Tag: Jesus (Page 1 of 3)

We Do Not Need Celebrity Christians

April 13, 2024 / Chris Hohnholz / 1 Comment

Forgiveness and redemption, the testimony of a sinner who has renounced their sinful ways and turned to Christ, is always an amazing story. Human beings are, by nature, rebels against the sovereign King of all creation. By our wicked works, we seek to unseat God from His throne and put ourselves in His place. No matter what sins beset us, the central issue is the worship of self. We seek to please and fulfill ourselves constantly and above all else. Yet, when the gospel of Christ is proclaimed and the Holy Spirit humbles the human heart, bringing it to a place of repentance and faith, the rebel is redeemed and becomes an adopted son or daughter of the King. We are no longer at war, we are reconciled and made right with a Savior who loves us for all eternity. No other story can begin to compare.

Every genuine Christian loves to hear the stories of how Jesus Christ saved a sinner. We walked that road ourselves once before. We remember how we went from hating God to loving Him above all. We once lived only for ourselves only to be transformed and now live our lives in devotion to Him. So, when another Christian comes forward with that testimony, we cannot wait to hear how Christ gripped that new believer, ripping him or her out of the world of sinful depravity, and made that person His own.

The stories of transforming grace run the gamut of human experience. Some people lived relatively quiet, unassuming lives, thinking they were pretty good with God. They may have even grown up in the church and thought they made them Christian enough. But, God exposed them to the truth, showing them that there are none good and all need Christ. In repentance and faith, they became a story of God’s saving grace.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have murderers, thieves, drug addicts, idol worshippers, and the sexually degenerate. They can testify of lives lived in utter rebellion, seeking after the most vile passions to satisfy the lusts of their flesh. They know how great their hatred for God truly was, how much their love for self destroyed lives around them. Yet, God in His glorious grace showed them their true nature, how wicked and vile they were in His eyes, and how just His eternal judgment on them would be. God humbled them and wrought massive change in their lives through His work of justification and redemption.

We love these testimonies, from the most mundane to the most dramatic, they all speak of the kindness and love of God. However, there is something we must be honest about. The stories of the greatest turnarounds, the ones where the most vile human being suddenly becomes the most humble and loving person by God’s hands get our attention a little bit more. It should not be so but, if we are being truthful, we love the pauper to prince story. Our ears perk up just a bit more when the story is about the satan worshipper turned Christian instead of the local nice guy office worker coming to faith because he read a gospel tract. There is something a bit more exciting about the former than the latter.

This is where the story of the celebrity turning Christian comes into play. Celebrities (whether they be actors, athletes, musicians, politicians, or influencers) are rarely known for their upstanding morals and stable lifestyles. The reason that so many magazines, news programs, and television shows exist specifically to detail the lives of celebrities is because we want to see them living lives so very different from our own. We want to know about the scandals, the breakups, the drug addictions, and the degeneracy. Celebrity gossip is just another form of entertainment for our wicked hearts.

Therefore, when a celebrity suddenly professes in a public forum that they have renounced their wicked lives and turned to Christ, we Christians get really excited. Just like the testimony of the drug addicted serial adulterer perks those ears up, the celebrity coming to faith is that story that becomes very important to us. That publicly degenerate person that everyone salivated over being “one of us” just satisfies the longing for another exciting testimony all the more.

Perhaps more concerning, however, is that we see the high-profile convert as something more than just an exciting testimony to be heard. Not only does the story feel good to hear, we get to do something with it. We get to put that celebrity on display for the entire world to see. The average Joe who gets saved when a friend shares the gospel with him is not a story the world at large cares about. They do not know who Joe is and could not care less about him. But, the celebrity, well, everyone knows who that is. And now, that same everyone gets to see the degenerate celebrity become a Christian, can hear their testimony, and we can promote that person to everyone we know as God really doing something amazing.

Celebrity Christians become trophies, not of God’s grace, but of our religious camp to be put on display. We get to claim this very important person, who once belonged to the world at large, as one of our own. And, in doing so, we gain a kind of validation, that the Christian faith is important. So much so, that the most well-known and recognized can become our public faces, our mouthpieces to the world.

This public face, this desire to have them speak and be seen for us, becomes so all-important that we forget new Christians are people who need, above all else, godly discipleship and teaching to grow in the faith. And that is damaging to the sinner-turned-believer. Sinners saved by grace are certainly indwelt by the Holy Spirit, provided they are genuinely saved. But, they are neither mature nor well instructed. Getting saved does not equal becoming all-knowing. New believers need to be taught the Word, taught how to pray, and taught to discern not only true from false, but true from almost true. New believers can testify to the gospel and its transforming work in their lives but they are ill-equipped to become the public voice of the Christian faith.

Furthermore, new believers need leaders and mature believers to guide them as temptation and sin continue to be a part of their lives. While Christians are freed from the power of sin, we need the knowledge of the Word and the discipleship of the elders to train us in resisting sin. We need our brethren who have been gifted and equipped to edify us and be ears to hear our cries when temptation threatens to overwhelm us. The new believer thrust into the spotlight is being denied this all-important time of growth and maturity. They are being thrown into the deep end of the pool when they barely even know how to dog paddle. It is a selfish people who care more about the celebrity being a public face instead of caring about the growth of their souls.

Of course, there is another aspect we far too often overlook when it comes to the celebrity as well: false conversion. Jesus’ parable of the soils tells us that not all who claim to follow Christ are truly His. It takes time for the grain to grow and develop fruit. The time can also reveal those who have no depth of soil or those who will be choked out by the weeds. The Christian life is one in which trial and tribulation are our birthright. Such difficulty reveals those false converts who fall away in the heat of the world. Or those who have never truly repented and turned back to their sinful lives when the cares of the world matter far more to them than the Savior they profess.

When we immediately cling to the celebrity Christian rather than desiring them to come under the teaching of sound, biblical churches, we can be guilty of helping promote false brethren to the world. People who will give the heathen reason to blaspheme the Lord because they think God just cannot seem to keep His people under His wing. No, we do not need to demand the celebrity provide incontrovertible proof of their salvation before we give praise to God and welcome them into the church. But, we ought not to promote them and platform them as our public voices when the seed has not yet grown and shown the slightest fruit. We should praise Christ for His grace, pray for the newly professed believer, and encourage them to seek genuine discipleship under elders called and equipped by God to lead them.

Brethren, it is well past time that we Christians stop looking for and celebrating “celebrity conversions.” Why is the celebrity Christian always such a celebrated topic for us? Because we desire to find validation of the Christian faith through the conversion of high-profile people. We want somebody important or someone well known for their debauchery to get saved because we can point to their story as being a really big deal. We do not publicly announce the salvation of Jim the accountant down the street, who typically is a nice guy, has a good family and pays his taxes. Nobody knows who Jim is and his story is kind of boring. He is a trophy of God’s grace and all Heaven celebrates his redemption but we do not find it a compelling enough account to blast all over social media.

But, when a singer, actor, politician, or even a vile seductress professes faith, we jump up and down, share the story, and commence debating with one another about the validity of the conversion. It’s the story du jour and we will not stop talking about it for weeks. We put these people in the public eye over and over again. We want them on the news, on podcasts, and live streams because the public viewing of this celebrity Christian just has to be seen by everyone because they are, well, famous.

Change needs to happen. Change must happen. We once again need to care enough about the glorious gospel to praise God’s name when the most “mundane” of conversion occurs. We must stop expecting the celebrity world to get saved so our professed faith can be validated in the eyes of others. Certainly, pray for those in high-profile people to get saved but desire to see them step out of the limelight so that they may come under genuine discipleship and grow in the faith. Because, in the end, salvation is not about the public attention that may come from it. Rather, salvation is about seeing the dead in sins be brought to eternal life in Christ so that we may all worship our Savior for eternity. Leave aside the spotlight for another time. We will see if there is genuine fruit in the person’s life in due course. Give glory to God for His gospel and pray for those who profess faith, that they would come under genuine discipleship and grow, or, if need be, to be exposed as pretenders to the faith.

Make much of the transforming power of the gospel. Make much of Christ. And stop worrying about the celebrity Christian. Leave to God who He will desire to make His mouthpiece. He is far better equipped to make that calling than we ever will be.

(This article was also published at X.com)

That Person Can’t Be Saved!

April 11, 2024 / Chris Hohnholz / 0 Comments

A New Christian?

Recently, a now former “Only Fans” model known as Nala made a public profession of having become a Christian. She has reportedly pulled down her pornographic images and videos as well as having engaged in many public interviews and statements about changing things in her life in order to live as she believes God desires for her.

There has been no end of debate regarding Nala’s public profession of faith. Many have argued against the validity of her profession given that her images and videos remained active initially.

Still, others have pointed out that we cannot know or judge her profession given the fact that is only a recent occurrence. Therefore, Christians are being told to not declare her unsaved simply because she is not showing the level of repentance we personally deem necessary.

The point of this article is not to determine whether or not Nala is truly a Christian. That is a discussion best addressed at another place and time. The concern for this piece is to address a concerning development in the overall debate. While this matter is specifically Christian in nature, the issue of genuine salvation, there are those within the sociopolitical right, those engaged in the current culture war, who have waded into the matter with their own take.

The reason this should concern Christians is that, more often than not, cultural and political conservatism finds itself in alignment with Christian values. This has resulted in collaboration between the two camps. While being conservative does not necessarily mean one is a Christian, the bleedover between the two is extensive. Therefore, what the politically conservative movement says publicly can, and often does, impact the Christian church. To that end, I would like to discuss two public postings from the website “X” that specifically address Nala’s conversion testimony and why Christians should be concerned.

