... But as for me and my house,
we will serve the
Lord.
Joshua 24: 15b
... and if I perish, I perish.
Esther 4:16b
Two of the
most famous passages in the Bible, quoted by many, found on many plaques
hanging on the walls of homes, even on the door post of the front door, and is
it maybe as often with the quoting of the Lord's prayer, and reciting the creeds, they
become nothing more than routine and rote.
I am not here saying all people have fallen into this pit whereby the
Bible has lost its significance, no, yet, some have. Is this true of you: that you will serve the Lord even though if
you perish you perish? Or, have you to
come to accept the worldly culture to be politically correct? Have you accepted multiculturalism as a
necessity for the church? As the social
climate that demands a complete equality in all things become
your worldview so that you accept things that have the "feeling" of being "right"
and yet when examined Scripturally are found wanting. Are your feathers ruffled when one speaks against such practices
and beliefs that have come to be held as true and yet when examined
Scripturally we find them wanting. Paul
has had to speak direct and forcefully to the Corinthian church because they
too had accepted the current worldview.
They allowed practices into the church that were based more on feelings
against that which Paul had previously taught to them, and were more interested
in being socially accepted, even going to the point to do things so that those
who are visitors, citizens of the city would not object to them and yet find
them to be "spiritual." The
Gospels seem to take a second place, and subordinate, and unscriptural
practices became that which was prominent above the Gospel. As with the Corinthian churches, and other
churches they had need for correction to change them from the inside/out, so
true this is needed within ourselves and in our churches. Why?
Because many Christian churches have adopted to be "politically
correct" and to allow "social standard" to pressure them to do things that
are not Biblical. Now, as I have
previously blogged that women were not to be or to be allowed to be pastors and
elders in the church and this may have ruffled your feathers. If so, check all out Scripturally as
commanded by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:21. Are you willing to do that which the Israelites testified that they
would do and that was to serve the Lord God in their house and this extended to
the synagogues and congregations. Would
you be like Esther who knew she could be killed, even so she held firm for the truth and for
the need for her people and willingly went before the king who could kill her
because she did not have the calling of the King to come before him: and yet
she said "if I perish, I perish."
Are you willing to perish all so that you are doing that which is
Scripturally correct? It is the
standard of the Bible; that determines our decision. And it is the Bible with the help of the Holy Spirit that gives impetus to our will to abide by
its precepts, principles, and commands.
So before I move on I want to address this very touchy and sensitive
subject of women becoming pastors and elders, and even deacons in the church
and see if this is the order and will of God and this we will do by looking at
Scripture.
Before I
move forward to in this discussion so that we can move forward in this letter
to the Corinthians I must remind you that I am of the belief that women are
under -- appreciated and under--utilized in the church. It is not that women do not have specific
gifts and those gifts may even cause them to do a better job at preaching and
teaching than men. The
world would say; "with all this ability then they should be the leaders,
but teachers, even pastors, and elders, and hold positions of influence in
importance even if this means to be ruling and authority over men." That is what the world would say and they
would agree that this is a politically correct thing and aligns with the social
standards of the world. However, it is
not the gifting of persons that are at issue.
The issue is of God's order and His calling. We do not come to God's Word with our social agenda and we do not
make God's Word fit our agenda and wants, rather we must change, and we must
adapt to what Scripture states. Is this
not the correct way? You don't want to
do this? Okay! You will be able to take this up with God on
the day when you are in heaven and He asks you a reason for all that you have
said and done. Will He say to you well
done you faithful and discreet servant? Or what you have come to accept, that is nothing more than some sort of reason that is nothing more
than an excuse for not doing what He has inspired other men to write for us so
that we will be in the Will of God. The
greatest thing that we must never forget is; God forgives! Come to Him in repentance for failing to
follow what He has commanded. I do not
mean to come to him just because we found out that we were caught in doing
something wrong, no, we come to him because we know we have failed a Holy and Just
God and brought upon HIm disdain. Is
this important? Only you can answer
that question! Will you act as did
Esther who said that "if I perish I perish, and will use stage that has
for you and your household you will serve God?
My prayer that this is true! My
prayer is that you will not allow the pressures could be politically correct
and hold to a social agenda that stands outside of Scripture to become your
worldview and then affect your theology.
What happened to Esther for her faithfulness? She and all her people were blessed! What happened to the children of Israel after listening to
Joshua: "Israel served the LORD all
the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who have lived Joshua, who
had known all the works of the LORD which He had done for Israel" (Joshua 24:31)?
Thus let's all Your enemies perish, O LORD!
But let those who love Him be like
the sun
when it comes out in full strength.
Judges 5:31a
Your inheritance is eternal life
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