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Christian Living/Human Behavior
I was told that somewhere in WELS, there was a good article on whether or not it is ok to go to war. Are we justified? Any ideas of where I might find this article?
Prof. James F. Korthals of Wisconsion Lutheran Seminary presented an essay entitled The Cristian and the Unjust War at a symposium (The Christian, the Church, and the Government) hosted by the History-Social Science Division, Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minnesota on April 16, 1999. The essay focuses on the Christian and war. From a Biblical-Lutheran perspective, Korthals determines what makes war just or unjust. He also handles questions about government and Christian allegiance to it in regard to war. The essay can be found in the seminary library's on-line essay file.
Should a christian youth drink alcohol?
The Bible does not forbid the consumption of alcohol but forbids drunkenness. The laws of our land, however, regulate and forbid the consumption of alcohol by minors under most circumstances. A Christian youth will want to obey the laws of the land out of obedience to God (Romans 13:1-7). A Christian will also want to avoid doing things that might cause others to sin or think the worst of him or stumble in their faith (1 Corinthians 10:23-33). There are circumstances in which a Christian youth can have some alcohol without breaking state law or causing offense. When a minor comes to the Lord's Supper he partakes of the wine. Many states would also allow a minor to have a glass of wine with his family at a meal. Christian parents must use their own good judgment in the latter circumstance.
Several years ago I went to a hypnotist to quit smoking - there were a number of us in the group. (I had tried to quit many times over the years - it is a strong addiction for me - and until trying hypnotism was unsuccessful.)
Now I am told that it is WRONG to go to a hypnotist that "they take over your mind and you have no control". I didn't feel that way at all and felt I was simply using a tool - that I was in far more control than say, when sedated for surgery! Your comments please.Dear Friend, The type of hypnotism that you were using was controlled and carefully done for a valid medical reason that has been empirically (by scientific experimentation) proven to be effective. It is the misuse of hypnotism that is wrong -- when it is done by non-medical people or is used in ways that have been empirically proven to be dangerous in a mind-controllinig sense.
We are happy that it was a tool to help you quit smoking. We pray that you feel healthier.
God's blessings!
I just read someone's question regarding rock music. This question pointed out the song "Jesus Freak" as being bad. This is a song by Relient K. A popular band that has a punk/skater style and is Christian. Their music is not meant for worship services, but for entertainment. The specific song in question talks about not caring if people call him a Jesus Freak...he's going to live his life for Jesus and not let it get to him. To me, this seems like a much healthier set of lyrics for kids to listen to on the radio, then those found on the pop stations.
I am interested to know your point of view on kids listening to Christian Pop bands as an alternative to today's Pop bands. I'm not talking worship here... just fun.This answer is certainly no defence of the message of the lyrics of today's secular popular music. However, there is also a new concern that rises when kids begin listening to much of popular Christian music. The concern is not whether it is suitable for worship. Much of Christian contemporary music was not written for a worship service, and so very often it is not suitable for such use. The concern is this: much of Christian popular music contains doctrinal distortions. While Christian kids may know they need to be "on their guard" when listening to secular music, they may be more inclined to "let their guard down" when listening to "Christian" music. In this way, they may often be opening themselves up to lyrics that can confuse them and otherwise harm their faith.
Here are two examples of that danger. Often, what is called "decision theology" (the false idea that what makes me a Christian is that I decided to let Jesus into my heart) shows up in the lyrics of many popular Christian songs. Also, the primary emphasis of much popular Christian music is my response to God rather than the wonders and details of God's love for me. To put that another way, the emphasis of the music focuses more on what I must do - God's law - rather than on what God has done - God's gospel. Jesus often ends up being primarily a good example, rather than primarily he whose life and death was a perfect substitution for my imperfection. "What would Jesus do?" (and so what must I do to be like him) overshadows the wonders of what Jesus did for me. It's not that we cannot use him as our example - Scripture speaks of that too. It's a matter of emphasis. Jesus as my example does not save me. Jesus as my substitute does.
To sum it all up, listening for entertainment to Christian popular music instead of secular popular music doesn't mean that I can use less discretion. It may mean I need to use more.
My daughter's topic for her confirmation is "How can I use my spiritual gifts?" Her pastor told her that he identified one of her spiritual gifts. He told her it was singing (I believe that her voice is a blessing from the Lord, but I don't know if one can call it a spiritual gift). I am interested in learning more about Paul's inspired words about spiritual gifts (Acts, Romans); how a Christian personally identifies spiritual gifts; and any other insights that would be helpful for my daughter's (and my) understanding of spiritual gifts.
Scripture doesn't offer one definitive list of "spiritual gifts" that are to be distinguished from natural talents, so different Christians often work with different definitions (or at least wider and narrower definitions). The items listed, for example in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12, show some overlapping and some variety, and might well indicate that these are representative gifts rather than an exclusive list of gifts. Functionally speaking, the exercise of many of these gifts involves the use of natural talents and abilities as well.
