judgmental – La Vista Church of Christ

The Ignorance of the World Around Me

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 13 May 2019 00:37:30 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/IgnoranceOfTheWorldAroundMe.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: Romans 14:4-13

I. I started to drive home the other night and the radio happened to be tuned to the show of a commentator whom I really can’t stand. He has a nasally, whiny voice that gets on my nerves, but the irritation is nothing compared to his views.

A. Before I could switch the station, I heard him saying, with a tone of incredibility, “We actually have people in this country who actually think the world is only 6,000 years old! We actually have people in this country who actually pray to a God!”

B. That was as much as I heard, but as I continued to drive, it struck me that this person had come to the conclusion that if you hold a belief different from his own, then you must have arrived at it through ignorance.

C. After all, if you were as educated as me, then we would believe the same.

II. Unwise Comparisons

A. It is easy to fall into the trap that what we know must be right

B. Comparing others to self is not wise - II Corinthians 10:12

1. Why? The standard is not fixed. What each person thinks is right differs.

2. It is a form of pride - Romans 12:16

3. Romans 11:25 - Leads to blindness because nothing is checked

4. It puts a human in place of a divine standard - Proverbs 3:7

5. Proverbs 26:12 - A fool is better

C. This is the fault of the Pharisee - Luke 18:11-14

1. You can always find someone who is worse than you, but does that make you a better person?

2. You can always find something that you did was good, but does that mean you are truly good?

3. You see, the publican appealed to God, attempting to see himself as God would see him

III. Speaking evil of what you don’t know

A. A similar trap is to assume that what we know is the sum total of what needs to be known

B. The case of Michael - Jude 8-10

1. If there is a being condemned by his very actions, it is Satan

2. But Michael rightly would not put himself in God’s judgment seat

3. After all, who of us can say we have all the facts?

C. It is a form of pride and self-will - II Peter 2:10-12

D. Fair, accurate judgment comes when the facts are all present - I Corinthians 4:5-6

E. This is the reason for God’s condemnation of Job - Job 38:1-2

1. He decided without knowing all the facts.

F. A person came to me with a complaint about a fellow brother

1. I started asking some pertinent questions about the situation. Was he aware of this fact and that fact.

2. Sadly, he kept answering, “I didn’t know.” Sad because his lack of knowledge didn’t keep him from condemning a brother in Christ.

IV. Judging God’s servants

A. Jesus warned against making wrong judgments - Matthew 7:1-5

1. It is not that decisions cannot be made, but the warning is that the same standards will be applied to you.

2. The example is condemning someone of a small problem when you have a greater one. Your condemnation shows your understanding of right and wrong. By condemning another you are condemning yourself.

3. Consider this, if you measure others by yourself, how do you think you would measure up to your own standards? Most of us would still fail the test - Romans 2:1

B. Do not speak evil of brethren - James 4:11-12

1. The key to this passage is to see that the standard for judgment is not God’s law

2. The decision is made contrary to what God has said, thus placing the one making the judgment in the seat of God ruling on what God has said.

3. Condemning another is an extremely serious matter.

a. To make such decisions based on what I think is to put my opinions above God

b. I’ve seen decisions made without appeal to God’s word. When asked, the sad response was “I’ll have to get back to you later.”

c. Could a verse be found to justify? Sure. People find verses to support their pre-made decision all the time.

(1) But was it an accurate call?

(2) Did God’s word lead, or personal opinion?

C. Think about the case of Nabal

1. He made a judgment about David without full knowledge - I Samuel 25:10

2. As his wife later said, he was a fool - I Samuel 25:25

3. He condemned a man who had been protecting his flocks without being asked and without pay. He assumed that David was a run away servant.

D. Paul talks at length about this in Romans 14

1. Do not judge God’s servant - Romans 14:4

a. It doesn’t matter what you or I think. It is God’s decision.

2. There can be sincere differences in conclusions - Romans 14:5

3. The only judge is Christ - Romans 14:10

a. Therefore the only standard can be Christ’s words

b. Ultimately, each must give a personal account to God - Romans 14:12

4. What is forgotten is that our aim is to get people to heaven, not to get people to conform to our personal beliefs - Romans 14:13

5. Don’t cause offense - Romans 14:20-21

6. Have faith in the things you do that are approved by God - Romans 14:22

7. Don’t violate your conscience - Romans 14:23

E. I was once told that something needed to be done because another sister chose to wear a covering during service. When I pointed out that people do learn and at times change their minds about matters, the point was scoffed at. “They’re doing it because they’re ignorant about the Scriptures.”

1. This is the very thing that God warns us not to do.

2. How can you come to the conclusion that a decision was made out of ignorance of all things? Especially in this case I happen to know that the point was never discussed.

