Biblical Studies

“If the Lord Wills”

James 4:13-15, “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.’”

Ephesians 5:15-17, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

                                                                                      ~~~~~

These are two passages written by different men to different audiences within the church. James is a Jew writing to a Jewish audience who has been scattered (James 1:1), and Paul is also a Jew, but he’s writing to the Ephesians, a Greek audience. Yet they both focus on the Lord’s will rather than following our own. It is ingrained in us–at least those of us from Western culture–to have a plan for the future, whether it’s tomorrow, a year from now or 10 years from now. I am a list-making, planning type of person. When a wrench is thrown into those plans, it’s difficult for me to adjust. I’ve gotten better over the years, but I get so focused on a task that a deterrent can change my attitude like a switch. Unfortunately, that attitude change affects my family the most. These last couple of weeks, the Lord has been constantly reminding me to say, “If the Lord wills, I will do this or that.” Having a business where I want to maintain customer satisfaction (having been a people-pleaser my whole life), I can get too focused on that. There are deadlines and remaking items that failed the first time. But then the wrench is thrown. People are sick in the house, I need to help. Our water heater rusted out, I need to watch the kids while others fix the problem. Family goes out of town so there’s less time in the shop. Animals need to be fed. Basketball practice and games come up. In short, life happens.

When I stop to think and pray about why it’s so hard to let my plans go, I realize it comes down to one main issue: control. I want to control what happens so it is done my way in the timing I think it should be done. There are a number of “I’s” and “my’s” in that statement–and there lies the problem. When I tell the Lord He is the Savior of my life and trust Him, giving up control is part of that. Not that I am a robot, but rather, understanding that His ways are truly much greater than my own. In the end, I never regret it when I trust Him and hand over control because the outcome is always better. It may not be what I expect, or the outcome may not be known right away. But it is always good. As a parent, I’m starting to understand that more. I always want the best for my son even though he may not think I’m being nice all the time. He may be having fun doing one thing, but I know it will lead to danger so I tell him to stop. He may never understand why I’m so adamant, but I do. Doesn’t the Lord do that with us as our loving Father? I am reminded of a couple of passages (although there are many more):

Luke 11:9-13, “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

Hebrews 12:7-11, “It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”

Even though I may think that trying to fulfill tasks is no big deal, it becomes a matter of flesh versus Spirit when I can’t accomplish what I want and my behavior changes. It’s the negative changes that occur over time and the affects that those changes have on others that should make me pause and ask myself, “Am I putting the Lord first?” “Am I putting my family next?” “Am I demonstrating Christ-like behavior to those around me?” “Why is this making me angry?” “What is the outcome if I don’t finish; is it as bad as I think it will be?” “What does the Lord want me to do, even if it’s not what I want in this moment?”

Habits and mindsets are difficult to break but not impossible. If we want to strive to do the Lord’s will and fulfill what HE has for us, parts of ourselves need to be broken and re-shaped to become more like Christ. While painful, it’s for our good, and ultimately, for His glory. We may live in this world, but our focus should not be on the things of this world. If I don’t become who the Lord has called me to be, the only person standing in my way is me. The Lord is the good Father who answers when we call. Will we listen to His response?

Why Would God Tell You That?

Is that a question you’ve heard before? Or maybe it was implied by someone’s response to you sharing what’s been on your heart. You felt confident God was calling you in one direction, but those around you couldn’t understand it or thought you’re behavior was irrational. “Certainly God wouldn’t call you to leave what you know and go somewhere foreign.” Or “God wouldn’t call you to quit your job and start something new”. Or “God wouldn’t ask you to go into debt by going back to school”. Or [insert your situation here]. Seeds of doubt get planted, and you begin to wonder if you really heard God.

I think all of us have had at least one moment like that in our lives, and most likely more than one. It’s what we do in that moment that counts, and prayer is the best way to start. How many times in the Bible was God patient enough to encourage those who doubted what He asked or who felt inadequate to complete the task. Moses is the first person who comes to mind, and he helped to free the Israelites from slavery, gave them the Law from God and wrote the Pentateuch. There are numerous examples of God telling people to do things that we might call crazy, like Hosea being commanded to take a harlot as a wife to demonstrate Israel’s unfaithfulness to the Lord, or Noah building the ark, or Abraham leaving his country (especially at an older age) to wander in the wilderness where God led him. But one person stands out especially in this season of Christmas, and that person is Mary.

