Let Love Be Your Food Guide
Posted: April 28, 2024 Filed under: Sermons, Jesus, Love, Food, Idolatry, Conscience Leave a commentShould we participate in Easter egg hunts? Halloween? Should we homeschool, send our kids to public school, Christian school, Catholic school, private school, or “unschool” them that is student-directed? Should we consume alcohol as long as it does not lead to drunkenness? Should we use AI (Artificial Intelligence)? Use social media? Should we get vaccinated? Can we remarry after divorce? Should we wear medical masks to avoid sickness? If we are struggling with infertility, should we use In Vitro Fertilization? Should married couples use non-abortive forms of birth control? Should we attend a same-sex wedding ceremony? When should we disobey the government? When should we leave an apostate church? Is it okay to dance because you know what dancing leads to you, right? Can we play card games because they are used in gambling and tarot fortune telling? How about watching movies or going to the theatre? How much media consumption is okay? Should we become vegetarians? How about having women as deacons (i.e. deaconesses)? Is it okay to be a two-income family or single-income family? Should we marry or not marry? (We covered that last week and said there was freedom to marry or not marry, but I failed to mention that if you are not getting married just because of the cost of a wedding, then go cheaper. You will never have enough money to get married and have kids!) How about your view on the modern State of Israel? What about your views on the End Times? Is abortion allowed in the case of rape? What about legal cannabis consumption for medicinal purposes? How about smoking tobacco? Chewing tobacco? Vaping? Using non-medical treatments such as naturopathic or chiropractic? What about having a DNR (do not resuscitate) order? Is co-ed swimming allowed? Believing in climate change? How about your level of creation care and recycling? Is it okay to discipline your child by spanking for their sinful behaviour?(Of course, spanking in our country is only allowed between the ages 3-12 with the use of a hand and when not angry.) Is it okay for males to wear beards or not? How about having art and icons in the church building? How about pastors and priests being allowed to marry? Participating in a just war? Are we allowed to play sports or go to entertainment on Sundays? Should we corporately worship only on Sunday, Saturday or another day of the week? Should we only sing hymns or also sing current worship songs? Can we use musical instruments in the church or not?
These are some of the disputable matters that I have been asked as a pastor or have been issues debated down through the centuries by Christians. Some of them will be pressing in the coming days. Disputable matters are areas in life that the Bible does not have a direct command on what we should do. Sometimes the situation or culture determines different actions. We learned in 1 Corinthians 6:12, “‘All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be enslaved by anything.” Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Today we are NOT going to answer all these questions because we do not have time. (We are going to have a Q &A on 1 Corinthians with our pastors on June 9 and you can ask your questions by putting them in a box in the connect desk.) In fact, if we Elders told you what to do in every situation, then you would never grow to live wisely, which is our theme for the year. Furthermore, there will be issues that we cannot account for. This is why we are going to learn this morning how to honour Christ when it comes to disputable matters or what some call matters of conscience. Please turn in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 8. If you don’t have a Bible, please raise your hand as we would love to give one to you. We are continuing our series in 1 Corinthians as we endeavour to be together in the gospel. This letter was written by the Apostle Paul to the Church of Corinth, which struggled with celebrity and immorality. Here is the principle that will help us navigate matters of conscience: Love Jesus to build up your conscience and care for others. Love Jesus to build up your conscience and care for others. This is what we will discover in 1 Corinthians 8. Read 1 Corinthians 8!
WARNING: Failure to see yourself as owned by Jesus may cause pride and misapplying this sermon. But before we ever entertain the question of what we should do in any given situation, it is crucial we understand how we see ourselves. How do you see yourself when it comes to matters of conscience? Most of us would like to put ourselves in the category of having a strong conscience, but that is our first problem. The best thing that can happen today is to sit under the word of God and let it act like a mirror for our hearts. The standard for humility is Christ. His humility actually caused us to become children of God. Philippians 2:5-8 declares, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death to a cross.” Do you see how Christ’s humility saved you and caused you to be owned by Him? You have a new owner! A new master! A new example! Instead of pursuing our own agenda and thinking God has given us certain inalienable rights, we need to understand Jesus doesn’t owe you, He owns you! As we were encouraged last week to see Jesus Christ as our ultimate allegiance. I misspoke last week when I said that Jesus is our majority owner. That didn’t go far enough. Jesus is the sole owner of our lives. He is the only one on title. We are stewards of our bodies and all the resources God has given us. We own it like a young adult who is given a car. The car belongs to their parents. We once again need to understand Jesus owns us as we read 1 Corinthians 6:19, which teaches how love should be our guide on disputable matters. Now I need to clarify that in a culture that has co-opted the word “love” with terms like “love wins” or “love is love” when it comes to disputable matters that are things directly forbidden in Scripture. Those issues are settled. But in matters that are spoken about in Scripture, then we need the principle: love Jesus to build our conscience and care for others. It would be helpful to define love – “Love comes from God and is doing what is best for another person.” – Phil Stairs
Our problem is we often make decisions on what is best for us. This is exactly what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 8:1-2, “Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that all of us possess knowledge. This knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.” Notice Paul doesn’t start with the behaviour, but the mind and heart. So we are back to the warning: failure to see yourself as owned by Jesus may cause pride and not knowing how to apply the gospel in your life. As Warren Wiersbe says, “Knowledge can be a weapon to fight with or a tool to build with depending on how it is used.”
