I have recently had several discussions on the topic of being single and John Piper's message on the topic, so I have decided to repost the link. I apologize for those of you who have heard my sopabox on this issue before. However, I don't believe the issue is dead. The church has been busy, "fighting the culture" in terms of its lack of support of marriage. Let me point out that the Bible  address those who remain single as well, and the church gives little attention to the battle for a godly single life. I do not think that a conflict between the culture and the  Bible  should surprise us. As long there are people who are not Christians, there will be people attacking biblical values.  I don't think the battle for marriage or battle for singles are  battles for the church to fight.  I think the battle for the church to fight is the battle for souls. Winning a man or woman's soul is the sure way to win any other battle.  I am not really convinced that this battle is really about the battle against the culture as much as it is a bias towards marriage that lacks an informed biblical understanding of a godly single life. I do not point this out to draw more attention to singles' ministry, rather to draw more attention to what married and singles have in common, our mission to expand and build the Kingdom of God together.

John Piper - Singles in Christ: A Name Better Than Sons and Daughters *

Eric Grover: A Name Better Than Sons and Daughters

* I recommend listening to or watching John Piper's message rather than reading it because he elaborates more in the actual message.

 

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Warning: This post contains everything Ameicans are not supposd to discuss in polite company: politics and religion. I am a fan of discussing them both.

 

Former Fox News anchor, Britt Hume, has stirred quite a controversy with his appeal to Tiger Woods to turn to Christianity seen in video below.

In one sense I was shocked and in another sense not shocked by people's reactions. Many claimed to be offended by Hume's remarks. I am not sure "Offended" is accurate. I think angry better describes them. Hume hits the nail on the head in his O'Reilly interview when he explains that the Bible addresses the issue. Many people hate Christianity. There is a growing intolerance to Christianity in the United States, largely in the academic community. I am neither dismayed nor offended by this reaction. I think it is predictable and perhaps even a healthy sign that the gospel is advancing.

The part that I do find odd, is that Americans, in particular, are so offended by proselytizing. Mark Joseph, the Huffington Post (surprisingly) addresses the issue in this blog post. I will add to Joesph's remarks that I find it surprising that Americans, who fought so hard for freedom of religion, as opposed to freedom from religion, rail against Hume's right to his freedom of religion. In sharing his perspective, Hume did not oppress, restrict, nor inhibit another from their right to freedom of religion, rather, he invited Woods to share his own religion.

It also seems clear that Hume did not share his beliefs out of hate, self-righteousness, nor condemnation. Just Taylor unpacks the background of Hume's faith and more recent devotion to his faith in this blog post. I think with the back-story, I would conclude that Hume was merely posturing himself as, "One beggar telling another beggar where to find bread." (Luther) Mark Joseph addresses this perspective as well in this blog post. I believe that Hume's reward is not to be found here in vindication, but in Heaven according to Matt 5:11, "“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matt. 5:11-12)

This whole controversy is really far less about our civil rights or the notion of a growing intolerance towards Christianity, however. This controversy dates back to the foundations of time as God executed his plan of redemption: Jesus Christ came to save sinners, the race to which we all belong.

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I saw this quote posted on the J.C. Ryle blog today and it stirred me, so I thought I would pass it along as well.

“Do you ever try to do good to others? If you do, remember to tell them about Christ. Tell the young, tell the poor, tell the aged, tell the ignorant, tell the sick, tell the dying – tell them all about Christ. Tell them of His power, and tell them of His love; tell them of His doings, and tell them of His feelings.

“Tell them what He has done for the chief of sinners; tell them what He is willing to do until the last day of time; tell it to them over and over again. Never be tired of speaking of Christ. Say to them broadly and fully, freely and unconditionally, unreservedly and undoubtingly, ‘Come unto Christ, as the penitent thief did; come unto Christ, and you shall be saved.’”

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Disclaimer: No specific person or group was in mind while writing this and a lot of you won’t like it. I am sure some will blow this off as dogmatic, but it is a perennial concern for me.

Every year I am amazed at how many well-intentioned, otherwise bright people celebrate a Satanic holiday. Some argue it has lost its meaning or that it is how the individual views the day. But would these same individuals apply those arguments if people celebrated a Nazi holiday? The truth is that Satanic worship has resulted in all kinds of immorality including but not limited to animal killings, murder, drinking blood, and countless other horrors. I am not going to get into the history of the day or spend time substantiating my point, the Internet has more than enough information on those topics. But I am going to challenge you, how harmless is it to honor a Satanic holiday?

However, to me, equal to celebrating Halloween, are those who go out of their way to NOT celebrate Halloween but in their efforts by default honor the day. Call them Harvest parties or whatever you will, to me it seems as though you are still acknowledging the Satanic calendar. Do you do something different because it is October 31? Is your goal to offer consolation prizes for your kids for not letting them celebrate Halloween or to avoid facing those at your door who do celebrate it?

Some Christians replace Halloween by celebrating the reformation, the day that Luther nailed the ninety-five theses to the church door, proclaiming salvation by faith alone. I have mixed feeling on this. Credit Luther with the reformation, but his other teachings cancel out a fair share of his merit. If you do celebrate Reformation Day, do you celebrate it by celebrating freedom in Christ or immortalizing a man?

For a culture so concerned with symbolism and meaning, we seem to turn a blind eye to Satan’s high holiday.

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What Grace is Mine

Words: Kristyn Getty
Traditional Melody arranged Rob Mathes

What grace is mine that He who dwells in endless light
Called through the night to find my distant soul
And from his scars poured mercy that would plead for me
That I might live and in his name be known

So I will go wherever He is calling me
I lose my life to find my life in Him
I give my all to gain the hope that never dies
I bow my heart, take up my cross and follow Him

What grace is mine to know His breath alive in me
Beneath his wings my wakened soul may soar
All fear can flee for death's dark night is overcome
My Saviour lives and reigns forevermore

So I will go…

 



"What Grace is Mine" is from Keith and Kristyn Getty's new album, "Awaken the Dawn." The Getty's have produced another solid album with sound, creative lyrics and interesting melodies. It is definitely worth the purchase.

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I am looking forward to seeing Steve Murphy again:

51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ

 1 Cor 15:51-56

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