In the name of helping, the first casualty is usually Gods word

Made it to Ovids coming out party on tues at Jasons house with Rob and Gabe. (the Needs were first mentioned here) We came in the door as they were discussing limited atonement which was Sundays message from Rob. Had a great time in the car with the Hudelson’s on the way to and from East LA, working the word. Some thoughts.

(Background: Jason contacted the Need’s about coming to Phoenix and helping in the office of elder? I was so blown away by this. Yes! Import seniors into your church! But there is no catalogue for ordering them…Oh look dear …here’s a nice couple from Virginia…oooh! oooh! they embrace Gods Law! His wife even wants to teach the younger women! Pinch me. Here’s the order number…..)

At the examination meeting ( We did talk about wearing black rodes and hoods and bringing wooden paddles to the meeting, but Sean reminded us that this isnt the Mason's) when Jason made a point about how there are mystery's of the faith, things we cannot fully understand. You follow the clear word, take it as it is, and at a certain point we in the finite have to just acknowledge that he is God and we cannot understand it all. We acknowledge our limitedness. That helped me to breathe a sigh of relief (anyone hear me that night?) as I have had just so many accepted paradigms exploded by the word. I seem to have a constant vegetable platter full of things that I don’t fully understand. But there it is in black and white in the Word.

As we re-establish the biblical basis of fathers being priests of their households, of trying to break off of us the training we all received to be none thinkers, to be slackers, to be cool and go with the flow. It will take a lot of exhortation to get back to what was a normal understanding of what we are to be as men.

A concern was brought up (loosely) on whether teaching of the word can be too narrow focused. You wonder...don’t we have to do something about these families where the father has no inclination to be trying...or maybe there is no father, etc, etc.

Our government extends its control over society on this basis. Something is not right or unjust, of course it would be in-humane to not address the issue. By recognizing a need they also extend to themselves an absolute right to then try and fix it. The fact that in the process they exceed their jurisdiction or charter or mandate is seen as quibbling. Like expecting the ambulance to stop for red lights or stay inside the speed limit. This is an emergency!

This is "normal", "rational thinking" and we believers get comfortable with it because it is used all around us. Add to it, that from inside the church we have the Godly admonition to "love one another."

But just as we cannot go make sanctions against error, or sin, missing the mark, recognizing that God will give instructions’ to us and most of the time doesn’t assign a penalty for not doing it. So a whole lot of care must be taken or we will be right back where we came from with much of the modern church that has embraced the humanist understanding of compassion. Too much of our thinking is still captive to modern paradigms. Next thing you know you have all manner of boutique programsin the chruch to take car of issues that are not right, situations we think they are wrong, maybe unjust. “Slap on the siren, we gotta do something…”
The extreme example that Kevin Swanson gave, of the guy looking for a church with a program for “ twice divorced, children of alcoholic parents” group.

Gods word gives a framework and role assignment as part of His " divine blueprint", as Otto Scott called it. Gods Law.
Conclusion:

My mind still fights it, but I know. No matter what the societal problem is, it will be most effectively addressed if those parts of the culture that can submit to Gods order, his roles, do it. This will in turn provide the best atmosphere, the best soil, culture, for God to be the father to the fatherless.
Our frame of reference is screwed up, its been the culture around us. Society has been the standard, it is what too many Christians reference as normal. The world say’s we must do something now and will mortgage the future to do it today in the name of compassion.

We must look 100yrs down the road and with the word as our reference say we will first be obedient to Him. We will not ignore those around us but be ready to help. This should come from within Gods paradigm. We are in transition,It is kind of a mystery to us, wont the world fall apart if we keep trying to fix the fathers?