So how does knowing Jesus own you apply the gospel to your life? Let’s go back to another aspect of Christ’s death and His ownership. Look at 1 Corinthians 3:21 & 23, “So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours … and you are Christ’s and Christ is God’s.” Here is the gospel truth: Since Jesus bought you, you belong to Him! And this means that we live for Christ. Our bodies are Christ’s temple and we try to only honour Him. We love Jesus and care so much less about what others think of us. This is how loving Jesus strengthens our conscience. The gospel of love builds stronger consciences because in time we realize through the study of God’s Word that the man-made rules aimed at pleasing humans no longer need to be followed. Instead, we obey God’s direct commands in Scriptures out of love. We now ask, “Where is it found in Scripture?” I remember when my father was pastoring in 1980’s and people were upset that the young people were wearing jeans in church. They came to my dad to ask them to stop. My father who grew up in an extremely legalist church said, “Sure, as soon as you can show in Scripture where wearing jeans is forbidden.” Another example from my own life is that at one time I was stiff as a board in worship. I was so self-conscious and very concerned about what others thought. I knew that being authentically expressive in worship is found in Scripture (1 Timothy 2:8), but I was more concerned about my fellowship worshippers than the God I worshipped. Then the simple truth that I am God’s child changed everything for me and I started to care less about what others think and more about what God thinks.
Paul is using the same line of thinking. Paul is seeking to build up the conscience when he says in verse 4, “Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that an idol has no real existence, and that there is no God but one.” What is Paul saying? He is not talking about the general idols, which is anything we seek to find comfort or satisfaction other than God. Paul is talking about specific physical idols such as statues. Physical idols still exist in the world as seen by these pictures of a monkey god in India (pic) and Buddhist statues in Portugal (pic). Such idols are actually becoming more prevalent here in Canada as we welcome the nations to our country. This may increase our spiritual sensitivities, but let’s not turn these into allergies against our neighbours. Instead, may it cause us to have a greater love, compassion and boldness in sharing the gospel with our neighbours.
It helps us to understand that “An idol professes to be an image of a god, not the only God and therefore such a thing does not and cannot exist, for you cannot represent what has no existence.” Behind those idols are actually demons and Christ has defeated them. That is why Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:19, “What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons.” This is why “The topic of ‘idol food’ is probably related to the warning in 1 Corinthians 5:10-11 against associating with idolaters.”
To understand the background better, Warren Wiersbe explains, ““There were two sources of meat in the ancient world: the regular market (where the prices were higher) and the local temples (where meat from the sacrifices was always available). The strong members of the church realized that idols could not contaminate food, so they saved money by purchasing the cheaper meat available from the temples.” However, some who probably came out of a life of idolatry had weaker consciences. Richard Lenski defines weaker consciences as, “A weak conscience is one that is not fully clear as to whether an act is right or wrong.”
So let’s speak to those of us who have a weaker conscience on a disputable matter. Think back to those disputable matters I mentioned at the beginning that were not exhaustive. Everyone here has a stronger conscience on some issues and a weaker conscience on others. For example, I am not tempted at all to smoke cigarettes whereas some of you would love one right now. I might be tempted though to smoke a pipe because I like the smell. I am not advocating for cigarette or pipe smoking. Both will kill you and both don’t honour God with our bodies. I am saying that we have stronger consciences on some things and weaker on others. If you are the one with the weaker conscience, love Jesus to build up your conscience. Acknowledge and avoid things that will sully your soul as Dr. Rick Reed teaches. Some of us can dirty up our souls with being more sensitive to contaminants than others, but I would caution us again, knowledge puffs up. I thought that I could watch more violent movies. I love those military rescue movies. However, when real war broke out in Israel, I found myself out loud saying, “Kill the terrorists.” That is trying to solve an Old Testament problem without a New Testament solution through the gospel of Jesus. Instead, I should have prayed for their salvation and for God to stop their violence by breaking their arms as the Psalmist prayed (Psalm 10:15).
