The Battle Goes On:

Often, in the midst of a church controversy, someone will say, "I'm tired of the fighting.  Let's try something else."  At another gathering, people will be talking about an ongoing debate in Congress or the crisis in the Middle East, and someone will say, "Why can't we all just get along?"  I get almost as weary of hearing these kinds of comments as those people get of the discussions themselves!  I'm tired of compromise which leads to capitulation, and an insipid attitude that leads to love of superficial peace over love of truth and conviction born of principle.

 

The problem is that to be a good citizen or churchman requires vigilance.  At times, of course, compromise is wise.  It isn't worth splitting the church over the color of the carpet or the volume of the organ, or even the temperature in the sanctuary!  Those are hardly issues of principle or theological significance.  When we say, however, that we're "tired of the fight," or we wonder "why can't we all  just get along," we are betraying a basic misunderstanding of what it means to be a Christian or even an involved citizen in a republic.

 

We can influence the church, the nation, or the society in positive ways, but only if we are willing to pay the price.  Of course, we can just remain pre-occupied with our own affairs, self-absorbed and  contained in our own little world; but that is really not only a selfish but a short-sighted approach to life.  Do we not want a better country, a more faithful church, a great heritage to pass down to our children and grandchildren?  Do we not want those who come after us to enjoy some of the same privileges and freedoms and learn of the same faith that nurtured and sustained us?  For that matter, do we not desire that even in our own lifetime, the church and the country and the culture that we've known will still exist--strong and true?

 

Sometimes, church people talk as though if only this one battle can be won, then they can get back to the real mission of the church.  But as someone pointed out at a conference I attended several years ago, maintaining the integrity of the message of Christianity, holding on to the landmarks of the church, is part of the real mission of the church.  The battle goes on.  The faithful disciple can never rest.  Those who desire to take away these truths and undermine Christ and His church do not give up.  They never say, "I'm tired of the fight."  They are never willing to "try something different" just to gain a temporary cease-fire!  To be "reformed, always reforming" in the light of Scripture demands constant vigilance.  Faithfulness never comes easy.

 

In the same way, to be a responsible citizen means knowing and confronting the issues, voting with forethought, engaging those around us and seeing the "big picture" and the higher principles that go beyond temporary convenience.  Ideas have power.  Words have meaning.  Decisions have consequences.

 

I've always been drawn to the struggle.  I enjoy Parliamentary procedure because it is the most orderly way to ensure fair debate and open discussion.  How can we, as Christians or as American patriots, afford to shy away from hard realities just so we won't be bothered by the difficult task of thinking?  This does not mean that we always have to adopt a style that is personally confrontational or nasty.  Neither does it mean, however, that we allow the world to think we're asleep or apathetic.  When outrageous events  occur or hideous ideas are expressed, we are willing to call evil by its right name.  We know that faithful discipleship and civic responsibility are ongoing and are often connected.  The church cannot afford the luxury of experimenting with false unity based on dubious principles; and our culture cannot afford the luxury of those who would sacrifice western civilization for their own short-lived personal security or convenience.  Truly, the battle goes on.            

Statement Adopted by the Session

Statement Adopted by the Session,

First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, Alabama.

 

            In light of recent actions of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, (USA), and the media coverage given to those decisions; and realizing the need for a clear and unambiguous statement of Christian values in our changing secular society; we, the Session of First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, Alabama, affirm the following:

 

            We affirm that the requirement to live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman or chastity in singleness is a standard given by God for all Christians.  It is an essential of reformed faith and polity.  Therefore, all candidates for ordination or installation as elder, deacon, or minister of Word and Sacrament of this congregation shall exhibit a manner of life consistent with this standard, as expressed in our Book of Order.  Any candidate who departs from this essential shall not be ordained to the office of deacon or elder and shall not be installed as pastor of this congregation. We affirm the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman as the only context in which sexual activity is proper and in accord with Holy Scripture.

 

            We affirm the Trinity as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God in three Persons, and we reject other language of speaking of the Trinity which is not consistent with the names of God which God has given Himself throughout the Old and New Testament.  We believe that in speaking of the Trinity, we must also affirm the relationship among the three Persons of the Godhead—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

 

            We affirm that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God, and do not merely contain the Word of God.  We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the only infallible rule of faith and practice.

