A Tale of Two Kings

First off, apologies are in order for my delayed absence. Between wedding prep, a honeymoon and adjusting to a new house and schedule, writing sort of gets put on the backburner. But I am alive and ready to get back into the swing of things.


Being married has caused me to contemplate certain issues on a new level. Topics that were once theoretical concepts are now experiencal realities. Biblical manhood and family structure has been an important issue to me for a long time. It started out as the quest of a pre-teen boy trying to figure out what made me different from the girls I grew up with. It’s matured into a fuller understanding of masculine identity and responsibility. Now, these concepts have to be put into practice on daily basis.

It is out of this new experience that I’ve been contemplating an important distinction that needs to be made when we discuss issues like manhood and headship. This distinction is illustrated by comparing the rule of two kings. In about 483 B.C., King Xerxes of Persia made an interesting decree commanding that “all women will give honor to their husbands, both great and small” and “that every man should be the master of his own house.”On the surface, Xerxes’ decree seems Complementarian, even Pauline. In fact, the parallels in terminology are striking.

• Xerxes: “all women will give honor to their husbands” (Esther 1:20)
• Paul: “the wife must see to it that she respects her husband” (Ephesians 5:33)

• Xerxes: “every man should be the master of his own house” (Esther 1:22)
• Paul: “Wives, be subject to your own husbands…for the husband is the head of the wife” (Ephesians 5:22-23a)

At a glance, it seems like the Apostle Paul and King Xerxes are pretty much saying the same thing. But in fact the one is worlds apart from the other. The first rule in interpreting any text from the Bible, to a legal document, to a shopping list, is to consider the context. And in the contexts we find that Paul and Xerxes are describing two very different things.

Xerxes is describing tyrannical chauvinism while Paul is describing sacrificial servant-leadership. Xerxes’ decree was promoted when his wife refused to obey his stupid, self-serving edict (Esther 1:10-12). His ego offended, Xerxes throws a tantrum and banishes his queen. Still in an ill mood, he writes up a decree commanding all the women of the kingdom to shape up and “mind their man”.

Xerxes is the first king. He’s motivated by love of self. He uses his position of authority to fulfill his own desires at the expense of others. When his authority is maligned or questioned, he becomes angry and suppresses the opposition. This is the type of king all men are by nature. We all seek our own interests and our pride is angered when our rule is challenged. But thankfully, Paul gives us another example.

While Xerxes is the kind of king and husband we all are in our natural state, divine grace allows us to put on a different kind of King and Husband. Paul describes for us the rule and husbandry of King Jesus. While Xerxes cast his wife away, King Jesus is called “the Savior of the body.” (Ephesians 5:22) His rule is not based on petty edicts or vengeful enforcements but on the fact that “he gave Himself for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot of wrinkle, or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:25-27) While King Xerxes degraded his wife, King Jesus presents His bride in all her glory.

And it is this Husband-King that Paul commands us men to emulate: “Husbands love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,” (Ephesians 5:25) and again, “So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies.” (Ephesians 5:28) This is the difference between pagan patriarchy and biblical patriarchy. The one is about the man seeking his own interests. The other is about the man giving up his own interests for the sake of others. The one is maintained through force and wrath. The other is maintained through love and self-sacrifice.

Therefore, let us resolve to put on the character of our Lord and lead as He led.

My Wedding Vows

On Saturday I had the privilege of being married to my best friend. I'm so grateful that God brought such a wonderful woman into my life. Throughout the wedding we tried to strike a balance between the traditional and the personal. These are the vows that my wife and I took before God and witnesses and now, by the Spirit's aid, strive to fulfill.


I, Joshua, take you, Alissa, to be my lawfully wedded wife. I promise before God and these witnesses and by the power of the Holy Spirit that I will love, honor and protect you. I promise to rejoice and delight in you, becoming one with you as God has ordained. I will endeavor to be a godly, self-controlled man acting with kindness, consideration, patience, and humility in the heading of our household. I will endeavor to bring up any children we may have with love, forgiveness, and discipline, always teaching and admonishing them according to God’s holy Word. I will endeavor to love you as Christ loved the Church, giving my life daily that you may grow in all that is pleasing to God, for as long as we both shall live.


I, Alissa, take you, Joshua, to be my lawfully wedded husband. I promise before God and these witnesses and by the power of the Holy Spirit to love, honor and obey you always. I shall leave my father and mother and become one with you. I will respect your headship, as I honor Christ’s headship over the Church. I will help you and work with you as a united witness of the love of God. I will endeavor to bring up any children we may have with love, forgiveness and discipline, always teaching them according to God’s holy Word. I promise to love and cherish you, preferring you to all others as long as we both shall live.

The Gospel, Tolerance and Religious Freedom

It's generally agreed upon in our culture that religious freedom is a good thing. I don't know of many people walking around waving signs saying, "Down With Religious Freedom! Repeal the First Amendment!" Right or Left, we all recognize (at least in theory) that religious freedom is a noble principle that ought to be a part of our society

But it's not quite as simple as that. We all have a functional religion that governs our lives, whether we like to admit it or not. Some might prefer to call this a "worldview" or a "philosophy of life" but now we're just splitting hairs. We all have a set of values by which we operate. Likewise, as cultures were have a set of values that governs our nation. In short, there's no such thing as a value-neutral government. Religious freedom does not mean a religionless nation. They don't exist. All governments must operate from a certain value set - a certain religion, if you'll pardon my language.

So, if all governments are, at least in that sense, religious how then can we have religious freedom? Well, it depends on whether the religion governing the land is one that professes salvation through faith or salvation through works. Because works are external actions they can forced up the citizenry. But faith is, by it's very nature, a free, voluntary, internal act. If faith is forced is ceases to be faith.

So, when a works-based religion gains hold over a government, religious freedom dies. Islam, for example, is a works-based religion. You can force people to utter the words, "There is one God and Mohammad is his prophet". Men can be made through coercion to practice the five pillars. If works can be forced than salvation by works can be forced as well. Thus, it's only logical for Islamist governments to bring people into salvation, by the sword if necessary. The Arab Spring is proving that the Islamist mindset cannot produce freedom of religion.

