Randy Alcorn's Blog, page 104

The Biblical Opposite of Homosexuality Is Not Heterosexuality

If asked, what would you say is the opposite of homosexuality? The vast majority of us would answer that it’s heterosexuality. But as Christopher Yuan points out in the following article, the biblical answer is different: it’s holiness.

I’ve highly recommended Christopher Yuan’s new book Holy Sexuality and the Gospel, which came out last year. Christopher is a serious and careful student of God’s Word, and is that rare individual who has personally grappled with these issues in the crucible of life. What he writes here in this article is very helpful—for any of us who have sexual desires that are outside of God’s will.

May we all pursue purity, realizing that “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified [set apart, or holy]; that you should avoid sexual immorality” (1 Thessalonians 4:3).  —Randy Alcorn

What Is the Opposite of Homosexuality? Why Marriage Is Not My Mission

By Christopher Yuan

At 33 years old, Bill became a Christian after pursuing same-sex relationships for eleven years. As a new believer, he was very open to marrying a woman and even starting a family. However, now thirty years later, he remains unmarried and has found godly contentment as a single man. Bill leads a full life of ministry and mentors many men with experiences similar to his own.

After years in the gay community, Mark also put his faith in Christ. His new life as a Christian did not come with any sexual or romantic interest in the opposite sex. He was ready and content to be single for the rest of his life — assuming it was his only truly Christian option.

Mark became best friends with Andrea, also a new follower of Christ. She came out of a broken past with abusive boyfriends and even a couple abortions. Because those relationships were toxic, she’d decided to hold off on dating and focus on her relationship with God. The two felt safe together. Mark knew she didn’t want to date, and Andrea knew he wasn’t attracted to girls. Their love for each other was deep but platonic.

After some time, Mark began noticing some things about her that he never noticed before. New affections blossomed — both physical and emotional. He built up enough courage and asked Andrea out on a date. After several months of dating, he asked her to marry him. And on their wedding night, he confessed to his new bride, “Honey, I can’t explain this. I’m not attracted to any other women. I’m only attracted to you.”

Two men, two pursuits, two paths. Bill wanted to marry but remains single today. Mark was single and content, but now he’s married to Andrea. Often God’s path is not what we expect or once even wanted. For some, it’s singleness; for others, it’s marriage. Yet the goal for all — single or married, same-sex or opposite-sex attracted — is holiness.

Breaking Bad Paradigms

We live in a world of countless shades of grey — not just fifty. Ambiguity is the innocuous but nefarious overture to false teaching. Thus, we must welcome every opportunity to lovingly communicate that biblical morality is unsurprisingly and beautifully black and white. As such, we cannot say that heterosexuality in all its forms is holy or God’s perfect standard.

Heterosexuality is defined as “pertaining to sexual relations between people of opposite sex.” This is exceedingly broad and would include sinful behavior — a man sleeping with several different women, a husband cheating on his wife with another lady, and even a committed monogamous relationship between a cohabitating boyfriend and girlfriend.

Yet some Christians consider these “success” stories for same-sex-attracted individuals because they’re achieving their “heterosexual potential” (Shame and Attachment Loss, 24). But the Bible doesn’t bless every indiscriminate variety of opposite-sex relationship — whether incest (Genesis 19:31–36), or rape (Genesis 34:2), or prostitution (Luke 15:30), or adultery (Matthew 14:3–4), or sex before marriage (John 4:16–18).

What the World Thinks

By simply stating that “heterosexuality is right” without qualification, others may hear a tacit endorsement of the sexual immorality listed above. Certainly, not all heterosexual behavior or relationships are sinful — the union between a husband and a wife is blessed by God — but we must also recognize that heterosexuality is not synonymous with biblical marriage and says nothing about singleness.

The terms heterosexual and homosexual originate from a secular anthropology elevating sexual desires as a legitimate way to categorize humanity. Is this really an ontological category Christians should espouse? Are we, in fact, defined by our sexual desires and behaviors?

The world embraces the terms heterosexuality and homosexuality in part because sexual desires and sexual expression are of utmost importance to unbelievers. The ideology is trumpeted in our classrooms and on our television screens that sex and sexuality are inseparable, necessary, and essential aspects of who we are.

Borrowing this secular, man-made category of heterosexuality to describe how God calls Christians to live misses his perfect standard for holiness. Also, the Bible doesn’t categorize humanity fundamentally according to our sexual desires — or any other sort of desire for that matter. Using a term which confuses and obfuscates our true identity is unwise, and embracing such a broad category which includes sinful behavior must be roundly rejected. It’s irresponsible to cling to terminology that only adds to the confusion.

What the Word Says

Instead of affirming secular categories, let’s look at what’s biblical. What we need is a completely new category to represent God’s sexual ethic: holy sexuality. We’ve pigeonholed ourselves into the wrong framework: heterosexuality, bisexuality, or homosexuality. It’s time to break free from this secular paradigm and embrace God’s vision for sexuality. The term holy sexuality simplifies and disentangles an otherwise complex conversation.

Holy sexuality consists of only two paths: chastity in singleness and faithfulness in marriage — as defined by God to be between a husband and his wife. Chastity is more than simply abstention from extramarital sex; it conveys purity and holiness. Faithfulness is more than merely maintaining chastity in marriage and avoiding illicit sex; it conveys covenantal commitment.

I describe these as two paths, not “choices.” Singleness, for most, is not a choice. If you think about it, no one is born married — we’re all born single! While some may choose to remain single, it’s never initially our own choice.

Holy sexuality is not anything new or monumental. From Genesis to Revelation, only two ways align with God’s standard for sexual expression: if single, be sexually abstinent while fleeing lustful desires; if married, be sexually and emotionally faithful to your spouse of the opposite sex while also fleeing lustful desires. All of us stand together in the same fight for holy sexuality. Instead of determining how we ought to live based on enduring patterns of erotic or romantic desires, God’s call for all humanity is holiness.

Good News for All

Before my conversion, I heard the “Christian” message loud and clear: homosexuality is wrong, and heterosexuality is right. If I wanted to become a Christian, so it seemed, I had to be sexually attracted to women — as if the more erotic desires I had for women, the more of a Christian man I’d be. Too many Christians have wrongly assumed that the main goal for someone like me is to stop or lessen same-sex attractions and develop opposite-sex attractions.

But what’s the harm in that? If people want to marry, wouldn’t it be good to help them be sexually attracted to the opposite sex? But this much is true: the best way to prepare others for marriage is to help them be more like Jesus. The key to a successful marriage isn’t sexual desires, but union with Christ.

God commands us to “be holy, for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44–45; 19:2; 20:7; 1 Peter 1:16). The biblical opposite of homosexuality is not heterosexuality — that’s not the ultimate goal. But the opposite of homosexuality is holiness. As a matter of fact, the opposite of every sin struggle is holiness.

Godly marriage and godly singleness are two sides of the same coin. We will do well to stop emphasizing only one without the other. Both are good. Holy sexuality — chastity in singleness and faithfulness in marriage — is really good news for all.

The article originally appeared on Desiring God , and is used by permission of the author.

Photo by Atharva Tulsi on Unsplash

The Benefits and Pitfalls of Multilevel Marketing in the Christian Community

Hundreds of thousands of Christians have at one time or another been part of multilevel sales organizations. Here’s how the Federal Trade Commission defines multilevel marketing:

In multilevel or network marketing, individuals sell products to the public — often by word of mouth and direct sales. Typically, distributors earn commissions, not only for their own sales, but also for sales made by the people they recruit.

In referring to multilevel marketing practices, I don’t mean “pyramid schemes” based on the multilevel chain-letter approach where others are enlisted to send in their money in hope of rising to the top and receiving huge profits. Although there is a pyramid element to some multilevel sales companies, pyramids per se are illegal, whereas legitimate multilevel sales organizations are not.

The Positive Benefits

First, some clarifications are in order. There is absolutely nothing wrong with selling products or making a profit. Every Christian needs to work for a living, and sales is a legitimate and respectable profession. There are multilevel sales organizations, both Christian and secular, that offer good products at a fair price.

Furthermore, I recognize that many committed Christians are only nominally involved in multilevel sales, or if they are very involved, are very careful in their approach. Personally, I have friends who are part of multilevel marketing companies, but have never once made Nanci and I feel uncomfortable. In fact, in most cases they’re very careful not to even bring it up.

There can be great benefits for some people, especially moms who desire to stay home and care for their children while still supporting their families. One blogger involved in a MLM business wrote:

I lead several women whose sole purpose in building a business is so that their husbands can give up second jobs and others whose purpose is to stay at home with their children. These are goals which will benefit their families. My own husband is preparing to exit the retail company he started 25 years ago, where he has worked 60-70 hours per week to earn roughly three times the income that I earn in a tenth of the hours.  I’ve watched many husbands leave jobs or cut back on hours in order to join in partnerships with their wives. This is not a bad thing! It is also worth noting that I know of one case of a family who has come off welfare due to the mother’s involvement in our business!

