Biblically, married couples should not use birth control. The Bible does say that children are a blessing, and commands us to be fruitful and multiply. Barrenness is in a list of curses that will come on a people or a country that disobeys God. God controls the womb. Do we also forbid attempts to get pregnant (in vitro fertilization, for example)? What about Natural Family Planning – no chemicals, surgeries, or other medical devices? Is the issue taking control? Avoiding blessings? Or not valuing children? Do we make exceptions for certain couples, for those with dangerous health problems associated with pregnancy? Yes, children are a blessing, but God describes many things as blessings, and we do not pursue them all. Singleness is a blessing. That blessing excludes parenthood in most cases. Can you really choose and the blessing still be a blessing? Who gives blessings? Wasn’t the command to be fruitful only given to Adam and Eve and repeated to Noah? It may be our right to pursue blessings, but as Christians, aren’t we supposed to lay down our rights in deference to God? The Bible describes children as arrows in the hand of a warrior; if Christian couples are declining to have kids, are they shirking their responsibility to further the kingdom of God as best they can? Our worldview has shifted, even in the last century, to see large families as abnormal or even undesirable. Before this century it was the common teaching of Catholics and Protestants that birth control was wrong, that God wanted them to accept as many children as He granted. We have biblical examples, if not mandates, of people regarding blessings. Did anyone good ever refuse something that was a blessing? What about the story of Onan where he acted the kinsman-redeemer but specifically avoided the possibility of conception in the union? He was condemned. But maybe he was condemned for the motives and implications of the act?
Christians become more like the world as they withdraw from the world. In what way would you describe those prime examples of religious seclusion: Amish and monks in a monastery, as being more like the world? Worldly is defined as self-centered, reluctant to share our faith. Though that is not particularly world-like, as they are eager to share their beliefs. Perhaps it could be argued that Christians withdrawing from interaction with the world are growing less godly or less obedient (are we not called to be salt and light?) rather than more worldly. There are many monasteries that, while pursuing a life apart, still engage in ministry to the community, to the “world.” They do teaching ministries and nursing, for example. Has not the US church become a club, withdrawing from the world in their exclusivity, because we are neglecting the command to reach out? What made it become a club? Maybe that itself was a consequence of becoming like the world, and inviting the world in on its terms. If the world wants to come to church, shouldn’t they want to come for the truth? Christians are commanded to be somewhat separate: more hospitable to other Christians than to nonbelievers; also to know who is “in” and who is “out” in order that outreach might be a definite, stand-out activity. We as Christians are known by our love to one another. Being so separate that the difference is obvious is a witness. The Bible teaches Christians to engage in BOTH discipleship AND evangelism. 1 John instructs us NOT to love the world or anything in the world. Those Christian leaders most recognized for being engaged in the world and having a large impact or effect on the world – are they having an impact for the Kingdom of God? Billy [Graham], Joel [Osteen], and Rick [Warren] are “ruining the kingdom of God.” Our interaction with the world should be one of confrontation. And perhaps “Christians” in the US aren’t real Christians, so withdrawing from responsibilities to love their neighbors is a natural reaction.
(First Ever 2 Minute Debate!) The Sun will go out before Jesus comes back, so we should colonize other solar systems. Jesus said He was coming back soon. At that point the world had only existed for 4,000 or so years, so the absolute maximum that could have meant would be A.D. 4,000. There is no way the Sun is burning out in 2,000 years. If we’re still around then, though, and He hasn’t come back, maybe then we’ll look into colonizing other solar systems. Plus we have better things to do than worrying about the survival of humanity after the earth.
Confessing sins to fellow disciples is essential for healthy community. Don’t we already confess sins to each other? It just starts out with, “It was SO cool…” Seriously, isn’t there a danger of confession turning into bragging? If I tell you my sins, doesn’t that encourage you to gossip about me? Disciple is defined as one who is pursuing godliness, trying to grow spiritually. So the discretion used in confessing to disciples can guard against some dangers. Another danger is the power of suggestion introducing a type of temptation to others. But confession could – and should – be made without details. The benefit of hearing sins confessed is to realize that other Christians are struggling with sin – maybe even the same sin – too. That gives assurance that the temptation and failure is not a sign of being unregenerate. Should confession be private (accountability partner) or communal? History has recorded many times where revival followed public confession. Pastors often set the example of public confession, apologizing for faults during sermons. It is probably more important for leaders to confess publicly. So what? Now everyone knows that everyone else is a mess just like them. How does that build healthy community? Congregations can pray for each other when they know the need, support each other, and rejoice in the victories. But people don’t have to wait until they’ve conquered sins to start confessing. And a meeting could involve some confession and some victory reports. Confession invites intimacy. Public confession facilitates repentance, whereas not having to tell anyone about it lets a person “get over it” without being truly sorry. Isn’t God sufficient pressure to invite true repentance? Being one with God is tied to being one with others. The Christian response to confession is forgiveness, especially if you were wronged by the sin. But the Bible does record times when men confessed their sins and received judgment. Take Achan, whose whole family was stoned with him even after he confessed. Still, a case can be made that the stoning of Achan’s household was good for the community, which is the wording of the resolution. Reality has Christians experiencing consequences even though we’re forgiven.