But Biblical Christianity is a faith-based religion. Men cannot be forced into having their hearts changed. They cannot be made by the sword to put their faith in Jesus Christ. Thus, a truly Christian government will not force people to become Christians, for that would ruin the whole point. A biblical State will protect the rights of non-Christians to freely and publicly worship; not because all religions are equally valid but because the State is simply not qualified to make disciples. That is to be done by churches and individual Christians, not by men in dark suits. Thus, a society can only have religious freedom if it understands the Christian Gospel of salvation by grace through faith.

Now, this is the part where someone raises their hand and says, "Um, Josh, I think you need to take world history again. Many Christian governments persecuted unbelievers."

That's only too true. I've been to Lima, Peru, and seen the old Inquisition there, complete with grotesque wax statues of tortured "heretics". It's tragically true that elements of Christendom have opposed religious freedom. But just because a nation has a crucifix on their flag doesn't mean they understand the Gospel. Just like pilgrimages to Mecca can be imposed by the State, so can baptism and saying "hail Mary". Every "Christian" government that has opposed religious freedom was operating from a gospel that had been, in some way, perverted. But if a culture does understand the Gospel it will secure religious rights for all. Therefore, it is not in opposition to religious freedom, but in defense of it, that we must be bold to spread the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Right now, the United States is governed by the Cult of Tolerance. It's is a functional religion with a functional gospel. "Tolerate and be saved." Does this religion allow for religious freedom? Increasingly, we are discovering that the answer is "no". Pastor Louie Giglio was originally supposed to give the benediction at President Obama's inauguration yesterday. However, he was dismissed after a sermon he preached against homosexuality came to light. On the one hand, I don't have a problem with this. It's Obama's gig and he can have whoever he wants give the benediction.

But it does demonstrate that the New Tolerance doesn't really give tolerance to everyone, but only to those who agree with its postmodern presuppositions. How ironic it is when the president talks of equality for his gay brothers while excluding those who disagree with him. The tolerance gospel cannot tolerate anything that disagrees with it because tolerance, unlike faith in Christ, is a work. And works can be enforced by legislation and men with guns. The State can force people to be tolerant. Thus, a tolerance-obsessed culture cannot allow for religious freedom. In contrast, a Christian nation must allow for the freedom of disagreeing religions or it is in some way sub-Christian. That's the paradox. If you say all religions are valid, any religions that disagree with that assertion will be treated as invalid. But if you say that Jesus is the only Way, than all religions will be tolerated.

Thus, may we protect religious freedom for all by insisting on the exclusiveness of Jesus Christ.

7 Tenets of a Principled Optimist

In the past, I've described myself as a "principled optimist". Likewise, I made a comment a while back on Facebook that pessimism is the result of bad theology. All that needs a little clarification and I'm just now getting around to defining my terms.

1. A principled Christian optimist is not surprised when hardship comes. In fact, he expects it as the natural consequence of living in sin-cursed world. His optimism is not based on circumstances but perspective.

2. However, the perspective of a principled optimist is not a subjective, relativistic mind-binding. It's not so much about looking on the bright side as it is looking at reality - that is true Reality, the Person of God. A Christian optimist sounds more like Paul than Pollyanna.

3. The Christian optimist rests in the character of God as his source his optimism. He places himself in the stream of Christian thought that adheres, at least on some level, to the theory of  Gottfried Leibniz which states the world that exists is the best of all possible worlds. He also agrees with G.K. Chesterton that the real world is far more magical than any fairy tale.

4. Leibnizian theory: Because God is omniscient (all knowing) He knew all possible worlds and events that He could have brought into being. Because He is omnipotent and sovereign (all powerful) He was perfectly capable of bringing any of those worlds and events into being. But because He is omni-benevolent (all good) He chose to bring into existence the best possible world and events. This is the Christian's basis for optimism.

5. However, the principled optimist also recognizes that God's original world has been corrupted by humanity's fall. But he also recognizes that even the most horrible events ultimately conspire toward the glory of God and the good of humanity. Take for example the most horrific event in human history - the crucifixion of our Lord. It is also in another sense the best event in human history for it brought God glory and humanity redemption.

6. The principled optimists trusts God to work all things together for good, believing that even the most horrid of trials will be used by God to accomplish His ends. Therefore, the Christian can be optimistic even as he faces tribulation.

7. The principled optimist reads Romans 8 a lot.

Sermon Notes: As He Is Holy

As I He Is Holy


Greeting This is one of those messages that you almost feel a little arrogant preaching. It is the subject of holiness. Frankly, this is a scary sermon to preach because I know that I don’t live up to it. And yet it such an important topic and one that has been impressed upon me of late. The understanding of holiness is key to understanding who God is but also to understanding what we are to do.

Read 1st Peter 1:13-16.

13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Here the Apostle Peter calls the Christian Church to holiness. He bases this command on the OT Scriptures. In verse 16, Peter quotes Leviticus 11:44 which is the passage of Scripture that I want to look at today. But before we do that, let’s pray.

Pray.

The Extent of Holiness

Tell about reading through Leviticus. Most of this 47 verse long chapter deals with dietary rules for the nation of Israel. There has been much speculation about why certain animals were forbidden and others not. Health benefits have been suggested and yet passage seems to indicate that the primary reason for these prohibitions had to do with making Israel distinct from all other nations.

We know from the NT that with the coming of Christ and the fulfilling of the Law, such dietary restrictions are no longer necessary. Shadow has been replaced by substance, as the author of Hebrews tells us, and therefore it’s no longer necessary to cling to the shadows. In Acts 10:10-16 Peter, the same person who would later quote this Leviticus passage, saw a vision concerning this issue:

10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending upon him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.13 (The very things Leviticus 11 prohibits) And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

Likewise, in Romans 14, Paul commands Christians not to not make an issue out of such things as OT dietary laws. So, it is clear that these instructions are no longer obligator for NT saints. It dealt with an issue that is no longer applicable to us in the same way that it was for OT Israel. And yet, it played a very important part in God’s plan.