Many of those who are heavily involved in multilevel marketing are innocent of the kinds of attitudes and actions I will address in the rest of this blog. There are great examples of people who balance these things well. But just like anything else, being involved with such a business comes with its own unique set of temptations and challenges.

In sharing potential pitfalls, I’m sure to tread on sensitive territory, and no doubt some readers will be offended by what I share. Nevertheless, I ask that you consider what I have to say with an open mind. (What follows is a much edited and updated section from my book Money, Possessions, and Eternity.)

Consider the Finances

I’ll start with a word of caution about the financial side of engaging in multilevel marketing. Besides the well-known larger multilevel sales organizations, there are numerous smaller ones that have come and gone through the years. Some garages are filled five years later with products that were supposed to “sell themselves.”

Many of these organizations entice new prospects by touting extravagant incomes. But the statistics and disclosure statements of many such companies tell another story. In his article Ten Big Lies of Multilevel Marketing, Robert L. Fitzpatrick writes, “Fewer than 1% of all MLM distributors ever earn a profit and those earning a sustainable living at this business are a much smaller percentage still. Extraordinary sales and marketing obstacles account for much of this failure, but even if the business were more feasible, sheer mathematics would severely limit the opportunity. The MLM business structure can support only a small number of financial winners. ”

In their article “The Divine Rise of Multilevel Marketing,” Christianity Today focuses on one company and explains that by some estimates, less than 1% of sellers earn a profit, and more than 90% of the company’s consultants stay at the lowest level. This means they earn less than $600 in a year, before business expenses and taxes.

CBS News reports that 2015 disclosure statements from another popular multilevel marketing company revealed that the average commission their representatives earn is just $85 per year.

It’s true some people sign up as consultants for a company only to get a discount on the products they themselves would like to purchase, and aren’t necessarily concerned about making a profit. Others do so because they truly believe in the products and genuinely want to help others. But for those who hope to make a sustainable living selling them, it’s wise to be realistic about what you can expect to earn.

An article for Crown Financial Ministries (an organization I highly recommend) says this:

Those who enter an MLM business because they love the product and enjoy the association do fine. Those who enter to build a business with income potential need to realize that just like any business it is very difficult and can require years of hard work. If you enter thinking this is a “get rich quick” idea you will be disappointed. The Bible warns against being motivated by or eager to “get rich.”

When the Motivation Is More Than Just Friendship

I’ll move on to another serious concern that can happen with multilevel marketing. Picture this: Someone is warmly approached by a fellow Christian who appears to be genuinely interested in friendship, in person or even through social media. Typically, these people will work something into the conversation about their involvement with a particular line of cleaning products or vitamins or cosmetics, then make a pitch to enlist the other’s involvement.

Over the years, many people have told me similar stories of their experiences with multilevel marketers, with varying degrees of hurt or anger. I’ve experienced it enough times myself to know that it really happens. I’ve received “the call” from a fellow alumnus from Bible college or seminary. First, he’ll ask about me and my family, saying pleasant and flattering things, before he finally moves on to his real reason for calling. When I politely say no to his proposition, sometimes he’ll persist and I must get firmer. Suddenly, all his interest in my family and me is transferred to the next person on his contact list, which consists of every person he has ever met whose name he can remember.

The Danger of Seeing People as Objects

The distinctive element of some multilevel sales organizations is that people are not just potential customers but also potential distributors who would come “under” their recruiter (who from that point forward would receive a percentage of their profits). Not only is every occasion a potential sales pitch and every person a potential sale, but every person is a potential salesman, making money for the “upline.” People can naturally become objects, not subjects, and interest in them can easily become primarily utilitarian.

I know a man and woman who were invited to dinner by two close friends who’d recently become involved in multilevel sales. Before dinner was served, the man noticed out of the corner of his eye that his host had deliberately tipped over the gravy bowl, spilling it onto the tablecloth. Saying something like “clumsy me,” he marched into the kitchen and then reappeared with a bottle of cleaning fluid. He proceeded to demonstrate its amazing ability to get gravy stains out of tablecloths and then launched into a sales pitch for his organization and its wonderful products. The visiting couple was deeply hurt and shaken by this deception and manipulation. It wasn’t only the end of the evening, but the end of a long friendship.

The Potential for Ulterior Motives

Years ago a woman visited our church one Sunday, took a church directory, and immediately started calling people straight down the list, offering her services with a particular multilevel sales company. When she called my wife, this woman shared how much she enjoyed our fellowship, saying that her family had decided ours would be their new church home. After some more pleasantries, she tried to sell her product. When my wife politely said she wasn’t interested, the woman’s previously sweet tone changed. She asked if there were others in the church already selling her product. When my wife said, “Yes, there’s a number,” there was a quiet “Oh,” and the conversation ended. So did the relationship with our church.

Unfortunately, some multilevel marketing lends itself to ulterior motives. Because an up-front and to-the-point sales approach may be quickly dismissed, in some cases, covert strategies are often adopted. Instead of openly relating as brothers and sisters in Christ, people come with hidden agendas and unspoken purposes, calculating how to produce a desired response. People become targets and strategies are developed to overcome sales resistance.

As people start catching on to these indirect sales strategies, a loss of trust occurs. Nobody likes to find out that an apparent friendship is nothing more than a sales strategy. How many of us, due to our past experiences with such people, now instinctively ask, “Why is she being so nice to me? What’s her angle?” or “What’s he leading up to?”

Marketing in the Church

Although there’s nothing wrong with businesspeople having customers from their own church—this is natural and healthy when it develops on its own—it’s another thing for salespeople to use church contacts to actively recruit customers. When that occurs, something ugly starts to happen to people and their view of others. They begin using the body of Christ to further their own purposes for financial gain. (It’s particularly regrettable when pastors and lay leaders use their contacts with people as a platform for their personal financial growth. These conflicts of interest can undermine the integrity of an entire ministry.)

The Church is often an ideal climate for marketing because there’s already an established level of trust—“He’s a good churchgoer” or “She’s my sister in Christ”—and a well-established network of people (sometimes known as contacts) who are already linked by having something important in common (Christ and the Church). So how does the multilevel marketing phenomenon work out in the Church? Sometimes, no doubt, it works out just fine. But sometimes it produces people who use the body of Christ for personal gain.

There are cases where people use church social gatherings and home Bible studies to share their “testimonies” of how this company or this product has transformed their lives. (I’ve heard such testimonies myself.) Sometimes people move from church to church to get more customers, exaggerate their profits, and go into debt to pursue materialistic lifestyles as proof of God’s “blessing.”

To protect their members, one church wrote out an official policy on multilevel/network marketing (there are probably others churches who’ve done the same). I appreciate this section:

Thank you for helping us “keep the main thing the main thing” here at Crossroads. The reason we’re here is to “connect people to God and one another.” Not for business purposes or personal profit. Rather, so that we can reach as many people as possible with the gospel of Jesus Christ and make a difference for Him in our world before He returns.

Loving Our Neighbors

Sometimes, deep involvement in multilevel sales changes people, and not for the best. Some end up fueling the greed of their brothers and sisters in Christ, tampering with their priorities, and encouraging them to pursue a path of materialism. Some go so far as to restrict their friendships to those who work under them or over them, or buy their products, or are useful in some other way. Some become evangelists for their company and their products, anxious to pass on “the good news” of their wonderful organization and moneymaking opportunity. Sadly, sometimes, their “gospel” becomes a cheap substitute for the real gospel.

All of these are very real cautions. But do I think multilevel marketing can be done well, in a way that honors the Lord, fosters love for other people, helps families, and encourages Christlike generosity? It will require biblical wisdom, but yes, it absolutely can be done. I agree with Courtney Reissig, who writes this in her article How Not to Do Multi-Level Marketing:

With millions of people involved in multi-level marketing and direct-selling, this way of working and making money isn’t going anywhere. Instead of writing off the idea completely, we—as Christians who believe all work has value—can provide a different way of thinking about it that doesn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Whether your job is selling beauty products out of your home or something else entirely, the motive for our work remains the same—loving our neighbor.

Resources for Further Consideration

How Not to Do Multi-Level Marketing – The Gospel Coalition

Multilevel Sales Programs – Crown Financial Ministries

Mind Your Own Business – Crossroads Church

The Divine Rise of Multilevel Marketing – Christianity Today

Dave Ramsey’s take on multilevel marketing

Photo by Christine Donaldson on Unsplash

Philip Yancey on His Own Personal Reading Crisis, and What It Means for All of Us

Philip Yancey, a writer I often appreciate, wrote an article about his own struggle to carve out focused attention for reading, and how his own personal experience reflects our culture at large. The decline in reading books is something I feel strongly about, as those who aren’t dedicated readers most likely won’t be dedicated readers of God’s Word.

