|
moralizing about sex - they have all these lists of rules and sins - but what I'm saying is that sexuality is essentially mystical. Lovemaking is one of the deepest acts of prayer in which adults can engage." And again: "Lust is a holy time," he insists. "None of us would be here if it weren't for the gift of lust between our parents... We need to celebrate this and also celebrate the fact that, as we grow up, we inherit this same gift of lust."9
I fail to see how anyone can claim to be Christian and tolerate this idea for even a moment. To think that it is now finding a foothold in parts of the Christian Church fills me with horror and shame.
Not only are blatant sins being condoned by an increasing section of the Church, but there is a strange preoccupation in parts of the church with marginal issues. Feminism is one example of a modern movement, the extremes of which simply do not belong in God's Church. It is wrong, in my opinion, for men and women to neglect the work of God while they discuss "gender issues". Jesus had many women among his followers and their gender does not seem to have been an issue. Paul likewise listed several women as friends and co-workers in the Gospel. In fact, ever since the beginning of the church, men and women have served together in the work of the Gospel. Their roles have sometimes been different, but so what? With so much work to be done, can there be any justification in squabbling amongst ourselves as to who does what? Endless arguments about rewriting Scripture in "inclusive language" do nothing productive for the kingdom of God. And when the same politically correct knife is applied to hymnals and prayer-books we only risk vandalizing our heritage and history.
The 1995 women's conference in Beijing highlighted a worldwide feminist agenda that stands diametrically opposed to many scriptural principles. Some of the policies vigorously promoted at the conference included "affirmative action to ensure that 50% of all jobs, especially in the decision making positions, are reserved for women, abortion on demand defined as a human right and for "sexual orientation" to be included as a basis for non-discrimination."10 We should be very cautious about allowing such a movement into the church at all and resolutely opposed to its domination of our time and energy.
Environmentalism is another issue that raises several valid points, but which should not be allowed to divert us from our primary task of world evangelism. When "Save the trees" or "Save the whales" becomes more important or urgent than saving sinners from their sins, we know we have gone too far. The links between environmentalism and new-age style nature-worship are strong and pervasive. I like the title of Tony Campolo's book "How to Rescue the Earth Without Worshiping Nature"! Perhaps, when we've thoroughly mastered the direct commandments of Jesus, like "Love your neighbour" and "Seek first the kingdom of God", then perhaps we can tackle the side issues. But not before, unless we want our Lord Jesus, when He returns, to find us doing things He never told us to do. (Matt. 24:45-51, Luke 12:35-40)
Of course, there are many theologians these days who would insist that environmental issues and so-called justice issues are exactly what the Lord Jesus would require us to do. But I have great difficulty reconciling that with the New Testament. Jesus cursed a fig tree because it had no figs when He wanted some, (Mark 11:12-14) thus proving that trees exist only for the benefit of mankind. On another occasion, he sacrificed a whole herd of pigs in the process of healing a demonized man, (Matt. 8:28-32) thus proving that one man's well-being is far more important to God than the well-being of animals. In Matthew 6:25-30, he plainly states that we are worth more than the birds of the air or the lilies of the field. The modern kind of spirituality that sees all living things as having equal value is fanciful nonsense and, despite popular opinion, quite un-Christian.
Individualism, as we have already discussed, is now almost universally accepted as the philosophy of the nineties. A backlash against this profoundly anti-Christian philosophy is already happening in some places around the world but, so far, seems to have made little or no inroads in Australia. The individual is still king, with absolute rights of choice in all areas of life. Whitney Houston sings a beautiful but subtle anthem for individualism in "The Greatest Love of All" (referring to her love of self). Jesus, however, said that we must deny ourselves and take up his cross. (Mark 8:34) "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." (John 12:24,25) Yet doctrines of self-fulfillment and self-improvement are finding their way into the Church with ever increasing force. Nothing could be more foreign to the people of God!
In all these things, the church is adopting all too willingly the dogmas of the world. I believe that a strong appreciation of the fact that we are, in fact, a subculture with a radically different set of values will help us to avoid being seduced by this current wave of revamped ideologies. By developing a cultural mindset, we will be better prepared to properly evaluate everything against the clear teachings of Scripture.
Paul instructed the Colossians to: "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." (Col. 2:8) We cannot know for certain to what "basic principles of the world" Paul was referring but my guess is that he was making a sarcastic attack at the worldly philosophers of his day who arrogantly taught that their doctrines were self-evident and totally beyond dispute. Today, the doctrines of sexual freedom, individualism, and self-fulfillment are all presented as unquestionably true. But they are not "according to Christ" and I'm sure that Paul would have warned the Colossians to keep away from them. Anything that doesn't have its basis in Christ is unprofitable and liable only to sabotage the work of God.
The moral purity of the church was never intended to be compromised. Paul was utterly shocked by the reports of sexual immorality in the church at Corinth and he sent them a stinging rebuke in the letter we know as First Corinthians. "It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles - that a man has his father's wife!" (1 Cor. 5:1) After instructing them to purge this "leaven" from their church, this is what he went on to say. "I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner - not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore "put away from yourselves the evil person." (1 Cor. 5:9-13)
Contrary to what many well-meaning preachers have said, we are not responsible for the moral standards of those outside the Church. But we are absolutely and unconditionally commanded to guard the moral purity of the church. God's household is not to be polluted. The ungodly things are not to be brought into his temple.
How can the Church regain its holiness and moral purity before the Lord? We need a mighty move of God to bring waves of repentance over his people, reminding them of his awe-fulness and holiness. And, thankfully, it's already happening in parts of the church. But, beyond that, it will help greatly if we begin to see ourselves as a unique people group with a natural aversion to the sins of the world. In my vision for the future of the Christian church, large numbers of men, women and children will deliberately turn their backs on the ways of the world, finding strength and empowerment in a godly, uncompromising community. A Christian subculture in an ungodly world
|
|