3. I find it particularly sad because the choice is an individual’s. It didn’t impact anyone else.

V. Put away evil speaking - Ephesians 4:31; I Peter 2:1

A. Because someone’s conclusion is different from yours, it doesn’t mean they are wrong, blind, or ignorant.

B. I know ladies who will only wear dresses – never pants. It is not my understanding, but it is theirs.

1. The fact that they wear dresses doesn’t impact me. They are modestly dressed and that is what is important.

2. Though my wife wears slacks at times, they get along very well.

3. And that is as it should be.

C. We are not here to tear people done. We are here to build people up.

D. Don’t assume that a difference between you and a brother is due to a weakness in your brother

E. Romans 14:4

My sister-in-law stopped talking to me and I don’t know why

Jeffrey Hamilton — Thu, 17 Jan 2019 17:16:31 +0000

Question:

Hello sir,

I have a question about family problems. I have a sister-in-law who cannot stand me for no other reason from what I can gather than jealousy.

I'll try to explain. She deleted me from social media recently and cut off communication between us. I noticed and right away I called her to see if I had done something to offend her. I told her if I had offended her, I would appreciate knowing so that I could apologize and we could hopefully fix the problem. She refused to tell me what I had done to offend her, so I apologized, and I asked for her forgiveness. I pleaded with her that I wanted peace between us, whether we left the conversation deciding to no longer talk or not, but at least we would not have a grudge against each other because this can affect our hearts, the lives of our children, and others in the family. I do not want there to be a rift in the family. She continually told me, while I apologized that "I was not sorry" and completely rejected my effort to seek peace and at least tell me my offense against her.

What should I do? I contacted her, trying to seek restoration, and she has no desire to communicate with me, much less forgive me for whatever it is that I have done. I honestly have no idea what is the problem other than we are both pregnant right now. I asked her if it was some jealousy because I was pregnant too, and she would not answer me but continued to tell me that "I'm making everything about me." I am honestly embarrassed with myself because I begged her to accept my apology in whatever it was that I had done and to please talk to me. She laughed and said that "I wish you could hear yourself right now" because I cried at one point in trying to talk to her.

We ended the conversation with me saying "I've tried everything I can think of to talk about what is bothering you and the grudge you have against me. The only thing that I see at this point is that you are the problem." Then she hung up.

Where do I go from here? How are we to handle a jealous family member? How do we move on when someone rejects your efforts in seeking peace and forgiveness with them?

Answer:

"Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' forgive him" (Luke 17:3-4).

"Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering" (Matthew 5:23-24).

Jesus' statement in Matthew 5 is more dealing with a situation where you know what you did to cause a brother to be offended by you. But even if we apply it to this case, you apologized when you didn't know what you did wrong. Therefore, the apology was not based on any repentance on your part; that is why it came across as insincere.

You assumed your sister-in-law is jealous, but here you are accusing her of sin. It is an accusation based on guesses and not facts, which is not fair to her.

All that should have been done is to say, "I noticed that you disconnected from me on Facebook. Is everything all right?" The rest is up to her to acknowledge or ignore. Since nothing was brought up, there is nothing to repent of, let alone apologize for. The problem remains on her side and perhaps one day she'll mature enough to let you know.

It’s people like you who make young people fear to turn to God for help

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 23:00:29 +0000

Question:

I am 23 years young, Christian married mother of one and I was so upset with the comments you made about these young kids who are having sex. Unless you are God Himself, which I highly doubt, you should not be judging and make them feel foolish about the choices they make. It's people like you who make young tweens and teens not turn to God for help because of fear. We want them to feel loved, not stupid. Yes, I agree that the choices they made were wrong and premature. But now what? Let's congratulate them on becoming whores? Yes, it's kind of bad, but how could you say something like that? You don't know what she's dealing with. Let's toss the Bible at them and drill it so they will have no choice, but to feel alone and turn themselves where? Not to the Lord, but to where they felt good and safe. These kids came to you for advice. They needed a question answered and you did that with shame added to it.

Leviticus 19:18
"Don't seek revenge or carry a grudge against any of your people. Love your neighbor as yourself. I am God."

Proverbs 14:31
"You insult your Maker when you exploit the powerless; when you're kind to the poor, you honor God."

Proverbs 19:17
"Mercy to the needy is a loan to God, and God pays back those loans in full."

John 13:35
"This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples--when they see the love you have for each other."

Answer:

"Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."" (Matthew 15:12-14).

I wonder what you would have said to John as he greeted the multitudes: "Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, 'Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance'" (Luke 3:7-8). Yet it appears that the multitudes didn't mind it; they came out in droves just to hear him speak in the middle of nowhere.

You are quite mistaken that I scold because I have something against those who write to me. Unlike you, I understand my duty to my God. "When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul" (Ezekiel 3:18-21).

I understand that my duty is to get people to change and leave sin behind. You will not find an example where I congratulated someone for behaving like a whore. I couldn't figure out which reply got you upset, but here are the ones where I used the word "whore":

Since you felt the need to misconstrue what I have written, I am left wondering about the desperation of your position that you feel the need to lie to bolster your argument.

A preacher's job is "I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching" (II Timothy 4:1-2). Let me direct your attention to the word "rebuke." It means to censure, warn or admonish. It is necessary at times to tell people that they are wrong otherwise they have no motivation to change. It means, at times, causing people to be sorry. "For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death" (II Corinthians 7:8-10).

"And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives." If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed" (Hebrews 12:5-13).

