Are we worshipping the family?

The following are possible signs that we have begun worshipping the family rather than encouraging our family to be worshippers:

We Seldom Host Others: If our home is seen primarily as a citadel set against the world, there is a problem. A home centered upon Christ will be marked by growing hospitality. It is a way station of truth and worship. We gladly invite others into it for rest, encouragement, and strengthening.

We Seldom Reach Out to Others: If our family is so insular that others don’t know us, there is a problem. A Christian family filled with love and worship should overflow to those around them. Neighbors and co-workers can’t help but be touched by the love that permeates in and cascades from our family.

We Seldom Serve in the Church: If our family is so focused on just being a family that we can’t attend mid-week bible studies or are so intent on being together Sunday morning that the parents can’t teach Sunday School or assist in the nursery, there is a problem. As a Christian family we are to see ourselves as part of the community. Not separate from it. Not more important than it. But essential to it.

We Seldom Have Time: If our family is always busy with its own activities, whether soccer, piano, ballet, family vacations, or even family worship to the point that we have little time for others, there is a problem. The enrichment and growth of our children, even in spiritual things, is not to pull us away from people but towards them. Yes, we only have so many years to train and teach our children while they are at home. But are we teaching them that they and their activities are the center of life or worshipping Christ and loving others is what is most important?

We Seldom Sacrifice: If our family is reluctant to give generously, because of what it costs our family, there is a problem. We hesitate to give above our tithe to missionaries, the local church, the building fund, or the homeless shelter because our children’s college education comes first. We neglect supporting the church member headed out on a short-term mission’s trip, because our family “educational trip” is more important. We always have an excuse. And it is always our family’s need that provides the ground for that excuse. Rather, the Christian family should be generous in giving—generous to the point of giving sacrificially.

We Seldom Have Flexibility: If others feel like they are always interrupting our family by calling, visiting, or proposing a time to get-together, there is a problem. Others will notice it before us. They begin to feel like our family’s routine cannot be interrupted under any circumstances. We convey this consciously or even subconsciously and others pickup on it. Rather, our family should be noted by its flexibility and joy when others stop by, friendliness when called, and availability when needed.

We Seldom Speak Well of Others: If our family tends to have an arrogant air about it, there is a problem. We have it together. Others don’t quite understand the importance of the family, worship, and our calling as parents. Our conversations are too often critical and judgmental. If only others understood as we do. May it never be! Our families should be filled with thanking God for others. Our children should hear us commending and promoting others. People should find that we are refreshing to their souls, rather than critical of their practices.

By all means, let us enjoy and treasure our families. Let us celebrate the gift they are. Let us pour out our lives and hearts into ministering to our spouse, rearing our children in Christ, and filling our homes with the love and truth of Christ. However, in so doing, let us also be worshippers of the Christ we are seeking to honor. Let us worship Him in our worshipping families, rather than worship our families in the name of worshipping Him.

Written by Jason Helopoulos, guest blogger on thegospelcoalition.org

The indelible link between love and forgiveness

This morning I was amazed again by the story of the full and unreserved worship of the woman with the alabaster box. Not because of her boldness alone, or her sacrifice – which according to historians was of extreme value. Though those were part of this account in Luke 7, that is not what Jesus chooses to highlight; He shines a light on two qualities that he then reveals are indelibly linked: her love and her living forgiven. You see those who have been forgiven, respond in love; and isn’t that a key factor in the sincerity and strength of your worship today: to what extent have you been forgiven?

Reconciliation Anyone? A interesting case study from the 1st Century

The early church is a great example of ministry in the midst of so much wrong culturally. Class warfare, social and ethical bigotry, and national pride were already in existence prior to the breakout growth and expansion of the church. So how would the church respond? They promoted unashamedly the gospel and allowed forgiveness and righteous living to reverberate into the culture while maintaining a firm grasp on that gospel. If the gospel has not effected our practical daily living or brought change to relationships then we don't have the same gospel that so affected Paul, Onesimus, and Philemon. The short letter of Philemon is a quick read that reminds us even today how the gospel is to shape our relationships. Reconciliation anyone? How is the gospel reverberating in your life?

The freedom found in Romans 8

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2

The life-altering announcement of “no condemnation” rings in our ears from verse 1 and now it only gets better. FREEDOM – Free from the law of sin and death. FREEDOM – when in the past all I knew was the law and my short-comings in fulfilling it. FREEDOM – not of my own doing but freedom that comes in the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ.

