Bob was a pastor in the upper Midwest. Growing up in Wisconsin, he’d been raised fishing and hunting all year long. Every season was a season to be outdoors pursuing game. Yet, like many Cheeseheads, deer season was a special time. When deer season opens, it’s fairly common for Wisconsin schools to close. It’s pragmatic, really, because most of those kids will be out in the woods with Dad. Now that he was a Pastor, that pattern continued in Bob’s life. It became a running joke in the church that, once deer season opened, Bob was nowhere to be found. He’d be out in the woods, every day, until he filled his tag for the year. Bob was addicted to hunting. Bob had an acceptable addiction. Continue reading
sin
Reason to Rejoice in Repentance
“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.
Faith v. Works
Sarah Cassidy is the sort of no-nonsense, capable woman you might expect to find as headmistress of a primary school. But Sarah doesn’t do children, and she doesn’t do husbands either.No. Sarah is 43, single and celibate — and determined to remain so. Each night she fastens a wire chain, known as a cilice, around her upper thigh . . .
via Why does Opus Dei member Sarah Cassidy attach a cilice to her leg every day? | Mail Online.
Yet,
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
(Ephesians 2:8–10 ESV)
Either we’re saved BY grace FOR good works, or we are saved BY works. It cannot be both ways. While these women are extreme examples, perhaps, the reality is that most of us try to ‘do penance.’ We try to make up for our sin by doing good things. If those good works outweigh the sin, we seem to believe, God will accept us.
But that is not the gospel. The gospel acknowledges we cannot do enough to make up for our sin. It demands, not penance, but repentance. The atoning was done by Christ, once for all. To think my self-inflicted suffering, or my good works, somehow atones for my sin is to make light of Christ’s work on the cross.
Naming Sin
But We’re Still Gonna Kill You by Mark Steyn on National Review Online.
Whatever you think of his politics, Steyn’s argument seems to be: if we cannot name our enemy, then we cannot win. I think that’s a sound point we can apply to the Christian’s struggle against sin.
We live in an age where sin is an antiquated concept. We rationalize and justify behaviors that our grandparents would be ashamed of. We’re more worldly, better educated and able to see how those moral codes of old were arbitrary, and intended to discriminate and oppress. Therefore, we are free to live as we see fit and no, we don’t really care what you think.
Import that thinking to the Church. In the Church we still believe in right and wrong, good and evil and things such as sin. We still believe in God’s judgment and a place called Hell. Yet, we often fail to name our sin. We, too, fall victim to the rationalizations of our culture.
Young adult partying all the time? Well, that’s just how everyone is at their age. Thirty-something parents foisting their kids off on day-care and schools and after school programs from pre-school on? Hey, it’s tough to make ends meet today.
A first step toward victory over sin is naming it. It’s asking God what He calls sin, and applying that standard to my own life. It’s seeing where my life fails to match up to Christ’s teaching and realizing: Jesus was nailed to a cross for this.
Each did what was right in his own eyes . . .
A surprising new study reveals that casual sex may not cause emotional or psychological damage.
via Casual sex, hookups aren’t emotionally damaging, study finds.
While the headline says, “aren’t emotionally damaging,” the study actually says, “may not cause emotional damage.” That, coupled with the fact this is a small study of a group in one state makes me wonder why the definite headline? Also further on we read,
However, researchers said that this doesn’t mean casual sex is for everyone – and Eisenberg is quick to warn of the physical consequences of casual sex. Rates of sexually transmitted diseases continue to increase and teen pregnancy rates in Minnesota in particular are also on the rise, according to the Star Tribune.
So, there is damage–just not emotional. And that, I guess, makes it okay. Or maybe, it just illustrates our willingness to excuse and justify sinful behavior.
Your Sin Will Find You Out
Tiger Woods TV Ads Disappear After Reports of Affairs Update2 – Bloomberg.com.
I’m a bit late to the ball on this one, but Tiger’s travails provide an excellent illustration of a key Christian concept. Your sin will find you out (Numbers 32.23).
Tiger lacks integrity. He presented one public persona while he was really a different person. In his apology he even stated,
he let his family down with “transgressions” and hasn’t been true to his “family values.”
Now he is paying the consequences of his actions. Lost contracts, ruined reputation, etc. This should be a warning to those who believe they can hide their sin. Sure, we can hide it for a time, but eventually our sins are known. Perhaps we’d do well to consider the consequences of our secret sins, if they were to become public. Then, maybe, we’d find repentance and grace to heal us.
What Roman Polanski teaches us about Depravity
Recently Swiss authorities arrested Director Roman Polanski on an outstanding warrant. Years ago, Mr. Polanski raped a 13 year old girl, pled guilty than fled the US before his sentencing. He has been living in Europe trying to avoid the consequences of his despicable act. Now, it would seem, he may finally pay the piper.
Yet, throughout America celebrities seem up in arms. Whoopi Goldberg excused him because it wasn’t ‘rape-rape,’ whatever that means. Diplomats and stars alike are shocked, not at Polanski’s crime, but at the authorities from having the audacity to arrest him. As shocking as that sounds, should we really be shocked? No, I don’t think so.
You see, darkness HATES light. Polanski’s crime, and cowardice clearly fall into the category of darkness. He has spent a large portion of his life avoiding the light of justice. His amoral Hollywood and political compatriots may not like what he did, but they have an equally visceral hatred for light. They don’t want to face up to the evil of his act because it might mean their lifestyles are also less than good.
From serial womanizing, to drug and alcohol problems, Hollywood (and, perhaps, Washington) is filled with folks who are convinced that right and wrong are mere constructs. They want to believe that good and evil don’t actually exist. This allows them to live however they please, and act self-righteous toward anyone who might question their choices. Thus, to allow one of their own to be exposed as evil gives rise to the reality that their own lives are similarly fallen—that they aren’t the nice people, good citizens they pretend to be.
If nothing else, Roman Polanski teaches us that we are so depraved we’d rather run than face our wickedness. He reminds us how we each choose to hide, rationalize or ignore our own sin—much easier to act as the victim than to face consequences. He shows us just how important the Light of Christ is. Only that light can reveal my wickedness, convict my heart and cause repentance.
May the light of Christ shine upon Mr. Polanski, and each one of us, that we might turn to Christ and be healed.
Brandon Markette 