On April 6, 2024, conservative journalist, Laura Loomer, wrote a post in response to Nala’s interview on “The Michael Knowles Show.” Ms. Loomer wrote, “These Only Fans girls can ‘pray’ their slutty behavior away all they want. They will never be respectable no matter how much they cry to God. Praying to be a respectable person doesn’t work once you do sex work. It’s best that we shun women like this from society forever.” A number of persons on the site did take Ms. Loomer to task for this post and pointed to the transforming of the power of the gospel. Ms. Loomer dismissed these objections on a post the following day by stating “I’m not a religious person. I am focused on my investigative reporting and exposing people.” She further added, “People should just be grateful I am honest and upfront about who I am instead of trying to change me.”

Ms. Loomer’s post makes it clear she believes she can wade into matters of faith, despite not being religious. Because of the vile nature of Nala’s prior sinful work, and because she is now publicly professing faith in Christ, it appears Ms. Loomer sees it necessary to openly denounce her as part of her work in exposing people. In her effort to engage in politically conservative journalism and to push back against “sex work” as part of the culture war battle, she openly dismisses the transforming work of the gospel. Ms. Loomer declares Nala to be unfit for society and is unsavable because her sins are simply too vile to be forgiven.

Another such public statement was made by an account going by the name of “Neo” (@ControlledNeo). In this case, on April 8, 2023, Neo, whose X bio states “Relationships, female nature, fitness and geopolitics,” weighed in with his post which stated, “Christians believe this woman can truly be saved, The naivety of conservative Christis is driving more people towards atheism and Islam. The same naivety that is making your society crumble. ‘Accept everything and fall for anything.” On April 9, Neo made another post where he said in part, “Truth is not all people deserve forgiveness.”

In these two posts, Neo, who clearly rejects the Christian faith, wades into the waters of Christianity to determine just who can and cannot be saved by God. He has determined that there are some sins that are simply unforgivable and that any society that believes otherwise is doomed to destruction. Neo is a man attempting to engage in the cultural battle and seeks to drag down not only a newly professed believer in Christ but the system of faith to which she ascribes in order to change society.

In both the cases of Ms. Loomer and Neo, what we see are people who fundamentally fail to understand God and His gospel message. They view themselves as capable of judging the depth of a particular person’s sin and being able to determine she is not only unsavable but also undeserving of even the slightest grace from God. With this view in mind, they have consigned her to banishment from the culture, leaving persons such as themselves as icons to be respected and emulated.

Such Were Some of You

At stake in this current discussion is the very nature of the gospel itself. According to Scripture, mankind is dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). Through Adam’s sin in the garden, sin entered the world and all mankind was affected (Romans 3:10-12 and 5:12). We are conceived in sin (Psalm 51:5) and we are enslaved to sin throughout the entirety of our lives. Furthermore, because God is a holy God who cannot look upon sin (Habakkuk 1:13), He will judge all sin, and the wages for our sin is death (Romans 6:23). In the eyes of God, sin is a serious assault upon Him and He will not let the guilty go free.

Yet, our God is not only a just God but a loving, kind, and gracious God. Though we are all deserving of His righteous wrath, God made a way of forgiveness possible, through His Son, Jesus Christ. It is through Jesus, the Son of God, God Himself, who took on human flesh, that God can be both just and the justifier (Romans 3:26). Jesus came to earth and lived a life of complete obedience to the Father, never sinning in any manner. In all this, Christ lived the life were are commanded to live but fail at every single day. Then, at the time of His choosing (John 10:18), Jesus willingly went to the cross, enduring an unjust trial where he was declared guilty of crimes he did not commit, never once speaking in His own defense (Matthew 27:14). He did so in order that the promise of His death on behalf of sinners would be fulfilled. He was crucified, died, and was buried. Then, on the third day, He rose Himself from the grave (John 2:19 and 10:18) defeating the power of sin and death. Now, those who turn in repentance and faith in Christ’s completed work are redeemed and given eternal life.

It is through this gospel message that sinners have a promise of forgiveness of their sins. And more than that, they are promised that Christ, through the Holy Spirit, will come and reside in them (John 14:23). Because of this, the believer is freed from the power of sin and becomes a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). With this new nature, while the believer may be tempted by sin, he or she is no longer bound to sin. Believers have a new nature and a new heart, one inclined to seek to love and please God over pleasing self.

This is why Paul, writing to the Corinthians, said, “And such were some of you” (1 Corinthians 6:11). Paul had just explained that the unrighteous, those who lived enslaved to the power of sin, would not inherit the kingdom of God. He lists such persons saying, “Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God” (6:9-10). Yet, to the Christians, he writes “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (v. 11). The believer is no longer part of the unrighteous, at war with God, he or she is now an adopted child of God whose sins have been cast as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12).

Because God has purchased us through Christ, because we are made new in the power of the Holy Spirit, we are justified, made right in the eyes of God. And we are sanctified, set apart from the world for His good purposes. Furthermore, God also continues to sanctify us by exposing our sins before us, bringing us to a place of ongoing repentance and seeking to be conformed in our thoughts, words, and deeds to the image of Christ. This walk is not a perfect walk, for we often stumble and fall into sin. Yet, these stumbles do not negate the perfect work of Christ whose sacrifice paid for all sins, past, present, and future. While God may discipline us for our sins, He will not judge us into eternal hellfire for Christ has paid that penalty for us.

It is imperative that the Christian understand that there are no sins for which Christ’s propitiation does not pay. According to Christ Himself, there was only one unforgivable sin, the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31). And given that no modern-day sinner was present to observe the signs of Christ, where it was undeniable that He was the promised Messiah, and attributed those works to Satan, it is unlikely anyone today would face such a curse. So, when Christless conservative culture warriors choose to deny the saving work of Christ in the life of any sinner, simply because they object to the nature of that person’s sin, they are warring against all of Scripture itself. They are denying that God could love a particular group of sinners because their sin is just too vile in their own eyes. Yet, it was the apostle Paul himself who wrote, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

There is no place for any person to believe that some sinners are savable while others are clearly undeserving. For any person to do so is tantamount to saying that God is wrong. But, then again, perhaps the issue is a failure to see oneself rightly before God to begin with.

“I thank you I’m not like…”

In Luke 18:9-14, we read the following,

“To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I acquire.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Jesus exposed his hearers to the hypocrisy of self-righteousness and pride from the very people they thought were the most holy before God, the Pharisees. These were the conservative religious leaders of the day who were concerned with rightly understanding the Scriptures and seeking to teach people to obey them. However, over time, they had added their own traditions to the law and had become puffed up with their ability to outwardly appear holy.

Now, their sin was not that they held a high and strongly conservative view of Scripture. On many points, they were right in their teachings, which is why Jesus told his followers to “observe whatever they tell you” (Matthew 23:2-3). But, in their pride, they added increasing works onto the people while doing nothing to aid them. Furthermore, they elevated themselves to a higher position than the people, not holding themselves to the same standard. This is why Christ then told the people to not “do the works they do. For they preach but do not practice” (v. 3-7).

Therefore, when the Pharisee in the parable prays “God I thank you that am not like the other men…” he reveals a heart swelling with self-righteousness. He believes himself to be better than the rest and that his accomplishments will buy him merit in the eyes of the Almighty. That, even if or when he does sin, it bears little to no resemblance to “other men.” The Pharisee simply believes he is good just as he is, and that there is nothing he needs to fear before a holy God.

Yet, it was not the Pharisee that went away justified, but the tax collector! Why? Because the tax collector understood who he really was before God, a wicked sinner deserving nothing but judgment. He did not appeal to anything good he might have done in his life because he knew nothing in him was good when compared to a holy God. Instead, he humbled himself before his Creator and cried out for mercy. He deserved judgment, yet because he surrendered himself in humility, he received mercy and grace from God. This is such an amazing picture of the gospel at work.

It is this picture taught by Christ Himself, that helps us understand the Laura Loomers and Neos of the world. They think far too much of themselves. They see their place in the current culture war as vital, as people leading the charge against the wicked depravity being poured out on the world. And, while this depravity is indeed vile, it is not worse than the sins of Ms. Loomer or Neo. Nala’s pornographic and lust-filled sins are not worse than their sins, they are just sins that were further down the line of progression. Romans 1 reveals God will pour out judgment on a people who continually reject Him. Chief among the sins that indicate a people being given over to debased thinking is sexual depravity. But, just as those who gorge themselves on sexual depravity will face the wrath of God on judgment day, so will those who seem less sinful in their own eyes.

As we saw above, Paul lists in 1 Corinthians 6 numerous types of sins that will not inherit the kingdom of God. Such sins include greed, drunkenness, and reviling. We also read in Revelation 21:8 that, “the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur.” Cowardice, unbelief, and lying too will be judged for they are sins for which God will have no mercy, only righteous wrath.

When people like Ms. Loomer or Neo dismiss the Christian faith because it offers forgiveness to a woman who engaged in “sex work,” they fail to see their own wickedness rightly before God. They too desperately need His mercy and grace lest they fall into His just wrath. There is no person deserving of God’s forgiveness. All of us have fallen short and stand guilty before Him. Therefore, we must never fall into the trap of thinking there is something better about us because our sins are not as bad as someone else’s. Such flippancy could find us in the place of the Pharisee under judgment while the adulterous may enjoy the merciful forgiveness of Christ.

In Conclusion

The gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16). It is the only way in which mankind can be made right with God. There simply is no other hope for us, no way we can please God, apart from repentance and turning to Christ in faith. It is a glorious message that should never be taken for granted. Laura Loomer, Neo, and countless others fail to grasp the significance of this message because they only see a tiny sliver of the real battle going on around them. While engaging the culture war is necessary, if the battle were won in this world yet all our souls were condemned to hell eternally, it would be a most shallow “victory.” Therefore, the Christian can never neglect the spiritual war going on around us, we can never be so quick to dismiss God forgiving the vilest among us. Understand, if God cannot forgive a vile, pornographic adulterous, neither will He forgive you. The gospel is just that important.