Many of us have grown up hearing the story of the nativity, and Mary being chosen by God to give birth to the Messiah. What is less taught is how all of this was counter-cultural in their day. According to scholars, Mary would have been a teenager, and Scripture tells us she was betrothed to Joseph. While in our culture, we would view this as an engagement but not an official marriage, in ancient Israel, they were viewed as husband and wife already. In the famously deemed Ten Commandments of the Law, the seventh commandment is “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14). But there was much more detail to the Law than the Ten Commandments, especially regarding unfaithfulness. Leviticus 20 is just one chapter devoted to the consequences of the sins of sexual immorality. Usually the result was death. John 8 demonstrates that the practice of stoning an adulterous woman to death still occurred in the first century AD. This practice from the Law is written in Deuteronomy 22:23-24, “If there is a girl who is a virgin engaged to a man, and another man finds her in the city and lies with her, then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city and you shall stone them to death; the girl because she did not cry out in the city, and the man, because he has violated his neighbor’s wife. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you.”

With this in mind, imagine Mary, a young virgin who is betrothed, winds up pregnant. A virgin getting pregnant would be seemingly impossible, so what would be the alternative thought? Adultery, most likely. Matthew’s account makes it clear that even though Mary and Joseph were betrothed, they had not consummated their marriage yet. Therefore, a pregnancy would’ve been viewed as unfaithfulness. Mary knew the Law, but when she was told by the angel Gabriel that she was chosen by God and that she would become pregnant through His power, she responds, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). How incredible is that! Knowing that this choice could result in death according to the Law, she trusts in the Lord. Even more, she praises the Lord for regarding a humble person as herself and exalts the Lord for His magnificence (Luke 1:46-55-The Magnificat).

Joseph’s response also demonstrates his exemplary character, and no doubt why God chose him (as well as being of the lineage of David). Matthew describes Joseph as a “righteous man” (Matt. 1:19) and says that “not wanting to disgrace her (Mary), planned to send her away secretly.” While some may find it harsh that Joseph would essentially divorce her, he was actually giving up his right to bring her before the court and have her stoned as the Law states should happen for an adulterous woman. Rather, he was willing to protect her and put the shame on himself. But thankfully, the Lord sent an angel to deter him from this decision and explained to him what happened. Just like Mary, Joseph didn’t question what was told him, but Matthew 1:24-25 says, “Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.”

If there was any time to doubt that you heard from God, the situation these two faced would be at the top of the list. Everyone knows that they haven’t officially consummated their marriage. Everyone knows that the Law says an adulteress would be stoned to death. But the Lord orchestrated everything perfectly. Since Mary was betrothed, the decision was up to Joseph, who God knew to be a righteous man who wouldn’t harm Mary. He knew Mary would fulfill the task because she was a faithful woman of God and considered God’s choice to be a blessing to her. The story of the birth of Christ is one of hope and amazing love, and it all began with faith that what God said was true and would be fulfilled.

God knew what the Law said—He wrote it! He knew what He asked of Mary and Joseph would not line up culturally. But God is above culture! God is above all things! God speaks to us if we’re willing to have ears to hear and understand. If you know that God has called you to do something, and you’ve gone before Him in prayer (this is important!), have the faith of Mary and Joseph who said, “May Your will be done, Lord.” Their faith resulted in the birth of our Savior who has redeemed us and saved us from our sin.

Even if you feel alone in your decision, the Lord will be there to guide you and provide for you along your journey. Let’s pray together:

Father, we thank you for the truth of Your Word, that it is a lamp to guide us when we falter or doubt. You’ve chosen many people before us to fulfill Your will, and we thank you that we can learn and be encouraged by their faithfulness. We have the blessing to see promises fulfilled that not many of them saw. Help us to hear your voice and drown out the world that seeks to discourage and destroy us. We desire to be a light instead, walking where you tell us to go even when we can’t see the end. Thank you for the gift of Jesus Christ, and the salvation and forgiveness You’ve given us so that we may lead others to Your kingdom. May we not fear the unknown but rejoice that You have chosen to regard the humble to exalt Your name. Give us Your strength and peace even when we feel alone, and remind us that You are always there. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

A Message to the Bride of Christ: Repent!

