Baptism for the Dead – 1 Corinthians 15:29

In my recent sermon on I Corinthians 15, (March 26, 2023) I glossed over a controversial verse in Paul’s teaching on the resurrection. It’s 15:29 that gets our attention:

Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? (NIV)

What’s going on here?

Let’s review the context. In 1 Corinthians 15:12-34 Paul is arguing that the resurrection of Jesus is absolutely necessary for our faith. Without the resurrection our faith is worthless.  To bring this point home he assures the readers that those who have died are actually only asleep. Death is not the end. If Jesus is not raised those who have died are lost. Playing on this thought he then introduces a practice among the Corinthians – baptism for the dead. Such a practice is meaningless if there is no resurrection. The question is the purpose or intent of this practice.

Some suggest that Paul is being hypothetical here. It’s not that this practice is actually taking place, but if it was it would serve no purpose without a belief in the resurrection. This view eliminates the need to explain the function of the practice, but Paul doesn’t even hint that this is hypothetical. It seems like Paul is referencing an actual practice of the church there.

So, why are the Corinthians being baptized for the dead?

One possibility is that a believer can affect someone else’s salvation. You or I can express faith in Jesus and submit to baptism not only for ourselves but for others. In this case we can secure salvation for someone who has passed on or at the very least give them a posthumous opportunity to express faith in Christ. This is a practice of some religions (as I understand it). This interpretation, however, seems to contradict the New Testament’s clear teaching on the necessity of individual faith. Where else in the New Testament is this vicarious faith even hinted at? Where in the New Testament is someone baptized on behalf of anyone else, living or dead? Whenever we encounter confusing or obscure passages like we have here, a general rule of interpretation is to interpret the confusing passage in light of clearer passages. For that reason, I dismiss this view.

But what is the alternative?

1 Corinthians was written around AD 55. Paul first visited Corinth about 6 years previous to writing this letter. Perhaps others had come with the good news before Paul, but the fact remains that many God-fearing people had died between the time of Jesus’ resurrection and the reception of the gospel which included baptism as the initiatory act of faith. The Corinthians may have been wondering about the fate of those people?

Imagine this scenario. Stephanus, a believer in Corinth, heard the gospel at the teaching of Paul and was baptized. He had very devout parents and grandparents who died before hearing the good news. They never had the chance to be baptized. Stephanus is confident that had they lived to hear the gospel they would have been baptized. So, to honor their faith, Stephanus is baptized for them. Not for their salvation but as a token of their faith and assurance that even though they have died they still benefit from the resurrection. In this case Stephanus is not being baptized to secure their salvation but to testify to their saving faith. Although this kind of practice is not taught in the New Testament, such an understanding does not violate any clear teaching in the New Testament.

It is important to note that Paul does not necessarily endorse this practice. He merely uses the practice as further evidence of the necessity of the resurrection to the Christian faith. This practice may fall into the category of personal preferences. But, since Paul nowhere else teaches or encourages this practice I tend to think that Paul considers the practice harmless or else he would have set them straight as he is often known to do!

In any case, the importance of this verse is to offer further evidence that Jesus is actually raised and his resurrection guarantees the resurrection of all the faithful – past, present, and future.

 

 

Lessons from the Pothole

Driving to work the other day I hit a pothole and, like most people, I reacted angrily. “Why can’t they do something about this?” I mumbled under my breathe. But this time instead of complaining I thought maybe I could learn a lesson or two from the pothole.  Here’s what I learned:

Pothole Lesson #1 - There will always be potholes.

It seems like every city that I’ve lived in has had potholes. They’re everywhere. In fact, if you find a city without potholes move quickly because they soon will have some. Do you, like me, expect life to be all smooth sailing? That’s a nice thought but it’s just not going to happen. There will be potholes in life. Some of my own making. Some the making of others. And some just because we live in an imperfect world. Maybe I need to just make sure that I don’t overreact to these inevitable potholes in life. Sometimes I can let something annoying ruin my entire day and the day of everyone around me. It’s not that potholes are enjoyable, but I shouldn’t let them have the power over me that I allow them to have. Sometimes I just need to hit that pothole and move on.

Pothole Lesson #2 - Learn from your mistakes.

There is one route I take to work where I kept hitting the same pothole. Then one day I realized that if I just swerved a little to the left I could avoid it. Hitting potholes may be inevitable but hitting the same pothole day after day is not. I needed to learn from my mistakes. Have you ever heard this definition of insanity – “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” Instead of just complaining I need to learn how to avoid potholes in the future.  This is especially important when I am the cause of the pothole.  I need to ask myself how I contributed to the problem and what actions I need to take to avoid the same problem. Too often I’ll just blame others when what I really need to do is to take ownership of the foolish decisions I have made and make adjustments. Potholes can teach me better and wiser ways of doing things.

Pothole Lesson #3 - Talk to others who have traveled your path.

One way to avoid potholes is to talk to others who have taken the road I plan to take. I like it when I map out a route on my phone and it lets me know if there’s construction or other delays. Having that information helps determine what path to take and what to expect along the way. As I consider careers, major purchases, and other significant decisions it’s wise to ask someone who has already gone down that path. Mentors in life can help me avoid potholes. I can learn from their mistakes. I can read biographies of successful people and learn from them. I can read the wisdom literature of the Bible – books like Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and James – and gain insight from them. Whenever I hit a pothole I’m probably not the first to hit it and perhaps I can avoid some from the experiences of others.

