline - if you see a Christian living in sin (not struggling with it - living in it), you're to approach him about in alone first; if he doesn't repent, bring a couple other solid believers with you, and if he doesn't repent after that, bring the matter before the Chruch (not in a gossippy manner - with the American Church setup, I personally, generally recommend bringing the matter to the Church leadership, who can bring the manner before the Church in a more controlled manner than a layperson can).  If he doesn't repent even then, fellowship is cut off (he's "excommunicated" - no longer treated as a believer).  This process is outlined repeatedly in the New Testament.

 

Forbidding and allowing obviously fit in here, pertaining to partaking of fellowship with other believers - you allow or forbid them to continue fellowshipping with believers.  So, this variation of the same issue is that when God cuts off His own relationship with someone because they openly reject him by unabashedly living in unrepentant sin, He gives His Church the authority to cut off fellowship as well, and when He has a relationship with someone, the Church is to welcome them as well.

 

Tying Them Together

 

So, binding and loosing in both Matthew 16 and 18 are different variations of the exact same issue: When God creates or cuts off a relationship with a human, He gives authority to His followers to manifest physically/on this Earth what He's already done.

 

Questions for You

 

That's my take - but what are your thoughts?  I want to know! :-)

 

Or, if you haven't really thought about this issue before (because, admittedly, the verses are a bit easy to gloss over in reading), was there anything I didn't make clear?

Intro to Spiritual Gifts

As I’ve mentioned before, we’re starting a short topical series on spiritual gifts.  Today will be an overview, and after that we’ll spend our Bible study post looking into each spiritual gift in depth.

What are spiritual gifts? – General

Spiritual gifts are special abilities believers have, manifestations of the Holy Spirit within us.  Their purpose is to be used for the building up of the body of Christ, and each believer has at least one.

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.  And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.  And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.  But to each one is given a manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.  (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)

For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.  And since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them accordingly… (Romans 12:4-6a)

There is also a certain hierarchy of spiritual gifts (see 1 Corinthians 12:28-31), but all are valuable to the body of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 12:11-27).

What are spiritual gifts? – Specific

There are many spiritual gifts mentioned in Scripture, some of which widely accepted as such, and some of which do not fall on traditional lists and so are only considered to be spiritual gifts by some. 

Personally, I believe that since none of the traditional spiritual gifts lists are all-inclusive (evidenced by the fact that they all differ), they are not intended to be interpreted as the only spiritual gifts – so, I believe that it is entirely valid to interpret the other alleged spiritual gifts mentioned in Scripture as such.  Therefore, I will list both types here, along with some basic Scripture references:

Prophecy (Romans 12:6, 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28, 13:2 Ephesians 4:11)

Service (1 Peter 4:11)
Teaching (Romans 12:7, 1 Corinthians 12:28, Ephesians 4:11)
Exhortation (Romans 12:8)
Giving (Romans 12:8)
Leading (Romans 12:8)
Mercy (Romans 12:8)
Wisdom (1 Corinthians 12:8)
Knowledge (1 Corinthians 12:8, 13:2)
Faith (1 Corinthians 12:9, 13:2)
Healing (1 Corinthians 12:9, 28)
Miracles (1 Corinthians 12:10, 28)
Distinguishing of Spirits (1 Corinthians 12:10)
Speaking in Tongues (1 Corinthians 12:10, 28, 13:1, 1 Peter 4:11)
Interpretation of Tongues (1 Corinthians 12:10, 28)
Apostleship (1 Corinthians 12:28, Ephesians 4:11)
Helps (1 Corinthians 12:28)
Administration (1 Corinthians 12:28)
Evangelism (Ephesians 4:11)
Pastoring (Ephesians 4:11)
Hospitality (1 Peter 4:9-10)
Celibacy/Singleness (1 Corinthians 7:7)
Martyrdom (1 Corinthians 13:3)
Missionary (Ephesians 3:6-7)
(Voluntary) Poverty (1 Corinthians 13:3)
Various Crafts (1 Corinthians 12:5, Acts 9:36-39, Exodus 31:2-6)
Physical Protection/Warring (Book of Judges, e.g. 13:5 and 16:28, Psalm 18:34, 60:11-12)
Administration (1 Corinthians 12:28)

What’s the point of studying this out in depth?

It is my hope that study will help you identify the spiritual gifts God has gifted you with (so you can use them for His kingdom), and those that He has gifted others with (so you can help them identify which gifts they have, and so you can witness the body of Christ in action).

How can I figure out which spiritual gifts I have?

1 – PRAY and ask God to reveal which gifts He has given you through the course of this study.

2 – ASK a trusted, mature believer who knows you well what gifts they think you might have.