Maybe this will be helpful? Turn to Acts 15 and the decision by the Jerusalem Council on what actions the Gentile believers were to avoid. In Acts 15:28-29, Jesus’ half-brother James and quasi leader pastor of the Jerusalem Church declares, “For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourself from these, you will do well. Farewell.” Paul and Barnabas were then sent to the Gentile churches to share these instructions. However, here is the shocking thing. In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul seems to have moved beyond the Jerusalem Council. One scholar says, “Paul, though present at the Jerusalem Council, not only does not refer to the Council’s edicts, but goes directly against it.” So what is going on here? Is it a redemptive hermeneutic where God changes in time the ethics and practices of His people? No! Was Paul doing whatever he wanted? No! Paul wanted to give a greater understanding. He declares this in verse 6, “Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” Charles Hodge explains, “There was no permanent moral ground for the prohibition of meat offered to idols. It ceased to be binding wherever and whatever grounds of the prohibition did not exist.” This is important because many have eaten meat sacrificed to idols. Maybe you have and didn’t know it? Ever gone to a Thai restaurant and seen idols there with food placed in front of it. Maybe I just wrecked Thai food for you? Instead, what I would encourage you to do is pray that the owners of that Thai restaurant would come to faith in Christ. Maybe God is telling you to share Christ with them? This will in effect grow your conscience. Love Jesus to build up your conscience. Seek the gospel solution for your weak problem. Verses 7-8 help us with this, “However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.” “The Corinthians’ relationship with the living God was not affected by eating or not eating, whatever the source of the food.” This is why it is important to let love be your food guide and eat others food as an expression of love to them as long as it doesn’t harm you. It may be helpful not to ask, “What is it?” However, when it comes to drink this does not mean that if you have a tendency towards alcoholism, you should begin a bar ministry. It means you grow to appreciate the freedom for others and avoid the temptation yourself. Do not use your weaker conscience as tyranny over the strong! “Some people have the false notion that the strong Christians are the ones who live by rules and regulations and who get offended when others exercise their freedom in Christ, but it is the weak in Christ who have the security of law and who are afraid to use their freedom in Christ.” This is why our Elders have crafted and adopted this statement, “Corporately, Temple will continue to be a safe-haven for people that stumble (Romans 14, 1 Corinthians 8). Based on the situation, our members will show freedom and restraint on issues of conscience for the sake of love and protection of others.” We could pick a lot of debatable matters, but one of them that may be a concern to a lot of you is the use of alcohol because so many of you have alcoholism in your past or your family’s past. Our teaching position is that we will let love be our food and drink guide. If we know that drinking alcohol or eating food or we have freedom to act on because Scripture doesn’t forbit it, but it was going to cause a person to stumble, we would forego that freedom. That goes for leaders and members! What is good for the goose is good for the gander. On the other hand, if for some reason, we knew that drinking alcohol or eating food or any matter not forbidden in Scripture would become a hindrance to the gospel, then we would use that freedom to love our neighbour and hopefully get into a gospel conservation with them. We would eat that food or possibly have a drink. We would not initiate the gospel conservation and say, “Let’s go talk about Jesus over a beer.” However, how I have personally have handled this situation with my non-Christian friends is tell them that I do not drink alcohol because I try to create a safe haven in my life for those who struggle with alcohol. But if that person wants to drink, I’ll have a non-alcoholic drink and let’s talk. Most people accept and respect my decision because they see it as loving towards those I am trying to serve. We are trying to live wisely and not just by human-made regulations that the Bible doesn’t teach. If we thought something would cause our brother to stumble, then we would err on the side of caution and forego our freedom as to cause our brother or sister to stumble.
This is how we love Jesus to build up our consciences, but also love Jesus to build up our concern for others. Verses 9-13 speak to this, “But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” These are strong words for the strong. “To wound a member of Christ is to wound Christ.” Instead, “Love for our brother or sister in Christ, should determine our actions, not our ‘freedom.” We need to recognize that “Everything one does that affects relationships within the body of Christ should have care for brothers and sisters as its primary motivation.” So the grid to decide on an issue is, “What effect will my actions have on my fellow Christians’ progress in holiness?” If bad, I won’t use my freedom. “We must protect the weak until they, too, become strong. Negatively, we must not offend their conscience; positively, we must bear with them and instruct them.” Let me go further, “Regard for Christ should keep you from at least helping to rob of the soul for which He paid so great a price.” If we take action with something that in itself is not sin without any regard for our brother’s or sister’s view, then that is sinful against Christ.
In summary, in light of Christ dying for us and owning us, we should love Jesus to build up our consciences as well as our care for others. And if by chance we may cause our brother to sin by our action, then we should avoid that action at all costs. Jesus came to us when we were weak in all His freedom and yet, He laid aside His rights so that we can free. Should we not do likewise?
Instructions for the Married and Umarried
Posted: April 21, 2024 Filed under: Allegiance, Christ, Marriage, Sermons, Sex, Sexuality, singleness Leave a commentJesus doesn’t just get us, He saves us! He can radically change our lives. He doesn’t leave us where we are at and change our allegiances. He transforms us as He sanctifies us and makes us holy. Paul after describing behaviours that don’t belong in nor will inherit the kingdom of God says, “For that is what some of you were.” (1 Corinthians 6:11) He should know as He was a former persecutor of the church. But Jesus bought Paul and you and I with His own blood. We are not our own. “Our souls and our bodies are holy and when we separate them from sin and devote them wholly who the Lord, do His will and His alone.” As Pastor Kyle taught us last week from 1 Corinthians 7:17-24, “serve Jesus exactly where He has called you.” So today if you are here listening as a spiritual person, Jesus was the most spiritual person to ever live because He was the only person to be a Spirit before becoming human. He did this because “God is Spirit and those who worship Him, worship Him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24) If you are feeling hostile to Christ like the Apostle Paul today, Jesus will love you as His enemy and could become your Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). If you are religious, Jesus is the only One who ultimately reconnects (re-ligio = re-ligament) to God (John 14:6). If you are animistic and believe the problem in the world is evil spirits, then please know that Jesus died on a Cross and rose again to destroy the work of the devil (1 John 3:8). You don’t have to live in fear anymore. If you are Hindu and see the problem in the world is that we are not enlightened, then Jesus is better as He is the light of the world (John 1:3-5; 8:12). If you are a Buddhist today, and see the problem in the world today is suffering coming from desire, then Jesus is the suffering servant who overcame His desire by praying to God the Father, “Not my will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). If you a Muslim and see the greatest problem in the world is selfishness and a lack of submission to God, then remember that Jesus humbled Himself, took on the role of a servant and was obedient to God, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:5-8). If you are Jew and see the greatest problems in the world today are broken relationships, then discover that Jesus is the one meditator between God and humans (1 Timothy 2:5). I’m praying that you will see this vision of Jesus. Jesus doesn’t just get us; He saves us and changes our lives here on earth. And therefore, we should See Jesus Christ as our ultimate allegiance. We often have allegiances to our family or friends or work or school. Jesus Christ must become our ultimate allegiance. This is the big idea of our passage today from 1 Corinthians 7:25-40. If you don’t have a Bible, please raise your hand and we would love to give one to you. Having Jesus Christ as your ultimate allegiance will transform your reason for living and transform your relationships. Like today in our society, people in first century Corinth lived in confusing times about marriage and sexuality. Let’s read 1 Corinthians 7:25—40 to find gospel instructions for the married and unmarried! Read 1 Corinthians 7:25-40 and pray!