Wars abroad and cultural wars at home—evil thrives and preys on the innocent. The sickness permeates everything until we wonder if there’s anything good left. It’s in schools, homes, businesses, media of all kinds, nations, and yes, even in the church. “There is so much evil, how can You stand it, Lord?” I wrote on October 7th in my journal. But then another written thought proceeded, “You see it all that it makes Your love that much more profound and magnificent. Your grace is beyond words, and I’m humbled by Your goodness, such goodness that can’t exist in this sinful world.” While everything seems dark and grim, Solomon’s words ring true, “There is nothing new under the sun.”

Paul wrote in Romans 15:4, “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Going back to those “earlier times” we read about the birth of creation, and later, the birth of the nation of Israel—a people set apart by God and for God. But if you’ve read any of the Old Testament, it doesn’t take long for their love of the Lord God to turn to lust of other idols and gods. They run with the world and their faithfulness runs with it; more explicitly, they play the harlot. According to the Law, adultery was punishable by death, and so was the fate of Israel. Everything seemed dark and grim (sound familiar?), and often times, God is described as violent and wrathful in the Old Testament. While the wrath of God is real, it’s not without proper cause. His beloved had repeatedly committed adultery against Him (human terms, of course, to help us understand the significance of Israel’s sin). If you’ve ever been in that situation, consider how you felt and still feel—angry, bitter, vengeful, wrathful, broken. The Lord doesn’t mince words when He describes what will become of His beloved. But as I reread through those passages of Scripture, such as in Hosea, the love of God pierces my heart. In addition to a husband role, the Lord God also describes Himself as a father to Israel, guiding and leading them even when they chose to follow other gods:

“When Israel was a youth I loved him,

And out of Egypt I called My son.

The more they called them,

The more they went from them;

They kept sacrificing to the Baals

And burning incense to idols.

Yet it is I who taught Ephraim to walk,

I took them in My arms;

But they did not know that I healed them.

I led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love,

And I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws;

And I bent down and fed them.” Hosea 11:1-4 (NASB)

While Hosea 11 reminisces on the earlier state of Israel, most of the book focuses on Israel’s choices and how they lead to its destruction:

“Woe to them, for they have strayed from Me!

Destruction is theirs, for they have rebelled against Me!

I would redeem them, but they speak lies against Me.

And they do not cry to Me from their heart

When they wail on their beds;

For the sake of grain and new wine they assemble themselves,

They turn away from Me.” Hosea 7:13-14

What stands out to me in this passage, and as I read Hosea as a whole, is that even though Israel has carried out such wickedness and unfaithfulness, the Lord says “I would redeem them.” If only they would turn, all the wrath and anger would turn to forgiveness and compassion, like in the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15).

To be clear, this post about Israel is nothing in relation to what’s happening in the Middle East. Rather, it’s to demonstrate God’s love in the midst of evil everywhere. To reiterate Paul’s words, what was written before is to help us now, so that we would have hope. Israel was set apart for God under the Old Covenant. But now we are under the New Covenant, ushered in by Christ’s sacrifice. The church is now the bride of Christ- God’s elect- that is set apart in this world for the Lord. Yet how often we act like the Israel of the Old Testament! How many idols do we worship? What does our faithfulness look like? Are we faithful at all? We are supposed to be armored up with the truth of God’s word, but we have to actually study and know it and live it for ourselves in order to wield it against the enemy and our flesh.  What distinguishes us from the world? Rather, we have let the world into the church for fear of being “(insert word here)phobic” or being deemed irrelevant when cultural relevancy is all the rage.

The Lord’s love is beyond our understanding, and I can confidently say that He is waiting for us, the church, to come back to Him. The problem is that many of us don’t even recognize that we’ve strayed. We fail to recognize our idols and that we follow a Sunday routine without growth or joy. We fail to question what is taught, and when we feel that tugging in our mind that says “That doesn’t seem right,” we ignore it thinking that the preacher must know what he’s talking about. STOP and LISTEN to the Holy Spirit! In truth, the Lord is angry with the church because it spews lies and appeases people’s emotions. Emotional hype is not spiritual growth—it just masquerades as growth until we realize how empty we are when things get difficult. We are accountable for what we know, and we are without excuse, just like Israel was. They had the Law written for them. They had prophets and priests to guide them. They had tangible miracles to save and provide for them. Yet, they abandoned the Lord. We have much more than they did since all the truth is at our fingertips. We have Christ as the ultimate sacrifice so that we aren’t required to bring sacrifices except to “present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship” (Romans 12:1). Paul continues in Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