We must learn to live with some differences in the way people will define the term and will not burden another's conscience in such matters. And we are wise to remain aware that some have identified other gifts not mentioned in biblical lists, for example: craftsmanship, music, writing, intercession, and exorcism. The distinction between "spiritual gifts" and what we might call "sanctified talents" is easily blurred.
In reply to your question about "identifying" spiritual gifts and your asking for "insights" I offer these comments that reflect my view in this area. My point can be summarized briefly: "Spiritual gifts are not the most important thing. The important thing is to be increasingly mature in Christ. Then the matter of spiritual gifts will appropriately handled." To put it another way: There is no verse in Scripture that commands us to "discover" our spiritual gifts, but there are many commands and invitations to serve. It is striking to notice that many of the commands to serve involve the same activities connected with exercising spiritual gifts. I believe this is an important clue: Activity will usually lead to discovery. If we are actively growing in Christian maturity and in doing what we know is pleasing to God, the Lord will typically entrust us with other opportunities. In fulfilling these we shall be able to see what our spiritual gifts are.
In short, dedication or willingness to serve is the key to discovering our spiritual gifts. Sometimes we forget that being renewed in the inner self and being conformed more to the image of God's Son on an ongoing basis is top priority. Being willing to do anything God desires in a given time and place is a good launching pad for gaining insights regarding spiritual gifts. Again: Dedication or willingness to serve is the key to discovering our spiritual gifts. Maturing people and congregations will be discovering their gifts.
Still, the use of some kind of "spiritual gift analysis" tool may serve our purposes well. There is no shortage of adequate questionnaires and printed analysis forms available to get a person thinking and evaluating. Much of this takes note of what a person "enjoys" doing, but other factors can be added to the diagnosis. Use of the "5 Es" with prayer has served many well:
1. Explore the possibilities by studying what the Bible says about them. 2. Experiment with as many as you can. 3. Examine your feelings; you should enjoy using your gift(s). 4. Evaluate your effectiveness. 5. Expect confirmation from the body of believers.
Certain values of taking some kind of spiritual gift inventory have been recognized. It may help me know myself better as a recipient of divine gifts, and thus help me set priorities in my efforts to serve. It may assist me in self-acceptance as well as self-appraisal, as I thank God for giving me all that I am and have. And it may help identify areas for more concentrated training and development in the future.
"Now I will show you the most excellent way." The most excellent way is not simply the utilization of spiritual gifts. Rather, it is the way of love, of Christlike, self-sacrificing, and never-failing love. But the most excellent way of love is highlighted in connection with the faithful use of spiritual gifts (note the progression of thought from 1 Corinthians 12 to 1 Corinthians 13). What God has joined let us not separate. Let us love one another. And let us and our people serve each other with the gifts the Holy Spirit has distributed among us.
I have a friend who is a devout Seventh Day Adventist. We have many discussions on the difference between his church and the WELS. For instance he believes that since the Third Commandment says "remember the Sabbath Day), it's wrong to worship on any other day, but the Sabbath. He also says that we can accept Jesus into our hearts and that faith requires some sort of action on our parts (meaning that we have some role in our salvation). I've tried to show him what we believe, but he's sticking to his guns. Are there some passages that I can show him that might get to rethink his stance? Thank you and God bless!
In the Old Testament God required Sabbath Day (Saturday) observance as well as the observance of a number of other festival days. In the New Testament God has given us the freedom to worship on any day we choose. As Paul wrote to the Colossians, "Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath Day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come, the reality, however, is found in Christ" (Colossians 2:16-17, see also Romans 14:5).
According to Colossians 2:16-17 those Old Testament observances (including the Sabbath day) pointed ahead to Christ and found their fulfillment in him. Those regulations and observances lost their significance when Christ came and completed his work of redemption. We are no longer bound by the ceremonial regulations of the Old Testament. In the New Testament God commands us to worship but does not mandate a specific day of the week.
It seems that already in apostolic times Christians began to worship on Sunday. For instance, the Christians at Troas gathered together with Paul on the first day of the week for the breaking of bread (Acts 20:7). Paul directed the Christians at Corinth to set aside their offerings for the poor in Jerusalem on the first day of the week (1 Corinthians 16:2). In Revelation 1:10 John speaks of the Lord's Day, undoubtedly a reference to Sunday, the day on which Jesus rose from the dead.
Sunday undoubtedly was chosen as a regular day for worship rather than Saturday because Sunday was the day of Jesus' resurrection and possibly because it was the day of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost and the 1st day of creation in Genesis 1. Early Christians worshiped on other days as well, just as we do today.