Paul described the Law as a schoolmaster which brought us to the realization of our need of Christ. It shows us the nature of God and our own inability to live up to that nature. Put yourself in the place of an Israelite first receiving the Law. When God spoke to the Jewish nation at Mt. Sinai it was an unprecedented event in human history. Never before had God offered self-revelation on such a grand scale before. In the past, He had given little snippets of information to individuals like Noah and Abraham. But now He was giving four books worth of information about Himself to an entire people group. But imagine the weight of the responsibility that must have come upon the shoulders of the Israelites as they listened to the Law being given.

Imagine trying to keep track of all that was being told them. “Okay, we’re to give this burnt offering of this specific type of animal at this specific place and these are the specific rituals associated with that and then there’s a totally different list of very specific details related to grain offerings and another set of rules about peace offerings with a sub-set of rules for priests. And then there’s a whole grouping of laws about motherhood and childbirth and details laws for identifying leprosy, and then laws about cleansing a leper and rules about cleansing a leper’s house. Then there’s laws concerning physical health. And long list of annual rituals to be carried out in very specific ways. Then there’s laws concerning sexuality and religious affairs. And list of random laws pertaining to harvesting and wages.” Oh, and if you mess any of this up it could very well bring about personal and national calamity. (Now you know why Moses had to write it all down)

That Israelite would come away with the strong impression that Jehovah was an awesome God whose demands were very, very high; so high that no one could fulfill them. This was exactly the point of the Mosaic Law; to showed us that we must put our faith in the only One who can fulfill God’s Law – the Lord Jesus Christ.

Then you get to Leviticus 11 and you see that God also had instructions concerning food. Holiness is the theme of the entire book of Leviticus and this chapter in particular. Verse 43 tells us that the Israelites were to avoid defilement.

43 Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.

It is interesting to me that the weighty subject of holiness comes up in a conversation about meal time affairs. This, I believe, tells us a couple of truths about holiness.

One, holiness is comprehensive. It touches everything. There’s not a specific set of items designated for holiness with the rest of life to be governed as we please. Rather, holiness is to govern our lives from the pew to the dinner table and every place in between. This is in contrast to the prevailing notion of the day that says that “religion” is all well and good so long as you don’t get carried away. God’s okay just so long as He knows His place. But, the Bible would tell us that the Lord has dominion over every aspect of our lives – down to what we eat for dinner.

Two, holiness is practical. Holiness isn’t an abstract concept floating in space. For the Israelites, this passage would have had very practical, down-to-earth ramifications. It would affect what the young men hunted, what kind of cattle fathers would raise and what sorts of meals mothers would cook. Holiness touches everyday realities.

By quoting this passage in a letter to churches, I believe Peter is teaching that the principle (though maybe not the exact application) of Leviticus 11 is very relevant to the NT Church. Thus, I want to look at three truths that this passage teaches us about holiness.

The Basis of Holiness

43 Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.44 For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

It is far too easy to think of holiness as something done by stern faced men in dark clothes who always look like they’re short on sleep. Instead, the Lord declares that holiness is based in Himself. He is the standard for holiness. In commanding us to be holy, God is inviting to be, to an extent, like Himself.

Doug McLachlan says: “The holiness of God is His “apartness” in two realms. First, there is His holiness of majestic transcendence. This describes the divine separation from all that is created and finite, for the God of the Bible is both uncreated and infinite. Second, there is His holiness of moral purity. This describes His basic separation, apartness or difference from all that is unclean and sinful. God’s holiness is the self-affirmation of His being. God is holy. Thus God has a constitutional reaction against anything which contradicts His holiness or is unlike Himself morally. Therefore, God demands that all people, and especially believers, be like Him in character and conduct. This seems to be Peter’s emphasis when quoting from Leviticus, “Because it is written, ‘Be ye holy for I am holy.’” While we can never share God’s majestic transcendence, we can all share in His moral purity. God is separate – that’s what it means to be holy – and we too must be separate for we are called to be like Him.”

Illustration about Robert the Bruce and Sir James Douglas

Thus being holy is not a dry conformity to a list of regulations. The pursuit of holiness is an act of love and devotion.

Another thing that needs to be said is that rather than being a drain or enslavement, the call to holiness is an invitation to experience ultimate reality and true joy. After giving the Law, God told Israel in Deuteronomy 30:15, “I set before you this day life and good.” Sin has deadened us to all that is good and beautiful. But in being holy as God is holy we find that we are truly alive. We find that we can taste and see the goodness of God. Holy living frees us to experience all the joys that God intended us to experience.

In the 1st Peter passage, the apostle tells us in verse 14 to be: “as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance.”

Thus, being holy is about imitating our Heavenly Father, like a little child. All children do this, almost instinctively. Likewise, because we have been made children of Holy God, we are to imitate Him. This involves removing the former lusts. Because our Father is radically holy we too shall pursue radical holiness. In Leviticus we’re told that this desire to be holy like God will cause us to avoid defilement.

This is a ridiculously high stand. Be holy as God is holy. If it were just a matter of conformity to rules that would be another story. Anyone can follow a few regulations. But this is something much harder. This divine holiness is not only affects our outward life but our inward lives as well. Talk about motives. How can we possibly meet that standard? Is holiness a matter of gritting your teeth and trying real hard? This passage seems to indicate something very different.

The Motivation for Holiness

Why were the Israelites (and relatedly us as well) to be holy? Look at Verse 45: 45 For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

Our motive for holiness is wrapped up God’s two opening declarations of this verse: I am the LORD (Jehovah). I’ve rescued you so that I might be your God. First, it’s based on who God is. Jehovah is not like the other gods. He is holy and awesome and beautiful and splendid. And that requires something of us.

But secondly, it’s also based on our relationship to God. This glorious majestic God has chosen to rescue us so that He may not just be the Lord but our God. He is Israel’s God in a unique sense and for the believer He is our God in a unique sense. It’s important to note that the Mosaic Law is that it’s not a list of prerequisites that Israel must meet before God saves them from slavery. Rather, it’s a list of commands given because He already did save them from slavery. We have been liberated from a bondage far worse than that of Egypt. Those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ have been liberated from the power of sin and death to the end that the Triune Jehovah might be our God. And it’s because of that that we are to pursuit holiness.

