How God Gave Me Song Lyrics From 1676
This is pretty cool.
Stricter Judgment for the Justified Pastor
I really appreciated this post, especially the last two paragraphs.
Nintendo’s Next Console Will Run on Cartridges
This is great news. I love cartridges…a whole new generation of kids will get to blow on their video games to make them work.
Why Marriage is Better Than Cohabitation
I love when Tim writes articles like this one. So helpful.
How Will You Die? Here are the odds:
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works. (2 John 1:10-11 ESV)
I’m sitting at home with my family enjoying a riveting game of Wheel of Fortune, when the door bell rings. I look through that really weird hole in my door to see a couple of dudes dress in white shirts and a tie. I know instantly that they are Mormon’s. Apart from the fact that I’d rather be enjoying time with my family…how should I respond? Does 2 John 1:10-11 tell me that unless I slam the door in their face I’m taking part in their false gospel?
I must confess that awhile back that was pretty close to my interpretation of 2 John. I figured the way that we are to treat false teachers is to shun them, give them the cold shoulder, and let them know how much I didn’t like them. That was immature of me, cost opportunities to share the gospel with someone created in the image of God, and a misreading of the Scriptures.
2 John 1:10-11 isn’t saying that we must shut the door in the face of a cult follower or any other false teacher. In the first century culture “receiving someone into your home” and “greeting them” carried much more weight than it does today. To provide such hospitality would have been to give them a standing in the community. You would be vouching for them and giving them a platform. I think Eugene Peterson captures this well in his Message paraphrase:
If anyone shows up who doesn’t hold to this teaching, don’t invite him in and give him the run of the place. That would just give him a platform to perpetuate his evil ways, making you his partner.
So how do we apply this passage?
I see a few specific ways to apply this. First, we should be very careful not to let false teachers enter our churches through books, music, and other ways in which they could hold sway over our congregation. The world is a much different place than it was 2,000 years ago, though. None of the children from the “elect lady” was going to go home and download a podcast of their favorite false teacher. They didn’t have TBN streaming garbage through homes as they do now. So, the way we warn our people is likely different. As pastors we cannot go to each individual home and block the prosperity gospel junk. But we can do everything in our power to ensure it doesn’t get a fair hearing in our churches.
Secondly, I’m all for teaching our people comparative religions courses and such. (Though, I think about 95% of our time ought to be spent on what we do believe and not combatting that which we don’t). But there we need to be cautious here as well. We don’t want to present false teachers as if they are on an equal plain with the gospel. At the end of the day I believe the gospel is powerful and ought to win. But, by giving a fair hearing we might be participating in their wicked works.
2 John doesn’t teach us to slam the door in the face of a Mormon or Jehovah’s Witness. I believe we are to lovingly show them their error and the beauty and freedom that is found in the truth of the gospel. But 2 John does teach us something about not trifling with false teaching and giving them a platform.
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How to Find Your Most Productive Hours
I wish this article would have just told me instead of giving me a three week assignment, but I should probably do it still.
Should Christians Save for Retirement?
I appreciate Randy Alcorn’s words here.
Spiritual Disciplines and the Sinkhole Syndrome
This ought to be heeded.
Be Bold Enough to Follow the Truth as Far as It Takes You
I absolutely agree with Jared here.
I’m concerned that this makes so much sense:
Christians have long been major advocates for issues regarding the sanctity of human life. Most regular churchgoers can explain (at least rudimentarily) their position on beginning of life issues; i.e. why they believe abortion is wrong. However, when it comes to “end of life” questions, those same people have trouble expressing a biblical worldview on the topic. In fact, many have embraced an emotional view which is contrary to a biblical worldview.
A couple of years ago, my wife was in nursing school when the topic of euthanasia came up in class discussion. The teacher told a heart-wrenching story about a friend of his who had a terminal disease and how much easier it would have been for everyone involved if euthanasia had been an option. As if on cue, the majority of the class expressed similar sentiments towards euthanasia. I can’t help but wonder if they had a solid biblical worldview on end of life issues, if the class would have responded the same. Keep in mind, this occurred in rural, southern Missouri – Not exactly a liberal bastion.
I don’t want to sound overly critical of the nursing students, because I too have experienced difficulties having answers to some of those hard dilemmas. Specifically, I was stymied with the question as to why a terminal patient refusing treatment which would extend their life 6 months (yet not cure them) was different than a person with a terminal disease deciding to end their life a little prematurely so as to avoid suffering. Again, I knew there was a difference, but I did not know how to express why there was a difference.
When you hear the word euthanasia, what do you think of? Teens in China? As I use the term “euthanasia”, I will be primarily lumping together a few similar concepts: active euthanasia which is the intentional taking of life a la Jack Kevorkian and unnatural passive euthanasia which involves the withholding of those things which are naturally necessary for life (like food and oxygen) a la Terri Schiavo or Haleigh Poutre.
The topic of euthanasia is complex and there are few clear-cut answers, however, we must consider a few important points if we wish not to be left speechless and confounded. As Libertarianism has become more in vogue, I often hear some form of this argument: “Individuals have the right to choose their death.” While a huge part of me wants to agree with this, I must say that this is not a biblical outlook. Scripture is clear that we do not belong to ourselves; we belong to God. Acts 17:24-31, teaches that all humanity owes to God worship because He created and enlivens all people. Euthanasia is simply not a worshipful act. By its very nature, euthanasia denies that God rules over life and death, and instead attempts to put humanity in His place.
Another common phrase I often hear is that euthanasia is the compassionate thing to do because it ends people’s suffering. I applaud the desire to limit suffering, and like the nursing students, I can see the appeal to this viewpoint. No one takes pleasure in the needless suffering of another. While pain for pain’s sake is unnecessary and antithetical to the Christian position, Christians believe that suffering is not needless; it does serve a purpose. Indeed, Christ – the source of our salvation – was made perfect and learned obedience through suffering (Hebrews 5:7-9). Further, Christianity teaches that suffering literally builds character (Romans 5:3-5). The Christian answer to suffering is both more compassionate and more holistic than the euthanistic approach.
I believe the most straightforward argument against euthanasia is that murder and suicide are evil. Euthanists would have us believe that good comes from their termination of life, however we know that nothing clean can come from something unclean. Death is the enemy. Christ came to overcome the works of evil not to use them to assist in the furtherance of His kingdom.
So, how would I respond today if I were presented with the same hypothetical question that stymied me years ago? I would focus on the fact that humans belong to God and He uses suffering for His good purposes. Further, I would make clear that there is a significant distinction between ending a life as an act of rebellion to God’s sovereignty over our lives (and deaths), and allowing the natural course of life to occur. What is important, is that Christians can articulate a biblical view life (beginning and end) and have a biblical framework with which to consider these difficult questions which are becoming all too common.
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Photo source: here