Saturday, June 30, 2007

Don't be Weird.

Today you get another bit from my daily devotions and we are still in the book of Titus. So we will be keeping the same context as yesterday.

"But mostly, show them all this by doing it yourself, incorruptible in your teaching, your words solid and sane. Then anyone who is dead set against us, when he finds nothing weird or misguided, might eventually come around." Titus 2:7-8 (The Message, Emphasis Mine)

Paul just got done explaining to Titus how various people in the church should be living their lives. Titus is to be the one who is speaking out for solid doctrine. Paul makes it clear in this passage that he is not just to tell them how to live, but to live it out himself. The end result of this is that even some who are against them will end up being for them.

I've known a lot of weird Christians.

To often people take little points from the Bible and then do them in excess. This is something that Paul warns us about elsewhere. When you deal with people, especially those who are outside the faith, your teaching needs to be solid and sane.

You will notice that Paul says nothing about the need to verbally abuse anyone. Verbal abuse is what some Christians consider outreach. You know what I'm talking about so I won't go into detail. Outside of the context of this passage I would ask you to try to love people first! Makes them more receptive I promise! (Hint: It's what Jesus did.)

Keep your teaching solid. This requires knowing what you are talking about. Read the word. Find a translation you can read easily. (I recommend NLT or TNIV). Find a commentary or get a Bible with notes thats well known and respected, and learn what God has to say about stuff. I need to read more commentary's.

Keep your teaching sane. Keeping it sane is pretty simple for me. If Jesus didn't emphasize on it himself then I don't emphasize it to an unbeliever. I have to keep in mind that they don't think like I do. There is lots of stuff in the Bible that someone who is without God's Spirit will not understand. Culture Gap.

Oh... and here is a freebie. Don't expect those outside the faith to act like Christians K? It's pretty dumb when we do that.

God keep us solid and sane in how we represent you!

Friday, June 29, 2007

We Should Know Better

I am doing my daily bible reading and we have hit the book of Titus. On a side note I am currently reading "The Message" paraphrase.

Paraphrases are not bad.

You just have to understand what you are reading. In the last few years I have read every word in the Bible several times in NIV. My brain has gotten to the point where I associate the language of the NIV with academic work. So my switch to The Message has given me a fresh view on the scriptures and engaged my mind in them in a way that I haven't felt for months. I just have to keep in mind that I am basically reading a commentary.

Here is the verse: "For there are a lot of rebels out there, full of loose, confusing, and deceiving talk. Those who were brought up religious and ought to know better are the worst." Titus 1:10 (Emphasis Mine)

This is Paul writing here to Titus who is leading a church on the Island of Crete (Context!). Cretans where known as liars and cheats (which is shown later in the chapter). This stereotype apparently had some truth to it as Paul addressed the issue as truth. The worst of all of these types of people in Paul's eyes where those who where brought up religious, the same kind of hypocrites that Jesus condemned!

This makes me think of a saying that I hear a lot: "You can't trust anyone."

We are becoming a culture of distrust. We assume that people are leading us on or trying to sell us something and to tell you the truth often this is true. I don't like that it is true... I would rather assume that people have good intentions, but often they don't. Those who were brought up or are a part of the Church are the worst. Hypocrite is a title I know that I have worn as well. Did I help that person to love them as Christ did or because I want them to come back to my event to make me look good? God sees my attitude and often so do members of my generation. We can't afford to have an agenda, instead we must learn to love like Jesus did. He loved the poor, the sick, and the one who was stuck in wrong behavior without qualification.

God help us to follow your example and do the same.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

We Study God... But People Study Us.

As we look at studying God we have to remember that the world for the most part does not.

The average person judges the nature of God and Christianity by you. They also judge it by what they see churches doing. This post from Worship Tech Online about church signs illustrates this point well.

Church Marquees - Worship Tech Online

Another Good Blog on this:

Church Signs Suck - Church Marketing Sucks

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Just so you know...

I am aware that my introduction is... dry and wordy.

That will not always be the tone for my posts and there is a real possibility of the use of words like "booger". Giving you the "Erik" feel you've grown to love.

That is all.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

An Introduction.

Theology - The Study of God.

I have a LOT of theology books on my shelf here at my office. What is more interesting than that is that some are Airen's (My finance) and some are mine (from three different Bible colleges) so they all have different things to say. Sure the core values of the Christian Faith are the same... but on the detail's there is a... umm... difference of opinion.

To summarize this difference of opinion and how it is stated in these books:

"My point of view is right. And anyone who has is a different opinion is stupid."

The problem is... they are discussing a point that has been debated even before Jesus came.

For Example:
Predestination vs. Free will long predates Calvinist and Armenian Theology... You can find sects of Judaism that confronted this issue a thousand years before Jesus came.

Does anyone find it odd that Jesus then proceeded to say nothing about it? Must not be important then...

This is just an example. This blog will be more than just DOCTRINE. Theology is the study of God and is not limited to doctrine. But let me be clear on how I view doctrine.

Absolutes:
Essentials of our faith. More than one passage in context discusses these. The existence of God, the integrity of scripture, the death and Resurrection of Jesus, heaven, hell, and the virgin birth are all absolutes. The Bible is clear in detail on these subjects.

Interpretations:
Debatable items. One passage of scripture to conclude a meaning (However in context the verse can be on a different subject). Even if you think you are right... you might not be. The Bible touches on these subjects but nowhere does it SAY an answer. People piece it together from passages. These concepts include creation science (old or new earth), predestination, free will, and how exactly the Holy Spirit does things after salvation. (I will probably talk about Interpretations often)

Deductions:
VERY debatable items. A deduction is taking one verse from one place in the Bible, connecting it with a verse from another place (which removes context) then coming to a conclusion that would not be evident from either verse on its own. Or it's when we take one aspect of culture, combine it with something else from either culture or the Scriptures and come to a firm conclusion. It's A+B=C. These are more distant subjects from the scripture like homeschooling, how to run a church service, and if a Christian has to be a Republican or a Democrat.

Personal/Cultural Preference:
Even more debated. It sounds dumb but its true. More people would leave a church because their personal preference has been violated than any other. I've met them... I know. These are things like worship and prayer styles, music, clothes, the paint on the walls, Bible version, and how much the preacher spits when he talks.

A few other quick buzz words I will use a lot and my definition of them:

Context: What the passage meant from the original writer to the original readers.
Passage: A selection of scripture that contains one complete thought from the original writer.
Verse: A section of a passage as divided by the Bible publisher. These are not found in the original manuscripts.

Looking forward to discussing these and other ideas with you! Much Love!