Peter also makes this point in 1st Peter 1:13: 13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

Here, Peter reminds the Christians of the full measure of grace that will be realized when Christ appears. God’s already given us grace now and will give us even more grace in the future. And it’s because of that that Peter can command us to gird up our loins and be sober. Because God has already secured our ultimate victory, we are to engage in this fight for holiness.

It’s really important that we get this right. One of the biggest issues facing the Church today is the relationship between holiness and grace. Actually, it’s one of the biggest issues facing the Church of any day. Paul had to deal with way back in the very beginning. After giving a great thesis on grace he had to quickly clarifying that he was not saying that we should sin that grace may abound. He knew that if he didn’t clarify someone would take it that way. Now today, many promote grace at the expense of holiness. Others promote holiness at the expense of grace.

And yet, the Scriptures never portray those two essential concepts as antithetical or even counter-balancing. Grace and holiness are not so much weights of either side of the scale as they are adjoined twins that will both die if separated. To use another illustration, holiness is the destination and grace is the vehicle that gets us there. God wants us to be holy and yet we are simply not capable of meeting that goal. Therefore, God has lavished upon us His grace accessed through faith in the Lord Jesus.

And it is that liberating, relational grace that is to motivate us to pursue godliness. This is vital to keep in mind. Because if you don’t you will find yourself stuck on a treadmill of good deeds and self-correction trying to keep up with all the demands being placed upon you so that you might earn God’s favor. God has called us to something far more freeing and yet a lot more terrifying. Because He has purchased us at a great price we are already positionally holy. If you are putting your faith in Christ there is a sense in which you are already as holy as Jesus is. You are as perfect as you can possibly be. However, in light of all that God has done for us, we are to pursue holiness in a practical way. We are to take what God has done positionally and make it a reality practically. Not to earn God’s favor but we already have God’s favor, compliments of the Lord Jesus. Not as an attempt to gain love but because of the love that is already shown to us. If this not kept straight the pursuit of holiness will become a discouraging rat race of consuming self-improvement.

Martin Luther illustration

It’s an incredible thing that God has done for us. The believer is already righteous, holy and perfect in Christ and he can rest in that reality. And yet, resting in that reality will cause him to labor for practical righteousness, holiness and perfection. It’s both/and not either/or.

Grace and holiness go together but not like ham and eggs go together but the same way that cooking and eating go together. That is to say, they’re not just a nice pair but there’s a progressiveness to their relationship. Grace is the enabler while holiness is the result. So, some people get so caught up in cooking that they forget to actually eat. Others talk so much about eating that nothing is ever cooked.

We see this in Ephesians 2:8-10:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Paul is talking about grace, he inhales and then in the next breath talks about godly living. Because grace is a powerful force, it changes everything when applied to a person’s life. The life that has accessed grace through faith will be changed in a miraculous way. Holiness is what grace accomplishes. Saving grace grants us positional holiness and sanctifying grace gives us practical holiness.

Our being saved by grace actually makes holiness all the more potent. Because if we came into a relationship with God through some effort of our own, than there’s only so much that God can demand of us. His requirements can only go to a certain point because we did something to earn God’s favor and that much belongs to us.

But if we are saved by faith so that if might be of grace, than God owns us. And not just part of us but all of us. Because we were redeemed purely because of God’s mercy, than we are completely bound to Him and His commands.

Sometimes this will seem radical and over the top. But I would contend that every labor of love does to those who are not bound by that same love Illustration about our courtship. Therefore, love compels us to a radical godliness.

Matt Chandler says, “Grace-driven effort is violent. It is aggressive. The person who understands the gospel understands that, as a new creation, his spiritual nature is in opposition to sin now, and he seeks not just to weaken sin in his life but to outright destroy it. Out of love for Jesus, he wants sin starved to death, and he will hunt and pursue the death of every sin in his heart until he has achieved success.”

Therefore, if grace is not the enemy but the ally of holiness, than one of our greatest weapons in the fight for godliness is a deep understanding of what God has done for us. When we begin to understand the full magnitude of what God has accomplished – not just in our head but in our heart – we cannot help but pursue His holy character. In the Law, the Jews were repeatedly reminded that it was their liberation from Egypt that was to motivate their holy lifestyle. In the same way, the NT believer’s freedom in Christ is to drive him toward holy living.

Thus, as we struggle to stamp out sin in our lives or develop the things that are lacking, we mustn’t simply grit our teeth and whiten our knuckles. Rather, we must put our faith in God’s grace. As a side note: I think that one of the key evidences of whether or not we are trusting in God’s grace is how much time we spend in prayer. If we’re relying on our own strength we don’t need to ask God for any. But when we’re at the end of ourselves we simply must go before the throne of grace, trusting God with the victory.

And when Christians do this, something incredible happens.

The Result of Holiness

I’m going to call this the result of holiness but I’m not quite happy with the terminology. One could make the argument that what I’m about to describe is not the result of holiness but that it is holiness. However, I still think that there’s a distinction that can be made here so I’m going to go ahead a use that wording.

I’m going to say that the result of holiness is distinction. I see that in the last two verses of this chapter.

46 This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth: 47 To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.

Now again, some would argue that the distinction is holiness. However, I think the distinction described in these verses is a visible, evident difference. It’s something you can see. This, I believe, is related to Verse 45 where God tells the nation of Israel that they are to be His people. And God’s people look different than other peoples.

This is the reason, according to Verse 47, that these regulations about the eating of animals were made. It was so that you could tell the difference between the clean and the unclean. Now the verse is referring to the animals that were clean and unclean but by extension it was so that at a glance, a person could tell the difference a Jew and a non-Jew. When someone was traveling through the Near East and passed through Israel he would see a very evident difference between the Jewish nation and all other peoples. Everything, down to their dinner table, was dedicated to God. In the same way, there should be an obvious difference between the believer and non-believers.

(This is command is both individual and corporate. This is a distinctly Christian concept.

Trinitarian illustration

Do you see that in this passage? Eating is an inherently individual activity. Granted, you can eat in a group but the actual act of eating is an individual one. And yet, the results are corporate. It was not just an Israelite that would be distinguished but Israel that would be distinguished. Likewise, we are to be holy as individuals so that Christ’s Church is visibly distinguished from all that is unclean.

