Know our content below:
INDEX
* Abraham and the everlasting nature of the Land (TO ENTER)
* DOES IT MATTER WAHT YOU BELIEVE ABOUT THE ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD (TO ENTER)
* FEEDING SHEEP OR AMUSING GOATS? (TO ENTER)
* The impeccability of christ (TO ENTER)
* HOME The Woman's Place (TO ENTER)
* HOW DOES GOD SPEAK TODAY ? (TO ENTER)
* Misconceptions of Modern Evangelism (TO ENTER)
* SHOULD A BAPTIST CHURCH EMBRACE PENTECONSTALISM? (TO ENTER)
* SIN (TO ENTER)
* SOME OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING THE LORD'S SUPPER (TO ENTER)
* THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST (TO ENTER)
* What Happened To The Bible Doctrine of Election? (TO ENTER)
* Why I am not saving my heart for my husband (TO ENTER)
...........................................................................................................................................
* See our blog in the Portuguese language of Brazil: click here or access http://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.com/
Friday, August 3, 2007
Misconceptions of Modern Evangelism
Topical Introduction: Acts 10:36-38
I. Definition
The word evangelism is derived from the Greek euaggelion (yoo-ang-ghel' -ee-on). It is derived from the same root, euaggel, from which we get our word "Gospel". Gospel, in its turn, means "Good News" or, by some interpretations "Glad Tidings". Thus, evangelism is nothing more or less than Gospel-ism, or Good News-ism – the means of propagation for that which is contained in the Gospel. Accordingly, in this study, whenever I use the word evangelism, I will be referring to the means and ways of testifying of the Gospel – which is the message of redemption in and through Christ (Eph 1:12, 13).
II. The First Misconception – "Modern"
The very first misconception which we encounter, right from the beginning, is the use of the word "modern" in relation to evangelism. This denotes a change from that which is old-fashioned or out-of-date, and refers to a period that is distinct and apart from the past. However, Biblical Evangelism need not be upgraded or overhauled, for it is never out of date. There is no need for a different approach to the propagation of the Gospel other than that put forward in the Word, for:
A. Man’s Condition Has Not Changed – Isa. 64:6, 7
Jer. 17:9: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
B. The Message Has Not Changed – Acts 17:30
Mat. 3:2: And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
C. The God We Serve Has Not Changed – Mal. 3:6 Heb 1:12: And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
D. We Are Commanded NOT to Change – Prov. 22:28 II Thess. 2:15: Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. It might be good to note that we preach Christ’s teachings, not Christian traditions. Christ’s teachings are unchanging and eternal, and thus are traditional in the sense that they are historically ageless. However, it is because they are His teachings that we preach them, not because they are traditional.
III. The Second Misconception – "Means"
The second great misconception of modern evangelism is that the means and focus of evangelism must be updated and made more palatable for "modern" man – as if the 21st century human is depraved and dead in sins to a different degree than his counterparts in other times. Accordingly, the means of evangelism has been perverted. We now show movies and perform skits, set up hotlines and counseling centers, host basketball tournaments and hayrides, and give away ice cream and bicycles in an attempt to cajole people into hearing a watered-down, compromised Gospel. Despite this, true evangelism is still:
A. From The Word – Lu. 16:27-30 Ps. 119:130: The understanding of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
B. By Means of Preaching – Rom 10:14, 15 I Cor. 1:21: For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
IV. The Third Misconception – "Motivation"
The third great misconception of the modern evangelism movement has been in regard to the stimulus and motivation of evangelism. The focus of modern evangelism has been to gain a decision, to make a psycho-emotional appeal that triggers a positive, corresponding response, and to effect an intellectual resolution in line with what is desired. It finds the means of effecting these goals in corrupted psychology, mind control, and emotional prompting. True evangelism, however, finds its power and essence in:
A. God Himself – Jo. 15:5 Ps. 127:1: Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
Regarding John 15:5, we have tried to eliminate God so that we are no longer limited by the exclusiveness of "without me ye can do nothing". However, having done that, and having dabbled with every method and motive under the sun, we find that our disobedient everything is still nothing, for He is everything that evangelism must be.
B. The Knowledge of Man’s Incapacity – Jer. 10:23 Isa. 6:5 – Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
C. The Fact That Salvation Is of the Lord – Eph. 2:8, 9 I Tim. 1:9: Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, Thus, the sustaining power of evangelism is the knowledge that we are fundamentally incapable of doing God’s Will in our own power, and yet that it pleased God to use us as His servants. Furthermore, beyond doing our duty as messengers, we must recognize that results are solely of God. In the summing up, we are but "unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do" (Lu. 17:10) – and that only through His power.
V. The Fourth Misconception – "Results"
The fourth misconception that the world holds regarding modern evangelism is in relation to its results. It is a sad fact that only a small fraction of the multitudes converted by modern methods ever darken the door of a church. Instead, it is perfectly acceptable that bars and strip clubs and other establishments of evil remain open, while periodical services are held so that the lost conscience may remain assuaged by "rededication" to the Lord.
Despite this, true evangelism leads to:
A. Repentance of Sins – Ac. 16:29, 30 Ac. 2:37 – Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
B. Departure from Evil Ways – Ep. 4:28 Ac. 19:18, 19 – And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
C.Submission to Baptism and a Commitment to Walk with Christ – Ac. 8:36-38 Acts 16:32, 33 - And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. Acts 2:42 – And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
D. True Fellowship with Other Like-Minded Believers – Ac. 2:42-46 Ac. 4:32 - And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
E. Establishment of, and Addition to, a New Testament Church to the Glory of God Ac. 2:47 - Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. Eph. 3:21 - Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Thus, the great fallacy of the modern evangelistic movement is that its converts are not attending Scriptural, New Testament churches. The sheep – if they are sheep – are not being fed as Ac. 20:28 indicates they should be, nor is glory being given to God, but to men. These errors have bankrupted the modern evangelistic movement and effectively separated it from its base, the local church, empowered by Christ to do His will (Mt. 28:18).
VI. Conclusion
In conclusion, the knowledge of all the above should impact our evangelism. It should not only make us conscious of the God-centeredness of every aspect of true evangelism (John 15:5), but it should also make us acutely aware of our unworthiness before Him, and our need to submit ourselves and our efforts unto Him on a continual basis. At the same time that it should burden us for the lost, it should make us draw closer to that precious faith for which our forefathers in the faith suffered – and for which faith they preferred all the terrors of Heb. 11:36-38 rather than give an inch in their beliefs. In every aspect of our Christian life – no less in our approach to evangelism - mayHe commands He we also be prepared to live as decidedly and uncompromisingly as they.
Author: Benjamin Gardner
I. Definition
The word evangelism is derived from the Greek euaggelion (yoo-ang-ghel' -ee-on). It is derived from the same root, euaggel, from which we get our word "Gospel". Gospel, in its turn, means "Good News" or, by some interpretations "Glad Tidings". Thus, evangelism is nothing more or less than Gospel-ism, or Good News-ism – the means of propagation for that which is contained in the Gospel. Accordingly, in this study, whenever I use the word evangelism, I will be referring to the means and ways of testifying of the Gospel – which is the message of redemption in and through Christ (Eph 1:12, 13).
II. The First Misconception – "Modern"
The very first misconception which we encounter, right from the beginning, is the use of the word "modern" in relation to evangelism. This denotes a change from that which is old-fashioned or out-of-date, and refers to a period that is distinct and apart from the past. However, Biblical Evangelism need not be upgraded or overhauled, for it is never out of date. There is no need for a different approach to the propagation of the Gospel other than that put forward in the Word, for:
A. Man’s Condition Has Not Changed – Isa. 64:6, 7
Jer. 17:9: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
B. The Message Has Not Changed – Acts 17:30
Mat. 3:2: And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
C. The God We Serve Has Not Changed – Mal. 3:6 Heb 1:12: And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
D. We Are Commanded NOT to Change – Prov. 22:28 II Thess. 2:15: Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. It might be good to note that we preach Christ’s teachings, not Christian traditions. Christ’s teachings are unchanging and eternal, and thus are traditional in the sense that they are historically ageless. However, it is because they are His teachings that we preach them, not because they are traditional.
III. The Second Misconception – "Means"
The second great misconception of modern evangelism is that the means and focus of evangelism must be updated and made more palatable for "modern" man – as if the 21st century human is depraved and dead in sins to a different degree than his counterparts in other times. Accordingly, the means of evangelism has been perverted. We now show movies and perform skits, set up hotlines and counseling centers, host basketball tournaments and hayrides, and give away ice cream and bicycles in an attempt to cajole people into hearing a watered-down, compromised Gospel. Despite this, true evangelism is still:
A. From The Word – Lu. 16:27-30 Ps. 119:130: The understanding of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
B. By Means of Preaching – Rom 10:14, 15 I Cor. 1:21: For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
IV. The Third Misconception – "Motivation"
The third great misconception of the modern evangelism movement has been in regard to the stimulus and motivation of evangelism. The focus of modern evangelism has been to gain a decision, to make a psycho-emotional appeal that triggers a positive, corresponding response, and to effect an intellectual resolution in line with what is desired. It finds the means of effecting these goals in corrupted psychology, mind control, and emotional prompting. True evangelism, however, finds its power and essence in:
A. God Himself – Jo. 15:5 Ps. 127:1: Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
Regarding John 15:5, we have tried to eliminate God so that we are no longer limited by the exclusiveness of "without me ye can do nothing". However, having done that, and having dabbled with every method and motive under the sun, we find that our disobedient everything is still nothing, for He is everything that evangelism must be.
B. The Knowledge of Man’s Incapacity – Jer. 10:23 Isa. 6:5 – Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
C. The Fact That Salvation Is of the Lord – Eph. 2:8, 9 I Tim. 1:9: Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, Thus, the sustaining power of evangelism is the knowledge that we are fundamentally incapable of doing God’s Will in our own power, and yet that it pleased God to use us as His servants. Furthermore, beyond doing our duty as messengers, we must recognize that results are solely of God. In the summing up, we are but "unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do" (Lu. 17:10) – and that only through His power.
V. The Fourth Misconception – "Results"
The fourth misconception that the world holds regarding modern evangelism is in relation to its results. It is a sad fact that only a small fraction of the multitudes converted by modern methods ever darken the door of a church. Instead, it is perfectly acceptable that bars and strip clubs and other establishments of evil remain open, while periodical services are held so that the lost conscience may remain assuaged by "rededication" to the Lord.
Despite this, true evangelism leads to:
A. Repentance of Sins – Ac. 16:29, 30 Ac. 2:37 – Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
B. Departure from Evil Ways – Ep. 4:28 Ac. 19:18, 19 – And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
C.Submission to Baptism and a Commitment to Walk with Christ – Ac. 8:36-38 Acts 16:32, 33 - And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. Acts 2:42 – And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
D. True Fellowship with Other Like-Minded Believers – Ac. 2:42-46 Ac. 4:32 - And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
E. Establishment of, and Addition to, a New Testament Church to the Glory of God Ac. 2:47 - Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. Eph. 3:21 - Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Thus, the great fallacy of the modern evangelistic movement is that its converts are not attending Scriptural, New Testament churches. The sheep – if they are sheep – are not being fed as Ac. 20:28 indicates they should be, nor is glory being given to God, but to men. These errors have bankrupted the modern evangelistic movement and effectively separated it from its base, the local church, empowered by Christ to do His will (Mt. 28:18).
VI. Conclusion
In conclusion, the knowledge of all the above should impact our evangelism. It should not only make us conscious of the God-centeredness of every aspect of true evangelism (John 15:5), but it should also make us acutely aware of our unworthiness before Him, and our need to submit ourselves and our efforts unto Him on a continual basis. At the same time that it should burden us for the lost, it should make us draw closer to that precious faith for which our forefathers in the faith suffered – and for which faith they preferred all the terrors of Heb. 11:36-38 rather than give an inch in their beliefs. In every aspect of our Christian life – no less in our approach to evangelism - mayHe commands He we also be prepared to live as decidedly and uncompromisingly as they.
