Of statues and kneeling...

The following is taken from a sermon I preached a few Wednesday nights ago to our church.  At the encouragement of some of our church members who found it helpful I have decided to post it to my blog.  I tried to edit it down while still including the Scripture references in full for ease of study.  Comments (even disagreeing ones) are welcome, but keep them civil, Biblical, and clean or they will be removed.

Much has been made in the news media of late concerning the Confederate statues in Dallas.  If you watch the news to see the protests and demonstrations it is clear that opinions run hot on both sides of the issue.  Being Christians doesn’t exempt us from having opinions and feelings on these things as well.  Obviously we are not OF the world in this or any other sense but we are IN the world.

In truth, the Christian opinion ought to be able to be the one that is readily sought by reasonable people BECAUSE it should always be the one that can be counted on to be founded upon and informed by rightly

interpreted Scripture.   Because we still battle our sinful flesh this is not always the case of course, but all things being perfect that is how it SHOULD be. But things aren’t that way and so we must endeavor to hold a Christian view on these matters and many many others.

I do not intend to tell you to be in favor of the statue removal any more than I intend to make a case for leaving them in place.  I do want you to help you separate yourself from either side of the history and instead look at the over-arching issue Biblically. 

Is there any problem inherently with these statues being in place?  Are they offensive?  Is their removal an attempt to re-write history?  I would say every one of those questions can be answered with a yes and a no depending on who you talk to about it.  Let’s get above the ground on the issue for a minute... try to see the forest in spite of the trees so to speak... What are some questions the Christian should ask themselves as they pray and study and come to a conclusion on this or any other issue in this world?

I’m going to suggest 3 and frankly, these can be used to help you make all sorts of decisions about everything from statues, to kneeling during anthems, to where you live, what car you drive, what job you chase after, etc...

1.) Does whatever view I choose help me glorify God and make Christ known?

1 Corinthians 10:31 - [31] So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (ESV)

I think that has to be the starting question... I think it simply must be the starting point for the Christian on making any decision.  I don’t care if it is deciding how you feel about this or whom to vote for or what food to order at dinner tomorrow night...   Does it help me glorify God or not?  This has to be where the Christian starts because, as Paul says Galatians 6, our boast is Christ.  So in whatever we are doing we want to highlight the superiority and excellencies and majesty of Christ! 
I cannot begin my reasoning based on my experiences... my experiences aren’t invalid and irrelevant, but they cannot be the starting point or driving force behind my worldview on ANY issue... why is that?

Jeremiah 17:9 - [9] The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? (ESV)

Proverbs 3:5-8 - [5] Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. [6] In all your ways acknowledge him,...

Look at the blessed result we find when we do this...

...and he will make straight your paths. [7] Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. [8] It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. (ESV)

I can’t begin with or let my experiences drive my views BECAUSE my experiences are driven by my memories... I’ll give you a silly example... I won’t eat at Chipotle... why?  Because I once ate at one and I bit into a piece of chicken that was cold and still raw on the inside, as a result I was very sick for a day or so.  Now, my experience with that gives me a terrible feeling when I think of eating there again... I can’t do it.  I understand that that is a silly and trite example but that principle carries over into other more weighty matters too doesn’t it?

Doesn’t Matthew 6 point me to that same conclusion?  Matthew 6:33 - [33] But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (ESV)

That’s a DIFFERENT question than, ‘how do I FEEL about it?’  Not seek first how I feel about something and decide based on that criterion. If you start with your emotions on the subject you are in severe danger of making an unbiblical choice.  I may feel a certain way about many things, but in Christ my emotions and my mind are to be in subjection to the Spirit’s guidance.  That’s the way that Christians are brought together in one accord concerning these things.  That’s how we are lead to know how to truly love one another... we submit to the same Holy Spirit.  He’s doing the same basic work of sanctification in all of us.

2.) How does my view help/hinder me from sharing the Gospel?