This is the heart of Christ. We read in Ephesians 5:25-27:

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Jesus went to extreme lengths (like being tortured to death) to make the Church spotless, glorious and without wrinkle. Therefore, we should also go to extreme lengths to accomplish that same end. For us, “extreme lengths” means dying to self, as Jesus died on the cross.)

That’s really what holiness amounts to – dying. All that is unlike God must burn in the fires of love and devotion. That’s Romans 12:1. And it’s a painful process. Holiness hurts. It means doing things we don’t want to do and not doing things that we do want to do. But the stakes are too high to avoid this challenge. The reputation of God is at stake. And ultimately in obeying God we find true joy and satisfaction.

When God made Man He made him holy, in the sense of moral purity. Humanity was created in the Image of a Holy God. But sin ruined that. We are all born into the world as unholy. And yet, through faith we take on the traits of the Holy One of Israel, that is Jesus Christ. Peter would later tell us that the goal of all this was that we might be a holy nation. Holiness is the entire point of human history.

Look at where the incredible promises of Romans 8 all lead to.

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son

For the believer everything conspires to the end that he or she might be like their Savior. That is, that they may be holy. But you’ll notice that the law of the beasts was designed to give the Israelites a choice. It’s was to teach them the principle of this, not that. Thus, holiness involves a choice. It means choosing one thing over another thing. Therefore, as we chase after holiness we must learn to choose certain things over other things.

You may have noticed that I’ve been rather vague throughout my sermon. I’ve not given any specific examples. The reason is that as soon as I give an example that will become the issue. At the same time, I hope it has not been so vague as to be unhelpful.

The important thing is this: God has invited into a relationship with Himself and He is holy. Therefore, as children of God we are to pursue the holiness of our Father. But He’s not left us on our own but has lavished us in grace, empowering us to meet that objective of holiness. Therefore, may we passionate chose to embrace this high calling.

Pray

Pomosexuality: A Roundup

"If culture is religion externalized, as Henry Van Til observed, homosexuality (and other forms of deviance) are the perfect manifestation of an evolutionary, re-invent yourself kind of paganism, which is the religious worldview our nation is in the process of adopting." That was Doug Wilson's summary of the current cultral climate, which he calls "pomosexuality". I would like to draw your attention to some very interesting stuff by some very smart people on this very important issue.

Earlier this year, Pastor Wilson did a series of lectures at the University of Indiana about this issue. And some people weren't too happy about it, as you can see in this trailer:



Gotta love tolerance, eh? You can watch the lectures and the Q&A HERE. Wilson also did a very nice follow-up interview which you can read HERE.

However, my fear is that many Christian don't realize just how deep the issue goes. We lost the highground on this issue before I was born. Egalitarianism was the battering ramp that tore down the door for homosexuality to rush in. That's the issue that John Piper, Russel Moore, Ligon Duncan and Greg Gilbert address:

Two Guys Named John Explain the Trinity

Okay, I lied. It's actually a guys named John and a guy named Jonathan. But that doesn't work as well in the title. The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the hardest for us to get our heads around. However, taking a clue from Jonathan Edward's "An Unpublished Essay on the Trinity" (which you should definitely read), John Piper does a breathtaking job of summarizing that doctrine.

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Human language is never wholly adequate to communicate personal life. How I feel when I look at four sons leaving their childhood behind cannot be wholly carried by words. But we still try. We stammer. We use metaphors (it’s like throwing things overboard on a voyage). We write poems and songs. The inadequacy of language is only surpassed by its indispensability. What else have we got? Inadequate does not mean useless. Language may not carry all there is, but what it carries can be true and valuable.

So with talk about the Trinity. No doubt it will always exceed our full comprehension. No doubt our language is inadequate to carry this deep reality. But the depth and value of the Trinity is precisely why we must speak. You don’t throw out the love poem because it falls short of the love. It is precious nonetheless. So is the doctrine of the Trinity.


In a nutshell (following Jonathan Edwards), I would describe the Trinity like this: The Father is God existing in the primal, unoriginated, most absolute manner. The Son is God eternally generated by the Father’s having a clear and distinct idea or image of himself, so much so that his image or reflection of himself is God—the Son. The Holy Spirit is God existing as the infinite Spirit of love and delight flowing eternally between the Son and the Father.

The Father has always existed. And there never was a time when he did not have a perfectly exact and full Idea or Image of himself. This is the Son who therefore is equally eternal with the Father. “God’s idea of himself is absolutely perfect and therefore is an express and perfect image of him, exactly like him in every respect; there is nothing in the pattern but what is in the representation—substance, life, power nor anything else…But that which is the express, perfect image of God in and in every respect like him is God to all intents and purposes…” (Jonathan Edwards, An Essay on the Trinity, p. 101). Biblical passages that point to this understanding of God the Son are 2 Corinthians 4:4; Philippians 2:6; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3.

When God is said to “be love” (1 John 4:7, 16), we must think that there has always been two Persons in God between whom love could flow. And the Scriptures teach plainly that the Father loves the Son (Matthew 3:17; Ephesians 1:6; John 5:20; 17:26) and the Son loves the Father (John 14:31). God’s infinite love for his own glory (Isaiah 48:11) was satisfied from eternity in his beholding and enjoying his own glorious Image in the person of his Son.

Therefore, the Father and the Son never existed without an infinite delight and love flowing between them. It was not possible they could be indifferent to each other’s glory. 1 John 4:12-13 shows that the love that God is (v. 7) is the Holy Spirit: “If we love one another God dwells in us, and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him…because he has given us of his Spirit.”

The Spirit of God is the river of love and delight flowing between God the Father and God the Son. The Holy Spirit is the esprit de corps of the Godhead. In responding to each other’s infinite glory, the Father and Son put all that they are into the act of love. And therefore the Spirit is all that they are and exists as a Person in his own right, yet one with the Father and
the Son.

We grope. We stammer. We reach for ways to say the mystery. Why? Because something has gone before. Falling in love always precedes the love poems (no matter how bad they are).

By John Piper. ©2012 Desiring God Foundation. Website: desiringGod.org Used by Permission.