Author: Benjamin Gardner
"JESUS VOLTARÁ" JESUS VOLTARÁ!
"JESUS VOLTARÁ" JESUS VOLTARÁ!Para ter acesso aos estudos bíblicos e todo o conteúdo desse espaço basta descer a barra de rolagem e ver o índice logo abaixo.- Também descendo a barra de rolagem e observando o seu lado direito da página, você terá acesso a vídeos de louvor, enquetes, públicidades e notícias.* See our blog in English (to enter)* Vea nuestro blog en la lengua española (para entrar)* (Obs. não temos controle sobre o conteúdo das propagandas!)ÍNDICE:* Lsta de heresias e tradições humanas adotadas e perpetuadas pela "igreja católica romana", ao longo de 1.600 anos. (entrar) "novo"* As testemunhas de Jeová refutada versículo por versículo (entrar) "novo"* Bíblia OnLine "Novo Testamento" (entrar) "novo"* Os estados finais dos justos e dos ímpios (ler) "novo"* Criados para santidade (ler)* A ceia do Senhor (ler)* A vontade de Deus (ler)* A doutrina do Espírito Santo em 25 capítulos (entrar)* Fotos de Israel (ver)* Estudos Bíblicos Polêmicos (entrar)* Estudos Bíblicos "Últimos tempos" (entrar)* Escatologia "estudo completo" (ler)* Mensagens Bíblicas evangelisticas (entrar)* Poemas & Versos (entrar)* Salmos Bíblicos (entrar)* A doutrina da salvação (entrar)* A doutrina do pecado (entrar)* O que Cristo é para os crentes (entrar)* A doutrina da Trindade (ler)* A justificação (ler)* Satanás - sua origem, obra e destino (ler)* A santificação (ler)* Uma vez salvo, sempre salvo (ler)* Vídeos de louvor e pregações (entrar)* Família (entrar).............................................................................................................................................................ÍNDICE 2:* Mensagem para todos os visitantes (importante) (ler)* Confira os menores preços de bíblias, livros e Cd's Evangélicos (entrar)* Vigiando & Orando indica pra você algo muito especial, veja (entrar)* Após conhecer o conteúdo do nosso blog se torne membro da nossa comunidade no ORKUT; Para conhecer pessoas abençoadas e conversar muito sobre a palavra do SENHOR. -> (entrar na comunidade Vigiando & Orando)* Conheça o nosso blog em Iglês (entrar)* See our blog in English (to enter)...............................................................................................................................................................* Observação: Para ver todos os vídeos de louvor e outros conteúdos do nosso espaço, desça a barra de rolagem observando o seu lado direito da página. São varios vídeos espalhados do início ao final da página, participe também das enquetes.*Se quiser nos enviar um estudo para ser postado aqui, envie para: cristo.esta.voltando@hotmail.com*Conheça o nosso shopping clicando aqui!................................................................................................................................................................- Leia abaixo proverbios 3 que não está incluso no índice:1 FILHO meu, não te esqueças da minha lei, e o teu coração guarde os meus mandamentos.2 Porque eles aumentarão os teus dias e te acrescentarão anos de vida e paz.3 Não te desamparem a benignidade e a fidelidade; ata-as ao teu pescoço; escreve-as na tábua do teu coração.4 E acharás graça e bom entendimento aos olhos de Deus e do homem.5 Confia no SENHOR de todo o teu coração, e não te estribes no teu próprio entendimento.6 Reconhece-o em todos os teus caminhos, e ele endireitará as tuas veredas.7 Não sejas sábio a teus próprios olhos; teme ao SENHOR e aparta-te do mal.8 Isto será saúde para o teu âmago, e medula para os teus ossos.9 Honra ao SENHOR com os teus bens, e com a primeira parte de todos os teus ganhos;10 E se encherão os teus celeiros, e transbordarão de vinho os teus lagares.11 Filho meu, não rejeites a correção do SENHOR, nem te enojes da sua repreensão.12 Porque o SENHOR repreende aquele a quem ama, assim como o pai ao filho a quem quer bem.13 Bem-aventurado o homem que acha sabedoria, e o homem que adquire conhecimento;14 Porque é melhor a sua mercadoria do que artigos de prata, e maior o seu lucro que o ouro mais fino.15 Mais preciosa é do que os rubis, e tudo o que mais possas desejar não se pode comparar a ela.16 Vida longa de dias está na sua mão direita; e na esquerda, riquezas e honra.17 Os seus caminhos são caminhos de delícias, e todas as suas veredas de paz.18 É árvore de vida para os que dela tomam, e são bem-aventurados todos os que a retêm.19 O SENHOR, com sabedoria fundou a terra; com entendimento preparou os céus.20 Pelo seu conhecimento se fenderam os abismos, e as nuvens destilam o orvalho.21 Filho meu, não se apartem estas coisas dos teus olhos: guarda a verdadeira sabedoria e o bom siso;22 Porque serão vida para a tua alma, e adorno ao teu pescoço.23 Então andarás confiante pelo teu caminho, e o teu pé não tropeçará.24 Quando te deitares, não temerás; ao contrário, o teu sono será suave ao te deitares.25 Não temas o pavor repentino, nem a investida dos perversos quando vier.26 Porque o SENHOR será a tua esperança; guardará os teus pés de serem capturados.27 Não deixes de fazer bem a quem o merece, estando em tuas mãos a capacidade de fazê-lo.28 Não digas ao teu próximo: Vai, e volta amanhã que to darei, se já o tens contigo.29 Não maquines o mal contra o teu próximo, pois que habita contigo confiadamente.30 Não contendas com alguém sem causa, se não te fez nenhum mal.31 Não tenhas inveja do homem violento, nem escolhas nenhum dos seus caminhos.32 Porque o perverso é abominável ao SENHOR, mas com os sinceros ele tem intimidade.33 A maldição do SENHOR habita na casa do ímpio, mas a habitação dos justos abençoará.34 Certamente ele escarnecerá dos escarnecedores, mas dará graça aos mansos.35 Os sábios herdarão honra, mas os loucos tomam sobre si vergonha.(Que o nosso Senhor e Salvador abençoe a todos em nome de Jesus!)http://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comJESUS VOLTARÁ"JESUS VOLTARÁ"http://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comJESUS VOLTARÁ"JESUS VOLTARÁ"http://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.com"MENSAGENS EVANGÉLICAS"JESUS VOLTARÁhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.com"JESUS VOLTARÁ"http://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.comhttp://vigiandoeorando.blogspot.com
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
HOW DOES GOD SPEAK TODAY?
"BELOVED, WHEN I GAVE ALL DILIGENCE TO WRITE UNTO YOU OF THE COMMON SALVATION, IT WAS, NEEDFUL FOR ME TO WRITE UNTO YOU, AND EXHORT YOU THAT YE SHOULD EARNESTLY CONTEND FOR THE FAITH WHICH WAS ONCE DELIVERED UNTO THE SAINTS." JUDE 3
"AND TAKE THE HELMET OF SALVATION, AND THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD." EPHESIANS 6:17
Some people claim that God speaks to them in dreams or visions. One time I asked a woman how she knew that she was saved and she said she knew she was saved because she was in the hospital one night near death and in the middle of the night the Lord appeared to her in a vision and told her not to worry because she was going to get well.
Some people claim that God speaks to them by special revelations or by the gift of prophecy, they claim that God gives them the same type of special revelations which He gave the apostles in New Testament times.
Some claim that God speaks to them through audible voices. I used to know a preacher who was constantly saying "God told me to do this" or "God told me this was going to happen."
Some people claim that God speaks to them through immediate impressions on their minds or what they like to refer to as 1'a still small voice." They talk about the fact that they did this or did that because suddenly they just felt strongly impressed to do so.
How DOES God speak today? How does God reveal his will to us? How does God speak to men today calling them to preach the gospel? How does God speak to us in times of sorrow and death in order to bring comfort and peace? The two verses of our text give us the answers to all these questions.
THE BIBLE IS GOD’S FINAL WORD TO MEN
Jude 3 says "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." "The faith" here does not refer to the faith by which a person receives salvation. It does not refer to the belief in and reliance upon the Lord Jesus Christ by the sinner for salvation. THE faith or literally the ONE faith here speaks of the sum of all the doctrine which the Lord has given his people in his revelation. It speaks of the body of revealed truth. This faith is sometimes referred to in the Bible as the WORD OF FAITH. The FAITH here is an objective term and it refers to the totality of what Christians believe.
Jude speaks of the fact that this faith, this word of God, was DELIVERED to the saints. The Greek word which is translated "delivered1' here means an act completed in the past with no continuing element in it. The force of the word once in the Greek here excludes all thought of repetition. Once for all it means.
God's whole truth for man is contained in the scriptures and has been once for all delivered to man in the Word of God, the Bible. Everything we need to know about God and our relationship to him is found in the written word of God. God's whole truth is contained in the scripture. The Bible is the only special revelation God has given us. God has said his last word to man in his revelation of Jesus Christ in the scriptures. God has said his last divinely inspired word. He has nothing further to add to what He has already said in his written word. No new revelations are to be expected. The word of God has been delivered once for all. The faith has been delivered once for all.
We're not saying that God could not give further revelation if He wanted to. That is not the issue here! We are saying that He does not because that is what Jude and others say in the Bible. The Bible is the full and complete Revelation of God to man.
EVERYTHING necessary for man to know about God, his work, and his will is contained in the scriptures. Nothing more is needed. The scriptures are absolutely sufficient for knowing the things of God. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God..." Paul says in II Timothy 3:16-17 "...that the man of God may be perfect (Spiritually mature), throughly furnished (totally equipped) unto all good works."
The Bible is the full and complete revelation of God to man. God has nothing more to say to man this side of glory that is not found in the Bible. I love the words of that great old hymn
HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION YE SAINTS OF THE LORD IS LAID FOR YOUR FAITH IN HIS EXCELLENT WORD WHAT MORE CAN HE SAY THAN TO YOU HE HATH SAID TO YOU WHO FOR REFUGE TO JESUS HAVE FLED.
Now, if God's revelation is complete there can be no further visions, revelations, sign miracles, or infallible predictions. Visions and dreams from God and audible voices and special gifts of prophecy are actually claims to receiving special or inspired communications from God. Yet the Lord Jesus plainly states in John 15:15 that "All things that I heard from my Father I have made known unto you." How can anyone claim the possibility of more revelation in light of this statement?
Proverbs 30:6 warns us "Add thou not unto his words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." Our text in Jude 3 says that the faith has been once for all delivered to the saints. How can one add to faith that has been once for all delivered to the saints? On top of all this the Lord Jesus places an anathema, a curse on anyone who would add to what is written in the Bible. .... If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book..." the Lord says in Revelation 22.
Why is this anathema placed on those who would add to God's book? Because the revelation is complete! Nothing more is needed. God has closed the Book! Revelation is the last book to come from an Apostle. Any prophecy after the times of the Apostles has the anathema of God upon it.
The position which Baptists have taken on this matter throughout history is expressed very plainly in the Philadelphia Confession of Faith.
"The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down or necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture; unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelation of the spirit, or traditions of men."Many people today want "a fresh message from heaven" rather than the Holy Scriptures. Some blinded eyes read the very sayings of the Son of God and look away for more exciting things! People who seek dreams and VISIONS as revelations from God are implying very strongly that the Bible is not able to make a man perfect and throughly furnished unto all good works. They are denying the sufficiency of the scriptures!