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man, in position of a good fortune, must be in want a wife.” Who said that? Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice! The Corinthians never read Jane Austen. Instead, they read the Scriptures and they had questions for the Apostle Paul. Some had been rescued from what we today would call sexual addiction and trauma and wanted to avoid sex altogether. “Some believed having sex with their unbelieving spouse defiled them.” So they had questions. “The Corinthians questions for the Apostle Paul: 1) “Must a Christian get married? and then on other hand, 2) “What about the unmarried women in the church who are not getting any younger?” They wanted to know whether a father with his daughter or a fiancé engaged a time to his fiancée should “keep her a virgin,” literally “The flower of her age” or as Dr. Kenneth Wuest translates it, “Past the bloom of her youth.” Here is Paul’s simple answer: “Above all things hold fast to the Lord.” As one commentator says, “Paul’s chief purpose is to provoke among the Corinthians the fullest devotion to the Lord on the part of each individual.” See Jesus Christ as your ultimate allegiance! Virginity is to be rightly valued. However, may we are focus not on the flower of virginity, but on the Creator who made us all virgins in the first place. Too many are focused on trying to keep their marriage or give it up in marriage. Our focus needs to be on Jesus.
Let’s walk through this passage and see how our allegiance to Christ affects our reason for living and our relationships. To recap, let’s just go back through the entire letter for a moment. The Corinthian church was corrupt – they were divided, immoral even tolerating incestuous relationships, and they sued one another. The Apostle Paul, who once hated and hunted Christians, now understands that He was bought by God. That reminds me of a term that we used to use in church world – “I am sold out for Jesus.” It meant to be all in for the Lord. However, technically people don’t sell ourselves to Jesus, only to the devil. We cannot ransom ourselves, but Jesus came and bought us from the slave markt of sin. He paid the price and gave His life as a ransom for many. We can’t! So don’t be a sell-out. Instead, remember Jesus sold Himself for us. Christ owns you, not owes you! This was Paul’s watershed statement in 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 and then Paul goes onto explain the practical implications in the second most intimate relationship – marriage. Who owns you? That depends if you are married or not! If single, you are owned by Christ alone with Christ as the majority owner. If you are married, you are owned by Christ as the majority owner with your spouse being a minority owner, but equal to your share. The question is: did Jesus overpay to own you? No! He believed shedding His blood was worth it and not just for your sake, but for what He is doing on a cosmic scale. John Mark Comer explains, “Apprenticeship to Jesus is about turning your body into a temple, a place of overlap between heaven and earth – an advance sign of what one day Jesus will do for the entire cosmos, when heaven and earth are at long last reunited as one. This is the single most extraordinary opportunity in the entire universe: to let your body become God’s home. And it’s set before you every single day.”
And this applies to food, exercise, what we watch, say, listen to and our sexuality. When we start with the premise that Christ owns us, it changes our priorities and practices for our entire lives. Jesus is our master and our ultimate allegiance. As Paul does, let’s see how our allegiance to Christ affects our singleness. Like Adam, every human is single for at least part of their lives. Think about it. We start out single, even if our parents pre-arranged our marriage. Then some of us get married with the understanding that “marriage shall only be dissolved by death.” Those that lose their spouse to death or abandonment become single again. Singleness is something every human has in common. Which is why we as a church need to do a better job of embracing and valuing single people. Both Catholics and Protestants have gone into the ditch on both sides of the road in regard to how they treat singles. “Roman Catholicism has insisted on celibacy for its clergy even though not all are gifted to be so; on the other hand, many Protestant groups will not ordain the single pastor because marriage is the norm and the single minister are not quite trusted.” Church, how could we love single people better? Many churches are very family oriented including ours, but let’s put God’s spiritual family first. In fact, as one Bible teacher has said, “The church is a family of families.” However, those families should include single people. Jesus, Paul, Timothy, Mary Magdalene and then the widowed Mary, the Mother of Jesus were all single. These examples evidence that “singleness is not a moral failing or a cause for shame,” but devotion to God.
Let’s look further at what Paul says in verses 25-26, which was so countercultural to the times and still is – see Christ as your ultimate allegiance when you are: 1) single and free (v. 8, 25-26, 28, 32, 35). There was great pressure in that day to get married whether one was a Jew or Gentile. Some scholars debate, “Did Greek or Roman customs prevail in the Corinth of the day?” We can’t know for sure, but many of the Corinthian Christians had a Jewish background, which would have been emphasized marriage. Getting married was how one passed on the family name and land. Paul may have shocked the church when he answered the Corinthians’ question in verses 25-26, “Now concerning virgins – That always gets one attention – I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy. I think then that this is good in view of the present distress that it is good for a man to remain as he is” – meaning single. Paul is saying this is a matter of opinion, “Paul was not laying down an ironclad rule for everybody,” but then he goes on to explain what he thinks is best – being single like him. Why? “Paul gives reasons why it is generally preferable for single people: 1) Single people have fewer everyday problems than married people, unless they are parents (v. 28, 33); 2) Because the end is near, Christians ought not let marriage and the things of the world be their dominant concern (v. 26, 31); and 3) Because marriage has more earthly responsibility and divided interests, those who choose to remain single can devote their lives more fully to Christ (v. 35).” Verse 32 says that this is a way to be free from anxieties. Some of the married people just got elbowed because their spouse learned that they are the cause of anxiety. That’s free advice without the therapist’s bill.