These young people write because they know that I love them so much that I am willing to give them the truth, even though it might hurt. So many are wanting to feed them mush that they don't trust what they are being told. And I don't blame them. Following the truth isn't always easy. "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me" (Matthew 10:38). I was laughing when I read your accusation that I was driving teenagers away from the Lord. It must be the reason the web site is currently getting 3,500 visitors per day and there are days that I get more email from people -- including teens -- than I can handle. It must explain why a few teenagers have traveled across the country to talk about the Bible with me; or regularly engage in instant messaging online just to ask for advice about something that happened to them that day. But then there are notes, such as the following, that keep me going:

You mention that you have a child. He (She?) might be too young, but shortly you will learn that if you love your child, you are going have to scold him. You won't be worried about his fear of you, you'll be encouraging it because you know that fear is going to make him hesitate before doing something wrong and potentially harmful. That fear might just keep him from harm when nothing else works. For the same reason, I want people saved, not feeling good about themselves as they travel to hell.

Question:

I thank you for your prompt reply. You know I'm not here to tell you what your mission is in life, you know it already! I'm also not saying that tough love doesn't work. I have friends younger and older than me that didn't get the teaching when they were younger: The thought that sex will bring them love and satisfaction. Some teens are scared that if they don't give themselves up that they won't be loved. Yes, those are all lies, but at that point in time why can't you or I show them compassion? Of course, you're not going to congratulate them because they are having premarital sex. So you teach them. Teach them to treat their body as a temple. Uplift their spirit. There is no need to make comments like that. I have dealt with teens for a while and I know you don't need my advice. I just felt it was too harsh and I felt sorry for her. I felt sorry that she felt that it was ok to behave like that, that it was ok to degrade her sprit like that. I looked and looked for the comment you made and it seems that it has been changed. A girl wrote to you because she was having oral sex with her boyfriend she had swallowed it. She wanted to know if she could get pregnant for that. The format is all different and the answer is changed. So I can't show you proof other than her question. I didn't just read your comments on sexual relations, I also read your other stuff and sermons, which I like. So I'm not just drilling you and saying that your all-around bad and it seems that I am not the only one that thought you were too harsh. You're doing a wonderful job and you know where your place is with God, which is a wonderful thing, so God bless.

p.s. Please don't ever confuse or judge me and say I don't know where my duty is to our God. I know He is my Saviour and He loves me and all his children good or bad, and He told us all to have compassion and love thy neighbor and love your enemies. Just because I choose to show love doesn't make me any less of a Christian!

Answer:

As typically happens, I find it interesting that you are quite willing to throw all sorts of accusations out, but then turn around and say people ought not to judge. You can't have it both ways. What you are doing is the very thing James condemns. "Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge" (James 4:16).

Let's see, in this note, you claim that I'm not compassionate when I do as God directed. You state that you are not here to tell me how to preach, then you proceed to do just that. You claim that I altered some answers after your accusation to cover up, but again without evidence.

Allow me to address that last one. Since I'm the only one who updates the web site, I know what I work on. It wasn't hard to locate the note you referenced. "Can you get pregnant from oral sex?" was written on 5/29/2007. The only alteration to that file occurred when I changed the design for the web site in January 2008. I did make a few corrections to the formatting today when I looked at the file because the new format didn't transfer correctly. The contents have not been changed -- I keep records and backups. The fault must be in your memory of what was actually said. You expected something else and now that I've directed your attention to it you are certain that something had to have changed. I know the files haven't changed, so I'm left concluding that your perception changed.

In regards to this and your prior note, I do make judgments and form conclusions but they are based on what you have said. What upsets you is that I'm pointing to those things and telling you that they are not right. That you would have worded your response to the person differently is neither here nor there. I would expect different people to use different approaches. My point was that the approach I chose was accurate and biblical. You should not sit in judgment on a servant of God because you personally did not like the approach. "But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: "As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." So then each of us shall give account of himself to God" (Romans 14:10-12). Remember, these people write because they have read my past answers -- not your answers.

If you find an answer that you believe to be biblically inaccurate, I would appreciate hearing about it. But if what is bothering you is what you assume I feel and not what I actually stated; well, you lost your point. The fact that some people don't like the answers is expected. "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known" (Matthew 10:24-26). I hope you noted that I publish the objections as well as the "thank you"s. About the things that don't make the web site are:

Notes so profane that I can't clean it up and have any content left.
Notes promoting another person's web site.
Most notes that contain no real question -- especially if they are long.
Notes that ask the same thing already addressed. These get answered, but they are directed to the prior answer.

Even with these restrictions, I rarely lack material to publish. The fact that there are objectors doesn't prove the answers were unbiblical or unappreciated.

Will Catholics go to hell?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sat, 22 Oct 2005 02:51:08 +0000

Question:

Will Catholics go to hell?

Answer:

"Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who "will render to each one according to his deeds": eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness--indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God" (Romans 2:1-11).

Anyone not doing the will of God will face the wrath and punishment of God. There is no religion that will protect a person from this simple fact. No membership in any religion is a guarantee of escaping Hell and entering Heaven. "Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest [heaven], lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience" (Hebrews 4:11).

Question:

So are you saying not to judge?