Here’s an excerpt from Yancey’s article:

I am going through a personal crisis.  I used to love reading. I am writing this blog in my office, surrounded by 27 tall bookcases laden with some 5,000 books. Over the years I have read them, marked them up, and recorded the annotations in a computer database for potential references in my writing. To a large degree, they have formed my professional and spiritual life.

Books help define who I am. They have ushered me on a journey of faith, have introduced me to the wonders of science and the natural world, have informed me about issues such as justice and race. More, they have been a source of delight and adventure and beauty, opening windows to a reality I would not otherwise know.

My crisis consists in the fact that I am describing my past, not my present. I used to read three books a week. One year I devoted an evening each week to read all of Shakespeare’s plays (OK, due to interruptions it actually took me two years). Another year I read the major works of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky. But I am reading many fewer books these days, and even fewer of the kinds of books that require hard work.

The internet and social media have trained my brain to read a paragraph or two, and then start looking around.  When I read an online article from The Atlantic or The New Yorker, after a few paragraphs I glance over at the slide bar to judge the article’s length. My mind strays, and I find myself clicking on the sidebars and the underlined links. Soon I’m over at CNN.com reading Donald Trump’s latest Tweets and details of the latest terrorist attack, or perhaps checking tomorrow’s weather.

Worse, I fall prey to the little boxes that tell me, “If you like this article [or book], you’ll also like…”  Or I glance at the bottom of the screen and scan the teasers for more engaging tidbits: 30 Amish Facts That’ll Make Your Skin Crawl; Top 10 Celebrity Wardrobe Malfunctions; Walmart Cameras Captured These Hilarious Photos. A dozen or more clicks later I have lost interest in the original article.

Neuroscientists have an explanation for this phenomenon. When we learn something quick and new, we get a dopamine rush; functional-MRI brain scans show the brain’s pleasure centers lighting up. In a famous experiment, rats keep pressing a lever to get that dopamine rush, choosing it over food or sex. In humans, emails also satisfy that pleasure center, as do Twitter and Instagram and Snapchat.

Nicholas Carr’s book The Shallows analyzes the phenomenon, and its subtitle says it all: “What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains.” Carr spells out that most Americans, and young people especially, are showing a precipitous decline in the amount of time spent reading. He says, “Once I was a scuba diver in the sea of words. Now I zip along the surface like a guy on a Jet Ski.” A 2016 Nielsen report calculates that the average American devotes more than ten hours per day to consuming media—including radio, TV, and all electronic devices. That constitutes 65 percent of waking hours, leaving little time for the much harder work of focused concentration on reading.

Yancey also shares this:

When asked about his secret to success, Warren Buffett pointed to a stack of books and said, “Read 500 pages like this every day. That’s how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest. All of you can do it, but I guarantee not many of you will…”  Charles Chu, who quoted Buffett on the Quartz website, acknowledges that 500 pages a day is beyond reach for all but a few people. Nevertheless, neuroscience proves what each of these busy people have found: it actually takes less energy to focus intently than to zip from task to task. After an hour of contemplation, or deep reading, a person ends up less tired and less neurochemically depleted, thus more able to tackle mental challenges.

If we can’t reach Buffett’s high reading bar, what is a realistic goal?  Charles Chu calculates that at an average reading speed of 400 words per minute, it would take 417 hours in a year to read 200 books—less than the 608 hours the average American spends on social media, or the 1642 hours watching TV.  “Here’s the simple truth behind reading a lot of books,” says Quartz: “It’s not that hard.  We have all the time we need. The scary part—the part we all ignore—is that we are too addicted, too weak, and too distracted to do what we all know is important.”

Toward the end of his article, Yancey says:

I’ve concluded that a commitment to reading is an ongoing battle, somewhat like the battle against the seduction of internet pornography. We have to build a fortress with walls strong enough to withstand the temptations of that powerful dopamine rush while also providing shelter for an environment that allows deep reading to flourish.  Christians especially need that sheltering space, for quiet meditation is one of the most important spiritual disciplines.

The whole article is well worth reading.

Here are some suggestions I have found helpful to make space for reading and contemplation:

- If you haven’t discovered audiobooks, you don’t know what you’re missing. The great thing is, you can listen while driving, doing dishes, working on a car, running, biking, you name it. I love audiobooks, and so does my wife Nanci. There are some great apps out there for audiobooks, including Audible and Hoopla. (Some libraries have agreements with Hoopla or Overdrive, so check with your local library to see if your account includes free access to an audiobook app.)

- Consider setting a personal reading goal for the year of the number of books you’d like to read. Ask a friend or family member to join you so you can keep each other accountable.

- Dedicate times when all electronic devices are put away so you can focus on reading.

Is It OK to Be Angry with God over Difficult Things?

You can listen to the audio of my answer or read the edited transcript below, which has some additional material added.

Sometimes we legitimize being mad at God, and we need to start by correcting that. There’s a difference between being profoundly disappointed, discouraged, or even depressed by a bad situation, and being mad at God about it. Being mad is blaming God, and saying, “It’s your fault.” And blaming God is a dead-end street, because in doing so we turn away from our greatest source of comfort.

What’s Wrong with the World?

If God is who Scripture says He is, then is He actually to blame for all the bad things that happen in the world, and specifically in my life? I think the answer to that is no, He isn’t.

Is there a biblical basis to justify our being mad at God? Having strong emotions about a situation is understandable, and certainly emotions in and of themselves aren’t bad. I think there’s value in honestly confessing to God our feelings of hurt, resentment, and anger. However, we should direct our emotions (including blame) toward the proper object of our sadness, disappointment, and discouragement.

We need to remember whose fault is sin. All suffering in the world is either directly or indirectly the result of sin. In John 9:2-3 Jesus’ disciples asked, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus said, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

He said it wasn’t a specific sin. If someone has cancer, it doesn’t necessarily mean they did a particular sin and are now being punished by God. Yet overall, the pain and suffering in this world is a result of punishment for sin, and part of the Fall and Curse. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).  

We’re all part of a sinful race. It’s not just that Adam and Eve, or “really bad people” like Hitler, Chairman Mao, or Pol Pot, sinned. It’s people like you and me who are sinners.

In my books The Goodness of God and If God Is Good, I share a story about G. K. Chesterton, who along with other prominent people, was asked by The London Times to respond to the question, “What’s Wrong with the World?” His was perhaps the shortest essay in history: “Dear Sirs: I am. Sincerely yours, G. K. Chesterton.”  What’s wrong with the world? I am. That’s a biblical truth. We are all part of the problem.

Ann Voskamp writes:

We look and swell with the ache of a broken, battered planet, what we ascribe as the negligent work of an indifferent Creator (if we even think there is one). Do we ever think of this busted-up place as the result of us ingrates, unsatisfied, we who punctured it all with a bite? 

It is sin—sometimes not our sin, but someone else’s—that has resulted in bad things in life. When natural disasters kill people, when cancer ravages a loved one, instead of getting mad at God, we should feel anger toward the sin that lies at the root of all suffering.

The Ultimate Remedy

For the Christian, the ultimate remedy for our feelings of anger and hurt is to affirm God’s goodness, sovereignty, and power. We need to go to Romans 8:28, which says, “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love him, to those who are called according to his purpose.” This is part of the inspired Word of God, just as true as John 3:16.

Yes, this side of eternity, we often don’t understand why God allows difficult things in our lives that He could prevent. But the comfort Romans 8:28 gives me is this: I can look at the worst thing that has ever happened to me and say, “I’m a child of God. God promises me that somehow, He is going to use this very bad, horrific situation for great good in my life.” We can be assured that whatever difficulty He has allowed in our lives has been Father-filtered through His fingers of wisdom and love. That is the ultimate perspective-giver.

Does it require faith? Absolutely. But it is true.

We see it in a number of places in Scripture, including in Job’s life. We also profoundly see it in Joseph’s life. In Genesis 45 he tells his brothers, “Don’t be mad at yourselves.” Now, they did a truly horrible thing by betraying and selling him into slavery, probably at the young age of thirteen or fourteen.

Once Joseph confronts his brothers with his identity, he tells them to not be mad at themselves for what they did because it was really the sovereign God who sent him down to Egypt. One day, being Pharaoh’s right-hand-man, he could save countless lives (not only Egyptians, but also his own family—the race from which Messiah was going to come). Later his brothers think, “He’s going to kill us now. There’s no way he’s going to forgive us.” But he does! His forgiveness is based on the perspective he shares in Genesis 50:20, “You intended it for evil, but God intended it for good to save many lives” (emphasis added). If God did that in Joseph’s life, surely He does that in ours.