But freedom is not licentiousness. Singleness is not supposed to equal selfishness. Singleness is so one can be more singular in seeing Christ as one’s ultimate allegiance. There is more freedom to serve God and His forever family. I met two young men on planes this week who are single and have freedom to work, pursue their interests and travel, and yet were lonely so they were going to see their families. As Christian singles, see Christ as your ultimate allegiance by devoting yourself to the Lord and that you have a church family. Gina DalFonzo writes on behalf of Christian singles, “The whole world seems to be obsessed with sex – and believe me, when you’re not having sex, that is something you’re very much aware of – the church of God gives us something the world can’t. Those teachings and expectations remind us that we don’t have to be obsessed with sex and in a paradoxical way, they set us free. They help us stay off the crazy, broken merry-go-round of hookups and one-night stands and relationships with no real depth or foundation. I’m not saying it’s all a picnic in the park. We’ve seen that the church has its own problems when it comes to helping establish a healthy singles scene. What I am saying is that when the church teaches sexuality based on the Word of God, and even more when it helps hold us accountable for following those teachings, it gives us something important and valuable – something that’s very hard to find outside the church.” That something is actually a Someone – Jesus Christ.
Let me pause and address a question that came up in verses 26 – what is this present distress that would deter or delay people from getting married? Paul doesn’t tell us so we are left to speculate that it was probably persecution or poverty, both situations making it hard to provide for a family. Some today say that the world is to evil to get married and have kids. Warren Wiersbe best explains in Corinth, “The situation might become so difficult that those already married will have to live as though they were not married.” Maybe they would be imprisoned and separated? Gina Dalfonzo explains, “Being in a relationship as close as marriage and yet feeling emotionally estranged from one’s spouse must be a special kind of pain.” Marital loneliness may be one of the worst kinds of loneliness. This is why Paul’s message is “Stay as you are” (v. 17). “We should learn to sit loose to all earthly ties.” However, if a person does decide to marry a fellow believer that is not sinful. “As there is no sin in marriage and no superior virtue in celibacy, it is a mere question of expediency, to be determined by the circumstances of each particular case.” Singleness allows us to devote ourselves more to Jesus’ practices of rest, solitude, prayer, study of God’s Word, fasting, fellowship and generosity.
See Jesus as your ultimate allegiance when you are single and free, but also 2) married and bound (v. 27, 33-34). Look at verses 27, “Are you bound to a wife?” Guard your hearts because wanting to be released from marriage shows the hardness of your heart (Matthew 19:8). There are some who would want to be released from marriage through legal separation while technically not committing the sin or have the stigma of divorce. Paul says stay with your spouse and don’t seek to be free. Furthermore, if you are married, Jesus should still be your ultimate allegiance. Jesus declared this in Luke 14:26, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” The word “hate” there is hyperbole and is used as a contrast. Jesus has to be # 1 in our lives. “It is possible to please both the Lord and your mate, if you are yielded to Christ and obeying the Word.” So following Jesus should not be an excuse for a sexless or uncaring marriage. Instead, our marriages should model Christ’s love for the church. We should be our spouses’ number one intercessor and prayer partner. In full transparency, that it is hard sometimes. Lori and I have to make time for prayer. Romance and marriage experts encourage couples to get away for a weekend together without the kids. I think the practice as an apprentice of Jesus is to go away and pray and play together. Lori and did that this past week and have learned that we have to literally get far enough away where we can’t run home for emergencies.
See Jesus as your ultimate allegiance when you are single and free, married and bound, but also 3) engaged and hesitant (v. 27, 36-38). Notice the second part of verse 27, “Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife.” I admit that I struggle with this verse as a father. I want my children to get married and have reacted too strongly to the world’s thinking that marriage means nothing and one should go so their sow their wild oats. However, maybe we are putting too much pressure on our young people to get married as if marriage is the great sanctifier. That is the Holy Spirit’s job, not marriage.
Marriage is important, but not ultimate. Sex is important and the most sexually satisfied are married Christians according to one statistic, but sex and marriage need to be rightly ordered under love for Jesus first. This why Paul goes onto say in verses 36-38, “36 If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin. 37 But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. 38 So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better.” NASB emphasizes the “father” giving permission for his daughter to marry, while the NIV and ESV places the decision with the “fiancé”. This is not just a call for men to step up and get married. It is about self-control that was already discussed in verse 9 – it is better to marry than to burn. Warren Wiersbe has some great questions for the engaged, “If marriage is being contemplated, ask: 1) What is my gift – singleness or marriage? 2) Am I marrying a believer? 3) Are the circumstances such that marriage is right? 4) How will marriage affect my service for Christ? 5) Am I prepared to enter into this union for life?”
All these questions are good in relation to marriage. The big question is your ultimate allegiance to Jesus? He is the one who died for you. Who rose for you! Who you will get to be your ultimate relationship for all eternity.
WRAP-UP – We have our Elders here to pray with you. I am going to be in the corner next to the sound booth for a Q & A.