One of the greatest lies I’ve given in to is that I don’t have time. I don’t have time to sit down and write. I don’t have time to study God’s word. I have to get this and that done. I know I’m not alone. In this age, we fill up our lives with so much that sometimes it seems we barely have time to breathe. But the excuse of “not even time” is a lie—we choose to create chaos in our lives. I think we even welcome the chaos because it prevents us from truly examining ourselves individually and as a body of believers. Our flesh savors this, and it is a daily fight to push through, take the blinders off, and let ourselves be still with the Lord with all our sin and pain exposed. But only when we do this can we be healed. For the sake of our nation, and really the world, we must go through the pain of recognizing our failure as the body of Christ. But thanks be to God, it doesn’t stop there! Our repentance leads to God’s magnificent forgiveness and love that is beyond human comprehension. When we are right with Him, we can stand as soldiers declaring truth and thwarting the enemy:

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” Ephesians 6:11-13

Let us learn from the past and become a faithful, and spiritually strong bride of Christ. Evil is all around us, but let us stand firm as a light to the nations and demonstrate God’s truth and love.

©Lauren Demuth

Trinity Series- Part 1: What Does “Trinity” Mean?

Introduction

Trinity. This is a word/concept that many of us have heard before, but what do we really understand about it? Do we conceive its significance not only in the Word of God but in our lives? The word “Trinity” is not found in Scripture; however, it is a term first used in the second century to describe who God is based on Scriptural evidence. Throughout the last two thousand years there have been numerous theories and doctrines offered by historical church figures who have sought to define or clarify the concept of the Trinity. Some of these doctrines have become foundational beliefs in the church. One example is the Nicene Creed, established in 325 A.D. to combat Arianism, a doctrine that denied the divinity of Jesus:

We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible, and in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten of the Father, that is, of the substance [ousias] of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one substance [homoousion] with the Father, through whom all things came to be, those things that are in heaven and those things that are on earth, who for us men and for our salvation came down and was made flesh, and was made man, suffered, rose the third day, ascended into the heavens, and will come to judge the living and the dead.[1]

While we could explore the plethora of arguments and historical documents related to this topic, it is my opinion that the best source to use is Scripture itself. Over the last few weeks, I have been encouraged, challenged, and amazed while spending time in the Word to understand the Trinity more fully. God has truly given us all we need to know if we are willing to ask Him and take the time to dig into His truth. Since there are numerous passages that are worth discussing in regard to the Trinity, I will be writing a mini-series on the topic. While focusing on Scripture, I will also incorporate biblical research that offers insight on the original languages and cultural background. Illumination on these subjects helps to establish a clearer picture of the biblical audience and the intended message. As the first part of the Trinity series, this post aims to unpack the basic idea of “Trinity” and what it means to be made in the image of God.

In the Beginning

As we open our Bibles to the first book, Genesis, we are confronted with a magnificent picture and puzzling language: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). In this context, the word for God in Hebrew is “Elohim,” which is actually plural in form. While some scholars argue that the plural form of God, which is found throughout Scripture, is in reference to the greatness “of majesty or completeness” of God, others conclude that this plurality gives credence to the Trinity.[2] As explained in the New Bible Dictionary, “Three affirmations are central to the historic doctrine of the Trinity: 1. there is but one God; 2. the Father, the Son and the Spirit is each fully and eternally God; 3. the Father, the Son, and the Spirit is each a distinct person.”[3] While the term “Elohim” may leave some in doubt of a Trinitarian concept of God, the language used in Genesis 1:26-27 provides further evidence of the Trinity: “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”[4] The plurality of the verb “make” and the plural pronouns are unmistakable, thus providing support for the Trinity.[5] But what does it mean to be made in the image of God (Trinity)?

Being Made in the Image of God

There is no denying that people have questioned how God can be three persons yet one God. Muslims declare that the Christian belief in the Trinity is to believe in a plurality of gods, and I’m sure others have come to the same conclusion. However, to understand how the Trinity works, we must look at how we were created.