Jesus is the ultimate example of God bringing good out of the very bad. The worst thing in human history happened on a day we call Good Friday. Why don’t we call it “Bad Friday”? Because we see that God brought the best good in the universe out of the worst thing that ever happened. If God can do that in Jesus’ life and in Joseph’s life, can He do that in ours? Romans 8:28 says yes! Are we going to believe it?

He Owes Us No Apology

God is the source of all good and the standard by which good is measured. We may not like what God does, but we’re in no position to accuse Him of wrongdoing. Every breath He gives us—we who deserve immediate and eternal death—is a gift.

In his article “It Is Never Right to Be Angry with God”, John Piper writes,

Anger at sin is good (Mark 3:5), but anger at goodness is sin. That is why it is never right to be angry with God. He is always and only good, no matter how strange and painful his ways with us. Anger toward God signifies that he is bad or weak or cruel or foolish. None of those is true, and all of them dishonor him. Therefore it is never right to be angry at God. When Jonah and Job were angry with God, Jonah was rebuked by God (Jonah 4:9) and Job repented in dust and ashes (Job 42:6).

God owes us no apology; we owe Him many. If you’re waiting for God to say He’s sorry for the difficulty you’ve experienced in life, don’t hold your breath.

But if, on the other hand, you want to hear Him say He cares about you, and sympathizes with you for the pain you’ve had to endure, if you are downtrodden and brokenhearted, listen to what He says to His people:

As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
(Psalm 103:13)

Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you!
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.
(Isaiah 49:15–16)

Psalm 13 begins, “How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” It ends, “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me” (verses 5–6). David travels a vast distance in a mere three verses (v. 2-4). Like him, we can feel the pain of the first four verses of Psalm 13, while affirming the truths of its last two.

May we too avoid the bitterness of anger toward God, and instead give Him the gift of our trust.  

Photo by Francisco Moreno on Unsplash

What Happens When Youth Are Given the Opportunity to Help a Child in Need

Today’s blog is about a nonprofit that’s making a big difference in the lives of kids with medical needs, and also in the lives of youth in local schools. Our ministry has the joy of being a part of this through sponsorship! Here’s more from Laura Queen, the Portland program director with Sparrow Clubs USA. I think you’ll be touched by reading about their work and seeing the pictures of a child who has been helped. It was so fun to be there at this event at Reynolds High School here in Oregon. —Randy Alcorn

In many ways, today’s world makes establishing relationships with other people harder than ever. Kids are glued to their cell phones, video games, and computers. While they may feel more “social,” the truth is they are quickly losing one of life’s most precious gifts—personal and meaningful connections. 

What if we could get kids to realize the world is so much bigger than just them? 

What if we could ignite compassion in those same kids?

Sometimes, it’s as simple as giving someone an opportunity. That’s the heart behind Sparrow Clubs USA. We connect local students at schools to children in medical need, giving hope and support for these children and their families. And as great as that is, something even more remarkable happens when a child in medical need, which we call their Sparrow, enters the school: compassion explodes. Students are given a reason to look up, to look around, to take notice and reach out to others in their community.

So how does it work? A business provides a set amount of sponsor money to a Sparrow Project at a local school. For every hour of community service students perform, $10 is placed in a Sparrow account for the family. As students raise funds, awareness, and support for their Sparrow, they begin to understand the value of helping others and the power of compassion.

Many young people struggle with feelings of isolation, loneliness, low self-esteem, and lack of purpose. By focusing on community service, the Sparrow program enables everyone to make a difference, regardless of popularity, economic status, athleticism, or intelligence. Often, for the first time, these students are part of something bigger than themselves.

Families with children in medical need face significant emotional turmoil, as well as financial hardships. Although health insurance coverage is now available to more individuals, additional costs such as travel expenses for specialized care, ongoing therapies, annual co-pays, and deductibles are out-of-pocket expenses for families. In most cases, parents caring for a critically ill child lose time from work—some have to leave their jobs—resulting in a reduction of income and inability to pay for these costs, let alone day-to-day living expenses. But Sparrow families no longer feel as isolated during the struggles with their child’s medical issues as they are embraced by an entire school student body.

Community service takes on an entirely different meaning when students are introduced to an actual family, know their story, and understand their hardships. They want to contribute their time doing community service in order to benefit their Sparrow family, instead of feeling that their service hours are something they have to do in order to meet school requirements. Last year alone, over 14,000 hours of community service were performed by students involved in the Portland, Oregon Metropolitan area in support of their Sparrows, resulting in over $83,000 for local families with kids in medical need!

Not only are kids in medical need and their families helped, but there is also a lasting impact on the local youth. They learn lessons in conscience, courage, and character as they serve others in need. This spark of compassion can change lives for years to come, because youth with compassion become adults with compassion.

In January, Reynolds High School in Troutdale, Oregon launched their second Sparrow Project, this time sponsored by Eternal Perspective Ministries. Reynolds had an incredibly successful project in 2017-2018, with students completing over 1,400 hours of community service and raising over $3,500 for their Sparrow, Juno. Their new Sparrow is Joseph, a 14-year-old boy who was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma and is undergoing chemotherapy. He recently received an overwhelming welcome from both students and staff.  Learn more about his story:

Randy again: EPM board member Jay Echternach and I were at two assemblies at Reynolds High School where Laura introduced Joseph to the student body. (We were also there four and a half years after the school shooting that left one student dead, two counting the student who shot himself, and a teacher injured.)  It was very touching to see the students at the second largest high school in Oregon respond as they did at the opportunity to help Joseph! You might think these high schoolers wouldn’t care much about helping a junior high kid. But they did care, and Sparrow Clubs, through Laura, helped them to care.  

To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, and to see how you can get involved, visit sparrowclubs.org. 

Is God All You Need?

Asaph says, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you” (Psalm 73:25, niv). This may seem an overstatement: There’s nothing on Earth this man desires but God? Is Asaph saying he doesn’t desire food, water, clothes, shelter, friendship, and laughter? No. He’s saying, in essence, “Of the many things I desire and need, at the core of all of them is God Himself. Therefore, all that I desire and need is summed up in God alone, because He is the source of all provision and the giver of every good gift.”

Think of human relationships, which are one of God’s greatest gifts to us—a reflection of the relational goodness of His triune self. It was God who said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him” (Genesis 2:18). This statement isn’t simply about marriage; it is also about the intrinsic human need for friendship and companionship.

Notice that God didn’t say, “I’m all you need,” though in one sense (seeing God as our first Need and sufficient Provider) that’s true. Rather, He said, “I’ll give you all you need—and I made you to need others of your kind.” Think of it—God was with Adam in the Garden, yet God said that wasn’t good enough. God designed us to need each other. So do I need food, water, air, and other people? Do I need family, friends and the church, the body of Christ? Sure. God made me to need them, and He provides them for me.

In this article, Scott Hubbard, editor at desiringGod.org, shares some thoughts about the statement “All I need is God.” He writes, “Throughout Scripture, God’s people often need more than God alone—they need God through the things he has made.” Thanks, Scott, for this helpful clarification. —Randy Alcorn

 

You Need More Than God Alone

By Scott Hubbard

“All I need is God.”

The words were becoming increasingly familiar in his new Christian vocabulary. He sang them in verses and choruses on Sunday morning. He heard them in sermons and testimonies. And, of course, he read some variation of them all throughout his Bible. “All we have, all we need, all we want is God.”

The words often felt false on his lips. He thought of how many things he treasured after God. Big things like his parents, his girlfriend, and his nephews. Small things like his bike, his books, and the river by his house. He knew he wanted these things. At times he felt like he even needed them — they energized him, delighted him, comforted him.

He wondered, Can I really say I need God alone?

What a Quiet Time Can’t Do

The phrase “all I need is God” captures the cornerstone of Christian hope, but it is not the only word God himself speaks over the Christian life. To be sure, God alone in Jesus Christ is our greatest and final need. He is the one we need to be born again, justified, forgiven, adopted, and placed on the road to glory. God is also the only one in this world that we cannot truly live without. But when the Bible talks about how Christians fulfill their mission, or find strength in depression, or feel comfort in sorrow, or mature overall, it has more to say than simply God alone.

As we keep repeating, “All I need is God,” over time the phrase may elbow out other biblical ways God gives himself to us. We may subtly give the impression that the Christian who is always alone with his Bible, away from the world, will be first in the kingdom. And we may foster a false sense of guilt for brothers and sisters who, try as they might, need more than prayer and Bible reading to cope with trials and temptations.

Throughout Scripture, God’s people often need more than God alone—they need God through the things he has made. They need not only the grace of God in the gospel, but also the gifts of God in creation.

Consider the stories of three biblical characters: Adam, Elijah, and Paul.