One of the leading writers in the modern Pentecostal movement, Mr. Henry W. Frost, has made this very revealing statement in his book "Miraculous Healing" (pg. 109-110):
"1t may confidently be anticipated as the present apostasy increases that Christ will manifest his deity and Lordship in increasing measure through miracle signs including healings. We are not to say, therefore, that the word is sufficient! It is so to those who know and believe it but it is not so those who have never heard of it or who having heard have disbelieved it. To those persons a dramatic appeal may have to be made and on the plane where such will most easily be understood, namely the physical."This way of thinking openly and without apology denies the absolute sufficiency of the scriptures to meet all the needs of man.
GOD SPEAKS TO MEN TODAY THROUGH THE BIBLE.
The means or the instrument by which God speaks to men today is not visions, not dreams, not voices or special gifts of prophecy. The means by which God speaks today is the written word of God.
Paul says in Ephesians 6:17 "And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God." Paul is saying here that the Holy Spirit of God uses the word of God to speak and to do his work in this world today. The written word of God is the sword, the instrument, the tool of the Holy Spirit by which He works in this world speaking to men today. The scriptures are a sharp sword convincing men of sin, threatening the wrath of God, refuting error and heresy, repelling Satan's temptations, and revealing God's will.
The BIBLE and the BIBLE ALONE is the word of God today. And 'the only way the Holy Spirit speaks in this world today is thr6ugh the written word of God, the Bible. It is only in and through the scriptures that we have any knowledge of or contact with Him who is the image of the invisible God.
How do we know God's will today? How do we discover God’s specific will for our own lives? Pastors and counselors and parents and friends may help us to see God’s will and message and meaning but ultimately all these must be based upon the written word. There is no knowledge of God’s will needed by man today which is not either directly stated by the Bible or else may be deduced from the Bible by prayerful consideration.
Every spiritual need that we could possibly have is covered entirely in God's written word. God's word is absolutely sufficient for every possible need that we could have, if not in direct statements then in principles laid down. Again II Timothy 3:16-17 says "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine1 for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works." Listen! The Holy Spirit never reveals anything to the soul that is not in the scriptures! That's right!
Now, what about God's will for your life and mine? How does God reveal his will to us today? First we need to recognize that God’s will is always consistent with God's word. God will not deal with us regarding his will apart from the written word!
What then are we to make of dreams and visions and impressions and gifts of prophecy, etc? What about dreams? Many people take their dreams as being messages from God. We need to understand that at one time or another everyone has dreams. This is a phenomenon which God has built into the human psyche.
There is a lot involved in the matter of dreams. When I worked in the state penitentiary at Granite, Oklahoma I came to realize that the inmates have a high incidence of serious dreams and so I began to do some thinking and study on the subject of dreams. One thing I found was the fact that in our sleep our minds and especially our subconsciousnesses run free and uninhibited. Many times what we have heard or thought of or have been reminded of in the previous 24 hours comes back into our dreams at night.
I also found that such things as guilt and especially guilt stir up the subconscious mind so that its thoughts in dreams become much more vivid and serious many times. Men who feel their guilt have nightmares and visions and other serious dreams more frequently than others. Several other things produce and stimulate dreams many times, such things as indigestion and worry.
I also found that dreams are a device which God has built into our minds which aids us in remaining asleep when we are about to wake up or are in a shallow or light sleep. So dreams have a purpose in God's scheme of things but this purpose is not to reveal God’s message or God’s will!
What about the strong impressions we sometimes get encouraging us to do things for the Lord? The danger in relying upon impressions as being messages or directions from God is that there are other spiritual beings and influences besides the Holy Spirit which can give us impressions. I John 4:1 says "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." And the standard by which we judge the spirits is, of course, the written word of God.
When a woman feels "impressed" or "feels led" to preach she is not moved by the Holy Spirit but is led by "another spirit" because the written word of God through which the Spirit of God speaks strictly forbids women to preach in I Timothy 2:12. If a Christian young person "feels led" to marry an unbeliever he is moved by "another spirit" than the Holy Spirit because the written word of God strictly forbids this in II Corinthians 6:14-18.
No we must not live according to our own intuitions and impressions apart from the written word of God. We must measure these impressions by the word of God. We must seek what God says in his word. The criterion for judging the Spirit's leadership in all things is the written word of God. Everything must be measured by the word of God. The Holy Spirit does impress people to do things. But His impressions are always in connection with and based upon and consistent with the written word of God.
The Holy Spirit disposes the heart to the truth and to the duties that are taught in the scriptures. When we receive a strong impression to witness to someone about the Lord Jesus Christ it is because the Holy Spirit is using the word of God which tells us to preach the gospel to every creature. At some point we have read or heard that command in God's written word and He is impressing this upon our hearts in relation to some particular individual.
But let's think a little more about the work of the Holy Spirit speaking through the written word. How does the Holy Spirit speak through the word? How does He speak through the written word of God?
It is possible for a man to know the Bible and yet not always know the will of God. The Jews in the Lord's day had the scriptures and knew them to the very letter and yet they did not know God the Son when He appeared in their midst. What was wrong?
The word of God is a sword, a sharp two-edged sword but its effectiveness depends on the Holy Spirit. Without the working of the Holy Spirit in the word the word is not effectual. The Holy Spirit makes the word of God effectual and powerful. One preacher puts it like this: THE SPIRIT WILL NOT TEACH US WITHOUT THE WORD. THE WORD WILL NOT TEACH US WITHOUT THE SPIRIT.
This teaching work of the Holy Spirit, this wielding of the word of the Spirit which is the word of God, is what we usually refer to as the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit or the Holy Spirit’s work of illumination. John Owen has defined illumination like this:
"The effectual operation of the Holy Spirit, freeing our minds from darkness, ignorance, and prejudice, enabling them to discern spiritual things in a proper manner."The inward illumination of the Spirit of God is necessary for a saving understanding of the things that are revealed in the word. We cannot have any proper understanding of the word at all without this work of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit enlightens our understanding and moves our wills to do what pleases God. The Holy Spirit works in and through the word opening our understanding to the teachings and warnings and condemnations and invitations in the word of God. God speaks today by the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit opening the understandings of those in whom He works to do his will as revealed in his word.
SOME APPLICATIONS
First if God speaks through the written word, the sword of the Spirit, then we must become diligent students of the word if we want to know his will. In this matter of finding and knowing the will of God most problems could be solved if instead of asking "is this GOD'S will?" we would ask "is this according to God's Word?"
In every decision we make, in every plan we form, in every action we execute, let us ask "is this in harmony with God's written word?" If something is in harmony with God's word then we can be sure that it is God’s will because God's will is revealed in his word. If I am doing what the scriptures teach then I must be led by the Spirit of God because the Spirit never leads anyone to act contrary to God's written word.
Second if God speaks only through his word today then it is essential that we pray for the Holy Spirit to illuminate and enlighten us so that we may profit from the revelation which we already have. We do not need further revelations from God. We need to pray for the Spirit of God to illuminate us to understand his word which we already have. We need to earnestly pray for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to open the eyes of our understanding. We need to pray with David in Psalm 119:18 "Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." This is a prayer for the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit.
Thirdly if the Bible is the faith once for all delivered to the saints as Jude 3 says it is then we must preach and teach and distribute the word of God with all our might. In no other way can the world ever be conformed by the will of God in salvation, in everyday living, in everything.
Fourthly if we are called upon to earnestly contend for the faith which He has once for all given to the saints, the faith about which He has given us his last word, then we must reject every claim to new revelations from God. Neither angels nor miracles should lead us to accept any further additions to the written word of God. The written word of God is perfect, it is complete, it is sufficient and the man of God must thus refuse all other revelations. Because the revelation of God is complete and because the Holy Spirit works only through the written word of God every claim to have revelation in addition to what God has already given in the Bible is false and must be rejected.
Some cults claim God has spoken through other books written since the Bible was written. Thus we have "Science And Health With Key To The Scriptures" and "The Book Of Mormon" and "Doctrines And Covenants" and "The Pearl Of Great Price," etc. One of the marks of a cult is their claim that there are other books and other revelations needed in addition to the Bible and that God has spoken since the Bible was finished.
CONCLUSION
The Bible, the precious word of God is so very important. Everything involved in salvation and life in the here and in the hereafter depends upon the Bible.
God speaks to lost sinners through the Bible. The Bible tells men and women, boys and girls that they are lost in sin and bound for hell because of their sins. The Bible tells us that there is nothing a sinner can do to save or to help save himself. It tells us that salvation is a matter of God’s grace and that only as the Holy Spirit regenerates a sinner and gives him spiritual life can he ever repent of his sins and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ and be saved.
Sinner friend, the Bible both commands and invites you to repent of your sins and come to Christ for salvation. May the Holy Spirit illuminate your heart today enlightening your eyes so that you may understand and respond to God's will as it is revealed in his word.
Victory Baptist Church 9601 Blue Ridge ExtensionKansas City, MO 64134Author:Laurence A. Justice, Pastor
HOME The Woman’s Place
HOME
The Woman’s Place
The place of the woman is a hotly debated issue. It is also an important issue, because everybody on earth is affected by the women and the part these women play in their lives. Henri F. Amiel said, "...Woman is the salvation or destruction of the family. She carries its destinies in the folds of her mantle."1 The woman not only holds the fate of the family in her hand, but history also rests in her arms. The babies born to mothers all over the world today will one day make history.2
So, we see the need for each of us to decide whether the place of the woman is at home, or if it is of no importance if she decides to leave the home.
I think it will be well worth our while to remember, while we look at this concern, that "Where the heart is willing it will find a thousand ways, but where it is unwilling it will find a thousand excuses."3
The reasons women give for leaving the home are many, and most of them are superficially convincing. The majority of girls and young women today are being raised to believe these excuses. One of these erroneous reasons for leaving the home is that women can not be useful or enjoy the feelings of being beneficial if they stay at home.4 Another favorite excuse is that it would be a waste of her life, education, and mental and physical abilities for woman to spend her life at home.5 Women, who need a good reason to stay away from home, will often bring their health into the picture. These women have heard stories or rumors of stay-at-home women suffering from bad health, mental and physical, due to the hard work, never ending routines, and lack of mental stimulus, that are said to be a part of spending long periods of time in the home.6
Working women also need to explain why they leave their families. Working wives will say, "My husband is out of the home during the day. I don’t need to stay there." Working mothers will explain that their children need to learn to be "independent,"7 or that someone else can do a fine job of raising their children and caring for their home.8 There are a fraction of working women that believe that their families really need them. They think that spending the time before and after work hours with their families is enough to satisfy their needs.9 Most working mothers will agree with Brenda Hunter, a former feminist, when she said, "I believed sincerely that they (her children) would not be hurt as I pursued personal fulfillment through my teaching career."10
The most popular excuse used by working women is the need for the money. By making money, they believe they can provide their families with a better lifestyle and their children with so many more opportunities. Unfortunately society has slowly but surely changed from valuing a woman for what she is to measuring her value by what she earns.11
Putting into practice the belief, that women should work out of the home, has an affect on ourselves, other people, homes, society, and history. When we look at the results of women working out of the home, it is easy to think of only her, the woman. To be fair we need to consider not only her but also those whom her absence affects.12 We will look at her first. At first glance it seems the most important result of a woman working out of the home is that she has more money. Theoretically she should be able to have new clothes, new carpets, more modern furniture, and anything else she wants. We often overlook the fact that working women also have more bills to pay, such as for a babysitter, someone to wash and iron clothes, and maybe somebody to clean her house.13 Added money has also opened the door for women to smoke, drink wine and other strong drinks, and eat out a lot more then stay-at-home women. All of these things can be harmful to the health.14 A result of these open doors is that the tally of alcoholic women has risen rapidly, lung cancer is becoming more common in women, more women are committing suicide, and the percentage of women entangled in major crimes has grown significantly.15 Working out of the home has also caused many women to be unfaithful to their husbands.16 If we stop and look around us we can all see the effect unfaithfulness has on homes and lives. Outside work has also failed to give women an escape from routines and demands, that are linked to staying at home. Outside jobs have turned women into machines that fulfill their daily production quota.17 Feminists often excuse themselves for working out of the home by saying that staying at home causes depression. Maggie Scarf, who wrote the book Unfinished Business has canceled out this excuse. Based on the findings of the Yale Depression Unit, she says that wives working out of the home and wives working in the home are equally susceptible to being depressed. It is interesting to note that she also found that the husbands of working wives are more vulnerable to depression, then the husbands of homemakers.18 It appears to me that the work place offers a golden dream to women, but this dream is not reality.
