tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43622914357985468042024-02-19T00:41:19.728-08:00The OrthotometistThoughts and musings on the Christian faith by Max AplinThe Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comBlogger165125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-60097512780399558002020-03-02T03:29:00.001-08:002020-03-02T03:29:41.926-08:00Using the Bible as a Filter<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 2 Timothy 3:16 the apostle Paul says
something about the purpose of the Bible:</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">“All Scripture is inspired by God and useful</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"> for
teaching, for rebuking, for correction, for training in uprightness.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Actually,
to be precise, when Paul wrote this he was referring to what we know as the Old
Testament. But what he says applies just
as much to the New Testament too.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">The
Bible as a filter</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One good way of thinking about the Bible is as a
filter. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we live our lives, we are constantly
bombarded by ideas of all sorts. There
are ideas that are common in the cultures we live in. And, as Christians, there are ideas that are
held by the Christian circles we are part of.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If we imagine all these ideas coming down a big
pipe towards us, the Bible can be pictured as a filter that allows some ideas
through and keeps others out. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Importantly, however, we need to be proactive in
letting Scripture work in this way. The
Bible’s work of filtration doesn’t just happen automatically. Instead, we will often need to weigh things
up, to spend some time thinking about whether various ideas fit with biblical
teaching. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 1 Thessalonians 5:21 Paul tells his readers:</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Test everything; hold on to what is good.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Using the Bible as a filter really just means to
do what Paul instructs in this verse. It
means to make it a habit to think about the values of things in the light of
Scripture and to reject anything that doesn’t pass the test.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Using the values of mainstream Western culture
as a filter<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sadly, there are many professing Christians who
get things the wrong way round. Instead
of using the Bible as a filter, they use something else to filter out parts of
biblical teaching.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To begin with, there are those who use the
values of mainstream Western culture as a filter. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For example, the Bible has a lot to say about
sexual issues and gender roles. And what
it teaches on these topics often sharply contradicts mainstream views in modern
Western culture.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead of using the Bible as a filter to block
out harmful ideas in areas like these, there are many who block out biblical
teaching when it doesn’t fit with Western values.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, one of the main reasons God has given
us the Bible is so that the biases and mistakes of cultural ideas can be
filtered out. In moral issues, every
culture gets some things right and some things wrong in God’s sight. Scripture is essential for determining
whether various ideas fit with His will.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many professing Christians today think they know
better than the Bible, whereas in reality they have been deceived.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Using denominational beliefs as a filter<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are also many who go wrong by using
denominational traditions to filter out biblical teaching.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No two denominations of the church agree on
everything of importance as regards Christian doctrine and practice. I would suggest that anyone who thinks there
is a denomination that has got it all right is being very naive. Instead, each denomination has strengths and
weaknesses when compared to others.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That is not to say that overall no denomination
is better than any other. Some are much
more in line with the will of God than others are. But the idea that any denomination avoids all
significant mistakes is very unrealistic.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are, sadly, many Christians who never stop
to question the beliefs of their denomination.
Instead of using the Bible as a filter to hold denominational ideas up
to scrutiny, they do the opposite. Parts
of Scripture that contradict, or at least fit awkwardly with, the views of a
certain denomination are often just brushed aside.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Again, one of the main reasons God has given us
Scripture is so that mistakes in Christian doctrine or practice can be
corrected. If we refuse to allow our
denominational ideas to be challenged by carefully examining them in the light
of biblical teaching, we are not using the Bible as we should.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Avoiding idolatry<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whenever we use something else to filter out
biblical teaching, we are guilty of idolatry.
We have set up a man-made system of deciding what to accept and reject
that is vastly inferior to the one God has provided. At best this will cause problems, at worst it
will lead to disaster.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead, what we need to do is humbly accept the
filter that God has provided, the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. And we need to actively use this filter by
constantly weighing things up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See also:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/christians-need-to-put-everything-to.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Christians Need to Put Everything to
the Test</span></a><span style="color: #385623; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: accent6; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/be-sure-to-keep-believing-in-authority.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Beware of Slipping Away from
Believing in the Bible</span></a><span style="color: #385623; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: accent6; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/beware-of-becoming-attached-to-church.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Beware of Becoming Attached to Church
Traditions</span></a><span style="color: #385623; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: accent6; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/every-christian-must-fight-hard-against.html"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fighting Temptations to Believe What
We Want to Believe</span></span></a></span>The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-91661698174633142552020-02-24T07:36:00.001-08:002020-02-24T07:36:16.201-08:00Are Non-Christian Jews Really the Allies of Christians?<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As everyone will be well aware, the country of
Israel is often in the news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it is,
usually the focus is on Israel’s disputes with Arab people-groups and countries,
and with non-Arab Muslim-majority countries like Iran.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ever since the creation of the modern-day state
of Israel in 1948, huge numbers of Arabs and Muslims have been unhappy that
this state exists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And even those who
accept its existence are usually highly critical of many of its policies.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christian support for the state of Israel<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this context, it is very common to hear
evangelical Christians, especially in the United States, speaking out in
support of the state of Israel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many
evangelicals believe that the re-establishment of this state is prophesied in
the Bible as something that is the will of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So they therefore take a dim view of those who reject the existence of
the Israeli state, and they often speak out in support of its policies.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think it would be fair to say that many
evangelicals today seem to view non-Christian Jews as sort of allies of
Christians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They seem to see these Jews
as basically on the same page as Christians, even though they would prefer them
to believe in Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Israel in Bible prophecy<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this article I don’t want to get into a long
discussion of the place of Israel in Bible prophecy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me personally, it is a topic where I am
uncertain on a number of points.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nevertheless,
I will make a few brief comments.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First, I think it is highly likely that the
Bible prophesies a mass turning of Jews to Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Romans 11:25-26 the apostle Paul writes:</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;">“<b>25</b> </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;">So that you will not be
conceited, brothers, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery: A partial
hardening has come to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>26</b> And in this way all Israel will be
saved, as it is written: The Liberator will come from Zion; He will turn away
godlessness from Jacob.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Scripture
readings in this article are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It
is very difficult to interpret this passage in any other way than as a prophecy
that Jews will turn to Christ in large numbers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Second,
I prefer the view that the Bible prophesies the re-establishment of the state
of Israel as something that is God’s will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In Luke 21:24 the Lord Jesus predicts:</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“. .
. Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles
are fulfilled.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
context of this prophecy is literal Jerusalem, and Jesus does most naturally
seem to be implying that a time will come when Jews will regain sovereignty
over the city and that this is the will of God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Third,
we should firmly reject the view that there will be a 1000-year-long earthly
kingdom centred on Jerusalem after Jesus returns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are too many biblical passages which
contradict this idea (e.g., Matt 25:31-46; 2 Thess 1:6-10; 2 Pet 3:3-13).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, all end-times events involving Jews
will take place <i>before</i> He returns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fourth,
we should also reject the dangerous idea that it is God’s will for there ever
to be another literal temple in Jerusalem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That would involve going from the substance in Christ back to the
shadows that paved the way for Him (Heb 8:1-13), and we can be sure that this
is not God’s plan.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Christians
and non-Christian Jews are poles apart</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My main aim in this article is simply to oppose
the idea that non-Christian Jews should be seen as allies of Christians in a
general sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This idea sharply
contradicts the Bible.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To begin with, we need to understand how
different Christians and non-Christians actually are.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christians
are people who have been born again (e.g., John 1:12-13; 3:3-8) and in a sense
created again (2 Cor <st1:time hour="5" minute="17" w:st="on">5:17</st1:time>),
and who have the Holy Spirit (e.g., Acts 2:38; Rom 8:9).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By contrast, non-Christians are people who
have not been born or created again, and who don’t have the Holy Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Importantly,
Scripture uses the image of light and darkness to compare Christians and
non-Christians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, in John
12:46 Jesus states:</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I
have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me would
not remain in darkness.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This
clearly implies that Christians are in light, and it just as clearly implies
that non-Christians remain in darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
the natural world, the difference between light and darkness can hardly be
overstated, and Jesus’ words must mean that there is a huge difference between
believers and non-believers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Similarly,
the Bible distinguishes between Christians and non-Christians in terms of their
liability to condemnation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;">in John 3:18 we read:</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;">“</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Anyone who believes in Him
[Jesus] is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the One and Only Son of God.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This
is clear that Christians are on track for final salvation, whereas
non-Christians are on track for final punishment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It
is impossible that those in light and those in darkness could be allies of each
other in a general sense, or that those who are not condemned could be on the
same page as those who are condemned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In
fact, in Luke 11:23 Jesus says:</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Anyone
who is not with Me is against Me, and anyone who does not gather with Me
scatters.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This
makes it plain that non-Christian Jews are against the Lord Jesus. And because they
are against Him, they must also be against us His followers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So they can’t be our allies.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of
course, in individual issues of various kinds, Christians may find themselves
with the same goal as other groups of people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And in such cases alliances of limited scope for a specific purpose will
form.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this sense it will be true from
time to time that Christians are the allies of non-Christian Jews.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However,
to see Christians as allies of non-Christian Jews more generally is a big
mistake.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One
thing that shows how far non-Christian Jews are from the will of God is the
destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
is one of the most significant events in all of Jewish history.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In
66 AD the Jews rebelled against Roman rule, resulting in an extremely bloody
war that cost probably hundreds of thousands of lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 70 Jerusalem was captured and destroyed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Luke
tells us in Luke 19:41-44 that when Jesus visited Jerusalem just before His
crucifixion He prophesied about the city:</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“<b>41</b>
As He approached and saw the city, He wept over it, <b>42</b> saying, ‘If you
knew this day what would bring peace — but now it is hidden from your eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>43</b> For the days will come on you when your
enemies will build an embankment against you, surround you, and hem you in on
every side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>44</b> They will crush
you and your children within you to the ground, and they will not leave one
stone on another in you, because you did not recognize the time of your
visitation.’”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In
verses 43-44 Jesus predicts the destruction of Jerusalem that took place in 70
AD.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Verse
44 also makes it clear that the destruction happened because the Jews failed to
recognise God’s visitation of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
other words, Jerusalem was destroyed because the majority of Jews in the time
of Jesus’ earthly ministry, and in the immediately following decades, failed to
accept Him as the promised Messiah.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Luke
13:34-35 and Matt 23:37-24:2 also connect the destruction of Jerusalem with
Jewish rejection of Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
Romans were the actual ones who destroyed the city, but God was working through
them to judge the Jewish people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is
closely parallel to the way that God used the Babylonians to destroy Jerusalem
in the 6th century BC as a punishment for Jewish sins.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If
we want to know what God thinks about non-Christian Judaism, He has given His
verdict in what He did through the Romans in 70 AD!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Failing to accept Jesus as Messiah is quite
simply one of the worst sins that a person can commit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So the idea that non-Christian Jews are
allies of Christians in a general sense is completely wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No
excuse for anti-Semitism<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Throughout
Christian history, more than a few people calling themselves Christians have
used Jewish rejection of Christ as an excuse to mistreat Jews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some have claimed that because the Jews
crucified Him, Christians are justified in treating Jews harshly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At
the present time, anti-Semitism seems to be on the rise, so I want to spend a
little time trying to counter this sort of thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In short, to see Jewish rejection of Jesus as
a good reason for being harsh to Jews is not only morally wrong but also logically
nonsensical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are several points to
make here:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(1)
Throughout history, some Jews <i>have</i> accepted Christ as Saviour, just as some
Gentiles have done.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(2)
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus teaches us to be radical in how we love people
(Matt 5:43-47).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are to love everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even when people do bad things, there is no
place for Christians treating them badly in return.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(3) At
the most fundamental level, all human beings are guilty of the crucifixion, not
Jews alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the sins of all
people that drove Jesus to the cross.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(4)
It is true that Jesus came first and foremost to the Jewish people (Matt 15:24).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So there <i>is</i> a sense in which Jews in
the first century were guilty of the crucifixion in a way that Gentiles were
not (Matt 27:25; 1 Thess 2:14-15).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However,
it is not clear that <i>today </i>rejection of Christ is any worse from a Jew
than from a Gentile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just
as importantly, even if rejection of Jesus today <i>is</i> worse from a Jew
than from a Gentile, this is essentially a private matter between Jews and God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When a Jew rejects Christ, they are sinning
against God, not against Gentiles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
not the job of Gentiles to try to avenge God in this.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(5)
Not only have Gentiles not been treated badly by Jews rejecting Christ, but the
Bible says that Gentile Christians have actually <i>benefited</i> from this sin!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In his letter to the Romans Paul makes it
clear that God has offered salvation to Gentiles <i>precisely because </i>Jews
rejected Christ (Rom 11:11-32).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let
me give an analogy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine the
following situation:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A
father has two sons, and he is planning to take his older son to a football
game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But this boy seriously disrespects
his father in some way, so the father decides he is no longer going to take him
to the game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However,
he still has the ticket that he was going to use for his older son, and he decides
to take his younger son to the game instead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So father and younger son go to the game and have a great time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In
this situation, the younger son is hardly going to bear a grudge against his
older brother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The older boy misbehaved,
but not against his younger brother, and the misbehaviour only led to a benefit
coming to the younger boy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Similarly,
it is completely nonsensical for Gentile Christians to bear a grudge against
Jews for rejecting Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their sin in
rejecting Him was against God, not against Gentiles, and it has led to the
infinite blessing of salvation being offered to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can we possibly bear a grudge against
Jews for that?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For
various reasons, then, it is both immoral and absurd for Gentile Christians to
want to treat non-Christian Jews harshly for rejecting Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the other hand, however, we certainly
shouldn’t see non-Christian Jews as our allies in a general sense.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christian
attitudes to non-Christian Jews<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How,
then, should Christians relate to non-Christian Jews?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well,
first, we are duty bound to love all people, and that goes for Jews as much as
anyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Above all else, love for Jews
will mean praying for them to accept the salvation that is in Jesus Christ, and
persuading them to do this when we have the opportunity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Second,
to the extent that we are convinced that events surrounding the state of Israel
are the will of God, we should speak out in support of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have
worded the previous sentence quite vaguely, because personally I am very unsure
about how much of the land the Jews possessed in ancient times it is God’s will
for them to regain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This question isn’t
made any easier by the fact that in Old Testament times the amount of land the
Jews controlled varied enormously from time to time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But anyway, each Christian should follow
their conscience in this matter.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Third,
Christians need to avoid uncritically accepting the policies of the state of
Israel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we need to speak out when we
are opposed to these policies.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For
example, persecution of Christians in Israel seems to be on the increase.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There has been the recent scandalous
treatment of Eritrean Christians, who have fled to Israel from persecution in
Eritrea, only to be harshly treated there too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And there are also recent examples of Jewish believers being persecuted
too.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perhaps
most shocking of all is the Israeli state’s outrageous policy to refuse Jewish
Christians from elsewhere in the world the right to immigrate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other Jews, even atheists, are allowed to
immigrate and become Israeli citizens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
if a Jew believes in Jesus, he or she is barred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a policy that underlines just how hostile
the modern-day state of Israel is towards God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally,
Christians should be ready to criticise some common Jewish practices too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For
example, we know that Jesus sharply criticised the scribes and Pharisees for
weighing people down with rules and regulations that were never the will of God
(e.g., Matt 23:4).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ultra-orthodox Jews
today do exactly this, maybe even more than the scribes and Pharisees did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we can be sure that the Lord is just as
unhappy about this now as He was in the first century.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See
also my articles:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/should-christians-evangelise-non.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Should Christians Evangelise
Non-Christian Jews?</span></a><span style="color: #2e74b5; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: accent5; mso-themeshade: 191;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/is-it-gods-will-for-there-to-be-another.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Is It God’s Will for There to Be
Another Jerusalem Temple?</span></a><span style="color: #2e74b5; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: accent5; mso-themeshade: 191;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/is-church-spiritual-israel.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Is the Church Spiritual Israel?</span></a><span style="color: #2e74b5; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: accent5; mso-themeshade: 191;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/can-anyone-who-has-not-heard-gospel-be.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Can Anyone Who Has Not Heard the
Gospel Be Saved?</span></span></a><span style="color: #2e74b5; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: accent5; mso-themeshade: 191;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-25194850219910483492019-12-09T09:07:00.005-08:002019-12-09T09:08:28.405-08:00Christian Healing Ministry Should Be Free for Those in Need<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We
know from the Gospels that when the Lord Jesus was on earth, supernaturally
healing people formed a big part of His ministry. The apostles and non-apostles also joined Him
in healing work (e.g., Luke 9:1-6; 10:1-12).
Then, later, after the Lord had ascended to heaven, apostles and
non-apostles continued with this work (e.g., Acts 3:1-10; James 5:14-15).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nor
should we expect anything different today.
The idea, accepted by some Christians, that God ceased working healing
miracles sometime in the first century is a big mistake and fits very poorly
with the Bible. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">For
a defence of the position that healing ministry should take place throughout
the Christian era, see my article: </span><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/god-wants-to-do-more-miracles-today.html"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God
Wants to Use Christians in Miracle Work Today</span></a><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jesus
and the early Christians<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Something
that we need to understand clearly about the healing ministries of Jesus and
the early church is that there is no evidence that they ever charged people for
this. Healing ministry was free for
those in need.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
fact, we are told in Matt 10:8 that when the Lord sent out the twelve to heal,
He said to them:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Heal
those who are ill, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, expel demons. Freely you received. Freely give.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nothing
in the New Testament leads us to think that any early Christian ever acted
outside this principle of giving freely to people who needed healing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It
is true that some who were helped then chose to give financial or practical
support to those who had helped them (e.g., Luke 10:8). But there is no evidence that Jesus or early
Christians ever charged people for ministry or that they put any pressure on
people to give them money or anything else.
Instead, they gave freely out of love, without asking for anything in
return.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Those
today who charge for healing ministry<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Something
that really gets under my skin is Christian healing ministries today that
charge people for healing sessions. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There
are several things wrong with this:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(1)
Those who do this are failing to follow biblical practice. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As I
have noted, in Matt 10:8 Jesus commands the twelve to give healing ministry
freely, and there is no good reason for thinking that Christians today
shouldn’t also follow this command.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Importantly
too, the Bible teaches us how to act not only by giving us commands but also by
giving us the example of the early church to follow. And nowhere in Scripture is there any
suggestion that any early Christian ever charged anyone for healing ministry. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(2)
Love is right at the heart of the Christian faith, and love involves giving
freely to people without expecting anything in return. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I
suspect that many of those who charge for healing ministry have a poor
understanding of the love of God or the love that is required of believers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(3) No
healing ministry today is going to result in everyone who is ministered to being
healed. And when people are not healed
but charged a fee anyway, it often greatly damages the reputation of Christians
and the Christian faith in the eyes of non-believers. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(4)
Many of those who seek healing ministry are unable to work due to illness or
disability. This means that those who
receive this ministry are often among the poorest in society. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There
is something especially nasty about people claiming to be Christian healers who
charge money from suffering people who are poorer than themselves. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(5) Healing
ministry requires faith (e.g., Matt 17:19-20; James 5:14-15), and it is ironic
that those who ask people for money to do this ministry seem to have such
little faith that God will meet their financial needs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Those
today who put pressure on people to give money<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There
are many in Christian healing ministry today who don’t go as far as charging
for healing sessions, but who nevertheless put pressure on people to give
money.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All
too often, the websites of healing ministries try to persuade readers who are
seeking healing to donate money. Sometimes
this is even done on the home page. And frequently
suggestions are made about how much people should give if they are able. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This
sort of practice is not as bad as actually charging people for healing
ministry, but it still leaves a very bad taste in the mouth. It also goes wrong in all five of the ways
that I listed above.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Workers
deserve wages<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It
is true that workers deserve wages (e.g., Luke 10:7; 1 Tim 5:18), and this is a
principle that applies to healing ministers as much as to any other Christians.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I
don’t intend in this article to discuss how healing ministries are funded. However, I will say that if people who have
received healing ministry really do want to give to those who have helped them
without being charged or pressured, there is nothing wrong with that. This is what we find in Luke 10:8 and by
implication in Matt 10:10.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What
healing ministers should never do, however, is charge people who are seeking
healing or pressure them to give money, whether before or after they have
received ministry.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some
suggestions<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here
are a few suggestions for how healing ministries operate
in the area of finance:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(1)
As I have said, a healing ministry should never charge or pressure people for
money. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If
this means that the ministry can no longer function, then stop the ministry. Take it as a sign from God either that He
doesn’t want this ministry to exist, or that He wants to pause it until it can
operate without charging or pressuring people for money.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(2)
If possible, on the website of the healing ministry don’t even have a link that
people can click on to donate. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I
understand that this will not always be possible, and I don’t want to condemn those
who do have a link for donation. But if
the ministry can get by without asking for donations, that is a great thing to
do. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(3)
Where a website does have a link for donation, make it as discreet as possible.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(4)
When people click on a link for donation, have a few paragraphs that say
something along the following lines:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Explain that you would love not to ask for
donations, but you really do feel that you need to do this. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Stress very strongly that healing ministry is
free and that no one is under any pressure whatsoever to give money, whether
before or after receiving ministry. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Give no suggested figure for a donation. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Say that you would rather a person doesn’t
give than gives reluctantly. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Suggest that people who receive ministry and
who would like to donate wait a few months until after the ministry, to make
sure that they still feel the same way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(5)
Take a decision that everyone in your healing ministry who is paid for this
work will have a personal income that is lower than the average income for
people living in that country. Say on
your website that this is your policy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Drawing
people to Christ<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As
God’s people, one of our big purposes is to draw people to Jesus Christ and the
salvation that is in Him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When
Christians give freely out of love to people in need, including to those who
are ill or disabled, this is bound to draw some to Him. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By
contrast, charging people for healing sessions or pressuring them to give money
is bound to put some off coming to Him. Everyone
involved in healing ministry needs to make sure that they don’t fall into this
trap.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">See
also my articles:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2019/06/the-importance-of-good-reputation-in.html"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The
Importance of a Good Reputation in the Eyes of Non-Christians</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/god-wants-to-do-more-miracles-today.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God Wants to Use Christians in
Miracle Work Today</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7030a0; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/healing-people-afflicted-by-demons.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Importance of Ministering to
People Afflicted by Demons</span></a><span style="color: #7030a0; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/is-it-always-gods-will-to-heal.html"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Is It Always God’s Will to Heal
Christians?</span></span></a></span>The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-5647795148723989302019-11-28T12:23:00.005-08:002019-11-28T12:28:18.127-08:00Romans 11:16-24 and Apostasy<br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One area of disagreement among Christians concerns
falling away from the faith, also known as apostasy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some say that God will never allow a genuine,
born-again believer to apostatise and finally end up in hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others say that this does sometimes happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Personally, I much prefer the view that genuine
Christians do sometimes apostatise and miss out on final salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think this view fits best with the overall
teaching of the Bible.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">AN IMPORTANT PASSAGE<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An important passage on this topic is Romans 11:16-24,
where the apostle Paul says the following to the Gentile Christians among his
readers:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<b>16</b> Now
if the firstfruits offered up are holy, so is the whole batch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if the root is holy, so are the branches.</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25157296;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">17</span></b></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25157296;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> Now if some of the branches were broken off, and
you, though a wild olive branch, were grafted in among them and have come to
share in the rich root of the cultivated olive tree, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">18</b> do not brag that you are better than those branches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if you do brag—you do not sustain the
root, but the root sustains you.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25157296;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">19</span></b></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25157296;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> Then you will say, ‘Branches were broken off so
that I might be grafted in.’</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25157296;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">20</span></b></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25157296;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> True enough; they were broken off by unbelief, but
you stand by faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do not be arrogant,
but be afraid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>21</b></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25157296;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25259158;"><span style="background: white; color: black;">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25157296;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25259158;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">For if God
did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you either.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25157296;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">22</span></b></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25157296;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> Therefore, consider God's kindness and severity:
severity toward those who have fallen but God's kindness toward you—if you
remain in His kindness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Otherwise you
too will be cut off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25157296;"><b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">23</span></b></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25157296;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> And even
they, if they do not remain in unbelief, will be grafted in, because God has
the power to graft them in again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>24</b>
For if you were cut off from your native wild olive and against nature were
grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these—the natural
branches—be grafted into their own olive tree?”</span></span></span></blockquote>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Scripture readings in this article are from the Holman
Christian Standard Bible.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In what follows, I will argue that this passage is a strong piece of biblical evidence that genuine
Christians sometimes fall away from the faith and miss out on final salvation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The discussion will proceed in three stages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First, I will say something about the symbols in
this passage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Second, I will argue that in this passage Paul is
warning genuine Christians against falling away from the faith and ending up in
hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this point I will not yet be
asking whether this actually ever happens to genuine Christians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will simply be arguing that Paul warns genuine
Christians against it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Third, I will argue that the
fact that Paul warns genuine Christians against finally missing out on
salvation quite strongly suggests that they do sometimes fall away and end up
in hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">SYMBOLS IN THIS PASSAGE<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Throughout this passage Paul uses the metaphor of a
cultivated olive tree, including references to the branches and root of this
tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also mentions a wild olive
branch (v. 17) that is grafted into the cultivated olive tree and that comes
from a wild olive tree (v. 24), and in verses 17-24 he addresses this (formerly)
wild olive branch directly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before we go
any further, I need to say something about what all these things symbolise, giving
no more detail than will be necessary for the following discussion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The cultivated olive tree<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First, there should be no doubt that the cultivated
olive tree symbolises the saved people of God, both those in pre-Christian
times and those living in the Christian era.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To begin with, this perfectly fits the context of
chapters 9-11, where Paul is discussing how the rejection of Christ by a
majority of ethnic Jews in his day fits with the salvation purposes of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Importantly too, the cultivated olive tree can’t be
a symbol of ethnic Israel as a whole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul
refers to Jews who rejected Christ as branches that are broken off the tree
(verses 17, 19-20), i.e., that cease to belong to the tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, Jews who rejected Him didn’t cease
to be ethnic Jews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So this tree can’t
symbolise ethnic Israel as a whole.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nor can the tree be a symbol of saved people only in
the Christian era, because the tree is envisaged existing before the Christian
era began.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Paul refers in verses
17, 19-20 to branches that have been broken off, the timing of this breaking
off is understood to have been when Jews, confronted with the gospel, rejected
Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This implies that the tree
itself already existed<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>before the coming
of the Christian gospel.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We should have no hesitation, then, in saying that
the cultivated olive tree symbolises the saved people of God in both
pre-Christian and Christian times.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The root of the cultivated olive
tree<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Second, there is some debate about what the root (verses
17-18) of the cultivated olive tree symbolises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The majority scholarly opinion, which I share, is
that it refers to Abraham and the patriarchs of Israel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This would fit well with Paul’s description
of God’s saved people as a spiritual kind of Israel in Rom 2:25-29; 9:6 and in
some of his other letters too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For our purposes, however, the precise meaning of
the root of this tree is not that important.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The wild olive tree<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Third, the wild olive tree (v. 24) surely
symbolises unsaved Gentiles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is
nothing else that it could reasonably be.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The branches<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fourth, it makes sense to think that each branch
symbolises an individual person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each natural
branch of the cultivated olive tree that is attached to the trunk of this tree
symbolises a saved Jew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each natural
branch of the cultivated olive tree that is broken off this tree symbolizes an
unsaved Jew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And each branch of the wild
olive tree that is grafted into the cultivated olive tree symbolises a saved
Gentile.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This means that the formerly
wild olive branch, now grafted into the cultivated olive tree, that Paul
addresses in verses 17-24 symbolises each individual Gentile Christian.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are some, however, who claim that the ingrafted
branch that Paul addresses in these verses symbolises not each individual
Gentile Christian but Gentile Christians as a whole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sometimes those who make this claim use the
following argument to try to support it:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even in Paul’s day there would have been many more
saved people than the number of branches that would be found on a literal olive
tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And today there are millions who
are saved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This means that if each
branch symbolises an individual saved person, we would have the absurd picture
of a tree with an impossibly large number of branches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, we should take the formerly wild
olive branch that is grafted into the cultivated olive tree as a symbol of the
mass of Gentile Christians as a whole.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This argument is very weak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are a few points to make here:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(1) Biblical metaphors often allow for artistic
licence, and there is no need at all to expect the metaphorical olive tree to
correspond precisely to olive trees as they are found in real life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is in any case very easy for us to grasp
the concept of a tree that has millions of branches.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(2) If we were to take the single formerly wild
olive branch as a symbol of Gentile Christians as a whole, we have a difficulty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In verses 17, 19-20 Paul, referring to unsaved
Jews, says that <i>multiple</i> branches were broken off the cultivated olive
tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Similarly, in verses 23-24, again
referring to these unsaved Jews, he says that <i>multiple</i> branches could potentially
be grafted back into this tree again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If the single formerly wild olive branch in this
passage symbolised Gentile Christians as a whole, we would expect Paul to have
used a single branch to symbolise unbelieving Jews who were broken off or who
might be grafted in again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We wouldn’t
expect him to have symbolised one group of people as multiple branches and
another group of people as one branch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The fact that he refers to multiple branches being
broken off or potentially being grafted back in suggests that each of these branches
symbolises an individual Jew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if
each of these branches symbolises an individual Jew, we would expect the
formerly wild olive branch to symbolise an individual Gentile Christian.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(3) There is another difficulty with taking the
single formerly wild olive branch as a symbol of Gentile Christians as a whole.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In verses 20-21 Paul tells this branch to be afraid
lest it is broken off the cultivated olive tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This warning looks natural if it is directed to
each individual Gentile Christian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, it looks strange if directed to Gentile
Christians as a whole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Viewed in this
way, Paul would be speaking as if God might decide to suddenly remove salvation
from all Gentile Christians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Paul
surely didn’t believe that God would actually do this or anything remotely like
it, so it is difficult to understand why he would want to phrase things in this
way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All things considered, then, we do much better to understand
the formerly wild olive branch that Paul addresses in verses 17-24 as a symbol
of each individual Gentile Christian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">DOES PAUL WARN GENUINE CHRISTIANS
NOT TO LOSE SALVATION?</span></b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now that I have said something about the symbols in
this passage, we are ready to turn to our first question: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the passage does Paul warn genuine, saved
Christians not to fall away from the faith and finally end up in hell?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At this point we are not asking if this actually
ever happens to genuine believers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
the time being, we are simply asking if he warns them against this.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Paul surely does give this
warning<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Paul surely does warn genuine Christians not to
miss out on final salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are a
few reasons for believing this:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(1) As I have already said, the cultivated olive
tree symbolises the saved people of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And as I have said too, the formerly wild olive branch, now grafted into
the cultivated olive tree, that Paul addresses in verses 17-24 surely
symbolises each individual Gentile believer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So when Paul tells each ingrafted branch to be afraid in case God does
not spare it (verses 20-21), it makes sense to think that he is warning
genuine, saved Christians against losing salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(2) We must take note of the clause “you stand by
faith” in v. 20 that Paul speaks to each ingrafted branch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul would hardly say this to people who he
didn’t really believe had saving faith.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(3) We <span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25851438;">should carefully
note too how in v. 22 Paul says that </span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25851438;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25852197;">in
order to experience God’s kindness and to avoid being cut off, his readers must
remain in His kindness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But </span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25852197;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25851438;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25851285;">surely
only genuine, saved Christians would be told that they would have these benefits
by remaining as they already are.</span></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25851285;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25851285;"></span>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We should have no hesitation, then, in saying that
in this passage Paul warns genuine, saved Gentile Christians against falling
away from the faith and finally ending up in hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An attempt to avoid the
conclusion<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although the passage seems so clearly to be warning
Christians against losing the salvation they already have, there are some who try
to avoid this conclusion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One such attempt is based on the idea that I
mentioned earlier, that the formerly wild olive branch that Paul addresses in
verses 17-24 symbolises not each individual Gentile Christian but Gentile
Christians as a whole.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The argument goes in this way:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If we were to think that the formerly wild olive
branch symbolises each individual Gentile Christian, then it would be fair to
conclude that the passage is a warning to Gentile Christians not to lose
salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, this branch <i>doesn’t</i>
symbolise each individual Gentile Christian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It actually symbolises Gentile Christians as a whole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And Paul can’t have thought that God would actually
break off this branch, i.e., remove salvation from all Gentile Christians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This shows that Paul is using the metaphor
loosely without trying to make the details of the metaphor match the details of
the reality the metaphor is symbolising.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In fact, the image he has created of this branch potentially being
broken off is not supposed to be taken at face value.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, we should interpret this image as a warning to Gentile readers simply to make sure that they
have come to saving faith in the first place.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is true that Paul uses the metaphor loosely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have already said something about this when
I noted that Paul’s metaphorical olive tree has many more branches than would
be found on a literal olive tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is true too that Paul can’t have thought that
God would remove salvation from all Gentile Christians.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nevertheless, this argument fails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are two points to make here:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(1) As we have seen, there are good reasons why the
branch should be understood to symbolise each individual Gentile Christian
rather than Gentile Christians as a whole.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(2) Even if, for the sake of argument, we were to
assume that the branch symbolises Gentile Christians as a whole, the effect of
the passage would surely be the same as if the branch symbolised each Gentile Christian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the perspective of a reader of Romans,
any warning given to Gentiles as a group would be the same as a warning given
to each Gentile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So anyone who agrees
that if the branch symbolised each Gentile Christian then the warning is about
losing salvation, should also agree that if the branch symbolises Gentile
Christians as a whole then the warning would also be about losing salvation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This attempt to claim that the passage is not a
warning against losing salvation therefore fails.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another attempt to avoid the
conclusion<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is another way in which some try to avoid the
conclusion that the passage warns genuine Christians against losing salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The argument goes as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In verses 17, 19-20 Paul refers to branches that
were broken off the cultivated olive tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This refers to ethnic Jews who fail to believe in Christ and are
therefore not included in the saved people of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, these Jews were <i>never</i> included
in the saved people of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In terms of
the metaphor, this means that they were never really part of the olive tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So Paul must be using the metaphor loosely without trying to make the details of the metaphor match
the details of the reality the metaphor is symbolising.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, given that Paul can speak
about branches (i.e., Jews) being broken off the tree (i.e., the saved people
of God) who were never really part of the tree, he could easily be doing the
same in verses 20-21 regarding Gentiles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This means that the warning Paul seems to give in this passage to
Gentile Christians against losing salvation could really be a warning to his
Gentile readers simply to make sure that they have a genuine faith in Christ in
the first place.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This argument also fails.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25763335;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Again,
it is true, as I have already noted, that Paul uses the metaphor loosely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25763335;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I think it is true too that the metaphor is being
used loosely in the way described in this argument regarding ethnic Jews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think that at least some of the unsaved
Jews that Paul describes as branches that have been broken off were never
really saved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This means that in terms
of the metaphor at least some of these branches were never really part of the
tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do think it is possible that
some Jews really did lose their salvation at the time they rejected Jesus as
Messiah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the point does seem to
stand that Paul refers to at least some branches (i.e., Jews) being broken off
the tree who he believes were never really part of the tree (i.e., the saved
people of God) in the first place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
accept that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, the fact that Paul uses the metaphor
loosely in this way doesn’t mean that his warning to Gentile Christians against
being broken off the tree isn’t really a warning against losing salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a big difference between the Jews
who Paul says were broken off the tree and the Gentiles he warns against being broken
off the tree: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In verses 17, 19-20 Paul just gives a bare mention
of branches (i.e., Jewish unbelievers) being broken off the tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He doesn’t give any more information about
these people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is therefore not
difficult to take the image of being broken off imprecisely and think that some
or all of them were never really part of the tree, i.e., saved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By contrast, when it comes to the Gentiles who
might potentially be broken off the tree, Paul gives much more than a bare
mention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Referring to his readers who
were in this category, he says in v. 20, “You stand by faith.” Surely this has
to be referring to genuinely saved believers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk25851834"></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk25851834;">He also says in v. 22 that in order to
experience God’s kindness and to avoid being cut off, his readers must remain
in His kindness, and surely only genuine, saved Christians would be told that they
would have these benefits by remaining as they already are.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is therefore not possible to use the looseness
of the metaphor to argue that Paul is not really directing a warning to
genuinely saved Gentile believers against losing salvation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Summing up<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In view of all that we have seen, we can be
confident that the natural sense of this passage is the correct one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In it Paul is warning genuine, saved Gentile
Christians against falling away from the faith and missing out on final
salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we can be sure that in
other contexts he would also have wanted to warn Jewish Christians in the same
way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">DOES THIS PASSAGE SUGGEST THAT
CHRISTIANS DO SOMETIMES FALL AWAY AND END UP IN HELL?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We are now ready to ask our next question: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Does the fact that Paul warns genuine Christians
against falling away and missing out on final salvation suggest that this does
sometimes happen?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some say that the warning is to
genuine Christians yet God still never allows any of them to finally fall away<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are some Christians who would agree with my
conclusions so far in this article but who would still say that God never
allows a born-again believer to apostatise and end up in hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These believers rightly accept that Rom 11:16-24
contains a warning to genuine Christians against losing salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, they say that God uses this warning
(and others in the Bible) as a means of keeping believers in the faith, and
that He always makes sure that this means succeeds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thinking through the logic of the
warning<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We need to ask if this makes sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it really plausible that Paul would warn
Christians against doing something that God would never allow to happen?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I think this would probably make sense if God never
allowed Christians to fall away <i>but they were unaware that He never allowed
this</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this case, God could use
the fear of what would happen if they fell away to spur believers on to remain
in the faith, even though He would know that He wouldn’t allow them to fall
away.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, those who say that God never allows
genuine Christians to apostatise are almost always clear that believers should<i>
know</i> that He will not allow them to apostatise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And they also (rightly) say that believers
should have assurance that they are saved at the present time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Genuine Christians do often struggle with
assurance, but that is another issue.) <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But if Christians know that they are currently
saved and that God will not allow them to apostatise, the warning in Rom
11:16-24 (along with other similar biblical warnings) becomes extremely
difficult to understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it is not
possible for a Christian to fall away and finally be lost, these texts are
warning us against doing something <i>that we know God will never allow to
happen</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let me give a comparison.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suppose you went to an airport perimeter
fence and saw the following sign:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">WARNING!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>HUMAN
BEINGS, DO NOT <st1:place w:st="on">GROW</st1:place> WINGS AND FLY UPWARDS OR
YOU MAY HIT AN AIRCRAFT.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If we saw a sign like this, we would think that
someone was trying to make a joke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
couldn’t possibly take it seriously as a warning, because we know that the
thing we are warned against cannot possibly happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A warning is a psychological thing, and it is
very difficult to understand how a warning is supposed to psychologically
impact people if they know that that thing cannot possibly happen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If Christians know that God will never allow any genuine
believer to apostatise, the warning in Rom 11:16-24 against losing salvation is
closely similar to this hypothetical warning at an airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both would involve warnings against things
that we know can never happen, but this sort of warning looks bizarre to say
the least.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Summing up<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It seems more than a little unlikely, then, that we
are supposed to think that Rom 11:16-24 warns Christians against doing
something that they know God will never allow to happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, we do much better to think that this
warning exists because God does sometimes allow born-again Christians to
apostatise and miss out on final salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">CONCLUSION<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As an overall conclusion to our discussion, we can
say that Romans 11:16-24 is a strong piece of biblical evidence that genuine,
born-again Christians do sometimes fall away from the faith and end up in hell.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For a broader discussion of this topic, see my
article: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/is-it-possible-for-christians-to-lose.html"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16.0pt;">Does God Ever Allow Born-Again
Christians to Fall Away and Lose Salvation?</span></a><u><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And see also my articles:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/church-leaders-should-warn-of-danger-of.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Biblical Warnings against Losing Salvation</span></a><span style="color: #385623; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/does-romans-829-30-prove-that-it-is.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Romans 8:29-30 and Apostasy</span></a><span style="color: #385623; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2019/06/james-519-20-and-apostasy.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">James 5:19-20 and Apostasy</span></a><u><span style="color: #0563c1; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></div>
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<a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2018/10/does-1-john-219-prove-that-genuine.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 John 2:19 and Apostasy</span></span></a><span style="color: #385623; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-79589891475983555952019-10-24T12:18:00.002-07:002019-10-24T12:18:49.678-07:00The Ministry of Kindness<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sadly, the world today is
often a very unkind place. Selfishness
and hard-heartedness can be seen everywhere we look, and we don’t have to
search very hard to find people going out of their way to hurt the feelings of
others. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of course, there is nothing new about all this. Human sinfulness has always meant that unkindness
has been very common, both in words and actions. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today, however, it seems that the amount of
unkindness, at least in words that are spoken, has reached an all-time high. The reason for this is the existence of the
internet. It is now extremely easy to
make unkind comments online about people that are widely read by others. And this can often be done anonymously,
meaning that someone who wants to be unkind needs no courage at all to do so. The internet makes it clear that the world
contains millions and millions of people who enjoy being unkind to others.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kindness as fruit of the Spirit<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although we find ourselves surrounded by such a
sea of unkindness, as Christians we need to be very different. We should be the sort of people who not only
avoid being unkind to others but who actually go out of our way to be kind.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Galatians 5:13-26 the apostle Paul spends
some time teaching the churches in Galatia about morally upright Christian
living. This passage includes his well-known
description of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in v. 22:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The items on this list are all very important
moral qualities, and we should note carefully that kindness is one of them. We must therefore not underestimate the value
of kind words and actions in God’s sight.