Answer:

We judge in accordance with God's will. "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment" (John 7:24). We are not left blind. God has told us how He will judge. It matters not if I like or dislike Catholicism. The true question is: "Are Catholics obeying God's will?" The result of that determination is also up to God, though He has told us how He will judge: the disobedient will end up in eternal punishment.

Christians must avoid placing themselves in God's judgment seat. I cannot make the final determination of who will go to heaven or hell. Even Michael the Archangel said in a dispute with Satan, "The Lord rebuke you!" (Jude 9). If there is someone we know would end up in Hell, it would be Satan. But Michael would not place himself in the position of acting as God. However, notice that Michael did make a determination or judgment. He did call on God to rebuke Satan. Hence, Michael did determine that Satan was in the wrong.

Shouldn’t you teach about principles instead of pointing out people’s sins?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 30 Mar 2005 22:49:19 +0000

Question:

I feel the golden rule is being ignored by the church these days: the laws that say "love thy neighbor and your enemies and love God with all your heart." Maybe if you teach these principles instead of pointing fingers, people will follow you. Sure, you teach that homosexuality, pre-marital sex, and the rest of your favorite subjects are sinful. That's fine, but I believe there are more pressing issues that are leading men astray.

How many times does the Bible warn us about being rich? It's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle? I know, with the Lord, anything's possible. Is not materialism the leading cause of sin in the world today? Does it not lead us to ignore the golden rule? Does it not lead us to worship something other than God and inflict us with sinful worry? Where are you on these issues?

It's easy to point the finger at something you are not. I can look down at homosexuality because personally, I think it's disgusting, but there's no virtue in that.

Answer:

"Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him," 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."" (Matthew 22:35-40).

When considering God's laws, everything can be summed up in the two statements that Jesus gave. Basically, the rest of the Bible is an explanation of what it means to love God and to love your neighbor. This includes the passages that instruct us on how to live righteously as well as the ones which tell us not to sin. "Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law" (Romans 13:8-10). All those negative commands in the Ten Commandments are applications of loving God and loving your neighbor.

If "pointing fingers" is so bad, why are you pointing your finger at me? Not that I mind, because I know what I teach, but I would like you to see that the very thing that you accuse me of doing is the thing you give yourself permission to do. "Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things" (Romans 2:1).

God requires His messengers to point out the shortfalls of men. "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul" (Ezekiel 3:17-21). In other words, my salvation as a minister is dependant on my pointing out to people where they are sinning and showing them how to get out of sin.

Paul solemnly charged Timothy, "I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry" (II Timothy 4:1-5). Notice that Timothy as a minister was to convince people what was right and wrong, to rebuke people for their sins, and to exhort them to live righteously.

Rebuking people for their sins is an essential part of getting people to change because unless a person is convinced that they are in the wrong, they have no motivation to change their ways. Jesus said, "unless you repent you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). Yet, the motivator to repent is sorrow over personal wrongdoing. "For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death" (II Corinthians 7:10). I'm pleased that the information on this website is making you uncomfortable, but I will be happier when it sinks into the point that you regret your participation in those sins because only then will you truly change and leave those sins behind.

You asked why I don't teach against being rich. The answer is simple. Being wealthy is not a sin. If it was then Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job, David, and a host of others would be guilty for they were all wealthy men. Look at the example of Job: he lost everything he owned, yet after his trials, we read, "And the LORD restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been his acquaintances before, came to him and ate food with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversity that the LORD had brought upon him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and each a ring of gold. Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys" (Job 42:10-12). God gave Job riches and it is called a blessing, not a curse.

What you are confusing is Paul's warning: "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" (I Timothy 6:9-10). It is not wealth that is a sin, but the desire to be wealthy. Money is not the root of all evil. It is the love of money that is a root of all kinds of evil. Greed does turn men's hearts away from God and their fellow men. It produces numerous sins, but it is not the source for every sin.

Those who are blessed with wealth need to be on their guard. Their comfort can lead them to false confidence. "Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life" (I Timothy 6:17-19). But, no, it is not a sin to be rich. The existence of this command informs us that there were wealthy Christians.

You mention that it is easy to point fingers at something that you are not. Would my guess be accurate that you are not rich, but you are comfortable in condemning those who happen to be well off? If my guess is accurate, do you not see that you do the very thing that you condemn others for doing? But, worse, you are condemning people for something that is not declared sinful. "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?" (Matthew 7:1-3).

You can’t judge others!

Jeffrey Hamilton — Thu, 27 Jan 2005 21:11:32 +0000

Question:

I think you are guilty of this. With all humility, I come to you out of love so that you may stop preaching and standing with an iron fist as one who judges every individual. You cannot condemn people to hell or preach from the pulpit that so-and-so is going to hell. It's not your right. May God humble your heart and you can come to repentance and reach out to those you have wronged.

Answer:

Isn't it ironic that in order to make this condemnation, you had to pass judgment on me? By doing so, you have given the right to others to pass similar judgment upon yourself. "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you" (Matthew 7:1-2).