When I look at myself in the mirror, I see a body (σῶμα; 1 Cor. 12:12), but that’s only part of who I am. I also have a spirit (πνεῦμα; Matt.5:3; 26:41; Heb. 4:12). This is my personality, the essence of Lauren, if you will. But even with a body and spirit, I am not whole. I also have a soul (ψυχή; Matt. 10:28; 16:26; Heb. 4:12), the part of me that will live eternally. I cannot touch my spirit or my soul, but they are always real and present. Without them, I would not be me nor would I live eternally since the body decays and ceases to exist. With this in mind, I could argue that I am three persons in one, completely unified yet each part is distinct.[6] I believe this is a simple yet powerful explanation of what being made in the image of the Trinity means, and it helps us to see how the Trinity is possible. Scripture explains to us the distinct roles of each Person of the Trinity and also how God Himself is the very representation of unity. The following is a very basic outline of the roles of the Trinity which will be explored in future posts: God the Father is spirit, unseen except by the Son (John 1:18; 6:46), who is Creator and Judge over all creation. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, physical in form, who is seen in both Old and New Testament writings. He is also involved in creation and is the Mediator, the High Priest, between us and the Father (Heb. 8:1-6). The Holy Spirit, also present in both Old and New Testament writings, is the power of God. He is the Guide and Counselor (John 16:5-15) who dwells within the followers of God as a seal of their eternal salvation.

Searching the Scriptures

While there is much more to be written on this topic—coming soon—I want to leave you with this challenge: Search the Scriptures. If you truly want to know God more, seek Him. Ask Him questions and read His Word for answers. Too often we go to self-help books or books written by famous Christians to find what we’re looking for. I was one of those people who bought book after book explaining this and that. But in truth, nothing compares to reading His Word. I also want to encourage you to read a translation that doesn’t try to use relevant language. In other words, do not pick translations that rewrite passages with American/Western cultural pictures or language (especially do NOT use The Message paraphrase). I prefer using the New American Standard translation because it is one of the closest translations to the original Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic languages, although I’m not saying that this is the only translation to use. Another challenge I offer is to read through the chapter and verse breaks. Chapters and verses were added to Scripture for ease of reading and research, but these are not in the original texts. I recommend reading through an entire book in one sitting, if possible (I know this is difficult for OT books). It is amazing what reading Scripture in context (see Cutting the Context), rather than pulling out a verse here and there, will reveal!

As I prepare for the next part in the Trinity series, please feel free to ask questions in the comments section. I will do my best to incorporate answers in future posts. I look forward to searching the Scriptures with you over these next few weeks! God Bless 🙂

 

©Lauren Heiligenthal

 

Footnotes

[1] Paul P. Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1989), 420–421.

[2] Guy P. Duffield and Nathaniel M. Van Cleave, Foundations of Pentecostal Theology (Los Angeles, CA: L.I.F.E. Bible College, 1983), 63.

[3] M. Turner and G McFarlane, “Trinity,” ed. D. R. W. Wood et al., New Bible Dictionary (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 1209.

[4] Bold print added for emphasis.

[5] Even though Gen.1:27 switches to the pronoun “He” (singular) instead of “Us”(plural), The NET Bible First Edition Notes explains that “The third person suffix on the particle אֵת (’et) is singular here, but collective.” While “He” is singular in form, it is collective in meaning. Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition Notes (Biblical Studies Press, 2006), Ge 1:27.

[6] Also mentioned in my post “Once Saved, Always Saved?” is that humans are uniquely created with free will, thus we have the ability to choose where our soul will eternally live.

End of January BOOK SALE!

My book, Evaluating Western Christianity’s Interpretation of Biblical Polygamy, will be on sale for .99 cents (kindle version) from January 25th-31st. If you have Kindle Unlimited, this book is always free to read!

Why should you consider buying it? The topic of polygamy has become more popular over the last few years, and it’s important to understand what the Bible says versus what the world says. There are different forms of polygamy, but there is only one form that the Bible illustrates and, I believe, is approved by God. This is a controversial subject that the church will no longer be able to push aside.

For more information about this book please visit my blog posts Finally Published! and The Story Behind the Book.

If you have any questions, comments, or simply want to have a discussion about this topic, please leave a comment below or send a message.

God bless!