Recommended Resources:
- The Meaning of Marriage by Tim & Kathy Keller
- The Biblical Masculinity Blueprint: A Christian Man’s Guide to Attraction, Relationships and Marriage in a Messed-up World by Stephen Casper
- Unwanted by Jay Stringer
- One by One: Welcoming Singles in Your Church by Gina Dalfonzo
Jesus and Doubts
Posted: April 13, 2024 Filed under: Deconstructionism, Doubt, Jesus, Resurrection | Tags: Jesus Leave a commentJesus and Doubts (John 20:24-29)
When Faith Meets Doubt Conference (Grandview Church, Kitchener, Ontario)
April 12, 2024
My father’s first full-time job was as a teller in a bank. One of the first things that tellers were trained in that day to do was to be able to tell if money was counterfeit. Now this was before cryptocurrency or electronic transfers. People carried these things call bills – currency made out of paper, not plastic. It actually crinkled up on your pockets. Some of you remember them. So, instead, of spending a lot of time studying counterfeit money, the bank trained tellers to know what genuine bills felt and looked like. This way when they encountered the counterfeit, it was fairly easy to tell the counterfeit. Our goal tonight is to learn and be reminded of what is genuine. This is will help us fight doubts and deconstructionism in our own lives. And some of you here would not even put yourself in the category of a Christian and are struggling to figure out what is counterfeit and genuine. We welcome you here. This message is aimed at believers in Christ with doubt or with doubters in their lives, but if you are not a believer, hang with me as well. It’s just that judgment always starts in the house of God and so hopefully we will first look in the mirror before looking out the window at the world and those who have left the faith.
The Bible acts like a mirror for us. Sadly, there has been a massive drop off of Bible users (see stats). According to a newly released study by American Bible Study, over the past four years from 50% of adults using the Bible in 2021 to 38% of adults using the Bible in 2024. That is 29 million less Bible users. A Bible users is defined as someone who reads, listens to or prays with the Bible at least 3-4 times a year outside of worship services. These are American stats and I would like Canadians would be less. My friends, Bible reading is critical to fighting doubts. Therefore, if you have your Bibles, please turn to 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 or you can Google 1 Corinthians 15:1-2. You can also read it on the screen. Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, 8-9! The Apostle Paul was a doubter at one time. He actually hunted and killed Christians until he had a vision of the resurrected Jesus and became a passionate follower of Him. Listen to what he writes, “Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word, I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures … Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ” Paul went from doubter to disciple because he encountered the risen Lord. What Paul thought was counterfeit was actually genuine. Maybe that describes some of us tonight – confusing the counterfeit with the genuine. My task tonight is to preach the gospel that will save you, has saved you and that has been faithfully preached by my friend and your retiring Pastor Bob MacGregor. On behalf of the Waterloo Wellington Association of Fellowship Baptist Churches, I want to thank you Pastor Bob and Grandview Church for your faithfulness to preaching the gospel. I am convinced from my own life and ministry that constant gospel preaching helps us to not believe in vain. My heart though goes out to are some of us here today, myself included, who have loved ones who have walked away from their faith. When you have a child or family member who is doubting, it casts a constant shadow doesn’t it? I have great empathy for you.
It may be helpful to remember that doubts are as old as human existence. Doubts are nothing new! They are as old as time. Doubts were in Eden and doubts in heaven about God’s goodness when Satan doubted and rebelled against God. Recall the seeds of doubt that the serpent planted in Eve’s mind in the Garden of Eden, “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3:1) I want to reassure you that nothing is new under the sun. As I was preparing this message, I had the same thought as one of our speakers tomorrow, Tim Barnett, in his book The Deconstruction of Christianity. This was a confirmation of the Holy Spirit’s message. Tim says, “Deconstruction is nothing new. People have been abandoning the standard of God’s Word and engaging in a process of rethinking – and often abandoning – their faith since the beginning.” And lest you think that this was just an Old Testament problem, Tim goes on to say, “Consider Paul’s first letter to Timothy. In it, he describes those who ‘have wandered away’ (1:6 and 6:10), who ‘made shipwreck of their faith’ (1:19), who ‘will depart from the faith’ (4:1), who ‘denied the faith’ (5:8), who ‘abandoned their former faith’ (5:12), who ‘strayed after Satan’ (5:15), and who ‘swerved from the faith’ (6:21). If you’re keeping track, that’s eight references in one short letter. Since the time of Christ, people have been ‘falling away’ from the faith.” This is despite the fact that Jesus came to fulfill the Law and Prophets, not abolish (or deconstruct) it (Matthew 5:17). It is not comforting to know that doubt has been common from the beginning, but it is comforting that Christ can overcome doubt and renovate our faith.
Let’s pause there and define terms. Terms need to be defined more and more now-a-days because of, ironically, deconstructionism. Words have been co-opted or changed in part due to deconstructionism in society, thanks in part to the French Philosopher Jacques Derrida. I have struggled with defining the term deconstructionism and have had discussions with my friends about deconstructionism. Have you? One exchange I had with a pastor friend, he said, “Personally I am uncomfortable with the term deconstruction. We are implored in the Scriptures to be built up in our faith. We should aim for reform always; but deconstruction? Hmmm, lots of danger here. If what we are talking about is de-CONSTRUCTING our faith, off-loading human constructs attached to our faith that are interfering with faith in Christ alone, that is helpful, but any rethinking or removing of the ‘faith once for all entrusted to the saints’ (Jude 3) then no.” We are to contend for the faith, not deconstruct it. (I agree and hopefully one of the outcomes of this conference is that we see deconstruction is harmful and is really a destruction of our faith.) Or maybe Jon Bloom in his Desiring God article puts it better, “Deconstruction is the process; deconversion is the result.” Doubt makes unstable in all our ways. I can’t recall who summarized James 1:22 that doubts are like being blown around like a beach ball in the wind, but it is a good picture of what happens when we doubt.
