All to often people assume that the man who is called to ministry is the bearer of the calling and his wife is called in accordance to his calling to be his wife and minister at his side, etc. I have in the last been challenged multiple times with multiple pieces of supporting scripture in this individual's argument that women are not to be in the position of "senior pastor", which would put her as head of the ministries in that church and thus head of the men. This initially appears to be contradictory to scripture and has caused enough ruffles in feathers to actually create animosity between God's people. This is an internal conflict which are the most dangerous to the cause of the church in general.
I was so bothered by this "cornering" as it were, that I began to pray about the subject with no certainty that the answer would come quickly. There was an unrest in my spirit about he whole matter. I thought to myself,"God has not separated us in eyes as children, so why am I supposed to separate us in ministry?". Keep in mind that this was a friendly debate strung out over the summer months with one gentleman in our breakfast church conversation time, but he's not the only one who holds the same opinion about the matter that attends our church.
The conclusion of the matter as it stood in our time of debate was that the scriptures clearly state that Christ is the head of man, man is the head of his house thus over woman, and that this was the order that God had intended since the Garden of Eden events.
I was then faced with the question, "What if God called my wife somewhere and not me?" Is this a matter of her misunderstanding her place? Am I at fault for not listening better to God? Neither of these questions is going to generate a "fair" answer that will not fall in favor of both sides without one or the other submitting. Does God really intend to generate favor unequally in our marriage? Is he trying to teach one of us a lesson of humility? This is all possible, but let me share what I feel consistent prayer over a long period of time (at least long for me) has produced.
We were driving through White Cloud, MI during fall of last year. The debate had recently rared its ugly head once again the Sunday prior to this trip, and once again my spirit was so uneasy about the conclusion drawn from the very scripture I read that I was beginning to question whether or not I was being influenced for evil rather than good. Up until this point I had been acknowledging the uneasiness but not acting upon it, just in case it was not from God.
During this first half of the trip the conversation with my wife occurred and we had began to analyze everything we could consider from the scriptures and also from our personal experience with our callings and how God has always given us identical or cohesive callings. I was at my whits end, and ready to conclude that we needed to adhere to this teaching. My heart was so uneasy about that decision. I had no peace, literally.
Suddenly it came to me like a warming adrenaline rush moving faster than my brain had time to process. It occurred to me that we both work for the same God. We both answer to him on equal levels. We both are held to the same standards and requirements. So our only real difference is gender. Therefore we are the same creation answering to the same Creator, the same master. If he should call one, what position in the order of creation do any of us hold to question the will of the Creator? So is God contradicting himself by calling women into leadership and senior pastoral ministry? Do women have it all wrong, and can they be held responsible for this misunderstanding?
"One of you will say to me: 'Then why does God still blame us? For who can resist his will?' But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? 'Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, "Why did you make me like this?" Does no the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?'"
I am no one to question the call of God on someone's life. If it is a man or woman. I cannot question my Creator, it is contrary to scripture.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Deception
What is it about deception that makes a liar tick? Why does truth present itself in so fewer ways than deception? It just seems like it's easier and more entertaining to engage in a life of deception rather than a truthful one.
What I have found in life is that deception is more likely to occur in an event against me, and that exposing the truth, be it all the more difficult, is where my heart trully resides. Whether it is simply for the challenge of finding the truth, or if I am genuinely rebellious to the norm and refuse to adhere to the simplicity and commonplace act of lying I am still subject to its torment. And so I begin my analysis of deception not in favor thereof but in light of its regular adhesion to my life.
I am but a man. A man not given to much lying or at least not one who makes purposeful habits out of it, yet I taste deception every day. I am flawed, I know this to be true about mankind. I believe that God himself is the only one who can remove this center of flaw from me, based on the promise of forgiveness in direct relation to my personal confession and the acknowledgement of cleansing power of
Christ in me.
Now deception, though I am cleasned from both accidental lying and purposeful lying, presents itself in two more ways that I am prone to submit to despite all my hatred, denial of, and renouncing of the act of lying. The first being guilt and the second being apathy.
In my personal walk with God I have discovered that while I retain a committed sin and stand guilty until the cleansing work of Christ is completed upon my confession and forgiveness I feel guilty. This guiltiness leads me down a long path of depression, self loathing, and even worthlessness. My imperfections are laid bare during my state of feeling guilty, and I dwell in sorry and grief. Upon my confession I do feel the life lifting peace and joy that comes with forgiveness that can only come from God, but no sin in my heart is removed without the regret of having done so. This guilt grinds me into a failure and drags me, or tries to, into a state of spiritual stagnation and despair. Why does it seem like deception was at the heart of my guilt?
I believed the lie that I was worthless, or that I could find forgiveness later as long as I enjoyed the moment. I believed that this was how I was supposed to be and that only God could change me. While that last statement is true remember that all great deceptions contain even the slightest of truths. Now I realize that I believed a lie, and while I did not lie in the real sense of the word, I believed one and committed myself to a guilt that was equal in all respects.
After I realized that this feeling of guilt was a deception I learned that God doesn't make me feel guilty. I do stand in my own guilt upon all my committed acts of sin, willful and ingnorant, but God gave me a counter mechanism to the deception of guilt, that is, conviction.
