Bride of Christ

“Jesus said…” (Repost)

I originally wrote this post 10 years ago, and as I read it again it became obvious that the message is even more pertinent for today’s church. In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus tells a parable about a widow beseeching an unrighteous judge for legal protection from her opponent. She persisted in her petition, and the unrighteous finally granted her request. Jesus says to His disciples in v. 8, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; 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?” That question is often overlooked, but it’s meant to be taken seriously. Will Jesus find His bride faithful when He returns, or will we be reminiscent of the world? It’s time for repentance and change in the body of Christ.

~~~

The Supreme Court’s decision regarding gay marriage shouldn’t have been as shocking for Christians as it seems to have been. Why should we be surprised when the world acts like the world? What has bothered me this week is not so much the gay marriage ruling but the number of various biblical interpretations thrown out there with the postmodern attitude: “All interpretations are right and justified.” It’s the mindset that interpretation is in the eye of the beholder, and that’s OK. I’m not talking about unbelievers who use Scripture against Christians. I don’t put any stock into what they say because a person cannot understand the Scriptures without the Spirit. How can I say that, you may ask? Let’s take a look at 1 Corinthians 2 (NASB):

“And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; but just as it is written,

‘Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,

And which have not entered the heart of man,

All that God has prepared for those who love Him.’

For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.” (Bold print added for emphasis)

An unbeliever may seem knowledgeable about spiritual matters and talk about Scripture all day long, but unless he or she has the Spirit, his or her words are meaningless.

Back to my original point, what has bothered me are various interpretations given by people who claim to be Christians. How can people who claim to have the same Spirit (which people are indeed doing if they call themselves Christians) proclaim opposing biblical interpretations and divide the church even further? Is the Spirit of God divided or confused? Of course not! So the only answer is that there’s something wrong with the church.

I read an article the other day called “I’m gay, liberal, open-minded–and a convert to Christianity.” I read the article not because I thought I’d agree with the author, but I was more curious about how he was going to justify his choices. The content made my blood boil. Here’s a few excerpts from Jonathan Elliott (author) with bold print for emphasis:

“But last October, I – a 33-year-old, progressive, openly gay man who spent much of my twenties as a crusading atheist and curious agnostic – was baptized and confirmed in the church. I’m unafraid to proclaim myself a disciple of Jesus Christ.” – He is open about his homosexuality and his proclaimed Christianity. The church has placed its stamp of approval upon him.

“I’m still the person I was before I became a Christian, and a baptism isn’t a brainwashing. This change in my life didn’t turn me into a raging nutball – at least, I’m no more of one than I ever was.” – So are other Christians transformed into raging nutballs? Supposedly accepting Christ and being baptized didn’t change him. There’s apparently no need for change. How many of you Christians would say that you are the same person before coming to Christ and have had no conviction to change or repent?

He was diagnosed with diabetes in 2010: “I joined a support group for other newly diagnosed folks, and the therapy involved with this was rooted in a belief in a higher power. Initially, I resisted wholeheartedly. I’d been raised without any faith experience, and to even open up to the possibilities of God was a frightening and conflict-ridden concept. But ongoing discussions with this group made me realize that I was angry at what had happened to me – specifically, angry at God. And that meant I believed.” – It’s not until he feels angry towards God that he believes. OK, so even if this is how someone starts believing in God, you would think that there would be some sort of interest in learning more about Him, right?

“I spent the next two years bouncing back and forth between nearly 20 congregations of different denominations, serial first dates with church communities. And while I often found comfort and positivity, none felt like home. Sometimes I’d engage a pastor during the post-service coffee hour and find a bit of theology I couldn’t agree with; other times, I didn’t feel wholly welcomed.” – Searching for the right theology, which is…?

“Then, in 2013, I took a job as communications director for the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey.” [Elliott] “found that the church had the openness, diversity and the clear sense of tradition I sought. It was also strongly inclusive of the LGBTQ community, and welcomed both women and men as clergy members.” – Not sure what the “tradition” part means for him, but it seems that he found a place which supported his lifestyle. He didn’t have to change.