3 – Take a QUIZ online designed to identify your spiritual gifts.  I only recommend this in conjunction with the two items above, because such quizzes are certainly not conclusive and there is room for error.  That said, they are a very useful resource in getting you thinking in the right direction, as well as bringing to your attention different ways in which the various gifts can be manifested.  Here are a couple I have worked through, consider to be valid, and strongly recommend (and if you do choose to go this route, I suggest taking both quizzes):

http://www.spiritualgiftstest.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=3

http://www.kodachrome.org/spiritgift/

Discussion Starters

1 - If you already know what spiritual gifts you have, which ones?  If not, which ones do you suspect you might have?

2 - What spiritual gifts are you most excited to learn about, and why?  (E.g., are you curious about the difference between wisdom and knowledge?)

3 - Can you think of any spiritual gifts mentioned (or strongly implied) in Scripture that I missed?

James 4:1-5 - Indulging in Sin Cannot Make Us Truly Happy

1 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you?  Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?

2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder.  You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel.  You do not have because you do not ask.

3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God?  Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose, “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”?

Context

As always, the first thing we need to establish is context.  Remember that the epistle of James doesn’t exactly have one consistent theme – it jumps around from topic to topic that James wants to address with the Jewish converts to Christianity he is writing to.  Although today’s passage can certainly be related to some of the issues that James has addressed previously in his letter, it is, for the most part, a new topic.  Additionally, some may believe that since he refers to “you adulteresses” in verse four, he is speaking to a group of women; however, I do not believe that this is the case.  In the Old Testament, there are frequent references to the nation of Israel being an adulteress to God by pursuing other gods and other things in life – exactly what today’s passage is addressing.  Because James wrote to Jewish converts, they would have immediately recognized this reference, thus requiring James to do less explaining.

The Problem

So, we can see clearly now that this congregation as a whole is arguing with each other, and James is quick to point out the cause – they are all focused on themselves and on what they want – they are not keeping an eternal perspective.  It makes sense that when we allow the devil a foothold in our lives through indulging in sin (Ephesians 4:27), we are granting him permission to influence us, and he will wreak as much havoc as he can in our lives before we snap to our senses and go running back to God – including destroying our relationships with other believers.  Additionally, when we are focused on ourselves, we are obviously not going to be thinking about others and selfishness inherently destroys friendships.  The key to staying connected with our vital spiritual family is to not indulge in sin (thus allowing Satan to interfere with our lives) and to go out of our ways to be others-centered.

Pleasures of this World versus True Happiness

I looked up the Greek word for “pleasures” in this passage and discovered that it is hedone, which comes from a verb literally meaning “to make happy.”  In other words, James is acknowledging that sin seems fun at the time – and truly, if it weren’t, we’d never do it.  But the pleasures of this world cause impermanent happiness, as verses two and three make clear – we will always be seeking for more, more, more, never satisfied!

James states in verse three that we ask for God to grant us happiness in these various forms, but he does not grant it to us because our focus is all wrong!  We’re asking for Him to provide us happiness in this world, but we are supposed to be seeking happiness in Him.  God designed us to crave the joy that can only be found in Him – so of course we will be left unsatisfied when we try to find it elsewhere.  To seek joy elsewhere is to go against His very design for humanity – and that is not something we want to do.

When we give our lives to Christ, we suddenly have access to permanent joy – but we don’t always experience it because we don’t tap into it, because we still seek lesser joy elsewhere.  It’s like getting free meals for life at a five star restaurant and still choosing to go through the McDonald’s drive-thru on your own dime.

Matthew 6:19-24

19 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;

21 for where your treasure is, there you heart will be also.

22 The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear [focused on Him], your whole body will be full of light [holy joy].

23 But if your eye is bad [focused on the world], your whole body will be full of darkness[lack of joy].  If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and wealth.

John 15:10-12

10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

11 These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

12 This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.

Enemies

When we cheat on God, of course we become His enemies.  He is jealous for us to love Him (verse five), and it both hurts and angers Him deeply when we have an affair with the world.  Yet, unlike many earthly lovers, He will forgive us.  Let us run to Him now and receive His grace.

Discussion Starters

1.      Have you noticed before that when you allow Satan that foothold by indulging in a little bit of sin, he takes over in more ways than just that one area of your life?

2.      What experiences can you share with us regarding the difference between temporal, earthly joy and eternal, heavenly joy?

3.      Remember, please feel free to comment on anything else – don’t feel restricted to my questions! J

Finally, a Bit of “Housekeeping”

You may have noticed that I changed the blog’s appearance just a tad to try to make it more visually appealing and useful for you.  I now have a list of posts (Bible studies only, not weekend editions) categorized by topic on the right-hand sidebar for your convenience.  If there’s anything else you’d like me to add that would be helpful, please leave a comment or send me an e-mail. :-)

James 2:1-9

1 My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.

2 For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes,

3 and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,”

4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?

5 Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love Him?

6 But you have dishonored the poor man.  Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court?

7 Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?

8 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you are doing well.

