Church

Yoga–Dangerous or Harmless?

~ brandon ~ 1 Comment

Two years ago I listened to a lecture about the history of Yoga and why, in one missiologists opinion, Christian’s are wise to avoid all forms of Yoga.  More recently, this issue came to up again.

From The Huffington Post, via Out of Ur:

While yoga is not a “religion” in the sense that the Abrahamic religions are, it is a well-established spiritual path. Its physical postures are only the tip of an iceberg, beneath which is a distinct metaphysics with profound depth and breadth. Its spiritual benefits are undoubtedly available to anyone regardless of religion. However, the assumptions and consequences of yoga do run counter to much of Christianity as understood today. This is why, as a Hindu yoga practitioner and scholar, I agree with the Southern Baptist Seminary President, Albert Mohler, when he speaks of the incompatibility between Christianity and yoga, arguing that “the idea that the body is a vehicle for reaching consciousness with the divine” is fundamentally at odds with Christian teaching. This incompatibility runs much deeper.

Read the entire article.  It’s a good look at Yoga and Christianity, but from the Hindu perspective.  I think it makes sense, in light of the Barna Report on our Theological Illiteracy.

Reason to Rejoice in Repentance

~ brandon ~ Leave a comment

“But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the LORD to put them to death.”
(1 Samuel 2:25 ESV)

Eli’s sons were wicked men.  Though Priests, they neither served God nor man–they served themselves.  Using their position for their own pleasure, they defiled sacrifices and took liberties with the women working at the temple.  Eli warned them that their sin was not against man, but against God.  He reminded them that their was no one to mediate for them before God.  But they did not listen.  Verse 25 tells us why they didn’t listen, and reminds us of why repentance is reason for joy.

In the case of Eli’s sons, it was the Lord’s will to destroy them.  They had no opportunity to repent.  As I ponder that terrible reality, I consider that God did grant me repentance.  I’m no better than they were, but by His grace (and for His glory) He chose to extend to me what he kept from them.  So I rejoice in His grace to me, His grace that granted me repentance and gave to me salvation.

What is love?

~ brandon ~ Leave a comment

“And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’”And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”
(Mark 10:17–22 ESV, emp mine)

When the rich man comes to Jesus, Jesus loves him.  But look at that love.  We might expect Jesus to love him by saying, “You’re money is an issue, come follow me and we’ll deal with that.”  Or, we might expect Jesus to say, “You’re all sinners, so don’t get too worked up over this law stuff.”  From much of what we hear taught today, the only way to love the unrepentant sinner is to not confront their sin.  Yet, Jesus does the exact opposite.

It is loving for Jesus to confront this man’s sin.  He draws a clear line in the sand:  the man must leave his beloved wealth in order to follow Christ.  Anything less is absolutely unacceptable.  How is this love?  Because it doesn’t give the man a false sense of security, or a false sense of salvation.  Jesus knows the standard is real repentance, and knows it would be doing this man a disservice to pretend something less was acceptable.  Lowering the bar might even cost this man salvation.

We tend to lower the bar in our own lives.  We rationalize and excuse our own sin.  We also lower the bar for others.  Professing Christians are allowed to continue in unrepentant sin without anyone loving them enough to tell them they’ve sinned.  Rebellious Christians are allowed to continue on indefinitely, because the church doesn’t love them enough to say, “Enough is enough.”

Don’t lower the bar.  Love yourself and others by passionately pursuing personal holiness.

And Glenn Beck Shall Lead Them | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

~ brandon ~ Leave a comment

At his rally last weekend on the Washington Mall, Fox News host Glenn Beck brought 240 clergy onstage. Harkening back to the Revolutionary War, Beck called the group a “Black Robe Regiment.” He said the clergy “all locked arms saying the principles of America need to be taught from the pulpit.”

via And Glenn Beck Shall Lead Them | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction.

As politically conservative as I am, I don’t thing the pulpit is the place for the ‘principles of America.’  Further, the tradition of Western Civilization which gave us the ‘principles of America’ came from Scripture–the Judeo Christian ethic.  Perhaps, if Mr. Beck and Co. desire a revival that leads to traditional public virtues, we need to preach repentance and disciple the repentant.

Christianity should alter the way we understand with and interact with the world around us.  That includes our politics.  However, preaching politics doesn’t renew minds nor transform lives.  Also, Christ’s Kingdom is not of this world–America was founded on Christian principles, but that does not make us Christ’s Kingdom.

Want to transform the moral fabric of society?  Then, “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” (2 Timothy 4:2 ESV)

Men I’ve Learned From: George Whitefield | The Mars Hill Blog

~ brandon ~ Leave a comment

Whitefield’s priority list would have been Jesus, ministry, and marriage last, whereas marriage should have a higher priority than ministry in a biblical man’s life.

via Men I’ve Learned From: George Whitefield | The Mars Hill Blog.

Please read the whole post.  It makes a great point about the temptation to sacrifice family on the altar of ministry.  Yet, I’m not sure I 100% agree with the above quote.  I believe, for the father and husband, that marriage & family is ministry.  I’m not sure we can so simply divy them up.  Also, I’m sure Jesus said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple,” (Luke 14.26).

Certainly Jesus is speaking in comparative terms.  Our devotion to Him must out strip our devotion to ‘wife and children.’  So, in light of this, were Whitefield’s priorities out of whack, or are we in danger or idolizing our families?

Consider that it is the parent’s role to disciple children (admittedly, Whitefield did nt have children).  How will they learn that Jesus is #1 is my life if I never choose Jesus over them?  If my life never causes me to say, “I’d love to, son, but I must follow Jesus,” am I displaying Luke 14.26 to my son?

While we must take care of our families, we must also beware lest we fall into the opposite trap of putting our families in Christ’s place.