So, next time you hit a pothole don’t just complain. Remember the lessons from the pothole and let it make you a better person.  

The Idol of Eloquence

I’m a preacher. That’s my job. Most every Sunday I stand before the congregation and deliver a sermon. I love my job. I chose to do this. But, not to elicit your sympathy, it’s not easy. If you’re a church goer I would wager that on Sundays part of your worship experience is to listen to a preacher preach a sermon. Just typing that sentence makes me shudder. The words “preach” and “sermon” both can carry a negative connotation. Who really likes being “preached” at? Does anyone ever look forward to a “sermon”?  Admit it, the preacher has a difficult task.

I would like to think I deliver an interesting and applicable sermon, but I admit some Sundays are better than others.  Sometimes I fumble through the words. Other times an illustration or a joke doesn’t connect. Most of the time when I take my seat I remember something I left out or think of a better way to say what I tried to say. Some sermons are great (at least that’s what my mom always said). Some are good. Some are okay. And some are just plain bad. But however sermons are graded doesn’t just depend on the preacher. Some of it depends on you, the listener.

We admire eloquence and charisma in a public speaker and, speaking for all the preachers I know, we do try to be both. But what is more important, the message or the messenger? Perhaps a good or a bad sermon depends not so much on how it is presented as on how it is received.

Not too long ago I came across this statement: “A spiritually mature person is easily edified.” Could it be that even bad sermons can benefit a person who is more concerned with content than presentation? Could it be that every time a sermon is deemed bad it says more about the listener than it does the preacher? Have we made an idol of eloquence?

John Calvin wrote, “When a puny man risen from the dust speaks in God’s name, at this point we best evidence our piety and obedience toward God if we show ourselves teachable toward his minister, although he excels us in nothing.” Calvin argues that we can show our love for God’s word by listening attentively to even the “puny” preachers amongst us. In fact, we all may have missed some really good sermons because we tend to grade more by style than substance.

This Sunday when you go to church I hope your preacher has a well prepared, scripture-filled sermon. I hope you’re moved to laughter and tears. But more than that I hope your heart is open to the life-giving word of God. I hope that you are easily edified.

Preaching is hard work and every preacher should be willing to put in that hard work.  But listening is hard work too, and whether a sermon is good or bad depends more on you than your preacher.

My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not be based on human wisdom but on God’s power.

The Apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 2:4–5 (CSB)

I don't remember 99% of the meals I've eaten, but they've kept me alive. God uses faithful, forgettable sermons to beautify his bride. - Matt Smethurst

 

A missed flight turned blessing

Sometimes missing a flight turns into a blessing.

My older son was flying from Little Rock  to Kansas City through Dallas but missed his connection because the flight was late leaving Little Rock. He called from the airport bemoaning his fate but said that there was another flight he could book that wouldn’t put him into Kansas City too much later than planned. Not long after that call he called again. This time with better news.

While my son was booking the new flight he came across an older gentleman who was on the same flight and in the same predicament but was having difficulty booking a new flight. My son helped him out and got the gentlemen on the new flight.  All was well. In appreciation the man invited my son to the Admiral’s Club in the terminal – a swanky lounge for wearied travelers stocked with all kinds of food, drink, and comfortable chairs to pass the time. So, the second call came while he was eating steak! His missed flight turned into an unexpected blessing!

That happens sometimes. Sometimes what appears to be a curse ends up being a blessing. Not always, but sometimes. I know it’s happened to me.

• That relationship I wanted so badly ends only to be blessed by another relationship that turns out to be so much better than I could have ever expected.
• The job offer that I so desperately wanted never comes only later to find a job that is so much better.
• The ministry I so anticipated turns out to be unfruitful but opens the door to another ministry that fits my skills and passions in so many more ways.

It’s happened enough in my life to convince me that some things that I think I can’t live without are really holding me back from the things I really need. Sometimes not getting what I want is precisely the pathway to getting me where I really need to be.

Sometimes it’s obvious, but even when it isn’t perhaps we can live life with the awareness that with every missed opportunity comes another opportunity to learn something or to grow in some way. Being denied what I want doesn’t have to be the end of me. I don’t have to fall into despair. That denial is a chance to see a possibility I never would have seen otherwise.

Add to that my faith in a God who is always working behind the scenes, I can trust that he can make right any mistake I make or redeem any wrong that others do to me. Ask the Old Testament hero Joseph whose life is all over the map until he finally lands a cushy job with Pharaoh. In a meeting with his no-good brothers who in jealousy sold him into slavery, he articulates this beautiful truth – you meant to harm me, but God intended good (Genesis 50:20).

You see, that’s what God does. He takes a missed flight and turns it into an invitation to the Admiral’s Club! Sometimes missing a flight turns into a blessing.

Stability in the Flux

Our family likes to play games. One card game we played when the kids were younger was a card game called “Fluxx.” It bills itself as “the card game with ever-changing rules.” Hence, the name” Fluxx.” During play the number of cards drawn changes. The number of cards you can have in your hand changes. The goal to win the game changes. It’s entertaining and frustrating at the same time.

Life sometimes resembles the games we play and right now I feel like we are living “Fluxx.” It’s like we were all playing by the same, unchanging rules for centuries and BAM – the rules changed. And then, when we figure out the new rules, they change again. For me, it’s not so much entertaining as it is frustrating.

