I suppose that you get email advertisements from various Christian vendors and organizations like I do. Here is one that just came announcing a book and a DVD series on the church:
That isn’t the greatest resolution on the picture so I don’t know how well you can read it. What I wanted to emphasize and warn you about is what I call “the usual suspects.” The evangelical church and associated organizations almost always utilize their “go to” people. Whether it be a conference or a new book that needs endorsing or some teaching series like this one, you can be sure that the list of “speakers” and authors will include the same names over and over and over. This in itself is a danger because far too many Christians consider what these people say to be “gospel.” Often it isn’t.
Author: Jeff Crippen Page 54 of 88
The CRC Worship Sessions begin tomorrow, Wednesday, at 7:00 PM (PST). Each week Kevin Dirks will be leading the livestream session on our FaceBook Page.
Wednesday mornings we will post the Scripture reading and the words to the song selections here on our Light for Dark Times blog, so you have access to the words to print or to use to follow along.
A BIT ABOUT KEVIN – Kevin is the son-in-law of Pastor Jeff and Verla Crippen and lives in Victoria, BC. Kevin was a pastor when their daughter first met him and has been leading the worship portion of the Sunday services at a church in Victoria for a number of years. Kevin and Jenny have recently joined CRC “virtually”.
We are excited! Hope you can join us! And Thank you, Kevin!
Luke 11:33-36 ESV “No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. (34) Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. (35) Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. (36) If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.”
These verses have always been hard to understand, even though we all sang “this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine” in Sunday School as children. That happens often by the way – children being taught songs and memory verses and so on without being helped to understand the meaning. And I maintain that children can indeed be taught quite deeper truths than we think. But then, that is another subject.
Jesus said “your eye is the lamp of your body.” You have to have a good eye or your body is going to wander around in the dark stubbing toes and so on.
Then Jesus moved to the real point here. He said, “therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness.” What did He mean? I can tell you.
Exodus 21:16 ESV “Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.
Deuteronomy 24:7 ESV “If a man is found stealing one of his brothers of the people of Israel, and if he treats him as a slave or sells him, then that thief shall die. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.
1 Timothy 1:9-10 ESV understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, (10) the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,
One of our commenters recently compared the domestic abuser to a kidnapper and an abuser-driven marriage “legalized kidnapping.” This is quite accurate. And if you want to know what God thinks about kidnappers, well, just read the verses above.
Here is the irony. Churches that preach “freedom in Christ,” end up supporting legalized kidnapping when they ally with an abuser and oppress the victim. They turn a blind eye to the fact that the abuser has enslaved his target, expends all kinds of energies and devices to keep her in that bondage, and in divorce court proceedings demands a ransom be paid for her freedom.
This is worth thinking about seriously. What will the Lord do, not only with the kidnapper, but with those who are his allies? I think we can have a pretty good idea.
J.C. Ryle is one of my favorite Bible commentators. If you are following our Wednesday morning Bible studies which we livestream on the Christ Reformation Church page (and publish on youtube and sermondaudio.com/crc) you have heard me quote Ryle many times. His set of commentaries on the Gospels is excellent.
But…
Galatians 4:17 ESV They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them.
I am convinced that the most pertinent book in the Bible when it comes to dealing with churches and church leaders that abuse the abused is Paul’s letter to the Galatians. This letter ought to be a primary study textbook for us. Here we learn what God thinks of these people, identifies who they are and the tactics they use.
I have one question for pastors, counselors, and anyone else who wants to “counsel” a domestic abuse victim. Actually I have several questions such as “can you tell me what domestic abuse is?” Or, “Tell me how a domestic abuse case differs from other types of marriage counseling cases.”
But here is the one I have in mind right now. It’s really a request:
Please write out a list for me of the books that you have read on the subject of domestic abuse, particularly domestic abuse by people who claim to be Christians. And then tell me what you learned.
Guess what? I know the answer. Crickets. With very, very rare exceptions they haven’t read anything written by people who really understand this evil, but worse – they still insist that they are “competent to counsel.”
I guess a followup question as I held their blank list in my hand would be, then don’t you think it would be wise to stop telling victims what to do until you know what you are talking about?
But they won’t. They won’t listen. They will just keep right on practicing medicine without ever going to med school or being an intern.
Compare these two churches –
1. Laodicea
Revelation 3:14-17, “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. (15) “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! (16) So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. (17) For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.”
2. Smyrna:
Revelation 2:8-10, “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. (9) “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. (10) Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
Things are rarely as they seem to be. By all outward appearances, the Laodicean church had God’s blessing upon it. Just look at all of its finery. They probably were well thought of in their community. They didn’t upset anyone. They stuck to a definite middle-of-the-road Christianity. And Smyrna? Well, those people had a problem. They weren’t growing in size or finances. They were hated not only by their community, but especially by the other “faith communities” in their town. They were radical and stirred up trouble. They brought all of their troubles upon themselves. Outward appearances, you see.