(This article was also published at X.com)

Submission and Love – Biblical Marriage Defined

May 17, 2023 / Chris Hohnholz / 0 Comments

Perhaps one of the most hotly debated, and even hated, passages of Scripture is Ephesians 5: 22-33, which reads:

“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”

In the passage, the apostle Paul is giving instructions regarding marriage to the Ephesian church. Wives are called to submit to the authority of their husbands, while the husbands are given instructions on loving and leading their wives. Paul is quite clear in his writing here, explaining the roles each person has in the marriage. While Scripture is equally clear that no one person, or types of persons, has higher value in the eyes of God, all persons have specific functions they are given within the body of Christ. From positions within the church structure, to the types of gifts each person has, down to the duties of persons within the family unit, all Christians are commanded by God to live and act within the categorical roles He has given us.

To that end, God has given unique instructions to husbands and wives. This biblical structure calls the husband into the position and responsibility of leading the home and the wife supporting and submitting to her husband. This has often been termed as a patriarchal structure, though some have given it the more muted term of “complementarianism.” Men and women, work together in their God-given roles, complementing each other by acting in cooperation instead of at odds with one another.

Yet, this structure is often attacked by those within egalitarian circles. They argue it reduces the wife to the role of a servant while the husband enjoys an unfettered dictatorial role. Furthermore, there are claims that this structure, while clearly defined in Scripture, cannot possibly be biblical because it paves the way for physical and emotional abuse. To that end, it is worth taking time to look at these passages to explain just what Paul is commanding of us and why. We will start by looking at submission.

Submission:

Paul first commands wives to submit to their own husbands. This is a clear command, not a lot there to muddy the waters. The wife has a supportive role in the home. God created her to be the husband’s helper, or “help-meet” (see Gen. 2: 15-25). This is not a position of servanthood or slavery. She is the one uniquely created person made to complete all that the husband is not. She is his lover, comforter, and friend. She is the mother to his children, the fellow parent and authority in the lives of their progeny. She works in partnership with him even if her role and duties differ. She is in every way his equal, yet she submits to his authority because God has ordained this unique role for her.

But, let us understand that Paul does not simply issue the mere command out of his own will. Paul adds an additional thrust to it by adding, “as unto the Lord.” This is what defines the role of the wife and her submission to her husband. It is an act of devotion and obedience to God Himself. Just as she is called to ultimately submit to her Lord and Savior, to seek to obey all that He has commanded and to grow in Christ-likeness in all other areas of her Christian walk, the role of the wife is no different.

In submitting to her husband, a wife gives a willing demonstration of her love and desire to please Christ by doing all that He has called her to do. She entrusts herself completely to the hands of God, knowing that His plans and purposes are perfect in all ways. She loves the Lord more than anything this world has to offer and knows that God’s commands are ultimately for her good and His glory. Submission, therefore, is not about being reduced to a slave (as the world would view it), rather, it is an act of seeking to be conformed to the image of Christ.

Furthermore, Paul explains that the wife is demonstrating something even more beautiful. She is modeling the role of the church to the world at large. The church, the bride of Christ, is called to submit to all our magnificent Bridegroom commands. Through His death, burial, and resurrection, Christ has purchased us and made us His own. He has transformed us and indwelt us with His Holy Spirit. We now seek to live in obedience to all that Christ has commanded us as He is the head of the body, the church.

Likewise, the wife, in her role, submits to her husband in a microcosmic picture of her marriage. She is to portray to the world what the church is supposed to be doing by playing the role of the church while the husband models Christ. When done rightly, the world sees in our marriages Christ’s relationship with His church.

What about the claims of slavery and abuse? Do not women suffer in these roles where patriarchy reigns supreme? Sadly, yes, this does happen. Far too often have sinful men abused the position that God has called them to serve in. No matter how articulately Scripture commands us to obey God, men, and women, all will seek to find ways to thwart God’s will and satisfy their own debased desires. This does not mean the command of God is evil but, rather, evil men seek to contort and malign the Word of God to achieve their own ends.

We dare not reject the clear teachings of Scripture because some have used it to sin. Instead, we proclaim the Word of God more boldly and rebuke those who refuse to rightly obey it. This includes addressing sin through church discipline as outlined in Matthew 18: 15-17. Wives are not merely to endure sinful abuse silently. Such sin should be addressed to and by the church.

Knowing all this, wives are therefore called to obey God’s commands regarding their role in the home. Refusal on the part of a wife to submit to her husband is indicative of a heart that seeks to serve itself over God. It demonstrates an unwillingness to believe that God’s ways are better than our own and says that He cannot be trusted. God’s purposes are perfect, it is we who are imperfect and sinful. Rather than reject His design for marriage, wives ought to celebrate the beautiful role He has given them.

But, we are not done here. Husbands, it is our turn.

Love:

Husbands are called to love their wives. No, we are not talking about the Hallmark movie, endorphin rushing, emotionalism that is so often called love. We are talking about an action. We are talking about doing something to and for the wife that is more than simply feeling emotional affection. What we are talking about is the husband being called to a role wherein he denies himself and sacrificially loves his wife.

And this is not merely being given the ability to make all the decisions for the family. It is not just holding down the job and providing the basic needs for the home. It is far more than that. Paul commands the husband to love, not in the way the world defines love. Instead, he commands the husband to love as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her. Understand this, Christ’s love for His bride was demonstrated in that He willingly went to the cross to pay the penalty for her sins. He suffered and died for the church so that she might be made pure. Christ’s love is a self-sacrificing love.

While husbands do hold a unique role of authority in marriage, it is not a role defined by tyrannical, dictatorial rule. Instead, it is servant-hearted leadership. In Luke 22: 25-27, Jesus says to his disciples, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.” Jesus taught that biblical authority is not demonstrated in the power to demand of others but in a willingness to be the chief servant.

The husband loves his wife by willingly putting himself aside to lead, guide, comfort, provide for, and serve her. He looks to her own needs first, that he might cherish and nourish her. She is his first and utmost priority over all others. No longer is there any person in his life that can claim dominion over his time and energies, including himself. In his role of authority in the home, the husband takes the ultimate responsibility to teach, build up, and pray for his wife’s spiritual and emotional growth. He sees his position, not as a means to command her to fulfill his every desire, but to serve her in such a way that she flourishes in her role as his wife.

The husband leads not only in word but also in deed. He is the primary example of submitting to God and His Word. He is to be a student of the Scriptures, applying them in his own life and growing in maturity and wisdom. He is the first to admit sin and demonstrate willing repentance. He also listens to his wife because God made her uniquely to be there for him. She is not without knowledge or understanding. He is growing her and making her a fit vessel for His use. As she grows in her role, she is there to help her husband. While he has the responsibility for the home (and all the accountability that comes with it), the husband is not alone.

And, like the wife, the husband’s role is also a picture to the world. He represents the Bridegroom Himself. The one who emptied Himself and took on the form of a servant that He might be humbled and obedient to the point of death (Ephesians 2: 5-11). As the one who is called to love his bride, the husband demonstrates a willing sacrifice of self that he might make much of his wife. He does so that the world might see on display, through his marriage, what Christ did for us. No, being in authority is not a free pass to act as a tyrant king. It is a command to die to yourself so that you might love and serve another.

Finally, a husband who loves biblically does not abuse his wife or his authority. Such a thought ought to be the furthest thing from his mind. One who abuses the bride he has been given has rebelled against God’s authority. He has loved himself more than God and believes the desires of his flesh need to be satisfied above all else. He has willingly corrupted the picture of Christ as the Bridegroom to the world. Such a refusal to honor the biblically defined role of the husband brings with it serious consequences.

A Final Thought:

Before we leave, let there be one final consideration for husbands and wives. We have sought to demonstrate that God’s defining roles in marriage are part of His beautiful plan for our lives. Both husbands and wives are called to serve in their marriage for the betterment of the other. Done so biblically, marriages grow and flourish in God’s hands. Furthermore, they demonstrate to the world the gospel of Christ in action. A people purchased by God through the death of His Son united eternally to their bridegroom who sacrificially loves them.

While men and women may strive to obey God’s commands in their roles, we are all imperfect people. We will fail and we will all sin. Therefore, we must remember that these are not contingent commands from God. We are not permitted to cease fulfilling our biblical obligations when, not if, our spouse fails to uphold the duties to which they have been called. Husbands will rule the home wrongly, or worse, fail to lead at all. Wives will not only fail to submit but may seek to supplant the husband as the authority in the home. In fact, the curse of the fall in Genesis 3: 16-19 guarantees this. These failings are not an escape clause from obeying what Paul wrote to the Ephesians. Rather, we should view the failings of our spouses as a reason to be all the more obedient to God’s commands in our marriages.

Husbands, when confronted with the very real truth that your wife will sin against you, think on the Savior who leads you when you disobey Him. He does not turn from you, He does not cease to lead you, and He does not give up on you. Rather, He comes alongside you, corrects you, rebukes you, and chastises you. He does this in a spirit of love for the express purpose of reconciliation with you. He does not beat down on you, Christ lovingly leads and corrects you. Do so likewise for your wife. Remember that the apostle Peter calls you to live with your wives “in an understanding way” and that you are to honor her “as the weaker vessel” (1 Peter 3:7). Failure to do so will even hinder your very prayers.

Wives, your husbands will be arrogant, will speak harshly, will fail to lead as they should, and will sin against you. Yet, you too serve a Savior who looked down on you at your very worst and said, “She is mine.” He purchased you and made you His own when you had no right to receive anything good from Him. Like you, Jesus is the answer to your husband’s sins. And just as He changed you and brought you to repentance, He can do the same for your husband. It is not by rebelling against God’s role for you that this will be accomplished. Remember the words of apostle Peter to you in 1 Peter 3: 1-2 where he taught you that “they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives.” No, this does not mean you cannot speak to your husband about his sin against you. You are not called to be a silent doormat enduring harsh and vile treatment. But, in your willing submission to your husband (which does not include being led to sin, you are not to submit to that which is sin), you submit wholly to Christ and trust in His plans and purposes.