It reminds me of one of my favorite songs:

There is a wall that has been standing, since the day that Adam fell
Sin is where it started, and Sin is why it held
Speaking as a prisoner, who was there and lived to tell
I remember how it fell ….
This is how it feels to be free. This is what it means to know that I am forgiven

 

The law has its role. It shows me the holiness of God. It reveals my sin. It reminds me time and again of my need for something that is not in me. It hits me again and again with legal evidence

Wrong Reasons to love the church

• Don’t love the church because of what it does for you. Because sooner or later it won’t do enough.
• Don’t love the church because of a leader. Because human leaders are fallible and will let you down.
• Don’t love the church because of a program or a building or activities because all those things get old.
• Don’t love the church because of a certain group of friends because friendships change and people move.

Love the church because of who shed his blood to obtain the church. Love the church because of who the church belongs to. Love the church because of who the church worships. Love the church because you love Jesus Christ and his glory. Love the church because Jesus is worthy and faithful and true. Love the church because Jesus loves the church. - Joshua Harris

The role of the church in the public arena: Is it our job to legislate morality?

Definitions are important:
First, we may need to differentiate between legislating Christianity and legislating morality. Religious freedom gives individuals the opportunity to worship who and how they so desire as long as it does not impede on others rights. We should not be imposing faith on others by making anything but "Christianity" illegal. I have no problem with having laws that encourage morality: laws against stealing, killing, and any other laws that enhance human flourishing. I don’t see Paul or the Apostles seeking to legislate their Biblical values upon or through the government, but instead boldly proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Christian laws for the non-Christian?
Second, we as Christians need to be careful about applying God’s law to those outside the body of Christ. We may get into a sticky topic here, but I find it interesting that people in the church get so riled up about non- Christians being homosexual when the average church sees divorce and heterosexual activity outside of marriage as a lighter issue, and often turns a blind eye to these issues. Sexual sin is sin, no matter what form it takes: infidelity, adultery, pornography, sex outside marriage, etc. We also need to ask why we have an expectation for unregenerate people, who don't have Christ, to turn from this lifestyle and accept our way of thinking when they have no power through Christ to overcome this. Paul uses homosexuality in Romans 1 as an example of the apostate mind and life. We should not expect to see change by making more laws. The only way change will come is if the heart finds Jesus and forgiveness.

Christian but not at all like Christ?
Third, I believe that in churches and families we need to do a much better job of seeking after holiness. This means we need to love the law - it is revealing the character and quality of Christ. We need greater attention to the commands of Jesus and his underlying of the ten commandments and the moral law. Romans 7:12 tells us the law is holy, good, and just; we just need to make sure we don't turn its fulfilling into the means by which we think we obtain eternal life (that's legalism). We have an identity crisis in which many in the church live no differently in reference to lying, hate, divorce, and a whole host of other actions. This does not equate; if we have God’s Spirit in us then why do we look nothing like Jesus? It is either that we don’t have God’s Spirit in us or we don’t understand what Jesus is calling us to.

Being leery of authority types not ordained in scripture
Fourth, When I think of Christian colonies from our American history and nations that would seek to be Christian according to their bylaws I get nervous about the idea of a government of coercion or by fabricating faith and forced conversions. Having Christ-centered membership is to be the responsibility of a church, but I'm not sure we find Biblical precedence outside of theocratic Israel. I believe we must avoid promoting this type of extra-biblical authority. This lends itself to other serious assumptions as to leadership, control, and law. We just don't find this in Paul's world or in the NT.

Muddying the waters with less than the gospel
Finally, I think we should also be careful that we be clear about the gospel and stand for our rights as believers to worship and live out the teachings of God's Word. Where we may need to be careful is that we entangle ourselves so much in political issues that the gospel gets blurred or forgotten, taking a back seat to other teachings. We must be careful to teach the whole counsel of God in our churches, but not expect righteousness from those who don't have Christ's righteousness or God's Spirit to enable righteous living. If people reject us and choose not to come to our churches, I trust it will be for those issues that pertain to the gospel and their rejection of Christ and that they not drive by the church and say "that's that democrat/ or republican church" or "there's those Obama hater's." If that is what we are known for then we have not properly communicated and lived out the message of Jesus Christ. The average individual we meet needs Jesus and not the vast amount of extra-Biblical things the church has often aligned itself with or the less primary Biblical issues the church has at times made itself primarily defined by.

In closing let me emphasize that we must be people who live by the Word and should be careful about expecting Godly living from those who have rejected Jesus. We must also be careful not to have our own modern day Salem Witch Hunt that veers us far off the path of holding forth the gospel as salt and light and instead causes us to enter behavior modification with more laws, no grace and utter darkness. This is not the mission we have been called to; this is not the role of the church; and this is not the gospel of the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 16: Faith vs. Sight

Often we hear people place a final obstacle to overcome before placing faith in Jesus Christ and becoming His follower. It usually goes something like this:

“If God would just write in the clouds, I’d believe.” – as if writing in the clouds is somehow