I confess that I am not the best when it comes to updating my blog. It’s not that I am lacking for ideas to write about; rather, believe it or not, I am a perfectionist on certain things, blogging being one of them. I don’t like to throw out haphazard ideas, so I usually spend way too much time formulating my thoughts. Because of this, I have decided to make a short list of things I have been pondering and I promise I will go back and explain them later. Feel free to add any input to my list.
• I love reformed theology because I believe it gives all glory to God!
• Contrary to popular belief, sound doctrine is essential to the Christian faith.
• Social justice for the sake of social justice is pointless. People’s greatest need is not comfort or health, rather salvation from the Father’s wrath.
• People will either hate the Church or love the Church. This depends upon whether they love Christ or hate Christ. There is no middle ground.
• I hate false gospels! (Health/Wealth, Self-esteem, etc.)
• Without the doctrine of sin, Jesus died in vain.
• I have no reason to boast about anything! I am a sinner saved 100% by God’s doing.
• Jesus was not joking when he told us to radically amputate the things that cause us to stumble sexually.
• My relationships are deeper and more genuine then ever before. This is only by the grace of God.
13 comments:
These are great things to be thinking about. I am grateful and I admire that you're always seeking God's glory first. It's a great example.
I'm excited to see you expand on any of these, but particularly the topic of social justice. Just my two cents. :)
I'm excited to see you expand on these topics as well. :) The one I'll be looking forward to the most, though, is the one about amputating our sexual stumbling blocks. It's something that I know I struggle with sometimes, and that I'm not really comfortable talking about... simply because I don't know how to do it in a God-glorifying way. Does that make sense?
Anyway, I'm hoping that I can learn from your example.
Amen, Scott.
• Social justice for the sake of social justice is pointless. People’s greatest need is not comfort or health, rather salvation from the Father’s wrath.
i'd love for you to expand on this too. in light of scripture too that says something along the lines what you've done to the least of these you've done to me.
does anything other than reformed theology give glory to God? or does reformed theology have the only answer about glorifying The Father? Just a thought and a question.
You shouldn't be scared about posting your thoughts. it is a blog and even if you don't have all your thoughts in stone i think we would love to see the process too. thanks for posting what is giving you thoughts!
Anonymous,
Just for the sake of a quick response.
1. You refer to Matthew 25, but you are missing a key part of the scripture.
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" (vs.40)
Jesus specifically mentions brothers, pointing to the key factor that they are believers in Christ. That is their greatest need. Healing the sick, giving food to the hungry, or anything else are great acts of philanthropy and should be practiced. However, if the church is just leaving it at that without the Gospel, then I would relate it closer to social injustice then anything else. (This will be expanded upon at a later time)
2. Read my point again. I never said that reformed theology is the only way to glorify God. When all is said and done all things will result in God's glory, even false doctrines.
3. I will remember that and take it to heart. But, in the same note might I encourage you not to be scared to post your name when replying to my blog.
• People will either hate the Church or love the Church. This depends upon whether they love Christ or hate Christ. There is no middle ground.
Hmm, I'd like to read more on this.
It's been a while since I've read your blog, I'm glad to see your still around =)
I hope your doing well.
Scott, I am glad to hear your thoughts. I will always love you brother. As you know I take a bit of a different view on some of these things but not much different. Nice job pointing out the Matthew 25 line that says, "to the least of the brothers". I prefer to overlook that line because as you know, I think social justice is important no matter what. I of course would point you to the hundreds of commands from the Hebrew Scriptures that call for acting justly towards the poor, the oppressed, the fatherless... I would also call upon a review of James 1:27 but that is for another time.
I am happy to hear about your deepening relationships. We are created as relational beings so when we get past our own pride, competition, etc., we can actually learn to love and be loved.
As far as radically amputating.... if it comes to that, please take this passage literal and gouge out your eyes instead of cutting off your... time flies, gotta go.
in reference to Matthew 25...
to actually think that Jesus is referring only to "brothers" meaning only those who followed Him is to really miss the point of what Jesus was saying as well as the entire Old Testament. In the verses prior He uses no such reference to brothers as verification of how they were NOT doing what God wanted them to do. He was clearly telling them that what was right to do and to do good to all, not just other believers.
Anonymous,
You are really drawing away from my main point, which is Social Justice for the sake of Social Justice is pointless.
But, since you brought it up I will respond your comment. The entire chapter of Matthew 25 deals with believers and nonbelievers and the result of their behavior.
Examples:
25:1-13
Foolish Virgins (Non Brothers) = Those who Know Christ
Wise Virgins (Brothers) = Those who do not know Christ
25:14-30
Faithful Servants (Brothers) = Those who Know Christ
Wicked Servant (Non Brothers) = Those who do not know Christ
25:31-46
Sheep on the Right (Brothers) = Those who Know Christ.
Goats on the Left (Non Brothers) = Those who do not know Christ
In all these situations we see a stark contrast between those of faith (brothers) and those who do not know Christ. In reality though, the argument of Matthew 25, with my original posting is a moot argument. I never once said social justice was bad. I simply said social justice for the sake of social justice is pointless. I refer you to this posting, http://www.anticipatingtheking.com/2009/04/myths-vs-facts.html, if you are confused by this.
Please feel free to respond. However, if you are going to post anonymously don't even bother.
Correction:
25:1-13
Foolish Virgins (Non Brothers) = Those who do not Know Christ
Wise Virgins (Brothers) = Those who know Christ
XOXOXO
Scott
This is in response to an anonymous post i received. I deleted the post because it was anonymous. But, I put their main ideas in quotations.
"The main purpose of the Jewish nation was to proclaim God as the "ONE AND ONLY"
My main point is not that social justice is wrong... rather, "to proclaim God as the one and only" is the ultimate social justice.
"LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, SOUL, MIND AND STRENGTH AND THE SECOND IS JUST LIKE IT; LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. ALL THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS ARE SUMMED IN THESE TWO COMMANDS"
To love your neighbor means you want what is best for them. If all we do is try and make someone more comfortable in this life and never tell them about the reality of God's judgement then we do not truly love them. We have stopped short of actually telling the most loving thing they could ever hear.
"So i think social justice comes down to loving others whether they come to a living and active faith or not doing good because doing good is...well good. Then people will see our relationship to the father of The Good. "DO GOOD AND YOU SHALL LIVE..." for no other reason."
I am not saying doing good things is bad, as a matter of fact doing good things is a great way to open the door for the proclamation of the gospel. The problem is that many christians think all they have to do is be nice and they never tell people of the gospel. They think people just need to see how you act and then they will come to faith. Not true! Faith comes through hearing the gospel. People will not simply see our relationship to the father and respond in faith. They must see it and then be told of it. No one has ever become a christian without hearing the gospel.
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