It is true that no man has the right to condemn a fellow man to hell; such is reserved for God. "For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people."" (Hebrews 10:30). However, it is a falsehood to state that evil actions cannot be identified and condemned. None of us are perfect; we all make mistakes; we all commit sins from time to time (Romans 3:9-23). A person in sin needs correction so that he will leave sin behind. "And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh" (Jude 22-23). Telling a person that his current course is wrong is called a rebuke.

Rebuking the sinner is a particular duty of elders and preachers. Elders must be "able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain" (Titus 1:9-11). Preachers are to "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables" (II Timothy 4:2-4). What you are requesting is that I fail in my duty as a preacher to rebuke the gainsayers, such as yourself.

Such inaction is one of the reasons Israel fell. "His watchmen are blind, they are all ignorant; they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yes, they are greedy dogs which never have enough. And they are shepherds who cannot understand; they all look to their own way, every one for his own gain, from his own territory" (Isaiah 56:10-11). Like a guard dog who does not sound a warning, Israel's watchmen did not give warning when the people strayed into sin. As a result, they brought judgment upon themselves. "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: "When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul" (Ezekiel 3:17-19). No, I believe I will not follow that worn path of failure in letting the wicked lie in peace.

In addition, your judgment brings condemnation on past preachers. The apostle Paul warned Timothy, "Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words" (II Timothy 4:14-15). Or earlier when Paul said, "But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some" (II Timothy 2:16-18). Your declaration is that it is wrong to say that others are in sin; hence, you have placed yourself in the position of condemning Paul.

No, sin must be rebuked and those living in sin must hear the rebuke. Even though you and others will not listen, there is always hope that the truth will reach the heart of some.

Dress Codes (Article)

Jeffrey Hamilton — Tue, 28 Dec 2004 03:39:24 +0000

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

by Elissa Eikelboom

Why do we pull out our best clothing each Sunday in preparation for attending services? Many of us have our "Sunday Best" – those outfits reserved for Sundays and other special occasions. The thought of attending services in anything but our best clothing is so repulsive that many people would rather miss service than to show up in anything less than suitable.

To be sure, the peer pressure is great. In my younger days, women were expected to wear a modest cut dress to Sunday services. I remember the dismay that pervaded a congregation in my youth when a woman who wore only pants suits began attending services. It didn't seem to matter that pants suits had been in style for quite a while. In fact, I'm sure that every woman in the congregation had at least one pants suit in her closet. It also didn't matter that the woman didn't even own a dress at that time. Nor did the fact that no man would be caught in one of these outfits. People were upset that she wasn't wearing a dress to services.

Men also had a dress code. They were expected to wear at least a tie on Sunday, though a full suit was considered more proper when serving at the Lord's table or when preaching from the pulpit. You could get by without a tie at mid-week services, but never on Sunday. I knew of two congregations where a man would not be called upon to serve at the Lord's table if he was not wearing a suit.

We started asking why do we have such traditions? Frequently, I'm told that we ought to "give our best to the Master." I tried to find this phrase in the Scripture, but it doesn't exist. It seems to be based on some of the principles in the Old Law which regulated sacrifices. In Deuteronomy 17:1, the Israelites were told not to sacrifice flawed animals. God expected a Jew to offer up the best of his flock. Even in criminal justice, a robber repaid his victims with the best that he had (Exodus 22:5). Giving up something that won't be missed is not much of a sacrifice. A true sacrifice involves giving up something that we care about. It shows God that we care for Him more than any material possession.

Can this principle be applied to dressing up on Sunday? What sacrifice is being made when we try to look our best before men? Except for the poor, owning and wearing a nice outfit does not cause any hardship. Except for little boys, most of the people seem to enjoy putting on their finery. Therefore, dressing up on Sunday can't be compared to the sacrifices that the Jews made under the Old Law.

Another common argument is that Sunday is a special day and as such deserves special attire. Please think about this carefully: when we dress up on Sunday, are we striving to please God or are we trying to please the people who will see us? Jesus taught us to quietly serve God and not to call attention to ourselves (Matthew 6:1-5). We are not to show off our piety before men.

There is one passage that discusses attire at the worship service – James 2:1-13. James very plainly states that no one is to discriminate on the basis of what another is wearing. If we do so:

We show partiality, and so are judges with evil thought;
We dishonor the poor;
We break the law to love our neighbor as ourselves; and
We are showing no mercy.

Some believe this passage only applies to strangers in our midst. Regular members should dress appropriately. However, James makes no such distinction in this passage.

God is impartial between the rich and the poor. Being rich does not give a person any special privileges (Job 34:19). Rather, God accepts all who fear him and do his will (Acts 10:34).

Being poor is not shameful. We can be short on funds, but rich in spirit (Revelation 2:9). Yet, people insult the poor when they require a minimum standard for attire in the worship service. Don't they realize that the poor will find their way to God before the rich? God has chosen the poor so that no one can find cause to boast (I Corinthians 1:26-31). God promised to treat us as we have treated others (Luke 6:37-38). What awaits those who exclude Christians from participation in the worship because they think their attire is not satisfactory?