Brethren, our marriages are a precious gift from the Lord. They are uniquely designed to complement each other and to fulfill our longings for companionship and emotional affection, but, more importantly, they are part of God’s beautiful purposes in this world. We are put in marital roles which are designed to conform us to the image of Christ and which announce the gospel of grace to the entire world. Therefore, let us cherish these unions by loving God first and foremost above all and then doing all that He commands us to do inside our homes, including obeying the roles He has given us.

(This article was also published at X.com)

Such Were Some of You

January 26, 2023 / Chris Hohnholz / 2 Comments

What is a Christian? A Christian is a person who was once a rebel sinner, at war with God through wicked works. But by God’s merciful redeeming grace, he or she has been freed from their sins and adopted into His family through the propitiatory work of Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:21-26). Because Jesus died in the place of sinners on the cross (taking the wrath of the Father they deserve) and was buried in a tomb, only to raise Himself from the grave of the third day, those who trust in His work receive His righteousness in the great exchange (2 Cor. 5:21). Now, through this free and marvelous gift, sinners become saints and have the promise of everlasting life. And on top of this, they are made new creations with new hearts and new desires (2. Cor. 5:17). This is a Christian.

Yet, how does one come to be a Christian? What must we do to be saved? Romans 10:9 tells us, “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” This belief and confession come from faith in Jesus Christ and His completed work on the cross. There are no works that we can do because we are slaves to sin and the wages of our sin is death (Rom. 6:20-23). There is no work we can offer to God that will merit any kindness from Him for all our sins are an abomination before Him. God cannot look on sin without pouring out His judgment upon it (Hab. 1:13). Therefore, the free gift of salvation must be given by God by grace through faith that no man can boast of having saved himself (Eph. 2:8-9). In fact, faith itself is a gift from God. Therefore, we are called in Scripture to repent, turn from our sins, and trust in Christ alone for the forgiveness of sins (Matt. 3:2; Mark 1:14-15).

Repentance from sins, while a gift from God Himself (2 Tim. 2:25), is a command of God to all those who would find forgiveness in Christ. It is a change of mind which leads to a change of action. It means we agree with God that our sins have put us at odds with Him, that we are deserving of His judgment, but that we will no longer live in the sins from which He has redeemed us (Rom. 6:2). It is the mark of a believer that he or she will live a life of ongoing repentance, persevering against temptation, trials, and tribulation until they day they are ushered into glory (Matt 24:13). The saint is one who once walked in the ways of this world but has turned to become more like their Savior (1 Cor. 6:9-11). Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. And true salvation is marked by the saint who continually lives a life of repentance and seeks to do the good works of God, which He prepared for us beforehand as a testimony to His redeeming work and the glory of His name (Eph 2:10)

With all this in mind, we must face a crisis that continues to rear its head in the professing church. Thanks to weak and shallow preaching in the professing church, through those who promote easy believism and seeker-friendly methodologies, there are professing Christians today who do not believe one must live a life of repentance in Christ to be a Christian. Even worse, they preach an ideology that one can be identified by their sin of sexual immorality and still be a follower of Christ. Today, within the professing church, there is a continual call for churches to accept the idea that there can be “Gay Christians,” “Queer Christians,” or “LGBTQIA Christians.” That persons who live ongoing lifestyles of unrepentant sin before God can somehow still be followers of Christ and should be treated as such. Such an ideology is foreign to Scripture and should never be permitted within the church.

Putting aside for the moment the ludicrous attempts to redefine what Scripture clearly teaches on sexual immorality, let us address the idea that such a thing as a “Gay Christian” can exist within the church. Paul clearly teaches that to continue in the practice of any sin is to be a slave to sin (see again Romans 6). One cannot be a slave to Christ, having been freed from the power of sin and death, yet remain in unrepentant sin (1 John 1:6). In fact, the church is called to examine the fruit of professing Christians to see if we are genuinely in the faith (Matt. 7:15-20; 1 John 4:1-6). Therefore, a genuine Christian cannot be defined as someone who not only lives in sin but identifies, and qualifies, themselves by an adjective attached to their Christianity. To clarify, one cannot be a “Liar Christian,” an “Adulterous Christian,” a “Thief Christian,” or a “Murdering Christian.” To identify one’s self by an unrepentant sin and attach that descriptor to Christ is to blaspheme the very Savior that person claims to follow.

Such as it is with being a “Gay Christian.” God’s word repeatedly condemns sexual immorality throughout the Bible including acts of homosexuality. Only by twisting and redefining what Scripture says can anyone hope to alter this unchangeable truth. Therefore, just as any other unrepentant sin would reveal that a person is not redeemed (because it reveals their heart remains unchanged and enslaved to sin), for any person to describe themselves as openly homosexual is to admit to God they reject His commandments on sexual purity. Any willful rejection of God’s commandments demonstrates one does not follow Christ at all (Luke 6:46-49).

The greatest lie a professing pastor or church can tell a person living in disobedience to God is that it is fine to remain in their sin, that they still are accepted and loved by God. While we do not need to be morally perfect to come to Christ, as none of us can ever do so, to follow Christ means that He has changed us and continually works by the power of the Holy Spirit to produce repentance and good works. Any pastor or church that tells professing Christians they can live in rebellion to God by practicing sexual immorality heaps lie upon lie to those under their charge. What they are doing is leading such persons to further sear their own consciences against God. His law is written upon our hearts (Rom. 2:15) and it accuses us of our sin, bringing conviction upon us. It is meant to lead us to repentance and faith in Christ. Yet, professing pastors, desperate for the applause of the world, seek to deaden the voice of that God-given conscience by telling openly homosexual people they can worship Christ just as they are. Such a lie comes from the deepest pits of hell.

Pastors, Christians, and churches do not demonstrate love when they refuse to call out sin and preach repentance to those professing to follow Christ. Paul condemned such wickedness in the Corinthian church when they allowed a man engaged in an openly incestuous relationship to remain in their midst (1 Cor. 5). Paul commanded the church to apply discipline in this man’s life, to cast him out of the church that he may come to repentance. Today, in many churches, this act would be considered cruel and unloving. Yet, to Paul, this act of church discipline was an immense act of love in hope that the man would genuinely repent and turn to Christ. To refuse to call our friends, loved ones, acquaintances, or even strangers to turn from sin because they may be upset with us is no act of love. It is an act of pure selfishness because we care more about how we are seen among the unregenerate than how we are seen by God. Even worse, it is an absolute denial of the power of the Holy Spirit to bring about repentance and faith to those who desperately need Christ. Those who refuse to preach repentance serve not God, rather they serve the father of lies himself, Satan.

True love in the church is that which preaches the entirety of the gospel. That we are, by nature, rebel sinners who deserve the full and righteous wrath of God. Yet, in His gracious mercy, He sent His only Son to save sinners. That through the propitiation of Christ on the cross, our sins may be forgiven and our hearts may be made new. And, in being made a new creation, we now have new desires that we might serve our Lord by obeying His commandments. Yet, while we live in this life, we will struggle against the desires of the flesh. The temptation to sin will always be present with us but, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome and choose not to sin. Will it always be easy? No. We will stumble and fall? Yes, and quite often. This too is part of our journey on the path of sanctification. This is the power of the gospel. This is what must be preached. Without apology or adulteration.

Woe to those professing pastors, Christians, and churches who preach not the true gospel. You reveal yourselves not to fear God but man. And, if you continue on this path, you will prove that you never belonged to Christ, to begin with. Repent of the fear of man. Do not accept the lies of this world. Rather, trust in the power of the Holy Spirit alone and His redeeming work in the life of believers. To do anything less is to blaspheme the Lord you claim to follow. And you may one day find yourself standing before Him as he says, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matt. 7:23)

If God Is Real, Why Is Your Life So Hard?

October 21, 2022 / Chris Hohnholz / 4 Comments

Recently, someone I know was asked “if God is real, why is your life so terrible?” Sadly, this is an all too common question that is loaded with presuppositions. It assumes that for God to be real, life cannot be difficult. It assumes that I should never have to deal with difficulty. It assumes that I am such a good person that I deserve for life to go well. It assumes God owes me a good life. And it assumes God can only be real if He does everything possible to make my life easier.

As Voddie Baucham once said, this is the wrong question. I don’t get to ask a question like this loaded with all the wrong presuppositions and then conclude God cannot be real because He did not meet my standard. Rather, I must look at the question from God’s perspective.

Who decides whether my life should be one of ease or difficulty? Who decides what constitutes my being a good person? Who decides on the basis of the “good person criteria” what I deserve? Who decides what I am owed? And who decides but God if intervening in a time of tribulation will really be best for me?

The truth is, the answer to these questions is that God is the one who decides these things, not me. God is the sole standard of what is right and good. He is morally perfect and righteous. It is against Him that one can determine if they are a good person. And for the record, not a single one of us is good. We are all morally bankrupt and evil when compared against the righteous and holy God.

Knowing that we fail to come even a micrometer close to God’s goodness, knowing that He is a perfect and righteous Judge, how can we possibly think we deserve even the slightest good thing from Him? Determining God’s existence on whether or not my life is difficult is like a criminal deciding Courts cannot be real and have no authority over him because he had a hard life.

We are God’s creation and have rebelled against Him. The fact that we continue to breathe air despite the multitude of sins we commit against Him daily rather than being struck immediately to Hell testifies of His patience and longsuffering. What God owes us is His judgment. Not reward and ease, but His wrath, immediate and without relenting. Yet, God patiently allows us life in this world until the day we must all stand before Him. He does so because God desires that all men everywhere repent and come to faith in Christ.