Please note that the Old Testament Sabbath regulations have not been transferred to Sunday. We are not forbidden to work on any day of the week. That regulation was intended for God's people in the Old Testament.
The reason an unbeliever cannot "decide for Christ" is because by nature he is spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1,5; Colossians 2:13). A spiritual corpse cannot do anything for itself. Furthermore, the Bible tells us that unbelievers are by nature hostile to God and cannot do anything that is pleasing to God (Romans 8:6-8). Our Savior tells us, "You did not choose me, but I chose you" (John 15:16). Faith is a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9) not a result of our works. The Bible teaches that salvation is by grace alone and grace by its very nature excludes works (Romans 11:5).
If marijuana was legalized in the United States, would it be biblically all right to smoke it every once in a while? Along the same lines, if you are in an area where marijuana is legal, is it ok to smoke it? I realize that smoking it too often would be wrong and damaging to one's health just as being a chain smoker dishonors the temple of the Lord. I just don't know if marijuana is different than another drug such as alcohol.
The moderate use of marijuana would appear to be different from the moderate use of cigarettes and alcohol in some ways. The purpose of smoking marijuana is to get a good feeling, that is, to get high. It is true that "wine gladdens the heart" (Psalm 104:15), yet one would have to evaluate whether the "joy" one gets from a glass or two of wine is similar to smoking marijuana. Likewise someone may find it relaxing to smoke a cigarette, but would his or her mind be altered in the same way as it would be with marijuana?
Another thing a Christian would want to consider is the Lord's encouragement to "be self-controlled and alert" (1 Peter 5:8). When a person's smokes marijuana, is he or she heeding this warning the Lord gives or is such a person living in an altered state of reality? Is this person keeping a safe distance from sin and temptation, or is he or she moving as close to the line as possible, hoping that he or she hasn't crossed it yet?
This question is in regard to financial contributions. I would like to increase our contributions to our church next year (2004) as early that year I can start withdrawing from my IRA. However, my husband, is hesitant to do so, as he says "What if we need the money?". First, a little background. My husband retired under a disability about 20 years ago in his mid-forties. I retired in 2002 after being employed by the same manufacturing company for 40 years. I was involved in the clerical phase of the business. I am receiving a generous pension (partially because of a buyout) and both of us have good retiree medical benefits at a reasonable cost. Right now between my pension and his Social Security (formerly was disability - he is now over 65), we are living a comfortable, but certainly not excessive lifestyle. We are both rather conservative and practical and have similar views about money. We are now giving about four percent of our gross income to church. I would like to increase our giving in 2004 when I will be entitled to withdraw from my IRA. God has been good to us and I feel that is a way we can express our gratitude to him. I also do volunteer work at church and am involved in Bible study both at church and at home. I have discussed with my husband what I would like to do and why. He does not say that I cannot increase our giving, however, I can tell that he is uncomfortable with it. He is not knowledgeable in dealing in financial matters and leaves the budgeting, bill paying, etc., up to me.
Checks for our church envelopes are the first ones I make out near the beginning of the month when the pension and Social Security checks have been direct deposited. I make them out for the whole month at that time. So, in view of the Biblical decree that the husband has authority over the wife, should I do what makes my husband feel most comfortable and not increase our giving? My feeling is that I should increase it, particularly that I have discussed it with my husband, but I would like a more professional opinion.
Also, what are your views on the wife handling financial matters, especially when the husband has no interest in doing so and would rather have me do so. I understand according to the Bible it is the husband's duty. In closing, I would like to say a few words in defense of my husband. We have been married 28 years. We were in our 30's when we got married. We have one child, who is now married and they are expecting their first child any day now. During the years when I was working and my husband was home on disability (he tried to get work but was unable to). He helped me out tremendously at home, by taking care of our child, doing laundry, getting supper started, helping keep the house picked up, etc. I apologize for such a long letter, but this is something I have been wondering what the views and opinion of WELS would be. I enjoy the WELS website and always look forward to reading the new questions and answers each week. Thank you for your time and may God bless all of you and your work in helping people with their life's questions.First of all, I join you in thanking our Lord for his giving you and your husband what appears to be a solid financial foundation coupled with the continuing desire to use money in gratitude and for the purpose of supporting God's kingdom work on earth. All of these blessings are gifts of his grace.
In offering you my advice at this time, I also state up front that I wish I knew you and your husband better, for that is the key to being able to give accurate counsel. For example, is the "hesitancy" or the "discomfort" of your husband in this matter likely nothing more than a typical expression of his personality or might it mean more than that? Is his giving you freedom to make the final decision on this something he usually does in financial matters because he has learned to trust you quite implicitly, or is he doing it in this instance because he more likely simply wants you to be happy? I'd like to be able to have a more firm handle on these kind of questions, but I don't. So please understand that the advice I offer is less than fully authoritative.