“Our priest preaches sermons that incorporate everything from transgender rights to the theological leanings of Dr. Who.” – What? And how is this preaching exactly?

“And though the fundamentalists scream loudest, there are progressive and inclusive new forms of church springing up around the country, like Capital City Church in DC. Christian businesses like Elevation Burger use faith as part of their culture to inform great products and practices, without aspersions or judgment (take that, Hobby Lobby and Chik-Fil-A).” – Again, welcoming division within the so-called church.

“I acknowledge that Christianity is often countermanded and corrupted for heinous and spiteful things. But I refuse to accept that as the status quo. At the end of the day, I’m a Christian because faith, and our openness to God and to one another, make us stronger and more willing to engage the world as it unfolds and changes around us.”

Not once is Christ mentioned. There is no talk of salvation or Scripture. But the concepts of openness and finding the right fit rise to the surface. There’s no need to change; just be open to God and one another. How is this Scriptural? Does this not bother anyone else? Either the world hears (supposed) condemnation from the church or full acceptance of behavior, which is more politically correct. How has the church arrived to this point? I believe the issue tends to derive from biblical interpretation and the church’s unwillingness to distinguish good from bad fruit.

When discussing biblical interpretation for modern issues, a number of arguments start with “Jesus is in the New Testament, and He says…” Somehow the Old Testament gets tossed aside or is spoken of as barbaric. What most people forget or have not realized is that Jesus is still under the old covenant before His death and resurrection. Sure, someone wrote up a page that said “New Testament” and placed it before the Gospels, but it’s not until after Jesus dies and resurrects that the new covenant begins. A covenant cannot be established unless blood is spilled, and in this case, Christ’s blood (Heb. 9:13-18). So when people try to argue that Jesus is changing the Law with His teachings, they argue in ignorance. How can He uphold the Law and change it at the same time? What is more, why would He violate His own character since God does not change? There is either a lack of understanding or the unbelief that Jesus is God. John testifies to Jesus’ beginning with God (John 1). Jesus Himself testifies that He was before Abraham (John 8:58), and declares in John 17:5, “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” Since Jesus is God, why would He oppose His own instructions?

As I’ve argued before, would not Christ, who has always been with and part of the Father, understand the Law perfectly? Would not, then, His teachings reflect the intended motivations behind the Law rather than change the Law itself? It is true that we (Christians) are no longer bound by the Law since Christ is the fulfillment of the Law, yet Jesus makes it clear that the Law is not abolished even now: “Do not think I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.“ If the Law is the tutor which leads us to Christ (Gal. 5:23); if the Law and the Prophets are witnesses to the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:21-22); if Jesus is One with the Lawgiver; and if He is under the Law while He teaches, how is it Christians argue that Jesus opposes the Law?

Many people want to see Jesus as a social justice campaigner, reaching out to the lowest of the low because they’re oppressed. They declare that He changed the role of women. That He simply loved people for who they were no matter what. That He condemned the rich men. Well, if that’s the case I must be reading a different gospel. Because I see Jesus as the holy Son of God who spoke to the self-righteous, rich, and lowly alike. He ate with and taught all of them. Many of the self-righteous, like the Pharisees, ridiculed Him and sought His death. They should have known the truth and taught the sheep, but instead they acted like wolves. Their own arrogance and desire for power and riches from the world drove them away from the Messiah they were supposedly waiting for. Some rich people, Jew and Gentile alike, sought Jesus for wisdom, truth, and healing, and those who had faith received what they asked for. For others, the cost of following Jesus was too high. Jesus interacted with the lowly and outcasts because they didn’t know the truth. They were sheep without a shepherd, the lost and spiritually sick. Those who were supposed to teach them had no understanding even with all of their knowledge, who burdened them with their own additions to the Law and man-made traditions. So Jesus taught them, and many came to believe in Him. And despite what many people are spouting nowadays, they changed because of the truth they came to know.