However, deconstruction is more dangerous than doubt, because our beach-ball doubts get batted around like the crowd at a bored Blue Jay game. Deconstruction is not so much a private struggle, but a public sound off. Theologian Kevin Vanhoozer helpfully and prophetically explained 26 years ago, “Deconstruction is not the same thing as destruction. It is not simply a matter of demolishing something through external force, but of dissembling it (which is more pre-meditated than an act of passion or frustration by being disappointed with God). Deconstruction is a painstakingly taking apart, a peeling away of the various layers – historical, rhetorical, ideological – of distinctions, concepts, texts and whole philosophies, whose aim is to expose the arbitrary linguistic nature of their original construction. Deconstruction is thus best understood as a kind of undoing.” This is why this deconstruction is more painful and dangerous than doubt. Every generation has had their backsliders and prodigals who have run away from God, some even were prophets and authors in the Bible like Jonah. In contrast, deconstructionists are running away from God, asking for others to join them and then trying to launch a grenade behind them so there is no bridge back to God.
BUT God! But God! Jesus is the bridge that cannot be destroyed or that needs $1 Billion dollars to repair like the Key Bridge in Baltimore that was recently knocked out by a cargo ship. Lest we think that God steps away and we can destroy our faith by ourselves, may we be reminded that sometimes God hands us over to our sinful flesh for Satan to destroy that flesh (Romans 1:26; Corinthians 5:5). What God has built up; He will not let us ultimately tear down. Cling to this promise written by the one-time doubter, the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:6, “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” We may temporarily damage the house God is building, but God will repair and complete the work in our lives. And those who believed in vain that we read about in 1 Corinthians 15:2, it could be translated “Or unless we never truly believed it in the first place.”
For those who are questioning some of the beliefs and practices that are not aligned with the Scriptures, may I offer up a new term: we are cooperating with God in His renovation of our faith. God is doing a faith renovation project. Renovation almost always requires some demo days in the famous words of Fixer Upper® Chip Gaines. There are some man-made constructs that need to be removed from our life and theology that are renovated with Biblical foundations. I think renovation of our faith aligns with some of the great movements in church history such as the Reformation. Reformation of the church or renovation of our personal faith is a divine-human cooperative. Tim Barnett would like to steer us away from the term renovate our faith like renovating a house because our faith is relational – our faith is in the person of Jesus Christ. However, like my marriage is always being renovated learning where I misunderstood my wife, God is renovating our lives to align with Christ and His Word.
So in our remaining time tonight, let’s preach the gospel to ourselves and see the renovation of the faith of one of Jesus’ followers. His name was Thomas. He has had an adjective unfairly attached to his name. He is known as what? Doubting Thomas! The reality is that the other disciples of Jesus doubted from time to time like we all have. Recall what is recorded in Matthew 28:17 (NLT), “When they saw Him, they worshipped Him – but some of them doubted.” Bible Scholar Scot McKnight explains, “This might be a veiled reference to Thomas, but all eleven might have experienced a mixture of both worship and doubt.” We need to remember though that Thomas had courage at one time. Before Peter ever made his bravado and false declarations that he would lay down his life for Jesus in John 13:37, it was Thomas that led the disciples in making what we would now call a blood pact according to John 11:16, “So Thomas, call the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, ‘Let us also go that we may die with Him.” Thomas also had the courage to ask how to know the way in John 14:5. Maybe this is why musician Steve Bell gives us a different perspective on Thomas, “Yet given his courageous fealty and open honesty on earlier display, should it surprise us that it was only Thomas who was not huddling fearfully behind locked doors when all the others were? Thomas was a realist. What’s done is done. Perhaps he was merely, and bravely, getting on with his life … Thomas doesn’t have doubts as much as conditions for believing.” The reality is that we don’t know why Thomas doubted. The Chosen suggested it was because he lost (spoiler alert) the love of his life.
Pain can be a pathway to or from God. ER physician Lina AbuJamra in her book Fractured Faith exclaims, “It’s not our longings for more of God that lead us away from God, it’s our longings for more from God that deconstruct our faith.” She goes on to say, “For me, my expectations nearly destroyed my faith.” As a man with high expectations too, I set myself up to be disappointed with God. You see, “God is not always fair and it’s one of the best things to know about the God of the Bible … Christians don’t follow a fair God. He does what we cannot comprehend; He loves the unlovable and He calls us to do the same.” “Justice ensures that fairness is served. Mercy ensures that fairness is not. God is both in the person of Jesus Christ.” But Thomas did not know the justice and mercy of God was found in the resurrected Lord. Turn to John 20:24-31 to find hope in the midst of doubt and deconstruction. Read John 20:24-31!
