Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Opinions Wanted
Alright, has christianity become too secular? Does our worship, culture and lifestyle set us apart from the world? Let me elaborate, when a preacher says something like, " maybe potifers wife was getting any" do we recoil or do we take accept the statement without so much as a flinch. For example; christian hip hop is getting revolutionary, there is no way it would be mistaken for the secular crunk. The lyrics are deep, hopeful and accurate to the bible. The bible tells us to be separated from the world. We are called to be dead to the world. I think personal discression is nescessary if what we do causes another believer to stumble it is better to avoid that thing. I realize the braodness of this topic, it goes all the way from alcohol consumption to contempary worship. Please share an experince or opinion on the matter.
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7 comments:
Well, I'm pretty sure you already know what I think, but I'll give my thoughts anyways. I don't think there are such things as "grey" areas. I believe everything is black and white. A grey area comes up when people are not willing to seek out God's will in the matter. Sometimes it's not just right to do things... and other times it is. Even though something like alcohol consumption doesn't have a 100% "NO" label all the time, it doesn't make it a "grey" area. There will never be a time or place where it's either right or wrong. God has a will... and anything that doesn't match that is not right. How can two completely opposing things be right at the same time? It's this whole idea that's popped up into our culture lately... It's not politically correct to say "either this or that is right" anymore. Now what we say is "both this and that are right." That's why there's a movement to remove the ten commandments from courthouses--apparently no one has a right to say something's definitely wrong anymore. It's wishy-washy, and it turns my stomach into knots. God is who He is, and we learn Him from His word.
sorry, what I meant was "there will never be a time or place where it's both right and wrong." My bad.
By the way, is there anything that could possibly be a happy medium between right and wrong? Half-right? Half-wrong? Honestly, where is the sense in that?!
Romans 14:5 says, "Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind."
It goes on to say, "Let us not judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way."
And so, we are to look at ourselves more than others. Your conscience determines your level of freedom.
"It is good to do no thing whereby your brother stumbles, or is offended, or is made weak. Have you faith? have it to yourself before God.
"Happy is he that condemns not himself in that thing which he allows. And he that doubts is damned if he eat, because he eats not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin."
These are challenging words! Most of us want obvious guidelines. We don't want to figure it out for ourselves based on Scripture and peace with God. But that is what I love about true Christianity. It is a PERSONAL relationship with God.
So, to use Andrea's example... if I choose not to drink, it is not because drinnking is sin. In fact, it is drunkeness that is sin. It is because to some, drinking is a sin, and I do what I can to avoid being a stumbling block for my Christian family.
"I have become all things to all men in order that I might save some."
Although this is referring to unbelievers, how much more should we not want to offend those who are already part of our Christian family. The Bible makes it clear that they are to be our first priority.
Thank you for the wise words. I wish I could have put it that way!
Judging by your post, would it be safe to assume that you're not a fan of the "Jesus is my boyfriend" type songs that are infiltrating Sunday morning services in many churches?
Well, I would prefer to keep God on th "Holy Different" level, so if the songs of which you speak do not allow that than I would not be a fan.
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