Paul said, 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 - [19] For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. [20] To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. [21] To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. [22] To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. [23] I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. (ESV)

What did Paul mean by that?  To win Jews did he affirm ceremonial sacrifice as a propitiatory practice?  No.  He certainly confronted error and those who sought to distort the Gospel.  But He approached his ministry from the standpoint of what would help him best lost his fellow man. How could he best show them Christ?  Put yourself in proximity of a statue real quick.  You are a person who thinks they should be torn down.  They’re offensive... they are symbols of racism... the whole deal... you think they need to go.  So you go to exercise your 1st amendment rights and protest them... peacefully... the violent on both sides are an obviously sinful issue.  But you are doing it peacefully... just expressing your view... and once the rally concludes you are headed to your car and you strike up a conversation with someone who disagrees with you but they were there and they saw your behavior on display or your viewpoint on display... how will sharing the Gospel with them be affected by what you did there? That’s what Paul has in mind... in things that don’t pertain to Gospel clarity I am to put others first so that I gain an audience with that person to hopefully win them to Christ... do you see?  So if I go to Japan... and I am in a community that says... you need to wear this certain type of robe or it is culturally offensive to the people... well I’m not bound by any world law to do it... but if I am bound to the law of love as a Christian and I desire to win them... I’ll put on the robe. The flip side of that... you’re there demonstrating because you want the statues left alone... and you behave peacefully... when you leave... how will the view you hold affect witnessing to the lost person who disagrees?

You may be inclined to say, ‘well my view there shouldn’t bother them... that’s not about the Gospel...’ maybe it shouldn’t... but that isn’t the question we should ask... the question we ask is... is my particular view on this social issue a hill worth killing my witness to the lost in the other camp on?  Is it worth it to die, metaphorically, for this issue if it means my Christian witness will be damaged elsewhere. “Well that group doesn’t understand!” that’s a possibility... but that still isn’t your starting point as a Christian... How can I put myself last and others first? How can I model Christ to the lost?  No lost person is going to come to you and ask for the reason for the hope that lies within you because you demonstrated for or against a statue... but they just might if you responded to that and other issues in accordance with the love Christ has shown you.

3.) How does my conduct affect the “weaker brother” from Romans 14?

Let’s think about this... there are Christians lining up on both sides of the issue.   For whichever opinion on the issue is wrong... ok... whichever one is the wrong view... and I know a Christian who holds that wrong view... how can I reach them and love them as my “weaker brother,” as Romans 14 talks about, how can I reason with them and bring them to both affirm whatever is right and more importantly how can I help them grow in Christ?

In 1520 Martin Luther wrote a treatise called "The Freedom of the Christian." He began it with this paradox: A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.

Then he explained:

“These two theses seem to contradict each other . . . [But] both are Paul's own statements, who says in 1 Corinthians 9:19, "For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all," and in Romans 13:8, "Owe no one anything, except to love one another." Love, by its very nature, is ready to serve and be subject to him who is loved.”

Galatians 5:13, "You were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."

Use your liberty to love by serving. That's what Paul says he is doing here in verse 19: "Though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave [or servant] to all." That's what Paul—and Jesus—mean by love.  Is it sinful to want the statues down?  Maybe, but not necessarily...  Is it sinful to want them to stay up?  Maybe, it could be, but not necessarily.

In your Christian freedom, but for love's sake, you try to overcome unnecessary, alienating differences that cut you off from unbelievers.  All the while you keep a vigilant watch over your heart to see if you are in the law of Christ.  Christ died to set us free. Free from the wrath of God, and free from the loveless limits of the law. Free for love and eternal life.  Are we using our freedom to make this good news plain? Or are we so culturally minded or are we so worldly that unbelievers don't know we have something radically different to offer than anything this world offers?  O may the Lord grant us to use our freedom to become the servants of all, that we might by all means save some! Examine yourself to see whether you are becoming more like Christ in your worldview or more like the world...

I’m not telling you to feel any certain way on this issue... you want the statues left alone?  Fine, make that case from Scriptural reasoning.  You want them removed?  Fine, make that case from scriptural reasoning. If you can’t do that, you need to take a long hard look at what you believe and why?

Personally, if it means giving me an avenue in to reach a lost person, I say take them down and quick!  At some point, the Christian has to decide that they are Christian first and that loving others is what God has called us to do.  In the eternal scheme of things, is a statue argument worth it?  In my estimation, I would say emphatically no.

Is a Boycott of Target off the Mark?

I posted this article a few years ago about a different issue and it seems that every so often I find myself updating and adding to it as new "boycotts" appear on the spectrum.

The latest issue has surrounded whether or not Christians should boycott Target due to the latest announcement from

Target that they will join many other businesses in removing gender labels from their restrooms. With this move they are taking their stand with the Transgender movement to affirm those who were born with one gender and have decided to identify as another have the right to use the bathroom of their choice.