Interpreting Scripture Through a Tainted Lens

No one is without bias when reading and interpreting Scripture. We all come from different cultures, backgrounds, and denominations. Some of us have learned certain biblical teachings since childhood and have held onto them with deep conviction. But what if some of these teachings are wrong? Have we dared to ask this question? Conversely, what if some of these teachings are right, and they have now been compromised? As an American, I have seen my culture drastically change over the last two decades, and the Western church has often sailed along with it. It is possible that we do not even realize it, but that is the ultimate problem. In many ways, it has become more important to be politically correct than to uphold truth. Social justice has taken the place of meeting the needs within the church. Feminism has caused dissension within the home and the church. Homosexuality has become acceptable within certain denominations, and even practiced by some leaders. Why are these changes occurring? Is it because we are reading Scripture through the tainted lens of our culture, seeing what we want to see? Do we place the constant change of culture above the Word of God? It is necessary to consider that what may seem controversial to us may be clear in Scripture, and what may seem foreign and supposedly sinful may be acceptable in Scripture.

While many controversial topics have been heavily studied in light of Scripture, polygamy has received little scholarly attention. If you read a commentary on passages involving polygamy, you will often discover that the verdict is clear from the start: polygamy was never God’s intention. It’s stated as a fact and rarely debated. But what about polygamous men and women in the Bible who are described as being righteous? It’s as if their spiritual quality is overlooked or written off as less important compared to their foreign (or barbaric) marriage practice. However, I ask you to consider if God calls just anyone righteous? In reading the Old Testament it is obvious that God’s chosen people did not act righteously most of the time, and they were judged and punished many times over. There’s no gray area for God when it comes to sin. He is merciful and gracious, yes, but when people live a lifestyle of disobedience they are severely disciplined and eventually cut off if no change occurs. So why not David? He had many wives but was blessed and protected by God. He is not judged harshly by God until he decides to commit adultery with Bathsheba and murder her husband to keep it quiet. (Adultery and murder, not polygamy.) As a result of his sin, his first child with Bathsheba dies and his household is filled with strife from that day forward. But David repents as soon as he is confronted with his sin and is described as a man after God’s own heart. He is a man concerned about his spiritual condition and that of his household. Is that not something worth considering when searching for biblical truth?

Consider a different cultural example. According to the law of Moses, Jews were not supposed to eat certain kinds of meat because of the impurity of the animal:

“Nevertheless, you are not to eat of these, among those which chew the cud, or among those which divide the hoof: the camel, for though it chews cud, it does not divide the hoof, it is unclean to you. Likewise, the shaphan, for though it chews cud, it does not divide the hoof, it is unclean to you; the rabbit also, for though it chews cud, it does not divide the hoof, it is unclean to you; and the pig, for though it divides the hoof, thus making a split hoof, it does not chew cud, it is unclean to you. You shall not eat of their flesh nor touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you.” ~ Leviticus 11:4-8 NASB

This may seem preposterous to us because, really, what would we do without bacon? But the Jews were to follow these instructions to the letter. These animals (plus many more, keep reading in Lev. 11) must not be eaten. These instructions became so ingrained in Jewish culture that God uses them to teach Peter a life-changing lesson in Acts 10:

“On the next day, as they (people from Cornelius’ household) were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. A voice came to him, ‘Get up, Peter, kill and eat!’ But Peter said, ‘By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.’ Again a voice came to him a second time, ‘What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.’ This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.” ~ Acts 10:9-16 NASB

The Lord knew what Peter considered to be unclean because He Himself gave the Jews their law. But not only is the Lord declaring food to no longer be unclean, but more importantly, He’s declaring that the Gentiles are no longer to be considered unclean because He has cleansed them. At the moment Peter receives his revelation, members of Cornelius’ household (who is a centurion) are on their way to speak with him. They had received a message from the Lord, and Peter was the one that God called to teach them. Peter even says to Cornelius and his household, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean. That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask for what reason you have sent for me” (Acts 10:28-29). God had provided guidelines and cleansing rituals in the law to prevent the Jews from getting sick and spreading disease. However, such guidelines became a point of contention with Gentiles who practiced and ate “unclean” things, and in truth, the Gentiles were viewed the same way as unclean food. But God declared otherwise. Were the Jews wrong for following lawful instructions? No. But it became so ingrained in their culture that even when God told Peter to do something different, his first instinct was to say “no.” Peter was appalled by God’s command to kill and eat what he saw in his vision. Yet, does God ever command people to sin? Surely not! Peter witnessed firsthand that what he thought was unclean (the Gentiles) could also receive the Holy Spirit, the seal of God.