First of all, from your description of the amount of financial resources you have as you face the future, coupled with your description of yourselves regarding the use of money, I suspect that you have more than enough to live on most comfortably for the duration of your lives on earth, even if that would take you into advanced ages. I have found that this is generally true of Christians who have been good money managers through the years and whose lifestyles are not extravagant. I am well aware that many financial advisors (who are usually active in making investments for people) and insurance agents may say otherwise, but as a general rule they overestimate our needs in retirement. In my personal opinion, too many times what passes for "concern for our future" is at least partly an expression of greed mixed with fear generated by voices in our society who are not familiar with how God meets the needs of his people.
Second, assuming that your husband has really given you freedom to make the decision in this, I would advise that you approach him with a two-fold truth: "Dear, we have plenty to meet our needs well into the future and we have a perfect opportunity to express our love for the Lord and his gospel work in this way and at this time. We will thankfully increase our firstfruit offering, know that we are not tempting God in a sinful way, and will rest in his promises of ample provision." Such an approach addresses possible concerns about having "enough" and puts this action into a fitting context. The truth remains; we simply cannot outgive God.
Finally, you ask about a wife handling financial matters in a family when the husband has little or no interest in doing this. I reply that it's a good thing the wife is capable and willing to do this and the Bible says nothing against this, nor does it hint that such work is really "the husband's duty." The portrait of the wife of noble character (Proverbs 31:10-31) clearly has the wife actively caring for the household in ways that are clearly a part of wise money management and much more. She is engaged in what we'd call small business activities, real estate, and other commercial endeavors. There was a time in our culture or society when so-called "gender roles" said the husband as head of the household was to manage the family finances, but that is not drawn from any biblical mandate at all. If the husband desires or prefers that the wife function in this capacity, and if the wife is better suited to doing this, it would be foolish to do otherwise.
I commend you for your money management and for your sensitivity regarding your husband's feelings and desires. Unless he expresses himself much more clearly than he has apparently done up to this point, I'd assume he willingly places the matter in your hands and you may proceed as you think best. I believe whatever measure of "discomfort" or "hesitancy" there is on his part will quickly disappear as you confidently move forward in trust and love for your Lord.
A middle-aged WELS teacher I worked with for four years sometimes used racial slurs and stereotypes in private conversations. He also once told the children (all white) in his classroom that it is okay to refer to African-Americans as the "n" word because they use the word themselves. I tried talking to him privately about how offensive his racist remarks were, but he got mad and told me I had to prove from Scripture that his behavior was sinful. I then spoke to our principal who just brushed me off and said I had to realize the other teacher came from a different generation. What does Scripture have to say about racial slurs and stereotypes?
I cannot imagine how using racial slurs and stereotypes can possibly be harmonized either with loving our neighbor as ourselves (Mt 22:39) or with "speaking the truth in love" (Ep 4:15). Racial slurs and stereotypes are the unfortunately natural way of thinking that springs from our sinful nature. We proudly look for reasons to look down on others and puff ourselves up. Such racial bigotry conveniently forgets that all of us - human beings of every race, tribe, people, and language - are equally sinful in the sight of God by nature and have been equally redeemed in Christ. That is why the Apostle Paul, with the cross of Christ as his frame of reference, urges us to "regard no one from a worldly point of view" (2 Co 5:16). Consider how Jesus refused to shun the Samaritans when many of his own "generation" unlovingly referred to them as nothing but "dogs."
I would hope the principal you mentioned would find the courage to stop making excuses for a teacher's sinful behavior and call that teacher to repentance for conduct unbecoming a minister of the gospel. While it may be true that this was a "blind spot" for many a Christian of former generations, that teacher's actions are still especially reprehensible since he is causing offense to the next generation sitting at his feet in the classroom.
One last thought, even though some African Americans may use the "N" word among themselves (the wisdom of which I would question, personally), that is far different from those outside that ethnic group using that term. Just because I may refer to myself as a "stubborn German" does not mean that I like it if others often with more than a bit of bite - choose to hurl that term in my direction.
I know there are no set rules regarding television viewing, but what is your opinion on Dr. Phil? I've never bothered to watch him but I hear and read he employs New Age thinking when it comes to his counsel. Please comment.
A check of twelve web sites, some quoting Dr. Phil and some critiquing his TV appearances, did not uncover any clear evidence of New Age thinking; unless the approach of cognitive-behavioral therapy is an example of New Age thinking.
Those critics who found fault with this man's approach were psychologists, therapists, and marriage counselors who do not like his methods.
Magazine and newspaper articles on his work and public appearances that I have seen do not connect him with New Age thinking. Neither has anything I have heard or read make me want to see him or recommend him to anyone else.
How do I know my question hasn't already been answered?
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Bravo! Bravo!