Flesh and Bones in the Garden

As Adam walks through Eden, a sinless man in a perfect garden, with the trees and rivers clapping their hands, and the shalom of God pulsing through the air, two words smack against the sky like a bird hitting a window: “not good.”

“It is not good,” God says, “that the man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18). In order to fulfill his mission to be fruitful and multiply, to fill the earth and subdue it (Genesis 1:28), Adam needed more than God alone. He needed “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (Genesis 2:23). He needed Eve.

And then, even together, Adam and Eve needed more than God alone. If God had wanted to, he could have created Adam and Eve as pure spirit — two angels alongside Michael and Gabriel and the rest of heaven’s hosts. Instead, God made a man and a woman, spirits fastened to flesh and bone. And then he placed them in a world teeming with more than God alone: stars and moons, tulips and oaks, dolphins and rabbits, and a few billion other plants, animals, and minerals.

In God’s very good world, Adam and Eve needed the rain to grow their food, and wine to gladden their hearts, and oil to make their faces shine, and bread to strengthen their bones, and lights to mark the seasons (Psalm 104:13–15, 19).

Adam and Eve needed more than God alone in order to fulfill their mission. They needed God’s help through each other and every other good thing.

Eat, Sleep, Repeat

Jump forward a few thousand years. The prophet Elijah stumbles through the wilderness outside Beersheba, running from a queen who wants his head. “If a sword is not thrust through that prophet by this time tomorrow,” Jezebel had said, “so may the gods do to me and more also” (see 1 Kings 19:1–2). A hundred miles later, Elijah collapses beneath a broom tree, exhausted, depressed, and ready to die (1 Kings 19:4).

Elijah needs God to revive his faith. He needs God to speak to him. He needs God to show himself. But first, he needs to sleep and eat.

And God knows. After letting his prophet rest, God sends his angel with these most practical of words: “Arise and eat” (1 Kings 19:5). So Elijah eats, and then he sleeps again. The angel comes back: “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you” (1 Kings 19:7). Man shall not live by bread alone — true. But man should not try to live without bread.

Elijah needed more than God alone to find strength in his depression. He needed God’s help through food and sleep.

God of All Friends

What about Paul, the single apostle and frontier missionary? Didn’t he find all his help in God alone?

In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul calls God “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3). The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is a God of comfort — a God who tracks us down in the wasteland of our fears and anxieties, wraps his arm around us, and leads us back home.

But how does God deliver his comfort? Sometimes, God comforts us directly through his word. When Paul felt the thorn pierce his side, and when he pleaded for relief, Jesus met him with a word: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Other times, God comforts us through his people. When Paul came into Macedonia, and was “afflicted at every turn,” God wrapped his comfort in a person: “God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus” (2 Corinthians 7:5–6).

Often, God sends comfort to his people by sending them a friend. He sees us in our affliction, taps one of his image bearers on the shoulder, and says, “Go and show him what I’m like.” So we get a knock on our door, or a conversation after church, or friends who ask how they can pray for us. And through them we feel our Father’s comfort.

Paul needed more than God alone to feel comfort in his sorrow. He needed God’s help through a good friend.

From Whom All Blessings Flow

“We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God,” C.S. Lewis writes. “The world is crowded with him. He walks everywhere incognito” (Letters to Malcolm, 75).

Throughout Scripture, and throughout our lives, God often ministers to us incognito. He wraps the world he has made like a cloak around him, he masks himself with his creation, and he walks about the earth on a mission to bless his people.

So when we find help from more than God alone, we should not be surprised. All of God’s created gifts are medicine from our Physician, green grass from our Shepherd, flowers from our Bridegroom. And therefore, they are avenues for adoring him.

We may need more than God alone, but he alone is the fountain from whom all blessings flow, the giver of every good gift (James 1:17). So he alone deserves the glory for all the strength and hope and comfort we find—wherever we may find it.

This article originally appeared on DesiringGod.org , and is used by permission of the author.

Photo by Iswanto Arif on Unsplash

The Houston Chronicle’s Report on Southern Baptist Sexual Abuse, and the Lessons for All Evangelical Churches

On Sunday, the Houston Chronicle released the first of a three-part series titled “Abuse of Faith: 20 years, 700 victims: Southern Baptist sexual abuse spreads as leaders resist reform.”

Below are a few excerpts from the article—though please read it for yourself. (And remember, while this article and the investigation focuses on Southern Baptist churches, it largely applies to all evangelical churches.)

In June 2008, [Debbie Vasquez] paid her way to Indianapolis, where she and others asked leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention and its 47,000 churches to track sexual predators and take action against congregations that harbored or concealed abusers. Vasquez, by then in her 40s, implored them to consider prevention policies like those adopted by faiths that include the Catholic Church.

…Days later, Southern Baptist leaders rejected nearly every proposed reform.

…[since 2008] more than 250 people who worked or volunteered in Southern Baptist churches have been charged with sex crimes, an investigation by the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News reveals.

It's not just a recent problem: In all, since 1998, roughly 380 Southern Baptist church leaders and volunteers have faced allegations of sexual misconduct, the newspapers found. That includes those who were convicted, credibly accused and successfully sued, and those who confessed or resigned. More of them worked in Texas than in any other state.

They left behind more than 700 victims, many of them shunned by their churches, left to themselves to rebuild their lives. Some were urged to forgive their abusers or to get abortions.

…The investigation reveals that:

• At least 35 church pastors, employees and volunteers who exhibited predatory behavior were still able to find jobs at churches during the past two decades. In some cases, church leaders apparently failed to alert law enforcement about complaints or to warn other congregations about allegations of misconduct.

• Several past presidents and prominent leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention are among those criticized by victims for concealing or mishandling abuse complaints within their own churches or seminaries.

• Some registered sex offenders returned to the pulpit.

• Many of the victims were adolescents who were molested, sent explicit photos or texts, exposed to pornography, photographed nude, or repeatedly raped by youth pastors. Some victims as young as 3 were molested or raped inside pastors' studies and Sunday school classrooms. A few were adults — women and men who sought pastoral guidance and instead say they were seduced or sexually assaulted.

Read the whole report.

How Should the Church Respond?

First, let me state that I know many fine Southern Baptist churches as well as godly Southern Baptist pastors. I would never single out Southern Baptists, but since the article was about them I have no choice. All I can do is remind you that the lessons learned should be taken to heart by all evangelical churches.

Abuses such as those detailed in the article break the heart of God, and they should break ours as well. The church should be leading the way in helping and protecting the vulnerable and abused, not protecting and helping predators.

I highly recommend churches consider ways to be more proactive in preventing abuse. One resource that’s been recommended to me is GRACE, Godly Response to Abuse in the Church Environment, which provides a Safeguarding Program to help churches implement best practices to protect the vulnerable. (See this interview with the founder of GRACE.)

The Houston Chronicle set up a database that allows people to search for SBC pastors by name to see if they’ve been convicted of sex crimes. (It’s tragic that such a thing is necessary, but if it saves children and women and churches from sexual abuse,  I’ll be grateful they did.)

Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the SBC, has written a good treatment of the article:

This report is alarming and scandalous, and the courage and grace of these survivors is contrasted with the horrific depravity of those who would use the name of Jesus to prey on them.

First, we must see with clear eyes what is before us. All rape and sexual exploitation is evil and unjust. Sexual abuse is not only sin but also a crime. All of it should be prosecuted in the civil arena, and all of it will be brought before the tribunal of the Judgment Seat of Christ. But nothing is worse than the use of the name of Jesus to prey on the vulnerable, or to use the name of Jesus to cover up such crimes.

We should see this scandal in terms of the church as a flock, not as a corporation. No church should be frustrated by the Houston Chronicle’s reporting, but should thank God for it. The Judgment Seat of Christ will be far less reticent than a newspaper series to uncover what should never have been hidden.

Read the rest.

Trevin Wax, who works with the SBC’s Lifeway Resources, is also outspoken in calling for reforms, and in his article cites other Southern Baptist leaders who are doing the same.

A Sacred Trust

Most of the sexual abuses in the article relate to children, and certainly that is the most horrific kind of abuse. However, calls for reforms in all churches need to extend to church leaders who are involved in immoral consensual sex with adults.

I wrote in a past blog something that bears repeating here. Ministry is not just a task. It is a sacred trust between the under-shepherd and the flock that has been entrusted to him by God. To misuse and violate that trust to achieve sexual conquest, or even emotional dependence, is a particularly deplorable behavior. Every time a Christian leader’s sexual sin is passed off as “an unfortunate indiscretion that came at a vulnerable point in his life,” responsibility is avoided or denied, and others—especially the members in the local church—are taught that emotional needs and inadequacies justify immoral entanglement.

Even the secular counseling profession considers it the highest breach of ethics to enter into a romantic and/or sexual relationship with a client. Indeed, sexual involvement with one who has come to seek emotional help or spiritual guidance should not only be considered fornication or adultery—it should be considered sexual abuse.