To put it bluntly, God absolutely loves it when we choose to be kind to
others, whether in word or deed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kindness need not be a burden<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I think some Christians neglect the importance
of kindness because they are afraid that if they repeatedly give to others in
this way, they will lose out and it will become a burden.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This, however, is a mistake.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For a start, most kind words and acts take only
a small amount of time and effort. Usually,
there is very little cost associated with kindness.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Secondly, even on those occasions when being
kind is more costly, we must remember what the Lord Jesus says in Luke 6:38:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Give and it will be given to you.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is a key principle of life in this world. Typically, when we give to others, God gives
good things back to us in return. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thirdly, it is not just God who gives to those
who are kind. Kind people are almost
inevitably liked and appreciated by others.
And they are the most likely to be the recipients of kind words and
deeds themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Determined to be kind<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In a world, then, that is full of unkindness, Christians should be determined to be different. When we see people acting selfishly and
uncaringly, let us make a conscious decision not to follow suit. And when we come across those who go out of
their way to be unkind, let us be all the more eager to go out of our way to be
kind. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">See also:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/some-steps-that-can-be-taken-to-avoid.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Some Steps That Christians Can Take
to Avoid Judging People</span></a><span style="color: #c00000; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/the-danger-of-gossip-in-christian.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Danger of Gossip in Christian
Relationships</span></a><span style="color: #c00000; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/some-thoughts-on-importance-of-sympathy.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Importance of Sympathy and
Empathy in Christian Living</span></a><span style="color: #c00000; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/christians-need-to-be-quick-to-listen.html"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Christians Should Be Quick to Listen
and Slow to Speak</span></span></a></span>The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-66951368307209750032019-10-16T07:59:00.001-07:002019-10-16T08:00:59.417-07:00Does God Still Give the Gift of Speaking in Tongues? Part 2<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2019/10/does-god-still-give-gift-of-speaking-in.html">Part
1 of this article can be found here.</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">OBJECTIONS
ANSWERED<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In part 1 of this article I argued
that </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">the Bible fits better with the position that God
continues to give the gift of speaking in tongues than with the view that He
ceased doing this long ago. </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I will now move on to look at
objections that are made by those who say that God no longer gives this gift. I am confident that each objection can be
answered adequately. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I mentioned at the beginning of the
article that 1 Cor 14 refers to two different kinds of tongues. First, there is tongues for strengthening the
individual Christian. And second, there
is the tongue plus interpretation method of
strengthening the local church.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As I also noted, the second kind of
tongues is really just equivalent to a prophecy. So the objections that are levelled against the
existence today of this kind of tongues are almost exactly the same as the
objections that are levelled against the existence today of the gift of
prophecy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In an earlier article, “Every
Christian Should Desire the Gift of Prophecy,” I have given answers to
objections to the existence of the gift of prophecy today, and I don’t want to
repeat all that here. Readers who are
interested can find part 2 (the relevant part) of that article </span><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2016/11/every-christian-should-desire-gift-of.html"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">here</span></a><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In what
follows I will concentrate only on objections that are made to the existence of
tongues for strengthening the individual Christian. </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So in the following discussion, when I refer to the gift of
tongues, I will be thinking specifically of this kind of tongues.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some of the objections will overlap
each other to a certain extent, and so will some of the answers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Objection 1:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
gifts of the Spirit listed in 1 Cor 12:8-10, including speaking in tongues, are
what are known as “sign gifts.” These
gifts were given by God in the first decades of the church to act as signs pointing
to the truth of the gospel message while the church was getting established. However, once the church was established,
sign gifts no longer had any place in God’s purposes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Answer:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There
are several big problems with this argument:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(1)
“Sign gifts” is not a biblical term, and even the concept is not a helpful one. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To
begin with, some of the gifts listed in 1 Cor 12:8-10, such as distinguishing
between spirits (v. 10), don’t really seem to have all that much to do with
pointing to the truth of the gospel message.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Furthermore,
even gifts that do often point to this have other purposes too.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For
example, let’s think for a moment about the healing miracles that we read about
in the book of Acts. This book refers to
some supernatural healings that served to confirm the gospel message (e.g., in
Acts 3:1-10; 8:5-7; 9:36-42). However,
this was not all that these miracles did.
They also helped to build up those who were already saved in the faith. And there is no doubt that part of God’s reason
for working these miracles was simply because He loved people and wanted to
free them from suffering. To say that
the Christians who worked the miracles in Acts had “sign gifts” is an unhelpful
description. These miracles were much
more than just signs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(2)
To the extent that some gifts of the Spirit did function in the first century as
signs pointing to the truth of the gospel, there is no reason whatsoever to
think that these signs would be any less effective today. The fact that the church is now well
established is beside the point.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(3)
There seems to be an unspoken assumption in this argument that God wants to do
the minimum amount of giving gifts that is possible. The argument seems to suppose that after the
first few decades of the church, God said to Himself:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Phew! Finally!
The church is now established enough that I don’t have to give gifts
like tongues any more. What a relief!”</span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But
why would we assume that God wants to give these gifts as little as He has to? There is no good reason.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(4)
It is a least questionable whether the gift of tongues for strengthening the
individual Christian should be understood as a sign at all. It is true that in 1 Cor 14:22 Paul describes
tongues as a sign for unbelievers. But
the focus in this verse is on tongues that are spoken out loud in Christian
gatherings. Tongues for strengthening
the individual is normally a private thing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Objection
2:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
gift of tongues was useful for a time when there was no New Testament. However, once the NT was completed tongues no
longer had any place in God’s purposes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Answer:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Again,
there are big problems with this argument:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(1)
Those who argue in this way seem to be assuming that there is much more of a
difference between the first century and today than there really is. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
the first century, Christians had the Old Testament and the apostles’ teaching
ministries. Today we have the OT and the
NT. The difference between then and now
is not that great, because the NT is full of the apostles’ teaching. So if the gift of tongues was useful in the first
century to complement the OT and the apostles’ teaching, it makes sense to
think that it would be useful today to complement the OT and the NT. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(2)
The gift of tongues for strengthening the individual
Christian is a mysterious thing that involves a deep work of the Spirit to
build up that Christian in the faith. The
fact that the NT now exists is really beside the point as far as the usefulness
of this gift is concerned. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Objection
3:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Christians
who say that God still gives the gifts of 1 Cor 12:8-10, including tongues, also
accept Pentecostal theology on baptism in the Holy Spirit. This theology claims that God usually
baptises Christians in the Spirit at
some point after their conversion. However,
the Bible teaches that Christians are baptised in the Spirit <i>at</i>
conversion. Therefore, we should reject
the idea that gifts are for today.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Answer:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It
is true that Scripture teaches that Christians are baptised in the Spirit at
conversion (1 Cor 12:13). Nevertheless,
there are some serious mistakes in this argument.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(1)
It is simply not the case that all Christians who say that God still gives the
gifts of 1 Cor 12:8-10 also accept Pentecostal theology on baptism in the
Spirit. Many who accept the gifts do
accept this theology. However, many others
who accept the gifts reject this theology.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some
major figures in present-day evangelicalism who accept that gifts are for today
but reject Pentecostal theology on Spirit baptism are D. A. Carson, Wayne
Grudem and Sam Storms.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Should
we accept that the gifts are for today? Absolutely!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Should
we side with Pentecostal theology on baptism in the Spirit? Absolutely not!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Whether
gifts are for today and whether Pentecostal theology on Spirit baptism is
correct are two separate issues that mustn’t be confused.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(2)
The logic of this argument makes no sense anyway. Basically, the argument says that because a
group of people believe something false, then another belief they have must also
be false. But this is illogical. Just because Pentecostals make a mistake
about baptism in the Spirit, it doesn’t follow that they must be wrong to say
that God still gives the gifts of 1 Cor 12:8-10. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Objection
4:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Between the end of the 1st century and the
beginning of the 20th, orthodox (i.e., non-heretical) Christians never claimed
to be able to speak in tongues. This
shows that it was always a temporary gift.
It seems very strange to think that God allowed this gift to die out and
then chose to revive it in our time. Therefore,
it makes sense to think that all claims to be able to speak in tongues today
are false.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Answer:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I can only assume that those who use this argument haven’t
taken time to research the matter. In fact,
there have been more than a few claims of speaking in tongues by orthodox
believers between the 2nd and 19th centuries.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For example, Irenaeus, who lived c. 130 – c. 202,
wrote:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“...we hear many of the brothers in the church, who
have prophetic gifts, and who speak all sorts of tongues by the Spirit, and who
also bring to light the secret things of people . . .” (<i>Against Heresies</i>, book 5, ch. 6)</span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Similarly, Tertullian, who lived c. 155 – c. 240, in
a challenge to the heretic Marcion, wrote:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“. . . let him produce a psalm, a vision, a prayer
– only let it be by the Spirit, in an ecstasy, that is, in a rapture, whenever
an interpretation of tongues has come to him . . . Now all these signs can be provided by my
side without any difficulty . . .” (<i>Against
Marcion</i>, book 5, ch. 8)</span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is true that Tertullian speaks here about
interpretation of tongues, which has to do with tongues used to strengthen the local
church. And, as I have said, in this
part of the article I am defending the existence today of tongues used to
strengthen the individual Christian. Nevertheless,
if one sort of tongues existed in Tertullian’s day, it seems highly likely that
the other sort existed as well. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is not just in the first centuries of the church
that there were claims by orthodox believers to have spoken in tongues. For example, there is good evidence that some
Huguenots, i.e., French evangelicals, claimed to be able to speak in tongues in
the 18th century.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The idea, then, that between the 2nd and 19th
centuries no orthodox Christians claimed to be able to speak in tongues is
simply not true.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Objection 5:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If God continued giving the gift of tongues
throughout the Christian era, we would expect Him to have done this as often as
He did in the 1st century. However, it
can’t be denied that there have been relatively few claims of tongues in the
following centuries as compared to the 1st century. Therefore, this suggests that the claims
there have been after the 1st century were all fakes or wishful thinking. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Answer:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is surely true that for at least most of the Christian
era there have been relatively few claims of tongues as compared to the first
century. However, there are two
important things to consider here.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(1) The Bible often makes receiving things from God
conditional upon believing. The
believing is very important. So when a
Christian doesn’t believe that God wants to give a gift of some sort, it seems
that He would very probably not give that gift, even if He wanted to. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I would suggest that part of the reason why there
has been a lack of tongues throughout church history is because most Christians
wrongly believed that God had no desire to give this gift. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(2) We need to recognise that the Holy Spirit is
thoroughly mysterious, and it is a mistake to think that He must have chosen to
do things in roughly the same amounts in each century of the church.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In 1 Sam 3:1 we are told that when Samuel was a
boy, “the word of the LORD was rare in those days.” Similarly, I think that even under
post-Pentecost, New Covenant conditions, it is not all that surprising if there
is considerable variation in how much the Spirit operates supernaturally from
time to time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That is not to say that over the centuries God has
been inconsistent in His requirements or promises. In all centuries of the church He has wanted
Christians to seek the ability to speak in tongues. But it is much too simplistic to say that we
should expect God to give gifts in uniform amounts in each century of the
church. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Objection
6:</span></b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The principal Reformers in the 16th
century, most notably Martin Luther, John Calvin and Huldrych Zwingli, believed
that God stopped giving the gift of tongues in the first century. Because these men were giants of the faith,
it makes sense to think that their views on this point were correct. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Answer:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is true that the Reformation was
extremely helpful in some very significant ways. But to assume that the Reformers were correct
on everything of importance can’t be right for the simple reason that they differed
among themselves on a number of key issues.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are unfortunately many Christians
today who follow certain people in church history without questioning their
beliefs nearly enough. This is really a
form of idolatry and it should be carefully avoided. What matters is what the Bible teaches, not
what certain Christian leaders have believed in the past.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Objection 7:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In
churches that claim to use the gift of tongues, there is often a frenzy of
emotion in worship services. These
churches also frequently support false teaching, such as </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">the so-called “Prosperity Gospel.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Answer:</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is true that many churches which use
the gift of tongues make some big mistakes, as do all sorts of churches. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, to say that abuses and
mistakes show that this gift is not given today makes no sense. By the same logic, we should avoid anything
that is abused or about which mistakes are sometimes made.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For example, teaching from the Bible
is something that is often abused in our day.
Every Sunday there are thousands of so-called Christian leaders
worldwide who say they are teaching from the Bible, but who are actually
promoting heresy in one way or another. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But this doesn’t mean that all
teaching from the Bible is false! It
doesn’t mean that leaders on a Sunday should abandon giving biblical
instruction to their flocks. And the
same applies to tongues. To say that
abuses and mistakes mean that there is no place for tongues today is illogical.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Wherever there is something that is
from God, Satan will almost always try to counterfeit it. He will also tempt Christians into using
gifts, including tongues, in ways that are less than edifying. And part of what it means to be a sinful
human being is to make mistakes. So even
Christians with good intentions and motivations can get things wrong at times. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Therefore, bad reports surrounding
tongues in no way mean that God doesn’t give this gift today. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Summing up<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are other arguments that are
sometimes used to support the view that God doesn’t give the gift of tongues
today, but I have given the most important of them. In short, none of the objections convinces. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">TESTIMONY
OF TONGUES<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When
we are forming our views on some aspect of the Christian faith, what the Bible
has to say is far and away the most important thing to consider.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nevertheless,
listening to what Christians say they have experienced also has some value. Being a Christian, after all, isn’t just
about believing certain things to be true, although that is an important part
of it. It is a relationship with God. Anyone who has been a believer for any length
of time should have testimony of what they have personally experienced God do. Some will have experienced a lot more than
others, but we should all be able to tell others something of what we have
experienced of God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
this respect, it is important to listen carefully to Christians who claim that
they can speak in tongues. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
some Christian circles which deny that God still gives this gift there seems to
be the idea that all believers who claim to speak in tongues are shallow,
sensationalist and anti-intellectual. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I
think it is true that many Christians who use the gift of tongues do have these
faults. But there are a great many who
don’t. Many who claim to use this gift
are very biblically minded and cautious about what they do and say. We need to be careful not to tar everyone
with the same brush. That is really a
form of false accusation, and God hates it when people are falsely accused.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For
what it’s worth, I can speak in tongues myself, and I have been able to do this
since 1988. I have also led a few other
Christians to begin speaking in tongues.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nor
do I believe that I am shallow, sensationalist or anti-intellectual. Furthermore, when I see Christians who use
the gift of tongues acting and speaking in these sorts of ways, I am the first
to level criticism. If you doubt this,
have a look at some of my other articles.
Several of them of them are aimed at abuses and mistakes in Christian
circles that use the gifts of 1 Cor 12:8-10.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I
would therefore encourage readers of this article to take Christians like
myself seriously when we say that we can speak in tongues. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">THE
BIBLE COMMANDS US TO SEEK SPIRITUAL GIFTS INCLUDING TONGUES<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In part 1 of this article we saw that </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">the Bible suggests
that the gift of tongues will continue until Jesus returns. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And in part 2 we have seen that there are no
convincing objections to the existence of tongues today, and that we should
take seriously the claims of Christians who say they have experienced this gift. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All
things considered, it makes sense for us to accept that God still gives the
gift of tongues.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But
we should do more than just accept this.
We are actually under obligation to seek gifts of the Spirit, including
tongues, from God:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
part 1 I commented on 1 Cor 14:1, where Paul tells the Corinthian Christians:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“</span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Pursue love, and eagerly desire
spiritual gifts . . .”<o:p></o:p></span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As
I noted in my comments, the spiritual gifts Paul refers to in this verse
certainly include the gift of tongues. And
I noted too that this command to desire gifts including tongues would have
applied to all Christians at the time 1 Corinthians was written.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Whenever
there is a biblical command that applied to all Christians at the time of
writing, </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">by far the most
natural way of understanding it is as a command that applies to all Christians
in all centuries of the church. Therefore,
anyone who claims that today we shouldn’t follow a biblical command that
applied to every Christian when it was written needs to have a very strong
argument indeed to support their view.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In part 1 we saw that the Bible
doesn’t lead us to believe that God has ceased giving the gift of tongues. On the contrary, we found that the evidence
actually points in the other direction. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This means that we have no excuse for
not obeying the command in 1 Cor 14:1 to eagerly desire spiritual gifts. And for those who don’t currently speak in
tongues, this will include desiring this gift.
</span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let all of us, then, who are
following Jesus as Lord, be faithful in heeding what the Spirit says in this
verse of Scripture. We dare not disobey
it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">See also:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/it-is-wrong-to-speak-in-tongues-when-it.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A Time to Avoid Speaking in Tongues</span></a><span style="color: #2f5496; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/every-christian-should-desire-gift-of.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Every Christian Should Desire the
Gift of Prophecy</span></a><span style="color: #2f5496; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/god-wants-to-do-more-miracles-today.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God Wants to Use Christians in
Miracle Work Today</span></a><span style="color: #2f5496; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/baptism-in-holy-spirit-is-for-new.html"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Baptism in the Holy Spirit Takes Place
at Conversion</span></span></a></span>The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-24530854166267960552019-10-16T07:50:00.004-07:002019-10-16T08:03:57.308-07:00Does God Still Give the Gift of Speaking in Tongues? Part 1<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In 1 Corinthians 14 the apostle Paul spends some
time teaching the church in Corinth about the spiritual gift that is commonly
known as speaking in tongues. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">TERMINOLOGY<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the phrase “speaking in tongues,” “tongues” just
means “languages.” So in modern English,
“speaking in languages” is actually a much better way of referring to this gift. And in modern English versions of the Bible
too “speaking in languages” is a better translation of the Greek.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nevertheless, because the phrase “speaking in
tongues” is so widely used, I will stick with this term in this article. And when referring to an individual example
of using this gift, I will use the term “speaking in a tongue.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">WHAT
THIS GIFT IS<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When someone speaks in a tongue, they speak in a
language that they don’t understand with their mind. The person’s spirit connects with their mouth
to form words that have meaning, but their mind is not involved. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Paul describes this situation in the context of
prayer in 1 Cor 14:14:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">“</span><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); font-size: 16pt;">For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays,
but my mind is unproductive.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); font-size: 16pt;">THE PURPOSES OF SPEAKING IN TONGUES</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In 1 Cor 14 Paul refers to two purposes of speaking
in tongues.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tongues
for strengthening the individual Christian <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First, he
says that this gift is used for personal spiritual strengthening.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
verses 4-5 he states:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); font-size: 16pt;">“<b>4</b> The person who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the
person who prophesies builds up the church.
<b>5</b> Now I wish that you could
all speak in tongues . . .”</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); font-size: 16pt;">Paul is explicit here that
speaking in a tongue serves to build up a Christian who uses it. And he is clear that he would like all
believers to be able use this gift for this purpose.</span><span style="background: #FDFEFF; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); font-size: 16pt;">Similarly, in v. 18 he says:</span></span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); font-size: 16pt;">“I thank God that I speak
in tongues more than all of you.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); font-size: 16pt;">Again, Paul stresses the
usefulness of speaking in tongues for the purpose of personal spiritual
strengthening.</span><span style="background: #FDFEFF; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); font-size: 16pt;">Tongues for strengthening the local
church</span></b><b><span style="background: #FDFEFF; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); font-size: 16pt;">The second purpose that Paul gives for
speaking in tongues is to strengthen the local church.</span><span style="background: #FDFEFF; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); font-size: 16pt;">In v. 5 he tells his readers:</span></span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); font-size: 16pt;">“The person who prophesies is
greater than the person who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the
church might be built up.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); font-size: 16pt;">Here Paul is thinking of a
situation where someone speaks a message from God in a tongue and then
interprets the incomprehensible language into language that those listening can
understand. The result will be that the
listeners are built up in the faith.</span><span style="background: #FDFEFF; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); font-size: 16pt;">Similarly, in v. 13 he tells his
readers:</span></span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); font-size: 16pt;">“Therefore, the person who
speaks in a tongue should pray that he can interpret.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); font-size: 16pt;">And then in v. 27 he says:</span></span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); font-size: 16pt;">“If anyone speaks in a tongue,
it should be two or three at most, in turn, and someone should interpret.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); font-size: 16pt;">This use of speaking in tongues
referred to in verses 5, 13 and 27 is really the equivalent of a prophecy. In a prophecy, a prophet speaks a message
from God to the listeners in language that they can understand. In a tongue plus interpretation, the same
result is achieved in two stages. A
Christian speaks a message from God out loud in an unknown language, and then
either the same believer or another interprets this into understandable
language.</span><span style="background: #FDFEFF; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); font-size: 16pt;">This is all extremely mysterious. Personally, I have no idea why God would ever
want to use this method of tongue plus interpretation, when it might seem that
a simple prophecy would suffice.</span><span style="background: #FDFEFF; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background: rgb(253, 254, 255); font-size: 16pt;">INCREASE IN ACCEPTANCE OF THIS GIFT</span></b><b><span style="background: #FDFEFF; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
most of church history, the majority view among Christians has been that God
ceased giving the gift of tongues at some point in the first century.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A big
change came at the beginning of the twentieth century, however, with the origin
of the Pentecostal movement. Since then,
an increasing number of believers have accepted that God still gives this gift today. In fact, I think it would be right to say
that at the present time a sizeable majority of evangelicals worldwide accept
that God still gives this gift.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nevertheless,
there remain more than a few Christians who deny that He does this, and they
use various arguments to try to make their case. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I
believe strongly that God does give the gift of tongues today, and in what
follows I will argue for this position.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">BIBLICAL TEACHING<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When thinking about any topic, the
most important thing to do is see what the Bible has to say about it. Scripture is our God-given “Manual for the
Human Life,” and what it teaches is key.
So we will begin with this.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 Corinthians 13:8-10<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A good place for us to start is 1 Cor
13:8-10. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here the apostle Paul states:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<b>8</b>
. . . if there are prophecies, they will be done away with. If there are tongues, they will cease. If there is knowledge, it will be done away
with. <b>9</b> For we know in part and we prophesy in part. <b>10</b>
But when what is complete comes, what is partial will be done away with.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In this passage Paul is referring
back to the gifts of the Spirit he has been talking about in chapter 12. He clearly believes that a time will come
when speaking in tongues, prophesying and other gifts will no longer be used. And he seems to imply that this will happen
“when what is complete comes.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Those who claim that God no longer
gives the gift of tongues (and some other gifts of the Spirit) today often
argue that the time Paul is referring to in this clause is the point at which
the New Testament was completed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This, however, is simply not a
credible interpretation of the passage. “When
what is complete comes” is certainly not referring to any experience that can
be found in this world of ours. Rather,
it has in view a time after Jesus has returned to earth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The context of verses 8-13 confirms
this. In these verses, Paul contrasts a
present state and a future state. The
present state involves knowing in part and seeing indistinctly. The future state, which begins when what is
complete comes, involves knowing fully and seeing face to face. Paul is clearly contrasting the present
experience of Christians with our future state of existence. So “when what is complete comes” is
definitely referring to a time after Jesus has returned to the earth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Therefore, when Paul says that
partial things like speaking in tongues will be done away with “when what is
complete comes,” the most natural way of taking his words is that this gift
will continue until Jesus returns.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is true that Paul is speaking very
concisely here. And it is true too that
his main focus in this passage is not on precisely when the gifts of the Spirit
will cease being used. I am not saying
that this passage proves outright that God still gives the gift of tongues
today. But Paul’s words certainly fit
better with this gift continuing until Jesus returns than ceasing centuries
ago.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 Corinthians 14:1<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another verse that points in the same
direction is 1 Cor 14:1. Here Paul
instructs the Christians in Corinth:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Pursue love, and eagerly desire
spiritual gifts . . .”</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The “spiritual gifts” Paul refers to
here certainly include the gifts he has listed in 1 Cor 12:8-10, one of which
is speaking in tongues.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The first thing to note about the
command to desire spiritual gifts in 14:1 is that it must have applied to all
Christians in around 55 AD, when Paul wrote 1 Corinthians. Clearly, this command was given to all the
Christians in Corinth. And there is no
reason whatsoever for thinking that Paul or God would have wanted anything
different in other churches at that time.
We should therefore have no doubt that when Paul wrote this letter God
wanted all Christians to eagerly desire spiritual gifts, including the ability
to speak in tongues.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Next, we need to give due weight to
an argument from probability:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If we consider the rest of the New
Testament, it contains hundreds of commands that would have applied to all
Christians at the time they were written.
I am not aware of a single one of these that no longer applies to
Christians today. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If it is correct that every other NT
command that applied to all Christians at the time of writing still applies
today, then, all other things being equal, it is highly probable that the
command in 1 Cor 14:1 also still applies.
And this argument from probability carries considerable weight, although
I accept that it doesn’t prove outright that God gives the gift of tongues
today.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even if I
am mistaken about other NT commands that applied to all Christians when they
were written, and there are a few that no longer apply today, the number of
these is surely very few. So the argument
from probability would still carry some weight, although admittedly not nearly
so much.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Acts 2:16-18<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Another relevant passage is Acts
2:16-18. </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Here Peter, referring to the speaking in tongues that occurred on the day
of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given, quotes the prophet Joel:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<b>16</b> But this is what was
spoken through the prophet Joel:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">17</span></b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> ‘And it will be in the last days,’ says God, ‘that I will pour out my
Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and daughters will prophesy, and your young
men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. <b>18</b>
Even on my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit,
and they will prophesy.’”<o:p></o:p></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Peter is saying that the events of the day of Pentecost are the beginning
of the fulfilment of Joel’s prophecy in Joel 2:28-32. Joel prophesied that God would pour out His
Spirit, says Peter, and this has now come into effect. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This passage refers explicitly to prophesying, visions and dreams. I will say something about what the passage
suggests about these things before moving on to talk specifically about
speaking in tongues.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First, we need to note the time reference in this passage. It says that God will pour out His Spirit,
and prophecies, visions and dreams will take place, “<i>in the last days</i>.” The last
days here is the period of time that began with the giving of the Spirit and
will end with the return of Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When this passage says that God will pour out His Spirit “in the last
days,” and that this will involve prophesying, visions and dreams, the most
natural way of taking the words is that these activities will take place <i>throughout
</i>the last days. If they occurred only
in the first century, then the pouring out of the Spirit in the way that the
passage describes would only have happened in the very first part of the last
days. And that does seem a rather
awkward interpretation of the text.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Furthermore, to think that prophesying, visions and dreams no longer
occur today also fits poorly with what we know as “salvation history.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is a term that refers to how God’s overall plan for human beings has
unfolded in various ways in different periods of history. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For example, the calling of Abraham and the giving of the Law at Sinai
involved radical new departures from what had come before.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Later, the ministry of John the Baptist brought something radically new,
as did the earthly ministry of Jesus. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The day of Pentecost was also a huge change from what had come before. On this day the Spirit was given, in
fulfilment of Old Testament promises of the New Covenant.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Crucially, however, since Pentecost there has been no critical point in
salvation history. We are still in the
same New Covenant era that began on that day.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In view of this, it would be unexpected, to say the least, if God no
longer spoke through prophecies, visions and dreams. After the Spirit had descended on the day of
Pentecost, this would be like Him deciding to partially reascend to heaven
part-way through the New Covenant era.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are two good reasons, then, for thinking that prophesying, visions
and dreams continue today. Firstly, “in
the last days” most naturally suggests this.
And secondly, today we are still in the same period of salvation history
that began on the day of Pentecost.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of course, the revelation that God gives in prophecies, dreams and
visions today is not remotely on a par with biblical revelation. Nor does it have universal application. Instead, it just concerns specific situations
that individual Christians or individual churches are facing at the time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although v. 17 makes no explicit mention of speaking in tongues, it makes
sense to think that what this verse implies about prophesying, visions and
dreams it also implies about the gift of tongues as it is described in 1 Corinthians. There are two reasons for this:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">First,
speaking in tongues is precisely the thing that leads Peter to quote Joel’s
prophecy. </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">It is true
that the kind of speaking in tongues in Acts 2 is not exactly the same as
either of the kinds of tongues mentioned in 1 Cor 14. And it is true too that the day of Pentecost
was a unique event. Nevertheless, it is
a fact that it is tongues that leads Peter to refer to God’s pouring out His
Spirit. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Second,
the pouring out of the Spirit that Joel prophesied surely involves all the
gifts of the Spirit listed in 1 Cor 12:8-10.