In other words, God gives us time. Time to see Him for who He is and to recognize ourselves as the sinners we are. Time to turn from our sin and turn to Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. God graciously gives us time.

Will all men turn to Christ? No. Yet, even in this God is gracious because He sends forth His gospel message through His people. Then, God kindly brings to faith and repentance all those whom He will save, because apart from this work, none would turn to Him.

What about those who do not? They will never be able to say they do not deserve His wrath. Creation and conscience testify to the truth of God’s existence and the reality of their sin. They know He is real and will hold them accountable. And they have His Word readily available to find the truth. They will be judged, condemned eternally to Hell and there is no defense. And, in this, God too is glorified.

Therefore, when we see life is difficult, when trials are painful, we are reminded that sin is at work in the world and that judgment is one day coming. God does not owe us a life of ease, rather, these trials testify that we deserve far much worse.

Yet, He has given us time. Time to admit we have sinned against Him, to turn from that sin, and to turn to Christ for eternal life. Trials then show us that this life is but a vapor, a time we must endure, be faithful, and serve. Then we will spend eternity with the One whom we had once rebelled against yet, in His kind mercy, He adopted us as His children.

God owes us nothing but His wrath, we do not deserve His kindness. But, God is merciful and will use even the most difficult of lives to demonstrate His goodness.

Deconstruction is Not Reformation

July 7, 2022 / Chris Hohnholz / 2 Comments

On July 4, 2022, Adam Page, a pastor at Amelia Baptist Church made a post on Twitter that read: “I wish I could find my church deacons from the 90s & tell them Daniel Haseltine (Jars of Clay) Derek Webb (Caedmon’s Call) & Kevin Max (DC Talk) no longer hold to sola scriptura and/or have deconstructed, but John Cooper from “devil band” Skillet is persevering strong in doctrine.” This is a great observation from Page as we see numerous Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) artists either loudly leave the faith or advocate for heretical and apostate ideologies. Page’s tweet did not tag any of the artists themselves. He was not seeking to score any points against them. It was simply an observation made to his followers and friends on social media.

I wish I could find my church deacons from the 90s & tell them Daniel Haseltine (Jars of Clay) Derek Webb (Caedmon’s Call) & Kevin Max (DC Talk) no longer hold to sola scriptura and/or have deconstructed, but John Cooper from “devil band” Skillet is persevering strong in doctrine

— pagemasta (@AdamPage85) July 4, 2022

Enter then, Derek Webb. It is unclear just how Mr. Webb found Adam Page’s post but find it he did. Webb did not enter into a conversation with Page. He did not ask any questions or seek to make any clarifications. However, what Webb did was share Page’s original post with a comment of his own (known as “quote tweeting”). Webb wrote, “‘deconstructing’ is part of reforming’. i’d like think your church deacons would be comforted knowing that we’re following the reformation’s cry of ‘semper reformanda’ (always reforming), calling out teaching & practices that the church should repent of and leave behind.”

“deconstructing” is part of “reforming”. i’d like to think your church deacons would be comforted knowing that we’re following the reformation’s cry of ‘semper reformanda’ (always reforming), calling out teachings & practices that the church should repent of and leave behind. https://t.co/vhRZImsvuR

— Derek Webb (@derekwebb) July 4, 2022

What Derek Webb did in that single quote tweet was to claim that those engaging in deconstruction are just being modern-day Reformers. That is a bold claim. But is it true? Should deconstructionists be seen as acting in concert with the Reformers, seeking to draw themselves closer to Christ while discarding man-made traditions that have been added to His word? An examination of deconstruction as compared to the essence of the Reformation, sola Scriptura, will demonstrate that such an association is not only undeserved but it is a false claim that exposes how apostate is the deconstructionist ideology.

Deconstruction

First, it is recommended readers of this article listen to the 3-hour long podcast episode #117 of “Just Thinking” entitled “Evangelical Deconstructionism.” Yes, it really is 3-hours long and it is worth listening to every minute of the program. Darrell Harrison and Virgil Walker take the time to establish what our source of authority truly is (Scripture), where deconstructionism originated from (Marxist philosopher Jacques Derrida), and how the ideology is being employed to tear down the orthodox Christian faith. Listeners will get a seminary-level education on an ideology that is incongruent with Christianity.

Deconstructionism is the practice of taking something apart (language, a text, a system, a practice); looking for what is believed to be inconsistencies or problems; using what is found to proclaim the system is broken, oppressive or destructive; and then rebuilding the matter into the examiner’s own image. Deconstructionists always engage in this practice in a negative sense. This means they enter into the process assuming the system produces brokenness, oppression, inequality, and more. They do not enter with an intent to determine objective truth. Deconstructionism presumes there cannot be any real objective truth. Deconstructionists also distrust all systems and apply a “hermeneutic of suspicion” when engaging in the process of deconstruction (see again “Just Thinking” episode 117).

Therefore, deconstruction is not concerned with determining whether a system or practice is true as it stands. Since objective truth does not exist in the mind of the deconstructionist, the quest is not about determining if the system is valid or in need of reformation. Deconstruction is concerned only with the process of questioning, it does not concern itself with testing or supporting an argument. Therefore, it focuses on simply questioning the system, breaking it down to find where the cracks exist, then reforming it to achieve the deconstructionist’s predetermined goals. In the end, deconstructionism is ultimately about tearing apart a system so that something else can be built in its place.

Once the deconstructionist has introduced sufficient levels of doubt into the process to tear apart the system, reconstruction can begin. However, reconstruction is not about finding objective truth by which the system should be established. Instead, it seeks to add the voices of intersectionally oppressed groups to be included in the new system. The goal is to ensure the new system meets with the approval and inclusion of groups who previously claimed hurt, oppression, inequality, or some other grievance. Reconstruction is about creating a pluralistic system by which all previously grieved or oppressed classes have their demands met at the expense of the class said to be at fault. Deconstruction and reconstruction are humanistic and godless tools by which men can force the desires of their hearts to be met at the expense of truth.

Evangelical Deconstruction

In the aforementioned “Just Thinking” episode, Darrell Harrison outlines “The Five Points of Progress of Evangelical Deconstructionism.” According to Harrison, the points are:

Embrace and posit the idea that the church is a socially constructed system, not a divinely ordained idea that originated in the mind of God;
Assume the socially constructed system is designed to be exclusive of certain intersectional identities, traditions, and behaviors (i.e. LGBTQ);
Identify subjective points and cracks in the socially constructed system that have failed, in the estimation of the deconstructionist, and need to be fixed or reconstructed;
Apply a “hermeneutic of suspicion” to that socially constructed system so that anyone who is even remotely associated or connected to that system is, by default, deemed untrustworthy;
Reconstruct that socially constructed system into the image and likeness of the culture with a culturally acceptable theology, soteriology, anthropology, hamartiology, and eschatology.

Remember that that point of deconstruction is not about determining truth. It assumes the system – in this case, Christianity – is one of oppression and inequality. Therefore, evangelical deconstructionists begin with the idea that Christianity, as it exists now, is not something ordained by God in His word. They presuppose the nature of the Christian faith is untrustworthy and damaging in its current state. And, since Christianity is only a social construct, not a divine mandate, then it must be deconstructed to do away with the inequalities that exist.

Evangelical deconstructionists are not starting with God and His revealed word. They are starting with a philosophical ideology that presumes systems are all about power and control. This is not an examination of who God is and what He desires for His people. This is determining what they believe Christianity is supposed to be and how it falls short of meeting cultural expectations.

If, as Derek Webb claims, evangelical deconstructionists are simply the modern-day equivalent of the Reformers, then one would expect they would seek to apply the same standard of examination the Reformers used. However, when we look at what the Reformers taught, we realize these two groups are worlds apart. Deconstruction is the polar opposite of the Reformation for one basic reason: the principle of sola Scriptura.

Sola Scriptura

According to Michael Kruger in his article, “Understanding Sola Scriptura,” on Ligonier.org, the “conviction of sola Scriptura— the Scriptures alone are the Word of God and, therefore, the only infallible rule for life and doctrine—provided the fuel needed to ignite the Reformation.”

The Reformers stood against the Catholic Church which acknowledged that Scripture “was the ultimate standard for all of life and doctrine…” but they also believed God communicated outside the written text. The Church “claimed a trifold authority structure, which included Scripture, tradition, and the Magisterium. The key component in this trifold authority was the Magisterium itself, which is the authoritative teaching office of the Roman Catholic Church, manifested primarily in the pope.” The Reformers recognized that there was no other equal or higher authority than the word of God. And they held their ground resolutely on this matter.

The Reformers taught sola Scriptura demanded that man be held to the ultimate authority of God’s word. No man could introduce ideologies, beliefs, commands, or principles of the Christian faith that did not first pass muster under the authority of the Scriptures. This did not mean the creeds or confessions, books, historical examinations of doctrinal development, or other realms of study could not guide or instruct the Christian church. Those very things could be of great help and guidance to the church at large. They could even provide guard rails to prevent Christians from wandering into personal interpretations that were inconsistent with the faith. Yet, none of these tools could be equal to or exceed the authority of Scripture. All such matters must be subservient to the Word of God.

Where sola fide (faith alone) was the material cause (the source) of the Reformation, sola Scriptura was the formal cause (the essence) of it. How could men know that they were saved by faith alone in Christ alone? By the very word of God as revealed in the Scriptures. It was by this that the Reformers sought to combat the man-made traditions of the Catholic Church. They fought and reclaimed the orthodox Christian faith from the ideas and traditions of men who sought to dominate the church. The Reformation was about rejecting outside ideologies and calling Christians to cling more tightly to the revealed word.