Zaccheus (a rich, tax collector) no longer stole from people, but gave half of his possessions to the poor and vowed to return four-fold to those he defrauded (all of this given from his heart, not compulsion). Mary Magdalene was no longer possessed by demons but served the Lord (some scholars propose that she is also the sinful woman who wiped Jesus’ feet with her hair in Luke 7:36-50; John 11:2 seems to support this). Jesus told the woman who was caught in adultery to “Go and sin no more.” He also told that to others whom He healed. The power of God was manifested so that they would believe, but they were instructed to no longer live in sin. Many of Jesus’ disciples who heard the teaching, “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him (John 6:56),” decided to turn away from following Jesus. Scripture explains they left because of their unbelief (John 6:53-66). Jesus came to bring life to anyone who would heed His words of truth and follow the Father’s will. Salvation is a gift for all, poor and rich, Jew and Gentile alike. This is what Paul means when he writes, “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise” (Gal. 3:27-29). Anyone who claims this to be about social justice or equality is a fool. Such a person takes this teaching out of context which is talking about faith. Any of us who have made the commitment to follow Christ and carry out this commitment are one in Him. We are the body of Christ with each member serving its own God-given purpose so that the body may function properly.

Anyone who says that no change is necessary as a Christian is a liar and not a believer. This goes beyond the discussion of homosexuality. It’s about all sin. If I’m aware of sin in my life, and I do not repent and change, I remain in sin before God. If Israel received wrath from God while He continued to fulfill His promises to them (Psalm 78; 1 Cor. 10), do we think that we would not incur similar judgment if we remain in sin? Paul writes in Romans 6:1-7,

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.”

He continues in vv. 11-18,

“Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”

If there are people who claim Christ but don’t acknowledge sin, they do not speak the truth. For what is the purpose of coming to Christ if we don’t believe we need to be saved from our sinful ways? If we believe we live rightly before God, why (as in Jonathan Elliott’s case) would we seek God since there should be no fear of eternal judgment?

Here’s another word from Paul regarding so-called believers who choose to continue in their sin: “But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler–not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves” (1 Cor. 5:11-13). Paul’s not talking about unbelievers who are coming to the church to learn about God. He’s talking about people proclaiming to be Christians but continuing in sin without repentance. It is the church’s job to rid itself of people who profane Christ’s name by choosing to live wickedly (knowingly).

Jesus says to His disciples,

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the world that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well.” John 15:18-24

He continues His teaching by talking about the Spirit to come (Whom we now have as believers):

“But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.” John 16:7-15

We either follow the teaching of the world or the teaching from the Spirit. If we proclaim to be Christ followers we should no longer live according to the world’s sense of morality (if it has one). If we are one body in Christ our understanding of truth must be the same. We may disagree on music styles or small church vs. big church (the petty things we fight over; read Romans 14), but the essentials should be the same. How we understand sin should be the same. Do we want Christ to see us as a bride defiled by the world, or a pure, spotless bride?

When we encounter the lost our hope should be that they want to change to be more like Christ. How can we remain the same when we’ve been given so great a salvation? Is not His abundant mercy and grace reason enough for us to fall on our faces and repent because of our own wickedness? “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him (Romans 5:6-9).” If we know that there is wrath to come for those who do not believe (who are slaves to sin), why do we think that this wrath will not come upon us if we ignore sin, whether our own or that within the church? Is this not taking advantage of God’s grace, thereby slapping Him in the face?

The gospel of Christ will offend those who desire to be part of the world, but for those who seek new life, it is freedom from sin. It is eternal life. It is hope. We should not be ashamed of the gospel and fall in line with the world. If we follow the world then we are worse than unbelievers because we know the truth and turn away from it. Instead, may we serve God with the same Spirit, with the same understanding of truth.