 

            We affirm that Jesus Christ is God’s only Begotten Son, and that He is the Christ, the only way of salvation for all eternity.

 

With this statement, the Session also authorized its distribution throuth the various media for the information of any who might be interested.

 

At the same time, the Session adopted an overture calling on the Presbytery of South Alabama to affirm the “fidelity and chastity clause” as an essential of reformed faith and declaring that those who cannot affirm G6.0106b will not be ordained by the presbytery or received into its membership.

 

The Session adopted another overture which was sent to the Presbytery of South Alabama regarding the method of selecting commissioners to meetings of the synod and General Assembly.  This overture simply calls on the presbytery to devise a new method of choosing commissioners.  This new procedure will be designed either by a newly appointed committee or by an existing committee of presbytery, and would be  presented to the presbytery at its meeting which takes place during the spring of 2007.

   

 

 

 

 

 

    

Ephesians 6:10-20, August 21-27, Year B:

I will be back in my pulpit on August 27; but I thought I'd go ahead and write some comments about this passage now.  That way, you'll have them for reflection ahead of time.  In addition, I won't be rushed during the two or three days between the time I get back from vacation and the time I have to preach this sermon.

 

I'm actually using this passage and the first ten verses of Psalm 84, which is the lectionary psalm for that Sunday.  My sermon title will be:  "Praise the Lord, and Pass the Ammunition."  Psalm 84 definitely reminds us that the church is a place of sanctuary, a place to praise the Lord.  But Ephesians 6:10-20 reminds us that we also need the proper ammunition to be disciples of Christ in this world.  There is a battle to be fought and won.  There is a proper dress code, a uniform that must be worn if we are to fight that battle successfully. 

 

First though, we have to know the enemy.  Now, I know that in this politically correct and tolerant society, it's fashionable to say that our enemies are things like hatred, bigotry, prejudice, greed, and all those fashionable evils the church likes to trot out in its denominational statements and literature.  All of those things are evil; but they are not the ultimate evil.  They are not really the enemy.  They are only tools of the enemy.  If a person is right with God, if a person is really an adherent of the Christian faith, these other things cannot live.  I'm not just talking about those who profess faith, or those who simply go to church.  I'm talking about the true disciples, the people who really believe the Christian message and who desire to be conformed to the image of Christ.  Such vices cannot long habitually live in such a person.  And the characteristics mentioned above, such as hatred, greed, bigotry, and prejudice were not the enemies of which Paul was speaking.

 

Paul was talking about those who were enemies of Christ and the faith.  Paul was talking about those who would deceive and persecute the Christians.  Paul was describing those who might claim to be faithful followers of Christ and then turn out to be antagonists.  While we rightly condemn the intolerance of some who call themselves Christians today, we dare not put in its place a kind of tolerance that doesn't even know what Christianity is.  Let's realize who the true enemies of the church are.

 

Our enemies are not those who next to us in church and disagree with us on what color the carpet should be in the church.  Our enemies are not those who disagree with us about the length of the sermon or the frequency of covered-dish dinners.

 

The enemies are those who would gladly kill us just because we are Christians.  There are people who hate us just because we live in a country where freedom of religion is not only practiced, but revered.  There are people who would kill us just because we do not adhere to their kind of Islamic fascism.  Some of those people live right here in America; but they are scattered thought the world.

 

Other enemies would undermine everything we believe about the identity of the family, every biblical imperative about morality and the relationships among people.   Activists are now seeking to legitimize all sorts of domestic arrangements and partnerships that Christians who would be true to their faith cannot acknowledge.  The family is under attack by anti-Christian and anti-biblical forces today in this country as never before.  This is not a liberal-conservative issue, or even a political issue.  It is an issue of faith and biblical morality.

 

Certain Christians from all across the political spectrum sometimes make the mistake of believing that we can defeat the inhumane forces around us simply by electing the right people to political office.  Paul tells us in this passage, however, that we are not fighting forces of flesh and blood, but the powers and principalities.  The only way to defeat materialism that puts the corporation ahead of the welfare of individuals, or fanaticism that would kill innocent people by the use of a suicide bomb, or perversity that would destroy and corrupt all natural family relationships, is by the weapons of the spiritual warfare listed here.  We need the Word of God, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace, the message of salvation which is available only through Jesus Christ.  We need not only to put on these weapons, but to take them up and use them prayerfully and effectively.  When used properly, consistently, and wisely, these weapons will banish the darkness of fear, hatred, bigotry, greed, and exploitation.