I suppose change is inevitable and I guess change is not bad. I don’t want to be that guy who is so set in his ways and beliefs that I never question the rules and even acknowledge that some rules need to change. I want to be flexible, but I notice an ongoing craving for stability in my life and my beliefs. Afterall, what good is a belief if it is open to change? Are there some things, anything, that I can rely on day after day, year after year? Doesn’t life come with some immutable rules or is everything up for grabs?

As I read the New Testament, I see a Jesus who comes into a world steeped in religious “rules” and who boldly challenges much of what his contemporaries believe about God. Jesus is most harsh with those who never question what they have always believed. So, he calls for change, but in doing so he also calls them back to what is unchanging. And isn’t that the challenge – what is open to change and what is immutable? To live life in a total state of flux is denying that any truth exists. And many have chosen that path. But the Bible does give us that option.

The Bible makes claims like when Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” There is no denying the implicit claim that there is truth. Not everything changes. There are some realities about life that are not open to public polls or opinions. There are some truths that are not subject to cultural norms or societal trends. One truth that you can be certain of is that the Bible, and Jesus, are either right on this or they are supremely arrogant, misguided, and egotistical.

A decision all people must make is whether we are living in the game of “Fluxx”, where the rules are all subject to change, or whether we live in a world where there are some absolute rules that give us all reliable guidelines to live by. If the former is true, then we must live in the reality that there is really nothing to put our faith in. If the latter is true, the next move is to make our life’s work the discovery of where this truth can be found.

These are important things to ponder, because this life of ours may be more than a game. If you’re on the search, I point you to Jesus. He makes the claim to be truth. He offers stability in the flux of life. Or, you can keep playing “Fluxx.”

 

Trading Places

I don’t like being sick, but it might be even more difficult to see your child sick. You try to comfort them and help them heal, but there’s only so much you can do. There have been times when I would say to my child that if it were possible I would trade places with them. And it’s true. If you’re a parent you’ve probably had the same sentiment. We would gladly bear their pain if we could spare them. But as much as we want to take their pain, we just can’t.

One of the prominent pictures of God throughout the Bible is that of a father. God is our father providing for us, guiding us, teaching us to walk, and even disciplining us. And I get this sense that just as I hurt when my children hurt, he hurts when we hurt. And as a compassionate father he nurses us back to health. He helps us heal just like we do for our kids. And I imagine that God has those same feelings I have for my children when they are sick. He too would gladly bear our pain to spare us. Though I can’t do that for my children, he can and has done that for us.

The greatest sickness we suffer from is sin and the greatest pain we will ever experience is separation from God, our Father. And that’s what sin does. It keeps us from our Father, the source of all that is good. That separation is painful to us, but it is equally painful to God. And our Father has done something for us that we all wish we could do for our children. He traded places with us.

That is what the cross is all about. Jesus’ death on the cross is God bearing the pain of sin for every one of us. I’ve heard criticisms that it’s cruel for God to punish someone else for what we have done, but that’s not what happened. God punished himself in so much that Jesus is God. Jesus makes that claim and the biblical writers confirm it. “Jesus is God in the flesh” is an indispensable teaching of Christianity. God does on the cross what every parent wishes they could do for their child – he suffers for us. This is how much God loves us.

I believe God knew he would have to do this, even before he created us. He knew that parenting requires sacrifice and from the beginning he was willing trade places with us. Long before Jesus came, the prophet Isaiah painted this beautiful picture of God’s fatherly love:

Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering. He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

God took our pain. Jesus suffered for us. He took my place. But after all, that’s what a good father does, and He is a good Father.

 

 

It took me to the moon and beyond!

Today I said goodbye to a good friend.  Just to be up front, no one died so this naturally doesn’t rise anywhere close to that level of sadness. But I did say goodbye to something that has been a part of my life for the last 21 years. My 2001 Honda Odyssey van has gone to the big car lot in the sky. I sadly confess that it took me more than two years to finally scrap the old vehicle, but today was the day, and it was just as hard as I thought it would be.

It was towed from the curb outside my house and left in a sad scrap metal facility populated by similarly old cars and other objects that had outlived their usefulness. I’ll remember this moment as much as I remember the moment we signed the papers to take ownership of a pristine new vehicle that would serve our family of four. That family would grow to five and then to six, and oh the memories we made.

Road trips to South Padre Island. Football games and band trips. Tennis matches all across north Texas. School drop offs and pickups. Dropping off kids at camp and college. Holidays to family homes. Some of my happiest moments in life were driving that van glancing to my right to check on my wife and checking the rear-view mirror to see what the four kids were up to. In many respects, our family grew up in that van and all those happy memories came racing back to my heart and mind faster than that van ever went.

In all, the van travelled nearly a quarter of a million miles, approximately the distance to the moon. But in reality it took me to the stars where dreams of love and family come true.

 

What do you smell like?

A few years ago about this time of year I walked into a convenience store and the clerk asked me how the yard work was going. I hadn’t told him what I had been doing but he figured it out - probably based on how I smelled. You know that yard-work smell – a mixture of freshly cut grass, gasoline, and sweat. It’s hard to believe they haven’t come out with a designer fragrance for that one.

Sometimes our smell can give us away. After camping you carry around that smoky campfire scent. If you've been around smokers, discerning noses can detect that odor. After you’ve cooked out some burgers or hot dogs your aroma goes ahead of you. Our scent can reveal a lot of who we are and who or what we’ve been around.

What do you smell like?

Of course, I’m not talking about our odor picked up by the noses around us. I’m talking about the attitudes and impressions we emit when we walk into a room. You know some people that can just bring down a room by walking in. Or others who can brighten up a room just by their presence. We all carry with us some smell.