Any sexual activity that comes out of a ministry context is comparable to the child sexual abuse that’s at the center of the report, where the supposedly mature and stable adult figure takes advantage of his or her authority and credibility to initiate or allow a sexual encounter with the immature and vulnerable. In such cases, the person in ministry is a predator. And it is all the worse because we are trusted representatives of Christ.

When an Abuser Finds Another Ministry Position

The article highlights the problem of abusers who are hired by other churches and again placed in positions of authority. This is one of the worst things I’ve seen in churches. For example, a pastor has an affair and devastates the church, and then it comes out that the same thing happened at his previous church (sometimes churches). Either the pastoral search group/elders didn’t bother contacting leaders of the former church or they didn’t ask the right questions (or if they did, they weren’t told the truth). Everyone ends up suffering for this.  

There are a few reasons this happens:

First, leaders at both the previous church don’t want to look bad because it happened under their watch, and they should have known. Or perhaps they didn’t take seriously the warning signs.

Second, leaders don’t want their church to experience scandal or for members of the congregation to lose confidence in the leadership, so sometimes they let the pastor announce that he “feels led” to take on a new ministry position in another part of the country.

Third—and this one bothers me just as much as the other two—leaders don’t want to subject themselves or their churches to possible legal liability by sharing information that could result in their old pastor not getting a new ministry job elsewhere. When we fail to do right out of fear for personal consequences, while subjecting others to potentially terrible consequences, that is wrong with a capital W.

So the result of devastation at one church is silence, leading to repeated or greater devastation at the next church…and sometimes the next and the next. It’s maddening.

Sadly, this isn’t limited to sexual immorality. There are many areas, but a prominent one is financial immorality. Some church leaders are quietly dismissed for financial improprieties. But had they been more noisily dismissed, perhaps hundreds or thousands of others in future churches and ministries could have been spared, and the reputation of Jesus and churches would not once again be dragged in the mud. (For more, see my past blog on Are We Shooting the Wounded or Acting in Love By Not Soon Restoring Fallen Leaders Back to Ministry?)

A recent insightful Gospel Coalition article asks another pertinent question in the arena of abuse: How Do Churches End Up with Domineering Bullies for Pastors? Please don’t think I am trying to pile on pastors. I was a pastor, and many of my best friends are pastors. I know well and deeply respect dozens and dozens of pastors, and have had rich conversations with hundreds of them. But these good men, not claiming perfection for themselves, would be the first to say that they wish abusive pastors of every variety were removed from church ministry. When they are not held accountable by their fellow pastors and lay leaders, they can do great damage to churches, and sometimes irreparable harm to individuals who suffer abuse at their hands.  

Tim Challies offers some wise and extremely important thoughts about “Why We Must Emphasize a Pastor’s Character over His Skill.” 

Please, pray for your pastors. Respect and encourage them. And recognize they too—for their sake and the sake of their churches—need to be held accountable. They need to have people speak truth into their lives. May pastors and all who are part of Christ’s truth ponder these passages, beginning with one that reminds us who the head of the church and the only Good Shepherd and Chief Shepherd really is:

“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away” (1 Peter 5:2-4).

“It’s time for judgment to begin with God’s own household. But if judgment starts with us, what will happen to those who refuse to believe God’s good news?” (1 Peter 4:17).

“Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly” (James 3:1).

For more, see Randy’s booklet  Sexual Temptation , which contains clear, preventive guidelines to avoid immorality, and also has a specific section for pastors and church leaders. See also his book  The Purity Principle .

Photo by Gregory Hayes on Unsplash

Wayne Grudem on Systematic Theology, and Why It Matters

I’ve shared before my appreciation for Wayne Grudem, who is the author of more than twenty books and a research professor of theology and biblical studies at Phoenix Seminary. Several years ago, he and I both spoke at the Clarus Conference, and did a couple of panel discussions together. I really enjoyed my time with him.

A few years ago Wayne shared that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and you can read his godly response to this news which he shared on Desiring God.

I’ve long recommended Wayne’s books on theology, and cannot emphasize enough the importance of learning systematic theology. Based on conversations I’ve had, I fear that many believers in churches today understand very little Bible doctrine. I want to encourage you to discover the joy of learning. I recommend not only Wayne Grudem’s large Systematic Theology, but also his abridged Bible Doctrine.

This article from him is a great introduction to what systematic theology is, and why it matters. —Randy Alcorn

What’s Systematic Theology and Why Bother?

By Wayne Grudem

Systematic theology means answering the question: “What does the whole Bible say to us today about any given topic?”

It means searching the Bible to find all the verses pertaining to a given topic of study. Then, we put all the verses together to understand what God wants us to believe. “Systematic” means “carefully organized by topics.” Thus, it’s different from random theology or disorganized theology.

You’re a Theologian

Even if you haven’t written a systematic theology—or even if you don’t consider yourself a theologian—you’re still doing systematic theology in some sense. Everyone has beliefs about who God is, who Jesus is, what salvation is, and how we should live as Christians. We’re all synthesizing those beliefs together.

So if you’re a Christian, you’re doing systematic theology, whether you’re aware of it or not. If you’re not aware of it, then your theology may not be very well organized, or it may not take into account verses from the whole Bible. There may be a verse here or there, or from certain parts of Scripture, but it’s not the entirety of what God reveals about a particular doctrine.

That’s why it’s important to study systematic theology—to understand what God says and what the Bible says.

How to Study Systematic Theology

Here are five ways we should approach systematic theology:

1. With prayer.

We should imitate the psalmist, who prays, “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law” (Ps. 119:18).

2. With humility.

Both Peter and James say God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. Of those two categories of people, I think we all want to be among those to whom God gives grace.

A word of caution is appropriate: Be careful when you talk with others about theological topics, that you don’t let your temper run wild. That isn’t the way God wants us to talk about him:

The wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, and the harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (James 3:17)

We must study systematic theology with humility and seek peace with others.

3. With reason.

Contradictions aren’t acceptable in the study of systematic theology, since there aren’t any contradictions in the Bible. 

Psalm 119:160 says “the sum of your words is truth.” The sum—when you put all God’s words together. There are many times we need to acknowledge mystery, paradox, and things we can’t fully understand. But that’s different from saying there’s a contradiction. God never asks us to believe a contradiction.

4. With help from others.

I have learned much about theology through conversations with others—in the library, in the hallway, or in the seminary lunchroom when talking with other students. Seek help from others as you study.

We use help from others when we read books on theology, since God has gifted the church with teachers (1 Cor. 12:28). We can learn about him from them.

5. With rejoicing and praise.

There should be joy in our hearts as we study these topics, and it should result in praise to our King.

Psalm 139:17 says, “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God. How vast is the sum of them.” The psalmist is overwhelmed with joy and praise for what God has revealed about himself and his deeds. This should be our response as well.

Why Study Systematic Theology

Studying theology is one of most important things we can do, since there is a relationship between what we believe and how we live.

The Bible speaks of doctrine that accords with godliness. For example, Paul encourages the Ephesian Christians to grow up into Christ so they won’t be tossed by every wind of doctrine, but will have stability and grow into maturity (Eph. 4:14).

On the other hand, if false teaching comes into the church—if people lose sight of true theology—then it can be harmful and turn people away from the faith. Paul warned the elders at the church in Ephesus:

For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. (Acts 20:27–30)

Paul warns that false doctrine would come from believers within the church who adopt wrong teachings and are destructive in their influence. Damage comes from neglecting theology and allowing churches and organizations to stray into false teaching about the truths of God’s Word.

Studying systematic theology is important. We should do it with intentionality and purpose.

This post originally appeared in its entirety on The Gospel Coalition .

Photo by madeleine ragsdale on Unsplash

Are Prolifers Exaggerating the Reach of New York’s Reproductive Health Act?

After we posted the link to my recent blog about New York’s Reproductive Health Act on Facebook, an EPM board member and one of our staff had exchanges with commenters claiming we were sharing false information and exaggerating the law’s effects.

We always respond to people’s genuine questions, but I rarely defend myself to critics, knowing it seldom makes a difference when their minds are already made up. But when lives of unborn children are at stake, I and our staff believe in going the extra mile to speak up for them.

I really appreciated Kathy’s and Stephanie’s responses, but unfortunately very few people read them since they were buried under other comments. I wanted to share them in this blog so many more readers would see them. They’re important, as the same statements are being commonly made, and you may have conversations with those who simply don’t understand abortion-related laws and how courts have routinely interpreted the meaning of ”health” to be not only physical but also mental, emotional, and financial.  