 

There is a time for Christians to be politically involved, just as there are times when the military must take up the weapons of actual combat.  But to win the spiritual conflict that is at the root of our social problems, it is necessary to learn the proper use of spiritual weapons--and then use them prayerfully, consistently, confidently, by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, with the love of God the Father Almighty.

         

Ephesians 5:15-20, August 14-20, Year B:

Straight AheadPaul tells us several interesting things in this passage. First, we are to be wise. We are to walk circumspectly, and not foolishly. This is appropriate for the context. Paul is talking about conduct and bearing fruit. Reminding his readers to be wise and to understand the will of the Lord is a kind of summation of the passage. Second, we are to be filled with the Spirit. The apostle is not primarily concerned with the evils of drunkenness here, but with the filling of the Spirit. I have heard this verse used by legalists to warn against the evils of alcohol; but such a use is an example of using an unrelated Scripture to prove a doubtful point. And finally, we are to give thanks for all things. We give thanks, even for difficult and unpleasant things--not because we're glad for the sickness, or the job loss, or the death of a loved one, or other disappointments and heartaches in our lives; but because we know that the various circumstances of our lives are ultimately under the control of God. We are thankful that we are in His care, if we belong to Him through Jesus Christ. (Remember that this epistle was written to Christians.) We are thankful that nothing happens to us without God. We are thankful that He is ultimately watching over us. Nothing surprises Him; and somehow, it will all work toward the goal of conforming us to His image. Now, a couple of housekeeping notes. I am placing this post early because I will be out of the pulpit on August 20 and out of town. I wanted this entry to be on time. Second, some of my blog readers may wonder why I post lessons on the epistles about once a week. It is because I am the moderator of a group on the Ecunet Web site entitled, "Lectionary Epistle Notes." It was suggested that in addition to posting these messages on that Web site, I might also post them on my blog. That way, some people who see them on Ecunet could refer others to the blog, who are not Ecunet members. I appreciate all the encouraging comments. Enjoy.

Ephesians 4:25-5:2, August 7-13, Year B:

In this passage, Paul is giving examples of how we are to demonstrate Christian conduct and live as we believe.  For instance, we are to be truthful in every respect.  We are to be cautious with regard to anger, not letting it fester inside us.  We are to be involved in honest work, not stealing.  We are to conduct our conversation and our manner of life in a way that honors our Lord and our profession.  In short, we are to have right attitudes about the people and situations we face daily.

Apparently, stealing was a common practice along the docks and in the public baths at Ephesus. 

 

 Paul also attaches a proper motive to right behavior.  We are not to grieve the Holy Spirit of God. He contrasts then negative with the positive, giving us insight into the character of God.  We can relate each one of these examples to the Ten Commandments, linking thereby principle with precept.  Paul has taken us from the general to the particular.  He is also explaining why sound conduct cannot be expected consistently from a non-believer.  The motives will be completely different.  The devil, after all, is the "father of lies."  We as Christians are not to persist in sin.  Sanctification is that gradual process which enables to live "as becomes the follower of Christ."  (This is one of the interesting difference between the Protestant and Catholic idea of justification by faith.  The Catholic view tends to link sanctification and justification more closely together.) 

 

We must always realize that just beneath the surface of our thin veil of humanity, there lies a beast.  Paul expresses his genuine pastoral concern for the way of life and the quality of fellowship among the Ephesians by bringing out these particular details.  He also reminds us here that the Holy Spirit is a Person in the Godhead.  The highest motivation for the Christian life is not just to benefit ourselves--though  these virtues and characteristics do have practical value, to be sure--but to bring glory and honor to God as we give ourselves away for the purposes of the Kingdom. Paul also would have us be constantly alert to the danger of losing that Christian edge to our personality.  We must take care to nurture the evidence of the Spirit which dwells within us.

     

 

 closely