Jesus said,

“I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” ~ John 14:6

 © Lauren Demuth

Culture’s War on the Biblical Family

It’s time to get real. The enemy has been in the business of causing division and strife within the family since creation. Eve, knowing what God had said about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, was still deceived and ate from it, believing that she would be like God in wisdom. Adam, also knowing the word of the Lord, still ate when Eve offered him the fruit. Thus sin entered the world, and Adam and Eve were removed from the perfect Garden of Eden to face the consequences of their actions. Then we read about Cain and Abel where Abel gives an offering pleasing to God, but Cain’s offering was less pleasing than Abel’s so Cain murdered his brother. Jacob and Esau were rivals since birth, yet Jacob, being younger, gained Esau’s birthright and become the father of the nation of Israel. Skip ahead to the modern age and now we have homosexual and transgender families paraded around our culture as lampposts for the modern family. Divorce has become expected rather than being the exception. Movies, television shows, schools, social media, businesses, and news media have normalized these kinds of families to where we have become numb, or even worse, afraid to speak out. We have become complacent and think that this is just how life is supposed to be. What we forget is that mankind, since creation, has had the gift of free will.

Eve chose to eat the fruit knowing God’s warning, and Adam chose to follow his wife instead of God. In Genesis 4:7, Cain was warned by God that sin was at his door desiring him, and he must master it. But instead Cain chose to kill his brother. In Genesis 25:23, the Lord revealed to Rebekah that she had twins in her womb—two nations—and the older (Esau) would serve the younger (Jacob). As they grew up, Esau became the hunter, but Jacob was peaceful. One day Esau came home famished and desired the food Jacob made. Jacob asked Esau for his birthright first, and Esau swore it to him (Gen. 25:31-34). Therefore, Esau had no regard for the blessing given to him. He chose to give away what was his over his temporary desire for food, and in the end he became the nation of Edom, separated from Jacob’s family, the nation of Israel. In everything, there is a choice. As the church, we can choose to remain silent about what has happened to the biblical family, or we can stand up for what is right, knowing that it can cost us dearly on earth. As Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth or rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Do we treasure the spiritual well-being of our home and the church over the riches and stature given to us in this world by remaining silent?

The main problem is that the church does not know how to defend the biblical family because it doesn’t know what the family is supposed to look like. We spend more time engaging with the world and its message rather than the truth of God’s Word. The average Christian can quote John 3:16, Jeremiah 29:11 and Philippians 4:13, but can he or she recall what Ephesians 5 says about marriage? Will a Christian woman say that a wife is commanded to submit to her husband as the church submits to Christ (Eph. 5:22-24)? Will a Christian man say that a husband is supposed to love his wife as Christ loved the church, giving Himself up for her (Eph. 5:25-30)? Will a Christian woman adhere to Paul’s instructions to Timothy in 1 Timothy 2:9-15?:

“Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.”

In addition, after writing about the proper order within church gatherings, Paul instructs the church in Corinth (a letter that would have been read at other churches as well) about women: “The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church (1 Cor. 14:34-35).” If we say we adhere to Scripture, why do we overlook these passages? These passages also imply that husbands should understand the Word of God in order to be able to provide answers when asked. In 1 Corinthians 14:37-38, Paul makes an important statement: “If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment. But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.” He is referring to everything written to the Corinthians about the proper order in the church, including his instructions about women. Although Paul writes the letter, the message is from the Lord and is a commandment to be obeyed.

Will leaders in the church adhere to Paul’s message to Timothy in 1 Timothy 3:4-7?:

“He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”

How many times have we heard of pastors’ kids going off the rails or becoming estranged from their parents? Scripture tells us that if a leader in the church cannot manage his own home, he should not be a leader. And that brings me to probably the most controversial point—there is no mention in Scripture of female leadership in the church. Older women should teach younger women (Titus 2:3-5) and mothers should teach their children (Proverbs 1:8), but Paul is clear that a woman should not teach over a man (1 Timothy 2:12). It violates the order of submission within the church and home. The church has become disobedient to the Lord in that area, which has led to many women trying to be the spiritual leaders of their own homes. Yet there are plenty of roles for women in the church. Scripture talks about spiritual gifts being given to all members of the church, including women. We also know of prophetesses in Scripture such as Anna in Luke 2:36 and women who supported Jesus’ ministry and early church ministry (Matthew 27:55; Luke 8:2-3; Luke 10:38-42; Acts 16:13-15; Romans 16:1). The Lord created men and women and loves both equally; however, each one has his or her proper roles in the home and in the church.