And speaking in tongues is on that list.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is
reasonable, then, to think that what the verse implies about prophesying,
visions and dreams it also implies about the gift of tongues as it is described
in 1 Corinthians. So, because the verse
most naturally implies that prophesying, visions and dreams continue throughout
the Christian era, the same is true of speaking in tongues.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Summing
up, then, Acts 2:16-18 counts as biblical evidence that God still gives the
gift of tongues today.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Longer Ending of Mark’s Gospel<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another relevant text for our purposes can be found in the so-called
“Longer Ending” of Mark’s Gospel. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We know that in the first centuries of the church, this Gospel circulated
with a number of different endings. The
earliest surviving copies of Mark end at Mark 16:8. However, most old copies of Mark contain the
Longer Ending that a majority of English-speaking readers of the Bible will be
most familiar with, ending at what is known as Mark 16:20. There are also copies that have a variety of
other differences and additions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the Longer Ending there is a passage that refers to speaking in
tongues. The text that is commonly
referred to as Mark 16:15-18 reads as follows:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<b>15</b> And He [Jesus] said to them
[the eleven], ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to all creation. <b>16 </b>The
person who has believed and has been baptized will be saved. But the person who has not believed will be
condemned. <b>17</b> These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name
they will expel demons, they will speak with new tongues, <b>18</b> with their
hands they will pick up snakes, if they drink anything poisonous it will in no
way harm them, and they will place their hands on those who are ill and they
will get well.’”</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Discussion of which ending or endings of Mark should be considered
Scripture is complex. Personally, I
prefer the view that this passage shouldn’t be regarded as Scripture. But I don’t want to get into a long analysis
of the issue here.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Instead, let’s look at this passage under two scenarios, firstly assuming
that it is Scripture and secondly assuming that it isn’t. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, first, let’s suppose that the passage I have quoted should be
regarded as Scripture.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If we do this, it should be clear that the passage strongly implies that speaking
in tongues is something that continues throughout the Christian era:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In v. 15 Jesus refers to evangelism in “all the world” and “to all
creation.” So from His point in time He
is clearly thinking about evangelism that will continue on long into the future
around the world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Therefore, when in verses 16 and 17 He refers to “the person who has
believed” and “those who have believed,” by far the most natural way of taking
His words is as a reference to Christians of all times and places. Those who say that in these verses Jesus is
speaking only of Christians living in the first century or thereabouts are
taking an extremely unnatural interpretation of the text.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Verse 17 says that speaking in tongues is a feature of those who believe. (This doesn’t mean that it is a feature of <i>all</i>
who believe, simply something that many Christians do.) So, because those who believe are Christians
of all times and places, speaking in tongues is something that we can expect to
be a continuing activity of the church. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If these words are Scripture, then, this passage strongly implies that speaking
in tongues is something that we should expect in every century of the church.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Second, let’s assume that this passage is not Scripture.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If we do this, it still seems reasonable to regard the passage as quite
strong evidence that speaking in tongues continues throughout the Christian era:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Importantly, there is no doubt that in the last 2000 years large numbers
of Christians have understood the passage we know as Mark 16:9-20 to be part of
Scripture. In fact, it seems highly
likely that <i>most</i> believers have
regarded this passage as Scripture. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The vast majority of these Christians have known nothing about early copies
of Mark or even that this Gospel once circulated with a variety of endings. Most, or at least very many, Christians in
the last 2000 years have been led to believe that Mark 16:9-20 is Scripture,
and they have accepted this in good faith.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is surely very unlikely that God would have allowed so many Christians
to have an ending of Mark’s Gospel that misled them. If He had, then through no fault of their own
they would have been reading as Scripture something that was actually
misdirecting them. But we would expect
God, in His love, not to have allowed this to happen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So even if Mark 16:9-20 is not Scripture, it makes sense to think that it
contains good Christian teaching. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We saw above that if we take this passage as Scripture, it strongly implies
that speaking in tongues is something that continues throughout the Christian
era. Therefore, even if we don’t take
the passage as Scripture, because it apparently contains good teaching it still
supplies us with quite a strong piece of evidence that we should expect
speaking in tongues today.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hebrews 2:3-4<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One passage that is often said to show
that God no longer gives the gift of tongues is Heb 2:3-4, where the author
writes:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<b>3</b>
. . . how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? This salvation was first announced by the
Lord, and then it was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, <b>4</b> while God added His testimony by
signs and wonders, various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed
according to His will.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Those who say that the gift of
tongues has ceased often argue in this way:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In this passage the author wants his
readers to understand what an enormously important thing the Christian message
of salvation is. To help him make his
point, he says that in the time of the first generation of Christians God
testified to the truth of this message by signs, wonders, miracles and gifts of
the Spirit. However, if the author
believed that these things still occurred at the time of writing, we would
expect him to have concentrated on God testifying to the message by them in the
present rather than in the past. Therefore,
this passage strongly implies that gifts like tongues no longer existed at the
time of writing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is certainly true that the
author’s intention in this passage is to stress how important the message of
salvation is. And I do admit that this
argument isn’t one that should be quickly dismissed. Nevertheless, there are a few points to make
here.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(1) The passage is too indirect and
brief for us to reach clear conclusions on what the author believed about the
existence of tongues and other gifts at the time of writing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(2) It is possible that the author
felt that after mentioning Jesus and the first generation of Christians, he had
done enough to make his point. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He begins by telling them that no
less a person than Jesus began announcing the message. And then he goes on to say that people who
heard Jesus themselves were the ones who passed on the message to the author
and the readers. He also notes that God
accompanied this passing on of the message with miracles and gifts of the
Spirit to help validate it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Maybe having said all this, he
thought that he had said enough to make his point that the message of salvation
is extremely important. If so, then potentially
he could have chosen not to move on to speak about the time of writing, even if
he was aware that God was still giving gifts of the Spirit like tongues in his
day. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(3) I think it is quite possible that
at the time this letter was written, miracles and gifts of the Spirit may have
been a lot less common than they were earlier in the first century. And this could have motivated the author in
Heb 2:3-4 to focus on miracles and gifts among the first generation of
Christians.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I will say something about the
frequency of tongues throughout church history in part 2 of this article.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(4) In Heb 6:5 the author refers to
Christians generally as people who have “tasted . . . the powers of the age to
come.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This could well suggest that gifts of
the Spirit like tongues were ongoing at the time of writing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(5) Even if this passage does more
naturally seem to suggest that the gift of tongues had ceased at the time of
writing, we need to beware of drawing conclusions based on one or two proof
texts.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A good example of the dangers of this
can be seen in Col 1:19-20, where Paul writes:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<b>19</b>
For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in
Him [Christ], <b>20</b> and through Him
to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace by the blood of His cross
– whether things on earth or things in the heavens.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In this passage Paul explicitly says
that God was pleased “to reconcile all things to Himself.” And the “all things” he has in mind are
described as “things on earth or things in the heavens.” There can be no doubt that he is including
human beings in what is talking about. So
the most natural reading of this passage is that all human beings will be
reconciled to God through Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, Paul cannot have meant that,
since it would contradict so much else in his letters (e.g., Rom 2:5-9; 2 Cor
2:15-16; Gal 6:8; Phil 1:28; 3:19; 1 Thess 1:10; 2 Thess 1:6-9).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Instead, he must mean that all things
will be reconciled to God apart from one unexpressed, exceptional group of
beings, comprising some people and some angels, that will experience eternal
destruction.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The most natural reading of Col
1:19-20 is therefore not the correct one.
And the same could potentially be true of Heb 2:3-4.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of course, the number of biblical passages
where the most natural reading is not the correct one must be relatively few. If God had inspired the Bible in such a way
that the correct meaning was usually at odds with the most natural sense of the
words, we would be in real trouble when trying to learn things. Thankfully, He hasn’t done that. A large majority of the time, passages should
be taken at face value. And we can be
confident that the most natural reading of most passages on any given topic
will be in line with the truth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, even if Heb 2:3-4 most naturally
seems to suggest that the gift of tongues has ceased, it is still the case that
several other passages most naturally suggest that this gift has <i>not</i>
ceased, as we have seen. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Summing up<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There
are other Bible passages that have some relevance for the topic we are
considering, but I have given the most important of </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">them. The above discussion
has shown that on balance the Bible fits better with the position that God continues to
give the gift of speaking in tongues than with the view that He ceased doing
this long ago. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2019/10/does-god-still-give-gift-of-speaking-in_16.html">The
second and final part of this article can be found here.</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See also:</span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/it-is-wrong-to-speak-in-tongues-when-it.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A Time to Avoid Speaking in Tongues</span></a><span style="color: #1f4e79; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/every-christian-should-desire-gift-of.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Every Christian Should Desire the
Gift of Prophecy</span></a><span style="color: #1f4e79; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/god-wants-to-do-more-miracles-today.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God Wants to Use Christians in
Miracle Work Today</span></a><span style="color: #1f4e79; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/baptism-in-holy-spirit-is-for-new.html"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Baptism in the Holy Spirit Takes
Place at Conversion</span></span></a></span>The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-56526152226709984652019-09-25T04:05:00.001-07:002019-09-25T04:07:52.032-07:00Grading Christian Truths on a Scale of Importance<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It should be seen as a fact that some truths of the Christian faith are vastly more important
than others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each individual truth is
somewhere on a scale, from the relatively insignificant through to the
essential.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am not for a moment suggesting that any
biblical truth is so unimportant that it has no value at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we should all recognize clearly that some
things are far more important than others.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Passages which imply that something is very
important<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is not always easy to tell what is relatively
important or unimportant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the Bible
gives us some pointers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sometimes a passage strongly implies that
something is close to the most important end of the scale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For example, what Paul says in Galatians makes
it clear that the people he is writing against were teaching some seriously
wrong ideas.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Gal 1:7-8 he says:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“. .
. there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But even if we or an angel from heaven should
preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be
accursed.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Scripture
readings in this article are from the English Standard Version.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And
in Gal 2:4 he writes:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Yet
because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our
freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into
slavery—”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Paul’s
opponents were insisting that Gentile Christian converts must be circumcised
and obey the Law of Moses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The way that
he wishes a curse on these teachers and describes them as false brothers shows
how serious this error is.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Similarly, in 2 John 1:10 the apostle John,
referring to professing Christians who reject the humanity of Jesus, says:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If anyone comes to you and
does not bring this teaching [that Jesus is fully human], do not receive him
into your house or give him any greeting,” </span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Surely John would only instruct his readers not
even to greet people if their error was near the most important end of the
scale.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Again, in 1 Cor 6:9-10 Paul says to the
Christians in Corinth:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Or
do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do not be deceived: neither the sexually
immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor
thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will
inherit the kingdom of God.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Paul is explicit here that those who commit the
sins he mentions will not inherit the kingdom of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kingdom of God in this verse refers to
final, eternal salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other
words, Paul is saying that those who unrepentantly commit these sins are on
track for hell.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Paul’s words in these verses should make it
clear that the sins on this list are all intolerable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Similar teaching can be found in Rev 21:8, where
God says:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“But
as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the
sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in
the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This verse is very clear that people who unrepentantly
practise these sins are on track for hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So there is no doubt that acting in these ways is intolerable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sometimes, then, the Bible itself strongly
implies that a certain belief or practice is at or near the most important end
of the scale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But we must also take note of where Scripture <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">doesn’t</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> give an implication of this sort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For example, nowhere
in the Bible does it say that a female church leader should be accursed or that
her portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is true that Scripture
teaches that God normally wants men, and not women, to be leaders (although I
think that sometimes He acts outside the standard pattern by raising up women
leaders).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is an important issue,
and if a woman becomes a leader outside the will of God she is making a big
mistake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nevertheless, this error is surely
not nearly as serious as, for example, denying the humanity or deity of Christ
or failing to condemn homosexual practice.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Similarly, Scripture teaches
that we should expect God to work miracles throughout the Christian era.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, this is important, and those who deny
that God still does this are making a big mistake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, nowhere does the Bible say that
professing Christians who deny this are false brothers or that they will not
inherit the kingdom of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Frequency of references<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another
way in which we can sometimes grade how important things are is by seeing how
often they are mentioned in Scripture.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For example, there is a huge volume of biblical
teaching on the cross of Christ, and this helps to show how fundamental His
death is to the Christian faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Or take the subject of love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Bible is full of instructions for Christians
to act in love, and there is no doubt that this is an extremely important virtue
for us to cultivate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By contrast, some topics are mentioned very
rarely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For instance, teaching on head
coverings in public worship appears only in 1 Cor 11:2-16.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And only in 1 Cor 11:14 are we told that it
is wrong for a man to have long hair.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We should be in no doubt that if a Christian is not
good at acting in love, that is vastly more problematic than if they fail to
get things right on head coverings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Similarly, if a Christian man has a weak
understanding of what Jesus’ death was all about, that is far more serious than
if he has long hair.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Satan’s deceiving work<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Many Christians today
are poor at grading biblical truths in terms of importance. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Satan is very active in trying to deceive us in this area.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To begin with, he loves it when he can make a
believer think that something essential is not that important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When this happens, heresy is often tolerated
and grave sins are overlooked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although Satan’s bigger victories come when he
persuades Christians that important things are relatively unimportant, he is
almost as happy when the deception is the other way round.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Church history is littered with examples of
splits in churches over things that should never have been important enough to
cause divisions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many Christians have
been deceived into thinking that they have done God’s will by refusing to back
down on something, when actually in their particular case backing down was a
“lesser evil” than allowing a church to split.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Subtlety and
discernment<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We all need subtlety
and discernment regarding how much importance we attach to various truths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not enough for us just to know what is
true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also need to have an idea about
where each truth is on the scale of importance.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sometimes it will be
difficult to know exactly where on the scale something is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But usually, if we search the Scriptures and pause
to think and pray, we should be able to gain some insight.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the one hand, we
must be careful not to fall into the trap of taking a casual attitude to any
great moral or doctrinal principle of the Christian faith.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the other hand, it
is wrong to become hostile to other Christians simply because we are sure that
they believe something false.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are
times when it is better to put up with the mistakes of others than to allow
churches to divide or to create bad feeling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">See also:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2016/10/christians-need-to-put-everything-to.html"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Christians Need to Put Everything to the Test</span></a><span style="color: #2f5496; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/christians-need-to-be-careful-who-they.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Christians
Need to Be Careful Who They Have Fellowship With</span></a><span style="color: #2f5496; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/christians-shouldnt-think-of-themselves.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Denominations
and Christian Self-Identity</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #2f5496; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/christians-must-not-allow-differences.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There Is
No Such Thing as a Christian Half-Brother or Half-Sister</span></span></a><span style="color: #2f5496; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-91487243300282432492019-09-16T06:34:00.001-07:002019-09-16T06:42:04.581-07:00How Dangerous Is Harry Potter?<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Over the last 20 years or so Harry Potter has
been a real phenomenon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vast numbers of
people around the world have read or watched the books and films, which feature
the title character and his friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Millions
are gripped, especially children.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although most people in the Western world are
very positive about Harry Potter, not everyone agrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There has been widespread opposition from
Christians, even if those who speak out against it seem to be fewer in number
than they used to be.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The reason why so many Christians complain is
that Harry and his friends use witchcraft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Nor is this just a sideline of what they do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Using witchcraft is right at the heart of what
these characters do and who they are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
is enough for many believers to reject these films and books outright.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are more than a few Christians, however,
who are ready to stand up for Harry Potter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They argue that we mustn’t lose sight of the fact that the story of
Harry and his friends is set in a fantasy world, not our real world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And they argue too that the witchcraft in this
fantasy world isn’t the same as witchcraft in the real world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This means, so the argument goes, that the books
and films are not leading children to actually start practising witchcraft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is also said that Harry Potter encourages
virtues such as loyalty and kindness.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So what are we to make of all this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What should the Christian attitude to Harry
Potter be?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it an abomination?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or is it actually a positive thing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or does it simply have some big pros and cons?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I believe that these books and films are near
the abomination end of the scale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am
sure that they cause a lot more harm than good, and in what follows I will give
reasons why I believe this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">WITCHCRAFT IN OUR ACTUAL WORLD<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Before turning to look specifically at Harry Potter,
I need to say something about witchcraft in our actual world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Every Christian needs to understand very clearly
that witchcraft is a real thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
really are witches who really do use witchcraft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Genuine witchcraft uses the ability of evil
spirits to perform various supernatural acts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is the real source of power behind it, even if the people involved
are often unaware of this.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sometimes the terms 'magic' and 'sorcery' are
used to refer to witchcraft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Defining
things can be complicated by the fact that some people use 'witchcraft', 'magic' and 'sorcery' interchangeably, while others use the words to mean different
things.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For our purposes in this article, when I refer
to 'witchcraft' I will be using the word broadly to include what anyone might
mean by magic and sorcery as well.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Biblical passages that condemn witchcraft<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Given that witchcraft uses demonic powers, it is
no surprise that the Bible roundly condemns it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The following are some important passages:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Deut 18:10-12 instructions are given to the
Israelites:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">'<b>10</b> </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There shall not be found
among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who
practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer <b>11</b>
or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, <b>12</b>
for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD.'<o:p></o:p></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Scripture
readings in this article are from the English Standard Version.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nothing
in later biblical revelation suggests that the principles in these verses in
Deuteronomy no longer apply today.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
Acts 19:18-19 Luke tells us what some Christian converts in Ephesus did:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">'<b>18</b>
Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their
practices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>19</b> And a number of
those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them
in the sight of all.'</span></span></blockquote>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Luke clearly portrays this burning of books on
magic/witchcraft as a good thing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Gal 5:19-20 Paul tells the Galatian churches:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">'<b>19</b> </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now the works of the flesh
are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, <b>20</b> idolatry,
sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions,
divisions, <b>21</b> envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I warn you, as I warned you before, that
those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.'<o:p></o:p></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Paul
is explicit here that those who practise sorcery/witchcraft will not inherit
the kingdom of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kingdom of God
in this verse refers to final, eternal salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, Paul is saying that those who
unrepentantly practise witchcraft are on track for hell.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
Rev 21:8 God gives a stark warning:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">'But
as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the
sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in
the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.'</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Again,
this is very clear that those who unrepentantly practise sorcery/witchcraft are
on track for hell.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There
are other biblical passages too that condemn witchcraft, but even the few that
I have quoted should leave us in no doubt that witchcraft is a grave evil and
God hates it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Attitudes
to witchcraft in mainstream Western culture</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mainstream Western culture distinguishes between
so-called black magic or black witchcraft on the one hand, and so-called white
magic or white witchcraft on the other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
black forms are designed to harm people in various ways, whereas the white
forms are not designed to cause harm.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mainstream Westerners are usually not opposed to
white witchcraft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many don’t believe
that there is any real power in witchcraft, and those who take this view don’t
tend to be against what they see as harmless make-believe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many others do accept that there is real
power in witchcraft, but they are not opposed to white witchcraft, since it
doesn’t aim to harm people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Comparing mainstream Western and Christian
attitudes<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is difficult to overstate the difference between
a mainstream Western worldview and a Christian worldview.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In reality, if not always in theory, the
mainstream Western worldview sees human beings, and not God, as the centre of
things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So if something doesn’t harm a
human being, it is usually seen as acceptable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sadly, many Christians have been very influenced
by this outlook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, whether
something harms people or not is not the key issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The key thing is whether it offends God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And there are many things that offend God
without causing direct harm to people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Witchcraft in all its forms offends God, for two
reasons:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First, when a person practises witchcraft, they are
stepping outside the place of human beings in the created order.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All witchcraft involves engaging in
supernatural activity without reference to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But humans are simply not designed to do this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is not part of our mandate.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Second, as I have already noted, all witchcraft
involves using demonic power, whether people are aware of this or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And obviously God doesn’t want people to use evil
power.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is worth noting too that most
people who practise witchcraft end up with demonic problems as a result.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is essential, then, for Christians to
understand that all witchcraft in our real world is evil and dangerous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may be true that black witchcraft is even
worse than white witchcraft, but even the white variety is thoroughly evil in
God’s sight.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">WHAT SHOULD WE MAKE OF HARRY POTTER?</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let’s turn now to think specifically about Harry
Potter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are several reasons to believe
that this series of books and films is harmful, especially to children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Desensitisation to the fact that witchcraft is
evil<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First, we should be in no doubt that the Potter books
and films serve to desensitise many people, especially children, to the fact
that witchcraft in the real world is evil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Everyone should shudder when they hear the word 'witchcraft', and children should be encouraged to be repulsed by this practice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every child should be taught that witchcraft
is a real thing and that it is always evil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, having a work of fiction in which the heroes are children who
use witchcraft can only hinder children understanding this.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are some Christians who make a big deal of
the fact that the witchcraft in the Potter fantasy world and the witchcraft in
the real world are not the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However,
it is still the case that in the storyline of the series Harry and his friends
explicitly use witchcraft of a sort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
can only work against children being repulsed by the witchcraft that exists in
our real world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An increase in the practice of witchcraft<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Second, in reading up on this topic I found
anecdotal evidence that Harry Potter is helping to fuel an increase in the
number of people who practise witchcraft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Apparently, in bookshops it is not uncommon for Potter
books to be found on the shelf next to books on real witchcraft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems too that the practice of witchcraft
is on the rise in Western countries, and witches themselves seem to agree that
Harry Potter has contributed to this.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nothing about this should surprise us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Huge numbers of children adore the Potter
books and films and the witchcraft in that fantasy world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For some of these children, when they
discover that there is such a thing as witchcraft in our real world, they want
to get involved.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Similarities between witchcraft in the real and
fantasy worlds<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Third, the differences between witchcraft in the
real world and witchcraft in Harry Potter are not great enough to say that the
former is evil and the latter is acceptable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the real world, witchcraft is wrong because
it involves operating in the supernatural realm without reference to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the same is true of the witchcraft in the
Potter fantasy world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Other fantasy stories<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fourth, appealing to other fantasy stories in
support of Harry Potter is very unconvincing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One argument that is used by some Christians who
are in favour of these books and films goes in this way:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fairy tales are harmless stories, but they often
have magical elements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furthermore, J. R.
R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis were Christian authors, whose works are helpful in
portraying biblical truth, and their heroes sometimes use magical powers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is inconsistent to approve of fairy tales,
Tolkien’s <i>The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings </i>and<i> The Silmarillion</i>,
and Lewis’s <i>The Chronicles of Narnia</i> stories, and also to disapprove of
Harry Potter.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In response to this, there are a number of
points to make:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(1) It is true that we should always be as consistent
as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, this should be
done by disapproving of bad things in fairy tales, Tolkien and Lewis and not by
approving of bad things in Harry Potter.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(2) I think many magical elements in fairy tales
are problematic and harmful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In any
case, Harry Potter seems a lot worse than fairy tales generally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the Potter books and films the big thing
that the main characters are known for is using witchcraft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This goes beyond what is typically found in
fairy tales.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(3) I think Tolkien is very overrated in terms
of his positive influence on the Christian faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would challenge the idea that his works
have helped to promote gospel truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
is more, some pagan religious groups today appeal to ideas that are found in
Tolkien.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(4) I think Lewis is also overrated to an extent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is true that a lot of what he teaches is
good, and he has some extremely helpful insights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nevertheless, he also has more than a few
seriously wrong ideas too.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Besides, Lewis seems to have a very different
attitude to witchcraft from what we find in Harry Potter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In <i>The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe</i>
the witch is an evil character, and I am not aware of any witch in <i>The
Chronicles of</i> <i>Narnia </i>stories that is portrayed as a good character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is nothing wrong with having witches in
children’s fiction, as long as they are portrayed as evil.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Summing up<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are good reasons, then, for thinking that
Harry Potter is harmful, especially to children: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These books and films desensitise people, especially
children, to the evil of witchcraft in the real world.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They are helping to fuel an increase in the
practice of witchcraft.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The differences
between real and Potter-style witchcraft are not great enough to say that one
is evil and the other is acceptable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk19183873;"></span>
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is unwarranted to appeal to other fantasy
writers as a way to support Harry Potter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An analogy<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let me give an analogy to help me try to make my
point.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Suppose for a moment that there is a children’s
story set in a fantasy world where the main characters are children, but
instead of using witchcraft, they go around beating up other children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the main thing they do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They travel around finding other children to
hurt because they enjoy doing this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
let’s imagine too that the story doesn’t teach that it is wrong for them to
behave in this way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, let’s
suppose that this story is extremely popular among children and that some adults
want it to be read in schools.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Imagine the outrage from parents!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People would be horrified!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And rightly so.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Why would they be appalled?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Simply because beating up children is a very
bad thing to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So to have a story
where the main characters do this sets an appalling example to children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If someone were to try to defend this story by
saying that it is set in a fantasy world and not the real world, and that in this
fantasy world beating up children is acceptable, they would be told in no
uncertain terms that that was a hopelessly weak excuse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I believe that Harry Potter is very similar to
this story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Harry and his friends don’t
go around beating up other children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
they do something just as bad, namely, use supernatural powers without
reference to God, i.e., witchcraft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am sure that many Christians who are reading
this will think that my analogy is a poor one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They will think that in a fantasy world, as in the real world, beating
up children has to be much worse than so-called white witchcraft.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I would suggest that the reason why so many
Christians don’t feel the same about witchcraft as they do about sadistic
violence is because, unknowingly, they have been massively influenced by the
values of modern Western culture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I come
back to the point I made at the beginning of the article.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In mainstream Western culture today there is
little or no place for God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So if an
activity involves causing unnecessary pain to a human being, it is seen as
wrong, but if it doesn’t involve doing this to a human being, it is usually seen
as acceptable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, the whole starting point of this
worldview is mistaken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of asking
whether an activity causes pain to humans, we should start by asking whether it
causes pain to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And there are many
things that pain God without causing direct pain to human beings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Huge numbers of Christians today have a very
faulty worldview, because they have been very influenced by secular Western
thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many have simply not grasped
that God hates many things that don’t cause direct pain to humans, including
witchcraft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So they haven’t understood
that it is extremely inappropriate to have a children’s fantasy story in which
the main characters do something similar to witchcraft in the real world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">PRACTICAL STEPS<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What practical steps, then, should Christians
take in response to Harry Potter?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Avoid the books and films<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First, I think that as a general rule it is best
even for adults to avoid these books and films.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Each Christian would need to follow their own
conscience in this matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I
would be surprised if it was God’s will for believers to spend their leisure
time being exposed to such an evil subject matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Watching pornography, for example, is wrong,
so why would we think that watching or reading about witchcraft, even fantasy
witchcraft, is any better?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Parenting<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Second, Christian parents need to take great
care to protect their children from harmful influences from these books and
films.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I think normally this will mean keeping
children, especially young ones, away from Harry Potter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I appreciate how difficult this must be for
parents today, especially when there is so much peer pressure on children to
follow the crowd, and also when these books are often read in schools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Perhaps it may sometimes be God’s will for Christian
parents to allow their children to be exposed to some of the books and films
while at the same time warning them of the evils of witchcraft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I would at least question that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The subject matter is just so awful.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Book-burning</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Finally, there is the issue of book-burning to
consider.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the last two decades various Christian groups
have got into the news because they have publicly burned Harry Potter books.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I don’t think this is an overreaction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Public burning of magic books is exactly what
we find approved of in Acts 19:19.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is true that the books referred to in this
verse had to do with magic/witchcraft in our real world, not the witchcraft of
a fantasy world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nevertheless, there
doesn’t seem to be much of a difference between burning books on real
witchcraft and burning ones on fantasy witchcraft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A decision to publicly burn books shouldn’t be
taken lightly, however.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There may well
be times when, for one reason or another, God might not want Potter books to be
burned in public.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So Christians who are
considering this would need to take the matter to the Lord in prayer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">See also:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/learning-to-recognise-attacks-of-evil.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Learning to Discern the Attacks of
Evil Spirits</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #385623; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/healing-people-afflicted-by-demons.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Importance of Ministering to
People Afflicted by Demons</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #385623; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/christians-need-to-put-everything-to.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Christians Need to Put Everything to
the Test</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #385623; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/most-westerners-completely.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most People in Western Countries
Completely Misunderstand What Human Beings Are</span></span></a><span style="color: #385623; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-81382468740180446732019-09-05T03:43:00.001-07:002019-09-05T03:43:21.662-07:00God’s Values Don’t Change with the Times<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was chatting recently to someone who would
claim to be a Christian. The topic of
conversation was our new prime minister, Boris Johnson.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As many will know, the official residence of the
British prime minister is 10 Downing Street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Apparently Mr Johnson is the first prime minister to live there with a
woman he is not married to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, at
the time of writing he is still legally married to someone else.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In my conversation, I commented on how bad it
was for Mr Johnson to do this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clearly disagreeing
with me, the person I was talking to replied, “Times change.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he went on to explain, he thought that my
moral values were old fashioned and out of date.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In his view, there is not a lot wrong today with
a person having a sexual relationship with someone they are not married to,
even when they are still legally married to another person.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God doesn’t change<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is certainly true that not many people in the
UK today would agree with my beliefs on sexual morality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it is true too that some decades or
centuries ago many more people would have believed as I do on this issue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, that is not the point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crucial thing we need to understand is
that God doesn’t change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just because
most people today say that something is OK in no way means that it really is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fashions in morals come and go<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It should be clear that fashions in moral values
come and go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of the time in any
given culture, some trends are in line with the will of God and other trends
are against His will.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As an example of something that has got better
in the last century, take racism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
would surely be right to say that 100 years ago in the UK, and in most
ethnically similar countries, most white people looked down on black people as
a bit inferior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, today it is
uncommon for white people in these countries to have this attitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, anyone who says that black people
are inferior is strongly (and rightly, of course) criticised.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If someone tries to justify racist attitudes of
100 years ago simply by saying “Well, that’s what people believed back then,” that
is a very poor excuse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Similarly, if
fashions on racism change in the future so that racist attitudes become widely
accepted again, and people try to justify this by saying, “Times change,” that won’t
be a valid excuse.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A large majority of modern Westerners would
agree with the points I have just made about racism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet exactly the same principle applies to
sexual morality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just because it is out
of fashion to insist that God has designed sexual relations only for marriage, that
in no way means that this claim is incorrect.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God doesn’t revise His moral values<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Bible makes it clear that only a relatively
small proportion of people will be saved (Matt 7:13-14).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Scripture also contains striking examples of
where only a tiny number of people avoid God’s judgment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One example is Noah and his family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are told that moral values in Noah’s day
were very poor (Gen 6:11-12).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So what
happened?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did God lower His standards to
accommodate this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, He carried out His judgment by
drowning all but eight people (Gen 7:11-23; 2 Pet 2:5)!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or take the example of Sodom and Gomorrah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God didn’t adjust His values to accommodate
the evil of those who lived there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead,
He destroyed these towns, while making sure to rescue Lot (Gen 19:1-29; 2 Pet
2:6-7).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To think that today God is somehow revising His
moral values to fit in with the views of Western society is a big mistake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In reality, all that is happening in sexual
and some other matters is that people commit more sins than they used to.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What the Bible says about sexual sin<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 the apostle Paul tells
the Christians in Corinth:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;">“</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Or don’t you know that those
who are immoral will not inherit the <st1:placetype w:st="on">kingdom</st1:placetype>
of God?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t be deceived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters,
nor adulterers, nor men who sleep with men, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor
drunkards, nor those who are verbally abusive, nor swindlers will inherit the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">kingdom</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">God</st1:placename></st1:place>.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Paul says here, among other things, that those
who are sexually immoral will not inherit the kingdom of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kingdom of God in this verse refers to
final, eternal salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And according
to the Bible, sexual relations should only happen within marriage (Gen 2:24; 1
Cor 7:9; Heb 13:4).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In other words, one of the things Paul is saying
in this passage is that those who unrepentantly have sex outside marriage are
on track for hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, we are not saved by doing good deeds
or by avoiding committing sins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul
doesn’t mean that those who avoid sexual immorality, and the other sins he
mentions, will thereby earn their salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Instead, we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, crucially, according to Scripture,
where there is genuine, saving faith, it is always accompanied by good deeds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As James 2:26 says:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Faith without deeds is dead.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One sign of those who have saving faith is that
they fight hard to live in a good way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So if someone unrepentantly has sexual relations
with a person they are not married to, that is a sign that they don’t really
have saving faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if they don’t
have saving faith, they are not on track for final salvation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We mustn’t be deceived<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Bible describes Satan as a snake who
deceives the whole world (Rev 12:9).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One
of his big lies at the present time in Western countries is that various sins
are not really sins at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another of
his lies is that when the moral values of society change, we can expect God to
accommodate Himself to that by reducing His demands.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As Christians we mustn’t allow ourselves to be
deceived about these things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we must
stand firm regardless of how many other people do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In biblical times and throughout church history God’s
people have often had to swim against the tide of popular opinion in various
ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christians have frequently had to
stand up for what is right even though they have been in a tiny minority.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we need to do the same, let us not fail
the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See also:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2019/06/there-will-be-no-hiding-in-crowd-on-day.html"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There
Will Be No Hiding in the Crowd on the Day of Judgment</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/how-can-bible-teach-that-salvation-is.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Salvation Is Not by Doing Good but
Only Those Who Do Good Will Be Saved</span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/the-radical-nature-of-normal-christian.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Radical Nature of the Normal
Christian Life</span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/the-will-of-people-major-idol-among.html"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">The Will of the People: A Big Idol
among Christians Today</span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-32295301052102141342019-08-08T06:55:00.001-07:002019-08-08T06:55:44.481-07:00Should Christians Support the Death Penalty for Murder? – Part 2<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2019/08/should-christians-support-death-penalty.html">Part
1 of this article can be found here.</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ACTS
25:11<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another
relevant passage for our purposes, albeit a less important one than the texts
we have already looked at, is Acts 25:11. In this verse Paul says to the Roman
procurator Festus:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“If
then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I
do not seek to escape death.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Three
alternative interpretations<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There
are three alternative ways in which we could interpret what Paul says in this
verse.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Interpretation
(1): Paul is saying that if he has done anything for
which he deserves to die <i>according to Roman law</i>, then he isn’t
seeking to escape death. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Under
this interpretation, Paul’s focus is not on whether or not God says that he
deserves to die. Instead, he is simply looking at things from the perspective
of Roman law. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Interpretation
(2): Paul is saying that if he has done anything for which he deserves to die <i>according
to God</i>, then he isn’t seeking to escape death.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Under
this interpretation, Paul’s focus is not on whether or not Roman law says that
he deserves to die. Instead, he is looking at things from God’s perspective.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Interpretation
(3): Paul is saying that if he has done anything for which he deserves to die<i>
according to Roman law and according to God</i>, then he isn’t seeking to
escape death.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Under
this interpretation, Paul is looking at things both from the perspective of
Roman law and from God’s perspective.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Any
of these interpretations could be the correct one, although (3) is probably the
most natural, followed by (1) and then (2).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If
(2) or (3) is correct, then Paul is saying that if God’s standpoint is that he
deserves to die, he is not seeking to escape death. This strongly implies that
capital punishment is sometimes acceptable in God’s sight. And it probably
implies too that there are times when it is not just acceptable but should
happen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If
(1) is correct, and Paul is just talking about whether or not he deserves to
die according to Roman law, things are less clear. Nevertheless, the fact that
he says “I do not seek to escape death” most naturally suggests that he
believes that there were times when Roman executions were in line with the will
of God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Summing
up<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There
are admittedly uncertainties about how we should interpret Paul’s words in this
verse. But we can say two things.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First,
on balance, what he says here counts against the view that capital punishment is
always wrong. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And
second, what he says also fits a bit better with the view that capital
punishment should happen at times than with the view that it is just an optional
punishment. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">DOING
GOOD TO THOSE WHO TREAT US BADLY<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So
far we have looked at biblical passages that support capital punishment. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However,
we also need to look at some passages that are often said to show that this
punishment is not God’s will today. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One
common argument appeals to the teaching of Jesus on doing good to those who
treat us badly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For
example, in Matt 5:38-41 He says:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<b>38</b>
You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ <b>39</b>
But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on
the right cheek, turn to him the other also. <b>40</b> And if anyone would sue
you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. <b>41</b> And if
anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” </span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
argument<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
argument goes along these lines:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
big ethical principle in the teaching of Jesus is love, radical love that is
expressed even by doing good to those who treat us badly. To inflict the death
penalty is a severe way of responding to those who do wrong, and it is not
possible to reconcile this kind of punishment with a desire to love wrongdoers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -36.0pt;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
response<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This
is actually a weak argument, and there are a number of points to make in reply:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(1)
To use Jesus’ teaching about doing good to those who treat us badly as an
argument against capital punishment is to compare apples with oranges. A
personal response to a wrong we have suffered is a very different thing from
the nation state’s response when a citizen commits a serious crime.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When
Jesus tells us not to retaliate against those who treat us badly and to do good
to them, He means this quite literally. It is true that there are exceptional
situations when acting to bless people who mistreat us will actually cause more
harm than good. But as a general rule, if someone treats us badly we should aim
to act in ways that bless them in return.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However,
it should be obvious that it would be wrong for the state to follow this sort
of principle. The state is hardly supposed to go out of its way to bless and
benefit criminals! Instead, there is a consensus – rightly, of course – that
the state needs to inflict punishment of some sort on those who commit serious
crimes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So
it should be clear that Jesus’ teaching about doing good to those who treat us
badly is not a comment on how the state should treat criminals. And this should
make us cautious about using what He says in passages like this one to draw
conclusions about capital punishment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(2)
We need to take account of all biblical revelation on the nature of God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Scripture
reveals God to be not only a God of great love but also a God of severe
judgment. For example, Jesus Himself teaches repeatedly on the horror and
reality of hell (e.g., in Matt 5:22, 29-30; 18:8-9; Mark 9:43-48).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So
it simply won’t do to build a picture of the nature and will of God from a
select group of biblical texts. Instead, we need to take account of the whole Bible.
