Some say the SBC isn't woke & there's nothing to be alarmed about. Don't be so sure.
Paul said "a little leaven leavens the lump."
The broader SBC may not be full-blown woke, but some places are.
A friend recently shared notes from a SEND Philly training.
See for yourself🧵
My friend attended a training who's purpose was "to assist planters, pastors, ministry leaders and lay persons with a heart to serve those within the urban context."
The "urban context" is defined according to progressive priorities using leftist buzzwords.
Page 8 describes "marginalized" people as "the other."
They are subject to:
* Systemic racism
* System disparity
* Modern day slavery and
* Environmental oppression
Jesus' ministry is presented as a social justice crusade to empower "the least of these."
This is a misuse of that text. The "least of these" in Mt25 refers to Christians who are socially ostracized because of their faithfulness to Jesus. It doesn't teach social activism.
The biblical justification they provide is simply to accept the social justice framing as valid and then quote texts where Jesus ministers to people who fit those categories.
America's memory verse is Matthew 7:1, which says, "Judge not, that ye be not judged."
Contrary to what most people think, the Bible does not prohibit all judging, but wrong judging.
There are at least five ways to judge wrongly. 🧵
1. Judging by the wrong standard.
Col 2:16 says, "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink..." The text goes on to describe such judgements as "human precepts and teachings" (v22).
Christians must always judge by the standard of God's word.
2. Judging with insufficient information (AKA "prejudging").
Prov 18:17 says, "The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him."
1 TIm 5:17 says, "In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality."
Christians must not make a judgment until they have the necessary facts to draw the right conclusion.
Here are 12 simple and biblical principles of sexuality that Christians need to faithfully honor God.
These are compiled from my study of sexuality and from many years of pastoral experience.
1. Move with the grain of God's design for sexuality.
God made us male & female from the beginning. The world is more functional & beautiful when men act in masculine ways and women act in feminine ways.
Don't reject it. Don't deny it. Embrace it. Be glad for how God made you.
2. Orient your top life priorities towards establishing and building up a household.
Every Christian should reasonably expect to get married and have children. There may be legitimate exceptions, but you're probably not one of them. Don't define the norm by the exceptions.
My oldest son turned 18 this week. I wanted to give him something special that would last a lifetime.
So I asked some godly Christian men of all ages to write him a letter sharing life wisdom they'd acquired. I got 37 responses. Their answers blew me away. 🧵
Their letters were packed with centuries worth of experience and wisdom. So I printed them all out, put them into a notebook, and gave them to him on his birthday.
He was overjoyed to received it. So he sat down right away and carefully read each letter.
His response made me realize that this gift was much larger than I intended. These men took seriously the request to pass down their wisdom to a younger man.
So I went back through each letter and extracted a few of my favorite nuggets to share here, arranged by topic.
When I was on staff w CRU, I was trained to immediately offer new converts assurance of salvation. That was a mistake.
In the 15+ years since then, many of those people have abandoned the faith.
With so much apostasy going on, the doctrine of perseverance is badly needed.🧵
Altho true believers cannot actually lose their salvation, neither should they presume to be saved simply because they once made a profession of faith.
That's decisionism.
The initial "decision" to follow Christ is only the first step in a lifelong commitment to discipleship.
The apostasy we experience these days is especially troubling for Calvinists (like me).
Second Peter 1:10 is a key text.
It says, "Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall."
Melchizedek is one of the most fascinating characters in the Bible.
He reveals who Jesus is in remarkable ways.
Melchizedek only appears 3X in the Bible (Genesis 14, Psalm 110, and Hebrews 7), but significance to the story of redemption in Christ cannot be understated.
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Some data points (cf. Heb 7)
1. He is a king (Gen 14:18)
2. He is a king of righteousness (by translation of his name, "Melchizedek")
"Melchi" from the Hebrew "melek" means "king"
"Zedek" from the Hebrew "tsedeq" means "righteousness"
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3. He is a king of peace (by the name of his city, Salem, cf Gen 14:18)
"Salem" from the Hebrew "shalom" means "peace"
4. Salem was likely the city later to be known as Jeru-Salem.
Ps 110:2, "the LORD sends forth from Zion (AKA Jerusalem) your might scepter."
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