Isn’t it logical to assume that those of us who have been around Christ should have a certain aroma? The apostle Paul seemed to think so. In 2 Corinthians 2:15 he wrote, “Our offering to God is this: We are the sweet smell of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are being lost.” Christians should smell. We should carry along with us the sweet smell of Christ!

When people are in our presence, they should smell the pleasing aroma of love and forgiveness. They should delightfully inhale the scent of patience and peace. People around us should smell the sweet smells of hope and joy. Christians ought to be the smelliest people on earth! When we enter a room there should be no doubt who we’ve been around.

But isn’t it true that sometimes we don’t smell that good? Instead of hope, we bring despair. Instead of patience, we bring anger. Instead of joy, we bring grief. And then we put on the deodorant of fake smiles and insincere niceties, but through the deodorant people can still smell our rancid odor. What’s the problem?

We smell like who or what we’ve been around. We smell like a campfire because we’ve been around a campfire. We smell like gasoline because we’ve been mowing the lawn. We smell like despair because we’ve spent too much time around the decaying world. We smell like Christ because we’ve spent time around him. It’s really our choice how we smell.

What do you smell like?

The Ultimate Shark Tank

Have you ever watched the reality television show Shark Tank? If you’re not familiar, it features aspiring entrepreneurs who pitch their ideas to a panel of successful, wealthy businesspersons in hopes of securing their financial and intellectual support. The premise is that once they can partner with one of the “sharks” they will be well on their way to prosperity. Some get rejected and leave the show dejected while some get chosen to team up with one of the panelists. For them it’s a dream come true to work with a financial expert.

There’s a concept we see throughout Scripture that resembles this arrangement. It’s called covenant. A covenant is an agreement between two individuals or nations. Sometimes they are equal parties and enjoy some sort of mutual benefit through the agreement. In other cases, the covenant is made between a superior individual and an inferior individual where the superior offers the inferior some benefit in exchange for money or services. In some ways this is similar to what we call contracts or treaties.

What is unique in Scripture is that God himself enters into covenants with people. An example is His covenant with the Jewish people. God offers to bless this nation, provide them a land to live in, and promises to use them in special ways to represent Him to all the other nations. In exchange He expects obedience and a commitment to live a special ethic. That ethic is summarized in the Ten Commandments. The Old Testament of our Bibles is essentially the story of the how this relationship plays out. In fact, the word “testament” can be synonymous with “covenant.”

When Jesus arrives, he uses covenant terminology as well. One of Jesus’ missions is to bring to all human beings the offer to enter into an agreement with God. God offers forgiveness of sins, abundant and eternal life, and His special presence with us through the Holy Spirit. In exchange he expects faith – a commitment to recognize Him as the one and only God resulting in a life characterized by things like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and other virtues we see in Him. The New Testament of our Bibles is essentially the story of this offer.

We have a choice with our lives. We can try to make a go of it on our own. We can rely on our own abilities, our own wisdom, our own creativity and hope for the best. Or we can partner with someone. And there are many people who are willing to offer their expertise in life in exchange for something. Poets, philosophers, scientists, preachers, and an assortment of gurus are more than willing to take us on as partners.  I suppose they all have something beneficial to offer. But one exceeds them all.

The all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving God beckons us from heaven offering us His wisdom and expertise. He offers to partner with us and take our flawed and broken lives with the promise of turning them into something more beautiful and wonderful than we can even imagine. And this offer remains on the table to all. To you. To me. To everyone.

Untying your donkey

This Sunday is traditionally known as Palm Sunday, the day when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey to the praise of the Passover crowd.  Much is made of the palm branches, the shouts of Hosanna, the objection of the Pharisees, but overlooked in the story is owner of the donkey.

As Jesus was approaching Jerusalem he instructed his disciples to go into a village where they will find a donkey. When they find the animal they are told to just untie it and bring it him. Sounds like a first century version of grand theft larceny. Who in the world is going to let perfect strangers just walk up to their donkey and take it with no explanation?

Anticipating that someone may have issue with this apparent thievery, he further instructed the disciples that if anyone asks why they are untying this donkey just tell them, “The Lord needs it.” I guess the disciples are satisfied with the plan and proceed – an act of faith in and of itself.

They followed the instructions and as they are untying the donkey naturally someone, likely the owner, does ask them what they are doing. They replied as Jesus told them with, “The Lord needs it.” Did they hold their breathe wondering what would happen? Were the other disciples placing bets on whether or not they would really be able to pull this off?  Whatever they were thinking or feeling, the strange thing is that it works! Those simple words appease the owner.  He hands over the donkey and then Palm Sunday happens.

I suppose this could have been prearranged by Jesus, but there is no indication in the Gospels that this is the case.  It may have been just those simple words - “The Lord needs it” - that was enough for the donkey owner to hand over what was no doubt a prized and valuable possession. Perhaps he even felt a sense of pride in being able to play a part, albeit a small part, in this grand celebration that ensued.  “The Lord needs it” was enough for him.

I would like to think that all of us have something the Lord needs. In fact, I believe that each of us have a donkey of sorts that they Lord could use. Some ability we have been gifted with. Some words that could offer healing. Some opportunity to bring peace. Some way that we can join in with Jesus in bringing his reign into the lives of people. But we must be willing to untie it.

What do you have that the Lord needs? What possession, gift, or ability do you feel the Lord untying from your life? Are you willing to let it go?

