A deepening knowledge of God’s glory will ignite our hearts with a blazing love for Him—and trust in Him. Steven Lawson
Quote for the Day
Month: September 2021
The wages of sin
Reflection on 1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Scripture
When you sin against other believers by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ. So, if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live – for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.
Observation
Paul now addresses what christians should do about meat sacrificed to idols. He points out that knowledge is less important than love.
We know that idols have no power, and are not really gods at all. But some people, particularly new believers, are used to thinking of idols as being real. They think of eating meat sacrificed to idols as being equal to idol worship.
Paul says that even if we have freedom of conscience to eat meat sacrificed to idols, we must be careful not to violate the consciences of other believers.
It would be better to never eat meat again then to cause another believer to stumble in their faith.
Application
Some people claim that we should not eat meat because it is all killed to meet the requirements of Muslims. They say that it is all prayed over by a cleric in order to be Sharia compliant.
This is the opposite problem to that described by Paul. The people with the advanced knowledge about spiritual things are saying we should not eat meat sacrificed to idols.
The principle remains the same, however. If my conscience says that it is acceptable to eat meat, then I will do so, but if a brother or sister is offended by this, then out of love for them, I will refrain from eating.
It is not my rights that are important. It is not my superior knowledge that matters. It is all about love. If you have a problem with anything sincerely in love for Christ, then I will accommodate your weakness.
Prayer
Lord, when our consciences collide with one another, please help us to see your wisdom, and to defer to one another in love. Amen.
Ephesians 5:23
Here is my commentary on Ephesians 5:23. I am publishing these once or twice a week, but you can read all of the available articles at our web-site, http://www.new-life.org.au
Ephesians 5:23
“For the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the church, the body of which he is the Saviour.”
This verse raises many questions which need to be carefully thought through:
- What does it mean for the husband to be the head of the wife?
- In what ways is the headship of a husband like the headship of Christ over the church?
- How do we interpret this verse in the current culture in which women generally are more educated and more independent than in previous generations?
In Greek, the word kephale means “head”, and has a similar range of meaning to the English word. It can relate to the physical part of the body, the main part of something, a ruler, or principal officer.
To say that the husband is the head of a wife, then, is to suggest that he has authority over her. This is not an authority that is seized, demanded, or extracted by intimidation.
Godly leadership or headship is a form of service in which a person gives direction in order to promote the person being led. Jesus said that the one who leads must be the servant of all (Luke 22:25-26).
Husbands exercise their authority by serving their wives. This is not pandering to every whim, but recognising what they need in order to grow in Christ and to grow as people, and then to provide what is needed.
Christian headship is not demanding or self-focused, but other- focused and giving.
Some people prescribe what this should look like. The husband exercises headship, they say, by managing the money, driving the car, earning the income etc. Couples should work out their own strengths, and if the wife has a better grasp of finances, she should be the one who keeps track of the money.
Headship and submission are about attitudes of relating in love, not about external factors.
If we think about the authority of Christ over the church, we can apply this to the authority of husbands over their wives, since Paul makes this comparison.
Christians are under the headship of Christ. To die to ourselves is the definition of discipleship. Yet, in submitting ourselves to Christ, Christians retain a high degree of autonomy and individuality. We have different ways of serving the Lord, different ways of worship, different approaches to prayer and ministry. Yet Christ is the head of all.
Furthermore, Christ is not harsh in his headship. When we rebel and go our own way, He does not punish us or remove us from the Body. He waits patiently, wooing us back to him.
The leadership of Christ over the church is gentle, often descriptive rather than prescriptive. He leads us by means of suggestions and encouragement rather than by laws and regulations.
So when Paul says that the husband is the head over the wife, he is not advocating a form of domestic tyranny. Rather it is a form of service and leadership that recognises that both partners are subject to Christ, both are children of God, and both are flawed human beings.
The concept of headship in marriage, that men should take any form of leadership in the relationship, will be scorned bye our society. Individualism without any restraint is the ideology of this age. People who mock marital submission see marriage as an opt in and opt out arrangement, with no expectation of long-term commitment.