3 Reason I Appreciate My Mom

There are many, many that I appreciate my mom. Too many to count. But on this Mother's Day, I'd like to share three of them with you.

1. Her care for people.

I naturally ask "why?". My dad taught me to ask "what?". But my mom taught me to ask "who?". I love my mom's tender heart which touches everything she does. Even little things like listening to people come from her desire to serve others. Without making airs or stirring up commotion, my mom makes an impact on everyone she gets to know. Her quiet spirit can penetrate hearts and silence storms. She cares for people like a bird flies. It's just a part of who she is. It's a marvelous gift and I'm so thankful for it.

2. Her faithful service.

My mom has an unassuming nature about her and thus much of what she does goes unnoticed. But that doesn't seem to bother her. Though I'm sure she's had her down moments, I'm so very grateful for the faithful, consistent service of my mother. She gladly performs the little things that no would notice unless she didn't do them. She's never felt the need to grab the spotlight. Rather, for the past twenty years I've seen her cheerfully serve everyone around her.

3. Her love for God.

But above all I'm thankful that my mom's highest priority is glorifying God. I know that everything else I appreciate in my mom - her openness, her sincerity, her compassion, her faithfulness - all stem from her love for God. I'm so very grateful that she saw fit to instill that in me.

For all that you are and all that you've done, thank you mom! Happy Mother's Day!

The Heroes I Spend Sundays With

You want to know who my biggest heroes are? It's not some great preacher like Spurgeon or Moody. It's not a great writer like C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien. It's not a great theologian like Jonathan Edwards or Martin Luther. Nor is it even a great missionary like William Carey or Hudson Taylor.

Rather, my heroes are...

-The ten year old girl who makes a point of saying "Good luck, Josh" before every time I preach.
-The woman sitting behind me who sings like she actually means what she's saying.
-The man sitting in front of me who often can't finish the hymns because the truthful words are too powerful.
-The newly saved man who (being unaware of all the "rules" we've associated with prayer) simply talks to his Daddy.
-The 80+ year old who has more energy than I do.
-All the people who know me so well but love me anyway.
-The "old folk" who are willing to hangout with the teens.
-The teens who don't act like teens.
-The young men who act like men.
-The young women who act like women.
-The young lady who always knows and cares about what's going on in my life.
-The "kindred spirits" that help me see myself honestly.
-Young people are not only willing but eager to discuss spiritual things.
-A pastor who loves the Word and love people.
-People courageous and loving enough to point out my faults.
-The older woman how knows everyone's name.
-The lady who embodies servanthood.
-The man who can always be counted on to do anything.
-The older men who make a point of passing on the torch.
-The people I spend Sundays with.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why we need the local church.

My Heart's A Dirty Carpet

As most of you probably know, I currently work for a carpet cleaning company. Some of the carpets that I clean are pretty nasty. Last week I helped clean a particularly nasty carpet. When we walked into the room, the smell was almost overwhelming. Imagine a port-a-poddy exploding in a tobacco factory and that's a pretty good picture of the stench.

If that's not bad enough, the carpet itself was even more repugnant. I'm still not exactly sure what color the carpet was originally, but when we got there it was a lovely assortment of reds, greens, blues, blacks and browns. There were dozens of pieces of gum smeared into the fibers. The stains were so deep that our first attempt to clean (which usually blasts out pretty much anything) barely even touched it. Disgusting smelling red stains were splattered everywhere. And to top it all off, there was a fine collection of cigarette burns, random black spots and an unidentified greenish-brown substance (use your imagination).

About an hour into the job with little progress to show for, I was overcome with a touch of hopelessness. I knew that no matter how much sweat, toil and labor we invested into this carpet it was still going to look trashed out. The whole thing was beginning to gross me out (and, as a big brother to four, I don't get grossed out very easily). What's the point? I thought. Why work so hard and exhaustively for something so disgusting and revolting?

Then, the Holy Spirit hammered something into me. How must God look at my heart? Suddenly, sins began to come into my mind. Disgusting, repulse sins that no doubt offended and hurt my perfect God. Oh, how nasty I must seem to God!

Yet, how tirelessly He labors to clean and purify me, with all my repulsiveness. Sometimes, I can't help but wonder if God gets as frustrated with me as I did with that carpet. It seems that no matter how hard He labors to cleanse me of my filth, I still insist on rolling in the mud.

But I know that, unlike me, God does not grow weary of as He lovingly cleans my sin-stained heart. In love, He claims that disgusting carpet as His own and is transforming it into something worthy of His very presence.

Keep laboring, Great Cleanser!

Lawlessness Is The New Legalism

Many churches pride themselves in speaking out against the enslaving evils of legalism. Pastors are always reminding their congregation to not get distracted by rules and regulations but to just concentrate on Jesus. Well, that's great. Or is it? Legalism has become such a negative buzz word that we no longer really know what it means. I'm a guy who likes to have words nicely defined. So, before we continue our little discussion on legalism, let's give it a definition.

In my understanding, legalism is an overemphasis on law rather than on God which usually results in the creation of additional rules. Legalists typically become judgmental of those who violate these laws. In short, legalism is idolatry. It's putting man-made laws above God Himself.


So, than what's with my peculiar title? If legalism is the overemphasis of law how can lawlessness be the new legalism? Didn't I just contradict myself? Just a few months ago I would have answered yes to that very question. However, then I got to thinking about the way that we often label people as legalists.

We take people who don't listen to rock or families that don't watch R-rated movies or girls who only wear dresses and then label them legalists. But what are we focusing on? The outward appearance. Laws. Rules.

There are many people in churches today who have strict rules about not having strict rules and then when people violate their no-rule rules they judge them for being judgmental.

I've seen families who homeschool their kids, don't listen to anything with a beat, hardly every watches movies, only read certain kinds of books, would never hear of dancing, dress in a very conservative way and attend a Fundamentalist, family-integrated church. But no one could ever justly call them legalists. They aren't focusing on rules. They're focusing on Jesus and this has caused them to live their lives in a certain way. They don't judge others who don't have their same standards, but focus on living their lives in a way that would please God.