To weigh in on this issue there are a couple of things we need to think about.

1.) This was already happening - This was already taking place, the difference now is that it is getting corporate approval and increasing cultural approval.  That doesn't mean we shouldn't be concerned about the issue.  That doesn't mean that we shouldn't speak up about it.  We do need to keep in mind, however, that it isn't as though this wasn't a thing one moment and then all of the sudden it was.

2.) This is an indication of a society presently undergoing God's judgment.  People say, "God's going to judge America for this." No friend, the fact that things like this happen and receive hardy cultural approval is proof that God has and is judging America.  When a society gives approval to sinfulness and even begins to endorse it, you can be sure that you are seeing Romans 1 on display.

Now, I've heard much discussion in general over "boycotting" said businesses (specifically Target) that decide to make their restrooms gender neutral.  Should we boycott businesses for this?  My position, is no.  No we shouldn't.  Hear me out before you go nuts.

Here is my 8 point pondering on the matter.

1.) A boycott is the way of the world.  Bruce Springsteen recently released a statement stating that he would not do a concert in North Carolina in protest over the HB2 legislation.  Bruce is of the world.  We are to be set apart.  A boycott is a worldly endeavor in this case.  I think if the world is reacting one way to a given situation then we as the church need to assume our reaction will likely be a polar opposite. (Mind you that's not a concrete principle and it may not always apply equally.)

2.) Have you gone about boycotting the bad doctrine and theology in your church or your denominational affiliations?  For example, I am a Southern Baptist.  I love my Southern Baptist brethren and denomination.  I am NOT a fan of the staggering lack of discernment that seems to be growing in some of our Baptist institutions.  For example, Lifeway sells books and "Bible" studies by two women (at least) who claim to receive new revelations from God.  That's heresy folks.  That's some really really BAD teaching.  Why is there no boycott there?  If there is to be a boycott of anything it should probably begin by aiming to 'clean house' so to speak and work its way out from there don't you think?


3.)  Have you considered confronting them in an Ephesians 4:15 way?  Speaking truth in love to them first.  It seems that we were all happy to spend our money at Target and endorse all sorts of debauchery but not this one touches on a level that comes with a very real risk of effecting us personally.  All of the sudden it is a much bigger deal?  That seems a bit off to me.

4.) It doesn't seem doing this has been thought through too wisely.  Granted we ought to feel something when we see things like this.  I am so thankful that many are upset about this primarily because it is a continued rebelling against God's Word and what it says, in this case, about gender identity.  You have every right to see to it that your family is protected on top of that (I'll address that in a closing thought), Our reaction, though ought to be to proclaim the Gospel all the more!  Not condemn the world. Has anyone personally contacted any of them and arranged a time to sit down with them and share the true Gospel (Mark 1:15), perhaps to lead them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ? I am not saying that they would receive such an advance, but have we tried?

5.) Gender neutral restrooms are not the real problem here.  The real problem is a society dead in sin that loves their sin and celebrates their sin.  This will only get worse from here.  The problem isn't just gender confusion (rebellion).  The problem is sin.  Right now we see it in the gender issue, but it is also shows up in a myriad of other ways.  That said, if all we go after is the small battle of keeping the restroom usage policies in accordance with a person's God-given gender we have won very little and missed the war.  The end result of this is that those business who give to your boycotts and change back (if any do) you've not changed their hearts, you've soothed your conscience so that you can continue doing business with that place... (1 John 1:8-9).

6.) Shouldn't we be consistent? If you are going to call out businesses using who follow Target's folly, then let's also go and call out businesses that support abortion, that promote promiscuity or drunkenness, or that put out sinful media products (all of which can also be found at Target).  Are you sure that the businesses that leave their bathrooms as Men and Women aren't selling products of companies who don't? Have fun figuring that one out!  Where does it end?  You'd better go home and clean out your pantry and throw away all clothing items as well that come from companies that give money to Planned Parenthood or some other evil corporation/campaign. You'd better cut your electric off because chances are your company gives to an immoral group or political candidate or something in some way. The commission of the church is not to chiefly attack the peripheral issues of this sin broken world, but rather to attack the heart of all issues with the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  That though they are sinners bound for God's wrath, their is forgiveness and pardon in Jesus Christ alone!  (John 3:16; Mark 1:15; Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:16-20)  It doesn't mean that we don't speak out, but we keep the cross and eternity in our ultimate perspective. 