And if we do this, we find that it is often His will to inflict severe
punishments.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(3)
We need to take especial account of what Paul writes in Romans.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
Rom 12:19-20 he teaches about non-retaliation and doing good to those who treat
us badly:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<b>19</b>
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is
written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ <b>20</b> To the
contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him
something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’”</span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What
Paul says here closely mirrors what Jesus says in passages like Matt 5:38-41.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yet Rom
12:19-20 is followed almost immediately by Rom 13:1-5, that we looked at above,
which teaches about the state being God’s instrument of punishment. And, as we
saw too, v. 4 of this passage seems quite strongly to imply that the state has
the right to inflict capital punishment at times.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Given
that Paul’s teaching on non-retaliation and blessing enemies doesn’t contradict
the state’s right to inflict capital punishment, there
is no need to think that Jesus’ teaching on non-retaliation and blessing
enemies contradicts this either.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk13480418;"></span>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Summing
up<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What
Jesus says about the importance of loving enemies should
therefore not lead us to think that it is wrong for the state to execute
murderers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">THE
WOMAN CAUGHT IN ADULTERY<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another
argument used by those who say that capital punishment for murder is wrong today
appeals to the account of the woman caught in adultery that is found in what is
commonly referred to as John 7:53-8:11.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -36.0pt;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
argument<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
argument goes along these lines:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
this biblical passage we find Jesus superseding the instruction to put adulterers
to death as found in the Law of Moses. Because He did this, it makes sense to
think that He would have had the same attitude to those who were guilty of
murder. Even though the OT prescribed a death sentence for murderers, Jesus
brought a new principle that abolished capital punishment of any kind.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
response<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This
is another weak argument, and there are a couple of points to make in reply.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(1)
To begin with, it is questionable how much authority this story actually has. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although
the story is commonly regarded as one of the best known Bible passages today,
it was almost certainly not originally a part of John’s Gospel: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First,
the vocabulary and style of this passage show some differences from the rest of
this Gospel.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Second,
if we remove it, the transition from 7:52 to 8:12 is a good one. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Third,
it is not in our earliest surviving copies of John. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And fourth,
it is not even in our earliest surviving commentaries on this Gospel. In the extensive
commentaries on John by Origen (lived late 2nd through mid 3rd century) and by John
Chrysostom (lived mid 4th through early 5th century) the commentators show no
knowledge of this passage at all! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">New
Testament textual analysts today – including very conservative scholars – are therefore
widely agreed that this passage was not in the original text.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If
this story wasn’t originally part of the Gospel, that doesn’t prove that it
shouldn’t be regarded as Scripture. Potentially God could have inspired the
story as Scripture and later caused Christians to include <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it in the Bible.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This
does seem rather doubtful, however. It just seems strange for God to create an
add-on in this way. If He wanted it to be part of Scripture, why would He not
have made it part of the original text?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We
do better, then, to think that this story should not be regarded as a part of
the Bible.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On
the other hand, however, it is very difficult to believe that what this story
teaches is misleading or even that it has no positive value. Throughout church
history probably a majority of Christians have, in good faith, had copies of
John’s Gospel that included this passage. Surely God wouldn’t have let that
happen if this passage was harmful. Besides, countless Christians have
testified that He has spoken to them through the passage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To
cut a long story short, we do best to conclude that this passage stems from a
historical event in Jesus’ ministry and that it contains very good Christian
teaching.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nevertheless,
it should probably not be regarded as a genuine part of the Bible, so its value
for deciding on matters of capital punishment today is limited.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(2) Even
more importantly, it is essential to recognise that this story specifically
concerns Jesus’ attitude to the death penalty for<i> adultery</i>. So,
regardless of how we interpret the story, it is unwarranted to conclude from it
that Jesus would have been against the death penalty for<i> murder</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Old Testament
teaching that adulterers should be put to death originates in the Law of Moses,
which the NT tells us was temporary (Gal 3:23-25). By contrast, OT teaching
that murderers should be put to death originates, as we have seen, in Gen 9:5-6,
a passage that apparently gives principles that will last as long as this earth
does.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Summing
up<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
story of the woman caught in adultery should therefore not lead us to think
that it is wrong today for the state to execute murderers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">EZEKIEL
33<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another
common argument against capital punishment today appeals to Ezek 33:11, where
God tells the prophet Ezekiel to say to the people of Judah:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Say
to them, As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death
of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn
back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?”</span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
argument<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
argument goes along these lines:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
this verse God says that He gains no pleasure from the death of those who do evil,
and that He wants them to turn from their evil and live. Here God is giving a
principle that goes deeper than the earlier OT commands to inflict capital
punishment. He is saying that in fact His higher purpose is that wrongdoers
should not be put to death but that they should be given a chance to repent. And
this surely includes murderers. So Christians today should follow this
principle by rejecting capital punishment in all circumstances.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
response</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This
is another weak argument, and there are a few points to make in reply:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(1) To
begin with, there is a minor point. The death in view in this verse is not the
death penalty administered by people but a death that God himself will inflict.
And it probably refers both to physical death and also punishment after physical
death. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These
differences mean that we should be cautious about using what this verse says to
draw firm conclusions about capital punishment today.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(2) Next,
there is another relatively minor point. In this verse God isn’t saying that He
prefers the wicked not dying to the wicked dying. Instead, He assumes that
being wicked and dying naturally go hand in hand, and He is saying that He
prefers people not being wicked to the wicked dying. We could paraphrase God’s
words in this verse as: “I would much rather that you are not wicked than that
you are wicked and die.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(3) Third,
we must take care not to read too much out of what this verse tells us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It
is true that in the verse God says that He wants those who are <i>already</i>
wicked to turn from their wickedness and so avoid His punishment. So at first
sight this might seem to suggest that it is not His will for murderers (who are
obviously already wicked) to be put to death, but instead that He wants them to
repent and so avoid His punishment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It
is quite right to say that in this verse God is giving a general principle that
He wants wrongdoers to repent and so avoid His punishment. However, crucially,
it is unwarranted to claim that this principle is the whole story on the issue
of sin and punishment. There could potentially be other relevant factors as
well, even some that are in tension with this principle.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As
it happens, we know that there is at least one other factor in tension with this
principle. We know that the time came shortly after Ezekiel prophesied, when
God’s patience with Judah ran out and He destroyed Jerusalem by the hands of
the Babylonians. So, even though God’s will expressed in this verse is for
people to repent and avoid His judgment, we know that this isn’t the whole
story, since He later acted to stop people having the opportunity to repent.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
other words, we know that a time came later when God decided that inflicting
punishment was more important than allowing people the opportunity to repent,
which was a situation that was an exception to the principle of Ezek 33.11.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Therefore,
given that we have this exceptional example of where God chose punishment over
mercy, it is not difficult to think that there could be yet another exceptional
circumstance in which He, at least usually, chooses punishment over mercy,
i.e., the death penalty for murder. So we could potentially say that the
general principle in this verse is that God wants people to repent and avoid
punishment, but that in cases of murder something else takes precedence, which
is that murderers should suffer the death penalty.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
short, it is reading too much out of this verse to claim that it shows that the
death penalty for murder is wrong. The verse gives a general principle that God
wants wrongdoers to repent and avoid punishment, but we know that this
principle isn’t the whole story on the issue of sin and punishment. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Summing
up<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ezekiel
33:11 is therefore not strong support for the view that capital punishment for
murder today is wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">SUMMARY<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let’s
now draw together what we have found.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We
have seen that Gen 9:5-6 gives an instruction that people who commit
premeditated murder (and possibly some lesser degrees of killing too) should be
executed by human beings. However, we have also seen that there seem to be
exceptions to this principle in the Bible itself.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We
have found that Rom 13:1-5 quite strongly implies that the nation state has a
God-given authority to use capital punishment at times. And we also saw that
this passage most naturally suggests that the state <i>should</i> use capital
punishment rather than just <i>may</i> use this punishment if it wishes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We have
found that Acts 25:11 provides some weaker support for capital punishment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Finally,
we have seen that Jesus’ teaching on doing good to those who mistreat us, the
story of the woman caught in adultery, and Ezek 33:11 provide no convincing
reason to oppose the death penalty for murder today.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">HOW
DO WE SEEK TO APPLY GEN 9:5-6 TODAY?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of the
passages we have looked at, Gen 9:5-6 is by far the most important, because it
specifically says that murderers should be executed. On the other hand, however,
we mustn’t forget about the exceptional examples of Cain, Moses, David and
Saul.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So
what should we do today? Is it more important to follow what Gen 9:5-6 says? Or
should we be more influenced by these exceptions?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We
should surely follow Gen 9:5-6. This passage contains a specific <i>instruction</i>
given by God, something that He actually tells human beings of all following
centuries to do. We should therefore support the death penalty for premeditated
murder, and possibly for some lesser degrees of killing too.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of
course, in many parts of the world the death penalty is not used. Where this is
the case, Christians should speak out in support of this punishment for murder.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However,
we should also speak out just as strongly against bias in enforcing the death
penalty. In some places where capital punishment is used, people’s ethnic group
or financial status can increase or decrease their likelihood of being
executed. This is an appalling injustice.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Finally,
as we saw in Rom 13:1-5, it is the state that has been given the task by God of
inflicting capital punishment. Christians must never take matters into their
own hands to try to enforce this punishment when the state fails to execute as
it should.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">See
also my articles:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/gods-plan-and-plan-b-for-humanity.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Justice and Mercy of God</span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/american-christians-and-gun-control.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">American Christians and Gun Control</span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/christians-should-keep-well-away-from.html">Does
the Oral Contraceptive Pill Cause Abortions?</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/christians-should-take-warnings-of.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How Seriously Should Christians Take
Warnings of Climate Change?</span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-9625679541105766952019-08-08T06:46:00.002-07:002019-08-08T06:58:02.812-07:00Should Christians Support the Death Penalty for Murder? – Part 1<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One area of controversy among Christians
concerns the death penalty, also known as capital punishment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some say that today it is God’s will for those
who are guilty of murder to be executed by the nation state, while others say
that this is not His will.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As always, when thinking about a moral issue, we
must turn to the Bible to see what it has to say. Scripture is The Manual for
the Human Life, and what it teaches is key.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">GENESIS 9:5-6<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The most important biblical passage on this
topic is Gen 9:5-6, which reads as follows:</span></span></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<b>5</b>
And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will
require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the
life of man. <b>6</b> ‘Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood
be shed, for God made man in his own image.’”</span></span></blockquote>
</div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Scripture
readings in this article are from the English Standard Version except where
otherwise stated.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
setting</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
first thing we need to consider is the setting of these words. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We
have just been told in chapters 7 and 8 of Genesis about the flood that came on
the whole earth. The flood has now subsided and there are eight people left
alive, Noah, his wife, his three sons and his three daughters-in-law. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then,
in Gen 9:1-17 God speaks to Noah and his sons:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He tells them to have children and fill the
earth (v. 1). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He says that they have authority over
animals, including the right to eat them (verse 2-3), although they mustn’t eat
their blood (v. 4). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He speaks the words quoted above (verses
5-6). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He repeats His instruction to populate the
earth (v. 7).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He says that He is making a covenant with Noah
and his sons, their descendants and all animals that He will never again
destroy the earth by flooding it (verses 8-11). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He says that rainbows are a reminder of His
covenant never again to destroy the earth with a flood (verses 12-17). This
covenant is described as “everlasting” (v. 16).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Enduring
principles<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There
are good reasons for believing that verses 5-6 contain principles that continue
to be valid as long as humans live on this earth: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(1)
There is not the slightest hint anywhere in verses 1-17 that a time would come,
while this earth still survives, when any of the principles outlined in verses
1-17 would become obsolete. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(2)
The context of verses 5-6 strongly suggests that the principles in these verses
continue to be valid. Verses 1-17 are a unit that consists of God’s message to
Noah and his sons. In verses 8-17 God is clear that the covenant with people
and animals will last as long as the earth does. So, given that verses 1-17 are
a unit, it would be surprising if anything in verses 1-7 did not also last as
long. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
view of these two points, it makes sense to think that verses 5-6 contain
principles that continue to be valid today. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It
is crucial to understand that this passage is very unlike the Law of Moses in
this respect. The Law that God gave Moses at Sinai had a limited shelf-life (Gal 3:23-25). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By
contrast, the instruction given to Noah and his sons in Gen 9:5-6 was given to the
whole human race that then existed, long before Israel even came into being.
And, as I have just noted, there are good reasons for believing that this
instruction will continue to be valid until this earth is destroyed (2 Pet
3:10-12).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So
what God says in Gen 9:5-6 applies to human beings of all centuries and races,
including everyone alive today.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Two
potential interpretations<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For
our purposes, the meaning of the first words in v. 6 is what is most important:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Whoever
sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed . . .”</span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There
are two alternative ways in which these words are commonly interpreted:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Interpretation
(1): God is giving a command that if a person kills someone, that person should
be put to death by other human beings. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although
the Hebrew is better translated into English as “by man shall his blood be
shed” rather than as “man must shed his blood,” this Hebrew can easily be
understood as a command. We find the same sort of grammatical construction, for
example, in the Ten Commandments. For instance, “You shall not steal” is a
command not to steal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Interpretation
(2): God is not giving any instruction to put a killer to death. Instead, He is
referring to a troubling state of affairs where killing someone frequently
leads to another killing in revenge. If someone kills, all too often that killer
is himself killed by another person. So God is indirectly warning people not to
kill, since it could end badly for the killers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So,
which of these interpretations is correct? Are there clues in the passage
itself that can tell us?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Indeed
there are. There are two very strong reasons for believing that the first of
these interpretations is the correct one, that God is giving an instruction
that people who kill humans should be put to death by humans.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
implication of v. 5<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First,
we need to take account of what God says in v. 5.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
the first part of this verse, He says that He will require a reckoning from
every animal and from man “for your lifeblood.” “For your lifeblood” must mean
“for killing a human.” There is nothing else it could mean. And this is made
even clearer in the final part of this verse, where instead of a reckoning “for
your lifeblood,” the reckoning is “for the life of man.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So
God is saying that if an animal or a human kills a human, God will require a
reckoning from the killer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let’s
think first about what this reckoning is in the case of an animal that kills a
human.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Well,
the reckoning can’t be about punishment before or after death, because animals
are not moral creatures that commit sins. The only thing that the reckoning
could be is the physical death of the animal. God is implying that human beings
are so valuable in His sight, that if an animal kills a human, it is fitting
that that animal is killed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And
God is surely not implying that He will kill the animal Himself. It is a fact
that animals which kill humans ordinarily continue to remain alive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So
God surely means that if an animal kills a human, He wants other humans to kill
that animal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Importantly,
however, in v. 5 the situation of animals that kill humans is parallel to the
situation of humans that kill humans. God simply says that He will require a
reckoning from a man or animal that kills a human. There is no suggestion that
the type of reckoning depends on whether it is an animal or human that kills.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So,
given that the reckoning in the case of killer animals is their physical death
at the hands of human beings, most naturally we would expect the reckoning to
be the same in the case of killer humans too. This is where our train of
thought should have reached by the time we finish reading v. 5.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So
when we then move on to v. 6 and immediately read, “Whoever sheds the blood of
man, by man shall his blood be shed,” it is extremely difficult to believe that
this is supposed to be understood in any other way than as an instruction to
put to death human beings who kill a human. God has just said that we should
kill animals who kill a human, and He has just put killer humans and killer
animals in parallel, and the first part of v. 6 can easily be understood as a
reference to capital punishment, so this is surely what He means. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
logic of verse 6<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But
there is another very strong reason for believing that “Whoever
sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed” refers to capital
punishment: the logic of v. 6.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Note
that in the text “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed”
is immediately followed by “for God made man in his own image.” This means that
being the image of God is the <i>reason why</i> “Whoever sheds the blood of
man, by man shall his blood be shed.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If
we suppose that interpretation (1) above is correct, and that this passage is
referring to capital punishment, the logic of v. 6 makes perfect sense. The
reason why capital punishment should happen is because man is made in God’s
image. Human beings are so valuable that if a person kills a human there should
be a terrible price to pay.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However,
if we suppose that interpretation (2) above is correct, and that this passage
is simply making a gloomy prediction that killing will often be followed by
more killing in revenge, the logic of v. 6 makes no sense at all. Why would
being the image of God be the <i>reason why</i> killing will often be followed
by revenge killing? There <i>is</i> no reason why.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Surely,
then, the logic of v. 6 must mean that this verse is referring to an
instruction God gives: if a person kills a human, other people should kill the
killer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Summing
up the principle<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
view of the combined weight of the above two points, we should have no
hesitation in saying that in Gen 9:5-6 God is giving a command that people who
kill human beings should be put to death by humans.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And,
as I have already noted, this is a principle that has applied since the days of
Noah, and that will apply right up until the time the present earth is
destroyed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Varying
degrees of guilt<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Gen
9:5-6 doesn’t mention any exceptions to the principle of capital punishment for
killing a human. It simply states that a person who kills a human should be put
to death.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nevertheless,
the Bible often allows for unexpressed exceptions to things, and it would be a
big mistake to understand this passage to be teaching that capital punishment should
always be carried out when a human kills a human.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Those
who kill a human being have enormously varying degrees of guilt that attach to
what they have done. At the lowest end of the spectrum, someone could accidentally
kill a person without it being their fault at all. A bit further along the
spectrum, a killer might be only slightly negligent. Further still, someone
else could be moderately negligent, and another person could be grossly
negligent but without having had any intention to kill. Even further along the
spectrum, someone might lose their temper and decide on the spur of the moment
to kill. And at the highest end of the spectrum are those who commit murder
after cold and calculated premeditation. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Gen
9:5-6 is certainly not suggesting that killers who are at or near the lowest
end of the spectrum should suffer capital punishment. In the Law of Moses
commandments are given that are specifically designed to protect people who
have killed someone accidentally (e.g., in Num 35:6-34; Josh 20:1-9). This
proves that the instruction in Gen 9:5-6 was never intended to apply to all
killers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Exactly
how far along the spectrum a killer needs to be before this instruction does
apply will be open to debate. But this passage must be giving a principle that those
who commit premeditated murder should be executed. To deny this would be to
remove all meaning from what the passage has to say.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Biblical
examples of murderers not being executed<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although
Gen 9:5-6 gives a principle that those who commit premeditated murder should suffer
the death penalty, we mustn’t ignore other biblical passages that are in
tension with this.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There
are examples of murderers who are not executed:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(1) In
Gen 4:8 we read about how Cain murdered Abel. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yet
afterwards God actually protected Cain from being killed by other people (Gen
4:15).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(2)
In Exod 2:11-12 we are told how Moses murdered an Egyptian. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It
is true that this Egyptian had been mistreating a Jew. But it was still a
premeditated act, and it is doubtful that we are supposed to think that this
was a just killing. And God, of course, went on to use Moses greatly despite
what he did at this time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(3)
In 2 Sam 11:1-18 we read about how David committed premeditated murder in an
attempt to cover up an extra-marital affair.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">David
paid a high price for this sin. Yet God forgave him (2 Sam 12:13), and he
continued to be Israel’s anointed king in His will.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(4)
In Acts 7:54-8:1 we learn how Saul of Tarsus played a part in killing the
Christian martyr Stephen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There
is a big question about how much Saul realised that what he did at this time
was wrong, although it was certainly an appalling act. But Saul – later known
as the apostle Paul – went on to be used so much by God that he ended up
writing a large part of the New Testament!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These
examples are all in tension with the principle in Gen 9:5-6, and we mustn’t
ignore them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How
do we reconcile all this?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How,
then, are we to reconcile Gen 9:5-6 with these other biblical texts? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There
are a few points to make here.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First,
as regards the killing by Cain, this murder took place before the instruction
to Noah and the future human race about capital punishment had been put in
place.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Second,
in the cases of Cain, Moses and Saul, it is not entirely clear that these
killings should be classed as simple premeditated murders.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Third,
as I will go on to talk about later in this article, capital punishment is
something that should be carried out by the nation state, yet in all four of
the above examples it really wasn’t practical for this to happen. The nation
state seems not to have existed in the days of Cain. Moses fled from the
Egyptian state in which he lived. David was the king of the Jewish state, and
it seems strange to imagine him pronouncing a death sentence on himself. And Saul
was supported by the Jewish rulers under Roman occupation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fourth
and most importantly, God has the right to make exceptions to a principle that
He has given. Unless a principle is so tied up with His good nature that He can’t
break it, He can make exceptions to it if He wishes. And there seems to be no good
reason for thinking that the principle of Gen 9:5-6 is one that God could not
overrule at times. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I
will come back to Gen 9:5-6 later in the article.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ROMANS
13:1-5<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another
very important passage on this topic is Romans 13:1-5, where Paul writes:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<b>1</b>
Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority
except from God, and those that exist are instituted by God. <b>2</b> So
then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God's command, and those
who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. <b>3</b> For rulers are not a
terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the
authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. <b>4</b> For
government is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because <span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk15928613;">it does not carry the sword [machaira] for no reason</span>. For government is God's servant, an avenger that brings
wrath on the one who does wrong.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk15928759"> </a><b>5</b> Therefore, you must submit,
not only because of wrath, but also because of your conscience.” (Holman
Christian Standard Bible)</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
this passage Paul refers to the governing authorities of the nation state (or
in places where no nation state exists, something similar to the nation state).
Since he is writing to the Christians in Rome, uppermost in his mind must be
the Roman rulers of his day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One
of his main points in the passage is clearly that rulers of the state have
authority from God to punish wrongdoers. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Carrying
the sword<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
v. 4 Paul says that wrongdoers should fear the government, since “it does not
carry the sword for no reason.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It
should be obvious that the reference to carrying the sword in this verse has to
do with the state’s God-given authority to punish people. The context makes
this very clear, and I am not aware of anyone who would deny it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nevertheless,
the precise meaning of carrying the sword here is disputed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Many
say that in this verse the sword is simply a symbol of the state’s authority to
punish wrongdoers. In their view, “because it does not carry the sword for no
reason” just means “because it does not have authority to punish for no reason.”
Under this interpretation, Paul would not be implying anything about what sort
of punishments the state has the right to inflict. So he would not be implying
that the state has the right to use a literal sword in capital punishment. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This,
however, is a poor explanation of what Paul means. In fact, he seems not only to
be saying that the state has authority to punish, but also to be implying that
it has the right to perform capital punishment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
Greek word that Paul uses for sword here, machaira, is used elsewhere in the
New Testament to refer to people being literally killed (e.g., in Acts 12:2;
Rom 8:35; Rev 13:10). In Acts 12:2 it is used specifically to refer to an
execution, as it probably is in other NT texts too. Besides, killing with the
sword was a common method of Roman execution.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It
is very difficult to believe that Paul would say that the state has the right
to punish, would use a word that often referred to a major way in which the
state in his day did punish, yet would also not be implying that this kind of
punishment is legitimate. If this were so, we would have to say that the way
Paul has worded things is very misleading.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However,
instead of thinking that Paul has written carelessly, it is much easier simply
to conclude that he is implying that the state has the right to use capital
punishment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Objection
1<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some
object to this conclusion by arguing in the following way:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most
punishments the Romans carried out were not capital punishment. If Paul’s
reference to the sword is a reference to capital punishment, then he is
referring only to a small part of Roman punishments. This looks strange in a
general passage on punishment. So we do better to think that Paul’s reference
to the sword here is just a general symbol of the state’s right to punish and
has nothing specifically to do with capital punishment. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This
is a weak argument, and it can be answered as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First,
Paul is speaking very briefly in this passage, so there is no surprise that he
would want to keep his description of how the state punishes concise.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Second,
we can easily understand Paul to be implying that the state has the authority
to use capital punishment, and thereby also to be implying that it has the
right to inflict lesser punishments too. If he had mentioned only a low-level
punishment, his readers might have wondered if the state also has authority to
inflict high-level punishments like capital punishment as well. But mentioning
a high-level punishment makes it obvious that it also has authority to inflict
low-level punishments.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Third,
the sentence in v. 4, “For government is God's servant, an avenger that brings
wrath on the one who does wrong,” most naturally refers to a variety of
punishments anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This
objection is therefore a weak one.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Objection
2<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sometimes
those who object to the view that Paul is endorsing capital punishment in this
passage use the following argument:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
Paul’s day, the Romans sometimes executed people when it could not possibly
have been the will of God for them to be executed. So in this passage Paul would
hardly be supporting the right of the Roman state to execute.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This
argument fails completely, and it can be answered as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First,
Paul is speaking very briefly in this passage and giving general principles,
without going into exceptional situations. It is very easy to understand him to
mean that the state has a God-given authority to punish only when God agrees
that that punishment is justified, while also understanding that sometimes the
state would abuse its authority to punish.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Second,
we need to take account of lower-level punishments that would not have been the
will of God: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There
is no doubt that in this passage part of what Paul is teaching is that the
Romans have a God-given authority to inflict low-level punishments. And Paul
must have known that they sometimes abused their authority to inflict these
low-level punishments. Yet he chose not to mention this abuse.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So,
potentially, exactly the same could be true of capital punishment too. Paul
could (a) be teaching in this passage that the Romans have a God-given
authority to inflict capital punishment; (b) have known that this authority was
sometimes abused; (c) have chosen not to mention this abuse.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This
objection therefore completely fails.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Summing
up<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In
conclusion, then, this passage is quite strong support for the view that the nation
state has a God-given authority to use capital punishment at times. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And
the way that Paul says that carrying the sword is a function of the state’s
authority more naturally suggests that there are times when the state <i>should</i>
use capital punishment rather than just <i>may</i> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">use this punishment if it
wishes.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2019/08/should-christians-support-death-penalty_8.html">Part
2 of this article can be found here.</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See
also my articles:</span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/gods-plan-and-plan-b-for-humanity.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Justice and Mercy of God</span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/american-christians-and-gun-control.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">American Christians and Gun Control</span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/christians-should-keep-well-away-from.html"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk16166963;"></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk16166963;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Does the Oral Contraceptive Pill Cause Abortions?</span></span></a></span><br />
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/christians-should-take-warnings-of.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How Seriously Should Christians Take
Warnings of Climate Change?</span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-29864547978311633672019-07-04T03:20:00.005-07:002019-07-04T03:21:08.371-07:00Will Most People Go to Hell?<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You can often hear even quite conservative
Christians saying that they believe that only a minority of people will end up
in hell.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Many seem to assume that the great love of God
will find a way for most to gain eternal salvation. They think that the vast
majority of people who say they are Christians will be saved. And they think
too that large numbers who don’t even profess Christian faith will also finally
be saved.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A clarification</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Before going any further, I need to make a point
of clarification. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In this article we will be considering what
proportion of <i>morally accountable</i> people will go to hell. We will not be
thinking about the eternal destiny of people, </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">including the unborn, who have died
before they are old enough to be morally accountable. Nor will we be thinking about
people who are never able to be morally accountable because of severe mental
disability.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Personally, I
prefer the view that everyone who is never morally accountable will end up
saved. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I think Romans
5:13 supports this position. In this verse, in his discussion of sin, the
apostle Paul says:</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“. . . but sin
is not counted where there is no law.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">(Scripture
readings in this article are from the English Standard Version except where
otherwise stated.)</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Paul is
explicit here that in the absence of law, sin is not counted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It is true that
Paul’s focus in this verse is on some people who were morally accountable.
Nevertheless, it makes sense to think that those who are not morally
accountable are also not under any kind of law. And if this is right, any sins
they commit would not be counted. And so they would presumably not go to hell.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Anyway, the
eternal destiny of people who are never morally accountable will not be our
focus of interest in what follows. Instead, we will be thinking about people
who know right from wrong and are old enough to be held morally accountable.
And in what follows, when I refer to “people,” I will be thinking only of
morally accountable people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A large majority
of people will go to hell<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There are strong reasons for believing that a
large majority of people will go to hell. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The following are some key points.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Matthew
7<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The
most important passage for our topic is Matt. 7:13-14, where Jesus states:</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“<b>13</b>
Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads
to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. <b>14</b> For the gate is
narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The
“destruction” that Jesus refers to here is punishment after death, i.e., hell.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And
because “destruction” is contrasted with “life,” the life he is talking about
must be the eternal life involved in receiving final salvation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So Jesus
is teaching that many are on the road to hell and few are on the road to final
salvation. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Although
Jesus uses present tense verbs here – “<i>are</i> many,” “<i>are</i> few” – it
would be a big mistake to limit what He says in this passage to the situation
in His own day. There is no reason whatsoever to think that a time would come
later on when there would be few on the road to destruction and many on the
road to life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Therefore,
this passage strongly implies that most people will go to hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Another
important passage, also in this chapter, is Matt. 7:21-23, where Jesus says:</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“<b>21</b>
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. <b>22</b> On that
day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and
cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ <b>23</b>
And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers
of lawlessness.’”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Here,
Jesus must be referring to people who claim to be Christians but are not really
saved.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And
note how he says in v. 22 that there are “many” of them. This passage counts
strongly against the idea that the vast majority of people who claim to be
Christians will receive final salvation. There are many false believers in the
world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Those who have never heard the gospel<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Next, we need to consider people who have never
heard the gospel of salvation in Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There are many Christians today who claim that
large numbers of people who have never heard the gospel will nevertheless be
saved for eternity. They say that there are many who are sincerely seeking God
and who would believe the gospel if they just had an opportunity to hear it.
And they think that God will surely take account of that by granting them
eternal salvation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In actual fact, the Bible strongly implies that
in all or at least almost all cases, anyone living in the Christian era who
does not have a specific faith in Christ will not be saved.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In Romans 10:13-15 Paul writes:</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b>13</b> </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For ‘everyone who calls on
the name of the Lord will be saved.’ <b>14</b> How then will they call on him
in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they
have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? <b>15</b>
And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How
beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’”<o:p></o:p></span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Paul’s
words in this passage strongly imply that we can typically expect people who
have not heard the gospel to remain unsaved. Other passages that point in the
same direction are Acts 10:1-11:18; Acts 4:12 and John 14:6.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For
a much fuller discussion of this issue, see my article: </span><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/can-anyone-who-has-not-heard-gospel-be.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Can Anyone Who Has Not Heard the
Gospel Be Saved?</span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Hated
by everyone</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In
Mark 13:13 and Luke 21:17 Jesus warns His followers:</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“You
will be hated by everyone because of My name.” (Holman Christian Standard
Bible)</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Although
what Jesus says in these verses was intended in the first place for Christians
living in the first century, there is no reason at all to think that things
should be any different for Christians of later centuries. These words imply
that Christians of every century will be hated by everyone because of Jesus’
name.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In
these verses, Jesus must be using hyperbole, i.e., deliberate exaggeration for
effect that involves no attempt to deceive. He is not suggesting that every single
non-Christian will hate Christians.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Nevertheless,
the fact that the word “everyone” is used to refer to those who are hostile to believers
quite strongly suggests that a high percentage of the world’s population will
be against us. And if they are against us, they are against God and surely on
track for hell.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Those
who live on the earth<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In
the book of Revelation, there are several passages where people who are hostile
to God are described as “those who live on the earth.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For
example, in Rev. 6:10 the martyrs cry out to God:</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“Lord,
the One who is holy and true, how long until You judge and avenge our blood
from those who live on the earth?” (HCSB)</span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And
in Rev. 8:13 an eagle cries out:</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“Woe!
Woe! Woe to those who live on the earth . . .” (HCSB)</span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Those
who live on the earth in these, and other, verses are clearly people who are primed
for God’s judgment and on track for hell.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If
we didn’t know the context, we might at first sight think that the words “those
who live on the earth” were being used literally and that they refer to every single
human being who lives on earth. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Obviously,
however, the words <i>shouldn’t</i> be understood literally, since Christians
are not included in the group of people that is being referred to. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Nevertheless,
it makes sense to think that the meaning that the words are conveying is closer
to rather than further away from the literal sense. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To
put it another way, if “those who live on the earth” is
being used to refer to a large majority of people in the world, then the most
natural sense of these words is quite close to their actual meaning. But if
this clause is being used to refer only to a minority or even a smallish
majority of people in the world, the most natural sense of these words is a
long way from their actual meaning.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To
put it yet another way, if “those who live on the earth” does not refer to a
large majority of the world’s population, these words seem quite misleading.
