Follow Up,part two, Lone Rangers

Rob made the point well Sunday, that what we perceive and think, might not be what God has meant. Especially if your reference point for understanding is the culture. Back to the piece of meat the hyena made off with, as Rob expressed…

How many times have we heard in reference to the Bible, “Oh that was a different culture back then” or “that was an agrarian society” or “they didn’t have the understanding we have.” This could be in reference to women pastors, or any biblical principle at odds with society. At odds with society is the key.

If at any point you let the culture be the deciding factor over something the Bible teaches. You will have elevated that culture over God and his word. It is Gods word or we lower God in subservience to a different controlling factor. We make that factor god in effect.

I don’t think anyone thinks this is what happens. Except for God. “ ..Her priests have polluted the sanctuary, They have done violence to the law.” Zeph3:4

In America, which is, “it is all about the individual.” Every institution exists to serve the individual, every one should reach their full potential. In effect Gods purpose for creation is lost as we are consumed with ourselves.

We are so wet as a people that this disease was transferred straight into the church over time. The body of Christ works itself to death in trying to make sure that , everybody’s needs are met. Programs for everyone. The major difference is that now that someone is saved, we think that they really can, find themselves and their potential. But now its, in the Lord. "He who loses his life, will find it" doesnt get much traction in our culture.

If we repent of this sin of Americana and can now see how God wants the family working, we can get a different Problem of sorts.

Because we can see that the church has actually misdirected Gods people. For the most part in an innocent fashion, they just cannot see it. They don’t understand. They might be well meaning, caring, but unable to see life as God has defined it. Its like doctors of old, who would bleed someone. They were trying to save life but in actuality they killed many people.

So there is a danger that as you get your family correctly ordered you start to see the church as an add on. Like parsley on your plate to make the meal look nice. But not really necessary. For many God had to use groups from outside the normal church to open our eyes. Maybe the church then resisted what God directed us to do, which leaves someone thinking that the church is useless.

But you can take the incorrect focus off of individuals and kick it up the road and make it an incorrect focus on the family, apart from the covenant community. You wind up with family's functioning as islands. No, the family integrated churchs havent arrived. But we're on the way.

Sproul also handles this topic very well and is another reason I think his book should be standard issue around any church.