Until people are prepared to submit to Christ they will not want to submit to another.
While previous generations had more rigid roles for partners in marriage, they also tended to be more committed to the permanence of the relationship. Our present age tends to see relationships as sources of personal fulfilment and hence feel no compunction in leaving when the “chemistry” is no longer there. Christian marriage emphasises the covenantal nature of the relationship, so that the head cannot function without the body, and vice versa.
Key points in this verse:
- The husband is head of the wife in the same way that Christ is head of the church
- Headship is outward-directed and aims to serve the wife
- Headship is not about tyranny, but involves gentle persuasive leadership
- Society scorns the concept of leadership in marriage, but it remains essential
God is for us
Quote for the Day
Do you want to know God’s will for your life? The primary key to discerning the path God has chosen for you is to pursue the knowledge of His glory. Steven Lawson
Be humble and wise
It’s The Kingdom
It’s The Kingdom
At the core of Jesus’ teaching was the concept of God’s Kingdom. In fact, His call to His disciples was not about salvation but about the Kingdom.
“The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” (Mark 1:15)
Jesus never directed people to ask Him into their hearts to avoid Hell. He never talked about “Four Spiritual Laws” or “Two Ways To Live.” The program of Jesus was very different to our modern religious industrial preaching.
So what does it mean to believe that the Kingdom of God is here?
Since the original sin of Adam and Eve, men and women have been under the reign of satan. We are born in sin and we live and die in sin, unless we turn to Jesus.
Satan has been in control of human beings for our entire history. Yet he is a fake ruler, an intruder, an impostor.
Jesus has come into the world as the true ruler, the real king. He is calling us to follow Him.
When I became an Australian citizen, I was required to swear allegiance to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, who is Queen of Australia as well as of the U.K.
To become a citizen of heaven, you must swear allegiance to Jesus Christ.
To swear allegiance means that no other ruler will direct your loyalty. You promise to obey and to serve faithfully the Sovereign.
To be a citizen of God’s kingdom means that I will be faithful to Jesus, that I will obey Him and not allow any other person to direct my affections.
The word repent means to change our thinking so that we bring our thoughts and actions into alignment with God’s thoughts and actions. It means that I don’t live for myself any more but for Jesus.
To be a christian is much more than a religious experience, although it is that. It is more than a promise of eternal life, although it is that.
To be a christian means nothing less than complete surrender to King Jesus. He directs my thoughts, actions, and emotions. He has it all.
In 1 Corinthians 7, we read where Paul tells the Corinthians that they should not marry, although it’s not a sin if they do. Following Jesus means that I am prepared to let Him lead my relationships.
Everything has to be given over to Jesus, for the sake of a higher reward.
Jesus must be King over all my life, or else He is not King at all.
Reflection on 1 Corinthians 7:32-40
Scripture
I am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible.
Observation
Paul advises the Corinthians with the aim of helping them to be free of the concerns of this life. Unmarried people are free to serve the Lord, but those who are married have to think about earthly concerns and how to please their partner.
If a man thinks that he is unable to control his passions, or that calling off a marriage would be unfair to his fiancee, then he should marry. This is not a sin.
Overall, though, it is better to remain single.
Application
The lordship of Christ affects every part of our life on earth. If Jesus really is Lord, then my life must be completely surrendered to the goal of serving Him.
Even the most intimate, most basic, of human desires has to be surrendered to Christ.
Paul does not lay down binding rules in this passage. He is realistic about the way we are created.
For some people, it will make sense to remain single so that we can devote ourselves entirely to serving the Lord. A single person can be flexible to go anywhere and do anything the Lord requires, without having to worry about their children or their spouse.
Others of us are called to marriage and the sacred vocation of parenting. This has its burdens as well as its joys. There are opportunities for ministry in being a parent that single people may not easily access.
In all things, we must seek God’s kingdom first and trust Him to supply what is needed.
Prayer
Father, I thank you for calling me to be a husband and father. Help me to walk through each day with the awareness that this is your mission for me. Amen.
Cast Your Cares On him
What is worrying you today? Give it to the Lord- He cares for you.
New Life Narrabri 