7.) Preach the WORD in and out of season... PREACH THE WORD. (2 Timothy 4:1-4)  Just because you are willing to give other businesses a pat on the back for maintaining a sane and Biblical restroom usage policy does not equal success.

8.) Have you considered the issue of hypocrisy in your own heart with this? Is this the only time you've spoken up about the God ordained role of gender?  Have you sought to share the Gospel with those who are gender-confused?  They are darkened in their hearts.  They are in open rebellion against the God who made them.  He created them one way and they are charging Him with wrong.  And you are seeking to make them your enemy as opposed to your mission!?  The lost world is not our enemy, they are our mission.  We aren't trying to destroy them, we are trying to lead them to Christ who can clear up this sinful confusion AND forgive them of ALL their sins!  If this is the only thing that gets you riled up, might not you look like a hypocrite because you are claiming to prize and hold the name of Christ so very very closely and yet never share the Gospel any other time in the year?  Just a thought.  Some "Christians" will rail about these things (and again I understand the anger and agree what is going on is immoral) but those same Christians NEVER share the Gospel.  Never witness to anyone... How do you expect things to change if you keep the Gospel to yourself?

My Final Thought:

I am going to protect my family.  If my daughters or wife are headed into a restroom anywhere and a man identifying as a woman is in there or follows them in I will not hesitate to do whatever is necessary to protect my family.  Please hear me clearly, the whole identifying as a different gender issue is one of sinful rebellion.  It is not ok. It goes against the Lord and His Word.  Businesses who capitulate to gender-neutral restroom usage policies are wrong for doing so and they advance the cause of evil.  But unless we are going to pull out of every worldly thing, I don't think a boycott is the best way to combat it.

I want to hear from you on this.  If you believe I am way off base, please provide Scripture to refute me.  Keep your comments civil.  If you are a person involved with the transgender movement, I want to tell you that you are dead in your sin.  Not just because of the gender issue, but a whole host of other sins as well.  You need Christ to save you from your sin.  I was just as you once.  My sin didn't look like yours, but I needed the rescuing grace of Jesus Christ no less.  Repent of your sin, turn to Christ.  He will forgive you and give you a new nature.  He will not only clear up your gender confusion He will give you of His own righteousness.  Curious about that? Feel free to contact me.

Do you want to build a worldview?

With the success of Disney’s most recent princess tale “Frozen” much discussion has been swirling about since its release concerning the overtones and themes hidden in the message of the movie.  One camp says that, though admittedly unintentional, the movie teaches several Biblically supportable principles. 

For example: The older sister, Elsa, contains her powers and ignores that she even has them until one day through a series of events she unleashes them on the kingdom and quickly ushers the entire land into a winter that is only reversible by her.  She then runs away and sings the now world famous song “Let It Go”, the ballad of her breaking free from the years of oppression and now she is just letting go and doing with her power what she wants.  What does she come to realize?  Spoiler alert: She comes to realize that though in her ballad she sang “no right, no wrong, no rules for me” that sort of behavior only brought about trials and misery for all those who looked to her for care. 

Additionally it isolated her from the rest of society.  Interestingly enough, the Bible teaches that there actually is a law, God’s Law, and it is written on the hearts of all mankind (Romans 1). If we violate that Law we are indeed sinning against God as well as our sin has effects on those around us who trust us or, in some cases, who look to us for provision and protection.  We would love to be able to say that there is no right, no wrong, and no rules that we follow but that is moral relativism that ultimately makes truth a subjective matter that leaves a true adherent to that worldview in total chaos.

The Bible also makes plain that there is absolute truth, God (Genesis 1:1).  When Jesus declares that He is the Truth, the Way and the Life He effectively closes the door on the validity to any other worldview that opposes that which is revealed in the Christian Bible.

Secondly, absent from “Frozen” but present in nearly every other Disney film is the theme of following one’s heart.  Disney has made billions of dollars selling the lie to our children that to find happiness and fulfillment all one must do is follow their heart.  While Frozen falls woefully short of labeling it dead in sin, it does imply that our hearts can be difficult to change and what is needed is love.  While I am certain that Disney’s definition of the love needed is quite different than the Bible’s, I find it interesting that they are sending this message.