Can you find articles in national newspapers and magazines denying that the New York law effectively permits abortion at any time? Of course. There are countless such articles. In contrast, here is one of several that disagree with those articles, and I believe, far more accurately understands the law and its language in light of the history of abortion laws and how they’re interpreted by the courts. (As Joe Carter points out in this article, the New York law simply reinforces how the existing laws are already interpreted in terms of allowing abortion up to the time of birth.)

This is an unusually long blog, but for those confused by the debate, and seeking to understand the issues, and how to respond to those who see it differently, I think it’s worthwhile. I should add that I have certainly seen prolifers overstate and misstate things—just as I’ve seen prochoice people do the same. That’s a given. The question is, in THIS case, what is true and what isn’t? I hope this dialogue is helpful to you.

One commenter wrote:

Mr. Alcorn is presenting as fact lies that he knows are untrue. Kind of calls into question all his books, doesn’t it? “This means a baby can be aborted any time before birth, for any reason.” This is plainly a calculated lie.

EPM board member Kathy Norquist wrote in response to this comment,

Perhaps you missed this in the article:

The New York bill mentions abortion in cases where “a woman’s life or health is at risk.” Greg Gilbert writes, “In abortion discussions, ‘health [of the mother]’ always includes everything. Physical health, mental health, financial health, social health. It’s anything you want it to be.”

He’s right—and in fact, in an adjoining case to Roe v. Wade, Doe v. Bolton, health was defined to embrace almost any consideration. Abortions were legal “in the light of all factors—physical, emotional, psychological, familial, and the woman’s age—relevant to the well-being of the patient. All these factors may relate to health.”

So it is not a lie, calculated or otherwise. There is nothing in the new bill that would prevent the killing of a baby at any stage because of how mother’s health can be defined. And there is no protection for the baby if it is “accidentally” born alive either. It can legally be left to die. And there are doctors who do late term abortions at any stage. These are the facts, sadly.

This person’s response was, “I am sorry you believe this fairy tale.” I certainly wish this were a fairy tale. But having dealt with abortion clinics, abortion doctors, and many women who have had abortions, I can tell you that without a doubt, this is true. The fairy tales are believed by people who deny what those of us who know the abortion business, and the women, know to be true.

Another commenter simply wrote, “False,” then linked to a Snopes.com video and article which claims prolifers have exaggerated the law’s reach and it in fact “does not allow for unrestricted abortion up through the normal term of pregnancy.”

Our staff member Stephanie Anderson wrote this in response:

Randy addressed this issue in the blog. Abortion for a woman’s health can and is frequently interpreted broadly and it would be untrue to say it’s not. The blog quoted Doe v. Bolton, which said abortions were legal “in the light of all factors—physical, emotional, psychological, familial, and the woman’s age—relevant to the well-being of the patient. All these factors may relate to health.” It can refer to all kinds of considerations, not just ones where the woman’s life is literally in danger. Even in those cases, third-trimester abortion is not necessary, though delivery certainly might be.

The commenter replied:

As I understand it, the part of the law that states that a woman may terminate a pregnancy after 24 weeks ‘if the health of the mother is at stake’ is the part of the law that has always been there. The only thing that was added to this section is an additional qualification of ‘if the baby isn't viable’. Statistically, a late term abortion is very, very rare. Less than 1.5%. And it is irresponsible to suggest that suddenly there is going to be thousands of women with healthy babies in their 8th month lining up for abortions for any reason.

IF he wants to talk about the “broad interpretation of health” then he needs to do some research and bring actual statistics into the post. Does this happen? How often does this happen? How are doctors broadly interpreting “health”. What are the actual statistics of late term abortions, and why are mothers choosing this? This would be a far more responsible way to approach this issue. Stating that the law allows for women to abort after 24 weeks “if necessary to preserve the mothers health or if the fetus isn't viable” (which is how the actual law is worded), telling people that “health” can be interpreted broadly but leaving out that this has always been the case, and then implying that “This means a baby can be aborted any time before birth, for any reason” is inflammatory, dangerous and divisive, as clearly evidenced by the comments on this post.

Our work as Christians is not to debate the evil things all those “other people” are doing in society. It’s to get our hands dirty. Volunteer in the community, meet people who are different than us, listen to their stories, meet their needs; love them. I think Jesus is grieved watching his church spew lies and misinformation into the world, causing judgement and condemnation towards people. Articles like this are actively hindering the people Randy encourages us to “pray for” from ever wanting to enter a church or get to know anything about Jesus. Which is exactly why Jesus went into a rage and overturned all those tables in the temple. They were hindering people from being able to worship. I believe there was another story about a millstone as well...

Stephanie replied:

You mention that statistically, late term abortions make up less than 1.5% of all abortions. So in 2017 approximately 882,000 abortions (see this table) were performed in the U.S. That means that approximately 13,230 late term abortions were performed in 2017. Please take the time to listen to this short explanation by an OB/GYN who explains the procedure of a late-term abortion. This barbaric procedure is happening thousands of times every year!

Regarding statistics for how often abortion is performed for a woman’s health, you’re asking for data that simply doesn’t exist. Yes, we have what the New York law says on paper—“if necessary to preserve the mother’s health” —but we also can see, from other states with similar laws (including Oregon), how it actually plays out in practicality. It means that in New York, a woman can now request an abortion after 24 weeks for almost any reason. (Will out of state women now come to New York to have abortions after 24 weeks? That already happens in Oregon.) 

We know that abortions that are truly necessary to save a woman’s life are extremely rare. (This doctor who has delivered thousands of babies says third-trimester abortions are never necessary to save a woman's life, though delivery certainly might be.) We also know that abortions in the case of rape or incest are also, statistically, rare. (The Guttmacher Institute conducted a write-in survey of 1,160 women in 2004 and found 1.5 percent of abortions were reported as due to rape or incest. See this article.) 

So what are the reasons for the remaining abortions? The Guttmacher Institute [affiliated with Planned Parenthood] says this: “The three most common reasons—each cited by three-fourths of patients—were concern for or responsibility to other individuals; the inability to afford raising a child; and the belief that having a baby would interfere with work, school or the ability to care for dependents. Half said they did not want to be a single parent or were having problems with their husband or partner.”

Those reasons could all broadly be interpreted [and in fact often have been] as related to a woman’s mental, financial and/or social health. What abortion doctor is going to tell a woman requesting an abortion for those reasons, “No, I won’t perform one. Those issues don’t relate to your health”? As shown by the Doe v. Bolton ruling, those issues can ALL be interpreted as related to it. So what the New York law effectively does is say that abortion after 24 weeks is now legal in any case as long as it can be said it pertains to a woman’s health. 

Scripture tells us to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves” It’s not “inflammatory, dangerous and divisive” to warn women about the harm of abortion, and to speak to the dangers for our society when our culture embraces abortion. The law DOES expand abortion (otherwise, those who are pro-choice in New York wouldn’t be celebrating!) and so the prolife response and concern is merited. If speaking the truth in love hinders someone from coming to Jesus then they aren’t interested in knowing the real Jesus but a caricature of Him. You only truly love someone when you tell them the truth. Jesus was the perfect balance of grace and truth. Abortion hurts women and kills babies. And that’s the truth. And we need to share that truth in the spirit of love and grace.

And yes, there ARE many people out there “getting their hands dirty” and ministering to these mothers. Here’s one such group in New York. But that doesn’t mean we can’t do both: speak out publicly against abortion, and minister to women in need at the same time. And that’s exactly what many prolifers are doing.

The commenter replied:

So if, by your own admission, the statistics for how often “health” is interpreted more broadly than you’d like, don’t exist, how then is it honest or truthful to claim that the law is being abused? And how can you claim that these sorts of posts are ‘speaking the truth in love’? The context of that phrase was spoken by Paul to the Church as an encouragement for them to build unity within the church. As far as I know, the bible never commands Christians to force our beliefs or morality on anyone outside the church. So how can this be interpreted as loving to anyone outside the church, even if it is truth (which is questionable)?

Stephanie replied:

It is truthful to say that the law will be used in this way and more babies will be killed because that’s exactly the point of why it was passed and that’s exactly why it’s written in such a way to ensure there are NO restrictions on abortion in New York. This is from Desiring God:

The only restriction in the law is written to ensure that there are no restrictions whatsoever. It decrees that abortion may be performed “within 24 weeks from the commencement of pregnancy, or there is an absence of fetal viability, or at any time when necessary to protect a patient’s life or health” (Art 25-A).

This restriction mirrors that of the original Supreme Court decisions of 1973. Roe v Wade allowed restrictions to abortion (the threshold of viability being generally thought to be 23–24 weeks at that time) except when necessary to protect the life and health of the mother.

The companion decision, Doe v. Bolton, handed down with Roe, defined the health of the mother so broadly that it effectively removed the restrictions set in place by Roe. In Doe, the court ruled, “The medical judgment [for a late-term abortion] may be exercised in the light of all factors — physical, emotional, psychological, familial, and the woman’s age — relevant to the well-being of the patient. All these factors may relate to health.”