God has not set a standard for the quality of our attire. Some don't mind that a few cannot afford good clothes, but ... "at least wear the best that you have" or "at least wear clean clothes to church " However, take a look at James again. The poor man in the example came in "dirty clothes" (NASB), "shabby clothes" (NIV), or "filthy clothes" (NKJV). In John 7:24, Jesus said that judging by appearances was wrong. It is wrong to judge a man by just what we see and it is wrong to judge a man by just what he wears.

Does this mean that a Christian may wear whatever he desires? No, God does set guidelines that we must follow, not just in worship but in all aspects of our lives. In I Timothy 2:9-10 Paul instructs women select clothing that exemplifies three qualities: modest, propriety, and moderation. The word “modest” comes from the Greek word komios, and it refers to things that are orderly, showing good behavior, or respectable. “Propriety” is from the word aidos, and means to have a sense of shame, bashfulness, or reverence. “Moderation” is from the word sophrosune; it means having good sense, a soundness of mind, and a display of self-restraint. Sensual or lewd attire is ruled out by these guidelines. It doesn’t demonstrate the Christian’s way of life (Ephesians 4:17-24). Nor should Christians select outfits that put their wealth on display (I Peter 3:3-4). Nor should we chose clothes that demonstrate rebellion against the standards of society (I Thessalonians 5:14). Society does have informal rules of conduct governing correct behavior, including respectfulness demonstrated in the selection of clothing.

God sets the guidelines, but we run into problems when fashion changes. There was a time that you would never see a salesman without a tie. Today, the wearing of ties is becoming increasingly rare. At one time, women always wore dresses, especially in public. Now dresses are reserved for formal occasions. Yet, some brethren, remembering the old standards, insist that anything different is disrespectful. We must be very careful not to enforce our opinions as if they were God’s commandments (Matthew 15:9). If a congregation insists that its members wear ties or dresses, what will they do when ties and dress go out of fashion? And they will go out of fashion – they certainly weren’t around in Jesus’ day. When Christians set specific standards not found in the Scriptures, is it any different from the Pharisees establishing detailed rules concerning what precisely constituted work on the Sabbath or how to avoid becoming unclean?

If we take a look at the song, "Give of Your Best to the Master," we can find excellent instruction on what true sacrifice involves. We need to dedicate the best time of our lives to God instead of time that is convenient for us. Solomon instructs us to serve God while we are still young and have the energy to serve well (Ecclesiastes 12:1). If we wait until we are older, we won't be able to do as much as when we were young. We have so little time on the earth. We need to spend that time wisely (Ephesians 5:16, Psalm 90:12).

We also need to give God the best place in our lives. Jesus instructs us to put the kingdom of God first in our lives (Matthew 6:33). The church is more important than food, clothing or other things that we may deem as necessities. Paul instructed Timothy to give himself wholly to reading, exhortation, and to doctrine (I Timothy 4:14). If we have our priorities straight, all of our day-to-day cares will take care of themselves. However, if things like work become more important to us than serving God, we will lose the most important thing of all -- our souls.

God is not asking for anything more than what He has already given us. He gave the best that He had -- his Son -- so that we might be brought back to His fold. God gave us such an incredible gift, not because we were something special, but because we were so undeserving of His love. Even when we return the best that we have to God, it is too small a gift to repay God for his rich blessings. Can we give back to God anything less than the best that we have? We must give God our true best, not fancy clothing at worship, but whole-hearted service to our Master.

How do I save my marriage?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sat, 25 Sep 2004 02:58:56 +0000

Question:

You wrote that I could rescue my wife and my marriage. Please give me advice on saving my marriage and rescuing my wife.

Answer:

Many books have been written on this topic and trying to address an individual situation with almost nothing to go on is very difficult. The best that I can offer is some general advice. You should find someone local whom you and your wife trust to give sound advice to help you through this difficult time. "Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established" (Proverbs 15:22).

Too often people in difficulty focus on what other people should have done; yet, it is near impossible to get other people to change without their desire to change. You can encourage them along the right path, but you cannot force a change. Hence, the best starting point is to look at yourself. You see the problem in the relationship and you have a desire for it to improve. "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye" (Matthew 7:1-5).

There are two points to be gained from Jesus' instructions. First, before passing judgment on something that your wife is doing wrong, first stop to consider whether you are doing something similar or contributing to the problem. I'm fascinated how often someone will make a complaint, but fail to see that they are doing the same thing. "She's not interested in the things that I do" Okay. When was the last time you talked to her about her day? You see if you can focus on a problem she has, it is perfectly legitimate to bring that same focus on your own life. Many people are willing to talk about someone else's fault, but they also want the other person to change first before they change. Second, when you find fault in other, expect complaints to come right back at you. It is a defensive mechanism that most people use. The solution is to first fix as many problems as you can in your own life before trying to straighten out someone else. Surprisingly, by the time you get your own life back in line with God's standard, many of the problems that once plagued your relationship will disappear. This is because many problems are the result of feedback. "You did this, so I'm going to do this." Soon problems escalate as each one tries to return tit for tat. The cycle has to be broken and the best person to make the first move is the person who realizes there is a problem.

If you want to save your marriage, fight evil with goodness. "Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:18-21). Be kind to your wife. When she snaps, reply with a favor. It doesn't mean that she gets her every wish, but it means you take control of the situation by steering it toward the way it should be. Change from a defensive strategy of avoiding evil to an offensive one where your "weapon" is kindness. "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails" (I Corinthians 13:4-8).