Working out of the home will even rob a woman of peace of mind. Guilt, worry, and unhappiness usually follow a working woman. No matter what working women say about how it is right to leave their homes and families, most of them contend with guilt. As one author put it, "The struggle here is clearly internal. It is themselves they seek to convince of the purity of their motives, the righteousness of their actions, while all their instincts tell them that they are doing something wrong."" 19 Happiness is what most working women profess, but from their lives the opposite can often be seen. One working mother confessed, "It’s hard to be happy with my life when I’m so concerned about my children."20 Even if these women don’t have children, it is hard for them to be truly happy when they aren’t doing what they were made to do. Along with guilt and unhappiness, worry hounds the working women, especially mothers. One converted feminist said, "I found it hard to forget about her (my baby) and turn all my energies in the direction of work. I worried about her development and the quality of care she would receive in my absence."21
Some women might sacrifice their peace of mind if that was all that needed to be sacrificed to work out of the home, but we need to think of the children, that working mothers leave behind. Children of working mothers are supposed to be able to tell everything they want to tell "mommy" and ask anything they want in the few minutes she has while she wakes them up, or puts them to bed.22 With a little bit of common sense and experience, we can know that that is not possible. If a mother is going to work out of the home, she will have to give up a large amount of the time she spends with her children. A mother, who worked out of the home, said, "If you ask me what I had to give up, when I went back to work, I’d say it was that – my talks with Sally (her daughter)"23
Working mothers also have little, if any, time to enjoy being with their children. "Most of the time I am barking orders at them because now they have more work to do around the house and are not yet as productive as they need to be," is how one working mother described her time at home.24 It seems that the little bit of time that the mother is home is not very enjoyable for all involved.
When the mother leaves the home, she takes the child’s security with her. A well-known author, C. S. Lewis, whose mother died before he became a teenager, defined his childhood after his mother’s death like this, "With my mother’s death all settled happiness, all that was tranquil and reliable, disappeared from my life. There was much fun, many pleasures, many stabs of Joy; but no more of the old security. It was sea and islands now; the great continent had sunk like Atlantis."25 An adult woman whose father had died and whose mother worked a full time job said the main sentiment connected to her childhood was loneliness. "Even now," she says, "I remember distinctly the cold fear that enveloped me as I unlocked the front door and entered the darkened apartment." " No matter how sunny the weather outside, no matter how warm the air," she continued, "the atmosphere of our empty home was dark and forbidding."26
A child is hurt by the lack of this security. Despite everything working mothers try to do to make up for their daily absences, the number of teenage suicides have increased.27 One adult, who as a child her mother had worked and whose father had passed away, said, "Even though mother telephoned to inquire about my day, her call did not make me feel suddenly warmed and loved."28 Finally, these children that have become "independent" often experiment with drugs and other equally dangerous things.29
It appears to me that the cost of a woman working out of the home outweighs the benefits. Does making more money compensate for losing your family? Do the feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction, that the woman says she has from holding a job, make up for the feelings of fear and insecurity that her children have?
Before we can say conclusively that the woman belongs in the home, we need to determine the importance of her job in the home. Many people, women included, assume that the stay-at-home woman’s job only includes the washing, ironing, fixing of meals, cleaning, and the verification that everybody is dressed decently and clean behind the ears. If this were the case, a woman could leave home as long as someone else fulfills her responsibilities in her place. However to the surprise of many, this is not reality.
The high requirements for the job depict the importance of the position. The place of the woman can only be filled by the woman, and not just any woman.30 The wisest man of all times, Solomon, said that the price of the virtuous woman is far above rubies.31 Virtuous women are rare, but to stay at home and do her job well, a woman must be virtuous. Unlike the secretary, a homemaker has to be understanding twenty-four hours a day. A stay-at-home woman has to be truly loving from sunrise to sunrise instead of from eight in the morning to six at night, with an hour off for lunch. It is also of vital importance that the domestic woman be wise.32 As the Bible says, "Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands."33 Also in the Bible, Titus chapter two verses four and five gives us a list of what God expects a woman to be. It says that the older women are to teach the younger women to be "sober (sober in mind; moderate34), to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet (self-controlled; temperate35), chaste (clean; innocent, pure36), keepers at home (a stayer at home; domestically inclined37), good, obedient to their own husbands, ..."38 As you can probably tell, these qualities are not easy to obtain or maintain. Last but not least, a woman must be courageous to fulfill her position in the home. It takes courage not only to stay home and face the problems that arise there, but it takes courage, lots of it, to admit publicly that you are a homemaker.39 As we have seen, the requirements for the woman’s place in the home are much higher then the requirements for any job outside her home.40
Now we come back to the question of is the woman’s place in the home really important? The requirements for the job say it is important, but is the job itself really important? The Bible says it is. Not everyone realizes that the woman’s position in the home has existed since before the fall of man. Before sin came into the world, God said, "it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an helpmeet for him."41 Genesis goes on to recount how the woman was made to fit man’s needs. So, the position of the woman in the home is not punishment for a sin she committed.42
History shows us that what goes on in the home makes a difference. Jonathan Edwards, who was a Godly man, with his wife made a Godly home. Of the estimated one thousand three hundred ninety-four people of the four generations after Mr. and Mrs. Edwards, fourteen were college professors, one hundred were Gospel ministers, sixty practiced medicine, sixty were authors and editors, and more then one hundred of them turned out to be lawyers and judges. Contrast that family and its descendants with the family of a well-known atheist, who lived at about the same time as Jonathan Edwards. Of the one thousand two hundred people produced in the four generations following this God denying man and his wife, four hundred of them wrecked themselves physically, three hundred ten became paupers, one hundred fifty were criminals, and seven committed murder.43 Although the woman is not totally responsible for what goes on in the home and how the children are raised, there are many cases where the children are raised to fear God even though the man of the house is ungodly.
The world may try to belittle the importance of the home, but history reveals the great influence the home has on the world.
The domestic woman spends a lot of her time in the home, and she can set the stage for a lot that happens there. Along with all the manual work that goes into keeping a home, the woman can nurture good physical and mental health in her family. Diet, exercise, and rest all contribute to a person’s well being, and the woman does a lot to determine what kind of diet, how much rest, and the amount of exercise her family receives. The homemaker can also maintain a healthy atmosphere to boost good mental health. A moderate dose of humor, a right outlook on life, and good values in the home direct how people think and act in and out of the home. It will help all involved, if the woman of the house has a listening ear, a helpful and patient attitude, words of encouragement, and educational criticism in her bag of tools.44 What the home is like is important, because people usually reflect the homes they live in.
Children are an important part of many homes, and the influence a mother has on her offspring is sometimes overlooked. It can be said that children are mirrors reflecting their mothers and the home.45 Abraham Lincoln is renown for his desire to read, and for the extent he would go to satisfy this desire. Few people realize that behind this desire was a mother, who covered miles to get a book for him. 46 It has been said in recent history that "...the influence which is exerted upon the mind during the first eight or ten years of existence, in a great degree guides the destinies of that mind for time and eternity."47 Thomas A. Edison realized that at least to some extent, when he said, "My mother was the making of me."48 Lamartine, a poet from France, also acknowledged the influence his mother had on him. "My education was wholly centered in the glance, more or less serene, and the smile, more or less open, of my mother. The reins of my heart were in her hand... I drank deep, above all, from my mother’s mind; I read through her eyes; I felt through her impressions; I lived through her life" he said.49 Just as a mother can influence a child for good, she can influence it for worse. It would be interesting to do a study on criminals and their mothers. As a mother cares for her children bonds develop, the lack of these bonds will often cause depression or a greater tendency toward drugs, etc.. That is another way working mothers have a negative influence on their children.
A baby sitter might be able to care for the physical needs of a child, but children need more than food, clothing, and a place to sleep. 51 Children need security. Mothers are a major source of this security. A working mother, who was convicted of the need to stay home, said, "From years of growing, reading, and listening to my children, I have come to see just how much I contribute to their feelings of security and well-being."52 Children, also, need to learn about life. 53 By word and by deed, a mother can teach her children a variety of things, such as thankfulness and truthfulness. Faith is another long-lasting present that a mother can give child;54 like Eunice gave to her son, Timothy.55
The Bible says, "A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones."56 From this we see that the woman of the house without a doubt also affects her husband. She can wreck his life and job like Jezebel and Delilah of old times and so many women today. She can destroy him or she can be the helpmeet she is meant to be. Sarah spent a lifetime helping her husband to serve God and man.57 Priscilla helped her husband to, by, among other things, helping him make tents. 58 Even if you can’t help your husband make tents, you can help him by not complaining, giving him a home to look forward to coming home to, by being there when he needs you, and by the wise use of finances. 59 Henri F. Amiel was truthful when he said the woman carries the destiny of the family, the husband and children, "in the folds of her mantle."1
Staying at home is not easy. The woman pays a price to stay at home. One of the greatest things a woman has to give up, when she becomes a homemaker, is thanks.60 Our mothers were not joking when they said, "Housework is something nobody notices; unless it isn’t done." Just as house work doesn’t bring the woman thanks, it doesn’t bring her glory either. I believe it gives God glory, though, and that should be our goal in life.61 Another thing the woman, who stays at home, has to do without is society’s approval. The author of Where Have All the Mothers Gone? said it very nicely when she wrote, "While the career mother has society’s approbation, the stay-at-home mother has society’s pity and contempt."62 Along with the disapproval of society, a woman’s relatives and\or friends might think her decision to stay at home is wrong. 63 It definitely makes life harder, when those we love strongly disagree with a major decision.
There are other sacrifices that a homemaker must also make. A homemaker must sacrifice herself. The life of a homemaker is demanding.64 The wife and mother must be ready to give up her time alone, a few more hours of sleep, and other things she would like to do to meet the needs of her family. Along with giving of herself, the stay-at-home woman may also be called upon to give up her old family and friends. The old family and friends should not be considered more important then the housewife’s new family and its needs.65 As she helps her husband with the finances, the wife may have to abandon or post-pone her dreams of crystal and gold, and all the conveniences she would like to have.66 Do these sacrifices seem small to you, when you consider the importance of the woman’s place in the home?
The benefits of a woman staying at home are not necessarily material, but they are valuable. Productivity is one of the benefits. The woman will be most productive only as she does what she was made to do.67 Just like a little red wagon in a lake, the woman is out of place in the work place. When everybody fulfills his or her position in the home, there is peace in the home.68 Peace is valuable, because it can not be bought with all the money a woman can make out of the home. Staying at home, in contrast to working out of the home, can improve a woman’s character to a greater extent. The home is a good place to learn patience, perseverance, self-control, longsuffering, gentleness, and how to arrange priorities.69 We can never have too much of these qualities. Best of all when a Christian woman stays at home, she is serving her Lord and being a good testimony for Him.70 For the mother, who sacrifices to stay at home and bring her children up in the strait and narrow way the Bible says, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."71 In old age, the knowledge of having done right is more comforting, then years of worldly approval, or tokens of worldly recognition.
