This is a tough topic to chew on for sure. When dealing with speaking out against certain sins the one doing the speaking out must first and foremost look inwardly and see the self as the sinner it is. So it is only appropriate that I do that as well. With St. Paul I stand there and admit I am the chief of sinners. But this does not make disregard for the Law of God good. So when divorce, extra marital affairs, and homosexuality drown the scene, it needs to be pointed out for the wrong it is. What is the message TLC TV Reality stars Jon and Kate Gosselin are sending by getting a divorce? More over what was the message they were sending by agreeing to have their family paraded around on camera for the world to see? The breakdown in the family, especially here in America, AND in the church starts with divorce. Marital unfaithfulness and divorce are the chief means to the end of society. It allows for all sorts of issues to creep in.
All around me here in Brooklyn are "broken families." This idea of a "nuclear" family simply does not exist. The abandonment of God's sacred covenant for selfish and sinful desires fuels the breakdown in the family. Jon and Kate Gosselin are Christian and they get divorced for the whole world to see after Jon is caught having an extra marital affair. It is this kind of stuff that is fuel for the fire for those who can't stand Christianity or who at least think they ought to shut up about homosexuality before getting their own house in order. And there is a lot of truth to that thinking. If your own house is not in order why are you finding the audacity to speak out against someone else's house? What is a faithful Christian to do?
Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina "disappeared" for several days this past week. It turns out he was in Argentina visiting a woman who is not his wife. Another high profile Christian taking a fall in such an embarrassing fashion. Tough to avoid, tough to stay away from. What is the message that the Chief Executive of South Carolina is sending? Unfortunately what happens is when the church or people in the church cannot abide by their own rules or Laws it gives even less legitimacy to anything else they would have to say on other topics. Which brings me to homosexuality.
In August the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will vote on two proposals which will more or less allow in writing for the ordination of open and in relationship homosexuals to Pastoral Ministry. Today's culture says "Let this pass!" and joyfully. But todays culture has no say in the matter when it comes to the Law of God. In the same manner it is NOT okay for Jon Gosselin and Mark Sanford to be prancing around having extra marital affairs. It defies the created order. The more and more I read and understand with homosexuality becoming more and more accepted in Christianity it all leads back to Christians abusing heterosexual marriage--the type of marriage God intended. People who get married have made a mockery out of the institution. It is a mere legal obligation, which if and when it is broken, it can then be taken care of. THAT is frightening!
Satan and his minions must be rejoicing over the chaos being created in American culture. The breakdown of the family in the above mentioned ways is a key tool to the Accuser. It is so effective because the Accuser himself can point at us and say "Who are you! You sin just as badly if not worse! So what if two men want to get married? You got divorced! You had sex before and outside of marriage! You are a sinner!!" What is a faithful Christian to do?
What is a faithful Christian to do when he or she sees the whole world crumbling around them and because of their own sin they are crippled and cannot even begin to express condemnation because of their own condemnation hanging over their own heads? What is a faithful Christian to do?
Repent.
Before you can call others to repentance, you must repent yourself. So when the Devil does throw your own sins back in your face and tell you off for what you truly are, you get down on your knees and you repent of your sins to God your Father for the sake of His Son Jesus Christ who made satisfaction on our behalf. Only then does the Law make sense, and speak the truth only in love. Speak the truth in love, St. Paul says in Ephesians 4:15. And that word for love that St. Paul uses is the word "Agape" which is a love that comes down from on high, it is a love that passes all understanding, it is the love of God.
Speaking the Law to people is not easy, but when done in love it is done right. Many will not accept the truth spoken in love, but in order for anyone to begin to understand their need for a savior they need to see themselves for what they are, namely wretched sinners. And that goes for any and all sin. Homosexuality is not the chief one, nor is it the only one. But nevertheless it is one, and the truth is to be spoken in love. Martin Luther once said, "If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong (sin boldly), but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world. We will commit sins while we are here, for this life is not a place where justice resides. We, however, says Peter (2. Peter 3:13) are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth where justice will reign." (Letter 99, Paragraph 13. Erika Bullmann Flores, Tr. from: Dr. Martin Luther's Saemmtliche Schriften Dr. Johann Georg Walch St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, N.D., Vol. 15, cols. 2585-2590.)
So be a preacher of true mercy and speak the truth in Agape love. But above even that cling to and trust in the promises of Christ even greater. Because if you make the mistake of clinging to the Law or harping on the Law too much all there is room for is death and despair. Those who hear the Law and recognize their sinfulness need to be comforted with the Gospel which says, "Come all you who are weary and I will give you rest." That rest is in Jesus the Christ who was crucified on a cross on Mount Calvary outside the city gates in Jerusalem for our sins. And even more than that, the very same Jesus rose on the third day and we now have hope because of that.
So anytime you are going to engage culture with a word of the Law, bring the Gospel with you to comfort those who need to find rest. The Law can point out error and sin, but it cannot save. The Gospel saves. So instead of setting out to engage the world in condemnation through the Law, set out with the Gospel of Hope, and be a preacher of true mercy.
2 comments:
You provide a lot of meat in this post and I agree with you. We don't hear enough that is critical, but said in love, regarding our societal problems. The news is full of people being holier than thou, but then being caught with their pants down.
But I'll just say that I disagree with this: "The breakdown in the family, especially here in America, AND in the church starts with divorce. " I think that divorce is an outcome of the breakdown of the family. In the past, when there was much less divorce, the families weren't necessarily healthier. In a number of homes, was abuse and neglect, but no way out for those in that situation. Traditionally, the fathers were less engaged with their children than many fathers are today.
I've known a number of families where the parents were together for 50 years, but all the children have been divorced. Makes me wonder....
I also think about a number of people I know who are in their late 50's who had an early divorce but a later happy marriage, although I guess that general statistics show that second marriages often fail.
Lets look, therefore, at what precedes the marriage. Society, including media, churches and schools, aren't providing a realistic view of marriage, nor good preparation for marriage. How many pastors, who counsel couples before a wedding, speak out when they see problems? How many pastors have counseling that is more than cursory? How much support do any of our societal systems provide for couples under stress? How many couples who have been through the fire and gotten stronger provide support to young couples?
Jon and Kate demonstrated a bad marriage for all to see. Too bad they didn't demonstrate working to strengthen it.
Thanks for the comment. I'll definitely concede that point to you, especially the way I worded it. I think what I was trying to get at more is how Christianity has had its pet sins (homosexuality and abortion) and divorce has run rampant. But as you rightly state, lump abusive and unloving marriages/relationships in there as well as part of the problem.
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