Tuesday, October 19, 2004

Made me think

I have been doing some reading in the YS Message Forum about the Bishop that was ordained in the Episcopal church. I am sure most of you remember this story. The Bishop was an "unrepentant" homosexual and they went ahead and ordained him as Bishop.

It is a very interesting discussion that I am enjoying. I alway enjoy when I am stretched to thinking things I have never thought of before. I have increasingly found that I am more close-minded than what I should be. I have done what I have always taught not to do. I have taken some of my beliefs from those that have "told" me what to believe. I have never questioned things and I have never studies things for myself.

I believe that this is wrong for a disciple of Christ to do. It is true that orthodoxy is important but so is studying things for yourself. We have to be careful of not taking things for granted and believing just because, "we are supposed to."

I am not second guessing anything huge. I am not even questioning homosexuality. What I am questioning is my practice of not studying things out for myself and for being arrogant to believe that my interpretation of things is the only one that could possibly be "right."

I believe, for the most part, that I have been living my life as a LEGALIST. I have made things into laws and have lived accordingly. But the problems semes to be when I have made things into "laws" that are not in fact, laws. There are things that I thought wrong, where in fact they are not wrong.

We have to remember that just because we think something wrong, does not make it wrong. I may think wearing hats is wrong, but that does not make it wrong. We have to be careful to not be overly influenced by things that should not influence us.....like friends, leaders, culture, and our own arrogant pride. We must be careful to carefully weigh things and go to scripture with them. The "theme" of scripture should be the overriding principle for us. But once again I must warn us from taking scripture and turning it into a law. I really get irked whenever one takes a scripture (just one verse) and then proceeds to use that verse like a dagger, attempting to cut everything up. We have all heard the misuse of the verse "judge not lest ye be judged" but we fail to recognize the verses that we use. We are blind to our own faults and quick to judge others.

It is kinda like this whole homosexuality thing. I feel that there is an over-emphasis on homosexuality. I feel like we have set out to crucify those that have this "issue" or "sin" or whatever you want to call it. But the thing we do not do is look to the backbiters, gossips, lovers of money, those that "hate" in their heart, and a ton of other "issues" or "sins."

In 1 Timothy 3 - Paul lays out the qualifications of an overseer. Most scholars believe that to be equal to pastor, elder and so forth. He gives such qualifications....peacable, gentle, able to teach, hospitable, prudent, temperate, above reproach, not addicted to wine (OH MY, it doesn't say not drink wine but don't be addicted!...maybe its talking about grape juice...that would be bad to be addicted to grape juice), pugnacious (combative or set out to fight), keep their children under control with dignity, not a new convert (what constitutes new? 2 years, 5 years, or 3 months, or 6 months or what?), and of good reputation (so what happens when a pastor gets a bad rep, should he step down?) Why don't we ever call out pastors that have wild kids that are living in open sin....even in high school? Why don't we call out pastors that are not exercising moderation and restraint (temperance)?

Do you see my point? My big problem is not telling a homosexual that he can't be a pastor....my "BIG" problem is whenever we don't hold to the other things. We love to emphasize whatever proves our point or whatever sin that we do not struggle with. But God forbid somebody call us out on our sin....we are ....

What is my point? That is what I am wondering.

Just random thoughts from things that made me think

1 comment:

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