There are exceptions. Death does come or the unexpected happens and the woman is left definitely or indefinitely the sole provider of the family. "I have to work out of the home," you say. Must you really work out of the home or could you work in the home? Sewing and other handcrafts, giving music or culinary classes, etc.. are all options to be considered. Working part time, like while the children are in school, is a possibility in certain cases.72 It is a wise idea to prayerfully seek our priorities, before the decision is made about what kind of job to take. In what order of importance does the earning of money, the raising of children, the caring for the home, and God come?73 One mother, who was the sole provider for her home, found that although she never had all her wants, if she had the right priorities, God would supply her needs, even if money seemed to be lacking.74 It is hard to decide whether or not to work out of the home. James chapter one, verse five says, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
We have tried to see the most important pro’s and con’s of the woman leaving or staying in the home. It is quite clear that a choice needs to made, and priorities need to be set. The choice is not complicated. This hotly debated issue can be set down in black and white, right and wrong, Biblical and worldly. There are no shades of gray. You can not serve God and man. Remember what we do today does affect the future.
"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and for ever. Amen." II Peter 3:18
Note to unmarried young women like me: It would be easy to say, "Well, I’m not married, so I don’t have to worry about that stuff." It is true that we don’t have our own homes to care for yet, but we can be getting ourselves ready to care for them. A young woman who likes to be out and about right now, will like to be out and about after she is married. An unsubmissive young woman will be an unsubmissive wife. There isn’t a big bang during the wedding, that immediately makes us everything we should be.
Bibliography
Abbot, John S.C., The Mother at Home. Sterling, VA: Grace Abounding Ministries, Inc., 1984.
Arndt, Elise, A Mother’s Touch. Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1989.
Hunter, Brenda, Where Have All the Mothers Gone? . Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1982.
Phillips, Sheree, Mothers At the Heart of Life. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Servant Publications, 1985.
Pride, Mary, The Way Home- Beyond Feminism Back to Reality. Westchester, Illinois: Crossway Books, 1985.
Strong, James, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. Nashville, Tennessee: Crusade Bible Publishers, Inc.
Terry, Lois McBride, By His Side - A Woman’s Place. Fort Worth, Texas: Brownlow Publishing Company, Inc. , 1967.
The Bible, KJV.
Endnotes
1. Terry Lois McBride, By His Side- The Woman’s Place, (Fort Worth, Tx, Brownlow Publishing Company, Inc., 1967), p. 11.
2. McBride, p.11.
3. Unknown
4. Brenda Hunter, Where Have All the Mothers Gone?, (Grand Rapids, Michigan, Zondervan Publishing House, 1982), p.14.
5. Hunter, p.13.
6. Hunter, p. 64.
7. Hunter, p.54.
8. Hunter, p.13.
9. Hunter, p.14.
10. Hunter, p.21
11. Hunter, p. 44.
12. Hunter, p.57.
13. Hunter, p. 50,51.
14. Hunter, p.46.
15. Hunter, p.79,80.
16. Hunter, p.47.
17. Hunter, p.50,51.
18. Hunter, p.64.
19. Hunter, p.159.
20. Hunter, p. 45.
21. Hunter, p.14.
22. Hunter, p.52, 53.
23. Hunter, p.53.
24. Hunter, p.49.
25. Hunter, p.101.
26. Hunter, p. 24, 25.
27. Hunter, p.81.
28. Hunter, p.26.
29. Hunter, p.56.
30. McBride, p.11.
31.The Bible, ( The only version used is the KJV), Proverbs 31:10.
32. McBride, p.11.
33. The Bible, Proverbs 14:1.
34. James Strong, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, (Nashville, Tennessee, Crusade Bible Publishers, Inc.), # 4998.
35. Strong, # 4998.
36. Strong, # 53.
37. Strong, # 3626.
38. The Bible, Titus 2:4,5.
39. Elise Arndt, A Mother’s Touch, ( Wheaton, Illinois, Victor Books, 1989), p. 28, 29.
40. McBride, p.11.
41. The Bible, Genesis 2:18.
42. McBride, p. 10.
43. Arndt, p.126.
44. McBride, p.21.
45. Hunter, p.108.
46. Hunter, p. 106.
47. John S.C. Abbott, The Mother at Home, ( Sterling, VA, Grace Abounding Ministries, Inc., 1984), p. 7.
48. Hunter, p.108.
49. Hunter, p.106.
50. Hunter, p.87,88.
51. Hunter, p.140.
52. Hunter, p.22.
53. Hunter, p.140.
54. McBride, p.47-53.
55. The Bible, II Timothy 1:5.
56. The Bible, Proverbs 12:4.
57. McBride, p.81.
58. McBride, p.21.
59. McBride, p.21.
60. Arndt, p.18.
61. Mary Pride, The Way Home- Beyond Feminism Back to Reality, (Westchester, Illinois, Crossway Books, 1985), p.139.
62. Hunter, p.38.
63. Hunter, p. 62.
64. Hunter, Introduction.
65. McBride, p. 18,19.
66. Arndt, p.16.
67. McBride, p.10.
68. Sheree Phillips, Mothers At the Heart of Life, ( Ann Arbor, Michigan, Servant Publications, 1985), p.132.
69. Arndt, p.33.
70. McBride, p.49.
71. The Bible, Proverbs 22:6.
72. Hunter, p. 120.
73. Hunter, p.121.
74. Hunter, p.22.
Author: Charity Gardner a project for twelfth-grade English
The Woman’s Place
The place of the woman is a hotly debated issue. It is also an important issue, because everybody on earth is affected by the women and the part these women play in their lives. Henri F. Amiel said, "...Woman is the salvation or destruction of the family. She carries its destinies in the folds of her mantle."1 The woman not only holds the fate of the family in her hand, but history also rests in her arms. The babies born to mothers all over the world today will one day make history.2
So, we see the need for each of us to decide whether the place of the woman is at home, or if it is of no importance if she decides to leave the home.
I think it will be well worth our while to remember, while we look at this concern, that "Where the heart is willing it will find a thousand ways, but where it is unwilling it will find a thousand excuses."3
The reasons women give for leaving the home are many, and most of them are superficially convincing. The majority of girls and young women today are being raised to believe these excuses. One of these erroneous reasons for leaving the home is that women can not be useful or enjoy the feelings of being beneficial if they stay at home.4 Another favorite excuse is that it would be a waste of her life, education, and mental and physical abilities for woman to spend her life at home.5 Women, who need a good reason to stay away from home, will often bring their health into the picture. These women have heard stories or rumors of stay-at-home women suffering from bad health, mental and physical, due to the hard work, never ending routines, and lack of mental stimulus, that are said to be a part of spending long periods of time in the home.6
Working women also need to explain why they leave their families. Working wives will say, "My husband is out of the home during the day. I don’t need to stay there." Working mothers will explain that their children need to learn to be "independent,"7 or that someone else can do a fine job of raising their children and caring for their home.8 There are a fraction of working women that believe that their families really need them. They think that spending the time before and after work hours with their families is enough to satisfy their needs.9 Most working mothers will agree with Brenda Hunter, a former feminist, when she said, "I believed sincerely that they (her children) would not be hurt as I pursued personal fulfillment through my teaching career."10
The most popular excuse used by working women is the need for the money. By making money, they believe they can provide their families with a better lifestyle and their children with so many more opportunities. Unfortunately society has slowly but surely changed from valuing a woman for what she is to measuring her value by what she earns.11
Putting into practice the belief, that women should work out of the home, has an affect on ourselves, other people, homes, society, and history. When we look at the results of women working out of the home, it is easy to think of only her, the woman. To be fair we need to consider not only her but also those whom her absence affects.12 We will look at her first. At first glance it seems the most important result of a woman working out of the home is that she has more money. Theoretically she should be able to have new clothes, new carpets, more modern furniture, and anything else she wants. We often overlook the fact that working women also have more bills to pay, such as for a babysitter, someone to wash and iron clothes, and maybe somebody to clean her house.13 Added money has also opened the door for women to smoke, drink wine and other strong drinks, and eat out a lot more then stay-at-home women. All of these things can be harmful to the health.14 A result of these open doors is that the tally of alcoholic women has risen rapidly, lung cancer is becoming more common in women, more women are committing suicide, and the percentage of women entangled in major crimes has grown significantly.15 Working out of the home has also caused many women to be unfaithful to their husbands.16 If we stop and look around us we can all see the effect unfaithfulness has on homes and lives. Outside work has also failed to give women an escape from routines and demands, that are linked to staying at home. Outside jobs have turned women into machines that fulfill their daily production quota.17 Feminists often excuse themselves for working out of the home by saying that staying at home causes depression. Maggie Scarf, who wrote the book Unfinished Business has canceled out this excuse. Based on the findings of the Yale Depression Unit, she says that wives working out of the home and wives working in the home are equally susceptible to being depressed. It is interesting to note that she also found that the husbands of working wives are more vulnerable to depression, then the husbands of homemakers.18 It appears to me that the work place offers a golden dream to women, but this dream is not reality.
Working out of the home will even rob a woman of peace of mind. Guilt, worry, and unhappiness usually follow a working woman. No matter what working women say about how it is right to leave their homes and families, most of them contend with guilt. As one author put it, "The struggle here is clearly internal. It is themselves they seek to convince of the purity of their motives, the righteousness of their actions, while all their instincts tell them that they are doing something wrong."" 19 Happiness is what most working women profess, but from their lives the opposite can often be seen. One working mother confessed, "It’s hard to be happy with my life when I’m so concerned about my children."20 Even if these women don’t have children, it is hard for them to be truly happy when they aren’t doing what they were made to do. Along with guilt and unhappiness, worry hounds the working women, especially mothers. One converted feminist said, "I found it hard to forget about her (my baby) and turn all my energies in the direction of work. I worried about her development and the quality of care she would receive in my absence."21
Some women might sacrifice their peace of mind if that was all that needed to be sacrificed to work out of the home, but we need to think of the children, that working mothers leave behind. Children of working mothers are supposed to be able to tell everything they want to tell "mommy" and ask anything they want in the few minutes she has while she wakes them up, or puts them to bed.22 With a little bit of common sense and experience, we can know that that is not possible. If a mother is going to work out of the home, she will have to give up a large amount of the time she spends with her children. A mother, who worked out of the home, said, "If you ask me what I had to give up, when I went back to work, I’d say it was that – my talks with Sally (her daughter)"23
Working mothers also have little, if any, time to enjoy being with their children. "Most of the time I am barking orders at them because now they have more work to do around the house and are not yet as productive as they need to be," is how one working mother described her time at home.24 It seems that the little bit of time that the mother is home is not very enjoyable for all involved.
When the mother leaves the home, she takes the child’s security with her. A well-known author, C. S. Lewis, whose mother died before he became a teenager, defined his childhood after his mother’s death like this, "With my mother’s death all settled happiness, all that was tranquil and reliable, disappeared from my life. There was much fun, many pleasures, many stabs of Joy; but no more of the old security. It was sea and islands now; the great continent had sunk like Atlantis."25 An adult woman whose father had died and whose mother worked a full time job said the main sentiment connected to her childhood was loneliness. "Even now," she says, "I remember distinctly the cold fear that enveloped me as I unlocked the front door and entered the darkened apartment." " No matter how sunny the weather outside, no matter how warm the air," she continued, "the atmosphere of our empty home was dark and forbidding."26
A child is hurt by the lack of this security. Despite everything working mothers try to do to make up for their daily absences, the number of teenage suicides have increased.27 One adult, who as a child her mother had worked and whose father had passed away, said, "Even though mother telephoned to inquire about my day, her call did not make me feel suddenly warmed and loved."28 Finally, these children that have become "independent" often experiment with drugs and other equally dangerous things.29
It appears to me that the cost of a woman working out of the home outweighs the benefits. Does making more money compensate for losing your family? Do the feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction, that the woman says she has from holding a job, make up for the feelings of fear and insecurity that her children have?