I wonder if the donkey owner was in the crowd when Jesus entered Jerusalem on that Palm Sunday. If he was, I imagine he felt a sense of joy knowing that he played this small role. Any sacrifice that he may have made was well worth the satisfaction that something he owned could be used by the Lord. And I can’t help but think that we will feel the same.

Today hear those simple words, “They Lord needs it,” and let that be enough.

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This blog was inspired by the Eyewitness Bible Series video "The Need". You can access that video and more by clicking here.

 

One Biblical response to current events

The recent invasion of Ukraine has resurfaced lingering questions believers have about the sovereignty of God. How can a good, loving, just God seemingly sit back while innocents suffer at the hands of a political juggernaut? How do we process recent events in light of the clear Biblical claim that God is sovereign over the nations? How do we make sense of scriptures like Daniel 2:21, “He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others;” and Romans 13:1, “The authorities that exist have been established by God”?   

I don’t have the answer, but I can propose a response - one that goes back centuries to an Old Testament prophet named Habakkuk. Let it be known that we are not the first to wrestle with this apparent contradiction, nor will we be the last.

Habakkuk asked the same questions we are asking. In his case the evil nation was powerful Babylon who decided to flex their ungodly muscles at the expense of God’s chosen people, the Israelites. None of it made sense. I recommend you read this brief book. It's relatively obscure even to the churchgoing, but it is so relevant for these theologically confusing days.

The book opens with the prophets charge against God: "Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds?” (1:3) Quite a bold opening line to the God of the universe. And then he delivers this follow-up question: “Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?” (1:13) The rest of the book is a dialogue between the prophet and God.

Like Habakkuk we are confused and perhaps even angry that this world works like it does. This little book gives us permission to be angry and confused. This minor prophet, as he is sometimes called, reminds us that this world often doesn’t make sense. This dialogue ultimately calls us to remain patient and trust – difficult tasks when the world is caving in around you. It takes faith to live in this world. Faith in a God who is in control even when all appearances seem to contradict that foundational belief.

The book ends with one of the most magnificent statements of faith preserved for us in the Sacred Writings. Habakkuk’s conclusion is this: “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” (3:17–18)

Confused? Yes. Angry? I would think so. But through the confusion and anger the prophet finds room for praise and, in doing so, calls all the faithful to join him.

The following article contains mature language

Have you ever started a show on television and seen this warning?

The following program contains mature language. Viewer discretion is advised.

We all know what “mature language” means, but I wonder why they call it “mature.” We have a way of sanitizing things, don’t we? Shouldn’t they just tell us there’s going to be some cussing or swearing or profanity or words you don’t hear in church? Why would anyone ever call that kind of language “mature”?  Is it really “mature” to use those words? I think those warnings give “mature” a bad rap.

I’m all in favor of using “mature” language, but not in the way these warnings define it. Here’s an alternative definition of “mature” language from the Bible in Ephesians 4:29 and few rules to help us.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Rule #1 – If it’s unwholesome, hold it in. If a word is dirty, foul, or obscene don’t say it! If you need some help on what words fit into that category, ask your grandmother. She remembers. People let far too many words fly from their mouths without passing them through the wholesome filter or, for that matter, any filter at all. We would all do a lot better by holding some words in. That would include gossip, insults, and course jokes. Keeping your mouth closed may be the most mature thing you can do.

Rule #2 – Use language that builds up. Everyone loves and needs to hear words that encourage them.  Tell people how well they are doing. Tell people how much you appreciate them. Tell people what good qualities you see in them. Your words can either make someone stronger or weaker. Choose those words that make people stronger.

Rule #3 – Use language that meets other’s needs, not your own. Stop telling people how great you are. Stop bragging about your accomplishments. Stop interrupting people when they are talking. One of the best ways to meet people’s needs is to ask questions and really listen. Ask people about their weekends. Ask people what’s going on in their lives. If you want to meet people’s needs, you have to know those needs. Mature language is concerned about other people. Mature language draws out the thoughts and feelings of others.

Rule #4 – Be graceful. The word translated “benefit” in Ephesians 4:29 is the same word that is translated in other places as “grace.” Grace is often used to describe God’s forgiveness towards us. Use forgiving words. Use words that affirm someone’s value and your love for them even when they mess up. You don’t have to remind people of their faults. You don’t have to hold grudges. Mature language communicates forgiveness.

Now that you know what “mature” really means, let it fly. I think we’d all do well to use mature language.

 

Swim For the Shore

Several years ago, my family and I were at a family reunion at a lakeside resort in central Texas. Included in the resort were all kinds of activities. One was canoeing. The six of us (my wife, four kids, and me) decided to give it a try – three in one canoe, three in another with my wife and I serving as “captains” of our respective boats. We were a little nervous. The kids were young and neither of us were canoeing experts, but the attendant assured us that this type of canoe was nearly impossible to tip over. Well, you can guess what happened.

The canoe my wife was in tipped over. The water was only waist deep and I sensed no imminent danger, so I yelled out to my drenched wife and kids, “Swim for the shore.” Maybe I should have jumped in (there was no maybe about it in my wife’s mind). But I thought there was no sense me getting all wet as well. Needless to say, it was not one of my proudest moments.

While I was shouting helpful advice I spotted out of the corner of my eye that the attendant had taken notice. He ripped off his shirt, threw off his shoes and dove into the lake, and before you knew it he was there to help my family get safely back to shore.