Thirdly, Disney’s Frozen ultimately sends the message that what was needed was not the true love of a love at first sight romance that is usually so obvious in all of Disney’s princess films, (spoiler alert) rather it was the unconditional love of a sibling.  If we are to draw a parallel there to Biblical truth we might say that Anna, the younger sister, is the archetypal Jesus who we see loves her sister though her sister consistently rejects her and pushes her away.  Just as Jesus pursues us though in our sin we reject Him; His love never fails.  Ultimately it is the Anna who is willing to sacrifice her own life so that Elsa’s is spared.  Seems I’ve seen that act on a eternally grander scale somewhere before... Ephesians 2:1-0; Romans 5:1-10

None of those themes were in there for the benefit of the Christian community I assure you. It is not Disney’s hopes that people will repent and turn to Christ as a result of their film, so please do not begin to write your “Frozen” Bible studies because Lifeway, Family Christian, and Mardel are sure to snap them up and get them on the shelves quickly if you do... the next Christian publishing goldmine?

But if you, like my family, saw the movie and enjoyed it these might be some great themes to discuss with your children after the fact.

On the other side of the issue we have the not so hidden agenda of the homosexual community.  They would have us believe that the ballad “Let It Go” is ultimately a song about ending homosexual discrimination.  According to that view it is said that the message of the movie is that people need to learn to love their homosexual family/friends regardless of the consequences that their life choice may have on others.  Let me be clear when I say that Christians are called to love others period.  We do not have to agree with a person's behavior and choices and we may label some of those things (such as homosexuality) as sin.  However, the most loving thing you can do for a person is be truthful with them.  Not accepting homosexuality as natural and normal is not automatically equal to being intolerant or unloving.  If that is the theme of the movie there is a problem.  As pointed out above Elsa comes to realize that letting go and living with no rules is actually not helpful at all but very harmful indeed.

All of this coming to the forefront of the media due to a recent interview given by some of the song-writers who were hired by Disney to write for the film.  (Source story : http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/04/22/award-winning-song-writers-behind-frozen-out-with-giant-claim-about-disney-and-god/ )

The claim is that Disney does not allow God to be mentioned in any of their films and prefers for His Name not to even be mentioned at all in any form.  Some Christians are upset over this but I, for one, am thankful for it.

I do not need, nor do I desire, Disney to teach me or my family theology.  In fact, I am very glad that they keep their hands off of it.  Much harm has already been done to the doctrines held by many through films and other media that teach horrible theology as it is.  If Disney teaches me a principle through their media and uniquely labels it as God's truth and it happens to be false, then they are guilty of blasphemy and leading others to idolatry.  It is better Disney stick with their secular moralism than try and teach something that they are woefully unqualified and incapable of teaching, namely Biblical truth.  All the while Christians ought to remain prayerfully hopeful that not only those associated with Disney but that all who are lost and dead in sin would be reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ.

Even in the examples cited above of the Biblical truth parallels contained in Frozen, upon further dissection many of them break apart because as I mentioned it was not Disney’s intent to teach Biblical morals or truth through the film but rather to provide entertainment to the masses of moms and dads who would flock to the theaters with their daughters for one more princess film.

In the end, whether you go to watch Disney’s film or any secular media for that matter is more or less a matter of conscience.  Something that you must work out by examining what the Scriptures say about how Christians are to conduct themselves.  If you do go to see these sorts of films, please... please... I beg of you... do not go home thinking that now you’ve found the golden key for teaching your family Biblical truth.  You haven’t, because it is not contained in a Disney (or any other) film. The theology built on Disney film teaching or any other secular medium will fair no better than Olaf in summer.

If you have the Bible, you have the key to teaching your family truth and explaining to them the Gospel and their need for Jesus Christ.  Open the Scriptures with your family and explore them together.  It is God’s prescribed means for spreading the truth about Himself in this world.

[16] All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, [17] that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
(2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV)

[5] Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
(Proverbs 30:5 ESV) 

(In case you didn't see the movie, the title of this article is a play on the song "Do You Want to Build a Snowman" featured in Disney's Frozen.)

