The
Apostolic Example
By Stephen
Terry
Commentary
for the August 4, 2012 Sabbath School Lesson
“…we
speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not
trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. You know we never used
flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed —God is our witness. We
were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else…” 1 Thessalonians
2:4-6, NIV
As we have traveled into the twenty-first century, over
two thousand years after the birth of Christ, we see a Christian church
struggling with winds of change blowing through the pews. We struggle over issues
related to music and worship styles, who has the right to lead congregations, how
to parse meaning from scripture, and who has the right to determine orthodoxy. For
instance, while some Christian congregations oppose the use of any musical
instruments, many others divide over the type of music to be allowed. While the
rock-and-roll movement brought us musicals like “Godspell,” and Andrew
Lloyd-Weber’s “Jesus Christ, Superstar,” which led many into seeking to know
more about Jesus, some feel that these musical trends undermine everything that
Christianity represents. For individuals on both sides of this debate, bringing
someone to Jesus comes with a caveat.
The new convert must agree to accept the musical tastes of the one who brings
them to Jesus. Those who do not adjust their musical taste accordingly risk
being socially ostracized by their new church. However, this is not the only
minefield the new Christian must navigate.
Some Christians would have us believe that Jesus had
political preferences and would have been a true-blue Republican or Democrat.
While holding themselves out as belonging to a higher, spiritual understanding
of these things, they hurl invective after invective at the candidate and his
supporters in the opposing party. Never mind what Jesus said about calling
someone a “fool,” (see Matthew 5:22) there is a whole range of much worse
things that Christians feel comfortable attaching to their political enemies.
Hiding behind the Prophet Isaiah’s skirts, they boast they are only “crying
aloud and sparing not.” (See Isaiah 58:1)
But they ignore those passages of the Bible that refer to respect and
submission to duly constituted civil authorities. (i.e. Romans 13:7, 1 Peter
2:17, and 1 Peter 3:7, 15) One cannot
help but wonder if they expect that after being vilified, these public
officials and their supporters will miraculously find Jesus in the words that
are condemning them? Why would any political figure or public person want to
have any part with a group of individuals who act in such an unloving manner?
Recently many Christians were quick to disassociate themselves from the pastor
of a small Baptist congregation in Florida who purposely chose to offend Muslims
around the world by burning a copy of the Quran. Yet, some of those appalled by
this offensive act, feel free to openly offend others who do not share their
political opinions and feel they are doing Gods’ will when they do so. Perhaps
that Quran-burning pastor can identify with their motivations.
When we consider in addition to these things, our record
as Christians in the area of civil discrimination, we find the cup of offenses
getting overfull. Far too many women and minorities are very familiar with the Christian
framework of oppression they have had to struggle with. Whether it was the “Black
Robes” who accompanied the Conquistadors to the New World and pacified the
natives into humble servitude to their new overlords, or the plantation owners
who used Christian terminology to construct a religious basis for the
enslavement of another race for purely economic reasons, we can see that some
of that trend continues to the present. Citing that “Women should keep silent”
(See 1 Corinthians 14:34-35) men who wish to exercise control over the aspirations
of women have opposed everything from women’s suffrage to women’s ordination.
Women have often not been allowed to own property or have careers, with Christians supporting such things on a questionable
foundation of pseudo-Christianity. But this is only the public face of such
oppression. This same attitude has too often been the justification for hidden
abuse and degradation of women in countless, private, ostensibly Christian
homes.
What is incredible when one considers the history of
Christianity is that in spite of the abuse, often those who were formerly
slaves adopted and improved on the Christian faith of their masters. Their influence
is heavily felt in the many “African” denominations that themselves gave birth
to several other fellowships. Imbued
with the power of the Holy Spirit, true Christianity has a way of shining
through even such a muddy, dirty window as oppression and discrimination. As in
the great spiritual, “Go Down, Moses,” many of those whom God calls find
deliverance in the very Bible that their oppressors are twisting to evil purposes.
While Christians may do much to distort the Bible’s message of liberty and
freedom, the Bible reveals itself as more trustworthy than Christians may
sometimes be if we will go direct to its chapters to meet the Christ who speaks
from every page. God still has the power to elevate those who are enslaved and
oppressed from the darkest pit to rule over entire nations, just as He did
with Joseph and Moses. (See Genesis 37-50, and Exodus 2-14) God continues to do
this, today. He has not changed. Much as some would like to nail the lid on the
coffin of those they oppress and use the Bible as their hammer to do so, God
continues to set free and elevate His chosen ones to the frustration of those
who would seek to control God by controlling His body, the church.
Much as we saw with the slaves on the cotton plantations
of the Southern United States, women also have responded admirably to their
oppression. While some have certainly and understandably turned their backs on
the Christianity which has placed such heavy exactions on the conditions under
which they are allowed to practice their faith, many still desire to be a part
of that faith and bring their own Spirit-filled gifts as their offering to a
Savior they do not see as justifying the oppression of anyone. Even though they
are often forced to accept male overlords for their worship, most Christian
fellowships are predominately female. It goes without saying that consequently
a sizable portion of the financial support is contributed by women as well. But
it is often the men who have the votes, power and control to determine what is
to be done with the finances, who will hold important office, and what issues
will be allowed to come before the church administrative committees. Faced with all of that, women still step
forward to fill the positions they are allowed to fill, but also in an
expression of faith in the mission and purpose of the church, ask to be given
the opportunity to serve as ordained clergy and be fully a part of that
mission.
Some who are opposed to this claim that these women are
greedy for income, or want to control men, or have power in the church.
However, these very same traits have sadly appeared time and again in men who have
been ordained to the Christian ministry. Perhaps this is why they know the
potential for these things so well. This is not a function of gender, however, but
of ascertaining who is and who is not truly called to ministry. I have no doubt
that some who are not suited to the ministry will try to enter in, but the same
process that seeks to cull those who are not truly called to ministry from the
male clergy may certainly be used to cull those women who are unsuited as well.
It is not an excuse to not ordain any women.
Perhaps our nature wants to reject everything based on
the example of a few. It might be less work to simply avoid entirely one
automobile manufacturer if one has had a bad experience with vehicles from that
company, but one might miss many wonderful auto ownership experiences as a
result. In the same way, rejecting all women from ministry might reject the
very person whom God has called to speak His will into your life. Worse, the Bible
also says that in doing so, we could be rejecting God. (See Luke 10:16) This is
what many of the Jews ended up doing in Jesus’ day. But some had more wisdom
than others. The Apostles had been filled with the Holy Spirit and were
proclaiming Jesus in the Temple every day. When some of them were brought
before the Sanhedrin and told not to continue preaching about Jesus to the
people, they refused. The church leaders wanted to punish them because they
refused to remain silent, but Gamaliel interceded with these words: ““Men of
Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago
Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied
to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to
nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and
led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were
scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone!
Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.
But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only
find yourselves fighting against God.” Acts 5:35-39, NIV
In these last days, the Prophet Joel told us, “"Even
on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those
days." Joel 2:29, NIV Perhaps we should follow the Apostolic example of
Peter when he visited the Centurion Cornelius. He said of that experience, “…if
God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ,
who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?” Acts 11:17, NIV We might
ask ourselves if it is harder to believe that God might call a woman to be
ordained than it was for a Jew to believe that an unclean Gentile could receive
the Holy Spirit? How we answer that question could reveal how successful we may
expect to be in presenting an example to others of an inclusive, loving
apostolic faith where God can reach every heart with the liberating message of
salvation.
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Waters Ministry
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