Before we can say conclusively that the woman belongs in the home, we need to determine the importance of her job in the home. Many people, women included, assume that the stay-at-home woman’s job only includes the washing, ironing, fixing of meals, cleaning, and the verification that everybody is dressed decently and clean behind the ears. If this were the case, a woman could leave home as long as someone else fulfills her responsibilities in her place. However to the surprise of many, this is not reality.
The high requirements for the job depict the importance of the position. The place of the woman can only be filled by the woman, and not just any woman.30 The wisest man of all times, Solomon, said that the price of the virtuous woman is far above rubies.31 Virtuous women are rare, but to stay at home and do her job well, a woman must be virtuous. Unlike the secretary, a homemaker has to be understanding twenty-four hours a day. A stay-at-home woman has to be truly loving from sunrise to sunrise instead of from eight in the morning to six at night, with an hour off for lunch. It is also of vital importance that the domestic woman be wise.32 As the Bible says, "Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands."33 Also in the Bible, Titus chapter two verses four and five gives us a list of what God expects a woman to be. It says that the older women are to teach the younger women to be "sober (sober in mind; moderate34), to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet (self-controlled; temperate35), chaste (clean; innocent, pure36), keepers at home (a stayer at home; domestically inclined37), good, obedient to their own husbands, ..."38 As you can probably tell, these qualities are not easy to obtain or maintain. Last but not least, a woman must be courageous to fulfill her position in the home. It takes courage not only to stay home and face the problems that arise there, but it takes courage, lots of it, to admit publicly that you are a homemaker.39 As we have seen, the requirements for the woman’s place in the home are much higher then the requirements for any job outside her home.40
Now we come back to the question of is the woman’s place in the home really important? The requirements for the job say it is important, but is the job itself really important? The Bible says it is. Not everyone realizes that the woman’s position in the home has existed since before the fall of man. Before sin came into the world, God said, "it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an helpmeet for him."41 Genesis goes on to recount how the woman was made to fit man’s needs. So, the position of the woman in the home is not punishment for a sin she committed.42
History shows us that what goes on in the home makes a difference. Jonathan Edwards, who was a Godly man, with his wife made a Godly home. Of the estimated one thousand three hundred ninety-four people of the four generations after Mr. and Mrs. Edwards, fourteen were college professors, one hundred were Gospel ministers, sixty practiced medicine, sixty were authors and editors, and more then one hundred of them turned out to be lawyers and judges. Contrast that family and its descendants with the family of a well-known atheist, who lived at about the same time as Jonathan Edwards. Of the one thousand two hundred people produced in the four generations following this God denying man and his wife, four hundred of them wrecked themselves physically, three hundred ten became paupers, one hundred fifty were criminals, and seven committed murder.43 Although the woman is not totally responsible for what goes on in the home and how the children are raised, there are many cases where the children are raised to fear God even though the man of the house is ungodly.
The world may try to belittle the importance of the home, but history reveals the great influence the home has on the world.
The domestic woman spends a lot of her time in the home, and she can set the stage for a lot that happens there. Along with all the manual work that goes into keeping a home, the woman can nurture good physical and mental health in her family. Diet, exercise, and rest all contribute to a person’s well being, and the woman does a lot to determine what kind of diet, how much rest, and the amount of exercise her family receives. The homemaker can also maintain a healthy atmosphere to boost good mental health. A moderate dose of humor, a right outlook on life, and good values in the home direct how people think and act in and out of the home. It will help all involved, if the woman of the house has a listening ear, a helpful and patient attitude, words of encouragement, and educational criticism in her bag of tools.44 What the home is like is important, because people usually reflect the homes they live in.
Children are an important part of many homes, and the influence a mother has on her offspring is sometimes overlooked. It can be said that children are mirrors reflecting their mothers and the home.45 Abraham Lincoln is renown for his desire to read, and for the extent he would go to satisfy this desire. Few people realize that behind this desire was a mother, who covered miles to get a book for him. 46 It has been said in recent history that "...the influence which is exerted upon the mind during the first eight or ten years of existence, in a great degree guides the destinies of that mind for time and eternity."47 Thomas A. Edison realized that at least to some extent, when he said, "My mother was the making of me."48 Lamartine, a poet from France, also acknowledged the influence his mother had on him. "My education was wholly centered in the glance, more or less serene, and the smile, more or less open, of my mother. The reins of my heart were in her hand... I drank deep, above all, from my mother’s mind; I read through her eyes; I felt through her impressions; I lived through her life" he said.49 Just as a mother can influence a child for good, she can influence it for worse. It would be interesting to do a study on criminals and their mothers. As a mother cares for her children bonds develop, the lack of these bonds will often cause depression or a greater tendency toward drugs, etc.. That is another way working mothers have a negative influence on their children.
A baby sitter might be able to care for the physical needs of a child, but children need more than food, clothing, and a place to sleep. 51 Children need security. Mothers are a major source of this security. A working mother, who was convicted of the need to stay home, said, "From years of growing, reading, and listening to my children, I have come to see just how much I contribute to their feelings of security and well-being."52 Children, also, need to learn about life. 53 By word and by deed, a mother can teach her children a variety of things, such as thankfulness and truthfulness. Faith is another long-lasting present that a mother can give child;54 like Eunice gave to her son, Timothy.55
The Bible says, "A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones."56 From this we see that the woman of the house without a doubt also affects her husband. She can wreck his life and job like Jezebel and Delilah of old times and so many women today. She can destroy him or she can be the helpmeet she is meant to be. Sarah spent a lifetime helping her husband to serve God and man.57 Priscilla helped her husband to, by, among other things, helping him make tents. 58 Even if you can’t help your husband make tents, you can help him by not complaining, giving him a home to look forward to coming home to, by being there when he needs you, and by the wise use of finances. 59 Henri F. Amiel was truthful when he said the woman carries the destiny of the family, the husband and children, "in the folds of her mantle."1
Staying at home is not easy. The woman pays a price to stay at home. One of the greatest things a woman has to give up, when she becomes a homemaker, is thanks.60 Our mothers were not joking when they said, "Housework is something nobody notices; unless it isn’t done." Just as house work doesn’t bring the woman thanks, it doesn’t bring her glory either. I believe it gives God glory, though, and that should be our goal in life.61 Another thing the woman, who stays at home, has to do without is society’s approval. The author of Where Have All the Mothers Gone? said it very nicely when she wrote, "While the career mother has society’s approbation, the stay-at-home mother has society’s pity and contempt."62 Along with the disapproval of society, a woman’s relatives and\or friends might think her decision to stay at home is wrong. 63 It definitely makes life harder, when those we love strongly disagree with a major decision.
There are other sacrifices that a homemaker must also make. A homemaker must sacrifice herself. The life of a homemaker is demanding.64 The wife and mother must be ready to give up her time alone, a few more hours of sleep, and other things she would like to do to meet the needs of her family. Along with giving of herself, the stay-at-home woman may also be called upon to give up her old family and friends. The old family and friends should not be considered more important then the housewife’s new family and its needs.65 As she helps her husband with the finances, the wife may have to abandon or post-pone her dreams of crystal and gold, and all the conveniences she would like to have.66 Do these sacrifices seem small to you, when you consider the importance of the woman’s place in the home?
The benefits of a woman staying at home are not necessarily material, but they are valuable. Productivity is one of the benefits. The woman will be most productive only as she does what she was made to do.67 Just like a little red wagon in a lake, the woman is out of place in the work place. When everybody fulfills his or her position in the home, there is peace in the home.68 Peace is valuable, because it can not be bought with all the money a woman can make out of the home. Staying at home, in contrast to working out of the home, can improve a woman’s character to a greater extent. The home is a good place to learn patience, perseverance, self-control, longsuffering, gentleness, and how to arrange priorities.69 We can never have too much of these qualities. Best of all when a Christian woman stays at home, she is serving her Lord and being a good testimony for Him.70 For the mother, who sacrifices to stay at home and bring her children up in the strait and narrow way the Bible says, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."71 In old age, the knowledge of having done right is more comforting, then years of worldly approval, or tokens of worldly recognition.
There are exceptions. Death does come or the unexpected happens and the woman is left definitely or indefinitely the sole provider of the family. "I have to work out of the home," you say. Must you really work out of the home or could you work in the home? Sewing and other handcrafts, giving music or culinary classes, etc.. are all options to be considered. Working part time, like while the children are in school, is a possibility in certain cases.72 It is a wise idea to prayerfully seek our priorities, before the decision is made about what kind of job to take. In what order of importance does the earning of money, the raising of children, the caring for the home, and God come?73 One mother, who was the sole provider for her home, found that although she never had all her wants, if she had the right priorities, God would supply her needs, even if money seemed to be lacking.74 It is hard to decide whether or not to work out of the home. James chapter one, verse five says, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
We have tried to see the most important pro’s and con’s of the woman leaving or staying in the home. It is quite clear that a choice needs to made, and priorities need to be set. The choice is not complicated. This hotly debated issue can be set down in black and white, right and wrong, Biblical and worldly. There are no shades of gray. You can not serve God and man. Remember what we do today does affect the future.
"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and for ever. Amen." II Peter 3:18
Note to unmarried young women like me: It would be easy to say, "Well, I’m not married, so I don’t have to worry about that stuff." It is true that we don’t have our own homes to care for yet, but we can be getting ourselves ready to care for them. A young woman who likes to be out and about right now, will like to be out and about after she is married. An unsubmissive young woman will be an unsubmissive wife. There isn’t a big bang during the wedding, that immediately makes us everything we should be.
Bibliography
Abbot, John S.C., The Mother at Home. Sterling, VA: Grace Abounding Ministries, Inc., 1984.
Arndt, Elise, A Mother’s Touch. Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1989.
Hunter, Brenda, Where Have All the Mothers Gone? . Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1982.
Phillips, Sheree, Mothers At the Heart of Life. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Servant Publications, 1985.
Pride, Mary, The Way Home- Beyond Feminism Back to Reality. Westchester, Illinois: Crossway Books, 1985.
Strong, James, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. Nashville, Tennessee: Crusade Bible Publishers, Inc.
Terry, Lois McBride, By His Side - A Woman’s Place. Fort Worth, Texas: Brownlow Publishing Company, Inc. , 1967.
The Bible, KJV.
Endnotes
1. Terry Lois McBride, By His Side- The Woman’s Place, (Fort Worth, Tx, Brownlow Publishing Company, Inc., 1967), p. 11.
2. McBride, p.11.
3. Unknown
4. Brenda Hunter, Where Have All the Mothers Gone?, (Grand Rapids, Michigan, Zondervan Publishing House, 1982), p.14.
5. Hunter, p.13.
6. Hunter, p. 64.
7. Hunter, p.54.
8. Hunter, p.13.
9. Hunter, p.14.
10. Hunter, p.21
11. Hunter, p. 44.
12. Hunter, p.57.
13. Hunter, p. 50,51.
14. Hunter, p.46.
15. Hunter, p.79,80.
16. Hunter, p.47.
17. Hunter, p.50,51.
18. Hunter, p.64.
19. Hunter, p.159.
20. Hunter, p. 45.
21. Hunter, p.14.
22. Hunter, p.52, 53.
23. Hunter, p.53.
24. Hunter, p.49.
25. Hunter, p.101.
26. Hunter, p. 24, 25.
27. Hunter, p.81.
28. Hunter, p.26.
29. Hunter, p.56.
30. McBride, p.11.
31.The Bible, ( The only version used is the KJV), Proverbs 31:10.
32. McBride, p.11.
33. The Bible, Proverbs 14:1.
34. James Strong, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, (Nashville, Tennessee, Crusade Bible Publishers, Inc.), # 4998.