The most difficult thing to repair is a breach of trust. Trust is the foundation of a loving relationship. It will take time. As the wounds heal, as you work toward the best interest of each other, trust can be rebuilt.

You Can’t Tell Me How to Dress!

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 01 Aug 2004 18:44:01 +0000

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

He came to services sporting a mohawk haircut spiked tall with hair gel. Each ear was pierced several times: small nut-like objects filled the larger holes in each ear. One eyebrow was pierced. His lip was pierced and when idle the boy toyed with the ring occupying the hole. His tongue held a stud. A heavy metal necklace that looked like an oversized pull-chain was around his neck. Each arm had black leather bands with heavy metal studs protruding all around. His belt was constructed in a style similar to the armbands. He was in my office, angry that the Bible class teacher told him to leave because he found the attire distracting the class.

"I'm dressed decently!"

True, his baggy pants, tee-shirt, and unbuttoned, untucked dress shirt covered his body. I'll even credit him with clean and ironed clothing. However, I pointed out that he only followed part of Paul's command regarding modest dress. True, the passage in I Timothy 2:9-10 was directed towards females, but the principles set forth are ones all Christians ought to keep in mind. "In like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works." There are three words used to describe how women are to adorn themselves:

"Modest" (komios) refers to things that are orderly, showing good behavior, or respectable.
"Propriety" (aidos) refers to having a sense of shame, bashfulness, or reverence.
"Moderation" (sophrosune) refers to sobriety, having good sense, a soundness of mind, and a display of self-restraint.

Most of us use this passage to argue against clothing that reveals too much flesh and it is a good verse to use. The word aidos hits at the core of the problem of clothing designed to be sensual. Neither male nor female Christians should be dressed in provocative ways to arouse the passions of those seeing them. "This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:17-24).

However, Paul wasn't focused solely on lewd attire. He illustrated his point by mentioning braided hair, expensive jewelry, and costly clothing. A person putting his wealth on display is not showing self-restraint but an attitude that says,"Look at me! I'm rich!" Peter explained, "Do not let your adornment be merely outward -- arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel -- rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God" (I Peter 3:3-4). People ought to notice the Christian because of who she is and not because of what she is wearing. It explains how Sarah, a woman who between the ages of 60 and 90, was sought after by two different kings (I Peter 3:5-6). Such a display of pride is not proper for a Christian. "Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."" (I Peter 5:5). This attitude of sober-mindedness is what each godly woman strives to instill in her children (I Timothy 2:15).

Yet, we still haven't touched on the concept of orderliness. Society has rules of conduct governing correct behavior; these informal rules include ideas as to what is respectable clothing. Christians are expected to operate within the bounds of society's expectations as our behavior influences how society perceives God. Paul told the Thessalonians to "warn those who are unruly" (I Thessalonians 5:14). "Unruly" comes from a Greek word typically used to describe an army is in disarray or soldiers who are insubordinate (that is, not following commands). Christians are not to be seen as rebels flaunting those in authority. Children are to be obedient to their parents (Ephesians 6:1-3; I Timothy 3:4). Wives are to be submissive to their husbands (Titus 2:5). Slaves are in subjection to their masters (Titus 2:9-10). Christians obey their government's laws (I Peter 2:13-16). Rebellion is a sin of pride and stubbornness.

When a person chooses to dress rebelliously, he leaves the impression that he will refuse to listen to rules. He will walk his own way and he doesn't care what anyone thinks. Is such a display of Christian meekness, submission, and humbleness?

"I'm still the same person inside!"

And such causes me concern. The old cliche is that you can't judge a book by its cover, but what a person chooses to wear does reflect his inward thoughts. Our thoughts govern our actions. "So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man"" (Matthew 15:16-20). External things do not influence the heart, but the heart does influence what is done externally. The boy told me, "I wouldn't be caught dead wearing what you are wearing." What is it about dress slacks and a dress shirt that makes it unbecoming to this young man? I don't think it is the material or the cut, but what it represents in his eyes. My attire does not express the rebellion that he feels inside.

There is a parable found in Matthew of which we should take note. A king called a wedding feast and had trouble getting people to come. Eventually, he invited the common and poor folk to attend. "But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' For many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:11-14). Why was the king upset? Is it not that the clothes the man chose to wear a reflection of his heart? This is why the man was speechless. He had no reason and his choice of clothing was speaking his thoughts loud and clear. He wasn't there to celebrate a wedding.

"You're just a bunch of hypocrites!"

But the argument that he is still the same person is a statement that his clothing doesn't reflect his inner thoughts. He was contradicting himself and those contradictions made his arguments difficult.

A hypocrite is a person putting on an act. His outward actions and statements do not reflect what he is truly thinking. Isn't it interesting that he claims people shouldn't judge him by his appearance because he is still the same person, but we are the hypocrites? Who is it that claims it is just an act?