In RHA, by leaving the “health” of the mother undefined and broadly understood, NY lawmakers made abortion legal for any reason or no reason, at any point during the pregnancy and paid for with tax-payer funds. Our opponents see it this way, too. They cheered,

“Free abortion on demand! We can do it, yes, we can!”

In triumph, Cuomo ordered one World Trade Center to be lit up in pink.

The defenders of the RHA assure us that no woman would undergo late-term abortion unless something terrible and life-threatening was involved. Such a thing is “extremely rare,” it is said. Not true. New York’s own abortion statistics for 2016 reports 1,763 abortions were performed at 20 weeks gestation or later. Even if true, how does killing the infant born alive during an attempted abortion effectively save the mother’s life? In truth, there is no medical condition in late-term pregnancy in which abortion is necessary to save the life of the mother.

Stephanie again. And no, It’s not forcing our morality on anyone to speak up for human life and say it is wrong to kill innocent human beings, and to warn women of the heartache and pain that abortion brings. (Jackie Hill Perry shows us an example of that here.) True love acts in others’ ultimate best interests, and doesn’t just say what they want to hear, even though it may not sound “loving” to say that abortion kills children and harms women.

As far as forcing our beliefs on others, this is not just about our own personal religious beliefs (though certainly God’s Word should inform our beliefs). This is about a violation of human rights and speaking out for life. Randy writes in ProLife Answers to ProChoice Arguments, “The abortion issue is really a human life issue, a civil rights issue. It is not simply a religious issue, any more than the rights of Jews and blacks is simply a religious issue. Though most governments are secular, there is hardly a nation in the world where abortion was legal prior to World War II. You do not need to be a Christian, nor to subscribe to any religion, to believe that the unborn are children and that it should not be legal to kill them.”

The person replied:

There is no point in continuing to respond in this thread, because we are just going around in a frustrating circle. We clearly disagree with each other. I grew up on Randy’s books and other pro life rhetoric. I believed it for years. I still consider myself to be personally pro life, but I have learned the truth about the sordid history of the movement and I can see how the whole issue is used to manipulate voters into voting into office horrible people just because they are pro life. So I cannot in good faith or with any integrity stand with or for the blatant manipulation. You are free to disagree with me, as you clearly do, but if you’re interested in learning more about the history of the pro life movement, NPR has a great series on it.

Randy again: I’ll add a few final thoughts. One of the commenters referenced Christ’s words about a millstone, and said talking about abortion could cause us to violate what Jesus said. Here’s that verse: “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to stumble” (Luke 17:2). I’m struck by the sheer deception-based irony. Instead of being used to encourage  people to be careful not to make little ones (including His young disciples) stumble/be hurt, which is Jesus’ intent, it is misused here to villainize those who are standing up for little ones to...what? KEEP THEM from being horribly hurt. And by extension, this could apply not only to the children harmed by abortion, but also to the women who are fed the lies and harmed by abortion.

We shouldn’t be surprised that the issue of abortion is surrounded by both outright and subtle lies of all varieties. Jesus said of the devil, “He was a murderer from the beginning.... When he lies he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). It is no accident that Jesus speaks about Satan’s murders and his lies in the same breath. Lies are the wheels that turn every holocaust. To pull off his murders, Satan tells us eloquent and persuasive lies. He masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), calling right wrong and wrong right, making people think they are taking the moral high ground even as they defend something unspeakably immoral.

No doubt about it: the abortion battle is being fought in the realm of thoughts and ideas, and even Christians are frequently taken in by the devil’s lies. That’s why Paul says, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Photo credit: governorandrewcuomo on Flickr

What If God Calls You to Give the Shirt off Your Back?

Nanci and I love Mary Clayton Wood, now Mary Clayton Crow, one of our dear friends. She’s a godly woman who’s both fun and engaging, and has a big heart. She and her family have suffered some very serious and heartbreaking trials over the past few years, including the tragic death of her husband, Hunter Wood, who I considered a good friend. Through that, we’ve seen how God has grown M.C.’s character and trust in Him in even deeper ways.

Several years ago, M.C. shared at a Generous Giving Conference. I think you’ll find what she says in this excerpt from her testimony to be both encouraging and convicting. It fits with something I’ve been thinking about lately: how God desires for us to live a life of generosity that includes the people we encounter in person each day. Yes, stewarding our resources wisely so we can give generously to our churches and to organizations advancing God’s kingdom is vitally important. But it’s possible for us to dispassionately write a check or give online and forget that a life of generosity also includes giving of our time and money to those immediately around us. It’s not either or; it’s both types of giving that God calls us to:

A generous person will be enriched, and the one who gives a drink of water will receive water (Proverbs 11:25, CSB).

You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion (2 Corinthians 9:11).

Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and willing to share, storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of what is truly life (1 Timothy 6:18–19).

In this video, Mary Clayton reminds us that God may very well ask us to literally give the shirts off our backs. We should examine ourselves and ask: are we ready and willing to joyfully let go of possessions for God’s glory and others’ immediate and eternal good?

This below is an edited version of Mary Clayton’s story in the video. By all means watch the video, but if you wish to read the story, here it is:

In 2002, I started a women’s ministry called Women in the Vine with my neighbor. There were just about six of us and we started a little Bible study, which over the last seven years has exceeded anything I ever planned. We have about a hundred women who meet weekly to study the Word and really apply it to our lives, and the Lord has let us branch out into other things like inner city ministry.

But I realized that if I needed a shot in the arm, everyone else would need that same shot in the arm. So a couple of years ago during Lent, instead of “giving up” something, I challenged them to give away something. This Lent season, we gave everyone at Women in the Vine a copy of The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn. I told them not only did I want them all to read it, I also wanted each person to start giving something away every week during Lent, but there were two catches. At least one of those items had to be given away spontaneously, meaning someone complimented you on something and you had to give it to them right at that moment. Secondly, you couldn’t replace that item. It just seemed like a small little spiritual discipline, right?

Little did I know that the Lord was going to test me on this. Of course, if I teach it on Wednesday, He’s going to test me on Thursday, right?! He wouldn’t let me get away with it. I thought, This is going to be so easy. I can spontaneously give things away. I’m back on track with this. I’ve got this thing covered.

I walked into my kids’ school the next day, on Thursday afternoon with my favorite white blouse on (and I do love clothes!). I went to sign in to do some volunteer work or something for one of the kids, and the secretary looks at me (who I really hardly knew at all) and said, “That is the most beautiful blouse I’ve ever seen.” Of course I’m thinking, Did she just hear my message yesterday?  I go, “Oh, thank you so much.” And she said, “No, really, I think that’s the most beautiful blouse I’ve ever seen.”

I was like, Lord, what is going on here? I had said to the ladies at Bible Study that they needed to spontaneously take that item and give it on the spot. I actually had on a shirt under this blouse, so I could do that and still be modest. I just looked at her, and I signed in, and as I was walking out the door, she said “I tell you, I’ve never seen a blouse that beautiful.” I’m like, This is freaking me out! Lord, do you want me to take it off? Well, He did want me to take it off right then. But I didn’t.

I walked out into the hall and ran into two of my favorite Christian friends right there, separately. I told them both what had just happened. One had heard me give the message and she immediately goes, “No, I don’t think that was the Lord. That blouse looks so good on you!” Then I walked down the hall and ran into one of my Christian mentors. I told her the story and she said, “No, it would never fit her. You need to keep that blouse!” Okay, what is the point here? Sometimes when God tells me to do something, I can’t listen to what anyone else says.

So I did not give the blouse to her. I went home and I couldn’t sleep. Would you have been able to sleep?! All that’s ringing in your head is “That’s the most beautiful blouse I’ve ever seen.” And then the question begged was Why do I care so much about this blouse? It’s just an item. What it showed me was that these things that I thought I was learning to release still owned me. Things owned me. I didn’t own them and have stewardship over them.

So after a very bad night’s sleep, the next morning I took that blouse, put it in a gift bag, put a piece of tissue paper on top, and delivered it to the school. I said to her, “You know what, it’s Lent, and I just want to bless you during this Easter season and tell you how much God loves you. And I just want to give you this little gift.” I turned around and walked out. She looked at it before I got to the door and she started weeping. A week later I get a note from her, and it said: “This was the most meaningful gift I have ever gotten in my entire life, that you would give such a beautiful thing that you have to a stranger. You must really know God.”

This taught me that when I give extravagantly, even though it seems like a small gift monetarily, it opens the door for the Gospel. So it opened the door and took all the walls down. Just this week when I called the office for something else, she said to me (and I was stunned) “I will listen to anything you have to say because you are so giving.”

For more, see EPM's other resources on money and giving, as well as Randy's related books.

Photo by StockSnap on Pixabay