But instead of thinking that they are misleading, it is much easier simply to
think that they <i>do</i> refer to a large majority of the world’s population.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It
makes sense to believe, then, that the clause “those who live on the earth” in
the book of Revelation refers to a large majority of people in the world. And,
as I have noted, these people are on track for hell.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Of
course, some of those in this category will turn to Christ and so come out of
the category. But nothing in Revelation leads us to believe that a high
percentage of people will do this. So the fact that this book uses this clause
to refer to non-believers helps to suggest that a large majority of people will
go to hell.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Summing
up<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There
are a number of good reasons, then, for concluding that a large majority of the
world’s population will end up in hell. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Downplaying
God’s justness<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I am
sure that one of the main reasons why so many Christians think that most people
will avoid hell is because they have a faulty understanding of God’s nature.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Biblical
revelation contains many tensions and paradoxes, and one of the greatest
tensions is between how God justly punishes people on the one hand, and how He
forgives people on the other. The Bible is full of examples of where God <i>does</i>
punish people for their sins, and also full of examples of where He <i>doesn’t</i>
punish people for their sins.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It
is essential that we don’t downplay either side of this tension. God is not
just a loving God of mercy, but also an angry God who justly punishes. His
mercy towards people will reach fullest expression when He admits those who are
saved to final salvation. And His punishing of people will reach fullest
expression when He sends those who are unsaved to hell.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Many
Christians in Western society today underemphasise God’s will to punish, and so
conclude that He wouldn’t send many people to hell. But this stems from a
skewed picture of who He really is.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">How
to avoid hell<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Although
a large majority of people will end up in hell, the way to avoid going there is
quite simple. We just need to accept by faith Jesus Christ and the salvation
that is in Him. When He died on the cross, He paid the price for our sins, and
we need to believe this and take hold of it for ourselves.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When
we turn to Christ, we will receive the Holy Spirit and our lives will change.
Then we will be ready to live out the rest of our time on earth for God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">See
also:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2016/10/christian-teachers-and-evangelists.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Christian Teachers and Evangelists
Should Speak Often about Hell</span></a><span style="color: #806000; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/gods-plan-and-plan-b-for-humanity.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Justice and Mercy of God</span></a><span style="color: #806000; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk12456142"></a><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/can-anyone-who-has-not-heard-gospel-be.html"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk12456142;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Can Anyone Who Has Not Heard the Gospel Be Saved?</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk12456142;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk12456142;"></span><span style="color: #806000; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/what-is-christian-faith-really-all-about.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What Is the Christian Faith Really
All About?</span></span></a><span style="color: #806000; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-22642409253069137972019-06-24T03:45:00.003-07:002020-03-19T07:18:42.288-07:00The Importance of a Good Reputation in the Eyes of Non-Christians<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Bible makes it clear that Christians should aim to
cultivate a good reputation among non-believers. As long as we don’t compromise
on our values, we should go out of our way not to cause offence and to try to
get people to think highly of us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here
are some relevant passages:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1
Corinthians 10:32-33<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In 1
Cor. 10:32-33 the apostle Paul tells the Christians in Corinth:</span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“<b>32</b>
Give no offense to the Jews or the Greeks or the church of God, <b>33</b> just
as I also try to please all people in all things, not seeking my own profit,
but the profit of many, so that they may be saved.”</span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Scripture
readings in this article are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
Jews and Greeks Paul refers to here are non-Christians. Note how he instructs
his readers not to offend these people, and also how he says that he tries to
please all people so that they may be saved.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Corinthians
6:3<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In 2
Cor. 6:3 Paul tells the Corinthians:</span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“We
give no opportunity for stumbling to anyone, so that the ministry will not be
blamed.”</span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In
this verse Paul is saying that he takes care in what he does, so that the
reputation of his ministry may not suffer. What he says here applies to how his
ministry was viewed both by fellow Christians and by non-believers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1
Thessalonians 4:10-12<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In 1
Thess. 4:10-12 Paul says to the church in Thessalonica:</span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“<b>10</b>
. . . But we encourage you, brothers, to do so even more, <b>11</b> to
seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own
hands, as we commanded you, <b>12</b> so that you may walk properly in the
presence of outsiders and not be dependent on anyone.”</span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In
v. 12 “walk” is a metaphor for live, and “outsiders” refers to non-Christians.
So in this passage Paul is encouraging the Thessalonians to live in such a way
that their reputation among non-believers is a good one.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Attracting
people to Christ<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In
the passage in 1 Corinthians that I quoted above, Paul gives a reason for why
he wants Christians not to cause offence and please everyone: so that people
may be saved. And we can be sure that the same reason motivated his instruction
in the other two passages, even though he doesn’t make this explicit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Part
of what we are called to do as Christians is attract people to Jesus and the
salvation that is in Him. If we have a good reputation among non-believers, this
helps to give the Christian faith, and also Jesus Himself by extension, a good
reputation in their eyes. And the better the reputation of Jesus and the faith,
the more people will come to Him for salvation. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of
course, a great many people will not come to Christ regardless of how we live
and act, and this is only to be expected. However, for some, being impressed
with the lives of Christians will make the difference between a decision to
accept or not accept Him. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Being
good neighbours<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There
are various ways in which Christians can try to cultivate a good reputation
among non-believers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For
a start, we should be second to none in how considerate we are to our neighbours.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There
have been a few times, for example, in recent years when one of my neighbours
has raised an issue with me about something, and I have decided that it would
be good if I went out of my way to do what they wanted. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On
one occasion, a woman who lives near me had a concern about a small tree in my
garden that was next to her fence. She asked me if I would remove parts of it,
although I could tell that she would have preferred if it wasn’t there at all.
So I went beyond what she asked and got rid of it completely. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
can also think of a time when the people living in the apartment below me
complained about a noise coming from my kitchen. So I moved appliances around,
and this succeeded in solving the problem. The new layout of my kitchen was
less suitable for me, but I reckoned that pleasing my neighbours took priority.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When
asked by neighbours to do something, most people will do the minimum possible in
response, and will put themselves first. Christians need to be very different
in this respect.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Siding
with people in their concerns <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We
can also cultivate a good reputation by siding with people in their aims and
concerns.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most
people have strongly-held beliefs about various issues. For example, someone
may be passionately against racism. Someone else may be deeply concerned about drug
trafficking. And another person may feel strongly about climate change.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If
we learn that someone has a strong view on something, and if we believe that
this view fits with Christian values, we can let the person know that we share
their concerns. Being open about holding similar views can help us to have a good
reputation in the eyes of non-believers and can draw them nearer to salvation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There
are more than a few Christians who fail to recognise this. Many downplay the
importance of trying to make the world a better place, because they think that
we should focus all our efforts on evangelism and ministering to those who are already
saved. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ironically,
however, when non-Christians see believers who seem to be uninterested in tackling
the world’s problems, it actually often puts them off the faith and hinders
evangelism.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Avoiding
extreme statements and actions <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Something
else that damages the reputation of Christians is when they say or do certain extreme
things.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For
example, from time to time we will all have heard Christians – or at least
people claiming to be Christians – who predict the date on which Jesus will
return. When the date arrives without this happening, the damage to the
reputation of believers and the Christian faith is huge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Only
a few dare to predict the actual date of the Lord’s return. However, it is not
uncommon for Christians to predict a time-frame within which this will occur.
For example, you will often hear believers say that He will return within 20
years, or something like this. Again, when these predictions fail to
materialise, the damage done to the reputation of Christians and the faith is
significant.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We
should all avoid giving any confident predictions of time-frames for end-times
events.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As
well as off-putting statements, there are various actions that can seriously
damage the reputation of Christians.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For
example, there are some believers who refuse to get medical help for illnesses
and other ailments. They think Christians should look to the Lord alone for all
healing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It
is certainly right to expect God to act often in supernatural healing. But this
in no way has to conflict with healing often taking place through ordinary
medical means.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When
someone refuses medical treatment because they are looking to God for healing,
and then this person dies from their illness, the damage done to the reputation
of believers and the Christian faith is enormous.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We
all need to be on our guard against believing extreme and unbiblical things.
And we need to be just as careful about what we say publicly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Avoiding
going public about attempts to claim things in faith<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another
way in which the reputation of Christians can be unnecessarily damaged is when they
go public about claiming things in faith.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There
are times when we pray for things that are, humanly speaking, more or less
impossible, and we attempt to claim the answer in faith. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This
is a very biblical thing to do. For example, in Mark 11:24 Jesus teaches:</span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Therefore
I tell you, all the things you pray and ask for - believe that you have
received them, and you will have them.”</span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Realistically,
however, attempts to claim things in faith in this way are only sometimes
successful.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You
will occasionally see Christians who are clearly trying to claim something in
faith and who publicly declare that they will get the thing they are praying
for. Wanting to be as bold as possible, they say openly that they are sure that
their prayer will be answered. However, if it <i>isn’t</i> answered, their
reputation is seriously damaged.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
can think of a good example of this from the build-up to the 2016 American
presidential election.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At
this time, many Christians were supporting Ted Cruz as the Republican
candidate. I saw a TV interview with a young Christian man who said he was confident
that Cruz would win the Republican nomination, despite his relatively poor standing
in the polls, because he was the most God-fearing candidate and God would find
a way for him to win. It seems clear that this Christian was trying to claim
Cruz’s victory in faith.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It
is not my intention here to comment on whether or not Cruz was the most God-fearing
candidate. Nor do I want to criticise this man for trying to claim Cruz’s
victory in faith. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My
point is simply that he made a big mistake in going public with his prediction
that Cruz would win the nomination. Cruz, of course, <i>didn’t </i>actually win,
and making a false prediction that God would make this happen, even if it came
from good motives, was very harmful to the reputation of Christians and the
Christian faith.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When
we attempt to claim things in faith, then, we should usually not go public
about what we are trying to do.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Summing
up<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
have given a few examples of how Christians can try to cultivate a good
reputation in the eyes of non-believers, and I have highlighted some of the pitfalls
to watch out for. There are many other areas of life too, where we can take
steps to foster a good reputation. It is up to each Christian to seek God
personally to ask Him what they should do.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
more people there are who think highly of us, the more people there will be who
think highly of the Christian faith, and by extension of Jesus Himself. This
means that the better our reputation is, the more people there will be who accept
Jesus and the salvation that is in Him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another
part of the picture<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although
Christians should take steps to have a good reputation among non-believers,
this is not the whole picture.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
Bible also makes it clear that it is normal for us to cause offence by what we
believe and do. Devout people of God in Old Testament times, Jesus Himself and
the early church can all be found repeatedly on the pages of Scripture
offending people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In
fact, in Mark 13:13 Jesus even goes so far as to say:</span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“. .
. you will be hated by everyone because of My name.”</span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Everyone”
here should be understood as a hyperbole, i.e., a deliberate exaggeration for
effect that involves no attempt to deceive. In reality, not every single non-believer
hates Christians. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nevertheless,
this word does show that it is very common for us to be hated.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Similarly,
in 2 Tim. 3:12 Paul says:</span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“. .
. all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”</span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Obviously,
causing offence will always precede persecution.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">So
it is normal for us to ruffle feathers, offend people by what we say and do,
and be hated. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">We must never compromise
on our values, and standing firm on these will inevitably mean that many
non-Christians take offence. In other words, c</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">hoosing to do the
will of God will inevitably mean that in some ways we gain a <i>bad</i>
reputation in the eyes of many non-believers. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
truth of the matter is that non-Christians tend to react to us in very
different ways. For many, their dislike of what we believe will outweigh any other
factor. However, for others, their overall attitude to us will be positive if
we are taking steps to foster a good reputation, and some of these will be
drawn to the faith.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">So, as long as we stay true to our values, we
should go out of our way to cultivate a good reputation in the eyes of
non-Christians and thereby make the Christian faith seem more attractive to
people.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Avoiding
unnecessary differences from the surrounding culture<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On a
related note, it is important to understand that in morally neutral issues
Christians should be as similar to the culture they live in as possible. There
are some Christian fringe groups that live very differently from the
surrounding culture, even in matters that involve no moral issue. However, this
is a big mistake.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When
someone becomes a Christian, their life will change radically. The upheaval
will be significant, and we shouldn’t ask people to change in any way that
isn’t necessary. We should want the transition from unbelief to faith to be as
obstacle-free as possible. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To
demand, or even request, that people live in counter-cultural ways that are not
required by Scripture is a very harmful thing to do. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For
those who become Christians, it will make their life more difficult than it
needs to be. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And
it is also bound to put some off becoming Christians in the first place. Many
people have a limit to how much change in their lives they think they can
endure if they become a Christian. For some, the prospect of giving up a sinful
lifestyle is about all they can face. If such people are then told, or led to
believe, that they should follow various (unbiblical) customs as well, it is
inevitable that some will choose not to become Christians. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When
people choose not to come to Christ because they are not prepared to renounce
their sins, pick up their cross every day and follow Him, then so be it.
However, when people choose not to come to Him because Christians are demanding
that they follow unbiblical customs as well, that is a real tragedy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
would suggest that on the Day of Judgment many Christians among fringe groups
will have a lot to answer for in this respect. They are putting unnecessary
obstacles in the way of people receiving salvation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See
also:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2018/12/should-christians-try-to-make-world.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Should Christians Try to Make the
World a Better Place?</span></a><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2016/10/christians-should-expect-to-offend.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Christians Should Expect to Offend
People</span></a><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/the-radical-nature-of-normal-christian.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Radical Nature of the Normal
Christian Life</span></a><span style="color: #833c0b; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/getting-balance-between-expecting-too.html"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Getting the Balance between Expecting
Too Little and Too Much from Prayer</span></span></a></span>The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-29446085350811659872019-06-20T03:42:00.002-07:002019-06-20T03:43:26.067-07:00There Will Be No Hiding in the Crowd on the Day of Judgment<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The
Bible is clear that a day is coming when God will judge people (Acts 17:31; Rom.
2:16).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">At
the present time the Day of Judgment is a very unfashionable idea, but it will
certainly happen nevertheless. And everyone will participate in it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What
will happen on the Day of Judgment?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On
this day, two things will happen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">First,
those who are saved and those who are unsaved will be separated and consigned
to their fate (Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43; 25:31-46), the saved to eternal life on
the new earth (2 Pet. 3:10-13; Rev. 21:1), and the unsaved to hell (Matt.
24:50-51; Rev. 20:15). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Which
group we are in depends on whether or not before death we have received by
faith the salvation that is in Jesus Christ. Those who have done this will be
saved, and those who haven’t will be unsaved.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Second,
God will judge every person for what they have done while on earth. In other
words, He will put each of us on trial for how we have lived our lives. The
Bible teaches that this trial will involve a detailed assessment of everything
we have done, including every word we have spoken (Eccl. 12:14; Matt. 12:36).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For
the unsaved, what they have done wrong will form the basis for their being sent
to hell (Matt. 25:41-46; Rom. 2:5-9).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For
the saved, what we have done right or wrong will form the basis for the rewards
we gain or don’t gain in eternity (1 Cor. 3:12-15; 2 John 1:8).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Those
who follow mainstream culture<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In
every society and culture around the world it is extremely common for people to
go with the flow, to adopt the values and lifestyles of mainstream culture
without really stopping to think very hard about whether these are good things.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And
people often seem to feel that there is a kind of safety in numbers. If they side
with the views of the majority, they think there can’t be much wrong with that.
If they act in the same way as most others do, they reckon that they can’t be
doing a lot wrong. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To
put it another way, people often seem to feel that they
can hide in the crowd of popular opinion. Even many of those who believe in
the existence of the Day of Judgment apparently think that that day will not
pose any great danger for them, since <span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk11406609;">they are just
ordinary people with mainstream values, who live as most others do.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We
will all be on trial alone before God <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In
reality, however, any notion that there is safety in numbers is just an
illusion. The number of other people who believe and act as we do counts for
nothing in God’s sight. What counts is how we measure up in His eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And
the Bible teaches clearly that the average man or woman is thoroughly sinful (Rom.
3:9-19). Jesus even describes ordinary people as “evil” (Luke 11:13). And He also
teaches that most are on the road to hell (Matt. 7:13-14). Being an ordinary
person, who has ordinary values and lives an ordinary life, will be no
protection on the Day of Judgment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Something that we must understand clearly too is that
we will all stand <i>alone</i> before God when we are judged. Each of us will
be on trial on our own before the Lord. There will be absolutely no hiding in
the crowd on that day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk11406705;"></span>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In
Matt. 7:22-23 Jesus says that on the Day of Judgment many who are condemned
will try to defend themselves by making feeble excuses. I expect that many will
argue that they just acted in the ways that most people did, and that that
shouldn’t be held against them. If they do try to use this as a defense, it
will be a very poor one. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We
need to be ready<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It
makes sense to think that in some respects the Day of Judgment will be an
unpleasant experience for all of us, since we have each done so many wrong things
in our lives.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Nevertheless,
those of us who have taken hold of Christ and the salvation that is in Him will
be ready for this day. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">However,
those who have not taken hold of Christ will be completely unready. For them,
the Day of Judgment will be a terrible day indeed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The
good news for all the world is that Christ, in His great love for us, paid the
price for our sins when He died on the cross. When we turn to Him in faith, all
our guilt is washed away, and we will then be free to live our lives for Him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">See
also:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/what-is-good-news-of-christian-message.html"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16.0pt;">What Is the Good News of the
Christian Message?</span></a><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/gods-plan-and-plan-b-for-humanity.html"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Justice and Mercy
of God</span></a><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/for-christians-to-say-that-there-is.html"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16.0pt;">Is It Arrogant for Christians to
Claim There Is Only One True Faith?</span></a><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/what-counts-as-true-success-in-life.html"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What Counts as True
Success in Life?</span></a><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-79517093026121552252019-06-13T03:43:00.001-07:002019-06-13T03:44:37.945-07:00James 5:19-20 and Apostasy<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">One area of disagreement among
Christians concerns falling away from the faith, also known as apostasy. Some
say that God will never allow a genuine, born-again believer to apostatise and
finally end up in hell. Others say that this does sometimes happen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Personally, I much prefer the view that
genuine Christians do sometimes apostatise. I think this view fits best with
the overall teaching of the Bible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">AN IMPORTANT PASSAGE<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">An important passage on this topic is
James 5:19-20, where James says the following:</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">“<b>19</b> My brothers, if any among
you strays from the truth, and someone turns him back, <b>20</b> let him know
that whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his life from
death and cover a multitude of sins.” (Holman Christian Standard Bible)</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">In what follows, I will argue that this
passage is a very strong piece of biblical evidence that genuine Christians do
sometimes fall away from the faith and lose salvation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">The discussion will proceed in two
stages. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">In the first stage, I will argue that
in this passage James almost certainly refers to a class of people who move
from a state of being saved to a state of being unsaved, i.e., they lose
salvation. At this stage I will not yet be asking whether James is teaching that
such people actually exist or if he is just referring to a hypothetical class
of people. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">In the second stage, I will argue that the
class of people James refers to in this passage is not just hypothetical but that
such people do actually exist. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">DOES JAMES REFER TO A CLASS OF PEOPLE WHO
LOSE SALVATION?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Let’s begin, then, by considering whether
in this passage James refers to a class of people who lose salvation. As I have
just said, at this point we are not asking if he is referring to people who
really exist or to a hypothetical group of people. We are simply asking if the class
of people he has in mind lose salvation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Actually, in this passage James refers
to an individual person who strays from the truth and is then turned back, so
for the time being we will stick to thinking about a single person. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">In this passage, then, James refers to
a person whom he describes as a sinner, and who also strays from the truth, is
turned back by someone, is turned from the error of his way, has his life saved
from death, and has his multitude of sins covered. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">A timeline<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">If we think about a timeline for what happens
to this person, it is clear that there are three significant points on the timeline:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">First, there is the state that the
person is in before he strays from the truth. I will call this the person’s initial
state.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Second, there is the state that the
person is in after he strays from the truth but before he is turned back. I
will call this the person’s post-straying state.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">And third, there is the state that the person
is in after he has been turned back. I will call this the person’s final state.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">We need to ask whether this person is
saved or unsaved in his initial, post-straying and final states. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">The person’s final state<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Let’s think first about the final state
of this person, his state after he has been turned back. Is he saved or unsaved
at this point on the timeline?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Note how his final state involves him having
his life saved from death and his multitude of sins covered. This must mean
that after he has been turned back, he is in a state of having been saved from
his sins. So there is no doubt whatsoever that the final state of this person
is one of being saved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">The person’s post-straying state<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Next, let’s think about the person’s post-straying
state, his state after he has strayed from the truth but before he has been
turned back. Is he saved or unsaved at this point on the timeline?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Note that when this person is turned back
and is turned from the error of his way, James says that his life is saved from
death and his multitude of sins is covered. This clearly implies that one or other
of two things must be true before this person is turned back, i.e., in his post-straying
state:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Either (a) his life is not saved from
death and his multitude of sins is not covered, which would mean that he is
unsaved. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Or (b) he is currently saved but going
down a road that will lead in the future to his life not being saved from death
and his multitude of sins not being covered if he continues down this road. In
other words, he is currently saved but going down a road that will lead to him
being unsaved if nothing changes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">These are the only two possible ways of
understanding the person’s post-straying state. Nothing else would make any sense
at all of what James says.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">I will come back to these two
possibilities later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">The person’s initial state<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Now let’s think about the person’s initial
state, his state before he strays from the truth. Is he saved or unsaved at
this point on the timeline?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">There are some who say that this person
is a nominal Christian, i.e., a Christian in name only, and that he is
therefore unsaved in his initial state.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">There are, however, no good reasons for
identifying this person as a nominal Christian, and a number of reasons for
identifying him as a genuine, saved believer:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">(1) Note how James starts this passage
by saying, “My brothers,” and then says, “if any among you.” Most naturally, we
would expect someone among the brothers to be a genuine, saved Christian and not
just a nominal Christian, although this point is admittedly far from conclusive.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">(2) This person strays from the truth. This
must mean that his starting point involved being at the place of truth. This
sounds much more naturally as if he is saved than just a nominal Christian.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">(3) If James is referring to a nominal
Christian in the church, the way he has worded things is very strange. If this
is what he meant, it would have been so much easier for him simply to have said
something like: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">“My brothers, if any among you shows signs of not being
genuinely saved and one leads him to the truth, let him know that whoever turns
a sinner from the error of his way will save his life from death and cover a multitude
of sins.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">(4) I noted above that in his post-straying
state the person must be either unsaved or going down a road that will lead to
being unsaved if he continues on this road. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Importantly, the passage gives a strong
impression that the reason why the person is in the mess he is in in his post-straying
state is <i>precisely because</i> he has strayed from the truth. In other
words, the passage seems strongly to imply that before he strayed from the truth,
he was in a saved state. This is a very strong point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">(5) Note how the text says in v. 19 that
the person is “turn[ed] <i>back</i>” when he
moves from his post-straying state to his final state. When someone is turned
back to something, this suggests that he is getting back to the state he was in
to begin with. So it makes sense to think that this person’s final state is the
same as his initial state.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Because, as we have seen, his final
state is one of being saved, we would therefore expect this to be true of his initial
state too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">It is true that the Greek verb here,
epistrepho, literally means “turn” without any specific connotation of “back.”
Nevertheless, it does seem good to understand the meaning in this context to be
“turn back” or “bring back” as nearly all English Bible translations translate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">In view of the combined weight of these
points, we should have no hesitation in saying that the initial state of the
person James is referring to is almost certainly one of being saved. It is almost
certain that before this person strays from the truth he is saved. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">More thoughts on the post-straying
state<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">I have already noted that in the person’s
post-straying state, i.e., after he has strayed from the truth but before he is
turned back, he must either (a) be unsaved or (b) be saved but going down a
road that will lead in the future to being unsaved if he continues on this road.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Although James refers to a single
person in this passage, let’s expand his thought to refer to a group of people who
stray from the truth and reach the post-straying state. I need to do this to
allow for potential differences in the salvation status of people in the post-straying
state.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">So, if we think about a group of people
who stray from the truth, there are three possible options for how we
understand their salvation status in their post-straying state:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Either (1) all those in the post-straying
state are unsaved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Or (2) some of those in the post-straying
state are unsaved, and some are saved but going down a road that will lead to them
being unsaved if nothing changes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Or (3) all those in the post-straying
state are saved but going down a road that will lead to them being unsaved if
nothing changes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">If (1) or (2) is correct, then there
are people in the post-straying state who are unsaved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">However, importantly, even if option
(3) is the correct one, it is very implausible to imagine that none of those
who reach the post-straying state would continue down the road until they were
unsaved. In other words, the text seems quite strongly to suggest that some who
stray from the truth don’t end up being turned back and don’t have their lives
saved from death and their sins covered. So even if, as in option (3), none of
those in the post-straying state are yet unsaved, it makes sense to think that
some of them will continue down the road they are on and become unsaved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">This means that, regardless of whether
(1) or (2) or (3) is the correct way of understanding the post-straying state, the
text envisages people who are unsaved after straying from the truth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">So, given, as we have seen, that those in
the initial state are almost certainly saved, the text almost certainly
envisages people losing salvation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Summing up<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">In conclusion, then, James is almost
certainly referring in this passage to a class of people who move from a saved
to an unsaved state. In other words, it is almost certain that at least some of
those who stray from the truth in the way James describes lose salvation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">DO THESE PEOPLE ACTUALLY EXIST?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Next,
we need to ask if the class of people who lose salvation in this way is just a
hypothetical group of people or whether such people actually exist. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Reasons to think that they exist<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">There are a number of reasons to think that they do exist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">First, to suppose that James is referring
merely to a hypothetical situation that never actually occurs looks a very
unnatural way of taking his words. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Instead, he seems to imply that what he
refers to in this passage will happen from time to time. He seems to think that
now and again Christians will see those who have lost salvation or are on the
road to losing salvation and that they need to try to do something about it.
Nothing in the passage suggests that it should be taken as something merely
hypothetical.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Second, if James’s concern is about
nominal, non-genuine Christians in the church, then he has chosen a very strange
way of expressing himself. Why would he say that a nominal Christian <i>strays
from the truth</i>? Instead, we would expect him to say what he means and write
something like:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">“My brothers, if any among you shows
signs of not being genuinely saved and one leads him to the truth, let him know
that whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his life from
death and cover a multitude of sins.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Third, if James’s concern is to try to
stop genuine, born-again Christians sinning and he has no real expectation that
any of them could fall away and lose his salvation, again, he has chosen a very
strange way of expressing himself. Why would he say that a Christian who strays
and is then turned back has <i>his life saved from death </i>if he didn’t
believe there was any danger of this person losing salvation?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Fourth, if James is just trying to warn
genuine Christians about what would happen hypothetically if they fell away
from the faith, although he expects his readers to know that God won’t allow
them to fall away, then the warning seems pointless. A warning is a psychological
thing, and it is very difficult to understand how a warning is supposed to psychologically
impact people if they know that God won’t allow the thing that is warned
against to happen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Summing up<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">It seems, then, that James did expect
his readers to understand that the class of people he refers to, those who lose
salvation, does actually exist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">CONCLUSION<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">All things considered, therefore, this
passage is a very strong piece of biblical evidence that it really is possible for
genuine Christians to fall away from the faith and lose salvation, and that
this does sometimes happen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Importantly too, there is nothing in
the rest of the book of James that looks like it might conflict with this conclusion
at all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">So we can say that the book of James stands
as a very strong piece of evidence that it is possible for genuine Christians to
fall away from the faith and lose salvation, and that this does sometimes
happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">For a broader discussion of
this topic, see my article: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0070c0;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/is-it-possible-for-christians-to-lose.html"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Does God Ever Allow Born-Again Christians to
Fall Away and Lose Salvation?</span></a></span><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">See also my articles:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #0070c0;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/church-leaders-should-warn-of-danger-of.html"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Biblical Warnings against Losing Salvation</span></a></span><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0070c0;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/does-romans-829-30-prove-that-it-is.html"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Does Romans 8:29-30 Prove That Genuine
Christians Never Fall Away and Lose Salvation?</span></a></span><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;"><a href="https://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2018/10/does-1-john-219-prove-that-genuine.html"><span style="color: #0070c0;">Does 1 John 2:19 Prove That Genuine Christians Never Fall
Away and Lose Salvation?</span></a></span>The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-69692596820436208582019-05-30T11:44:00.002-07:002019-05-30T13:02:52.978-07:00Answering the Accusations of the LGBT Movement<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In
recent decades in Western countries, people have increasingly turned away from
biblical values on sexuality and gender. LGBT attitudes have now become part of
the mainstream. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Those
of us who say that homosexual practice is morally wrong are now very much in
the minority, at least in most Western countries. Similarly, those who say that
people have no human right to identify with the gender of their choosing are
also becoming fewer in number.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In
the midst of all this, Christians often come under fire for their beliefs. From
time to time, for example, in interviews you will see Bible-believing
Christians being challenged on LGBT issues. Usually, these Christians seem to
be on the back foot as they are questioned. They often seem quite apologetic,
and sometimes even a bit embarrassed, for holding the views they do.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I
have never personally come under attack in this way from the LGBT movement, and
I have a lot of sympathy for my brothers and sisters who experience hostility and
hatred for standing up for Christian values.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Nevertheless,
when I see interviews like these, I often find myself wishing that Christians
did a better job of defending the faith. I also often wish that they were more
prepared to call a spade a spade and that they wouldn’t be so reluctant to cause
offence. Basically, I think there are much better answers to accusations from
the LGBT movement than are usually given. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In
what follows, I will list some of the standard accusations that this movement
makes against Christians, and then I will give the reply that I would want to give
if I were personally accused in these ways. I hope that readers of this article
will find what I say useful and then might be a bit better prepared to deal
with accusations they may face.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The
answers that I will give are quite short ones, and I don’t for a moment pretend
that they cover matters fully. But I think that each answer contains some
useful ideas.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There
will be a certain amount of overlap between the answers, since the accusations
also overlap.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Without
further ado, then, let’s begin.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Accusation:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There
is nothing unnatural about homosexuality, and you shouldn’t claim that there
is.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Answer:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If
by “natural” you mean the way things are, then obviously homosexuality exists,
so in that respect it isn’t unnatural. But under that definition we would also
have to say that paedophilia isn’t unnatural, since it is also something that
exists. And I expect that you, like me, would want to describe paedophilia as unnatural.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So,
we do better to define something as natural when it fits with how God has
designed things. And it should be obvious that homosexuality does <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> fit with how human beings are
designed. Physically, the male body is obviously designed to fit together
sexually with the female body, and not with another male body. Similarly,
females are clearly not designed to have sexual relations with females.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If
someone insists on denying this, I find it hard to believe that they are being
as honest as they can be. The Bible talks in Romans 1:18 about people who
suppress the truth. I would suggest that those, or at least the vast majority
of those, who claim that there is nothing unnatural about homosexuality are
guilty of suppressing the truth. Deep down, I think their consciences are not
clear and they know that what they are saying is not true. Homosexuality so
obviously contradicts the way people are designed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Accusation:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It
is well documented that homosexuality exists in animals. So this shows that it
is a natural thing in humans too.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Answer:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Again,
it depends what you mean by natural. If you mean the way things are, then yes,
homosexuality in animals is natural. However, if you mean how things were
designed to be, then I would certainly reject the idea that homosexuality in
animals is natural.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">According
to Christian teaching, our world is in a kind of half broken state. I think
that people tend to relate strongly to this idea. There is clearly great evil
in our world, yet also great beauty.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The
animal world is also something that is partially broken. And homosexuality
among animals is one aspect of what has gone wrong. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Because
animals are not moral creatures, they can’t be blamed for acting out their
homosexuality. But humans, as moral creatures, can be blamed for this. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Accusation:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You
are homophobic.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Answer:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Usually
when people use the term “homophobic,” they mean more than one thing by it.
They usually seem to regard a homophobe as all of the following: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(1)
Someone who (wrongly) says that homosexual orientation is a problem.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(2)
Someone who (wrongly) says that homosexual practice is morally wrong. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(3)
Someone who discriminates against homosexuals.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(4)
Someone who hates homosexuals.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It
is very confusing to use one label to mean several different things, especially
when these things don’t necessarily go together.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I
don’t accept the label “homophobic” for myself, for two reasons. First, the
term suggests a bad attitude towards homosexuals and homosexuality, and I don’t
accept that my attitude is bad. And second, the above list of points only
partially corresponds to my attitude to homosexuals.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Let
me comment briefly on each point.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On
point (1), I certainly do say that homosexual orientation is a problem, just as
the Bible teaches in Romans 1:26. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I
want to stress, however, that I believe that every human being has many
problems of various kinds. We are all damaged in many ways. So it would be
absurd for me to look down on someone who has homosexual orientation. I don’t
personally have that problem, but I have a multitude of other problems, as we
all do.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On
point (2), I certainly do say that homosexual practice is morally wrong, just
as the Bible teaches in a number of places, e.g., in Romans 1:26-27. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">However,
I have committed plenty of sins in my own life. So the last thing I will do is
look down on anyone who is guilty of homosexual practice. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On
point (3), I am, firstly, firmly against discriminating against someone because
they have homosexual orientation. There are many people with this orientation
who accept that they have a problem and fight hard against it. There is a world
of difference between someone in this category and someone who freely engages
in homosexual practice. I am nothing but sympathetic to those with homosexual
orientation who admit that they have a problem.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Secondly,
as regards people who engage in homosexual practice, things are more
complicated. I certainly don’t accept that I “discriminate,” since that word suggests
that my attitude is bad, and I don’t accept that it is bad. Yet I do believe
that sometimes it is right to take account of the fact that a person is a
practising homosexual.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As
a Christian, I am called to act in love towards everyone, regardless of what
they do. And I think that in the vast majority of situations love would mean treating
a practising homosexual in the same way that I would treat anyone else. But
occasionally it may be appropriate to make a distinction for one reason or
another. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For
example, if an openly practising homosexual wanted to teach children in some capacity,
I would see their sexual practice as a big black mark against them. Children
need to be protected from harm, and taught right from wrong, including that
homosexual practice is bad. Whether, at the end of the day, I would conclude
that this person shouldn’t in fact teach children would depend on how many
black marks other potential teachers might have against them. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On
point (4), I absolutely reject all hatred for homosexuals, whether they are practising
or not. As I have said, the Christian life is one of loving everyone despite
their sins, just as Jesus loves me despite the bad things I have done. But love
is sometimes tough. Sometimes it means criticising people for what they do or
believe.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It
is actually very ironic that Christians like myself are accused of hatred,
since, not only are we opposed to all hatred, but those who falsely accuse us
of hatred often seem to hate us with a passion. The amount of hatred in Western
countries that is directed towards Christians like me for what we say on
sexuality and gender is enormous. The militant LGBT lobby is now a significant
hate group in this part of the world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Nor
is it just the LGBT lobby. Even among mainstream Westerners, Christians are
often the objects of a great deal of hatred.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It
is notable that many who claim to be against all hatred seem to forget that
they are against this when they have no sympathy with the views of a group of
people who are hated. If they are sympathetic to the beliefs of people who are
hated, they (rightly) condemn hatred strongly. Yet if they are not sympathetic,
their opposition to hatred disappears, and in many cases they become haters
themselves. This sort of double standards is very common in Western countries today.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Accusation:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You
say that gay people will go to hell. That’s hate if ever I heard it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Answer:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">First,
it is those who <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">practise</i>
homosexuality who are on track for hell. I certainly do <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> say that having homosexual orientation means that someone is heading
there.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Second,
this is not an idea that I have invented. The Bible very clearly teaches that
those who practise homosexuality are on the road to hell (e.g., Romans 1:26-27;
2:5-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9). I am simply repeating what it says.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Third,
anyone who wilfully and unrepentantly practises sin of any kind is on track
for hell. So it’s not as if I am singling out homosexual practice. This is just
one sin among many.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Fourth,
I don’t delight in the prospect of anyone going to hell. So this isn’t
something I say with any relish.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Fifth,
it is absolutely not hate for me to say what I say on this point. Look at it
from my perspective. I believe sincerely that those who engage in homosexual
practice are on the road to hell. I don’t want them to go there. So, by warning
people I am doing what I believe is best to help them avoid great suffering in
the future. It should be obvious that there is no hate in this. To warn people
of impending danger is really an act of love.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Accusation:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You
are so cruel when you say that gay people aren’t allowed to love each other.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Answer:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I
do sympathise with people who feel affection that is wrong to express. However,
it is far more important to submit to God’s created order. To perform
homosexual acts is to massively insult him, and this must take priority over
how we feel.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Besides,
I am not writing as someone who is happily married and knows nothing of the
difficulty of living a single life. I am now over 50 and I have always been
single, and, like most single people, I find it hard to live this way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Accusation:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You
are so arrogant to tell people that they can’t identify as a man or a woman if
that’s what they want to do.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Answer:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On
the contrary, it is those who think they have a right to
identify as whatever gender they choose who are guilty of great arrogance.