The way Protestants teach salvation by grace alone/faith alone/Christ alone leads people to faith in intellectual assent, not to faith in the Spirit of Christ (true salvation). So we shouldn’t teach that gospel? Or we need to be very careful how it’s explained? Christians tend to use terms with people who don’t know what we mean, like faith; in our culture it is understood as intellectual assent. So if that isn’t what we mean, we need to define our terms or use words that anyone can understand. Sometimes there aren’t words for concepts (some tribes have been discovered with no word for mercy or forgiveness): in such cases, longer explanations and even demonstrations may be necessary. Part of the cause of false conversions in America today is that salvation is sold as a ticket out of hell… But if it is true that we are saved by faith alone, why does it matter how an evangelist explains the gospel? The gospel of intellectual assent is a Holy Spirit-less gospel; it doesn’t lead them to God. Isn’t the Holy Spirit capable of using weak words to nonetheless convert hearts? It is the Christian’s responsibility to be as clear as he can. When we talk about salvation, we rarely mention that the choice brings a cost: lordship of Christ, sacrificing, how much easier it is to live without morals. We say “God has a wonderful plan for your life” but look at Paul’s life. Are we being dishonest? What about using a word like “mistake” instead of sin? Doesn’t that give the impression that your rebellion against God was an accident? But that could be an attempt at using an understandable word when no one knows what sin is anymore. Are there better words, though, like “wrong”? Originally it was understood that converting to a certain religion, with its doctrines, had consequences. It meant a conversion to that lifestyle as well. How do we know when people are understanding us? If our lives back up our message, we become our own visual aid. Even the word saved can be misleading. Most people don’t experience a feeling of danger because they were born spiritually dead. They are not presently in Hell, so they don’t realize the importance of being saved from it. But if you use the word “changed,” that implies that something happens to you but also that you are different. And you are not only changed, but also changing. Some people do get saved out of fear of Hell. But the Great Commission was to make disciples. To make changed people. Aren’t Justification and Regeneration equal and indivisible parts of salvation? Hearing the message of salvation from Hell gives people an appreciation for God’s grace, because they have a concept of His wrath.
Are you tired of being buffeted by your fan? (Did you even know you were being buffeted?) Try the new and fantastic Dyson* Air Foil Fan. It works like a jet engine. Some people have noted that wind is naturally, uh, well, buffeting, so that style of air propellant might be preferred by some people. But when is the last time someone invented a new fan? Start saving now! *Dyson, the inventor, is now “Sir Dyson.” He was knighted by the Queen. That’s how cool his fan is. (The preceding paragraph should not be taken as an endorsement of Dyson or any of its products or ideas.)
Christians, for efficiency, should focus on saving kids dying of natural causes than the much more difficult task of keeping other people (parents) from killing them, as in pro-life work. Both victims want to be saved. There is less resistance from authorities and parents to saving people who are starving or without clean drinking water. Aren’t both causes of death the result of hardened hearts and sinful people? Maybe even the result of our sin? So the task involves overcoming hard hearts either way. But the resolution was about saving lives, not changing hearts. It is easier to save people – physically – from natural threats. But the reason to save either children is to give them a chance to hear the spiritual message of salvation by grace in the future. Don’t pit two good things against each other. Doing something here in your spare time is easier than packing up the family and moving to Africa to dig wells for drinking water, and corresponds better to a lot of peoples’ callings. The Bible talks about blood guilt for a nation that commits the shedding of innocent blood; doesn’t that put some priority on us addressing the deaths in our OWN nation? But our influence isn’t just national anymore; it is global. And blood guilt is a global phenomenon. Shouldn’t we start at home? Don’t do something just because it is easier. But we weren’t talking about easy; we were talking about efficient. And efficiency implies limited resources; our God who is sending us to care for the weak and needy is not limited. Unless you consider that He is limited by human willingness (our willingness to obey or others’ willingness to receive). Are we going for results? The biggest number of people helped? Shouldn’t we just be trying to glorify God in whatever we do? Is it wrong to use wisdom, taking efficiency into consideration, to make that choice? Jesus said that thousands were starving but Elijah was sent to only one widow. So one needs to take into account personal conviction and direction from God. Have God’s values. Whatever you do, do it heartily. Efficiency is a worthy consideration, but not the sole motivator. We need God’s direction. And what if those we save by using our energies efficiently end up transforming the world and saving people from other kinds of death as well? Are we not furthering the kingdom of God by saving multitudes from starvation and disease – thus ingratiating the world to us and our message?