On the flip side, I've seen believers who walk around like they're at a pop culture festival and live very legalistic lives. They may not think they have rules about dress or media, but they actually do. Their rules just have the extra convenience of commanding them to act 'lawlessly'. When people use the argument that the Bible never says "thou shalt not " what are they focusing on? The law. They aren't looking at the heart behind the law. Just the law and the law doesn't mention the particulars. They are very dedicated to their anti-rule rules and will judge and label anyone of violates them.

But before I start judging the lawless legalists, I must remind myself that we're all legalists at heart. We all have this natural, God-given draw toward order and it's much easier for that order to be controlled by rules rather than love.

We must all guard ourselves against the dangerous snares of legalism. At the end of day, if you're driving down a precarious road it doesn't really matter if you fall into the ditch to your left or the ditch to your right.

Loving the Unpopular Side of God

Lately, I've been conducting a bit of a social experiment. On this site and elsewhere I've been asking people what their favorite attribute of God is. I've yet to have anyone tell me that they just love God's justice and holy anger. But this came as no surprise.

It seems that we no longer like talking about the side of God that burnt whole civilizations to a crisp or killed even His children on the spot for their sin.

Since we don't want to come across as fire-and-brimstone extremists, we prefer to talk about love, mercy, grace and all those non-offensive attributes of God. However, there are many dangerous repercussions of this. I'll list two of them.

#1: It is an inaccurate portrayal of God. God is love. No one is denying that. Everything He does is saturated in pure, undefiled love. But God is also just. Therefore, everything that He does is also immersed in justice.

One of the most common forms of idolatry today is the worship of our favorite part of God. Look at one Mark Driscoll says on the subject,

Jesus is not a nice old man in a button-up cardigan sweater and loafers singing happy songs while loading everyone onto a trolley headed to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe to meet King Friday like some Mr. Rogers clone. That god is the neutered and limp-wristed popular Sky Fairy of pop culture that wants to bless everyone, does not care what you call him/her/it/they, never gets angry, and would never talk about sin or send anyone to hell. This mythical Sky Fairy is increasingly mistaken for Jesus, however, by many young pastors and Christians I have met who don’t want the gospel to be the offensive and foolish stumbling block that it is. So they remake Jesus in to a feathered-hair fairy in lavender tights and take the sword of Revelation out of his hand, replacing it with a daisy.

When Moses asked God to identify Himself, the Lord said that He was Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh. I am that I am or I will be who I will be. God is who He is and it's not for us to start picking and choosing our favorite parts of Him. We can't hold to the God who feeds the five thousand and not to the God who destroyed the Canaanites and is coming back with a sword in His hand.

This is when people start accusing me of worshiping a mean, selfish God who just wants to strike everyone will lightning. Not so. I worship a God of both love and justice. I believe that to be the God of the Bible. Every just thing God does is sprinkled with love and every loving thing He does is sprinkled with justice. This is why Jesus had to die. Because sin has to be punished.

I love what John Piper has to say,

We are creatures, and our Creator is not bound or obligated to give us anything - not life or health or anything. He gives, He takes, and He does us no injustice...And besides being creatures with no claim on our Creator, we are sinners...All we deserve from Him is judgment. Therefore, every breath we take, every time our heart beats, every day the sun rises, every moment we see with our eyes or hear with our ears or speak with our mouths or walk with our legs is, for now, a free and undeserved gift to sinners who deserve only judgment.

God doesn't owe us anything but wrath. The fact that you and I are still breathing right now is a testament to our Father's mercy. For some reason we think God owes us life and comfort and a free choice. But He doesn't. If He gave us what He owes us we'd all be in Hell right now.

For those who would argue that I'm still making God out to be a tyrant, let me first say that God has every right to be a tyrant. Shall the clay say to the Potter why have You made this way? God is our Creator and therefore our Owner. A painter has the right to poke holes in His own masterpiece.

But second, we must remember how we define right and wrong. We don't define who God is based on our own understandings of morality. We define morality based on who God is.

#2: It cheapens the rest of God's attributes. When we look at what God does and we think God is unloving, what are we saying? We're saying that God owes us love. But, if He owes us love, grace and mercy than those attributes are meaningless. When we start with love, God's justice looks cruel. But when we start with justice, God's love looks so much more amazing.

Likewise, when we begin to understand how worthless we are in the presence of an Almighty God, it should make us stand in awe of God's deep love. When we begin to see ourselves as sinful enemies of God who justly deserve death and Hell, the fact that God has offered us fellowship with Him is all the more incredible.




That is the desire for my own life. That I learn to love the unpopular side of God. The side that everyone else shoves under the rug. I want to claim that awesome, almighty Judge as my Daddy. Lightning bolts and all.

10 Marks of the Early Church

While doing some research, I came across these ten characteristics of the early Church. The way the Church acted toward the increasingly corrupt Roman culture is a great model for us today as we too try to interact with a society that is increasing more antagonistic toward the Way of God.

1- They refused to attend blood thirsty entertainment. They wouldn’t go to gladiatorial events because they believed it defiled humans who were created in the image of God. This made them appear to be anti-social. Tertullian and Augustine both write about these events in a negative light.

God's principles should always trump society's feeble definitions of morality. The early Christians could have said, "Well, the Scriptures never actually say, 'Thou shalt not go to gladiatorial games.' Therefore, it isn't really a sin to go watch people kill others for sport." But, instead, they chose to travel the road less taken. They looked at the Word of God as a whole and saw that certain principles did not align with their culture's view of entertainment. Therefore, they chose abstinence in an age of indulgence.

2- They did not serve in the military to support Caesar’s wars of conquest, which made them appear weak.

Of course, the liberals love this one. They like to scribble pacifism all over the early Church. However, the matter wasn't so much war itself, but the cause of the war. The wars which the Roman Empire had started at this time weren't about defending the people or punishing wickedness - the extent of the government's jurisdiction. It was about feeding Caesar's blood lust. Therefore, the early saints drew a line in the sand and said that they would have no part in helping the government defy God's Word.

3- They were against abortion and infanticide. In this culture, both were considered acceptable. To throw your baby out on the dung heap if you didn’t want it was not taboo.