If God has made someone physically male, then that person is a man, both
physically and in his core identity. And if he has made someone physically
female, that person is a woman, both physically and in her core identity. To
deny this is to mess around with God’s creation and thereby to insult him. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What
mainstream Western society now believes about transgendering is really
remarkable. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If,
for example, a man told me that in his true identity he was really a horse,
although he was physically a man, I would say that he had some sort of mental
illness. I wouldn’t for a moment agree that he really was a horse. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In
no way would I look down on this man or want to treat him unkindly. Instead, I
would gently but firmly tell him that something had gone wrong in his feelings
and thoughts and that he wasn’t really a horse.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Exactly
the same is true when a man says that in his identity he is really a woman.
Something has gone wrong. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Again,
in no way would I look down on a man who said this. But I would tell him that
something had gone wrong and that he was a man, not a woman.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To
think that people who are physically men are really women is sheer nonsense,
and the same goes for those who are physically women and claim to be men. We
can’t separate our identity and our physicality in this way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I
do believe that there is one area where there is sometimes a genuine place for
a kind of transgendering, and this concerns people who are born as intersexes.
This sort of transgendering is not about people having a gender identity that
is different from their physical sex. Rather, it is about reversing a mistake
that has already been made. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Intersexes
are people who are born with both male and female genitals, and apparently
about one in 2000 new-born babies falls into this category. Operations are
often performed on intersex babies and children to remove one set of genitals.
Usually, either the male or female genitals are much more pronounced than the
others, so deciding what operation to perform is quite straightforward. In some
cases, however, the male and female genitals are about equally developed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This
is a very complex issue. Anyway, to cut a long story short, it seems that sometimes
the wrong operation is performed on babies and children. And even when there is
no operation, it seems that mistakes are sometimes made regarding what gender
the child is raised as.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In
cases like these, I do believe that there is a legitimate place for a kind of
transgendering. In such cases, this has nothing to do with accepting that there
is a difference between physical sex and gender identity. It is simply about correcting
a mistake that has already been made. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Accusation:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You
hold extreme and deeply offensive views on sexuality and gender identity.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Answer:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Firstly,
you seem to be implying that most people <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">don’t</i>
hold views on sexuality and gender identity that many others find extreme and
deeply offensive. But that is completely wrong. Everyone holds views on these
issues that many others find extreme and very offensive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For
example, take the view that so-called “gay marriage” is a good thing, something
that you agree with. It seems to me that most of the world’s population would
think that gay marriage is a bad idea. And there must be at least hundreds of
millions of people, maybe billions, who find it extreme and deeply offensive. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Even
if we think just about my own country, the United Kingdom, I would guess that
about 30 per cent of people are against gay marriage. And maybe around 10 per
cent would be deeply offended by it. Even if that figure is not accurate, there
must be millions of people in the UK who find your views on gay marriage to be
extreme and deeply offensive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So
you are completely wrong to think that most people don’t hold views on
sexuality and gender that many others find extreme and offensive. And that is
true whether we think of the world as a whole or just of the UK. You and many
others find my views extreme and offensive, and I and many others find your
views extreme and offensive. We are all in the same boat in this respect.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Secondly,
it is never my goal to be offensive to people. I get no pleasure from causing
offence. However, my big concern is not to offend God, and if that means
offending people, then that is what I will do.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This
should be your concern too. As things stand, your attitudes to sexuality and
gender conflict with God’s created order for human beings. So what you say is
deeply offensive to God. You urgently need to alter your views.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Accusation:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It
is a fundamental human right for people to have gay relationships or change
their gender identity if they want to. You should accept that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Answer:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">No
one has a human right to do anything morally wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">At
its core, the worldview of mainstream Western society is completely mistaken.
In this worldview people are typically seen as standing in the place of
ultimate authority with rights to do whatever they want, as long as they don’t
cause direct harm to anyone else. In this worldview God is essentially nowhere
to be seen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In
reality, God should fill our worldview. Human beings are under his authority
with huge obligations to him. We are designed and duty-bound to fit in with his
created order. It is not an exaggeration to say that the mainstream Western
worldview completely misunderstands what human beings actually are.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">No
one, then, has a human right to do anything that conflicts with God’s created
order. And homosexual practice and transgendering both conflict with this.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Whether
people should be given <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">legal</i> rights
to do immoral things is a much more complex issue, and will depend on the
circumstances. But no one has a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">human</i>
right to do anything morally wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Accusation:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You
are so intolerant of gay and transgender people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Answer:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The
first problem with this accusation is that those who use this label to blame
people like me tend to use the words “tolerant,” “intolerant” etc. in a strange
way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Usually
in the English language, when we speak about tolerating someone, what we mean
is that we put up with that person although we dislike what they do or stand
for. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">However,
those who accuse Christians like me of being intolerant of people in the LGBT
movement are not usually suggesting that we don’t put up with these people.
Instead, they are really blaming us simply for disliking their values in the
first place. If someone dislikes the values of people in the LGBT movement,
even if that person puts up with what this movement tries to do, he or she will
be accused of intolerance.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When
we are accused of being “intolerant,” then, we are really being accused of
(wrongly) disliking the values of the LGBT movement.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In
response to this accusation, firstly, it is surely true that all human beings
dislike the values of many other human beings. And it is just as true that
every human being will hold values that many others dislike. So we are all in
the same category in this respect. And if we insist on using the word
“intolerant” (in an unusual way) to refer to this situation, then we are all
intolerant in some ways, both those who support the LGBT movement and those who
are against it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Secondly,
it may be true that I dislike and object to more things than most people, but
that is because I am acknowledging the rule of almighty God. And for this I
make no apology. When someone does something or lives in a way that dishonours
God, it is absolutely right to dislike and object to it. I wish that people
generally did a lot more of this.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Accusation:<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You
are wrong not to respect the views of people in the LGBT movement.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Answer:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Firstly,
if you are suggesting that everyone should respect the views of everyone else
on matters of sexuality and gender, it should be obvious that people in the
LGBT movement typically have no respect at all for what I believe on these
issues. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Secondly,
I make no apology for not respecting the views of people in this movement. When
people support something that is against the will of God, they are supporting
something evil. And we should never respect what is evil.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">However,
I do believe that we should make a clear distinction here between a person and
the views that the person holds. We should always respect a person, no matter
how bad they are, and I do try to do this. But respecting a person in no way
has to mean respecting their views.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Accusation:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I
have no time for uncaring, right-wing people like you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Answer:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I
am not right wing, and I share your concern that people on the right are often
quite uncaring. My political views are pretty centrist.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Homosexual
practice and transgendering are extremely important moral issues that have to
do with insulting God. Essentially these are not issues of the left or right at
all. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Have courage<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I
hope and pray that readers of this article will have found what I have said
helpful.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If
you are a Christian who is under fire on LGBT issues, know that you are not
alone. There are many other brothers and sisters who are being persecuted in
this way too.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Don’t
be embarrassed or hesitant to stand up for Christian truth. Have courage, even
if many people are against you. Remember, one person with God is a majority.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And
when you are hated, show love in return (Luke 6:27-29). The Lord will be with
you. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">See
also:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/what-attitude-should-christians-have-to.html"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16.0pt;">What Attitude Should Christians Have
to Homosexuality?</span></a><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/what-did-jesus-make-of-homosexual.html"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16.0pt;">What Did Jesus Make of Homosexual
Practice?</span></a><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/christians-must-carefully-distinguish.html"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16.0pt;">The Importance of Distinguishing
between Sexual Orientation and Practice</span></a><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/most-westerners-completely.html"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16.0pt;">Most People in Western Countries
Completely Misunderstand What Human Beings Are</span></a><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-21758290815764646982019-05-30T02:51:00.002-07:002019-05-30T03:21:40.828-07:00Should Christian Women Cover Their Heads in Public Worship?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 the apostle Paul gives
instruction on how men and women in the Corinthian church should act when they
meet together in worship.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The text is as follows:</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2</b> </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now
I praise you because you always remember me and keep the traditions just as I
delivered them to you. </span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">3</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> But I want you to know that
Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of the woman, and God
is the head of Christ.</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">4</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Every
man who prays or prophesies with something on his head dishonors his
head. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">5</b> But every woman who
prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since that is
one and the same as having her head shaved. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">6</b> So if a woman's head is not covered, her hair should be cut off.
But if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head
shaved, she should be covered. </span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">7</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> A
man, in fact, should not cover his head, because he is God's image and glory, <span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk9418487;">but woman is man's
glory. </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">8</b> For man did
not come from woman, but woman came from man. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">9</b> And man was not created for woman, but woman for man. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">10</b> This is why a woman should have a
symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. </span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">11</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> In the Lord,
however, woman is not independent of man, and man is not independent of
woman. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">12</b> For just as woman
came from man, so man comes through woman, and all things come from God. </span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">13</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Judge for
yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head
uncovered? <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">14</b> Does not even
nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair it is a disgrace to
him, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">15</b> but that if a woman has
long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her as a covering. </span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">16</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> But if anyone wants
to argue about this, we have no other custom, nor do the churches of God.”
(Holman Christian Standard Bible)<o:p></o:p></span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">HEAD COVERINGS</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In this passage one of the main things Paul
talks about is head coverings in public worship. He tells
the Corinthians that men shouldn’t pray or prophesy with a covered head, and
that women shouldn’t do these things with an uncovered head.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Today, a large majority of evangelicals think
that what Paul says here doesn’t apply to Christians universally in every culture
and every century of the church. They say that in the culture of Corinth in the
first century it was appropriate for women and men to cover or not cover their
heads as Paul teaches. But they claim that this wouldn’t necessarily be the
case in a different cultural context. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A much smaller group of evangelicals claim that Paul’s
instruction on head coverings does apply universally to all churches in every
century. They say that it is a general principle that in public worship women
should cover their heads and men shouldn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In what follows, I will do two things. First, I
will argue that Paul’s teaching on head coverings does apply universally to all
cultures and every century of the church. And second, I will argue that even
though this is a universal principle, it is a mistake to implement it without
further consideration.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">MEN
NOT COVERING THEIR HEADS<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To begin with, then, we need to ask if what Paul
says about head coverings in this passage is a universal principle or just one
that is dependent on culture. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We will start by looking at what the passage
says about men not covering their heads. The teaching on men is both clearer
and shorter than the teaching on women. So it makes sense to begin with this.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Paul first refers to the issue of men not
covering their heads in v. 4, where he states:</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Every man who prays or
prophesies with something on his head dishonors his head.”</span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In v. 3 Paul has just said that Christ is the
head of every man, so “his head” at the end of v. 4 is a reference to Christ,
and this phrase may also have a secondary reference to the man’s literal head.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Therefore, in v. 4 Paul is saying that a man who
prays or prophesies with a covered head dishonors Christ and possibly also his
own literal head as well.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In v. 4, then, Paul says what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the result</i> is of a man praying or
prophesying with a covered head: it dishonors Christ. However, he gives no
reason <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">why</i> doing this dishonors
Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">However, when we come to v. 7, he does tell us
why. Paul says:</span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">“</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">A
man, in fact, should not cover his head, because he is God's image and glory</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">. . .”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The
argument of those wh</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">o take the majority evangelical view<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Those who claim that Paul’s teaching in 1 Cor.
11:2-16 about men not covering their heads is something that depends on culture
often argue in this way about v. 7:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When Paul says that a man shouldn’t cover his
head because he is God’s image and glory, his point is that men should act like
men and not like women. In Corinthian culture, to cover the head in worship was
a feminine thing to do. It is wrong for a man to act in a feminine way, so in
that culture it was wrong for a man to cover his head. If a man did this
effeminate thing, he would be failing to live out being the glory of God and
would dishonor Christ (v. 4). This means that in v. 7 Paul is not giving a universal
principle about men not covering their heads in public worship. Rather, his
point is that men should please God by not doing something that the culture
they live in finds effeminate.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There are, however, three big problems with this
interpretation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Archaeological
evidence<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">First, there is good archaeological evidence that
in Greco-Roman religions of the first century men often <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">did</i> cover their heads while engaged in public worship. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This means that in first century Corinth it is
doubtful that men who covered their heads during Christian worship would have
been seen as doing something feminine. So it seems unlikely that Paul’s concern
in this passage is men acting in an effeminate way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Too
much reading between the lines<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Second, to accept the argument given by those
who say that not covering the head was about fitting in with culture, we have
to do too much reading between the lines. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When Paul says, “</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A man . . . should
not cover his head, because he is God's image and glory,”</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> it is far more natural to take him to mean
simply that being God’s image and glory is the direct reason that a man
shouldn’t cover his head. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Actually, the reference to men being God’s image
here seems to be a kind of aside that doesn’t form part of Paul’s argument. At
the end of v. 7 he will say, “</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">but woman is man's glory,”</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> where he notably <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">doesn’t</i> say that woman is man’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">image
and</i> glory. Paul would, of course, have agreed with Gen. 1:27 that men and
women are equally in the image of God. So women are as much God’s image as men,
yet Paul makes it clear in this passage that women <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">should</i> cover their heads. Therefore, the real reason Paul is giving
in v. 7 for why men shouldn’t cover their heads is surely just that they are God’s
glory, not also that they are His image. And it is very natural to take him to
mean simply that being God’s glory is the direct reason men shouldn’t cover
their heads.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I find it very difficult to believe that the
Corinthians would have interpreted him in any other way. This is the
interpretation that they would automatically have assumed as they read Paul’s
words. To bring in a convoluted argument about culture looks very unnatural and
forced, and involves a lot of unnecessary reading between the lines.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The
logic of the passage<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Third, if we understand Paul to be giving a universal
principle, it makes perfect sense of the logic of men not covering and women
covering their heads. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As I have noted, at the end of v. 7 Paul says: “</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">but
woman is man's glory.”</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This clause is surely shorthand for “but a woman
should cover her head because she is man’s glory.” That would be a parallel to
the instruction on men not covering their heads in the first part of v. 7. And in
view of how Paul has given parallel teaching on men and women in verses 4-6, we
would expect this to continue in v. 7. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So we should have no hesitation in saying that
in v. 7 Paul is teaching two things: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(1) Men shouldn’t cover their heads because they
are God’s glory. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(2) Women should cover their heads because they
are man’s glory.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What Paul seems quite clearly to mean is that during
public worship God’s glory should be on display but man’s glory should be
hidden. If a man covers his head, something of God’s glory is being hidden, and
this isn’t good during a time of public worship. But if a woman has an
uncovered head, something of man’s glory is on display, and this also isn’t
good during a time of public worship.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This seems to be the logic of Paul’s argument,
and it has nothing at all to do with cultural ways of dressing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Summing
up<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For three reasons, then, the idea that Paul’s
instruction for men not to cover their heads is a cultural one appears to be
incorrect. We do far better to take what he says as a universal principle:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Men shouldn’t cover their heads in public
worship because they shouldn’t hide the glory of God (v. 7) and thereby dishonor
Christ (v. 4).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">WOMEN
COVERING THEIR HEADS<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Let’s move on now to think about women. Does
this passage teach that women covering their heads in public worship is a
universal principle or just something that applies in certain cultures?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There are good reasons for believing that it is
a universal principle.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The teaching
on women corresponds to the teaching on men<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To begin with, in this passage Paul’s
instruction on women in many respects corresponds to his instruction on men. In
other words, the place of head coverings in the life of women is not a separate
issue from the place of head coverings in the life of men. These are parts of
one and the same topic.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So, given, as we have seen, that there are good
reasons to think that the instruction to men is a universal one, we would
expect the same to be true of the instruction to women.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Woman
as the glory of man<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Secondly, the third reason I gave above for why
we should take the teaching about men to be universal also applies to women, as
I have already noted:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When Paul teaches in v. 7 that a woman should
cover her head because she is man’s glory, he quite clearly seems to mean that
she should keep man’s glory hidden while the focus is on God in worship. And
this has nothing to do with culture.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Nothing
in the passage suggests that head coverings are purely cultural<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It is important to note too that no part of verses
2-16 should lead us to think that the principle of women covering their heads
is anything other than a universal principle.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Verse 10 is probably one of the most difficult
verses to interpret in the entire Bible, and debate swirls around it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Literally, the text in Greek reads:</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“For this reason, the woman ought to have
authority on/over her head, because of the angels.”</span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It is unclear whether Paul is saying that a
women should have a head covering as a symbol of authority on her head (as in
the Holman translation that I quoted above), or if he means that a woman should
take control over what she does with her head. And it is also unclear in what
respect the angels are involved.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Importantly for our purposes, however, there is
nothing in this verse which suggests that the principle of women covering their
heads is merely a cultural one. Nor does anything else in the passage as a
whole point in this direction.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Summing
up<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">There are two good
reasons, then, for thinking that the principle of women covering their heads in
public worship is a universal one.</span> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And, although there are difficult interpretive issues
in this passage, no part of it suggests that this principle is not universal.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I should say too that I am sure that if women in
Western countries today did routinely cover their heads, the number of
commentators who claim that Paul’s principle is just a cultural one would be
far fewer. I think many have allowed themselves to believe what they want to
believe on this topic, instead of allowing Scripture to speak freely.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">UNIVERSAL
PRINCIPLES<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In view of what we have seen, therefore, it
makes sense to think that in 1 Cor. 11:2-16 Paul is giving two universal
principles: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(1) When praying or prophesying in public
worship, men should not have their heads covered.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(2) When praying or prophesying in public
worship, women should have their heads covered.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Of course, many Christians, myself included,
will find this teaching more than a little strange. To think that a bare-headed
man will somehow enhance the glory of God in worship, while a bare-headed woman
will detract from this, is not what most of us would expect the Bible to teach.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">However, there are a couple of points to make
here.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">First, it is much more important for us to know
what Scripture teaches than why it teaches it. Knowing why is very helpful and
something we should strive for if possible. But it is far more important to
know what it is that Scripture tells us to do.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Second, the Bible as a whole seems to teach that
there is something deeply spiritual about gender. There is a lot of profound
reality connected to gender that goes right to the heart of God’s creation of
human beings. There is vastly more to this than mere physical differences. That
is why, for example, homosexual practice or so-called transgendering are such
grave evils in God’s sight. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And when deep truths are involved, there are
bound to be things we find mysterious and difficult to understand.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">WHAT
SHOULD WE DO TODAY?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This brings us to thinking about the place of
head coverings today. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In Western countries, of course, it is very rare
for Christian men or women to cover their heads in public worship. This means
that nearly every man follows Paul’s instruction in this passage. But it also
means that nearly every woman <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">doesn’t</i>
follow what he says.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In the rest of this article my focus will be on
women, since this is where practice conflicts with biblical teaching. We need
to ask what God’s will is on this issue. Should women always cover their heads
at church services? And how important is this?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Those
who just assume that Paul’s instruction should be implemented<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">From what I have read, most Christians who
(rightly) accept that Paul’s instruction to women on head coverings is a
universal one just assume that Christians should implement this teaching. In
their view, the Bible teaches that women should cover their heads in public worship,
so that’s what women should do, end of story.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Not
so simple<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I believe that things are not so simple. The
fact that Scripture teaches a universal principle doesn’t necessarily mean that
the principle should always be implemented.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I am not for a moment suggesting that there are
times when we shouldn’t do the will of God. Rather, my point is that just
because a universal principle is given in the Bible, that doesn’t necessarily
mean that it is always God’s will for the principle to be put into effect.
Exceptional situations do arise.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Examples
of exceptional situations<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Nearly every Christian would agree that there
are some exceptional situations when biblical principles should not be
followed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For example, the Bible teaches that God has
designed sexual relations only for marriage (e.g., Gen. 2:24; 1 Cor. 7:9; Heb.
13:4). This is a universal principle, not one that depends on culture. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Yet there are exceptional situations when it is
surely not a sin for a person to have sex outside marriage. For example, if,
tragically, a woman is raped at knifepoint and told that she will be killed
unless she cooperates, we shouldn’t hesitate to say that she commits no sin
when she does so. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Similarly, Scripture teaches that people
shouldn’t lie (e.g., Eph. 4:25; Col. 3:9), and this is another universal
principle. Yet Scripture also contains several examples of lies that are
apparently told in the will of God, in various extreme circumstances (e.g.,
Exod. 1:15-20; 1 Sam. 19:11-17; 2 Sam. 17:17-20).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We shouldn’t think that every single universal
principle in the Bible must always be followed no matter what. Life is more
complicated than that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Exceptional
situations and head coverings<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It is true that the examples of not following
universal principles that I have just given involve extreme situations.
Nevertheless, it makes sense to think that there might also sometimes be less
extreme situations when it is right not to follow a biblical principle. Some
biblical principles are much more important than others. And if a principle is not
of first importance, it seems reasonable to believe that even in non-extreme
circumstances it might sometimes be God’s will for the principle not to be
followed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As a general rule, the more often a topic is
referred to in Scripture, the more important it is, and 1 Cor. 11:2-16 is the
only passage that tells Christian women to cover their heads. It therefore
makes sense to think that the principle of women covering their heads in public
worship is not among the most important biblical principles.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As I ponder this issue, it seems to me that God
is probably often content for a woman not to wear a covering. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If a woman in a Western country chooses to cover
her head for public worship, she will probably be the only woman at that
service who does so.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">However, most of us find it very embarrassing to
be dressed differently from everyone around us. So a woman who did this on her
own would probably find it a difficult and distressing thing to do. And it is
likely that this would be her experience time after time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Of course, as Christians we need to pick up our
crosses every day and follow the Lord (Luke 9:23). Christian discipleship is
costly and painful.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Nevertheless, each of us has a finite amount of
strength. Sometimes we need to pick and choose our fights. There is only so
much God calls us to endure.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I find it difficult to believe that it is often
the will of God for a woman to cover her head if she gets very embarrassed
about doing this. She would probably not look forward to worship services, and,
if this happens, it seems to me that more is lost than gained by the covering.
I really don’t think that this issue is important enough to warrant a woman
going through embarrassment and distress on a regular basis.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There are plenty of moral issues that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are</i> important enough to warrant this,
but I find it hard to believe that covering the head is one of them. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Those
who are not embarrassed<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Although most women would find it very
embarrassing to be the only one covering her head in a worship service, this is
not true for every woman. Some are not that bothered by it. In such cases, I
think it is probably good for women to cover their heads.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I am not completely sure about this, however,
because I have some concerns about the impact head coverings might have on
visitors to churches. We should want non-Christian visitors to attend our
worship services (1 Cor. 14:22-25). And I am concerned that if many women
covered their heads, non-Christian women in Western countries might be put off
attending. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On the one hand, then, it is good for women to
cover their heads. But on the other hand, we don’t want to put unnecessary
obstacles in the way of non-Christians visiting. I think the first of these points
is probably the more important one, but I am not confident about that. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Anyway, each Christian woman would need to seek
God personally in prayer for insight on how she should act.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">See also my articles:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2018/10/gender-equality-should-not-mean-gender.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Gender Equality Should Not Mean
Gender Sameness</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/is-it-wrong-for-women-to-be-church.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Is It Wrong for Women to Be Church
Leaders?</span></a><span style="color: red; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/beware-of-becoming-attached-to-church.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Beware of Becoming Attached to Church
Traditions</span></a><span style="color: red; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/what-attitude-should-christians-have-to.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What Attitude Should Christians Have
to Homosexuality?</span></a><span style="color: red; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-19209126847440422382019-05-23T11:40:00.000-07:002019-05-23T11:51:06.697-07:00Do John 3:3 and 3:5 Teach That People Come to Christian Faith because They Have Been Regenerated?<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">At its heart, the
Christian gospel message is that if a person has faith in Jesus Christ, their
sins will be forgiven and they will be reconciled to God. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 22pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another im</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">portant part of this message
is that if a person has faith in Christ, God responds by causing that person to
be regenerated, which is also known as being born again. </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Regeneration is an act of God that enables a
person to be His child and to have a Holy Spirit-empowered, supernatural form
of life.</span></span><br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk8899773"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Receiving forgiveness and being
regenerated, then, are two aspects of what is involved in becoming</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> a Christian,
and they both follow on logically from a person coming to saving faith.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">THOSE WHO CLAIM THAT REGENERATION LEADS TO FAITH<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You will often hear Calvinist
Christians claiming, however, that faith does not lead to regeneration, but
that it is actually the other way round. Most Calvinists believe that God
causes some people to receive the Spirit in regeneration, and that this leads
to their coming to faith in Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is true that not all Calvinists take
this view. Some side with the majority Christian position that faith leads to
regeneration. But most Calvinists claim that regeneration leads to faith.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;">TWO VERSES THAT ARE SAID TO SHOW THAT REGENERATION </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;">LEADS TO FAITH<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Two biblical verses
that are often appealed to by those who say that regeneration leads to faith are
John 3:3 and John 3:5.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">John 3:3<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In John 3:3 Jesus says
to the Jewish leader Nicodemus:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Truly, truly, I
tell you, unless someone is born from above [anothen], he cannot see the kingdom
of God.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have chosen to
translate the Greek word anothen in this sentence as “from above.” This was a
common meaning of the word in the Greek of the first century. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, another
common meaning of this word was “again,” and many English translations of this
verse prefer to translate “born again” instead of “born from above.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">John’s Gospel
contains a number of instances of words that have dual meanings, and it is
likely that in this verse anothen is supposed to convey both meanings, “from
above” and “again.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Because in v. 4
Nicodemus understands “again” as Jesus’ meaning, many think that this is the
primary meaning of anothen in this verse. Nevertheless, elsewhere in this
Gospel anothen means “from above” (John 3:31; 19:11) but nowhere else does it
mean “again.” We therefore do best to think that this is the primary meaning in
this verse too, even if Nicodemus himself fails to recognise this.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For our purposes
in this article, however, the meaning of anothen is not important. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Something that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> important is that the reference to
being born from above/born again in this verse is a reference to regeneration,
as all Christians agree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">John 3:5<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In John 3:5 Jesus
states:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;">“Truly, truly, I tell
you, unless someone </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;">is
born of water and Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The reference to being born of Spirit
in this verse is a reference to regeneration, as all Christians agree.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">THE ARGUMENT THAT APPEALS TO SEEING IN V. 3<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is more than one line of argument
from these verses that is used by those who claim that regeneration leads to
faith.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some of them use an argument that
appeals to what Jesus says about seeing the kingdom of God in v. 3.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The argument<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The argument goes in this way:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In v. 3 the Lord says that a person
cannot see the kingdom of God unless he is regenerated. Here, seeing means
being able to spiritually understand what the kingdom of God is about. Clearly,
a person cannot have faith before understanding what the kingdom is about. So
this verse implies that, for those who become Christians, regeneration leads to
seeing the kingdom, which in turn leads to having faith. Regeneration therefore
logically precedes faith.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A response<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is true that this verse implies that
regeneration leads to seeing the kingdom of God. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Importantly, however, those who use
this argument have misunderstood the sense of the verb “to see” in the verse.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Quite commonly in the New Testament,
seeing is a metaphor for experiencing something. It is used in this way, for
example, in Luke 2:26; Acts 2:27, 31; 13:35; Heb. 11:5; 1 Pet. 3:10 and Rev.
18:7. And John’s Gospel itself uses it with this sense in John 3:36; 8:51.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is by far the most natural meaning
of seeing in v. 3.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Importantly too, this interpretation is
confirmed by what the Lord says in v. 5 (the other verse I quoted above), where
He more or less repeats what He said in v. 3. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Instead of His reference to seeing the
kingdom in v. 3, in v. 5 He refers to entering the kingdom. His point in v. 5
is not about understanding the kingdom, but about becoming a participant in it.
Given how v. 5 essentially repeats v. 3, v. 5 helps to confirm that in v. 3
Jesus was not referring to understanding what the kingdom is about, but to
experiencing the kingdom.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The argument that appeals to seeing the
kingdom in v. 3 as evidence that regeneration leads to faith therefore fails.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">THE ARGUMENT THAT ASSUMES A CERTAIN LOGICAL ORDER<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some of those who claim that
regeneration leads to faith use an argument based on a supposed implication of v.
