2 months later...

I assume it is probably about time for a post since A) My semester of stress-induced eating and procrastination is officially over. I've recovered from the stupor that is Finals Week, and am now officially academically unobligated. Woot! So the topic today shall be accountability. Is there a biblical basis for the idea of accountability? If so, how is it done? What is the goal? I reply to the aforementioned questions with Scripture.

The concept comes from James 5:19-20 and Galatians 5:16-6:10.
The methodology is seen in Galatians 6 as well as Matthew 18:15-20.

Whether the concept and methodology are correct, if we have the wrong heart about the matter, our efforts are not godly. If our reason for bringing up the faults and wrongs of others are attempts to make ourselves feel better, more deserving, or out of spite, anger, jealousy, then obviously we are not behaving Christlike. Furthermore, the only way that true accountability can be valid, is in submission to Scripture and out of love for our brothers and sisters.

The proper mindset can be found in Hebrews 10:23-25. We are seeking to reconcile a damaged relationship between God and the person being held accountable, it isn't about legalism but it is about deep, sincere care for one another.

We have the authority to do this as Christian's, it gives us reassurance, 1 John 4:21, and helps us fit more into our natural place in the body of Christ. We are to be one body with a singular mission, to glorify God. 1 Corinthians 12.

All must answer for their actions to God and while "accountability groups" may not have been present in the 1st century church, the doctrine and behavior was. Paul holds Peter accountable because he was behaving in a hypocritical manner in Galatians 2.

Being held accountable is one of the blessings that God has given us. It is prescribed by Scripture and should be enforced by the local congregation through the means of church discipline. What is the harm of being held to God's standard by God's people? There is a need for wisdom, caution, and patience when participating in such a group. Furthermore, being resolute but not stubborn and having love but not a pacifist outlook on sin are fundamental.

There can be negotiation on how the set-up should be since there is no precedent in the Bible. But, for wisdom and common sense, separate groups for men and women are advisable. Also, there needs to be some form of authority present, whether church staff, deacon, or some other spiritual authority in one's life. All things told in accountability should be kept there unless it goes against the legal system.

Not comparing yourself with others in regards to Spiritual maturity must be noted. These groups are to better our relationship with God and each other, not to gloat or view ourselves as better for having committed "lesser" sins than someone else.

Do all things in faith and love.

I Wonder, Do You Know Him?

In regards to this Easter Season, anything worth saying has already been said.

God's Word about Himself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl40wVuCJUA

The Late S.M. Lockridge:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z15FlTONVo


Anything more is superfluous

What Is Truth?

I have always wondered what it would be like to live in the Ancient Mediterranean. Mainly, Rome or Greece. I think I would enjoy some aspects more than others. Primarily, I think I would enjoy the discussions. I have always enjoyed hearing other express their viewpoints and in turn, voicing my own opinions. There is great joy to be found in seeking to understand the complexities of not only this life but the one beyond. That statement in itself asserts a viewpoint that I have, that life indeed goes beyond the grave.

I have my own views shaped by my own experiences, beliefs, and also the Bible. I believe that Scripture is inerrant. That is not to say that there are not minor scribal errors due to copying mistakes or that every grammatical hermeneutic is applied with precision. Inerrancy refers to the message. The message of Scripture and its transmission through well over two millenium, remains unchanged. There is a plethora of reliable information about the accuracy of the Bible. As such, in my belief that it is the inspired, inerrant, and life changing word of God, I desire to set it as the lens through which I interpret everything, even my experiences.

Where some allow their beliefs to be shaped by their experience, let my experiences be shaped by my belief. I do not believe that man can rely on reason alone. Granted, reason is a gift from God but reason is not infallible. There is adequate evidence to the failure of man's logic and great evidence for the supremacy of Christian Scripture. As such, I desire to submit myself to that which is unchanging, true, and authoritative. I believe that Oswald Chambers was quite correct when he stated, "The golden rule for understanding in spiritual matters is not intellect, but obedience."

While I am sure that some, if not all, of you who read this will disagree at first, I ask that you consider my next proposition carefully. Should intellect be subjugated by our desire to follow God? Before you let out the resounding, "No", understand that we are far too smart for our own good. We bring presuppositions to Scripture that did not exist during the time in which it was written. We scrutinize details of which the original audience considered frivolous, such as the how of miracles. "How could Jesus have walked on water?" or "How can we know that Jesus was deity?" The objections in the first century were not "How" but "Why". The concern was not whether Jesus was deity but whether he was human at all.