For the Reformers, the Reformation was not simply about discarding theologies and practices they did not like. Rather, they examined the claims of the papacy against the Scriptures themselves. Reformers, such as Martin Luther, were not initially seeking to break from the Church but to conform the Catholic Church to the Scriptures. The birth of the Protestant church was a call to turn from worldly traditions, to die to self, and be conformed to Christ as He revealed Himself in His word.

Did the Reformers call out for repentance from false doctrine? Absolutely. But what were those calls based upon? The examination of the Scriptures which demanded the Christian understand the context of the writers and readers. To learn what was meant at the time the words were written, what the original audience was expected to understand, and how they were supposed to apply the teachings in their lives. The Reformers knew that the key to refuting the false teaching of the papacy lie not in simply believing that Rome was wrong and it hurt people. It lay specifically in knowing what God meant in His revealed word, interpreting it rightly, teaching it to the people, and calling them to obey it.

Genuine reformation starts with the Word, not with assuming the Christian faith is just bad because people do not like how it is practiced.

Deconstruction is Not Reformation

Deconstructionists like Derek Webb want to picture themselves as modern-day Reformers who are rescuing the church from itself. In truth, they have much more in common with the Catholic Church of Luther’s day.

Deconstructionists do not examine first the Word of God to determine how they should live and practice the faith. Instead, they begin with a presupposition that the church today simply is wrong because the culture at large feels excluded and oppressed by its practices. Rather than examine those presuppositions against Scripture, they seek to force their ideology upon the church and require it to conform to their man-made traditions. They have elevated their philosophies to be equal with and above Scripture itself. The Christian faith is expected to change to meet their expectations instead of their being required to conform to the commands of Christ.

Christian, the deconstructionist is not a reformer. He is, at best, a confused and deluded person but, at worst, he is an apostate and false teacher. Do not be manipulated by the emotional appeals to see such persons as merely practicing the battle cry of the Reformers. They could not be further from “Semper Reformanda” if they tried. Deconstructionism is antithetical to the Christian faith and it is a direct challenge to the authority of Scripture. Reject such appeals and seek first the kingdom of God as He has revealed it to you in His precious, inspired, infallible, inerrant, and all-sufficient Word.

Is Roe the End?

June 24, 2022 / Chris Hohnholz / 1 Comment

A Historic Moment

Today, June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. In this monumental decision, the Court ruled there is no constitutional protection for abortion and returned the matter to the States. In other words, each State must now decide whether to make abortion illegal, legal, or restricted in some capacity. This means it is not a full ban on the horrific practice despite what commentators, media personalities, or politicians have claimed. Nor is it a removal of a Constitutional protection enshrined in our founding document. There has never been any such protection in the Constitution. What Roe v. Wade did is interpret that laws banning abortion were unconstitutional. That decision thus prohibited states from making laws outlawing the act. In today’s decision, the Supreme Court reversed that finding and determined no such protection existed. You cannot remove something that was never there.

What Now?

What happens next? All 50 States in the Union must now determine what laws they will pass with regard to the act of abortion. Some states have already passed legislation that would be triggered once the decision was handed down. Other states already have laws protecting the practice of abortion and will continue to stand by them. Ultimately, each state’s laws will be based on the votes of its citizens and the representatives they place in State political offices. This is not the end of abortion, but it most certainly limits the ability of people intent on murdering their babies. The fight to end abortion is far from over, but a major victory has been won.

What does this mean for the church? As Christians, we recognize that Scripture declares murder to be a sin. God knew us before we came into being. He declared when would be born and would die. He determined the path our lives would take. And He knit us together in our mothers’ wombs. We are made in His image and likeness. God has declared the willful murder of such image-bearers to be a sin, one which has not only temporal but eternal consequences. Therefore, the church must continue to proclaim to the world at large that the murder of babies is a sin. That those who promote, affirm, endorse, and engage in this willful rebellion will face His just and righteous wrath. We must call on the world to repent of such heinous sin and turn to Christ whereby the only hope of forgiveness can be found. We must not equivocate on this matter. We must firmly, authoritatively, and with great love, proclaim this truth to the world.

What Cannot Be

But we must not fall prey to the language of the world on this matter. We must not seek to soften the blow that abortion is a sin by telling people that abortion is only thinkable because we have failed to provide for the needs of women. That abortion only happens because social justice has not yet been achieved. This is patently untrue. Murder occurs because people are sinners. We commit sin because our hearts are enslaved to sin. That sin will be shown in a myriad of ways, including the murder of babies in the womb. We can justify our sins all day long with hundreds of reasons but it is still sin. We cannot remove the guilt of sin because life is unfair or difficult.

We must also not fall prey to the redefinitions of terms. It has become passé to rephrase pro-life to mean “pro-whole life.” In other words, that protecting infants from murder is not actually being pro-life. To be pro-life, you must be willing to have the secular government at large provide and care for life from womb to tomb. We are told we must authorize the government to so organize society through financial incentives, social programs, and health care to ensure that every life born has every single thing it needs. In this redefinition, you cannot possibly be pro-life without this provision. To reject it means you are “pro-birth” and could not care less what happens after.

Those actually aware of the history of the church know that Christians have created numerous resources for hundreds of years to care for children and families in need. Through local church donations and care in the community – and through the creation of charities, pregnancy centers, hospitals, adoption agencies, and more – the church has always stepped up to the plate to provide for those children in dire need. It is a lie from the pit of Hell to say that Christians do not care what happens after a child is born. And by adopting the language of “pro-whole life” we deny the truth that countless Christians in history have actually done the work of caring for those in need.

Do Not Forget Our Primary Mission

Finally, we must not assume this particular victory means our work is done in the culture. Even if all abortion was banned today (may we see that day soon) evil hearts that desire to murder their children are still enslaved to sin. The very hearts that want to fight to restore abortion to legal status are still speaking vile words that spew forth from evil hearts. Their standing before God has not changed even if the law were changed completely. Sinners bent on evil still need the gospel of Jesus Christ.

While we rejoice and worship God for His mercy on this matter, we must almost recommit ourselves to the command to make disciples of every nation. We must confront hearts with the truth of Scripture that they are enslaved to sin and will stand before God on Judgment Day. That the only hope of forgiveness, even for those who have already murdered children in the womb, is Jesus Christ. We must confront them with their sins, warn them of the danger to come, and plead with them to turn to Christ alone.

Christians, Roe is not the end. While the fight has been long and arduous, it is not yet over. And it would not be over even if we could put an end to this abdominal act. The first and primary mission of the church is the proclamation of the gospel and the winning of souls to Christ. We can fight and win culture wars but still lose souls to Hell. Let us fight the one without neglecting the other. No, Roe is not the end. It is a time of humble rejoicing to be sure. But, it is also a reminder of the great God we serve and the mission He has given us. Let us go forth and serve our King this day and every day till He brings us home.

On Rick Warren, Women Pastors, and “Secondary Issues”

June 15, 2022 / Chris Hohnholz / 1 Comment

On June 14, 2022, during the Southern Baptist Convention’s Annual Meeting in Anaheim, California, Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church was given the opportunity to speak at the Messengers’ microphone for approximately five minutes (more than any other Messenger at the time). Pastor Warren gave an impassioned statement about his love for the SBC and how being part of the Convention made his many accomplishments possible (a list he was only too proud to share).

While much can be said about Pastor Warren’s braggadocios claims (and his apparent lack of self-awareness about how much he was making of himself rather than Christ) it was his conclusion that struck a rather interesting chord for some. As he finished his statement, Pastor Warren said, “are we going to keep bickering about secondary issues or are we going to keep the main thing the main thing. We need to finish the task and that will make God smile.” Bickering over secondary issues. That is what Rick Warren challenged SBC Messengers to do, stop bickering over secondary issues.

Just what kind of issues is he referring to? One of the primary matters of discussion at the Annual Meeting was the ordination of women as pastors, especially in light of the fact that Saddleback Church had recently, and very publicly, ordained three women to that office. So much of a discussion was this issue that a call for the disfellowshipping of Saddleback had been brought up (it didn’t happen) and an hour-long discussion over whether the Credentials Committee could take time to study what “pastor” meant occurred (thankfully, it did not pass). This particular issue was very much in view when Pastor Warren made his plea.

What is a secondary issue? It is a poorly phrased term (I’ll say why shortly) for those doctrinal issues that do not fall within the area of what can exclude someone from the faith by its denial. In other words, certain doctrinal beliefs – such as the deity of Christ, the Triune nature of God, salvation by faith alone in Christ alone, and others – are of such importance that the denial of them prohibits the possibility of calling oneself a Christian. To deny that we are saved by Christ alone, for example, to espouse that there are other means of salvation, means we have denied the words of Christ alone when He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). You cannot deny these necessary truths and possess the salvation of Christ. These would be considered “primary” doctrines.

“Secondary” doctrines are important matters of faith where it is possible to be wrong or in error and yet still be saved. Such doctrines can include baptism (such as debates over infant or believer’s baptism), end-times doctrine (amil, postmil, premil, etc), and, to an extent, discussions over the nature of salvation (monergistic vs. synergistic). Included in that designation of “secondary” doctrines would be who can be appointed to the office of pastor. These are matters that Scripture speaks with authority and clarity, but can often be interpreted differently for a variety of reasons (ignorance, preconceptions, traditions, importation of personal ideologies, etc). As such, Christians will find themselves in debates over these matters, yet, in many cases still be able to call one another brethren.

Pastor Warren wants members of the SBC to see the ordination of women as simply a “secondary issue” over which “bickering” need not occur. That, rather than debating what Scripture says, they need to lay the matter aside, link arms in unity, and “keep the main thing the main thing.” In other words, stop worrying about whether Saddleback is right or wrong on this matter, just get back to evangelism, and bring bodies into the church. And for that, many gave him a standing ovation.