Institutional Church is fundamentally neither worse nor less biblical than any other form of church. Institutional Church is defined as that typical of the United States, including an order of worship, a building, pastors and elders. Though theoretically the models may have equal ground, consistent tendencies suggest a flaw in the institutional model. Are home churches any better? Institutional Churches have the record for longevity. House churches don’t usually last hundreds of years. But maybe that isn’t the goal of a house church. Where size is concerned, Institutional Churches tend to be larger, which guards against false doctrine and gives greater accountability. Is that true? Doesn’t the larger congregation provide anonymity, and so hinder accountability? In denominations, a characteristic of Institutional Church, individual congregations are accountable to the denomination, particularly for their doctrine. Jim Elliot said the Church is God’s, and it is important to Him, so if He has a way He wants the Church to meet and worship Him, we should do it that way. [and this is my blog, so I can edit history and give the quote for real: “The pivot point hangs on whether or not God has revealed a universal pattern for the church in the New Testament. If He has not, then anything will do so long as it works. But I am convinced that nothing so dear to the heart of Christ as His Bride should be left without explicit instructions as to her corporate conduct. I am further convinced that the 20th century has in no way simulated this pattern in its method of ‘churching’ a community . . . it is incumbent upon me, if God has a pattern for the church, to find and establish that pattern, at all costs” (Shadow of The Almighty: Life and Testimony of Jim Elliot) See also my website: www.ChurchMoot.wordpress.com] The Bible describes a model of church that the Institutional Church does not match. That is what makes it inferior. For example, 1 Corinthians 14 says that when the Church gathers, every one has a teaching, psalm, prophecy, tongue – not just a pre-scheduled pastor. But the Bible also teaches that there should be order, that everyone should not be talking over each other. Isn’t that an “order of worship”? The Bible does talk about pastors, though! What is the role of a pastor? When the New Testament talks about pastors and apostles and evangelists giving attention to teaching and preaching, doesn’t that suggest the sermon? Preaching is primarily for evangelism. Christians are to honor those elders especially who minister in the Word. Shouldn’t a Christian convicted about these matters try to reform the Institutional Church? How can he, when the means at his disposal are the very thing he wants to change? You could keep the same people, the same congregation, but you would have to tear the whole structure down and start over. The issue isn’t problems in individual congregations or even necessarily those “tendencies” to which Institutional Church is prone; it is the description of the Church meetings given in the New Testament. Where did the New Testament Church meet? How did they facilitate the Church in Jerusalem at thousands of members if it met in houses? They didn’t all have to meet at once in one place. Is it wrong to meet in buildings? Buildings cost money to maintain. The Early Church and House Churches can use that money for other things, not needing to budget for light-bulbs and parking lots. And the money was administered not by a church fund, but entrusted to the apostles. Would it be best to return to an Apostolic Model, then, or even recognize Apostolic Succession as in the Catholic Church?
What Americans call consumerism isn’t consumerism; it’s collecting and hoarding, so we should stop maligning consumerism. Why do we think of consuming as bad? Everyone consumes. But isn’t that the threat behind “carbon footprints” of every organism? Hoarding is entrapping; it’s worse than cigarettes. We store all this stuff in our houses and then we lose it by the time we “need” it. But people find security in having backups for things they use a lot. And the reason we need a backup is because our society has manufactured (or demanded the manufacture of) consumable products, things that break or wear out. When something breaks, we have easy access to stores, which store replacements for you. We don’t just throw out broken things, though; we get rid of things to make way for the “new” thing, the upgrade. What should you do with things you’re not using? You shouldn’t keep it unless you are highly efficient at your storage and make your supplies work for you, your neighbors, and friends (hospitality: see Pigfest February 2010). Isn’t this hoarding just the “building bigger barns” as in Jesus’ parable? Then again, maybe it is the responsible thing to do, to work hard now and save up (not just money) for later, like the fabled ants in The Ant and the Grasshopper. But is consuming really bad? If you’re really using something up, and people are able to keep producing it, go ahead and consume. Stores aren’t always as accessible as efficiency would require. Consumption doesn’t just cost money; it costs lives and freedom. There are some economies purposefully enslaved, where the people are kept dependent and forced to manufacture that which we consume. Consumption is not acceptable, then, at every cost. Isn’t the hoarding we’re talking about a sign of a lack of trust that God will take care of us in the future?
The End.
To God be all glory,
Lisa of Longbourn
Lisa of Longbourn 