The enemy knows all of these things and has used our culture to normalize what is not from God. He has caused the people of God to fear man more than fearing God to the point where not only has marriage been targeted but also our children. Innocence has been stripped away to normalize sexual behavior and deviance among children. If we cannot get our homes straight and back on the spiritual track to obeying God and His Word, the church will also fall apart. Each home is a mini church where the husband/father leads the home in truth, and the wife submits to him out of obedience to the Lord, and the children submit to their parents out of obedience to the Lord. The world will hate us for it, but Jesus already prayed to the Father on our behalf even before we decided to take the name of “Christian”:

“While I was with them (the disciples), I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that Scripture would be fulfilled. But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them in the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.” John 17:12-23

Jesus spoke these words to the Father right before He was arrested and later crucified to take away our sins, even the ones we are now committing in the church. If we, as the church, want to be presented to Him as holy, spotless, and blameless when He returns (Ephesians 5:27), we must ask for forgiveness and remove the sin that we’ve allowed in the church. We must ask God to help us restore our families and our churches according to His Word and His order for how can He work through us if we have chosen to follow the world? It is our time to choose.

©Lauren Demuth

Wives, Submit to Your Husbands

I can already sense the raised eyebrows and crossed arms. Submit?! We can often handle the word “respect” but “submit” is too much. However, this way of thinking is not Spirit-inspired but rather culture-inspired. In Western cultures, it is rare to hear anyone in society support the notion of hierarchy and submission within the home. And if we’re honest, the church has done a poor job teaching Scripture’s truth on the roles of men and women in the home and in the church. I would argue that the majority of the church has succumbed to culture’s viewpoint rather than the Lord’s. So what is the Lord’s will for the church and our families?

Creation is where everything began for humanity. Genesis 1:26-30 provides a general overview of the creation of man and how we were made in the image of God. We were created male and female and were given dominion over the earth and commanded to be fruitful and multiply. God created all that we would need to survive. Genesis 2 gives us a bit more detail on the creation of man. In verse 7 we read that God formed man from the dust of the earth, breathed life into him, and set him in the garden that He created for man to cultivate. But the Lord saw that it was not good for man to be alone (v. 18) so He decided to make a helper suitable for him. Nothing in creation was suitable for Adam so that Lord caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep. He took one of his ribs and created Woman from it (vv. 21-22). Verses 23 and 24 state:

“The man said,

‘This is now bone of my bones,
And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out of Man.’

For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”

We cannot deny from these passages that God created Adam first, and Eve was created from a part of him. We are unique from the rest of creation in a number of ways, but I believe this facet is one of the most striking. Man and woman are joined physically in bone and flesh hence the phrase “they shall become one flesh” in verse 24. 

Fast-forward thousands of years to the time of the early church. In Ephesians 5, Paul writes about relationships, and specifically in verses 22-33, he writes about husbands and wives. I have heard professors and preachers use verse 21 to promote mutual submission between husband and wife because it says, “and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” If that was the end of the discussion, I could see how this would lead to the idea of mutual submission. But the rest of Paul’s message provides an explanation to verse 21. Let’s read vv. 22-33:

“Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.”

What I love about this passage is how marriage is compared to the relationship between Christ and the church because it shows what love should look like and leaves no room to doubt that there is a hierarchy within the home. In explanation to verse 21, wives are instructed to be subject to their own husbands. In plain language, Paul explains that the husband is head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. The church subjects itself to Christ; therefore, the wife is to subject herself to her husband. We wouldn’t say that Christ submits to the church so why do we say that husbands should submit to their wives? Scripture clearly denies this notion. Rather, it should be noted that husbands have a bit more instruction than the wives do because they are to emulate Christ and His love for the church. They ought to love their wives as their own bodies (going back to the creation account in Genesis) and to love sacrificially as Christ did, giving Himself up for the sake of the church. Husbands are given great responsibility in regards to their wives and families. In the same way we submit to Christ because of the love He has demonstrated to us, wives also ought to submit to their husbands. 