Conviction of the heart is a work of the Holy Spirit in the life of all believers. It's the presence of God teaching us the difference between right and wrong. It's the power of God's law written on our hearts and so designed to help us realize our sin, repent, and learn. God's truth is revealed in the conflict of conviction equally enticing us to resist evil. Always providing us with the opportunity to run and escape sin and all that is privy to a life ridden with guilt.
The second form of deception as mentioned earlier is apathy. While this is not so difficult to identify as the complex of self guiilt, it is equally if not more so intrepid in the world of deception. I learned of this while also examining my heart after having sinned.
The distaste of apathy spawns out of deception that what I just did was simply acceptable. All of us have sinned and fallen short so why should I be any different? Keep in mind that this is a deception and not how I actually feel, just what I felt at the time. Like a wound's infection burrowing deeper into my heart and spreading I believed this lie, however short, it was belief nonetheless.
God's counter offensive of truth to apathy is simple, purpose. I was made in the image of God, redeemed by the willful sacrifice of Christ for the cleansing of my impurities, and have now been given the purpose of glorifying God with my life regardless of how simple and trivial the task may seem. I belong to God, I am not my own, and I can only hope that I would decrease in abundance so that God's truth can fill my life in a greater portion thereof. I am not required to be impartial to the truth. I am not required to walk a grey line, and I do not adhere to these lies any longer. I am not my own, therefore I do not live for myself, and my sole objective in this world is to be more like Christ whatever the cost.
What I have found in life is that deception is more likely to occur in an event against me, and that exposing the truth, be it all the more difficult, is where my heart trully resides. Whether it is simply for the challenge of finding the truth, or if I am genuinely rebellious to the norm and refuse to adhere to the simplicity and commonplace act of lying I am still subject to its torment. And so I begin my analysis of deception not in favor thereof but in light of its regular adhesion to my life.
I am but a man. A man not given to much lying or at least not one who makes purposeful habits out of it, yet I taste deception every day. I am flawed, I know this to be true about mankind. I believe that God himself is the only one who can remove this center of flaw from me, based on the promise of forgiveness in direct relation to my personal confession and the acknowledgement of cleansing power of
Christ in me.
Now deception, though I am cleasned from both accidental lying and purposeful lying, presents itself in two more ways that I am prone to submit to despite all my hatred, denial of, and renouncing of the act of lying. The first being guilt and the second being apathy.
In my personal walk with God I have discovered that while I retain a committed sin and stand guilty until the cleansing work of Christ is completed upon my confession and forgiveness I feel guilty. This guiltiness leads me down a long path of depression, self loathing, and even worthlessness. My imperfections are laid bare during my state of feeling guilty, and I dwell in sorry and grief. Upon my confession I do feel the life lifting peace and joy that comes with forgiveness that can only come from God, but no sin in my heart is removed without the regret of having done so. This guilt grinds me into a failure and drags me, or tries to, into a state of spiritual stagnation and despair. Why does it seem like deception was at the heart of my guilt?
I believed the lie that I was worthless, or that I could find forgiveness later as long as I enjoyed the moment. I believed that this was how I was supposed to be and that only God could change me. While that last statement is true remember that all great deceptions contain even the slightest of truths. Now I realize that I believed a lie, and while I did not lie in the real sense of the word, I believed one and committed myself to a guilt that was equal in all respects.
After I realized that this feeling of guilt was a deception I learned that God doesn't make me feel guilty. I do stand in my own guilt upon all my committed acts of sin, willful and ingnorant, but God gave me a counter mechanism to the deception of guilt, that is, conviction.
Conviction of the heart is a work of the Holy Spirit in the life of all believers. It's the presence of God teaching us the difference between right and wrong. It's the power of God's law written on our hearts and so designed to help us realize our sin, repent, and learn. God's truth is revealed in the conflict of conviction equally enticing us to resist evil. Always providing us with the opportunity to run and escape sin and all that is privy to a life ridden with guilt.
The second form of deception as mentioned earlier is apathy. While this is not so difficult to identify as the complex of self guiilt, it is equally if not more so intrepid in the world of deception. I learned of this while also examining my heart after having sinned.
The distaste of apathy spawns out of deception that what I just did was simply acceptable. All of us have sinned and fallen short so why should I be any different? Keep in mind that this is a deception and not how I actually feel, just what I felt at the time. Like a wound's infection burrowing deeper into my heart and spreading I believed this lie, however short, it was belief nonetheless.
God's counter offensive of truth to apathy is simple, purpose. I was made in the image of God, redeemed by the willful sacrifice of Christ for the cleansing of my impurities, and have now been given the purpose of glorifying God with my life regardless of how simple and trivial the task may seem. I belong to God, I am not my own, and I can only hope that I would decrease in abundance so that God's truth can fill my life in a greater portion thereof. I am not required to be impartial to the truth. I am not required to walk a grey line, and I do not adhere to these lies any longer. I am not my own, therefore I do not live for myself, and my sole objective in this world is to be more like Christ whatever the cost.
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