Every time I turn around, I'm sharing my thoughts as a child of God, husband, father and Christian leader.
Monday, April 30, 2018
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
RESPONSE TO BISHOP CARLTON PEARSON'S DOCTRINE OF INCLUSION!
Sunday, April 15, 2018
ONE WIFE AT A TIME?!
The Bible gives us the qualifications
of church leadership. Of course, the King James Version refers to these leaders
as "Bishops" (in other words overseers). One of the qualifications is
to be the "husband of one wife."
1 Timothy 3:2 2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
Through the years I have heard people
make light of this and say that "husband of one wife," means,
"one wife at a time. Of course, that is one of the most absurd
interpretations of the Scriptures that I have ever heard and denotes per
scholarship. The other interpretation has been an admonition against polygamy.
The interpretation of "one wife
at a time” is not in harmony with Scripture; as there is no limit. Does one
wife at a time mean one per year? Where does it end? So that is not the
interpretation.
Polygamy was not that prevalent in the
time of Paul. Even so many Westerners misinterpret the practice; citing David,
Solomon, etc. However, those were kings. Polygamists had to have tons of
financial resources to support such a large group of people. The average person
could not afford this. Thus, it was not as major of a practice as one would
think.
But, back to 1 Timothy 3:2, the
original language defines "husband of one wife" to mean, "To be
faithful and loyal to your spouse." In other words, how can you lead God's
people and you are cheating on your spouse. You are to be committed
financially, spiritually, physically, etc. THIS is what the Scripture actually
means.
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
DOUBLE STANDARDS!
A double standard is, "A rule or principle which is unfairly applied in
different ways to different people or groups."[1]
You would expect to see double standards in the world (that is, those outside
of the Christian faith); but you do not expect it among God’s people.
Allow me to be specific (I am not referring
to one single instance; but just an observation from being in the Christian
faith for 45 years); I believe that there is a “double standard” when it comes
to “submission to authority.” As I young person growing up in the Church; we
were drilled with the thought of “obeying leadership.” The following Scripture
was a standard:
Hebrews
13:17. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that
is unprofitable for you.
is unprofitable for you.
If this Scripture did not put the fear of God
in you; then you were hit with another Scripture if you failed to obey those
that have the rule over you:
Psalm
105:15. Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.
Furthermore, to be “disobedient” or “rebellious”
would inflict the following verses and curses:
1
Samuel 15:23. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
Isaiah
1:19-20 19If
ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: 20But
if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of
the LORD hath spoken it.
I
guess the thing that has bothered me is the double standard when it comes to
submission to authority. My observation is that obedience has been required as
long as the one enforcing it is the one in charge. But, how can you enforce
people to obey you; when you are disobedient to those who have the rule over
you? It’s a double standard.
I
believe that if you want the respect of people listening to you; then you need
to exemplify that same attitude and now just when you are the person in charge.
The hypocrisy is almost nauseating. It was grievous for me to see the same
people that would reprimand you openly for disobeying leadership; turn around
and have a flippant attitude toward those who had the rule over them. I guess
in cases like this; we have to do like Jesus taught and do what the hypocrites
say, but don’t follow what they do:
Matthew 23:3.[2]
So
practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For
they don’t practice what they teach.
I
realize that the Message Bible is a paraphrase and not a translation. In other
words it is not a word for word transmittance of each word; but seeks to convey
the thought. With that in mind, here is how Jesus would have addressed these
hypocrites that expect everyone to bow down and obey them; but they won’t give
that same respect to their leaders:
Matthew 7:4-5.[3] 1-5 “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures,
criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That
critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your
neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the
nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted
by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again,
playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that
ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your
neighbor.
[1] https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/double_standard.
(Accessed, April 9, 2018).
[2] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+23%3A3&version=NLT.
(Accessed, April 10, 2018).
[3] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7%3A4-5&version=MSG.
(Accessed, April 10, 2018).
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