As we know, no marriage or relationship is perfect. We are sinful beings striving to live righteously in a sinful world. Peter writes to the church in 1 Peter 3:1-7:

“In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear. You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.”

Again, I want to reiterate that Peter, just like Paul, is writing to the church. They are instructions for believers and are not condoning abuse in any way. Rather, if a woman’s husband is not in right-standing with God, she’s not being told to point her finger at him and remind him of his faults as our culture often demonstrates. Instead, it is his wife’s behavior- respectful, gentle, quiet, modest- that can help him turn back to God. No words need to be said. We are not supposed to be self-seeking, boisterous, gossiping, nagging women. Often people get bent out of shape when they read “live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman.” It is not meant to cause offense, but in truth, emotionally and physically we are weaker. We are led too often by emotions rather than wisdom, which can bleed into how we walk spiritually. When people continue reading, they would see that a husband’s behavior towards his wife is important for his own spiritual life: “show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.” That’s quite a powerful statement. If a husband is not doing his part in caring for his wife and being the spiritual leader that he’s meant to be, God may not give heed to his prayers until the situation has been reconciled. Husbands and wives are both responsible to fulfill their God-given roles. 

It’s easy to laugh at comedians who talk about husbands fearing their wives because of their many moods and whims. We even hear such quips from the pulpit. We laugh because we see this behavior in our own lives. As the church, our relationships are often not reflections of Scripture but of the world. If wives are not submitting to and respecting their husbands as the head of their household and husbands are not loving and caring for their wives like Christ loves the church, why should we expect God to move in our families and in the church? What example are we setting for non-believers when our lives look just like theirs? How many marriages have ended in failure and how much of that could’ve been prevented just by following God’s Word? Wives, it is not our job to be the spiritual head of the household. It isn’t. Should we pray? Absolutely! Should we cover our husband and children in prayer? Yes! Should we be in the Word and lead by example? Yes! But men in our culture have been told that they’re toxic and that they’re unwanted and not needed. They have been emasculated by the media, politics, and yes, even the church. So how can we expect them to be leaders when they’re told just the opposite? We need men like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, etc. They were not perfect, but they strived to be men of God, leading the people of Israel in strength and righteousness. Isn’t that the kind of husband you want leading your family? As women, don’t we want to honor God by how we treat our husbands? We have to stop caring if the world is offended by our behavior and get our hearts, minds, and attitudes back to the truth of God’s Word. 

The world needs to see real love. Christ is the ultimate demonstration of that love, and our marriages should be a reflection of Christ’s love to His bride.

© Lauren Demuth

Revelation- The Message of Hope

Satan is the antithesis of hope. What a better way for Satan to get the church to take its focus off the hope of Christ than to distort the message of hope that encompasses the Book of Revelation. Rather than lead us to the hope of Christ’s victory, we have allowed Satan to use it to cause division in the body of Christ. The church has been split based on different theological and eschatological viewpoints of Revelation. Arguments have been fought within the church, within our families, and among friends. I’ve had this experience in my life. I grew up in Pentecostal circles and was raised with one viewpoint. When I studied the Word more on my own and with other Christians, my viewpoint changed. I even took a class in college on the Book of Revelation. But honestly, with all the hostility and divisive outcomes, this book left a bad taste in my mouth. That should’ve been a clue that this effect was not from God but rather the evil one, for God’s Word is truth and light and anything contrary to that is not of God.