Science desires to answer the "how" of things and Theology desires to answer the "why". I feel that we must be subservient to Scripture even when we disagree with it. There is an apparent dichotomy between what I want to do and what I am told to do. I'm told to obey as a servant obeys his master. But what about the aspects in Scripture that are not clearly defined; which happens to be quite a bit! How are we to handle that which is unknown? I posit a simple understanding which may be overused and is to some overrated. We cannot know all of Scripture and we must accept it.

I enjoy debates as long as they remain civil. I appreciate discussion as long as it remains free of diatribe. But there is a line that often becomes crossed. Oftentimes, I see opinion stated as irrefutable fact. I understand that people feel strongly about a particular matter. When that person is a Christian, I praise God that they have a passion for His word and a desire to be obedient. When that person is not a follower of Christ, I pray that the Lord will soften their heart and turn that passion that they have for polemic to subservience to the Cross.

There are some areas of which the Bible is explicitly clear, i.e. Jesus is the son of God, the Resurrection, etc. Where I feel we get into trouble is when we take issues that may have an obscure aspect to them and tout them as an edict. There is a lot of room for interpretation of Scripture. But we use Scripture to interpret Scripture, not our own thoughts. Many discussions become less about, "How do I apply this Scripture to my life?" and rather become "How do you apply my understanding to yours?" I see a fatal flaw is this line of reasoning, chiefly arrogance.

I am just as guilty as anyone else of thinking that I am correct in matters. Honestly, who holds to a belief that they consciously know is incorrect? But to quote Luther Rice, "Defend truth for the sake of truth, not for the sake of being right." We must think rightly about Scripture but we must live it out through love. I inwardly mourn for Christians who do not see the necessity of living a life under the mandates of Scriptural discipleship and love. I inwardly weep for non-believers who have been told the Gospel but reject it in their wickedness.

The eyes of the world are upon me and you. No matter where you go, someone is watching. If they believe in the hope that is Christ, I pray that they are watching us because of a desire to more effectively assist in the spread of the Gospel. I pray we are watching them so as to know how to best minister to them and in that way glorify Christ. If they are not fellow believers, I pray they are watching because of Christ being reflected in our life. I pray we are watching them because we understand what awaits them without salvation.

I leave you with two quotes, two quotes which I hope we can always keep in mind.

1) Both right doctrine and right living are absolutely essential and totally inseparable for the true child of God. --John MacArthur

2) Biblical love is not free open acceptance as many would claim. It is neither promiscuous nor paltry in application, due to the simple fact of its origin.

Blessings to you and yours.

My New View on Being Affronted

My New View on Being Affronted

When another person offends me, I should not actually be offended. I shouldn’t have a reaction of offense because it is not I that they are in fact offending.  Even if someone consciously attempts to offend me, I should still not be insulted.  When we are involved in a situation that causes affront, other than basic miscommunication, that situation is simple disobedience.  It is rebellion.

 

I know that this may seem a bit out of place but I am a “big picture” person and tend to think in the realm of the existential and ethereal.  With that said, I can now relate to how I have come to have my new point of view.  I long for the compass of my morality and emotions to find its origin only in Scripture.  As such, we are to be at peace with our fellow man.  Just examining New Testament, we see that we are commanded to be at peace with our situations, our family, our fellow believers and even our enemies (Matthew 5:9, Hebrews 12:14, 2 Tim 2:22, 2 Thess 3:16, 1 Th 5:13, Col 3:15, Col 1:20, Phil 4:7, Eph 2:14, Gal 5:22, 2 Cor 13:11, 1 Cor 14:33, Rom 15:33, Rom 14:17-19, Rom 8:6, Rom 5:1, John 16:33, John 14:27, Mark 9:50).

 

So when we take personal offense to something it is our flesh, our humanity that feels this injustice.  I’m not speaking of being offended on the account of God.  Jesus was filled with righteous anger and chased the moneychangers from the temple because he was offended on behalf of God.  In Numbers 25:6-13, Phineas is offended at the disrespect shown to God and destroys kills two people because of their act of sin.  It is when we take it personally, that we find ourselves in rebellion.