5.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The argument<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The argument goes in this way:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In v. 5 Jesus tells Nicodemus that he
cannot enter the kingdom of God without being regenerated. This implies that
regeneration leads to entering the kingdom. But we also know that we enter the
kingdom of God through faith. So in order to be in a position to have the faith
that is needed to enter the kingdom, we need to first be regenerated. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A response<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is true that in this verse Jesus
teaches that regeneration leads to entering the kingdom. And it is true too
that we enter the kingdom through faith, i.e., that faith leads to entering the
kingdom.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, note how those who use the
above argument just assume that regeneration leads to faith. But from the
information given in this verse, there is no more reason to think that we need
to be regenerated in order to have faith than there is to think that we need to
have faith in order to be regenerated. The verse doesn’t mention faith at all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So potentially this verse could fit
with the sequence held by most Christians:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Faith leads to regeneration, which in
turn leads to entering the kingdom.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Or it could fit with the sequence held
by a majority of Calvinists:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Regeneration leads to faith, which in
turn leads to entering the kingdom of God.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is not enough information in the
verse itself to tell us which of these options is correct. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This argument is therefore also one
that fails.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">SUMMING UP<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Neither of the arguments I have
mentioned carries any weight. These verses do not suggest that regeneration
leads to faith. Those who claim that they do are reading something into the
text that is simply not there.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In fact, these verses tell us nothing
at all about the relationship of faith to regeneration in Christian conversion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">THE REST OF JOHN’S GOSPEL<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although John 3:3 and 3:5 don’t say
anything about the logical relationship of faith and regeneration, there are
other passages in this Gospel that do. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In John 1:11-13 John tells us:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">11</b>
He [Jesus] came to what was His own, but His own did not accept Him. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">12</b> But as many as did accept Him, to
them He gave the right to become children of God, to those believing in His
name, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">13</b> who were born not of blood
nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of a man, but of God.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This passage strongly implies that God
responds to people’s faith by regenerating them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are also passages in this Gospel,
which teach that faith leads to life or to eternal life:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In John 3:14-15 Jesus says:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">14</b>
. . . the Son of Man must be lifted up, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">15</b>
so that everyone who believes in Him might have eternal life.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In John <st1:time hour="3" minute="16" w:st="on">3:16</st1:time> we are told:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“. . . He [God] gave His one and only
Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but have eternal
life.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In John <st1:time hour="5" minute="40" w:st="on">5:40</st1:time> Jesus criticises people with these words:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“. . . you are unwilling to come to Me
so that you may have life.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Coming to Christ in this verse is a
coming to Him in faith.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In John <st1:time hour="6" minute="40" w:st="on">6:40</st1:time> He says:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“For this is the will of My Father,
that everyone who looks at the Son and believes in Him might have eternal life
. . .”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And John <st1:time hour="20" minute="31" w:st="on">20:31</st1:time> states:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“. . . these have been written, so that
you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing
you may have life in His name.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So in John’s Gospel faith leads to
(eternal) life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, regeneration is the act of God
by which eternal life begins. So faith must lead to regeneration.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">John’s Gospel, then, teaches that faith
leads to regeneration. And there are passages elsewhere in the Bible that teach
the same.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The idea that people come to faith
because they have been regenerated is an unbiblical one that serves to
partially distort the message of the gospel. In part, this message is that
people need to believe in Christ so that they might have life. We mustn’t lose
sight of this truth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For a longer and more detailed
discussion of this topic, see my article:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2016/10/does-faith-lead-to-regeneration-or.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Does Faith Lead to Regeneration or Vice Versa?</span></a><u><span style="color: #0563c1; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And see also my articles:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2016/10/saying-that-regeneration-precedes-faith.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Believing That Regeneration Leads to Faith Is
Mistaken and Pointless</span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2018/11/did-jesus-die-for-everyone-part-1.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Did Jesus Die for Everyone?</span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/is-it-possible-for-christians-to-lose.html"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Does God Ever Allow Born-Again Christians to Fall
Away and Lose Salvation?</span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-6163005867342863122019-05-10T02:44:00.002-07:002019-05-10T02:47:23.628-07:00Heart, Soul, Mind and Strength<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One
of the basic truths of the universe is that God is loving. In fact, the Bible
even goes so far as to say, “God is love” (1 John 4:16).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God
demonstrates His love for us in many ways. But His supreme act of love was
giving His Son, Jesus Christ, the God-Man, to deal with human sin (Rom. 5:8).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Imitating God’s love<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So
God is love. But it is not as if we are supposed to just stand at a distance admiring
that. In </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Eph. 5:1 the apostle Paul writes, “Be imitators of God.” What Paul
means is that we are to imitate His moral qualities including His love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The most important commandment<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
importance of love is also shown by what Jesus says in Mark 12:28-34. In this
passage we read about an occasion when He was asked what the most important
commandment in the law of Moses was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Quoting
Deut. 6:5, He replied:</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“You
must Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with
all your mind and with all your strength.” </span></blockquote>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Given
how God is love and how He wants us to imitate His moral qualities, it isn’t a
surprise that Jesus would give this as the greatest commandment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Today,
Christians are not under obligation to follow the law of Moses. Instead, we are
under the law of Christ (1 Cor. 9:21; Gal. 6:2). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">However,
the law of Christ is a fulfillment of the law of Moses. It is a kind of
outgrowth from that law and has a lot in common with it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Even
though the command that Jesus quoted is part of the law of Moses, there is no
doubt that the law of Christ overlaps with the law of Moses as far as this
command is concerned. As people who are under the law of Christ, then, we must
set ourselves the goal of loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and
strength.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Using our wills<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It
is important to understand that the command to love God is not a command to try
to manufacture some sort of emotional feeling within ourselves. We should never
try to create emotions. Instead, loving God is first and foremost about using
our wills. We choose to do what pleases Him to the best of our ability.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Of
course, we will never succeed in loving Him with all our heart this side of
death. But the command to love Him in this way is similar to the one in Matt. 5:48,
“Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” God commands us to be
perfect, not because we will manage to do that before we die, but because it is
a goal we must strive towards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Radical living<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There
are many passages in the Bible which make it clear that the normal Christian
life is a radical thing (e.g., Matt. 16:24-25; 18:8-9; John 12:25). It is an
extreme thing, not in an uncontrolled or unreasonable way, but in how we are to
love God. We are to give our lives for His service. We are to be people who
have one supreme, overarching goal, which is to do His will. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To
love God in this way doesn’t mean that life should become a misery. It is not
as if we let God rule over our lives, and then He only asks us to do things we
don’t want to do. The will of God for us is bound to be a mixture of things we
want and don’t want to do. But the key thing is to submit to Him and let Him
rule over all our actions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Knowing the will of God<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Of
course, even after we have set ourselves to do the will of God, it is still
often difficult to know exactly what His will is. But if we seek Him seriously
about this, we will make good progress towards knowing His will for our lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In
practical terms, the most important way for us to learn what He wants us to do
is by becoming serious students of the Bible. Every Christian should make it a
practice to regularly study and meditate on Scripture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Also,
as we seek God in prayer, we will become more able to hear the voice of His
Spirit directing our lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">See
also my articles:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-radical-nature-of-normal-christian.html"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Radical Nature of the Normal
Christian Life</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/getting-into-habit-of-doing-everything.html">Getting
into the Habit of Doing Everything with Jesus</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/imitation-as-principle-of-christian.html">Imitation
as a Principle of Christian Living</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.6933px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 22.8267px;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/the-importance-of-taking-steps-to-avoid.html">The Importance of Taking Steps to Avoid Temptation</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-83413029498787228222019-05-08T06:47:00.000-07:002019-05-08T06:54:09.046-07:00Does Matthew 5:32 Allow Some Divorce and Remarriage?<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One area of controversy in the Christian faith,
and within evangelicalism, concerns divorce and remarriage.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk8048504;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most
evangelicals say that God allows</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> divorce and remarriage in some circumstances
while one’s original husband or wife is still alive, including in cases of
marital infidelity. In what follows, I will refer to this as “the majority
view.” This is the view that I will be supporting in this article. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk8048504;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By
contrast, a minority of evangelicals say that God never allows divorce and
remarriage while one’s original husband or wife is still alive. I will refer to
this as “the minority view.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk8048504;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Actually,
to be precise, those evangelicals who hold the minority view can be divided
into two camps. Some say that God disallows all divorce and all remarriage
while one’s original spouse is still alive. Others say that He disallows all
remarriage but does sometimes allow divorce while one’s original spouse is
still alive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk8048504;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
question I am most interested in answering in this article is whether God ever
allows remarriage while one’s original spouse is still alive. So, for my
purposes, the difference between the two groups that hold the minority view is
not important, since both groups claim that God always disallows remarriage
while one’s original spouse is still alive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk8048504;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To
keep the following discussion as uncomplicated as possible, I will speak as if
all those who hold the minority view disallow all divorce and all remarriage,
even though some of them allow some divorce. This will simplify the discussion
without affecting any argument that I make or conclusion that I reach. </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">THE
PASSAGE TO BE LOOKED AT IN THIS ARTICLE<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the Gospels there are four passages that contain
teaching of Jesus on divorce and remarriage. These are Matt. 5:32; 19:3-9; Mark
10:2-12 and Luke 16:18.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are many areas of debate concerning the
text of these passages, and arguments are given for and against the majority
and minority views.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In this article I will concentrate on just one
of these passages, Matt. 5:32, which the English Standard Version appropriately
translates in this way:</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk7634488"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></a></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b>32a </b></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">But I say to you that
everyone who divorces his wife, except on</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> the ground of sexual immorality
[porneia], makes her commit adultery, </span><b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">32b</b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">
and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”</span></blockquote>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Actually, the discussion in what follows will focus on
part a of this verse, although part b will also come into the discussion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Sexual immorality” in this verse is a
translation of the Greek word porneia, which is a broad term. Porneia was
probably chosen instead of moicheia, which means “adultery,” so as to allow for
the inclusion of sexual unfaithfulness during the time of betrothal, homosexual
acts etc. But porneia should be understood to include adultery. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most evangelicals, including myself, believe
that in v. 32a one of the things Jesus is teaching is that there are times when
it is acceptable for divorce and remarriage to occur while a person’s original
husband or wife is still alive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some evangelicals, however, deny this. They claim
that in v. 32a Jesus is not teaching that divorce and remarriage is ever
acceptable while one’s original husband or wife is still alive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A consideration of the strengths and weaknesses
of these positions will be the topic of discussion in this article.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">TWO POSSIBLE
INTERPRETATIONS<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The first thing we need to do is see what the
options are for how we understand v. 32a.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are two possible interpretations.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Interpretation
1<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jesus is saying the following:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If a man divorces his wife for any reason other
than her sexual immorality, he makes her commit adultery <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk533608659"></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk533608659;">when she </span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk533608659;">remarries. </span>But if he divorces her for
her sexual immorality, he doesn’t make her commit adultery when she remarries,
because <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">she</i>, through her sexual immorality
which has led to being divorced by her husband, has made <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">herself</i> commit adultery when she remarries. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Under this interpretation, every woman who is
divorced by her husband commits adultery when she remarries. So under this
interpretation, every woman who is divorced really remains married to her
original husband in God’s sight until either he or she dies. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And the same would be true of men. Every man who
is divorced by his wife commits adultery when he remarries, because in reality
he remains married to his original wife in God’s sight until either he or she
dies.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This would mean that remarriage is never
acceptable to God while someone’s original spouse is still alive. So this
interpretation fits with the minority evangelical view on divorce, but not with
the majority view.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Interpretation
2<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jesus is saying the following:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk533445458;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If a
man divorces his wife for a</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ny reason other than her sexual immorality, he makes
her commit adultery when she remarries. But if he divorces her for her sexual
immorality, he doesn’t make her commit adultery when she remarries, because she
doesn’t commit adultery when she remarries. </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Under this interpretation, a woman who is
divorced for a reason other than her sexual immorality really remains married
to her original husband in God’s sight. But, under this interpretation, a woman
who is divorced for her sexual immorality ceases to be married to her original
husband in God’s sight. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And the same would be true of men. A man who is
divorced for a reason other than his sexual immorality really remains married
to his original wife in God’s sight. But a man who is divorced for his sexual
immorality ceases to be married to his original wife in God’s sight. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This would mean that remarriage is sometimes
acceptable to God while someone’s original spouse is still alive. So this
interpretation fits with the majority evangelical view on divorce, but not with
the minority view. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ARGUMENTS
SUPPORTING INTERPRETATION 1<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are some arguments that can be made in
support of interpretation 1, i.e., the view that in Matt. 5:32a Jesus is
teaching that every divorced person commits adultery when they remarry (while their
original husband or wife is still alive).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No
exception mentioned in v. 32b<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To begin with, there is the point that no
exception is mentioned in v. 32b.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Verse 32b says simply:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“. . . whoever marries a divorced woman commits
adultery.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The most straightforward reading of these words is that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">every</i> man who marries a divorced woman
commits adultery. This would mean that every divorced woman commits adultery
when she remarries. And if v. 32b implies that every divorced woman commits
adultery when she remarries, v. 32a can’t contradict this.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I think there is some weight to this argument.
Nevertheless, it is not difficult to think that the exception which is made
explicit in v. 32a should be understood again in v. 32b:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“. . . whoever marries a divorced woman commits
adultery [apart from those who marry a woman who was divorced for her sexual
immorality].”</span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jesus is speaking very concisely in this verse,
and it is not at all difficult to understand him to be implying that the
exception of v. 32a s</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">hould be repeated in v. 32b.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Implausibility<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">It is also sometimes said that if we were to understand
v. 32a to mean that divorce and remarriage is sometimes acceptable, </span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">this
would involve an implausibility.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There
are those who argue in this way:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If
committing sexual immorality allo</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ws the wronged party to break the marriage
bond and makes remarriage legitimate, then to say that an innocently divorced
wife can't remarry (as Jesus does say in this verse) assumes that her divorcing
husband is not divorcing to have sexual relations with another person. But this
is a very unlikely assumption.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Again,
this argument carries some weight.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It
is true that Jesus says in this verse that an innocently divorced wife can’t
remarry without committing adultery. Nevertheless, we need to take account of
how concisely He is speaking here. We don’t have to understand Him to be giving
the whole picture on this issue. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We
could understand things in this way:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
big principle that Jesus is stressing in this verse is that marriages last for
life, unless one partner commits sexual immorality, in which case the other
partner is free to initiate divorce and remarriage. This means that an
innocently divorced wife can’t remarry without committing adultery, if there
are no complicating factors. However, sometimes there <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are</i> complicating factors. Sometimes, the original husband of the
innocently divorced wife will himself commit sexual immorality. In this case
the innocent wife <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can</i> remarry without
committing adultery. Jesus doesn’t discuss any complicating factors, because He
is speaking very concisely and just wants to explicitly state the general
principle that marriages last for life unless one partner commits sexual
immorality. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is really not that difficult to understand things
in this way. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Unfair
and an incentive to commit sexual immorality<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It
is also sometimes said that if we were to understand v. 32a to mean that
divorce and remarriage is sometimes acceptable, this would be unfair and create
an </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">incentive to commit sexual
immorality.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are those who argue in this way:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It would be strange if a woman who is divorced for
no fault of her own commits adultery when she remarries, but a woman who is divorced
for sexual immorality doesn’t commit adultery when she remarries. This is not
only unfair but it can easily lead to an incentive to commit sexual immorality.
So we should conclude, as in interpretation 1, that divorce and remarriage is
never acceptable while one’s original spouse is still alive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Again, there is weight to this argument.
However, there are a number of points to make in reply:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First, it seems right to think that the issue of
what God does or doesn’t regard as an acceptable divorce or an acceptable
remarriage is more important than whether or not certain situations might seem
unfair or might be unhelpful in serving as an incentive to commit sin. At its
heart, the issue we are dealing with is one of God’s created order. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Second, even if we were to say that allowing remarriage
(for both husband and wife) if a woman commits sexual immorality has the
downside of creating an incentive for her to commit sexual immorality, it is
not as if allowing remarriage has no upside. It has the upside of enabling the
wronged husband to avoid a lot of pain. Under interpretation 1, not only is the
husband sinned against by his wife committing sexual immorality, but he is not
then allowed to divorce her and remarry. However, under interpretation 2 he is
allowed to do this. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Third and most importantly, steps can be taken
to avoid an incentive to commit sexual immorality. We can say that remarriage
is unacceptable after some cases of sexual immorality. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For example, if a man has an affair and his wife
divorces him for it and he then wants to marry the woman he had the affair
with, I believe that we should, at least usually, refuse to recognise that remarriage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In other words, we can make exceptions to the
exception. We need to understand that in this verse Jesus is giving general
principles, not a legalistic set of rules.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, under interpretation 2 we could set out
things in three statements: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(i) As a general principle people must not divorce
their spouse and remarry while one’s original spouse is still alive. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(ii) As an exception to that, if the spouse is
guilty of sexual immorality, it is legitimate for the wronged party to initiate
divorce and for both parties to be free to remarry.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(iii) But as an exception to the exception, it
is wise to disallow remarriage if the example being set might lead others to
see an incentive to commit sexual immorality.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The argument from unfairness and incentive to
commit sin is therefore not compelling.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Summing
up<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Interpretation 1 states that in Matt. 5:32a
Jesus is not teaching that divorce and remarriage is ever acceptable while
one’s original spouse is still alive. Each of the three arguments that I have outlined
in support of this interpretation carries some weight. However, none of them is
very impressive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ARGUMENTS
SUPPORTING INTERPRETATION 2<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are also arguments that can be made in
support of interpretation 2, i.e., the view that in Matt. 5:32 Jesus is
teaching that not everyone who remarries commits adultery when they remarry (while
their original husband or wife is still alive).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An awkwardness<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To begin with, there is an awkwardness in
interpretation 1.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Under interpretation 1, the divorcing husband is
said not to cause his wife who is guilty of sexual immorality to commit
adultery when she remarries, because she, by her sexual immorality which leads
to her being divorced, causes herself to commit adultery when she remarries. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, it still looks rather awkward to say
that her husband doesn’t cause her to commit adultery, because, by divorcing
her, he is still (under interpretation 1) doing something that will lead to her
committing adultery when she remarries.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
contrast suggests a real divorce<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Next, the contrast in v. 32a also makes most
sense if divorce and remarriage is sometimes acceptable while one’s original
spouse is still alive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When Jesus says in v. 32a that a man who divorces
his wife for a reason other than her sexual immorality causes her to commit
adultery when she remarries, He is implying that the divorce is not a real
divorce at all in God’s sight. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yet this situation is contrasted with the
situation where a man divorces his wife for sexual immorality, and the contrast
looks most natural if this time the divorce <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i>
a real divorce in God’s sight. And if there is a real divorce, the marriage is
surely over. And if it is over, it makes sense to think that both parties are
free to remarry. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That is not to say that it would necessarily be
acceptable for each party to remarry anyone. See the comments above about
exceptions to the exception. But as a general principle, if God recognises a
divorce, then we would expect both parties to be free to remarry.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An
improbability<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk8055519;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most importantly, there is an
improbability in thinking that in v. 32a Jesus is not allowing any divorce and
remarriage while one’s original spouse is still alive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk8055519;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The first point to make here is that
it is unlikely that the man of v. 32a, who divorces his wife for her sexual
immorality, should be viewed as being compelled to divorce her in line with
Jewish law.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk8055519;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In this part of Matthew’s Gospel
Jesus is contrasting His way of doing things with Jewish customs, including by
differing in some respects from the Law of Moses. So it seems strange that He would
be speaking as if the divorcing husband was compelled to follow Moses as
regards whether or not to divorce, precisely in the context of modifying Mosaic
teaching. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk8055519;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It therefore seems improbable that
the man of v. 32a should be viewed as being compelled to follow Jewish law.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk8055519;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, if this man is viewed as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> being compelled to divorce his wife
for her sexual immorality, things become even more difficult.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk8055519;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If he is not compelled to divorce
her, and if it is also true, as it surely is, that the man does no wrong in
divorcing his wife for this sin, then interpretation 1 is very difficult. It
seems very strange that God would be content for the man to divorce her, when
he is not compelled to do so, and when doing so will lead to her committing
adultery. Instead, we would expect God to forbid the man to divorce his wife,
since adultery is such a grave thing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk8055519;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Furthermore, if the man is not
compelled to divorce his wife, then interpretation 1 also seems very
inconsistent. God would want the man who divorces his wife not to remarry, at
great cost to himself, so as not to commit adultery. Yet He would be content
for this man to divorce his wife, even though that will lead to her committing
adultery when she remarries. Why would God want the man to sacrifice so greatly
so as not to commit adultery himself, yet to be so casual about whether his
wife commits adultery? <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk8055519;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Instead, the fact that God is content
for the man to divorce his wife (still assuming a scenario in which he is not
compelled to divorce her in line with Jewish law) suggests that she does <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> in fact commit adultery when she
remarries, because there has been a real divorce in God’s sight, as in
interpretation 2. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk8055519;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If, then, the man of v. 32a is not
being viewed as compelled to divorce his wife in line with Jewish law,
interpretation 1 looks very difficult and inconsistent. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk8055519;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In conclusion to this section, therefore,
interpretation 1 looks improbable. It seems more than a little doubtful that
the man should be viewed as being compelled to divorce his wife in line with
Jewish law. But if we don’t view him as being compelled to do this, then what
God wants under interpretation 1 looks very strange and inconsistent. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk8055519;"></span>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Summing up<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Interpretation
2 states that in Matt. 5:32a <span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">Jesus
is teaching that divorce and remarriage is sometimes acceptable while one’s
original spouse is still alive. The three arguments that I have outlined in
support of this interpretation all carry weight. The first is probably the
weakest, the second a bit stronger, and the third is quite a strong argument.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">OVERALL
CONCLUSION<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If we weigh up the support for each position,
the combined weight of the arguments supporting interpretation 2 looks more
impressive than the combined weight of the arguments supporting interpretation
1.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The overall conclusion to our investigation is therefore
that Matt. 5:32a fits better with the majority evangelical view on divorce than
with the minority view. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Given the very concise nature of Jesus’ saying
in this text, it isn’t a surprise that I haven’t been able to use it to
conclusively prove the majority view. But it does seem to fit better with this
view than with the minority one.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This means that Matt. 5:32a gives some support
to the view that there are times when it is acceptable
for people to divorce and remarry while their original husband or wife is still
alive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">See also my articles:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2019/04/is-divorce-and-remarriage-ever.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Is Divorce
and Remarriage Ever Acceptable? What Should We Make of the Lack of Explicit
Exceptions in Mark and Luke?</span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2016/10/christians-must-be-careful-not-to.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Divorce and
Remarriage Are Only Acceptable in Special Circumstances</span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2016/10/the-danger-for-christian-in-marrying.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The Danger
for a Christian in Marrying a Non-Christian</span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2016/10/should-single-christians-aim-to-get.html"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Should
Single Christians Aim to Get Married?</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-57625566781684533092019-04-28T08:16:00.000-07:002019-04-28T08:19:19.273-07:00Is Divorce and Remarriage Ever Acceptable? What Should We Make of the Lack of Explicit Exceptions in Mark and Luke?<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One area of controversy in the Christian faith, and
within evangelicalism, concerns divorce and remarriage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most evangelicals say that God allows divorce and
remarriage in some circumstances while a previous husband or wife is still
alive, including in cases of marital infidelity. In what follows, I will refer
to this as “the majority view.” This is the view that I will be supporting in
this article. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By contrast, a minority of evangelicals say that God
never allows divorce and remarriage while a previous husband or wife is still
alive. I will refer to this as “the minority view.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Actually, to be precise, those evangelicals who hold
the minority view can be divided into two camps. Some say that God disallows
all divorce and all remarriage while a previous spouse is still alive. Others
say that He disallows all remarriage but does sometimes allow divorce while a previous
spouse is still alive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The question I am most interested in answering in this
article is whether God ever allows remarriage when a previous spouse is still
alive. So, for my purposes, the distinction between the two groups that hold
the minority view is not important, since both groups claim that God always
disallows remarriage while a previous spouse is still alive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To keep the following discussion as uncomplicated as
possible, I will speak as if all those who hold the minority view disallow all
divorce and all remarriage, even though some of them allow some divorce. This
will simplify the discussion without affecting any argument that I make or conclusion
that I reach. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">GOSPEL
TEXTS<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Several times in the Gospels we find Jesus teaching on
the subject of divorce and remarriage. The following are the relevant texts:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Matthew
5:32</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“</span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife,
except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and
whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Scripture
readings in this article are from the English Standard Version except where
otherwise stated.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Matthew
19:3-9</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3</b> </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">And
Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, ‘Is it lawful to divorce
one’s wife for any cause?’</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">4</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">He answered, ‘Have you not read that he who created
them from the beginning made them male and female, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">5</b> and said, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother
and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh”? <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">6</b> So they are no longer two but one
flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.’</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">7</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">They said to him, ‘Why then did Moses command one to
give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?’</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">8</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">He said to them, ‘Because of your hardness of heart
Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">9</b> And I say to you: whoever divorces
his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits
adultery.’”</span></span></blockquote>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mark 10:2-12</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2</b> </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">And
Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, ‘Is it lawful for a man to
divorce his wife?’</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">3</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">He answered them, ‘What did Moses command you?’</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">4</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">They said, ‘Moses allowed a man to write a certificate
of divorce and to send her away.’<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">5</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">And Jesus said to them, ‘Because of your hardness of
heart he wrote you this commandment. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">6</b>
But from the beginning of creation, “God made them male and female.” <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">7</b> “Therefore a man shall leave his
father and mother and hold fast to his wife, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">8</b> and the two shall become one flesh.” So they are no longer two
but one flesh. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">9</b> What therefore God
has joined together, let not man separate.’<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">10</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">And in the house the disciples asked him again about
this matter.<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">11</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">And he said to them, ‘Whoever divorces his wife and marries
another commits adultery against her, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">12</b>
and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.’”<o:p></o:p></span></span></blockquote>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Luke 16:18</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“</span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another
commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits
adultery.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1
Corinthians 7<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Paul’s teaching on divorce in 1 Corinthians 7 is also
relevant for our topic.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, to prevent this article becoming too long, I
won’t discuss what he has to say. Nevertheless, leaving out Paul’s teaching on
this issue won’t affect the following arguments or the conclusions that I reach.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">THE MAIN
ARGUMENT FOR THE MINORITY VIEW<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Those who support the minority view on divorce and
remarriage use a number of arguments to try to make their case. However, from
what I have seen, there is one argument that they find especially persuasive. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This argument concerns the fact that in Mark 10:2-12 and
Luke 16:18, quoted above, Jesus mentions no exceptions to His prohibition of
divorce and remarriage. In these passages He just says that divorce and
remarriage is wrong without qualifying what He says in any way. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Those who hold the minority view take this to mean
that there can be no exceptions to the prohibition of divorce and remarriage
while a previous husband or wife is still alive. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">THE
EXCEPTIONS IN MATTHEW 5:32 AND 19:9<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although Mark 10:2-12 and Luke 16:18 mention no
exceptions, in Matt. 5:32 and 19:9 Jesus gives what looks like an exception to
the prohibition of divorce and remarriage while a previous spouse is still
alive. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5:32: “. . . except on the ground of sexual immorality
. . .”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">19:9: “. . . except for sexual immorality . . .”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Those of us who take the majority view believe that these
verses do indeed refer to an exception. And we believe that the passages in
Mark and Luke must be interpreted in such a way as to allow for an unexpressed
exception to the prohibition of divorce and remarriage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By contrast, those who take the minority view believe
that these verses in Matthew must be interpreted in such a way as not to allow
any exception to the prohibition of divorce and remarriage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">THE SCOPE
OF THIS ARTICLE<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am convinced that the main argument of those who
take the minority view is a weak one. I believe it is much easier to say that
Mark 10:2-12 and Luke 16:18 allow for an unexpressed exception than it is to
say that Matt. 5:32 and 19:9 don’t really give an exception. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In what follows, I will not try to give a broad
discussion of the issue of divorce and remarriage. Instead, the scope of this
article will be much more limited. I will simply attempt to refute the main
argument of those who take the minority view. I am sure that it is too
simplistic, and that it fails to take account of how the Bible often allows for
unexpressed exceptions to things in a way that isn’t found in modern Western
culture.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">LESS OF A
CONNECTION BETWEEN TRUTHFULNESS AND PRECISION<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Something that modern Christians often fail to
recognize is that </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">the authors of the Bible, and Jesus, expressed themselves in
the particular ways of speaking that were customary in ancient Jewish
culture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Since we first learned to talk, we have been taught to
speak about things in certain ways. We have been taught that some ways of
speaking are truthful and that other ways are misleading. Most of us reach
adulthood without ever having been exposed to another culture that speaks about
things a bit differently. So we tend to simply assume that the ways of speaking
about things that we are used to are universal. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">This, however, is a big mistake. </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Importantly,
what the authors of Scripture regarded as true or false ways of expressing
things doesn’t always coincide with what people today regard as true or false
ways of expressing things. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For our
purposes, the key point we need to grasp is that in Scripture there is often
much less of a connection between truthfulness and precision than exists in
modern Western culture. The biblical authors were frequently far less precise
about things than we tend to be. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This relative imprecision reveals itself in various
ways. There are examples of astonishing imprecision in quantity (e.g., Matt.
12:40). There is hyperbole that goes far beyond what we are used to in our
culture (e.g., Mark 10:29-30). The New Testament contains some amazingly
imprecise quotations of the Old Testament (e.g., Gal. 4:30). And there are
remarkable examples of unexpressed conditions (e.g., Matt. 19:28).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">UNEXPRESSED
EXCEPTIONS<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is another way too in which this general
principle of imprecision can be seen, and this is in the way the Bible allows for
unexpressed exceptions to things. (Unexpressed exceptions also sometimes
involve unexpressed conditions and/or hyperbole.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I think every culture, including modern Western
culture, will allow for some unexpressed exceptions. There are times when we
say something with the understanding that there will be exceptions to what we
are saying, but we don’t bother mentioning the exceptions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, Scripture sometimes does this in ways that we
wouldn’t find in our culture. There are places in the Bible where something is
stated without exceptions being mentioned, where we would mention that there
are exceptions. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here are some examples of this:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Matthew 5:42<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Matthew <st1:time hour="5" minute="42" w:st="on">5:42</st1:time> Jesus teaches:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Give to
the one who asks you, and don't turn away from the one who wants to borrow from
you.” (Holman Christian Standard Bible)</span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In fact, it
should be obvious that many situations arise when we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">shouldn’t</i> give to someone who asks us for something or wants to
borrow from us. For example, if someone asks us for money to buy illegal drugs,
we should certainly refuse!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In this
verse Jesus, in line with ancient Jewish cultural habits, sees no need to
mention that there will be many exceptions to the principle that He is
outlining. We wouldn’t speak like this in our culture. We would tend to convey
the same information differently, perhaps by saying something like: “Be very
generous in giving and lending things to people.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Matthew 23:2-3<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Matthew
23:2-3 Jesus teaches:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2</b> The scribes and the Pharisees sit on
Moses’ seat, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3</b></span><span style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">so do and observe whatever they tell you . . .”<o:p></o:p></span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In fact, we
know from the Gospels that Jesus actually opposed a lot of the teaching of the
scribes and Pharisees, especially their strict rules that went beyond the
written Law of Moses. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What Jesus
means is that His audience should do what the scribes and Pharisees teach <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">when their teaching is good</i>. But the “whatever”
here clearly allows for numerous unexpressed exceptions. In modern Western
culture, we wouldn’t tend to speak like this. We would mention that there were
exceptions to the principle that is being given.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mark 1:5<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Mark 1:5
we read about John the Baptist:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“And all
the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being
baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.”</span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Actually,
we know that there were many Jews, including Pharisees and Sadducees, who
didn’t go to be baptized by John. Mark’s point is that large numbers of people
went to be baptized by him. But “all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem”
allows for many unexpressed exceptions, to a degree that would be unusual in our
culture.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Luke 16:15<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Luke <st1:time hour="16" minute="15" w:st="on">16:15</st1:time> Jesus states:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“For what
is highly admired by people is revolting in God's sight.” (Holman Christian Standard
Bible)</span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In fact, we
can think of many things that would have been highly admired by people in
Jesus’ day but which wouldn’t have been revolting in God’s sight. For instance,
helping someone who has been hurt in an accident is just one of a multitude of
examples that could be given.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Again, in
line with His Jewish culture, Jesus allows for numerous exceptions to the
principle He is outlining, although He doesn’t refer to these exceptions. We
wouldn’t speak like this in our culture. We would probably express the same
concept by saying something like, “Much that is highly admired by people is revolting
in God’s sight.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">John 14:11-12<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In John
14:11-12 Jesus says:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">11 </b>Believe me that I am in the Father
and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">12 </span></b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever
believes in me will also do the works that I do . . .”<o:p></o:p></span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The works
of Jesus that He refers to in these verses surely include the miracles that He
is found performing throughout John’s Gospel, as commentators widely agree.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It would
therefore certainly be a mistake to take these words of Jesus in v. 12 literally.
If we did, we would have to say that every Christian should work the sorts of
miracles that He Himself worked. However, that would contradict other biblical
passages, especially 1 Cor. 12:9-10, 28-29.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Instead,
the idea in these words of v. 12 seems to be that being a believer in Jesus is
the only qualification that people need in and of themselves to work miracles.
For someone to actually work a miracle, God would still need to take the extra
step of granting the ability to perform the miracle in that specific case. But
believing in Christ qualifies us to potentially work miracles if God enables
us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Understanding
Jesus’ words in this way is not a forced interpretation, and this is apparently
what He means. But what is clear is that Jesus allows for many unexpressed
exceptions to these words of v. 12. There are many who believe in Jesus who
will <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> in fact do the works that He
did.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Again, this
passage provides an example of unexpressed exceptions that wouldn’t be found in
our culture. If our ways of expressing things had existed back in Jesus’ day, it
makes sense to think that He would have worded things differently. He would
have conveyed the same information, but with different wording.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Colossians 1:19-20<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Colossians
1:19-20 Paul writes:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">19</b> For in him [Christ] all the fullness
of God was pleased to dwell, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">20</b> and
through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven,
making peace by the blood of his cross.” </span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In this
passage, Paul explicitly says that God was pleased “to reconcile to himself all
things.” And the “all things” he has in mind are said to be “on earth or in
heaven.” There can be no doubt that he is including human beings in what is
talking about. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However,
Paul cannot have meant that literally all human beings will be reconciled to
God, since that would contradict so much else in his letters. See, e.g., Rom.
2:5, 9; 2 Cor. 2:15-16; Gal. 6:8; Phil. <st1:time hour="1" minute="28" w:st="on">1:28</st1:time>;
<st1:time hour="3" minute="19" w:st="on">3:19</st1:time>; 1 Thess. 1:10; 2
Thess. 1:6-9.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Instead, he
must mean that all things will be reconciled to God apart from one unexpressed,
exceptional group of beings, comprising some people and some angels, that will
experience eternal destruction.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The way that Paul has expressed himself in this
passage fitted well with how people spoke in his culture. But this is not how
people in modern Western culture would phrase things. We would express the same
concept differently.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Titus 1:12<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Titus
1:12 Paul quotes a saying:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Cretans
are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”</span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And in the
next verse he states that this is a true saying.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">It makes
sense to think that these vices were common in Crete at the time. But there
were surely many exceptions to what Paul says here. A modern Westerner – at
least one who wanted to speak truthfully – would phrase things differently.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hebrews 4:15<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Hebrews
4:15 the author says about Jesus:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“For we do
not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one
who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” </span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In fact,
there are many ways in which Jesus would not actually have been tempted. For
example, He would never have experienced temptations that are particular to a
husband or a father. More importantly, because He had no sinful nature, He
could never have been tempted in a way that aroused inherently sinful desires,
as we often are.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Someone
might want to argue that this verse should really be taken much more literally
than I have done. They might claim that Jesus was supernaturally enabled to
experience all sorts of temptations that He wouldn’t have encountered in the
normal course of His life. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This,
however, would surely be a mistake. The whole point of the author’s argument in
this part of Hebrews is that Jesus shares in our humanity. He knows what it’s
like. He’s been there and done that. Any suggestion of experiencing temptations
other than those He experienced in the normal course of life would therefore
not fit the context. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What the
verse is telling us is that Jesus, as a real human being, experienced
temptation in a wide variety of ways. Nevertheless, the phrase “in every
respect” allows for many unexpressed exceptions. If our ways of speaking about
things had existed in the first century, it is reasonable to think that the
author would have worded things differently. The same information would have
been conveyed, but with other words.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Summing up<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The above
examples have shown that Jesus and the biblical authors sometimes allowed for
unexpressed exceptions to things in a way that we don’t find in modern Western
culture. We tend to feel it necessary to mention exceptions more than they did.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is
important to take account of this when comparing Jesus’ statements on divorce
and remarriage in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. The fact that in Mark 10:2-12 and Luke 16:18 Jesus mentions no exceptions
to His prohibition of divorce and remarriage is not nearly as significant as
those who take the minority view tend to assume. It is not difficult to think
that these passages could allow for unexpressed exceptional situations where
divorce and remarriage are in fact acceptable in God’s sight.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Comparison with Jesus’ teaching on seeking signs<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is
actually an interesting comparison that can be made with Jesus’ teaching about
seeking signs in the Gospels of Mark and Matthew. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Mark
8:11-12 we read:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">11</b> The Pharisees came and began to
argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">12 </span></b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">And he sighed deeply in his spirit
and said, ‘Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign
will be given to this generation.’”<o:p></o:p></span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Note that
in Mark 8:12 Jesus simply says that no sign will be given.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the
parallel passage in Matthew 12:38-39, however, we are told:</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">38</b> Then some of the scribes and
Pharisees answered him, saying, ‘Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.’</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">39</span></b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> But he answered them, ‘An evil and adulterous
generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of
the prophet Jonah.’”<o:p></o:p></span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Note how in
Matt. 12:39 Jesus says that no sign will be given <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">except the sign of the prophet Jonah</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Matthew
12:39 shows how it would be a mistake to assume that Jesus’ saying in Mark 8:12
allows for no exception. Rather, we should understand Mark 8:12 to allow for an
exception – the sign of the prophet Jonah – even though that exception is not
mentioned. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is not difficult
to think that the same could be true of Jesus’ sayings on divorce and
remarriage. We could understand things in this way:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mark 10:2-12
and Luke 16:18 give the general principle that divorce and remarriage is not
allowed. Although these passages don’t mention any exceptions to the principle,
it is unwarranted to assume that this means there are no exceptions. Matthew
5:32 and 19:3-9 go into a bit more detail by giving exceptions to the principle,
thus showing that there are exceptions to Jesus’ prohibition of divorce and
remarriage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">CONCLUSION<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As I have
said, it has not been my intention in this article to defend at length the
majority evangelical view that there are exceptional situations when divorce
and remarriage are acceptable in God’s sight. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Instead, I
have concentrated my attention on what seems to be the argument that those who
hold the minority view find most persuasive. Those who say that divorce and
remarriage is never right while a previous spouse is still alive usually seem
to find the lack of explicit exceptions in Mark 10:2-12 and Luke 16:18 to be what
carries the most weight on this issue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This,
however, is a mistake. Once we take account of how the Bible allows for
unexpressed exceptions in a way that we don’t find in modern Western culture,
this argument becomes much weaker.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">See also:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2016/10/christians-must-be-careful-not-to.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Beware of Endorsing Invalid Divorces or Remarriages</span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/the-danger-for-christian-in-marrying.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">The Danger for a Christian in Marrying a
Non-Christian</span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/should-single-christians-aim-to-get.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Should Single Christians Aim to Get Married?</span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2016/10/the-biblical-authors-didnt-think-and.html"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Bible Is Often Very Imprecise about Things</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-65742492088141608602019-02-04T11:44:00.001-08:002019-02-04T11:44:38.929-08:00Single-Leader Churches Are a Bad Idea<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As every Christian will be very well
aware, the structure of leadership in local churches today usually involves one
believer having a unique degree of authority.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Of course, most churches have more than
one person performing leadership roles. For example, it is usual for a church
to have several elders. But nevertheless, churches today typically have a
single Christian who is in a unique place of authority.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This person might be known as the
“minister” or the “pastor” or the “senior pastor.” And the congregation gives
this leader more authority than the other leaders in that church. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Something else that is very common
today is for this main leader to do a large majority of the teaching at Sunday
gatherings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It is true that there will be times
when this person is on vacation or off sick etc., and at those times other
people will teach instead. But most churches have a single leader doing most of
the teaching.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A POINT OF TERMINOLOGY<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In what follows, I will refer to
churches that follow this pattern of having one leader in a unique position of
authority who does most of the teaching as “single-leader” churches. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I am aware that this definition is not technically
correct, since most churches of this kind will have other, lower-level, leaders
and teachers too. Nevertheless, for the sake of brevity I will use this term to
refer to churches of this sort.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And I will use the term
“multiple-leader” churches to refer to churches that don’t have a main leader
or teacher.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">MULTIPLE-LEADER CHURCHES IN THE FIRST CENTURY<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When we look at church history, there
is no doubt that single-leader churches have a very long tradition in the
Christian faith. This has been the usual pattern of church leadership since the
second century AD.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nevertheless, as Christians who are
seeking to conform our lives and practice to biblical teaching, it is Scripture
rather than church traditions that we need to look to as our chief guide. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Importantly, the New Testament seems to
quite strongly suggest that first-century Christian congregations were typically
multiple-leader churches: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Firstly, there are no texts which tell
us, explicitly or implicitly, that any first-century church followed the
single-leader model.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Secondly, there are numerous texts
which refer explicitly or implicitly to churches having multiple leaders (Acts 14:23;
15:2, 4, 6, 22-23; 16:4; 20:17-18, 28; Phil. 1:1; 1 Thess. 5:12-13; 1 Tim.