We do not know why Thomas wasn’t with the rest of the disciples. Maybe Thomas was with his Twin as his nickname alludes to in John 11 and 20? Twins are often very close. I knew two adult male twins who joked they shared a brain. Their wives would disclose it was really hard to be married to a twin because the twin often came first. When one of the twins woke up, the first thing he would do would be to call his twin brother. They were what psychologists would call “overly connected.” Maybe Thomas was running to his twin for comfort in the midst of all the trauma he experienced with Jesus’ arrest, trial and crucifixion? We do know that Thomas’ twin was not one of the Twelve, which shows that sometimes kids can grow up with the same experience and one of them believe and the other not believe. We do not know why Thomas was not with the other disciples when Jesus first appeared to them. It does serve as a reminder to stick close to other believers in uncertain times.
Thomas seemed to be a FACTS to FAITH person. I have been taught that there are two types of people in the world: FACTS TO FAITH people or FAITH TO FACTS people. The FACTS TO FAITH people are the ones who research all the evidence, even trying to refute all the arguments for Christianity. Finally, after they have made a thorough quest for the truth, they believe the gospel to be true. Often these engineer types are unshakable in their faith. Then there are FAITH TO FACTS people who have an experience with Christ. It could be a vision, a dream, a conversation, a conviction and then they turn to faith in Christ. After turning to faith in Christ, their faith is confirmed by studying the Bible and other evidence for Christ. Paul seemed to be a FAITH TO FACTS person. Thomas was a FACTS TO FAITH person. Which are you? A FACTS TO FAITH follower or FAITH TO FACTS follower of Christ? Maybe you are still seeking facts or an experience? Have you confirmed your faith by the facts of the resurrection?
If Thomas deconstructed his faith, an encounter with the resurrected Christ made Him a believer and worshipper of Jesus. Thomas had lost sight of Jesus and the promised resurrection. What are you going to do about the resurrection? It is either a historical fact or not; genuine not counterfeit. Thomas knew this. As did the Apostle Paul who admits in 1 Corinthians 15:14, “And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” Nobody has loved me more than those in the church and nobody has hurt me more than those in the church, but I need to keep my eyes on Jesus. Seeing Jesus changed everything for Thomas. He declares of Jesus, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). One NLT scholar concludes, “Thomas’s response represents one of the strongest statements of Jesus’ deity in the New Testament, and the culmination of the Gospel of John’s portrayal. Later tradition speaks of Thomas working as a missionary in the East: in Parthia (according to Eusebius), Persia (according to Jerome) and India (according to the Acts of Thomas). The Mar Thomas Church with its million followers on the west coast of India traces its roots back to the early missionary work of Thomas.” This gives us great hope that anybody’s doubts can be turned into devotion to Christ. God can renovate our deconstruction into a million strong Temple of the Holy Spirit. What we need to do is to go back to Jesus and His resurrection! His resurrection is genuine, not counterfeit. He is our hope when we don’t have answers.
One of my crises of belief was when there was a couple at my previous church that had struggled with fertility. They so desperately wanted a baby. They went the In Vitro fertilization route and were blessed to be pregnant with twins. The pregnancy was high risk. One day I got a call that the young wife was going into pre-term labour at 20 weeks. The babies came and lived only a few minutes. They asked me to conduct the funeral. What would you have said to the couple? I came to the conclusion that the only hope I could give them was Jesus and His resurrection. All the other supposed comforts would be cruel. And this leads us to two ACTION POINTS:
- BE MERCIFUL TO THOSE DOUBTING AND DECONSTRUCTING – Jesus was merciful to Thomas who doubted and so should we. Jude 22 commands, “Have mercy on those who doubt.” Christ offered peace for Thomas’ troubled mind and doubts. Jesus even knew Thomas questions being in his presence. Jesus knows our questions and doubts. Jesus still shows mercy for those who doubt. Canadian Bible Scholar D.A. Carson encourages us when he states, “By taking up Thomas’ challenge in this way, Jesus simultaneously proves that He hears His disciples even when he is not physically present and removes all possible grounds for unbelief, even the most unreasonable.” Being merciful means not quarrelling with doubters and deconstructionists. Instead, we are to be kind and gently instruct those opposed to the truth. Remember, “Jesus did not rebuke Thomas for his doubts, but for his unbelief.” On the screen is a picture of two men – my grandfather and my father. Both were pastors (pictures of my father and grandfather). My grandfather help to start a Pentecostal denomination here in Canada and then went to serve as the global denomination’s missionary director for many years. My father had many doubts about the church he grew up in as he saw a lot of hypocrisy, legalism and phoniness. Most of his siblings deconstructed in part because their father was somewhere around the world caring for somebody else’s kid at the neglect of his own children. My father went through a greater inner turmoil deciding to finally leave his parents’ denomination. However, despite the heartache of leaving his church and tribe, my father and grandfather remained close. I think that was because they tried to show mercy to each other. It is doubtful I would be a pastor today without that mercy.
- PREACH THE GOSPEL TO YOURSELF TO FIGHT DOUBT AND DECONSTRUCTION – In Tim Barnett’s research, he found a common theme in deconstructionists. He says, “Focusing on this world is a common sentiment in deconstruction stories.” Having a Best life Now theology causes disillusionment. Lina AbuJamra found, “The biggest mistake we make in Christianity is to make ourselves the center of our story.” We must remember that we follow the Saviour Jesus who was born to suffer, die and rise again. Taking up our cross daily and following Christ helps stave off doubt and deconstruction. Notice it is the word of God written down that helps us to continue to believe as John declares in John 20:30-31, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.” Do you have life in Jesus’ name? May you today! If one can deconstruct, God can reconstruct! Let’s pray!
Commissional 