Here is the thing though, does a doctrine being a “secondary” issue relegate it to the realm of being unimportant? Should Christians simply disregard their differences on these matters for the sake of unity? Or are these doctrines still important enough that churches are called not only to determine what is right but actually apply and live by those doctrines? Of course, the correct answer is the last one.

Pastor Warren, and many others like him, are simply wrong when they tell us to stop worrying about secondary doctrines. God’s Word is not a book of recommendations that we ought to pick through, using what we like and discarding what we do not. It is God’s inspired, inerrant, infallible, and all-sufficient revelation for all Christian life and practice (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17). We are to study it daily, conforming ourselves to its precepts and commands. We are to grow in our understanding, never being satisfied to think we somehow have mastered it all. We are to submit humbly to the Word, examine ourselves by it, and repent whenever we find ourselves in contradiction to what God has said.

That means that the so-called “secondary issues” have as much importance in our lives as the primary ones. Remember, we are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17) in Christ. When we were called to him in repentance and faith, we were told to be baptized and obey all that Christ has commanded us (Matthew 28:19-20). How do we know what He has commanded? By diligently studying His Word. Scripture, all of it in its entirety, is God’s revelation of Himself, His nature, and His work in us. Therefore, there are no unimportant doctrines. All of doctrine is important.

This is why the term “secondary issues” is a train wreck. It gives a less than subtle implication that, because it is not “primary” or salvific, it does not matter what you believe. Nothing could be further from the truth. If God has commanded us in a given matter, we are obligated to believe and obey Him. To refuse to obey God is to be lawless, it is sin. When we have His Word before us, we are called to study and understand what His commands are and to commit them to our hearts and minds. And we are then to live by them. We do not have the freedom to stay ignorant. We do not have the freedom to relegate something as being unimportant. We have a duty to read, study, meditate on, and obey His word.

This is why debating these matters of doctrine is also important. Because we are fallible and prone to disobedience, it is incumbent upon all Christians and churches to examine our doctrine and practice regularly. This means that those other factors I mentioned earlier (ignorance, preconceptions, traditions, and ideologies) must be examined and challenged. If we love the church, if we truly care for the bride of Christ, we cannot simply sit by and not speak when we see professing brethren openly reject and disregard the Word of God. We must speak up, we must challenge, we must debate, and we must demand that we all conform ourselves to the Scriptures.

Rick Warren does not want his ordaining of women challenged. Yet, Scripture is clear. God has reserved the office of pastor to particularly qualified men (1 Timothy 2:12-14). While God does indeed give gifts and calls certain persons to given roles (Ephesians 4:7-11), He never contradicts Himself. If God calls a person to pastor, then He will call the very persons He has authorized in His Word. Pastor Warren wants to say that the gift of pastor and the office of pastor are different things. Yet, there is no such distinction in Scripture whatsoever. It is a rejection of the totality of the teaching of the Word to claim otherwise. And when called out for this, Pastor Warren says this is bickering. That the matter is secondary. That it is an obstacle to “the main thing.”

What Pastor Warren is really saying is that he wants to ignore Scripture because it interferes with his preferred church business model. And he wants other Christians to quit telling him that he is disobeying the Word. Pastor Warren is elevating his personal ideologies above the clear commands of God and he is trying to recruit other Christians to do likewise.

Christians, “secondary issues” are still God’s commands to His church. They are not open to personal interpretation and application. And they are most certainly not open to rank disobedience because we do not like them. These doctrines inform us of the character and nature of our Lord and Savior. They call us to humble ourselves and submit to Christ that we might make much of Him. Our commitment to study and live in accordance with these doctrines brings glory to His name. They point the watching world to the Savior who is greater, more majestic, and more beautiful than anything we have to offer. To do anything but make a diligent effort to be transformed by these doctrines is to put ourselves over His Word. May this never be. Pastor Warren and those who applauded him need to humble themselves and repent.

Secondary doctrines are important doctrines. Study them. Know them. Live by them. Be humbled by them. Glorify God in obeying them.

Encouragement for the Battle Weary

May 21, 2021 / Chris Hohnholz / 0 Comments

I know a lot of us are weary of the current cultural warfare. Some of us simply never want to hear the terms Critical Race Theory, Intersectionality, Marxism, etc, ever again. If we could just wipe them out of lives, we would be happy beyond measure. I can identify with that. This seems to be all-consuming. It is everywhere. I would love to see and be part of just about any other conversation. Some days, it feels like it is never going to end and we are all battle weary.

Yet, at the same time, this battle is perhaps one of the most important we’ve engaged in for our generation. I’m not talking about the politics (though it is a huge component of what is going on), I’m referring to the spiritual. What this cultural war has revealed is the lack of spiritual maturity going on in the professing Church at large. Many self-identified Christians are either ignorant of Scripture or believe their personal feelings and experiences supplant Scripture. The very core of the cultural war is the battle for the sufficiency of Scripture.

There is little doubt that CRT and similar ideologies will one day collapse in on themselves. Critical Theory systems depend on the idea that there must always be oppressor and oppressed classes. Eventually, competing oppressed classes will come into conflict with one another. Somebody’s victim status is going to demand to be considered more important than another victim status. Thus, competition between victim classes will result in a new oppressor/oppressed battle within currently allied groups. When that happens, when they start eating their own (something that is already happening) the movement will begin to collapse.

Of course, should the Critical Theory promoters actually achieve their stated goals and create a Neo-Marxist “utopia,” then all victim groups will no longer be useful to those in control. They will be dismissed as dissidents to be pushed down, isolated, and ignored. All one needs is a cursory understanding of history to recognize this to be true. Only the willfully deluded will believe “that won’t happen this time.” In either scenario, the existing Critical Theory movement will diminish and fall apart.

But, that is not something we should settle for. Why? Because the very core beliefs that allow for the existence of such a movement will never go away. Critical Theory exists because it descends from previous leftist ideologies. Post-modernism, Neo-Marxism, the Frankfurt School, political activism, and more are the very progenitors of the existing Critical Theory system. Each rose and fell as an ideology or movement, but their very beliefs were passed down and retained within our cultural system. Much of how we think today has been affected. Even those of us who are opposed to Critical theory find ourselves speaking of having one’s own truth, not judging others, there not being only one way, etc. We may not realize it because it has become so ubiquitous, but much of Western Culture, and even the Christian church have been inculcated with the beliefs of these systems.

Once evidence of this is the failed “Emergent Church” movement. Emergent church “preachers” prided themselves in not knowing anything for certain. They asked all kinds of questions, but never really wanted solid answers. Certainty of anything was the only real sin. It was arrogant and prideful to believe anyone could know exactly what God had said. This movement was all the rage, for a time. Eventually, all questions and no answers mean you don’t really have anything to stand on. Without a firm foundation, you sink into the mire of your own creation. And such did the Emergent movement. But, not without leaving a lasting effect.

People may not have called themselves Emergent, but many professed Christians were impacted by its teachings. Uncertainty about the Word of God and a love for one’s own feelings grew in Evangelicalism. The leaven had taken root and grown in churches around America. People still take great pride in believing that it is humble to not stand firmly on doctrine. That genuine love is letting people find their own path and not insisting on believing all of God’s Word is true or sufficient.

Now, the impact from that system, the widespread roots of it are bearing fruit in the Woke Church. Since we need not believe God’s Word has the final say on all things, that our own feelings and lived experiences have equal authority, this became fertile ground to implant Woke ideology. Now, those that once believed we couldn’t be certain about God’s Word believe that people’s own stories can be given equal to or greater weight than Scripture. As Solomon wrote, “There is nothing new under the sun.”

The cultural battle is important because the war of worldviews is important. You either submit to the worldview of God in Scripture or you espouse the worldview of man. Christians cannot abdicate their place in this battle. We must be people of the Book. We must expose “plausible arguments” for the fraud they really are. We must tear down the strongholds of the world and shine the light of God’s gospel as revealed in His Word. I know you are weary, brethren. I know you wish the battle to end. But, until the final trumpet sounds and our Savior returns triumphant, we have much to do and disciples to make. Take heart, do not be weary in doing good. Your Savior and His gospel are worth it.

Philosophies and Empty Deceits – The Battle for the Sufficiency of Scripture

April 9, 2021 / Chris Hohnholz / 3 Comments

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul repeatedly urges his readers to grow in faith, maturity, and knowledge. And from that growth, he calls on them to live in such a manner as they honor and obey God. It is precisely because Christ has redeemed them and made them new creations that the Colossians are not only able but expected to grow and live in this manner. Throughout his writings, Paul makes it clear that unsaved people are unable to honor and obey God. They are dead in their sins and cannot be pleasing to God unless they are made holy in Christ. Yet, to Christians, Paul gives repeated commands to demonstrate holiness and obedience to God. Followers of Christ are to reject the ways of the world and cling tightly to the commands of our sovereign Lord.

To the Colossians, Paul’s ever-fervent prayer is that they will “be filled with the knowledge of his [God’s] will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (1:9). Paul wants Christians to not only know God but to know His will. He prays for this so that the Colossians will “walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (1:10). In other words, knowing God’s will (what He wants us to know and do) makes it possible for the Christian to actually live their lives in a manner that bears godly fruit. In order to practice rightly, they must know His will rightly.

A Battle Brewing

In our current age, there is a battle over the sufficiency of God’s Word. Many professing Christians will claim they believe Scripture is inerrant but demonstrate in practice they find it is not sufficient. By stating that the Bible is inerrant, Christians are proclaiming, rightly, that all that God has spoken in His revealed Word is without error. That the perfect and holy God did not allow for error to be written into the Scriptures. This has been a battle long fought for many generations. And it is a battle that must still be fought daily as many progressivists in our current age still deny God’s Word is divinely inspired.