Hypocrisy is saying one thing and doing something else. "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me" (Mark 7:6). When a person lays claim to Christ but dresses rebelliously, is it not hypocrisy? Remember again Peter's words, "Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."" (I Peter 5:5). If a person is submissive in his heart, it will be reflected in his choice of clothing and in other things that he does.

"You have no right to judge me!"

Is the statement itself not an act of judgment? I cannot judge his clothing to be inappropriate, but he can judge me. Paul warned the Jews to be careful in making judgments about the Gentiles. "Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things" (Romans 2:1). By passing judgment, a person has acknowledged that judgments can be made. If they can be made against another, they can be made against one's self. If we lay claim that certain things are right or wrong, then our own actions can be judged as right or wrong. "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you" (Matthew 7:1-2). Truly one should tread carefully before condemning because it will come back to haunt you.

Matters of clothing can be judged. When arguing about covering the head, Paul said, "Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?" (I Corinthians 11:13). Both Paul and Peter recorded commandments concerning the choice of clothing. Do we ignore those of us who chose not to obey those commands? Perhaps if this young man knew his Bible, he would have countered with, "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment" (John 7:24). Judgments are serious matters. We cannot just skim the surface; we must examine in depth. If a person showed up to services in grubby attire, do you know the reason? In upstate New York, I knew several dairy farmers who faithfully made it to services, but there were times that they smelt of manure because cows can't tell time. Perhaps the fellow had stopped to aid a person with a broken down car on the way to services and there was no time to run home for a change of clothes. Or perhaps what they are wearing is the best that they can afford (James 2:1-13).

In this young man's case, it was not a surface judgment. He had been a member for several years. He was warned repeatedly that his clothing choices were not becoming of a Christian, and yet he continued to choose more and more outlandish attire until this day that the Bible class teacher said it was too much. The church does have the right to judge. It is required to be "the pillar and ground of the truth" (II Timothy 3:15). I, as a preacher, had the right to tell him he was in the wrong. "Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you" (Titus 2:15).

I pray that he will one day come to his senses (II Timothy 2:24-26). Please pray for him as well.

Is the Bible male oriented?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Thu, 08 Jan 2004 17:34:30 +0000

Question:

Of couse living in a world of patriarchy MAN wrote the bible !!!!! Hide behind your bible and justify mens disgusting behavior. I think your God is a sick one. If you think spousal rape is acceptable because "God" said women are to please her man and not "giving it" up is her sin, I think you need to do some soul searching and re-evaluate your moral and ethical codes. You better prey to your god, that you are right and you should hope it's not the Goddess whom is really incharge!

[Spelling and grammar presented as originally sent]

Answer:

Rightly did the Lord warn, "And you will be hated by all for My name's sake" (Matthew 10:22). I am pleased that the answer on Spousal Rape picked the author's heart enough to realize that the Bible is different from her own cherished beliefs. In writing this letter, the author displays several ill-conceived notions.

She believes that the Bible is the product of men and not of God. Yet, the Bible asserts the opposite. It claims to be the product of God and not of man. Paul stated, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (II Timothy 3:16). The word translated as "inspiration" in this passage literally means to be breathed from the mouth of God. The Bible does not ask to be accepted as a product of man, but as a document that comes straight from God. As Paul stated in another letter, "But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ" (Galatians 1:11-12).
Yet the author desires for us to bow to her own view with no evidence that her view is correct. The Bible offers many proofs that it comes from God; yet, one ignorant woman believes otherwise and wants everyone to follow her lead.
She claims men have disgusting behavior while simultaneously excusing any ill-behavior by women. Such a statement displays unjust judgments. Fortunately, Christianity is a religion of impartial application. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). However, notice that this woman makes moral judgments based upon no standard other than her own opinion. If she can judge by her standard, then the opinion of any other person carries the same weight. A mass-murderer has the perfect right to kill because his opinion is all that matters to him. And taken to the fullest extension, this woman is advocating anarchy in the system of moral standards; much like the Israelites, "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25). It did not work for the Israelites and it will not function here either. "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes" (Proverbs 12:15).
If each person can make a judgment by their own standards, then there is no standard. If this woman claims the right to repudiate an article basis on her own opinion, she has no ground to stand upon. My opinion becomes equal to hers even when it is contradictory. Hence, by her own system of ethics, my article is perfectly fine because it expresses my own view of the world. The only way to resolve this conflict is to appeal to a standard that is greater than either of us and therein lies her greatest problem. She rejects the concept of God. She wants me to re-evaluate my system of moral and ethical code, but she has no standard for evaluating any moral or ethical code.
She claims there is a possibility that God is actually a goddess without any evidence, yet somehow we are to tremble at the possibility. Bah! Well did the Psalmist say, "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.'" (Psalm 14:1).
She did not understand the answer to which she objects (see Spousal Rape). I am fairly confident that she did not read it in its entirety but saw certain key phrases that knocked the foundation of her belief system out from under her. Rather than evaluate her own beliefs against a proven standard, she chose the easy route of ridiculing the Bible.

It is my prayer that the article not only continues to bother this woman's conscience but that she is goaded into attempting to prove that the Bible is wrong. For it is my firm belief that the longer a person examines the Scriptures, the more that person must conceed that it is a product of an almighty and awesome God