I'm sitting here in the jury room waiting to see if my name is called. I wonder if I will be placed on a jury, or just sent home like almost every other time? When you think about it, it's really a testament to our democratic society that common people are called to decide the guilt or innocence of others. Maybe I'm making too much of this because I have all this time on my hands
but I find the concept of the collective power & wisdom of ordinary citizens to be fascinating. You know, we are called as the body of Christ to approach Scripture this way. No one person has a monopoly on truth. When we study and discuss together in an atmosphere of love, humility, freedom, & mutual respect, our understanding increases and our bond of love grows stronger. The Holy Spirit dwells in each believer individually, but He also indwells us collectively. As we allow Him to exercise more and more control, we witness the beauty of the body of Christ "building itself up in love.". Be blessed today. I look forward to praising Christ with you tonight.
Woman praying outside the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem
About Me
- Cary Hadley
- Winter Garden, FL, United States
- I am the Adult/Preaching Minister for the West Orange Church of Christ in Winter Garden, Florida.
This is about class several weeks ago – I wanted to send this but hesitated. We seem to be going through so quickly with little discussion in class or on the blog. So, forgive me but here is another long entry.
ReplyDeleteAs Cary has said, we need to begin in the Garden of Eden to understand God’s plan and purpose for mankind, male and female. We also need to keep in focus that everything spoken to Eve AND to Adam was consequences or curses that addressed the natural weakness of each. The purpose was to put each one in a position that they would need to seek God and His will. Both had the instruction. Both were standing together, yet Eve did not ask Adam’s opinion, and Adam did not try and stop his wife. They were intended to be in unity, and although they acted individually, their eyes were not opened until both had eaten and disobeyed.
•The woman was deceived, which means she disregarded her instructions from God and yielded His rightful position over her desire to the serpent. Her consequence was vulnerability in intimate relationship with men. This vulnerability would exaggerate the basic weakness she had just demonstrated. God warned her that her weakness would put her at a disadvantage in marriage. This was not permission to the man that he is approved to rule over her, but a warning to the woman that it would happen. The only way to overcome it would be to seek God, ask for His help, and obey Him.
•The man had made a deliberate decision to disobey the commandment from God because he saw the serpent and the woman eat the fruit and they did not die. So, he disregarded his instructions from God and yielded God’s rightful position over his desire to “SELF”. In giving the woman her consequence, God also gave man his challenge. God created the situation where this basic weakness would be exaggerated – men could take advantage of the weakness in their wife. The warning to the woman was not receive permission to the man to rule, but it was what could happen if they did not seek God, ask for His help and obey Him.
•This consequence was to a woman who became a wife and/or had a baby. It was not to make all women have desire for all men. Nor does it say all men will rule over all women – only in a marriage relationship. And, remember it is a warning, not permission to the husband.
•The curse to Adam was actually to all mankind. Both male and female suffer from the curse to the earth (sweat, thorns, etc.) Both male and female die and return to the dust from which they came.
The original instructions to the man about the marriage relationship never changed. It was stated in Gen 2:24: For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. Jesus then restated it as recorded in Matt 19:4-6: “Haven't you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’” and said, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh?” So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."
As we study all scripture, we learn that God has always put great emphasis on humility, meekness, kindness, goodness, and submission – not just women but both male and female. The Greatest Commandment and Second Greatest Commandment are based in love (agapeo) which requires submission. Jesus personified these traits as an example to us. The power and authority he possessed was used for many people but was never used to benefit self. Even in his death, he yielded in full trust of the Father and the Spirit. The power and authority the apostles possessed were used for many people but was never used to benefit self.
We would find it so much easier to see God’s plan and purpose if we stopped exhibiting the weakness of the Israelites. They thought they were God’s chosen people because they were better than all other people. In their arrogance, it became all about them. In actual fact, they were chosen because of one of their ancestors, and he was chosen because of the purpose and plan of God to bring a redeemer to save the lost and dying world. They were given a law so that sin would be known as sin and consequences would teach them obedience. However, ultimately God wanted them to obey Him out of love and that will never happen with a law – it can only happen in a relationship. We should study scripture to seek to know The Lord God so we can love Him. It is not study to find another law. It is not about men and women but about Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior.
The Bible is God’s revelation to us of His nature, His will, His love, and all of His promises. The way that men and women reacted to His will is recorded for our learning, but that recording shows us the bad and the good so we can see the difference and the consequences of each. Moses was called the meekest of all men, and was God’s great leader, but the day came when he committed the sin of Adam, he answered to his own anger and pride and used the power he had to gratify self. David was a man after God’s own heart, but he disregarded God and gratified self in his adultery. There are many, many more and each with a lesson to us of the nature of God.
I agree with you loretta about the discussion absent from class and the blog. I understand about the class sans discussion because if cary opened it up with such a large group, no doubt it could prove a chore (might be fun to see who's been listening). I asked cary about the blog and I think he's going to talk about the blog a little for those who might be willing to give it a try and don't know how. As to the lengthy entries, I think the best but toughest entries to make are what Bill O'reilly calls "pithy".
ReplyDeleteYou are so right, but pithy would require feedback and interchange. We are the body of Christ so we should be able to disagree and still be the body.
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