So why am I writing this today? My family and I recently started engaging in Passion City Church online as part of our church and worship time. A few weeks ago we watched a sermon by Louie Giglio about Revelation, which was actually one sermon out of a series of sermons. My first reaction when I saw what it was about was, “Ok, here we go again. I would rather watch a sermon about something else.” But I decided not to change it, and I am so glad I didn’t. I got to hear Revelation taught as a Bible study without theological viewpoints or debates. It was just purely the Word of God illuminating the truth and hope of Christ. Now I’ve been a Christian for most of my life, and I’ve read through Revelation quite a few times, but in the midst of hostility and division, I forgot about the message of hope. That is the whole point of Revelation, that in the midst of all the chaos of life and times that seems unbearable, Christ already has the victory! We will get to be with Him, and we will finally be able to be in the presence of the Almighty God. My soul was stirred up after that sermon, and I decided to watch all of them from the beginning to the last one today. What struck me after each message was that it was all about Jesus, every time, straight from the Word of God. There was no debate about “the rapture” or who the 144,000 are. It was all about Jesus, His sacrifice, what He is preparing for us now, and how we will rule and reign with Him as sons and daughters of the living God. That’s why Satan has twisted it and gets us to focus on all the things that WE have chosen to divide us rather than listen to the words of Jesus as He communicates to John amazing scenes from heaven that all the forefathers would have wished they could see. We have such a privilege and honor to get a glimpse of what happens around the throne room of Yahweh. Louie Giglio is a great speaker, but I have no doubt in my mind that the Lord God anointed this series of messages because if there is any time in history that people need to understand the hope of Christ, it’s now.

With that said, I highly encourage you to check out this series: Revelation Series

As a Christian, it will leave you encouraged by the Word of God and emboldened to share the Word with others. If you aren’t a Christian, it will be the message of hope in this dark world that this is not the end of it all, but greater things are in store for those who choose to follow Jesus Christ.

I pray that you will be blessed, uplifted, encouraged and refreshed as the Word of God comes to life and the greatest hope of all time is declared.

Thank You, Father God, for the gift of Your Word which shines the light of truth in this sinful world. Thank You for this Revelation of Jesus Christ which is not simply a message of hope but THE message of hope for all nations, tribes, and tongues that all may know Your ultimate love for us and Your power against the spiritual darkness that permeates our world. We look forward to a new heaven and earth where we will be with You as THE light and where we will finally see You face to face. Thank You for the riches of Your kindness, mercy, and grace. Help us to endure trials and tribulations for the sake of Your name that You may be glorified. Refine Your church with the refiner’s fire so that what is not of You is burned up and what is of You remains so that we can be Your bride you are molding us to be. May our oil be full and lamps lit so that we are ready for the day You, the bridegroom, come for us, Your bride. Forgive us of our sins and heal us so that we can be made whole again in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

©Lauren Demuth

Being Content with Our Daily Bread

The Lord’s Prayer is one of the most memorized passages of Scripture. I can’t even count how many times I’ve read it in devotions or prayed it out loud in gatherings. I recently decided to start reading through the New Testament again from the beginning and in the gospels of Matthew and Luke, the authors share this prayer. In Matthew 6, the prayer is part of the beatitudes and is preceded by Jesus’ teaching to pray in secret rather than be like the hypocrites who pray loudly and openly to be praised by men. In verses 7-8 Jesus also teaches not to use repetitious words thinking that more words will make God hear us, but He explains that the Father already knows what we need before we ask. Rather He presents this simple prayer, which we know of as the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13):

“Pray, then, in this way:

Our Father who is in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

[For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]”

Luke’s account of the Lord’s Prayer in Luke 11:2-4 is more concise, but the essence is still the same. When we pray it is to the Father who is holy and in heaven. Our desire should be for His kingdom to come and for His will, not ours, to be done. We also ought to pray for our DAILY bread (to this point I will come back to). Then we are instructed to ask for forgiveness, and notice the passage says “as we also have forgiven our debtors.” We ask for forgiveness once we’ve already forgiven others. Matthew 6:14-15 expounds on this point: “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” That part of the passage is a blog post topic for another time, but it’s important to remember. Then lastly we ought to pray to be kept from temptation and delivered from evil because we all fall into sin and the enemy would like nothing more than to draw us away from the Lord.

