Jeff Ling

” I am struck by the lack of biblical literacy from virtually every voice in this discussion. Let me start with Christians. It seems that we have little sense about what politics does and does not achieve. My brothers and sisters, “we won” is not an appropriate response. Patting ourselves on the back is silly. Moving forward with anything less than continual proclamation of the gospel of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ with the somber realization of the lostness we face is simply missing the point. Politics does not bring victory over sin, death, hell, and the grave – Jesus does. Laws do not change people’s hearts – the Spirit of Christ does. Elections will not bring this country to be a picture of God’s Kingdom – God the Father and his electing purposes will do so when he sends his Son to restore all things at the end of the age. Don’t get me wrong, we ought to vote in a way that reflects God’s Kingdom, and in doing so perhaps some will be confronted with the reality of God and his created order. But please don’t act like temporal laws in a temporal government will ever bring about the true spiritual change that’s needed to redeem hearts, minds, souls, and bodies for Christ.”

 

An excellent article from the Secundum Scripturas blog.

NC Amendment One and President Obama   by Matt Emerson

In his book What Did You Expect?: Redeeming the Realities of Marriage
Paul David Tripp offers the following on forgiveness:

“A lifestyle of unforgiveness is rooted in the sin of forgetfulness.

We forget that there is not a day in our lives that we do not need to be forgiven. We forget that we will never graduate from our need for grace. We forget that we have been loved with a love we could never earn, achieve, or deserve. We forget that God never mocks our weakness, never finds joy in throwing our failures in our face, never threatens to turn His back on us, and never makes us buy our way back into His favor.

When you remember, when you carry with you a deep appreciation for the grace that you have been given, you’ll have a heart that is ready to forgive.

That doesn’t mean that the process will be comfortable or easy, but it will mean that you can approach your needy spouse remembering that you are just as in need of what you’re about to give to him or her.”

Tripp writes this in a book about marriage but could not the word “spouse” be substituted with friend, co-worker, parent or child? I pray for us all, a grace of forgiveness rooted in remembering who we are before the throne of God’s holiness and the cross of His love.

I was looking at the website of Middletown Springs Community Church in Vermont where Jared C. Wilson pastors. (If you’ve never looked at his blog, I encourage you to.)

Reviewing their statement of faith, I came across this item:

“We believe that God’s exclusive model for marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime of godliness and fidelity. It is a unique gift of God, illustrating the union between Christ and His Church. Marriage provides the framework for intimate companionship, sexual expression according to Biblical standards, the means for procreation, and is God’s foundation for the family. (Genesis 1:27-28; 2:18-25; Proverbs 5:15-22; Song of Solomon; Ephesians 5:25-33)”

Does your church include a statement like this is your core beliefs?