35. Strong, # 4998.
36. Strong, # 53.
37. Strong, # 3626.
38. The Bible, Titus 2:4,5.
39. Elise Arndt, A Mother’s Touch, ( Wheaton, Illinois, Victor Books, 1989), p. 28, 29.
40. McBride, p.11.
41. The Bible, Genesis 2:18.
42. McBride, p. 10.
43. Arndt, p.126.
44. McBride, p.21.
45. Hunter, p.108.
46. Hunter, p. 106.
47. John S.C. Abbott, The Mother at Home, ( Sterling, VA, Grace Abounding Ministries, Inc., 1984), p. 7.
48. Hunter, p.108.
49. Hunter, p.106.
50. Hunter, p.87,88.
51. Hunter, p.140.
52. Hunter, p.22.
53. Hunter, p.140.
54. McBride, p.47-53.
55. The Bible, II Timothy 1:5.
56. The Bible, Proverbs 12:4.
57. McBride, p.81.
58. McBride, p.21.
59. McBride, p.21.
60. Arndt, p.18.
61. Mary Pride, The Way Home- Beyond Feminism Back to Reality, (Westchester, Illinois, Crossway Books, 1985), p.139.
62. Hunter, p.38.
63. Hunter, p. 62.
64. Hunter, Introduction.
65. McBride, p. 18,19.
66. Arndt, p.16.
67. McBride, p.10.
68. Sheree Phillips, Mothers At the Heart of Life, ( Ann Arbor, Michigan, Servant Publications, 1985), p.132.
69. Arndt, p.33.
70. McBride, p.49.
71. The Bible, Proverbs 22:6.
72. Hunter, p. 120.
73. Hunter, p.121.
74. Hunter, p.22.
Author: Charity Gardner a project for twelfth-grade English
The Impeccability of Christ
Open your Bibles if you will, please, to the book of Hebrews, to chapter number four and verse number thirteen. Holding that place in your Bibles, turn also to I Peter chapter number one and verse eighteen. In Hebrews chapter four and verse thirteen the Scripture says, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” I Peter 1:18 says, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,”. I have companion text this morning Hebrews 4:15, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” And then I Peter 1:19,20, “But with the precious blood of Christ,” – talking about our redemption – “as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” – and I want you to consider those two verses and just try to keep them in your mind.
As Bro. Smith spoke last night, and then as Bro. Laurence Justice followed him, I thought this and I even remarked this to these brethren last night in going out: if you took the necessary, logical implications of their messages to the necessary conclusion – I meant what that implies if you follow it to its conclusion – this message would be absolutely unnecessary. No one who followed those truths to their end could doubt the impeccability of Christ. Nonetheless, it is a subject that is well worth our consideration. I am persuaded you do not make Christians by preaching Christianity; you make Christians by preaching Christ. Christians grow, though we ought to teach them the principles of Godly living. You understand that. But the mystery of Godliness is not Godliness on our part, but it is Godliness in the person of Jesus Christ and we grow as Christians by learning more about Jesus, as the theme of this conference says. And all of the other things that we should be taught and are taught have no meaning until beholding the Lamb of God we are changed into His image. And so it is important. These things are not just doctrinal squabbles or fine points at all; they are necessary truths for our growth in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now the English definition of impeccable is to be clean, complete, consummate, faultless, or flawless. You probably know that you really cannot build a doctrine without knowing the meaning of the words in the Scripture. But, you can never rightly build a doctrine only by the definition of the words. The words don’t mean anything – and I don’t care if it’s Greek or Hebrew or English or whatever – the words have no definite meaning outside of the syntax in which they’re placed, that is the construction of the sentences. And so, when we talk about the impeccability of Christ, we’re going beyond just the character in the sense of the question, was He complete? Was He flawless? But we’re talking about, could He have sinned? Now this may sound like it’s something that is academic. But the fact of the matter is that as we look at this, the discussion is the hypothetical ability of Christ. Not many people would say that Christ ever sinned. Now I did have a man one time who said Christ committed His first sin when He was twelve years old when He did not follow His parents away from Jerusalem. Dumber than a box of rocks, obviously. But not very many people will claim that He did in fact sin or that He was even likely to sin, but hypothetically they say He could and so the claim of my subject today is that it was absolutely, unquestionably, impossible for Christ to have sinned. So you know what I’m talking about. We know where we’re coming from.
Now, what are the reasons that are stated by those who claim peccability? The arguments that I have heard have been very human and they say this: there would be no glory in His sinlessness. In other words, they argue His sinlessness, but that’s not what impeccability is. That’s not what the Biblical doctrine of the impeccability of Christ is. It goes beyond that and states that He did not have the ability. And they say, “But if He didn’t have the ability to, there would be no glory in His sinlessness.” That is to say that He struggled against all of the sins that we struggle against and He won the battle. Praise God! We have salvation in Him because He struggled and won. That is basically the argument. They will also say He was tempted in all points like as we are tempted and if they experienced temptation and think about it, they realize that the – now follow me carefully and don’t get ahead of me – the ability to be tempted not only implies, but proves that within us there is flaw. And that’s accurate. It’s not complete, but it’s accurate – to that point. And so they will argue that. Not only that, they will argue that without the ability to sin, on other words if He didn’t have the ability to sin, there would really be no temptation and that He would not be able to sympathize with our infirmities as the Bible indicates that He does. They’ll also say that if He had no ability to sin, that He did not really have a human nature, because with the human nature goes the ability to sin. Bro. Justice very clearly, and also Bro. Smith, both of them, really approached that issue last night of the first Adam and the last Adam. We often say the second Adam; I believe the Bible says the last Adam. But makes no difference. The differentiation, or the line that is drawn there by Paul is that we are not talking about the fallen nature of Adam when we talk about Christ becoming flesh. But they do not see that.
Now there are dozens more of these and may I be fair and say that there are some men who are to some extent Bible students who do in fact claim the peccability of Christ. I believe they are absolutely, utterly wrong and it is my opinion that the reason that they have that opinion is that they have read too many books before they read their Bibles; and that what they have done is picked up a book written by somebody influenced by men, such as Bro. Justice mentioned last night, who really doubt the deity of Christ but who are well-educated and have the skill of doing a good job in writing a book; and they absorb that error before they get to what the Bible teaches. From that point forward they read their Bible with a skewed mind. I don’t mean to be unkind, but I believe that’s accurate.
Now let’s look at some problems quickly with the hypothetical idea of their peccability. In other words, they say hypothetically Christ could have sinned. And somebody will say, “Well, what are we doing with hypothetical issues?” Well, in essence, this is a hypothetical issue and examination I think is proper because in almost every case, the argument is not that Christ did sin, but that He hypothetically, or that He could have sinned. So that becomes hypothetical within itself.
Now, let me say this: any sin on the part of Jesus Christ – think about this; this is just logical, but there’s nothing wrong with logic – any sin on the part of the Lord Jesus Christ would have necessarily violated hundreds of prophecies. Therefore the Scriptures would have been broken and the Lord said the Scripture cannot be broken, cannot be broken. Think of the prophecies that would not have been fulfilled if the Lord Jesus Christ had sinned. I’m talking about the problem with the hypothesis that these people put before us. Not only that – this is not double talk, but follow me – if the act were possible, that is any act of sin, if it were possible, then necessarily the event or the eventuality of it would be possible. Now listen: in which case, not only would the work of our salvation not have been finished – and it is not finished until Calvary – but it would have been undetermined; it would have been uncertain. You follow what I’m trying to … Had it been possible for the Lord to have sinned, the certainty of the salvation of all of the elect would have remained in question and in balance until He had indeed become victorious over the temptations that lay before Him. In other words, it would say that salvation was not only unaccomplished until the cross, but salvation was uncertain until the cross. Is that not accurate? The conclusion is inescapable as far as I can see. Not only that, you go through the Old Testament … well, for instance: thousands of spotless lambs were killed. What difference did it make if they were spotless or not? A dead sheep’s a dead sheep! Huh? No, no! The Lord gave definite direction that this had to be a lamb of the first year, a male without spot and without blemish. Why? Was it because that’s the only kind of lamb that could take away the sins of the children of Israel? No lamb took away their sins. It is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins! Why did they have to be that way? Because they were a type, or a figure, of the Lord Jesus Christ. Had there been sin in Him, all of those types, every one of them without question, would have failed. Now that’s hypothetical. I understand. But the discussion is essentially hypothetical.
I think in order to be sure that we cover this issue we need to take a moment to deal with the usages of the word ‘tempted’. Because temptation is a big issue here. He was tempted in all points like as we are tempted (Hebrews 4:15). This great high priest touched with the feeling of our infirmities was tempted in all points like as He was tempted. And I think that there’s a problem here, not in us defining the word rightly, but in us understanding temptation itself. What is temptation? It has been suggested by some that the word here that is translated ‘temptation’ should be translated ‘testing’. It will do no more for you than giving strychnine a new name; call it ‘potato soup’, it’ll still do the same thing. Changing that word won’t do one thing for you, because the fact of the matter is that the word means to test one’s faith or their virtue or their character by enticement to sin. That’s what it’s dealing with.
Now the fact is that temptation is necessarily objective and subjective. You follow what I’m talking about. To make this as simple as I know how: the Devil goes forth to tempt men and he holds before them enticements to do evil. But those enticements to do good or evil, whatever they are, have no effect at all without relationship to what is within that man. You follow what I’m talking about? The nature of the man is going to be the thing that will determine whether something is tempting to him or not. For instance, someone will refer to food and they say, “Boy, that is tempting!” But it’s not tempting to everybody. I like spinach; some people don’t like spinach. I love broccoli; my older brother didn’t like broccoli. But I like broccoli; some people are not tempted by broccoli. I like broccoli; I like it better with a lot of cheese on it. You know what I mean? But other people are not tempted by it. In other words, our nature makes a difference. You know, there are people who have been turned over to a reprobate mind. If you don’t like this, it’s free. But there are people who have been turned over to a reprobate mind and they are tempted by issues of homosexuality. On the other hand, I am so revolted, I can become violent and hurt somebody at the mere suggestion of it. When I was a young man, twenty years old, a man sat down in a theatre beside me and started fooling around with me and I knew the guy, had no idea he was a queer. He followed me to this place and sat down and I turned to him and I said, “If you ever put a hand on me again I’ll kill you.” And he got up and left, which was a good idea. See, not everybody feels that way. You see, I have a nature within me that is very repelled by that. Whereas I might be tempted by a woman, I could never be tempted by a man.
Now the issue of temptation is not only objective, but subjective. The Devil goes forth objectively trying to tempt, but he can only attempt, or bring them into subjection to himself, as there is a nature within to submit to that. Do you follow what I’m saying to you?
The Lord Jesus Christ said, “Satan cometh and findeth nothing in me.” Can you say that? I can’t say that. Brother, when Satan comes, I need to pray! Because he can find all kinds of weaknesses and flaws in me. But not in the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, when it says, “He was tempted in all points like we are tempted”, it means that all of these things that Satan holds before us, he held before the Lord Jesus Christ. But! There is that fallen nature within us that was not in the Lord Jesus Christ.
And that brings me to my last and I think the most important point. I might give you back some time, you believe that don’t you. Said, “I don’t believe a word of it.” Then I’ll be through on time. But I think that the great issue here lies in the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, almost anyone who wants to argue for the peccability of Christ will say, “Certainly we do not believe that Christ could have sinned in His divine nature. But it was His human nature that could have sinned.” That is their argument. Incarnation, Brother – and he knows this; I think he even taught us this last night – was not the laying aside of His immutable deity. Now I want to say that again: the incarnation of Jesus Christ was in no sense the laying aside of His immutable deity. We need to be careful in our study – I believe this with all of my heart; if they’re soteriological issues, if they’re prophetic issues, no matter what they are – to be sure that we try to rightly relate them to the person of God.