 

I know it seems difficult to view being offended as a state of rebellion.  In fact, some of your may be tempted to stop reading at this very point, but I ask that you please hear me out.  When we are commanded to be at peace, how do we justify in any way not being in the state that we are commanded to be in?  Our flesh rebels against loving God and loving others, because those are what require us to be Holy.  Our sin nature rages against its inevitable demise.

 

It is not myself that someone seeks to offend but Christ.  I am not being rebelled against, Christ is.  So do not take affront and be exceedingly meek, merciful, and forgiving. Listen to insult without retaliation. Let no bitterness indwell within you but rather let grace take root and flourish.  In the midst of any persecution, rest in the sovereignty of Almighty God; and know fully well that discipline belongs to the righteous judge.

 

Forgive others so that we may find our own forgiveness.  I am dead, Christ lives in me and any anger I have need only be of the righteous sort.  Let us not be guilty of the blood of our fellow man by harboring hate in our hearts. Never let us slander, gossip, or find ourselves in any semblance of the unbeliever.  But instead, be a peacemaker and abide in love.  Be aware of our prideful nature.  Do not let yourself be too proud to accept rebuke because even our enemies can be used by God to point out truth.

 

Let us find encouragement in God and that He is using all people and all things to glorify Himself.  Meekness, mercy, and humility are ours to have.  Judgment, retribution, and salvation belong to God.  That is all we need to know in regards in any situation.

Ahem* Post coming forthwith.

This isn't the actual post.  However, it is in the process of being edited and reviewed.  Please keep an eye out for it.  I think it is something we can all relate to and will be helpful in all of our relationships whether that be friends, family, significant other, or with God.  It'll be up sometime this week.  k thx byes.

A secret...a long secret

Generally speaking, I am an optimist.  So do not stop halfway through the following tirade.  Also, do not allow yourselves to view this as a wallowing in self-pity blog.  I believe the message is an essential one.  So, I begin.

I have a secret.  It is a terrible secret.  It isn’t terrible due to the fact that most remain ignorant of it.  The terror comes from its pervasive depth.  It tricks the eye like a mirage.  It fools the mind like an illusion.  What is this great secret?

My secret is that I restrain my heart.  It stays behind walls far stronger than stone or steel.  Though it can oft be dark and cold, it can withstand any siege.  The walls are my protection.  They are my Jericho.

If the truth should be told, I must admit that I am not particularly nice and definitely not the best one to comfort someone’s self-image.  I suffer from chronic pride.  I have my own idea of what I deserve, and nothing in this world has met up with my expectations.

Many have tried to scale the walls, but even those persistent enough only find a maze of razor wire and roadblocks.  Inside the walls there is a nonsensical wasteland that is sharp and cold as the worst winter night.  It is my last defense.

Time is my only adversary.  Erosion has already begun.  Its effects are plainly evident.  The keep-out sign is dull and faded.  The barrier remains, but I cannot foresee how much longer.

How did I get here?  You see, I do have some more problems.  I invest too much into those around me.  I take the smallest sleight as a personal offense.  I am drawn to coy, sarcastic, and flirtatious women.  Oh, and I’m vain.

I often love the attributes of my friends, which are part of them.  However, it is extremely hard for me to love them in their entirety.  In regards to women, the same flirty sarcasm that attracts me, brings into genesis a false hope and skewed expectation.  Behind my walls, I am woefully albeit successfully alone.

I fear loss, rejection, and the searing guilt of inadequacy.  I am atypical in regards to all of my relationships.  I am not a good son.  I’m not necessarily a bad one, but I see in numerous ways each and every day the shortcomings that I possess in regards to loving my parents.  I was not a rebellious child nor was I excessively doted upon.  It is just hard for me to love.

There is a depth that I desire in all of my relationships.  But I do not know if what I want, at least to the degree of deepness that I desire, is even possible between 2 parties.  The aspect in which this is exhibited the most is in my relationship with God.  I know of God’s greatness, mercy, love, and sacrifice.  I praise God for being Himself. 

I just think that my actions oftentimes resemble nothing more than heinous apathy.  If I truly loved God, would I not study more?  Would I not be more obedient to His word?  Would I not resemble the Christ who has saved me more closely?