Back in April, I wrote a blog post called “The Measure of Contentment” where I shared about my sin of pride and how I was placing my contentment in the wrong things. I was called by the Lord to follow a path, but I made the task my focus rather than the Lord. It led me on a journey (which I’m still on) of what it means to be content in the Lord. I know the Lord promised success if I followed Him, but I began to realize that His timing and mine weren’t the same. The worldly idea of success would creep in, and I would wonder when I could start providing again. I would compare myself to others and wonder why I couldn’t be more like them. But when I recently read the Lord’s Prayer again, it clicked: “Give us this day our DAILY bread.” The world says to make as much money as possible and save it, invest it, etc. We tend to get to know people by what they do and judge (whether we consciously realize it or not) by what others earn for a living. But the prayer that Jesus shared as the way to pray didn’t say, “Pray for loads of wealth for the future.” Rather He said to pray “Give us this day our daily bread.” Is it wrong to be wealthy? No! The Lord can and has used wealthy people to further His kingdom. But the reality is we aren’t guaranteed tomorrow. James 4:13-15 says,

“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.’”

Only the Lord knows what will happen in our lives, and Jesus is teaching His disciples, who will become the leaders of the church, to pray for the Father to give them what they need for each day. Not for the next week or next year or next ten years. Today. And that’s enough. When I let this sink in, my prayer started to change from “Lord, help me to provide for my family” to “Lord, I pray that you will provide for what we need today.” And He has! I don’t have to worry about the future because the Lord already knows. I just have to be faithful to do what He’s called me to do and not compare what He’s given me to the tasks He’s given to someone else. We are a BODY of believers who all have been called to do different things for the Lord, as Paul talks about 1 Corinthians 12. The body is not made up of the same part (which would look monstrous) but multiple, unique parts with different functions. The beauty is that when we are obedient and content in Him, all the parts of the body function properly, and we become the church– the bride –that He has called us to be.

The world is going to call us foolish for not saving up as much money as possible or for not diving into every social media outlet to gain followers, customers, or people to approve of us and what we do. And to the world we are foolish—and we should be honored by that:

“For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,

‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.’

Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

When Jesus tells His disciples to pray “Give us this day our daily bread,” He is telling them to live in faith day-by-day, confident that the Father already knows what we need. And the “daily bread” is not going to look the same for everyone, and that’s alright. Our eyes shouldn’t be roaming around (or scrolling through people’s pages) to see what others’ “daily bread” looks like. We are accountable for our own faith and for our own fruit before the Lord God, and in truth, praying for our “daily bread” is freeing because that means we know that the Lord will take care of us each day until He calls us home to be with Him. Each day may look different from the last, but He already knows what we need. And that is enough.

©Lauren Demuth

A Message for the Bride (Updated)

Over ten years ago, I wrote a poem called “Bride of Christ.” The same call that the LORD cried out to ancient Israel who was unfaithful to Him also rings out to the church, the bride of Christ. Will we be friends with the world or become strong disciples of Christ, knowing and living truth faithfully until He returns? Below is the original poem, followed by a link to a song version written with the help of AI. I hope you are both challenged and encouraged as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Bride of Christ

Where have you gone, My bride?

Whose foreign arms have you sought?

Have I not been faithful?

Did I not incline My ear towards you?

~

Before you were ready to be called Mine

I knew you.

I knew the trials you would face

And the temptations of the world.

~

Therefore, I gave you My Word.

Even My Spirit I placed within you

To lead you back to Me,

Your King, your Savior.

~

Yet with all of My blessings

You have forsaken Me for another;

For one who is not worthy,

Who leads you down the wide path of destruction.

~

Wake up from your slumber!

See where you are and choose.

Call upon Me, and I will restore you.

Tarry, and you will be lost.

~

Trim your wicks.

Get the oil ready.

Return to Me as a spotless bride

And remain faithful until I come.

~

Song Version: Bride of Christ

© Lauren Demuth