In Mark 7 Jesus was also confronted with this same issue by the Pharisees. Jesus’ disciples were supposedly eating food with unclean (or unwashed) hands, and the Pharisees took the opportunity to question Jesus about it. Rather, they wanted to discredit their ministry because they weren’t following the teachings of the elders. But Jesus, knowing their intentions, declared that they have neglected the command of God in order to follow teachings of men (vv. 8-13). He further explained to the crowd that “there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man” (v. 15). Of course, Jesus’ disciples had a difficult time understanding this teaching so He graciously provided an explanation:

“‘Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?’ (Thus He declared all foods clean.) And He was saying, ‘That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.'” ~ Mark 7:18-23

Jesus’ words were quite controversial. Why? Because they were all still under the law. The law says “unclean” but Jesus says “clean.” How can this be? Is Jesus violating the law? As Paul would say, may it never be! Rather, the Jews became so obsessed with following the outward instructions that they neglected their inward spiritual condition. They appeared holy on the outside but inside they were unclean. And what’s worse is that they didn’t even recognize it.

So what does a discussion about unclean food have to do with biblical polygamy? More than polygamy, it’s about seeking biblical truth. Cultural teachings have become so embedded in the church that we have called rotten fruit good and good fruit rotten. Why? Because we have lost the ability to tell the difference. We are no different than the Pharisees who pointed out unclean hands and couldn’t see that they neglected the command of God for teachings of men. The church cries out for God’s justice to be done in the world without realizing that we have sealed our own judgment because of our own lack of understanding. Why was David a man after God’s own heart? Because he obeyed when God commanded. He yielded his spirit to follow God’s will. He did what most of us would not be willing to do. And when he failed he poured out his soul to God in anguish and grief and did not shake his fist at God when he experienced judgment. He understood that God was just in giving him what he deserved.

So what about the church? At this moment are we worthy to be called the body of Christ? To be an extension of our Savior who gave up everything for us? How can His body stay intact when its members fight each other and run in opposite directions following their own understanding of truth? The church is full of gaping wounds but we fail to see it. We claim to follow Christ but serve our culture, and we interpret God’s Word accordingly. What’s more is we teach newcomers who seek truth to do the same thing.

Each one of us is accountable because we have access to the Word of God, and we have the ability to understand it if we have His Spirit and ask for the Lord’s guidance and wisdom. Don’t rely on other people’s interpretations. Ask God yourself. He is ready to share it with those who have ears to hear. But what will we do when we are given instructions like He gave Peter? What if He asks us to do something so countercultural that it seems wrong? How many of us have dismissed instructions because they were exactly that: countercultural? The church cannot be effective in the world if the body is dying from the inside out. Why is it dying? Because the cancer of the world has metastasized throughout its members except the head which is Christ. The head is sending messages to the members of the body but very few receive them.

How will we respond? We still have the opportunity to act like David and pour out our souls in anguish for our own failure. We have ignored our spiritual condition for the sake of cultural relativism, and we will destroy ourselves if the church does not repent. This is the moment where the church determines if she will face a spiritual exile. God has been patient, but He is also just. His interaction with ancient Israel is a testament to these things.

The world is rapidly changing, but truth remains the same. Which one will we choose?

© Lauren Heiligenthal

E-book Sale!

From October 10th through the 17th the Kindle version of Evaluating Western Christianity’s Interpretation of Biblical Polygamy will be available for just .99 cents! It’s also available for free with Kindle Unlimited.

I would love to receive your thoughts, questions and comments on this controversial topic, or if you feel so inclined, to leave a review on Amazon.

Thank you for your support!

My Book Turned E-book…

Well I have finally converted my book, Evaluating Western Christianity’s Interpretation of Biblical Polygamy, into an e-book! I’ve talked about the topic of biblical polygamy a little bit on this blog, namely in the post The Story Behind the Book. If you’re interested in this topic or intrigued by the controversy check out http://www.amazon.com/Evaluating-Christianitys-Interpretation-Biblical-Polygamy-ebook/dp/B0106RVRZS/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1435100840&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=evaluating+western+christianity%27s+interpretation+of+biblical+polygamy. If you have any questions or thoughts about biblical polygamy or my book, please feel free to write a message.

E-book cost: Free with Kindle Unlimited! ($3.99 for those without Kindle Unlimited). You can also read a free sample of the book through Amazon.

Print cost: $9.95 (plus shipping)- find on Amazon or at www.patriarchpublishinghouse.com

Serial Polygamy

Thought this was insightful for people of Western culture. Divorce and remarriage have become normalized, but how do they affect families who have to experience them versus households that may have multiple spouses and children and they’re all taken care of? It’s important to analyze our own cultural decisions and observe other cultural practices in light of Scripture. In judging too quickly, we might miss something.