5:17; Titus 1:5; Heb. 13:17).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And thirdly, there is no real evidence
in any of these texts that any of the churches that are referred to had one
leader who had more authority than the others. Nor is there any suggestion that
one leader did most of the teaching. In the absence of evidence for these
things, it seems much more natural to suppose that there were multiple leaders
with the same level of authority and that teaching duties were shared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">God has designed the Bible to instruct
us not just by giving us direct commands to obey, but also by giving us the
example of the early church to follow. If we find that the early Christians
consistently did something in a certain way, we should aim to do the same today
unless there are compelling reasons not to. And there seems to be no good
reason why we shouldn’t follow their structure of church leadership.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SINGLE-LEADER CHURCHES ARE PROBLEMATIC ANYWAY<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Quite apart from what the Bible implies
about this topic, single-leader churches seem a bad idea anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It should be obvious that no Christian comes
even close to having perfect wisdom or insight. We all have gaps in our
understanding. Each of us misses things that other believers see. And we all
have unconscious biases that are not in line with the will of the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">However, we would expect believers who
are serious about following Jesus to be right about things a lot more often
than they are wrong. So among a group of devout Christian leaders, it makes
sense to think that the majority viewpoint on things will probably be mistaken
less frequently than the viewpoint of any one leader. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Therefore, in multiple-leader churches it
is likely that the number of biases and mistakes that get “through the net” and
are allowed to affect the life of the church will be fewer than in
single-leader churches. If there are several devout men who have equal
authority and an equal decision-making capacity, the ability of a church to
sift out mistakes will probably be better than if it had a single-leader
system. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Similarly, where there are several
people doing a lot of teaching, it is much less likely that there will be a big
imbalance in what is taught.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I actually have distressing personal
experience of unbalanced teaching myself. In my own church the man who was the main
leader until a few months ago (who I don’t need to name here) insisted on
teaching on a very narrow set of themes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He rightly taught frequently on the
gravity of sin and the prospect of eternal judgment. But wrongly, he rarely
taught about the love of God or encouraged us in our faith. It was extremely unbalanced
teaching. And because he did the vast majority of the teaching, there was no
one else who could compensate for what he didn’t teach, and our church suffered
as a result. It would have been far better if we had had multiple teachers at
that time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SINGLE-LEADER CHURCHES ARE STRANGE IN WESTERN CULTURE<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I think too that the fact that so many
churches in Western countries are of the single-leader variety is actually quite
strange. Western culture is, of course, strong on its support for democracy as
a political system. Yet when it comes to the Christian faith, huge numbers of Western
Christians, who we might expect to be influenced by democratic ideas, seem
quite content to give one person a unique degree of authority over a local
church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I am not implying that local churches
should be fully democratic. The Bible most naturally suggests that the leaders
alone should make some decisions, and also that congregations are expected to
make some decisions democratically by involving all the believers. I don’t want
to get into a big discussion of that topic here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But what Scripture doesn’t teach is
that there should be one believer with a unique degree of authority over a
congregation, or that one believer should do most of the teaching. That is going
too far. And this is quite a strange thing for Western Christians to accept
anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">OBJECTIONS ANSWERED<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Those who object to the multiple-leader
pattern of church leadership use various arguments to try to support their view.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Supposed quicker decisions and less controversy<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It is often said that having one leader
in a unique position of authority means that decisions can be made more quickly
and with less controversy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It is true that the single-leader model
will sometimes allow for quicker decisions. Yet this is hardly a good enough
reason to use this model. It is much better to get the decisions right, even if
it takes a bit longer to reach them. And allowing multiple leaders a say and a
vote on things will probably mean that in the long run more decisions are in
line with the will of God, as I have noted above.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As far as avoiding controversy is
concerned, it is doubtful that the single-leader model helps to accomplish this.
In fact, I think it may well be the multiple-leader model that avoids more
controversy:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It is, of course, very common in church
life for a member of a congregation to make a suggestion about something that
their church should do. And often such suggestions are rejected by the
leadership. I think that usually those whose ideas are rejected find this
easier to bear if the rejection stems from a vote of the leaders than simply
from the decision of one leader.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Again, I have personal experience of
this myself, regarding the man who was the main leader in my church until
recently. I know that many of us, including myself, made suggestions to him
about how our church could be improved, but time and again he brushed these
ideas aside. I, for one, would have felt better if the rejection I received had
been the result of a vote of the elders rather than the choice of one person. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There will always be controversy and
disagreements in a local church, but it seems to me that the multiple-leader
model is probably better suited to minimizing these than the single-leader
model.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Theological training<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Those who support the single-leader
model of church leadership also often argue that leaders without theological
training shouldn’t have the same level of authority as those with this
training. Because most churches usually have only one leader who has this kind
of training, it is argued, this person should therefore be allowed a unique
place of leadership and should do most of the teaching.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This is a weak argument. Theological
training is certainly valuable, but it is hardly the be-all and end-all of what
is needed in church leaders. There are many devout Christians who lack this
kind of training yet who make very good leaders and teachers. As long as
leaders humbly recognize their limitations and don’t teach on topics they know
little about, their teaching should be useful and good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I do agree that it is very desirable
for every congregation to have one or more leaders who have theological
training, and these leaders can use their theological knowledge in what they
teach. But other leaders without this knowledge can teach effectively in
various ways too. It is quite possible for theologically trained and
non-theologically trained leaders to complement each other well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1 Timothy 5:17<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1 Timothy 5:17 is a verse that is
sometimes said to support the single-leader pattern of church leadership.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Here Paul instructs Timothy:</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Let the elders who rule well be
considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and
teaching.” (English Standard Version)</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This verse shows, it is argued, that not
all elders should be expected to teach, and that this fits well with the
single-leader model.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This is another weak argument.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Firstly, we need to take account of
what Paul has already said in this letter, at 1 Tim. 3:2, where he tells
Timothy that an overseer (another term for an elder) should be “able to teach.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I do agree that 1 Tim. 5:17 implies
that some church leaders can be expected to do a lot more teaching than others.
It makes sense to think that some would be much better teachers than others. But
1 Tim. 3:2 shows that ability to teach is a basic part of leadership
qualifications, and we would normally expect all leaders do some teaching.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Secondly and more importantly, 1 Tim.
5:17 in no way implies that churches in Paul’s and Timothy’s day ever had a
single person in a unique leadership role.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Money<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I suspect that another reason why so
many churches are happy to accept the single-leader model of leadership is
because they want to get their money’s worth for the salary they pay out. I
admit that I have never actually heard anyone use this as an argument for the
single-leader model, but I think it is highly likely that many Christians are
influenced by this sort of reasoning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It is, of course, a fact that most churches
employ only one leader, and that they give that person a full-time salary. It
seems that Christians often feel that this person should earn their pay by
doing most of the teaching and by being given a unique responsibility to make
decisions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The thinking here is all wrong. Considerations
of finance shouldn’t be allowed to control the structure of church leadership
or who does the teaching. It is unhealthy for one person to do most of the
teaching or to have unique authority, and this point should outweigh a desire
to get value for money.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Incidentally, I would suggest that a
better pattern for churches using their finance is to employ multiple leaders
on a part-time salary. These leaders would also normally have part-time
employment outside the church. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I am not sure how often this pattern
would work in practice. But where it is workable, I think it would usually be far
better than employing one leader on a full-time salary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">CONCLUSION<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There are good reasons, then, why the
multiple-leader model of church leadership is superior to the single-leader model:
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">First, the evidence suggests that
churches in the first century were multiple-leader churches, and we should aim
to follow the consistent example of the early Christians unless there are
compelling reasons not to. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Second, it seems obvious that the
multiple-leader model will make it less likely that the shortcomings and biases
of individual leaders will cause problems for a church. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Third, there are no convincing objections
to the multiple-leader model.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It is true that in a multiple-leader
context, we will normally find that some leaders have a lot more influence than
others. Some will gain a reputation for wisdom, so they will be listened to
much more than other leaders. And, as I have said, some leaders will be
especially gifted at teaching, and will probably end up doing a lot more
teaching than others. I am not for a moment suggesting that churches should try
to create some sort of idealized and artificial system, where all the leaders
do exactly the same amount of teaching.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But local churches should have several men
who regularly teach their flock. And these men should have equal authority to
make decisions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I would therefore encourage every
Christian who reads this article to reject the unbiblical tradition of
single-leader churches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">See also:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/beware-of-becoming-attached-to-church.html">Beware
of Becoming Attached to Church Traditions</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2016/10/is-it-wrong-for-women-to-be-church.html">Is
It Wrong for Women to be Church Leaders?</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/christians-shouldnt-use-titles-for.html">Christians
Shouldn’t Use Titles for Church Leaders</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/christians-need-to-put-everything-to.html">Christians
Need to Put Everything to the Test</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-26200278214146866352019-01-28T02:49:00.003-08:002019-01-28T02:49:42.935-08:00Does God Speak through Dreams Today?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think it would
be right to say that most Christians today believe that God still speaks to
people through dreams.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are more
than a few believers, however, who deny that He does this. They claim that He
stopped speaking in this way in the first century around the time the apostles
all died. In their view, all supposed messages from God in dreams today are
purely natural experiences, or perhaps even have a demonic origin at times.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am convinced
that God does speak in dreams today, and in what follows I will argue for this
position. I am sure that the idea that He no longer speaks in this way fits
poorly with Scripture and stems from confused thinking about the role of the
Bible in the Christian life. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">TESTIMONY OF DREAMS<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before getting
into the arguments themselves, I think it will be good to begin by saying a few
words about testimony of dreams. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have never been
aware of God speaking to me in a dream myself, so unfortunately I can’t give
any first-hand testimony. But I have heard or read other Christians say that
they have experienced Him speaking in this way, and some of this testimony has
struck me as highly likely to be genuine.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are a few
examples I have heard about:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First, something
that I have come across repeatedly in recent years is reports of Muslim
converts to the Christian faith, who claim that they became Christians because
Jesus appeared to them in a dream. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can’t remember
all the sources of this information I have seen, but I can remember one of
them, the magazine of the Christian relief agency for the persecuted church,
Barnabasfund. This is a very serious and sober organization run by Christians
who seem not at all to be the sort of people who are given to baseless stories
and hype. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I therefore take
what they have said about Jesus appearing in dreams very seriously.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Second, I can
remember talking to a devout Christian woman a long time ago, who said that
Jesus had appeared to her in a dream. She was going through a hard time at that
point in her life. I forget exactly what happened in the dream, but I know that
she was comforted and encouraged by the experience.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is impossible
that this woman lied about what she experienced, and I think it is very
doubtful that she was even making an honest mistake about the source of the
dream.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Third, I recently spoke
to another devout Christian woman, who told me how a dream helped her and her
husband to move house. She saw a house in a dream, and then later, when they
were aiming to move, a property that happened to be for sale was the one she
saw in the dream. They understood this as God’s leading, and then bought that
house.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Again, it is
impossible that this woman was lying, and I think it is highly likely that this
dream really was from God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">DREAMS TODAY ARE NO THREAT TO THE BIBLE’S AUTHORITY
AND FINALITY</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From what I have
seen, one of the main reasons why some Christians deny that God speaks in
dreams today is because they think that if He did this, it would threaten the
authority and finality of Scripture.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is very
confused thinking going on here. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First, as regards
the Bible’s authority, it should be obvious that none of the examples I gave
above of God speaking in dreams remotely undermines the authority of Scripture.
And the same is true of all other dreams God gives in our day. Any revelation
that God gives in dreams today always fits perfectly with the Bible. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Second, as regards
the Bible’s finality, again, dreams in no way undermine this. No revelation
given by God in dreams today is designed to have scriptural authority or to
apply to the whole Christian church. Revelation in dreams is on a far lower
level than biblical revelation, and just applies to specific and individual
situations. This revelation in no way adds to the Bible, which has, of course,
been complete for the best part of two millennia.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">THE USEFULNESS OF DREAMS<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Those who say that
God never speaks in dreams today also often claim that there is no need for
dreams now that we have the New Testament.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is another
huge mistake here. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To begin with, the
first example I gave above of Jesus appearing to Muslims in dreams concerns
people who would not be intending to read the NT anyway. So in their case, the
fact that the NT exists cannot possibly reduce the effectiveness of the dreams.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Secondly, as far
as Christians are concerned, the existence of the NT in no way means that
dreams are pointless. The NT gives us crucial, general principles about how to
live. But it should be obvious that in the course of our Christian lives, we
encounter numerous situations, sometimes complex ones, in which only reading
the Bible will not give us full insight into how we should act. And when
important decisions are involved, we need other direction from God. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For example, take
the following situations:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(1) A Christian
man is wondering whether to take a job he has been offered or to keep the one
he has. Despite praying and asking advice, he finds that the pros and cons are
evenly balanced. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(2) A Christian
couple are very unsure whether they should move to a different town or continue
to live where they are. Again, the pros and cons seem to cancel each other out.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(3) A church is
considering doing some evangelism. An opportunity opens up for them to reach
out to older people. And another opportunity arises for them to do outreach to
teenagers. But they feel that they can’t manage both. So they have to choose.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I could give a
multitude of similar examples. For individual Christians, Christian families
and churches, situations will often arise where reading the Bible doesn’t give
enough insight to know what the will of God is. Scripture is not designed to
give us direct and specific information about how to decide in situations like
these. Instead, it gives us general principles about how to live and what to
do.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It should be an
undeniable fact, then, that Christians and churches often have to choose
between various courses of action that seem to fit equally well with the Bible.
And some of these decisions are very big ones. What is more, it makes sense to
think that God is almost never neutral about big decisions we make. Almost
always He will want us to take one course of action instead of other
alternatives.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So Christians and
churches often find themselves in situations where they need to be able to hear
God speaking to them about what He specifically wants them to do. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are some who
will readily accept this, but who still argue against dreams today. They say
that God is able to speak to us in other ways than by dreams, so He wouldn’t choose
to speak in dreams.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This argument is
completely misguided. Of course God can and does give specific insight to
Christians other than through dreams. But it is a big mistake to think in terms
of either-or here. It should be both-and. Speaking in dreams is one way in
which God sometimes gives insight to Christians. And this should be allowed to
take its place alongside other ways He speaks. It is absolutely wrong to
basically tell God that He mustn’t speak to us in a certain way. That is an
arrogant attitude indeed!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BIBLICAL TEACHING<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The idea that God
doesn’t speak in dreams today not only involves confused thinking, but it also
fits poorly with Scripture.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Acts 2:16-18<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The most important
passage on this topic is Acts 2:16-18. Here Peter, referring to the day of
Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given, quotes the prophet Joel:</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">16</b> But this is what was spoken through
the prophet Joel:</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">17</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"> ‘And it will be in the last days,’ says God, ‘that
I will pour out my Spirit on all people. And your sons and daughters will
prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream
dreams. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">18</b> Even on my slaves, both
men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they will
prophesy.’”<o:p></o:p></span></span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peter is saying
that the events of the day of Pentecost are the beginning of the fulfillment of
Joel’s prophecy in Joel 2:28-32. Joel prophesied that God would pour out His
Spirit, says Peter, and this has now come into effect. And the text makes it
clear that pouring out the Spirit involves dreaming dreams, and these are
certainly dreams in which God speaks to His people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The prophecy
explicitly says that “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">old men</i> will
dream dreams.” However, it would be wrong to think that this means that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">only</i> old men will dream dreams. Rather,
what we have here is a piece of rhetoric, in which each spiritual activity in
v. 17 applies to each of the groups of people mentioned in this verse. Sons and
daughters, young men and old men will all prophesy, see visions and dream
dreams.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next, we must note
the time reference in this passage. It says that God will pour out His Spirit,
and that Christians will have dreams etc., “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in
the last days</i>.” The last days here is the period of time that began with
the crucifixion-resurrection-giving of the Spirit and will end with the return
of Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But if God stopped
speaking in prophecies, visions and dreams in the first century, this would mean
that in fact it was only in the very first part of the last days that God
poured out His Spirit as Joel and Peter describe. And this does seem a rather
awkward interpretation of the text. Acts 2:16-18 therefore fits more naturally
with God speaking in dreams throughout the Christian era.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Acts 2:16-18 and salvation history<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To think that God
no longer speaks in the prophecies, visions and dreams referred to in this
passage also fits poorly with what we know as “salvation history.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a term
that refers to how God’s overall plan for human beings has unfolded in various
ways in different periods of history. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For example, the
calling of Abraham and the giving of the Law at Sinai involved radical new
departures from what had come before.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Later, the
ministry of John the Baptist brought something radically new, as did the
earthly ministry of Jesus. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The day of
Pentecost was also a huge change from what had come before. On this day the Spirit
was given, in fulfillment of the Old Testament promises of the New Covenant.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Crucially,
however, since Pentecost there has been no critical point in salvation history.
We are still in the same New Covenant era that began on that day. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In view of this,
it would be unexpected, to say the least, if God no longer spoke through
prophecies, visions and dreams. After the Spirit had descended on the day of
Pentecost, this would be like Him deciding to partially reascend to heaven for
no apparent reason.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SUMMING UP<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There really seems
to be no good reason, then, for thinking that God no longer speaks in dreams
today.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This idea appears
to be result of confused thinking about the role of the Bible in the Christian
life. And it fits poorly with Acts 2:16-18.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It also runs up
against very plausible Christian testimony that God is using dreams in our day
to advance His work.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">GUARDING AGAINST POTENTIAL DANGERS<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If we accept, as
we should do, that God speaks through dreams today, we will nevertheless need
to exercise great care in this area.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is surely true
that the vast majority of dreams that Christians have are not ones through
which God is aiming to communicate.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sadly, some
Christians show much too little caution in their attitude to dreams they have
had. Rushing to assume that an unusual dream must be a message from God can
have disastrous consequences, if an important decision is based on the dream
alone.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead, those
Christians who think that God may have spoken in this way should humbly,
cautiously and prayerfully do their best to listen for the confirming voice of
the Holy Spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See also:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/every-christian-should-desire-gift-of.html">Every
Christian Should Desire the Gift of Prophecy</a></span></span><span style="color: #7030a0; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/god-wants-to-do-more-miracles-today.html">God
Wants to Use Christians in Miracle Work Today</a></span></span><span style="color: #7030a0; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/is-it-always-gods-will-to-heal.html">Is
It Always God’s Will to Heal Christians?</a></span></span><span style="color: #7030a0; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2016/11/trusting-god-when-we-are-not-sure-what.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trusting
God When We Are Not Sure What to Do</span></a></span></span><span style="color: #7030a0; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362291435798546804.post-40726931213806815502018-12-31T06:20:00.002-08:002018-12-31T06:21:41.958-08:00Is It True That Every Genuine Prophecy Has Become Part of the Bible?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">It is surely true that a growing number
of Christians worldwide are accepting that God continues to give the gift of prophecy,
referred to in 1 Corinthians 12:10.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">There are still more than a few believers,
however, who deny that He does this. They claim that He stopped giving this
gift in the first century, and they use a number of arguments to try to make
their case.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">AN ARGUMENT THAT IS USED AGAINST PROPHECY TODAY<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">One of these arguments concerns the
supposed scriptural nature of all prophecy, and it goes in this way:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Every genuine prophecy that God has
ever given, in both Old Testament and New Testament times, has become part of the Bible, whether explicitly or
implicitly. Prophecy is by definition something that was designed to be part
of Scripture. However, the Bible is now complete. So there can be no new
prophecies today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">I am convinced that this argument is
badly mistaken.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">It is certainly true that the Bible is
now complete and has been for nearly two millennia. There is nothing wrong with
that part of the argument.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">However, the other key part of the
argument is an unwarranted assumption. There is no good reason for thinking
that every genuine prophecy was designed to be part of Scripture. And this is what
I want to say something about in what follows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">NO PASSAGE TEACHES THAT EVERY PROPHECY WAS DESIGNED TO BE
PART OF SCRIPTURE<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">The first point I need to make is both
very important and very simple. It is that there is no passage in Scripture
which states or even implies that every prophecy was designed to become part of
the Bible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">In the absence of any biblical support
for this idea, it seems much more natural to think that there have been genuine
prophecies that God never intended to be included in Scripture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">COMPARISON WITH APOSTOLIC TEACHING<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Secondly, we need to consider the place
of apostolic teaching in the early church. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">No one should be in any doubt that only
a small part of what the apostles taught has been included in the Bible. Of
course, God will have made sure that all the most important apostolic teaching
was included. But there was much more, somewhat less valuable, teaching of
theirs that the Lord decided not to include.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Why would we imagine that things are
any different as regards prophecy? It makes perfect sense to think that out of
a great many prophecies in the early church, God chose the most important ones
and made them Scripture. It is undeniable that He did this with apostolic
teaching, so why would we think that things are any different with regard to
prophecy?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">1 CORINTHIANS 14:26-31<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Thirdly, we need to take account of
what the apostle Paul says in <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk533589857"></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk533589857;">1 Corinthians
14:26-31</span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk533589857;">, </span>where he
writes to the church in Corinth:</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">26</b>
What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a
revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. . . . <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">29</b> Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what
is said. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">30</b> If a revelation is made
to another sitting there, let the first be silent. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">31</b> For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and
all be encouraged . . .”</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">(Scripture readings in this article are
from the English Standard Version.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">As we will see, this passage quite
strongly suggests that there would have been far too many genuine prophecies in
the first decades of the church, for them all to have got into the New
Testament.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">A specific question<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">In order to focus our discussion of
this passage, let’s ask, and then use the passage to try to answer, a very
specific question:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Of all the genuine, God-given
prophecies in the first 30 years after the day of Pentecost referred to in Acts
2:1-41, what proportion became part of Scripture?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">We could have chosen a different
time-frame for the question we are asking. If we were to choose a period that
was longer or shorter than 30 years, the overall conclusion below would not be
any different. But to make the question a very precise and concrete one, let’s
stick to thinking about the first 30 years after Pentecost. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">The most common scholarly viewpoint on
the year of the crucifixion, resurrection and giving of the Spirit at Pentecost
is 30 AD, and there is no doubt that these events took place within a few years
of 30 AD.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Because precision in timing is not important
for our purposes, let’s just assume that the Spirit was given, and Christian
prophecy began, in 30 AD.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">So, as we consider 1 Cor. 14:26-31, the
question we are asking is what proportion of genuine prophecies between 30-60
AD became part of the Bible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">The date this passage was written<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Next, I need to say a word about when this
passage was written. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">The scholarly consensus is that Paul
wrote 1 Corinthians within a couple of years of 55 AD. And it was certainly
written within our time window of 30-60 AD. For the sake of argument, let’s
assume that it was written in 55 AD.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">So we will assume that Paul wrote 1 Cor.
14:26-31 in 55 AD.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">The frequency of main gatherings of the Corinthian church<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Next, we need to note how Paul says in
v. 26, “When you come together.” He seems clearly to be referring to the typical
main gatherings of the Corinthian church. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Importantly, it is extremely unlikely
that this church would have met less than once a week. Nothing in the NT leads
us to believe that any Christian church in the first century met less often
than this except perhaps in unusual circumstances. And there is no reason to
think that the Corinthians would have been any different in this respect. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">So it makes sense to think that the sort
of situation Paul envisages in 14:26-31 would have occurred at least once a
week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">The number of prophecies per main gathering<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Next, we must note that in v. 29 Paul seems
to envisage two or three prophets prophesying at a typical main gathering. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Or, in view of “you can all prophesy
one by one” in v. 31, Paul may mean that two or three prophets should prophesy
before the others weigh the prophecies (v. 29), and then another two or three
should prophesy, and so on. In this case, there would have been many more than
two or three prophecies per typical main gathering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">The number of prophecies among the Corinthians in main
gatherings in 55 AD<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">So, taking into account the above
points, how many genuine prophecies do we think there might have been in the main
gatherings of the Corinthian church in the year Paul wrote this letter, i.e.,
55 AD? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">There are admittedly some big
uncertainties here. We aren’t sure how often the church gathered together. We
don’t know how many prophecies were spoken out at a typical gathering. And we
don’t know how many of the prophecies that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">were</i>
spoken out would have been genuine, although Paul certainly seems to imply that
many of them would have been.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Fortunately, for our purposes we don’t
need to be at all precise. We just need to give a very approximate figure that
can allow for a lot of doubt. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">If we were to say that there were two
genuine prophecies per week, and one main gathering per week, that would work
out at about 100 in the year. I suspect that the real number was probably
higher than that. But let’s stick with a conservative ballpark figure of 100
genuine prophecies at main gatherings of the Corinthian church in 55 AD.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Other prophecies among the Corinthians in 55 AD<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">We also need to bear in mind that at
Corinth there were probably numerous prophecies that God gave to individuals or
smaller groups of Christians, other than at the main gatherings. To suppose
that He would have chosen to use this gift only at the main gatherings of the
church is completely unwarranted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">As another conservative guess, let’s
say there were 50 genuine prophecies in 55 AD in Corinth, outside the main
gatherings of the church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Total prophecies in Corinth in 55 AD<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">So our guess for the total number of
genuine prophecies in the Corinthian church in 55 AD is 150. And I suspect this
is on the low side. The impression that Paul gives in this passage is that God
was doing a lot of speaking to the Corinthians through the gift of prophecy at
this time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">I need to stress that this number of
150 doesn’t need to be at all accurate. The key point I am trying to make is
that, from what Paul says in 1 Cor. 14:26-31, it is likely that the number of
prophecies in Corinth in 55 AD would have been as high as three figures, and
that it is very unlikely that it would have been in the low two figures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">In view of what Paul says in this
passage, it would be very strange if there were only, say, 10 or 20 genuine
prophecies in the Corinthian church that year. That seems much too low. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">The number of prophecies in the whole Christian church in 55
AD<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Next, let’s consider how many genuine
prophecies there would have been in the whole Christian church in 55 AD.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">To do this, we need to estimate what
percentage of all Christians that existed at that time were in the church in
Corinth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">I admit that there are huge
uncertainties here. And I don’t intend to try to research this. But, given all
the areas in the Middle East and Europe that we know there were churches at
this time, and inferences that we can make about parts of Africa and Asia, I think
the Corinthians would probably have comprised less than 1 per cent of the
entire church. I will make a very rough guess that 0.5 per cent of all Christians
were in the church in Corinth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Again, I need to stress that my guess
doesn’t have to be at all accurate. But let’s say that this was the correct
figure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">So, if there were 150 prophecies in
Corinth in 55 AD, and if other churches were prophesying at the same rate, that
would make a total of 30,000 prophecies this year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">It is true that there may be a
suggestion in 1 Corinthians that gifts of the Spirit such as prophecy were
unusually common in the church in Corinth. Nevertheless, this is far from sure.
And there is no reason to think that things were <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">very</i> different in any other churches at that time. Various passages
outside 1 Corinthians make it clear that prophecy was widely practised in the
early decades of the church (Acts 2:16-18; 11:27-28; 13:1-2; 15:32; 19:6; 21:9;
21:10-11; Eph. 2:20; 4:11). And Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians itself
suggests that the same sort of spiritual gifts were used in churches generally
(1 Cor. 12:4-31).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Anyway, let’s be conservative and say
that in 55 AD there were 10,000 genuine prophecies in the whole church. Again,
I suspect that the real number would have been higher.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">The number of prophecies in the whole Christian church
between 30-60 AD<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Now let’s move on to consider the whole
church between 30-60 AD. How many genuine prophecies would there have been during
this time? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">The first point to make here is that
there is no reason for thinking that God was any more willing to give the gift
of prophecy in 55 AD than He was in any of the other years between 30-60 AD.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">On the other hand, the church was obviously
growing in size in this period, so in 55 AD it would have been well above the
average size for 30-60 AD. And it seems likely that the more Christians there
were overall, the more prophecy there would have been. So we can’t just
multiply our 10,000 by 30. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Again, I admit that I am guessing here,
but again too we don’t need to be at all accurate. I think a conservative
figure for the average yearly number of prophecies in the whole church between
30-60 AD might be 2,500. I have to say that I would be surprised if it was as
low as this. But let’s stay conservative and stick with this figure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">This would mean that there were 75,000
genuine, God-given prophecies between 30-60 AD. And personally, I would be
surprised if it was as few as this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Extremely implausible that all prophecies became part of the
Bible<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Clearly, this conclusion is an enormous
problem for those who say that all genuine prophecies have become part of the Bible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Even if we allow – as we should do –
for a lot of repetition in the prophecies God gave, it is extremely implausible
that all the prophecies between 30-60 AD are explicitly or implicitly in the NT
somewhere. The vast majority of the NT is clearly not prophecy. It includes
much teaching about Jesus’ life, the history of the early church, reasoned theological
arguments and the apocalyptic book of Revelation. It is true that Revelation is
described as a prophecy (Rev. 1:3; 22:7, 10, 18-19), but it is just one
prophecy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">I do think that more than a few
prophecies given to Christian prophets have strongly influenced the NT, and I
think these may well number in the hundreds rather than in the tens. Furthermore,
some specific Christian prophecies are explicitly referred to (Acts 11:27-28;
13:1-2; 21:10-11). But surely the vast majority of prophecies between 30-60 AD
have not become part of Scripture. And then there are the decades immediately
following 60 AD as well, in which all Bible-believing Christians agree that the
gift of prophecy continued to be used at least to some extent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Even if someone were to disagree with
my figure of 75,000 and believes that it should be a lot lower, the revised figure,
plus prophecies after 60 AD, would still surely be high enough to rule out the
idea that all prophecies made it into the NT. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Summing up, then, it is very difficult
to take what Paul says in 1 Cor. 14:26-31 seriously and also conclude that every
prophecy is by definition something designed to be included in the Bible. To do
this, we would have to assume that the situation Paul describes in this passage
was very different from the normal state of affairs in the early decades of the
church. But nothing in 1 Corinthians, or in any other part of the NT, suggests that
this was the case.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">ACTS 13:1-2<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Finally,
</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">let’s consider this issue from another
angle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">In Acts 13:1-2 Luke tells us about
something that happened in the church in Syrian Antioch:</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1</b>
Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon
who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the
tetrarch, and Saul. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2</b> While they
were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me
Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’”</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">We are told here how the Holy Spirit
gave this church a prophecy, singling out Barnabas and Paul for the mission
that is commonly known as Paul’s first missionary journey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Here is my question to those who say
that all prophecies were designed to become part of the NT:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">The Bible clearly contains few, if any,
other Christian prophecies that are similar to this one. So if every prophecy becomes
part of the Bible, this must mean that God gave no, or almost no, other
prophecies of this sort in the early decades of the church. But why do you
think He would have chosen to not to give prophecies like this? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">There seems to be no reason whatsoever
why we should think that He didn’t give many prophecies of this sort. In fact, I
suspect that in the first few decades after Pentecost, God gave the early
church hundreds or thousands of prophecies like this, where He directed
specific believers to do certain tasks. We can very easily imagine that He
would have wanted to do this. And there is absolutely no good reason for
thinking that He wouldn’t have wanted to. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">If God did give many prophecies of this
sort, as I am sure He did, then clearly it was never His plan for all
prophecies to become part of the Bible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">CONCLUSION</span></b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">We have seen, then, that the idea that
every genuine prophecy was designed to become part of the Bible has no real
foundations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">First, no passage in Scripture leads us
to think that this was the case. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Second, as regards what is contained in
the New Testament, there is no good reason for thinking that prophecy in the
early church was any different from apostolic teaching. We know that most
apostolic teaching is not recorded in the NT, so it is very natural to think
that the same is true of prophecy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Third, what Paul says in 1 Cor.
14:26-31 strongly suggests that there were far too many prophecies in the early
church for them all to have become part of the NT.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Fourth, it seems very reasonable to
think that in the early church the Lord gave many prophecies similar to the one
recorded in Acts 13:1-2.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">The idea that every genuine Christian
prophecy was designed to become part of the Bible is therefore one that should
be abandoned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">This idea just seems to be an
assumption that has come out of nowhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">The upshot of this conclusion is that
it is a big mistake to appeal to the supposed scriptural nature of all prophecy
as a reason why God doesn’t give this gift today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">I noted above that it is very
reasonable to think that in the early church God gave many prophecies similar
to the one recorded in Acts 13:1-2, where He singles out Barnabas and Paul for
a task. It is just as reasonable to think that He often wants to do the same
today. And I am sure that He often does give prophecies like this, that refer
to specific tasks for individual Christians and individual churches. Prophecies
of this sort in no way threaten the supremacy of the Bible, and we should all
be seeking this gift from the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">See also my longer article on the gift
of prophecy:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/every-christian-should-desire-gift-of.html"><span style="color: #0070c0;">Every Christian Should Desire the Gift of Prophecy</span></a></span></u><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">And see also:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.com/2018/10/does-ephesians-219-20-prove-that-god-no.html">Does
Ephesians 2:19-20 Prove That God No Longer Gives the Gift of Prophecy?</a></span></span><span style="color: #1f4e79; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/god-wants-to-do-more-miracles-today.html"><span style="color: #0070c0;">God Wants to Use Christians in Miracle Work Today</span></a></span></u><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;"><a href="http://maxaplin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/healing-people-afflicted-by-demons.html">The
Importance of Ministering to People Afflicted by Demons</a></span></span><span style="color: #1f4e79; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />The Orthotometisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998926217897840960noreply@blogger.com