I shouted advice. The attendant jumped in.

A truth that separates Christianity from every other world religion is that very fact. Other religions have their teachers and prophets shouting advice but only Christianity has God jumping into the lake to save us.

And that is what Christmas is really all about. God jumped in to save us.

The Gospel of John makes the claim that God become flesh in the person of Jesus.  Matthew’s Gospel refers to Jesus as Immanuel - God with us. The distinct declaration of Christianity is that God became one of us to rescue us.

No good advice could help us.

No encouragement could get us to shore.

No effort on our part could save us.

Our only hope was that God, in His mercy and grace, would appear in flesh and blood and carry us safely to shore.

Christmas is the celebration that He did just that. Far away and long-ago God became man in a humble manger in the humble town of Bethlehem. He jumped into our messy world. And we are saved.

Same Sex Marriage by Sean McDowell and John Stonestreet - A Review

My, how things change! That is essentially how McDowell and Stonestreet begin their defense of the historic definition of marriage. The two thoughtfully take us through the unprecedented changes we have witnessed in the definition of marriage and the perception of homosexuality. For those of us on the other side of forty, we remember the days when homosexuality was talked about in hushed voices and even when it was listed as a psychological disorder by the American Psychological Association. Not so anymore. “For the high school and college students we work with today – even the most conservative, churchgoing ones - homosexuality is not a far-off issue like it was for us,” they write.

As Christians who hold to the inspiration of scripture the authors call us back to the biblical definition of marriage. While warning against discrimination or hatred to those who disagree, it is still critical to remember that words matter. “Marriage can’t mean everything, or else marriage means nothing,” they claim. They continue, “Excluding same-sex couples from marriage isn’t necessarily an act of animus or hate, any more than it would be to exclude college roommates or elderly, single sisters from marriage. They are excluded because their relationship, though sincerely loving and affectionate, just isn’t marriage. Marriage has a fixed nature, and by definition 'is something only a man and woman can form.’” (This book was written before the Supreme Court Case Obergefell v Hodges which ruled that same-sex couples do have the fundamental right to marriage. Some of the content of the book has to be understood with that in mind).

A substantial part of the book is dedicated to getting back to Scripture and reclaiming the definition of marriage that has been accepted almost unanimously by every culture in every age. They clearly communicate their conclusions using scripture and reason. In essence, we must know what biblical marriage is and understand to some extent why it is what it is and should stay that way.

The authors do a fine job of helping us understand how we got to where we are, primarily through the gay/lesbian’s strategy of presenting themselves as people just like everyone else – not any different than straight people, simply people who love differently. Through music, movies, television, and a carefully orchestrated media blitz homosexuality lost its “edginess”, so to speak, in our culture. I found this chapter in the book very enlightening.

The second part of the book (Part 1 is What Marriage Is and Why Does it Matter and Part 2 is What Can We Do for Marriage) addresses the Christian response to where we find ourselves. Real-life scenarios are discussed to help us live with wisdom in the awkward and difficult situations we may find ourselves in.  (eg., how do I respond to an invitation to a gay wedding?) These are most helpful! Included are more general helpful directions we can take as churches and individuals as we defend the historic view of marriage. Another beneficial feature of this book are the brief but helpful interviews scattered throughout the book with other influential church leaders.

For an overview of what is at stake in this matter, I highly recommend this work. McDowell and Stonestreet do not exegete the familiar passages we often turn to in defense of traditional marriage, but that is not their intent. There are other books that do a great job at that. What they do is call us back to a biblical understanding of marriage and prepare us to live out that belief faithfully, lovingly, and compassionately.  Both Stonestreet and McDowell are leading and respected evangelical voices in this and other cultural issues Christians must face and they well-deserve our attention.

 

Holy Sexuality and the Gospel by Christopher Yuan - A Review

Christopher Yuan enters the discussion on same-sex relationships from a truly unique and personal perspective - a man who has same-sex attraction, has acted on that attraction, has lived as an unbeliever, and yet now holds to the historic Christian position that marriage is a one-man, one-woman, God ordained institution. His life and story add a level of credibility and sincerity that is difficult, if not impossible, to rise to. Yuan is not only an observer, he is a combatant and commands respect as both observers and combatants seek God’s truth on sexuality.

A clarion call of our generation is to understand this teaching leading with compassion. “How can anyone hold to a teaching that marginalizes people?” is a common objection to the historic view. Yuan warns us, “But compassion without wisdom can be careless, even reckless. Wisdom without compassion is useless, even pharisaical. True compassion flows from wisdom, and true wisdom results in compassion – there should be no dichotomy. The real Christian life is built on godly wisdom.” This frames the tone of his book. Where does wisdom lead us and how can we live out that wisdom with compassion?

Wisdom leads us to accept the mystery of same-sex attraction. “I never chose this. I just have to be honest and authentic and accept the truth that I’m gay. This is who I am,” he says. Wisdom leads us to resist the lure of romanticism to the exclusion of reason. “It (romanticism) revered sense over intellect, emotion over reason. (It is) the assumption that humans are inherently good, then human emotions (feelings, affection, desires, etc.) are also inherently good.” He later writes, “We let experience supersede essence – what I feel is who I am. In other words, psychology usurps biology.”

The next order of business for Yuan is to address the question, “Why are our emotions and wisdom at odds with each other?” The simple and yet complex answer to that is The Fall. Sin has infected us all. Adam’s sin has corrupted all humankind to the point that “sin in general feels normal and natural to all of us.”