9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

Christians show favoritism in many ways, and it always seems to go directly against the purpose we are called to accomplish.  Consider the following:

1.      We favor the rich, even though it is the poor who need our attention and material support (Luke 14:13, 18:22)

2.      We favor the spiritually mature, even though it is the babes in Christ who need our attention to be discipled (Proverbs 22:6, Matthew 28:19, Hebrews 13:17)

3.      We favor the “cool” and charismatic, even though we are supposed to have Jesus’s heart for the outcasts. (Deuteronomy 30:4, Zephaniah 3:19)

4.      We favor the young (thinking the elderly old fashioned), even though the younger Christians are supposed to learn from the older ones. (same references as #2)

5.      We favor those of our own denomination, even though we are commanded specifically not to make distinctions based on minor disagreements, but to function as one Body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:10-13)

Now, what problems does this cause for the church?  Here are a few I came up with:

1.      It looks bad to unbelievers, putting Christ to shame.  If we’re playing favorites, we’re hypocrites!  Plus, why would anyone want to see what Christianity’s all about when they know they’ll just get judged the moment the walk through the door?  (The Casting Crowns song If We Are the Body is actually based on this passage).

2.      It breaks up the church.  Fellowship is supposed to be a place of rest from the weary world with our spiritual family – not a social minefield all too similar to the secular world around us.  Thus, by allowing favoritism to rule, the Church neglects one of its primary functions.

3.      This mindset actually can keep us from witnessing to others!  We may (whether consciously or subconsciously) think, ‘Maybe he’s not church material,’ or, ‘She’s far too involved in her sinful life to want to become a Christian.’  This is a principle I’ve heard called “Trying to clean the fish before you catch it.”  It’s impossible, and it prevents us from winning souls to Christ.

A couple of verses I think we all need to keep on our minds are:

1.      Galatians 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (for stopping favoritism in the church)

2.      Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (including us!) (for stopping favoritism in the world)

These are both really well-known verses, so you may have them memorized already.  If not, do so! J

So, today’s discussion starters:

1.      Can you think of other ways we Christians show favoritism?

2.      Can you think of other negative consequences of favoritism on the church?

3.      Can you think of other scriptures to help us avoid favoritism?

4.      What strategies can we use to stop ourselves from engaging in favoritism?

Galatians 6:6-11

(Sorry for the late publishing time - I thought I had scheduled this post, but apparently I forgot to. :-P)

6 The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him.

7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.

10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.

11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.

Verse six has often been (completely appropriately) applied to the principle of being generous with tithes to pay the wages of pastors – after all, if they don’t have to have a job in addition to their pastoring, they are able to study the Word full-time and therefore give more thorough sermons.  However, I believe that it carries a command that should be applied in a much broader context, as well.  You see, we are all part of the Body of Christ, and “to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7; also see entire chapter).  When we are operating correctly, everyone is working to meet others’ needs, and everyone’s needs are being met.  So, I believe that we should also “share all good things” with everyone who ministers to us in whatever way.  This may mean a thank-you gift to a brother/sister who helped you move, organizing a congregation-wide acknowledgement for the service of a worship team leader, Sunday school teacher, or deacon, or updating someone who has prayed for you on that answered prayer.  The Bible tells us that “every good thing given and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17), so let’s extend this spirit of giving to those around us.

Verses 7-9 emphasize fixing our gaze on heavenly things, rather than getting sucked into earthly things.  Matthew 6:19-21 tells us, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  If we “sow to our own flesh” – if we spend all our time focused on us, our possessions, our appearance, our status – then we waste our lives in futility.  What is 100 years of riches and fame compared to the glory that God has waiting for us in eternity?  Indeed, we should devote our lives to things of eternal, not temporal, consequence – and we do this by “sowing to the Spirit.”  God says in 1 Samuel 2:30, “…those who honor me I will honor…”  Today, then, let us make a commitment to honor God – with our pocketbooks, our time, our words, and our actions.  Truly, isn’t honor bestowed upon us by the Ruler of the Universe far superior to any earthly honor we could bring upon ourselves?

Have you ever received an e-mail or text message in which someone used all caps, underlined and in bold, with a million exclamation points after it?  Some people overdo it, but in Paul’s case, he was simply trying to stress the importance of what he had to say.  SO THEN, WHILE WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY, LET US DO GOOD TO ALL PEOPLE, AND ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO ARE OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF THE FAITH.  I’ve always wished that Bible publishers would actually type this verse in a bigger size of font – how about you? J  This verse hardly needs an explanation, but it serves as an important reminder…so memorize it, put in on your fridge, write it on a sticky-note next to your computer, whatever it takes!  As long as we keep our hearts and minds focused on eternity and the great love that Christ showed us on the cross, we will not grow weary of doing good (verse 9). 

Today’s discussion starters:

1 – How can we show appreciation to those who minister to us?

2 – Ecclesiastes is a fantastic example of the futility of storing up earthly treasures for ourselves.  What examples in the Bible can you think of – both people who did so, and people who forwent riches and lives of comfort in order to devote their lives to serving the Lord?