The Local Church & Your Sanctification

The Local Church & Your Sanctification

We should all be well aware that the Christian life is to be one of continual sanctification (Matthew 3:8).  Christ has, by His sovereign grace, purchased us to be a people for His own possession.  The beauty of grace is seen, in part, in the fact that Christ pulls us out of the mire and death of our sin and makes us a new creation in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13).  Being that “new creation” implies change in our life.  To be clear, the Gospel is not about life-change as so many like to portray it these days.  The Gospel is about our desperate need for forgiveness of our numerous transgressions against a Holy God and the incredible sacrifice that has been made on our behalf by Jesus Christ so that that sin debt can be settled once and for all(Romans 3:21-26).  Even so, the pardoning of our sin sets us free from more than just God’s wrath for those sins, it also frees us to serve the Lord Jesus Christ (John 15:1-8).  The product of our salvation is change.  When Christ saves us we receive a new heart and new desires (Ezekiel 36:26).  The Holy Spirit works in us to change the old man into the one that God has created us to be (Ephesians 4:22-24).

While it is true that we are all individually responsible for our own sanctification, meaning that if I fail to pursue holiness as I’ve been called to do it is on me for that failure and no one else, but God has not left us alone in this quest.  Let me elaborate,  Just as we are saved by grace, we are sanctified by grace as well.  But God has not called us to merely sit stagnant in our sanctification.  As He works in us, grows us and conforms us more to Christ we are called to respond.  Even our desire to respond and obey and all our striving is given by the Spirit working in us.  To unfold this part of His plan God has placed the local church in our life as a means of our sanctification.  I would like us to consider 3 ways that the local church plays a vital role in our sanctification.

God sanctifies us by His power working in us through His Holy Spirit that we receive solely because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

1.) The church is God's method for the formative and corrective discipline of the body.

The failure of the individual affects the whole body.  1 Corinthians 12:1-30 teaches us that the church functions best when it functions as a single unit.  Each person exercising their spiritual gifts for the benefit for the other person and through that God is glorified in the unity of the Body.  Just as no part of the human body is without purpose, so it is with each part of the Body of Christ.  Each person in the local church plays a significant role in the sanctification of the other members.  One person’s sanctification is helped as other members exercise their gifts in service towards that person to help them grow in vast areas of their walk with Christ.  Conversely, that person’s gifts being exercised help them to sharpen themselves and they grow through their useful service to their brethren. As we serve others in the Body of Christ and are served by them as well, we grow spiritually to look more like Christ.

2.) The church is God's method for the watch care for the soul – Hebrews 13:17

God has ordained Elders and Deacons to watch over their flocks not for the purpose of commanding them or ruling with an iron fist as though a regime.  Rather, they are there for your benefit.  They are there to unfold God’s Word for you and lead you towards conformity to Christ.  Paul said in Romans 12 that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds; our minds are renewed by the Holy Spirit through engaging them with God’s Word, and faithful Pastors are one of the means God uses of applying the Word to your mind. So we are to be plugged in to a local church and we are to be submissive to our leaders, as they submit to the Lord, for they are caring for us and watching over us.  Rightly engaged this relationship will bring joy to both parties.  As the Pastor leads a believer away from sin’s dangerous snares that person is more sanctified and as the person submits to their Pastor’s leadership that Pastor’s joy is refreshed.  A Pastor with joy for his ministry will be a Pastor who lovingly guides his flock towards Christ.

3.) The church is God's method for the practical sanctification of His children. -  Hebrews 10:24-25

The church is God's method for the practical sanctification of His children.  The way believers grow in the practical ins and outs of Christianity is through the local church.  One purpose of our gathering for corporate worship and Biblical fellowship is so that we can “consider how to stir one another up to love and good works”.  Are not those two things directly connected to Christ conformity?  We learn to fulfill the greatest commandments by knowing how to both love and serve the Lord our God and our neighbor in a Biblical and Christ-like manner (Psalm 27:8,11) As we grow as a body and an individual and are thereby further sanctified, we display Christ to the world.  They see us reacting to success with humility, worship with reverence, temptations with resolves for righteousness over fleshly indulgence, persecution with an increased zeal for Gospel proclamation, and trials with unshakable trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.  This is the heart of what is meant by shining our light in such a way that men see our good works and glorify our Lord (Matthew 5:16).

Jesus loves the little Children!

Just a short 27 verses into the book of Genesis we learn that God not only made man.  More specifically Moses is careful to tell us that God made man “in His image”.  That caring act of creation set man apart from all of the rest of God’s creation.

In Psalm 139 we learn that God has continued His loving act of creating man by uniquely creating each individual person.