To break free from sin’s curse we must pursue what Yuan calls “holy sexuality.” “Holy sexuality consists of two paths: chastity in singleness and faithfulness in marriage.” Yuan now moves this discussion to not only the same-sex-attracted but to all of us. The challenge is to understand sin and temptation as it presents itself in all of us.

Yuan ends his book with a challenge to Christians and to the church in particular to creatively, lovingly and compassionately live out the wisdom of scripture as we hold to “holy sexuality.”

I heartily recommend Yuan’s book and would also point to his more biographical account Out of Far Country (which I have not read). Any reservations I have of Holy Sexuality would be Yuan’s teaching of original sin and the importance he places on this doctrine to advance his argument. As presented, I have some objections and would advise the reader to give consideration to other positions on the effect of the Fall.

 

Acorns, acorns everywhere!

I love fall. I love the cooler weather. I love the changing colors. I love football. I love fall with this exception—raking leaves.

I have a big oak tree out in my front hard and it is amazing how many leaves that tree can produce. I was out raking the other day and not only was I amazed at all the leaves but also amazed at all the acorns. So not only do I bag up tons of leaves but also hundreds of acorns. Within each acorn is the potential for another oak tree and as beautiful as the tree is, the last thing I need is more oak trees in my front hard. Every year I scoop up the acorns and for the ones that don’t get scooped up in the fall I find myself pulling up the tiny saplings that begin to burst through the ground in the spring.

This fall as I was picking up all those potential oak trees I thought to myself, “That poor tree. All it wants to do is make more oak trees and here I am foiling its plan.” If trees had feelings I suppose it would be sad.

But you know what? Year after year the oak tree keeps making acorns. In spite of its failure to reproduce it doesn't give up.  Each fall there will be acorns because that is what an oak tree does, whether or not it makes more oak trees. Oak trees make acorns!

Does it sometimes seem to you that all your good deeds, all your invitations to people to come to church, all your love to others—that all of it often produces nothing? Keep on doing those things because that is what we do, regardless of the results. Christians plant seeds!

Even though that old oak tree has never made another oak tree in all these years I do know this—the squirrels love the acorns! I guess those acorns have more than one purpose. Who knows what squirrels in your life are being blessed?

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Galatians 6:9 (NIV) —  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

1 Corinthians 15:58 (NIV) — Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Know What You Got

“Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you've got till it’s gone,” are lyrics from the popular Joni Mitchell song Big Yellow Taxi. The song was released in 1970 and has been covered a few times since then. You’ve probably heard it. If not, you get the message. The sentiment is pretty straightforward – we tend to appreciate things only after they have been taken away or lost. I hear the same thought at funerals and, being a minister, I have been to more than my fair share of them. Mourners are known to remind those in attendance to make sure they hug their loved ones and live in appreciation of their relationships. As an officiant I have often expressed that very same feeling. It really is a good reminder.

But isn’t it sad that we have to be reminded? Isn’t it sad to think that we are living with joys and blessings and pleasures and we don’t even know it? Isn’t it sad to only appreciate the gift of life only when it’s gone? Shouldn’t it always seem to be that we do know what we got before it’s gone?

Thanksgiving is upon us once again and we will gather around tables and reflect on the blessings of another year. Many of us will pause to offer prayers to the God who provides it all. We may even get a little teary-eyed with joy watching the little children play or with melancholy wondering if this may be our family’s matriarch’s or patriarch’s last Thanksgiving with us. Thanksgiving really is a good day. It really is a good reminder.

But is a day enough? Is a season enough?

Thanksgiving is a theme that is woven through all of Scripture. And although there were designated thanksgiving celebrations, the prevailing thought is that believers live in a constant state of gratefulness. In the Psalms King David never qualifies the when of thanksgiving just the necessity of it. The prophet Daniel offers prayers of thanks three times a day. The apostle Paul instructs Christians to give thanks always. Thanksgiving even extends beyond this world as we see the angelic chorus of the book of Revelation offering thanks in heaven.

A day or a season is not enough. Thanksgiving needs to be at the very center of our being. Thanksgiving needs to be our first and last thought of the day and many times in between. Only then will we be able to capture all the joys and blessings all around us that are so often only inadequately celebrated in their absence, if at all.

A day or season are certainly not to be dismissed. They have their benefits. But isn’t Thanksgiving really a day to remind us that thanksgiving needs to be more than a day or a season? Isn’t it a reminder that an ever-present spirit of thanksgiving has the power to infuse us daily with hope and purpose and joy in a world where it is easy to fall into despair and hopelessness and sorrow? And isn’t that what we need?

The Radiant Virtues Bible - Interacting with the Word through art and journaling

The Bible is a book not just to read but to interact with. Some might seek out cross references. Others may look for archaeological insights. Some might research cultural implications. Some may even explore the original languages. Some may want to artistically interact with the Word, and if that’s you then The Radiant Virtues Bible may be just for you. Saying that, I must say this is not a coloring book, but an invitation to spiritual interaction and introspection through art and journaling.

The Radiant Virtues Bible, which contains the full text of the popular NIV translation, guides the reader through a 52-week journey of the Bible with well-written and thought-provoking devotionals all 52 of which come with a coloring page related to that week’s reading. The devotionals are centered on the three virtues of 1 Corinthians 13 – Faith, Hope, and Love. These virtues are also emphasized throughout the text with passages highlighted the color that corresponds to each virtue.  In addition, there are beautiful Scripture graphics scattered throughout along with margins on each page for your notes and reflections. Included in the back of the Bible are detachable, artistic cards. Additional reading plans are provided as well as a Table of Weights and Measures (this Bible has no maps, concordance, or study notes other than the basic NIV textual notes).