For instance, the person that goes around saying, “God looked out into the future and saw who was going to be saved.” Please sober up, my friend! God does not look out into the future. He is omnipresent, He is everywhere all the time. Nor does He learn anything by observation – “saw who was going to be” and made a decision? If they would get acquainted with God they will understand. And when we look at the deity of Christ, or when we look at the nature of God, we must understand that one of the great attributes of God is immutability! He not only does not change, He cannot change, for He must either change for the better, which would imply that He was imperfect before the change; or He must change for the worse, which would imply that He was inferior to the former position after the change. He has to be immutable by the very nature of God.
Now, if that be true, then when He was incarnated, it is utterly impossible for us to hypothesize that He might have laid aside any attribute of His deity at all. Only if it is possible for Jehovah to die – and this is not a hyperbole – only if it is possible for Jehovah to die can He change as far as His deity is concerned. Now, someone will say, “But you’ve made no point there, because we’re not talking about His person as God, but we’re talking about His person as a man.” But let’s get to that a little bit.
Now I certainly am not an expert by any means on dealing with the hypostatic union of Christ and sometimes we joke about it as if it were something since it’s beyond us to reason it out we just won’t talk about it, but it is a fact. It is a Bible truth. In this man that we call Jesus Christ – “God with us”, “Jehovah with us”; that’s what His name really means. In this “Jehovah with us”, there was a union in the nature of Jesus Christ as a man and the nature of Jesus Christ as God; there was a union that we cannot see, that we cannot handle, that we cannot touch, that we cannot analyze, that we cannot define; but it is necessarily there. But it is inconceivable and it is unbiblical that the human nature could in any sense violate the divine nature. It could not in any sense conceivably alter the divine nature because divinity is immutable. Can’t be; it’s not possible. So as we look at this, we look for instance at I Timothy 3:16 and I think this has already been read a couple of times: “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness.” How are we going to learn about God? “God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, …”. Who is this talking about? It’s not just talking about some kind of a conception or a manifestation of God! It’s talking about a Person! Jesus Christ. And I don’t have time to get into all of the steps that would go through there. “Received up into glory” – I get to preach on that later on – that’s a wonderful subject and it’s more than just the miracle of Him going up into the air I’ll tell you for sure. Much more than that.
But the fact of the matter is that as we look at this we understand that it goes beyond our ability to analyze, to fully define, to fully understand and yet we know that there was a union there. The Apostle Paul said, “I with my mind serve the law of God but with the flesh I serve the law of sin.” In some sense, Paul was saying, “I have a split personality.” I don’t use those terms too frequently – hear people talking about that today and the psychologists try to make all kinds of foolishness out of that. But you often hear honest people say, “part of me wants to do this, part of me wants to do this.” Have you ever felt like that? You know why? ‘Cause you are the offspring of Adam. But not so with Christ. He was not. And He was not a split personality. I don’t have time to prove all of this, but there was never one moment in the life of Christ when part of Him wanted to do one thing and part of Him another. Ever. Though he was man, though He was God, there was no conflict within Him. You will find one thing in Scripture – look for it, find it, show it to me; and I’ll apologize to you. But you won’t find one thing in Scripture that ever finds Him in consternation saying, “I don’t know what to do. I’d like to do this, but I’d like to do …”. You don’t find that in Him. There is a unity. It is the hypostatical union that goes beyond my understanding. He was God manifest in the flesh.”
But now listen and get this as a basic principle: true deity cannot be compromised. Now I’m not saying that if it is compromised it ceases to be true deity. There’s a difference. I’m saying if it is true deity it cannot be compromised. It is infallible. It is immutable. It understands all eventualities. It controls every thing. You see, I make decisions that re mistakes and sometimes I have decisions that I’m not sure about; and I have decisions where I want to do something, but sometimes I’m afraid to do it. You know why? ‘Cause there’s so many things out there I can’t control. But that’s not true with God. There’s so many things out there I don’t know, but that’s not true with God. There are so many things within me that I am uncertain of, but that’s not true with God. You ever do anything you have to apologize for? God never does. You see, the very nature of God forbids this whole idea that they bring forth of the possibility of Christ having sinned. He was not the offspring of Adam. Bro. Justice did a good job on this last night, dealing with the way that He was conceived in the womb of Mary. And I’m not a scientist. I’ve heard a lot of this stuff and I’m amazed sometimes at some of the things that people buy into, you know. M.R.D. Honral wrote this article about the chemistry of the blood and people across the country bought into that and bought into…And I was always embarrassed when I heard some of my good friends get up and promote that idea. And I want to tell you something: it’s so far beyond our understanding; and the statements that he made there, they were not even made from a medical standpoint, can’t be proven from a medical standpoint. But the fact of the matter is that this is beyond us. He was not the offspring of Adam; He was the last Adam. Look at I Corinthians 15:45: “And so it is written: the first Adam was made a living soul” – He was made a living soul – “the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” Now there’s a difference in “living” and “quickening”. For instance, I am a living soul. But I am not a quickening anything because “quickening” means that they have the ability or involved in the giving of life. Not a “quickened” spirit – see that would be like a living soul – not a “quickened” spirit, but a “quickening” spirit. A totally different species. He is the last Adam, He is God, He is made in the likeness of God even in His humanity. Time will not allow me to get into that and I shouldn’t; it’s another subject. But let me go on to something else. Adam – now listen carefully – being a creature was absolutely dependent upon the grace of God to maintain His holiness. I’m always embarrassed when I hear a Baptist preacher get up and say, “Adam was created innocent.” Obviously he was and so were all of the trees in the garden and all of the dogs and kitty-cats and the birds and every thing like that. What does the fact that Adam was created innocent have to do with anything? They say Adam sinned because God created him with the ability to make a choice. That’s like saying cats climb trees because they have four legs. Mules have four legs, too, but they don’t climb trees. It’s a stupid argument. It’s unreasonable logic. Adam was created positively holy. How could Adam lose that holiness? Help me out a little bit: did he fall by sinning? Or sin by falling because he fell? Now, I know the answer to that because the Bible gives me the answer, but without the Bible I couldn’t give you an answer. The Bible says he by transgression fell. But how in the world did an unfallen man transgress? Of if you turn it around the other way, how could he have fallen without sinning? In other words, you cannot describe the origin of sin. Unless you say this: that God created Adam for the purpose of bringing forth an elect people who would be saved by the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. I understand that that goes into the area of lapsirianism and I understand that that would probably put me in the school of a supralapsirian and I don’t give a flip one way or the other – I think we’re thinking all the way outside of our ability to reason when we even talk about it – so if I’m wrong about that it doesn’t even make me nervous.
But I believe that God withheld grace from Adam in order to glorify Himself through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. And I think the Bible will bear that out if I had time to develop it; the Bible will bear that out. The fact of the matter is that, as we look at this, Adam had a fall that was decreed by God – doesn’t mean Adam was not in violation; no justification in that for him – but the fall was decreed by God. Now if you don’t believe that, well you don’t really understand what God is about. Because the decree of God includes every eventuality that ever comes to pass. Adam fell because it was decreed; why would God decree the fall? Because God in so doing shows us that we are totally dependent upon the grace of God for our livelihood, for everything. I mean, you’d fall from grace after you got to Heaven if it were not for the grace of God. If there were not the nature of grace there would be no such thing as eternal security.
Now listen: Adam became a sinner by sinning; you do not become a sinner by sinning. Adam did, you do not. You sin because you’re a sinner. Now if you take that principle – that you sin because you’re a sinner; you do what you do because you are what you are – how could Christ have sinned unless He’s a sinner? You follow what I’m saying to you. In other words, the very nature of Christ not being a sinner shows us that He could not have sinned. Jesus Christ could not have sinned because He was not the offspring of Adam; He was the offspring of the Godhead. Hear His words to His mother in Cana: “What have I to do with thee, woman?” You ever wondered what that means? Well I don’t know; just let you figure it out and tell me; so you fellas help me out. But I think it has to do with this. Now I don’t have time to say anything else about that and besides, it doesn’t need to be said.
Grasp in your mind – I’m coming to a close – grasp in your mind the nature of Christ: Who He was, what He was, what God is; and you will necessarily reject the idea of any hypothetical peccability of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was the Lamb without spot and blemish. He was that holy thing conceived in the womb of Mary outside of any effect and influence of Adam in his fallen state. The idea Bro. Justice mentioned last night, the foolish idea that Mary was born without sin or came to the time of the delivery without sin, garbage. She was a sinner; He was her Savior. And only sinners need Saviours. So the idea is utterly foolish. But the fact of the matter is that as you look at this you’ll understand that Who Christ was absolutely, unquestionably necessitates the conclusion of absolute impeccability. Thank you for your time.
Transcribed 10/2006 Joy Ellaina Gardner
Autor: Pastor Forrest Keener
FEEDING SHEEP OR AMUSING GOATS?
An evil resides in the professed camp of the Lord so gross in its imprudence that the most shortsighted can hardly fail to notice it. During the past few years it has developed at an abnormal rate evil for evil. It has worked like leaven until the whole lump ferments. The devil has seldom done a cleverer thing than hinting to the Church that part of their mission is to provide entertainment for the people, with a view to winning them. From speaking out as the Puritans did, the Church has gradually toned down her testimony, then winked at and excused the frivolities of the day. Then she tolerated them in her borders. Now she has adopted them under the plea of reaching the masses.
My first contention is that providing amusement for the people is nowhere spoken of in the Scriptures as a function of the CChrist speak of it? "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." That is clear enough. So it would have been if He has added, "and provide amusement for those who do not relish the gospel." No such words, however, are to be found. It did not seem to occur to Him. Then again, "He gave some apostles, some prophets, some pastors and teachers, for the work of the ministry." Where do entertainers come in? The Holy Spirit is silent concerning them. Were the prophets persecuted because they amused the people or because they refused? The concert has no martyr roll.
Again, providing amusement is in direct antagonism to the teaching and life of Christ and all His apostles. What was the attitude of the Church to the world? "Ye are the salt," not sugar candy-something the world will spit out, not swallow. Short and sharp was the utterance, "Let the dead bury their dead." He was in awful earnestness! Had Christ introduced more of the bright and pleasant elements into His mission, He would have been more popular when they went back, because of the searching nature of His teaching. I do not hear Him say, "Run after these people, Peter, and tell them we will have a different style of service tomorrow, something short and attractive with little preaching. We will have a pleasant evening for the people. Tell them they will be sure to enjoy it. Be quick, Peter, we must get the people somehow!" Jesus pitied sinners, sighed and wept over them, but never sought to amuse them. In vain will the Epistles be searched to find any trace of the gospel amusement. Their message is, "Come out, keep out, keep clean out!" Anything approaching fooling is conspicuous by its absence. They had boundless confidence in the gospel and employed no other weapon. After Peter and John were locked up for preaching, the Church had a prayer meeting, but they did not pray, "Lord grant Thy servants that by a wise and discriminating use of innocent recreation we may show these people how happy we are." If they ceased not for preaching Christ, they had not time for arranging entertainments. Scattered by persecution, they went everywhere preaching the gospel. They "turned the world upside down." That is the difference! Lord, clear the Church of all the rot and rubbish the devil has imposed on her and bring us back to apostolic methods.
Lastly, the mission of amusement fails to affect the end desired. It works havoc among young converts. Let the careless and scoffers, who thank God because the Church met them halfway, speak and testify. Let the heavy-laden who found peace through the concert not keep silent! Let the drunkard to whom the dramatic entertainment has been God's link in the chain of their conversion, stand up! There are none to answer. The mission of amusement produces no converts. The need of the hour for today's ministry is believing scholarship joined with earnest spirituality, the one springing from the other as fruit from the root. The need is biblical doctrine, so understood and felt, that it sets men on fire.
A Message by C. H. Spurgeon That Speaks To Us Today
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