SandreS's avatarThe Patriarchs' Journal

In some societies a man may marry several wives. Western society allows this in a different way, in what is sometimes called “serial polygamy” – a man may marry several wives so long as he legally divorces the current one before marrying the next.

Arguably, the “Christian” form of polygamy is a more primitive and callous arrangement for the man’s existing family than ordinary polygamy. In polygamous societies, the first wife and their children remain viable parts of a viable social entity… In serial polygamy the children are brought up in a broken home, the wife is discarded in a difficult social position.

Understanding Human Behavior
Human Relationships: Man & His Women, Vol. 4, p. 438

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Understanding Jesus

Jesus has been depicted in a number of ways. Love. Redeemer. Savior. Friend. Advocate. Mercy. All of these, and many more descriptions, are true. But one truth that we cannot forget is that He is just. And not simply just, but the embodiment of Justice itself.

I’ve been drawn to read through Matthew again, and one of the first things that John the Baptist says about the Messiah has caught my attention:

“As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Matthew 3:11-12 NASB

Fire. A small but powerful word used in numerous contexts. In this particular context I think fire has two meanings. First, fire purifies. If silver or gold is refined by fire this means that all of the impurities are burned away. In the same way, anyone who is a follower of Christ will not only be baptized with the Holy Spirit, an extraordinary gift, but he or she will be refined by fire. Fire is good because it gets rid of the impurities in our lives.

Second, fire destroys. Christ, with the winnowing fork in His hand, will save the wheat, those who are righteous. On the other hand, Jesus Himself will burn up the chaff, those who are wicked, with fire that can never be quenched. John the Baptist tells the Pharisees and Sadducees who come to be baptized, “‘You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham.  The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire’” (Matt. 3:7-10). In the context of vv. 10 and 12, fire is still good because it gets rid of the wicked: Those who bear bad fruit. Those who deny Christ as Lord and Savior. Those who actively work against God even though trying to look like sheep. Those who openly work against God.

What also stands out to me are the words “thoroughly clear.” The Greek word for this translation is διακαθαρίζω which occurs only once in all of Scripture. (In the Luke 3:17 account διακαθαίρω is an equivalent word for διακαθαρίζω.) The verb καθαρίζω means “to make clean” or “to cleanse” and is used 31 times in the NT and over 100 times in the Septuagint. I write all of this to point out that the rare occurrence of διακαθαρίζω indicates a more significant meaning. Christ isn’t simply cleansing something. He is thoroughly clearing HIS threshing floor. There is nothing left over. There is wheat. There is chaff. Nothing in between. No stragglers who hang in some sort of limbo (or purgatory). No gray areas. Similar analogies include the separation of the sheep and goats (Matt. 25:31-33), the wheat and tares (Matt. 13:24-30), and the good and bad fish (Matt. 13:47-50).

All in all, John the Baptist sums up the Messiah’s ministry quite succinctly. First, He will come and baptize people with the Holy Spirit and fire. This has already been accomplished through His death and resurrection. I believe that we are still being refined by fire—through various tests—as long as we are on this earth.

Second, John the Baptist reveals the end result of Jesus’ mission: the ultimate separation of the righteous and wicked. This will not happen until THE harvest, Christ’s return.  Like the landowner tells his slaves in the parable of the wheat and tares, “Allow both (the wheat and tares) to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn’” (Matt. 13:30). The landowner (a representation of Christ) didn’t want his servants to accidentally uproot the wheat with the tares (Matt. 13:29).

I don’t believe Christ desires anyone to perish. Peter writes, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). However, we also have to consider what Jesus says in Luke 18:7-8, “‘now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?’” What a question: Will He find faith upon the earth? May the Lord’s patience not be in vain!

Christ is the ultimate example of love. His mercy is evident in our own lives. But we cannot forget that He is just. When that moment of separation comes there is only right and left. The fire is not only reserved for those who have never chosen to follow Christ, but also for those who have fallen away. Hebrews describes this quite plainly:

“For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.  For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.” Hebrews 6:4-8

May we recognize that the Lord’s justice is good. Let us remain faithful and see that the harvest is plentiful. May we not be so entangled with the world that we forget Christ’s mission.

Christ’s justice will prevail!

 

©Lauren Heiligenthal