If you, or someone you know, has an artistic inclination, then this Bible could provide an outlet for regular Bible reading that is not available in any other Bible that I have seen. I love that it includes the entire Biblical text allowing the reader to explore the context and overarching message of the most popular and oft-quoted verses in Scripture which can often be misinterpreted devoid of the Biblical context. A real value I see in this Bible is the opportunity it provides for the reader to return months or even years later to relive their journey and even to add to it with new insights into the Word.

Download a sample here.

I have received The Radiant Virtues Bible for free as a member of the Bible Gateway Blogger Grid, #BibleGatewayPartner, with the agreement that I would submit this review. The Radiant Virtues Bible can be purchased through various online stores including the FaithGateway Store.

See. Feel. Act.

Jesus was a master teacher, and one of his most often employed teaching techniques was telling stories. These short stories utilize people, objects, and situations that we are all familiar with – things like farming, working, weddings, buildings – and then uses them to make a spiritual application. These stories are often called parables and some of them are so powerful that they are familiar even to people who have never read the Bible. Everyone has heard of the lost sheep, the good Samaritan, the prodigal son, the pearl of great price.  All of these familiar phrases have their origin in one of these stories of Jesus. They are really quite remarkable and if you haven’t read them you need to!  

I recently taught on one of these parables, the Good Samaritan. It’s a story of man traveling a treacherous road and is robbed, stripped of his clothing, and left for dead on the side of the road. Three people pass by, but only one stops to offer aid. The first two are known to be religious people, a priest and a Levite, who certainly know what they should do but, for reasons Jesus never reveals, they pass by on the other side. The third man is a Samaritan, a race of people not regarded as especially pious and, for the most part, despised by those who were (or thought they were). This is the man who stops and cares for the victim. He is the one who is good. To the original Jewish audience, the fact that the hero of the story is a Samaritan would have been utterly shocking, for Samaritans and Jews were notorious enemies. The point of the story is that the command to love our neighbor extends to everyone in need, not just to people we like or agree with.

The parable is quite simple. It destroys any boundaries we create that deem some people worthy of our love and others unworthy. We all know that we should love everyone. So why don’t we?

As I contemplated this story I noticed that there was a critical disconnect in the priest and the Levite that wasn’t present in the Samaritan. As Jesus tells the story he notes that all three saw the same thing – a man on the side of the road obviously in need, but only the Samaritan felt compassion.  And there was the critical difference. The priest and the Levite saw but didn’t feel. The Samaritan saw and felt.

Seeing people in need is not that difficult. Everyday we find ourselves walking alongside people who are hurting – at work, at school, at the store, at church. There are literally dozens of people that we encounter weekly who need something that we can help with. So why don’t we help more often, if at all?

Perhaps there is the same disconnect in our lives as well – we see but don’t feel. Either we have become so callous to pain that we no longer are moved to compassion or maybe we turn our heads so quickly and pick up our pace that we easily dismiss the hurting people around us. In any case, I think we need to work on our ability and willingness to be compassionate. For only when the Samaritan sees and feels does he act.

And isn’t that what real love is? Seeing, feeling, and acting. May God help us stop and offer help to those wounded and hurting on the treacherous road of life. Chances are, you’ll come by one today.

Stethoscope Theology

I recently attended a “White Coat Ceremony” for first year medical students. During the ceremony the incoming first year students receive a white coat symbolic of the beginning of their journey into the medical profession. Before the white coats were distributed the Dean of the college introduced the ceremony with a talk listing the merits of that particular medical school and, more importantly, the merits of the call to the medical field.

In that talk he referenced another ceremony earlier in the month where the students receive their first stethoscopes. He said the stethoscope was one of the doctor’s most valued tools as it allowed them to hear what was happening inside the body. In hearing what was going on inside the body the doctor would be better prepared to diagnose and treat the patient. He urged that that same attentive hearing would be employed in all interactions with patients. He urged them to be good listeners and in doing so truly hear their patients. A good doctor hears what others don’t.

I couldn’t help but think that this advice was not only relevant to doctors but to all of us who truly want to serve others. If we truly want to love others we must be good listeners. Only then will we be able to understand and respond appropriately.

James, the brother of Jesus, in his New Testament letter writes, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” (James 1:19, NIV) James seems to think that being a good Christian involves being a good listener. In fact, listening is as important, if not more important, than speaking. That’s not always how we approach relationships.

How often do we start a conversation determined to give someone a piece of our mind? How often do we go on and on expressing our opinion and our point of view while never allowing someone else to express theirs? How often do we enter a conversation already having drawn a conclusion about what someone thinks without giving them a chance to voice their thoughts? How often are we just the opposite of what James is teaching? How often are we quick to speak and slow to listen?

Perhaps many arguments could be avoided if only we took out our stethoscopes and carefully listened to others rather than pulling out our bullhorn to let them know what we think. Perhaps we would be able to better respond to others if we take the time to carefully listen to them. Maybe we don’t know people because we don’t listen. Maybe we misdiagnose because we fail to hear what is really going on inside a person, deep inside them.

So, if you want to really help people, be a good listener. Do the work to hear what may not be obvious. Only when you hear a person’s heartbeat can you really love.