In regards to others relationships, I’ve often said, “Guard your heart, but never fear its use.”  I believe that it is essential to productive, healthy relationships.  However, I do not obey my on mantra.  I don’t guard my heart; I imprison it.  I don’t bring down my barriers for anyone at anytime.  For this reason, it is hard for me love.  I don’t give people the chance to prove themselves to me and I don’t desire to prove myself to others.

I try to live my life subject to the rules that have been pre-established by our society and culture.  The problem is that their rules are wrong.  Friends should not be casual.  Parents should not be somewhat detached from their children.  Your spouse should not be temporary because of the chance that he or she may not love you like you feel you ought to be loved.

We base our relationships off of what we know, the fallibility and weakness of the human will.  I am the greatest of hypocrites!  The reasons that I list for my insecurity and reluctance are they very things that I hate and wish to be destroyed.  I rage at my chains.  I refuse to accept the standards of social etiquette that others demand I follow.

None of us desire to be hurt, nor do we desire a life of subjugation.  We are all alive and we are all going to die.  Those are 2 great truths of this existence.  It is what lies in between those truths that we are held accountable for.  From birth to death there is time.  That time is longer for some than others but we must answer for how we used it regardless.

But oh how fickle are my brothers and I.  How easily we lose our way.  We fear our loss of control.  We want to be puppet masters and have the world march to the beat of our drum.  Chaos and fear are our nemeses.  We cannot let fear overcome us.  It seeks to usurp the foundations of our minds.  It is a blind hysteria, seeking to overturn the seat of sanity.

The only way to find a resolution to removing myself from my prison while still rebelling against the status quo of relationships is to pour every ounce of my energy and passion into every aspect of my life.  I must rely on God to sustain me as I race at breakneck speed to my eventual death.  I must have faith that Christ will speak on my behalf at that time of judgment.  I must be a stayer in the midst of this chaotic world.  I must prove myself to you and you to me, all the while understanding that not every failure is absolute betrayal.

But it is much easier to accept a life of defeatism and despondency than to fight against what this world says you should be.  You and I are not cattle.  We are not a mindless mob.  We simply must find the will to rebel against the lesser gods of this world that demand control of our lives.  There is hope for us yet.  

The Great Divergence

I have found myself at a certain place.  I’ve been here before but it was only in dreams.  I stand in the dirt of the road and there are many paths that lie before me.  The paths have many shapes.  Some appear to be winding like a serpent and others are straight as an arrow.  Yet, still there are wider paths and some that seem as if they are perhaps more narrow, if only by a bit.

There is also a single narrow path that seems to be calling to me.  The terrain of the narrow path is rocky, steep, and I sense many perils.  The journey along this path will be long, tiring, and laborious.  My hands are already shaking.  Whether they tremble from fear or eagerness, I honestly do not know.

Oh how I long for the other paths.  They seem to walk themselves.  They show the signs of having had many travelers.  Those paths are easy and I do love easy.  It is my natural inclination to do less work for more immediate profit.  But why then, does this solitary road seem to expand its influence in my mind.

I just want to scream with every shred of my existence.  “Where in the hell are the signs?”  “How do I know which way to go?”  The silence is painful and deafening.  Truthfully, those are not fair questions.  I know which way to go.  I have always known it.

I think everyone has always known which paths to take.  We just have the proclivity to ask questions in order that somehow we may receive an answer that we like better than the obvious one.  No wonder our questions so often go unanswered.  After all, it is much easier to believe that there are simply no signs, no answers, rather than there being answers we do not want to hear.  But what do I do?  Do I begin on the toilsome trail alone?

I have always had a penchant for soft paths, the ones that do not rub my feet raw.  But the call to the path is becoming irresistible and I find that my will is being overtaken.  Part of me rejoices at this while yet another part rages terribly.  My path lies before me and while it was not my beginning it will surely be my end.  I will face pain and persecution by taking my path.  But it is still a better path.

It is not better because it is longer or harder.  It is not better because I am the one walking it.  No, my path is better because of where it leads.  Not all paths lead to the same places.  When I look behind me, I cannot see any path that I may have taken to lead me to my current spot.  While there have been many divergences, none carry the magnitude of importance that this one embodies.

There are none that can make me walk this path.  There are none that can walk it for me.  Each step must be my own.  I don’t feel as if I am in anyway prepared but still, I must walk it.  An arduous journey awaits me but then again it is not about the path, but where it leads.