The battle today is one of the sufficiency of Scripture. Does the Word of God contain all that is needed for faith and practice in the life of a Christian? Does it speak to the issues of our day and does it give the answers we need? Can we trust that this document, despite its Divine authorship and whose canon was closed approximately 2,000 years ago, actually understands the conflicts, sins, and issues of the 21st Century? The answer for the Christian must be a resounding “Yes!” For if we cannot trust that God provided us with sufficient instruction in the Scriptures, then we cannot trust that God is truly omniscient. And if God is not omniscient, then He is not God and He ought not to be trusted when He tells us that salvation is in Christ alone. In short, if Scripture is not sufficient, then God is not trustworthy and we have no hope of eternal life.

Yet, there are those today who, if not by full admission then by practice, deny the sufficiency of the Scriptures. Perhaps the most evident indication of this is the ongoing debate over the matter of social justice. No matter which form it takes – critical race theory, gender theory, queer theory, etc. – social justice advocates proclaim that the ideological framework of Theory is an analytical tool by which we can understand systemic oppression and then go to the Scriptures to apply the gospel imperatives. Such argumentation, no matter the claims of those who deny it, practically puts the ideology above Scripture because we must use the analytical tool to understand how and why such oppression occurs. Therefore, it is a practical denial of the sufficiency of Scripture.

Rejecting Plausible Arguments

In Colossians, Paul tells his readers that he has written to them and prayed for them to grow in knowledge “in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments” (2:4). Paul literally labors and struggles for those in the church that they may “reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery” (2:2). He does this so that the arguments of the world can be distinguished and separated from the true knowledge of God. Paul does not want his readers to be beguiled by claims of knowledge that seem to have a veneer of truth but ultimately lead one away from godly life and practice.

Paul writes to the Colossians, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (2:8). Paul is warning the Colossian believers that there are worldly arguments that are antithetical to the teachings of Scripture. They are man-made and without biblical substance. They come from the wicked heart of sinful men and are not from Christ. And he makes it a point to tell the Colossians that these arguments are capable of taking a person captive. They are that persuasive. These arguments seem to be legitimate. There is something about these philosophies that, without examining them against the light of Scripture, a person might just find themselves caught up in them and believe them wholeheartedly.

Later in chapter 2, Paul points out two types of arguments that fall into this category. First are those arguments that appear biblical, but neglect the full revelation of Scripture. “Therefore, let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ” (2:16-17). In the early church, there were many who tried to call Christians to come back under the Jewish law, to practice circumcision, and to adhere to the festivals and sacrifices. Paul admonished the Galatians in his epistle to them for doing this very thing. This is because the Old Covenant had been a type and shadow of the “things to come,” pointing to their ultimate fulfillment in Christ under the New Covenant.

The Old Covenant could never bring about salvation because it was intended to be a schoolmaster, pointing the Jews to the fact they never would be able to earn merit with God as they were dead in trespasses and sins. It was a signpost pointing to the coming Christ who fulfilled the law in its entirety and who was the perfect sacrificial lamb who would take away the sins of the world. For the Colossians, Paul was warning them against any argument which would take them back under the law. They had the sure word of God in all of Scripture revealing to them that Jesus was the promised Messiah and it was He alone who was the substance of these things. They did not need to listen to those who were outside of Christ and who rejected the revelation He was their promised deliverer. To go back under the law was to reject the revealed Word of the one whose prophets foretold of Christ’s coming. It may have sounded plausible, but in truth, it was a complete rejection of the revealed Word.

Secondly, Paul writes about arguments that appear to have some kind of biblical basis but are entirely worthless. He states, “let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,” (2:18). He later writes in verses 20 to 23, “If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were alive in the world, do you submit to regulations – ‘Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch’ (referring to things that all perish as they are used) – according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh” (emphasis added).

These arguments seem to have a connection to the Old Covenant. Certainly, the Jews had laws regarding dietary restrictions, not touching dead bodies, etc. However, never were they commanded to live ascetic lives, never were they allowed to worship angels, and anyone with a claimed vision better have it proven 100% accurate or the were to be slain as a false prophet. Paul makes it clear that, no matter how persuasive these arguments may have seemed, they were without any biblical support. A Christian may have thought practicing these actions could have somehow added to their holy walk, but in fact, they were completely worthless. By examining such claims against the genuine knowledge found only in God’s revealed Word, the Colossians would realize that all of these arguments had no value in combatting the desires of the flesh. They were worldly practices that did not even point to the God of Scripture and were never commanded by Him at any time.

Paul was concerned for the Colossians that they were to understand, firstly, they belonged to Christ and that He purchased them by His blood. He pointedly writes about how Christ is the creator of all things (including the Colossians) who made all things by and for Himself. He is the image of the invisible God who is now revealed to the saints and is the Savior of all, Jews and Gentiles alike. It is in His Word these things are revealed and there was no worldly argument, no matter how plausible it seemed, that could change this very truth. Therefore, Paul commands the Colossians to reject those arguments which could lead them into prideful practice, thinking they somehow could add to the work of Christ and achieve something of their own merit.

Paul calls upon the Colossians to live in a manner worthy of Christ. “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (3:5). When Christians adhere to the Word of God, our desire ought to be that which denies the desires of our flesh and submit humbly to God.

Social Justice – An Empty Deceit

This takes us back to the arguments of our current age. In the matter of social justice, what are the advocates of such a philosophy concerned with? Equality. Specifically equality of outcome, especially in the arena of worldly wealth and power. Social justice claims that oppression is systemic in culture and that those who have power and wealth have obtained it unjustly by oppressing certain groups. Primarily, the oppressed groups are argued to be minority ethnic persons, women, and persons who practice sexual immorality. Advocates argue that for true justice to reign, the oppressed persons must be elevated and given the wealth and power denied them by the oppressive group (which by definition are caucasian, heterosexual men). Social justice is focused on earthly matters which can only be defined by earthly categories. It then takes those categories and attempts to force them into God’s Word by insisting the world’s definitions are the same as the Scripture’s definitions.

This is a perfect example of the type of “philosophy and empty deceit” against which Paul warns. Certainly, Christians are to be concerned for the oppressed and downtrodden. We are called to love our neighbors and are to care for those in need (staring within the church first, then extending outward to the world). Christians live in a world that is broken and ruled by tyrants. While we are to be obedient to those in authority over us, we are also expected to call our leaders away from sin and to repentance (see John the Baptist’s interaction with Herod for example). However, Christ makes no command within Scripture to be concerned with the overtaking of government, to reign in politics, or to command arbitrarily what is to be considered equal or equitable. Rather, the command of Christ is to go forth and preach the gospel to the nations. Our primary mission is to call the world away from sinful, worldly desires and to follow Christ.

The beautiful thing about such a command and call is the impact it brings to the nations who follow Christ. As people reject sinfulness and embrace Christ, they have a new nature that leads them to walk in the commands of God. People develop loving hearts and desire to help others. Wherever Christianity has blossomed, nations have changed for the better. Therefore, the most loving thing we can do is preach Christ and Him crucified to the world. This doesn’t mean we don’t call out sinful governments and practices, we most certainly do. But we are not caught up in the vain pursuits of the world, trying to make a utopia in a fallen creation.

Social justice, however, commands the opposite. It divides people into oppressors and oppressed. It stirs anger, evil desire, and covetousness. It focuses on our earthly identities and makes them unchangeable. It tells people they are either always victims or always victimizers. There is no hope of atonement, only the never-ending treadmill of works one must do in hopes of receiving a token of acknowledgment for their efforts. It promises worldly possession and powers on the basis of victim status and perpetual punishment to those who do not accept their designation as oppressors. It brings no promise of joy everlasting, no hope of salvation, and no possibility of unity. Social justice is posited as a “plausible argument” but is nothing but “empty deceit.”

God’s Word Humbles and Equips

In Colossians 3, Paul commands the church to not only reject what is earthly in us but also put on what is fitting as God’s chosen ones. We are to put on “compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so also you must forgive” (3:12-13). Genuine knowledge of the Word leads us not to that which keeps us in pride-filled division. Rather, it leads us to humble submission to one another, loving one another, and most of all, forgiving one another. We are not lead to hate another for what they have that we do not. We do not desire their downfall that we might be lifted up. Rather, it is a joyful self-giving to one another, not that we are benefitted in a worldly way, but that we would glorify Christ who purchased us.

We build each other up by letting “the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (3:16). We identify ourselves as one body, unified in Christ, “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all” (3:11). We are not divided by earthly designations, but we are united in the Savior who was promised by the prophets in the Scriptures as revealed from God. We look solely to His Word which commands us and rejects the precepts and philosophies of this world.

Brethren, far too many Christians and local churches (not to mention parachurch ministries and “celebrity Christians”) have been taken captive by the empty deceit of social justice. In doing so, they have denied that God’s Word sufficiently speaks to the issues of our day. They claim that only modern-day “Theory” can adequately explain how and why society is in its current state. They allow worldly definitions to replace the meanings of justice and equality that God has laid out in His Word. They tell us that we must embrace these “plausible arguments” which have an “appearance of wisdom” if we are to do the work of the gospel. But in truth, these arguments are worthless and have “no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.” Therefore, I implore the reader to stop being swayed by what the world is demanding we accept. See social justice for what it is, a worldly system by which we can be taken captive and lead from the truth of Scripture. Apply yourself daily to the reading of the Word and pray God gives us all wisdom to speak the truth in a time such as this.

Tag: Jesus (Page 1 of 3)

We Do Not Need Celebrity Christians

That Person Can’t Be Saved!

Submission and Love – Biblical Marriage Defined

Such Were Some of You

If God Is Real, Why Is Your Life So Hard?

Deconstruction is Not Reformation

Is Roe the End?

On Rick Warren, Women Pastors, and “Secondary Issues”

Encouragement for the Battle Weary

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