Psalm 139:13-14 - For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

We were formed by God’s own hand.  Knit together.  And the Psalmist says that our having been created by God in such a way that we were created to praise Him.  He says, I praise you BECAUSE I am wonderfully made.

Made in God’s image, we were created to praise God.  That is man’s chief purpose.  God created us so that we would freely praise His Name!  Yet, the Bible tells us in Genesis 3 that man has a dire problem.

Romans 3:23 says that we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.  In other words, because we have all sinned, we have all failed to meet God’s standard of perfection.  And we are not just a little below the mark; we are woefully short of giving God the glory He deserves.

Our job as Christian parents is to teach our children what they were created for.  They need to understand that they were created to worship God. But our job is not a simple one.  We compete with their attention against TVs, iPods, video games, and a culture that increasingly pushes them to grow up quickly and grow up focused only on themselves.

Every human being was created to worship, and every human being worships something.  Our job is to point our children towards the only One who is worthy of our worship; urging them to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The question then becomes one of how?  How do I lead them towards Christ?  How do I show them their need for and the value of a life lived for the glory of God?

Well, the key is to teach them God’s Word.  Use the principles from God’s Word to train them.  For example, the 10 Commandments.

It is so important that you teach your children the 10 Commandments.  God’s Law, the 10 commandments, is there for a myriad of purposes.  Chiefly, it shows that which God requires in order to be properly worshipped.

However, as we examine our hearts in light of each commandment we quickly realize that we have not perfectly met any of God’s requirements.  But in doing this the Law shows us WHO we are.

We are a people prone to give room in our hearts to other masters besides Christ.  But the Bible says in Luke 16:13 that our hearts can only have one master. 

The second thing God’s Law does is show us WHAT we need.  The Law commands us to do good, and then proves that we cannot and have not.  To do what the Law requires we need righteousness.  A righteousness that we obviously do not possess given our frequent transgression of it.

Next, the Law reveals WHO God is.  He is our Lord and our Savior!  His giving of the Law was intended to point us towards our need for CHRIST because HE and HE alone is the perfect fulfillment of all of those Laws that we could not keep.

Being perfectly righteous Jesus kept every Law perfectly on our behalf!  As we teach our children God’s Law they should see that they need Christ!  That God sent Christ to lovingly rescue them from their sin!

As we teach our children the 10 Commandments God will show them that their every violation of it or any one that they will ever commit has been absorbed by Christ on the cross!

The world tells our children that people should accept them just as they are, but the reality is that the world creates systems that force them to earn any acceptance that they may want. 

But teaching our children God’s Word teaches them that God will truly accept them just as they are.  Not because they are good, not expecting them to be perfect. 

No, the Bible teaches that God will accept them because He is satisfied by His Son’s sacrifice that was made on their behalf.

Not only that, but God’s Word teaches that God will put His very Spirit within them and that Spirit will begin to work in them so that sin’s reign in their life is broken as He begins to transform their lives! 

He transforms them and frees them from the burden of their guilt and sin and it frees them to be the worshipper that God has created them to be!

Remember our text in Psalm 139, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made!  We have to teach them the beauty in having been created by a good and holy God.

But it will not do to simply teach these things to them.  That is the quickest way to produce self-righteousness in them.  We must not only teach them God’s Word, we must also model it for them.

Our kids have to see that we too love Christ and His law.  They need to see in us a wholehearted response to God and His Word to us.   Our lives must not only demonstrate the pursuit of obedience to God but they must also demonstrate the response we should have to disobedience.  Our children need to see us striving to obey Christ, and when we sin and fall short they need to see us repent. 

When your children observe your sin.  Maybe you blow your top and scream at them.  Maybe you speak harshly to your spouse in front of them.  Maybe you get cut off in traffic and they witness you saying terrible things about the person who has offended you. 

When those things inevitably come up, be transparent with them about what you’ve done, why you know it was sinful, and why you need to repent of that sin.  Make it your goal to not only tell them about the importance of trusting Christ but show them how that looks in your own life.

Psalm 1:1-2 - Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.

When you pass one day, and your children inherit your possessions… what will you pass on to them that is of lasting value?  What will they remember about you?  The greatest legacy you can leave your children is one that teaches them to flee from their sin and trust in the sufficient grace of Jesus Christ.  They need to see and know that your delight is in the Lord alone!