You want to know what Christian extremism really is? It'll tell you. These Christian had such an extreme love for people they had never met that they would go wading, knee deep, in the dung piles, listening for the cries of abandon newborns. When they would find them, they would not only nurse the children back to health but they would also raise them as if they were their own offspring. That is love in action.

4- They empowered women by showing their value and dignity in places of learning and service which had previously been exclusively for men. Christians held women in high regard and treasured them rather than viewing them as just a step above expendable children and servants.

Until recently, chivalry has always been a prominent fixture in the Body of Christ. Unfortunately, the Feminist movement has convinced society that valuing women for their unique and God-given traits is sexist and primitive. We guys need to make sure that we treat ladies with respect and honor.

5- They were against sex outside of marriage. This fidelity was considered odd and against culture. Sex was viewed as nothing more than a desire like eating or sleeping. Christians held a high view of the bed and kept it pure and would not engage in sex outside of marriage.

I don't think I really need to explain how this relates to our current culture. Just take comfort in the fact that saints of God have been fighting the same battles for centuries. The God who gave them victory then can still give us victory today.

6- They were against homosexual relationships. This was odd in a time when same sex practice was not frowned upon.

There is nothing new under the sun. Our adversary has been trying the same old tricks all throughout history. The traditional view of marriage was not something a bunch of bigots tried to push onto the Bible. It's what God designed and what His Church has been fighting for since the beginning.

7- They were exceptionally generous with their resources. They shared what they had with one another and welcomed others in with a hospitality that was unparalleled.

Generosity and hospitality are two components that I believe are sadly missing from the Church today. We need to once again begin displaying love in practical, everyday ways.

8- They were radically for the poor. In a time when the poor and downtrodden were viewed as getting what they deserved, they were aggressively committed to loving and serving people in the margins of society.

In a poverty-stricken age, the Christians did not waste their time worrying about their own needs. Rather, they went out of their way to actively serve others.

9- They mixed races and social classes in ways that were unseen in their gatherings, and for it they were considered scandalous.

We are one Body. Race, gender and social status don't matter in terms of our value in Christ. Our Lord is the Father of all.

10- They believed only Christ was the way to salvation. This was in a time when everyone had a god and could believe something entirely different and it was totally acceptable to be polytheists and pluralistic. Christians dared claim that Jesus was the only way and refused to bend to other gods.

Need I say more? In an age of 'tolerance', everyone is pushing coexistence. It doesn't matter what you believe. The God of the Bible is the same as any other god. Jesus is just a way, a truth and a life. Come as you are. There's no need to do things God's Way. Oh, but there is! May we always have the courage to profess Jesus Christ as the only Way to the Father.

God is Love

So, I’m sitting in a hard folding chair on a Wednesday night, innocently going about my weekly retinue, completely naive to the fact that my life is about to be forever changed. I was just a young middle schooler with a freckle-covered face and bushy, red hair. As was my custom, I was sitting in our church’s regular children’s ministry, of which my dad was head.

Now, for you to fully appreciate this story you have to understand a little bit about my dad. He grew up as a missionary kid in the deserts of Peru. Growing up in a Third World nation has made him a very practical and down to earth sort of guy. He’s the type of speaker that can take a far out, theoretical concept and make it practical for every day life.



Dad’s also a big advocate of that childlike faith Christ kept talking about. To him, the accepted theological standards of modern Christendom are second (maybe even third or fourth) to the Word of God. While a very respectful and chivalrous man, my dad doesn’t have a qualm about defying the status quo if he feels the Bible and the status quo don’t quite get along.

That leads us to Wednesday night. So far, my day had gone pretty normally. I’ve played some dodgeball, recited some memory verses and colored a really cool picture of Moses parting the Red Sea. Then it was time for the Bible lesson.

My dad walked up to the little wooden podium, pulled out his Bible and began teaching. A few sentences into the lesson and the room became deathly silent. The message was so radical that it had the parents and teachers scratching their head. But it so fundamental that it had the little kids were challenged and encouraged.

Since then, I’ve heard my dad preach this sermon many times. I’ve heard it two different languages and in multiple contexts. It’s become my dad’s signature sermon. And yet, despite being able to quote the outline by heart, the message has not yet lost its meaning to me.

So what was this message my dad introduced on that otherwise normal Wednesday night meeting? It wasn’t anything new or exotic. It wasn’t some radical concept no one had ever thought of before. In fact, he preached on a word that we use every single day.

He preached on love.

Yes, love. That little word that everyone uses and no one really understands. Before that Wednesday night I thought I knew what love was. As a young child, love was the way I felt when my mom hugged me goodnight. It was that mushy thing my parents had. It was the way I felt about pizza and cheesecake.

Oh boy, was I ever wrong! My dad’s message began a spiritual pilgrimage in which I went from having a worldly sense of love to having a more biblical and Jehovah-centric view of that amazing thing we call love.

This is arguably one of he most important topics of our day or any other day. The way we view love with effect nearly every aspect of our life. It is vital to every single relationship we have - from our relationship with God, to our parents, to our spouses, to our siblings, to friends, to the guy down the street and even our enemies.

In God’s holy Word, we are repeatedly told that loving God and loving others is the center of our faith. Therefore, we cannot allow this issue to pass by without being thoroughly explored. We can’t afford to simply glance over it without diving in and discovering its complexities.

Unfortunately, we're adopted a very unbiblical view of love. Not that it really matters, but our modern conception of love is rooted in Greco-Roman philosophy and mythology. Love is generally thought of as a largely physical, emotional and uncontrollable force that simply hits a person at random times.

But the Bible tells of a very different kind of love. The very fact that we are commanded to love implies that it is a choice. We either do it or we don't. Those are the only two options.

On that Wednesday night, my dad made a very interesting observation. First, he read from I John 4:8. It's a very simple statement. "God is love."

Whenever he preaches this sermon, my dad has everyone turn to II Corinthians 13 - the infamous "love chapter" - and every time the passage says charity or love, he has everyone replace it with the word God. In doing so, we see that all the expressions of love are really extensions of our Father's character.

So, why is it that we don't really understand love? It's because we don't really understand God. I think John the Beloved summed it up really nicely.

He that loveth not knoweth not God: for God is love.

-I John 4:8