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In the final part of this trilogy of articles we will be considering what it means to be ‘a helper’ and whether all that we have discussed in the previous two articles is relevant today, or should this be adapted for cultural reasons?

To view the previous two articles on this subject please click here.

Specific role for women: Helper

When God created woman it is recorded that God said: ‘It is not good that the man should be alone, I will make a helper fit for (or corresponding to) him’ (Genesis 2:18). The original Hebrew (the language the Old Testament is translated from) for ‘helper’ is ‘ezer kenegdo’ in Genesis 2:18 could literally be translated as ‘a helper as corresponding to/opposite him’ from ‘ezer’ (help), ‘ke-‘ (as, like), ‘neged’ (opposite, corresponding to), ‘-o’ (him). ‘A helper opposite and corresponding’ to Adam is a good translation.

Therefore Eve was not inferior to Adam. The fact that the word ‘help’ (ezer) is often used to refer to an action of God is interesting, and illustrates the fact that both male and female roles derive from God. For example:

‘And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth (Third member of the Trinity)’ (John 14:16-17)

The job title given to women is also used to describe a characteristic of God. It is critical to understand this, to be a helper is to do as God does; the role should be held in high esteem. Feminist theologian Phyllis Trible expounds this idea in her article Feminist Hermeneutics and Biblical Studies (See footnote below). Women are to ‘come along side’, engage with the life of the church and support a broad range of activities within the church, as mentioned in the first article.

But surely culture has changed now?

Many parts of the Bible were written within a cultural context in which women were considered second-class citizens. Some have argued, from this basis, that the Bible’s views on men and women correspond to the culture in which it was written, rather than be part of God’s revelation. The argument follows that we have now evolved into an increasingly tolerant and equal society, and therefore we should ignore those sections of the Bible that teach about the differences between the sexes. This argument has had great influence in both Christian and non-Christian circles.

Firstly, does the Bible really assert inequality between the sexes? It is true that the Bible was written in a patriarchal society, but in contrast, the Biblical view of men and women was highly innovative in its day because of its inherent respect for women (John 4:1-26, Galatians 3:28). The Bible clashed with the culture of its day on these issues; it did not reflect it.

It is also true that the Bible is often descriptive, instead of prescriptive. For example, the Bible records events that involve slavery and war. The fact that the Bible records these happenings does not mean that the Bible endorses those things, but rather that they were common occurrences in those times (and now). Therefore, for some evils, it is true that the Bible mentions them and treats them as existent; however, they exist because of a result of human choice. As such, before humanity chose to reject God, evil did not exist. We find, in comparison to war and slavery, that the complementary nature (and thus differences) between the sexes were part of God’s creational standard at the beginning. In other words, the differences between men and women are good, and were not a product of human choice or culture. It is only a distortion of these roles as enforced by centuries of heavy-handed patriarchy that has encouraged us to throw the baby out with the bath water; to reject our differences and equate the concept of gender distinctions with sexism. This is also supported by the Bible; when discussing the role of women in the church, Paul appeals to creation rather than culture (1 Timothy 2 11-14).

Does this mean that men have a superior role than women in the church?

To place different value and worth on one role above another; to elevate one as being ‘better’ than the other, is to make a critical, and potentially dangerous, mistake. This is an understandable result of interpreting the Bible through the lens of our western secular thinking. However, it does not take into consideration the fact that equality does not necessitate men and women being identical and indistinguishable. The emphasis in biblical teaching is on the equality of men and women, and their equal standing before God. The functions given them by God, though important, are of a lesser concern, and are based on love and mutual servanthood. A man who is an elder, or even a married man, may be considered, and correctly so, to have an authority not open to women, but biblical relationships are build on our mutual equality, and therefore that authority should be a means by which to honour women, not to rule them. Likewise, the exercise of authority within the church should not produce power struggle, or hierarchy that benefits only those who are in eldership; but rather, a social structure that is designed to better care for all members of the Church. This follows Jesus’ view of leadership, namely a commission to serve others and not to be served.

Further reading supporting the view represented in this article:

1. Piper, John., Grudem, Wayne., (Editors), Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood; A Response to Evangelical Feminism, Crossway books,1991

2. Audio Talk: ‘Isn’t the Bible sexist and out of date?’, Amy Orr-Ewing: http://www.bethinking.org/bible-jesus/isnt-the-bible-sexist-and-out-of-date.htm

3. James, Sharon., An Overview of Feminist Theology: http://www.theologynetwork.org/studying-theologyrs/an-overview-of-feminist-theology.htm

4. One of the main websites containing many articles supporting Complementarianism: http://www.cbmw.org/Articles

5. Peterman, Eric., Galatians 3:28 and Evangelical Egalitarianism: http://www.valleybiblefellowship.org/papers/galatians%203,28%20and%20evangelical%20egalitarianism.htm

6. Heck, D, V., The Philosophy of Women’s Ministry in the Local Church: http://www.grace4u.org/Topical/WomeninMinisty.htm

For articles on Egalitarianism:

1. One of the main websites that contains many articles supporting egalitarianism: http://www.cbeinternational.org/

2. Pierce, Ronald., Clarity, Charity and Confrontation in the Evangelical Gender Debate: http://www.catalystresources.org/issues/322pierce.html

3. Moore, Russell., After Patriarchy, What? Why Egalitarians are Winning the Evangelical Gender Debate: http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/Z5209O.pdf

Feminist theology:

1. Young, Sally., Is Judith Butler’s approach to gender politics an improvement on previous form of feminism?: http://www.theory.org.uk/ctr-b-e1htm

2. Fiorenza, Elisabeth., ABSTRACT: http://www.pinn.net/~sunshine/book-sum/sf1.html and http://www.theology.ie/theologians/schuessler.htm

3. Trible, Phyllis., Feminist Hermeneutics and Biblical Studies, http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1281

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In our previous article on this subject from December 2009, the Christian view of men and women was discussed, and their equal standing before God and each other. In the next two articles the nature and relationship between spiritual and functional equality will be developed; this article focussing on the role of men. Within the evangelical church today people take different theological positions on this matter, generally falling into two camps; Complementarianism (Often called Subordinationism by those opposed) and Egalitarianism. The objective of this text is not to create an in-depth comparative study between the two (if you wish to research the topics, I have supplied links at the end of Part 3), but to present a coherent summary of the biblical teaching regarding the role of men, considering the relevant biblical passages in context historically, and within the Bible as a whole.

Governing the church

There are some distinctive roles that women and men have been given as gender-specific. The Bible teaches that men only should be church ‘elders’, ‘governors’ or the like (Christians call them by different names). The most obvious passage of scripture supporting male eldership is 1 Timothy 2: 8-15. As I have mentioned in my previous article, the basis for gender distinction and differing roles derives from the Godhead. It is a profound thing, that such diversity of roles and equality of status exist within the Godhead, and the differences between us, as equal human beings, should likewise be celebrated.

In light of this, it should not be surprising that there are differences between the sexes. One such difference in role identified in scripture is that certain men have been given the task of caring for the church as leaders. As church governors, elders should be serving the church, not creating a dictatorship. The roles and hierarchy within the Godhead are not the result of a power struggle, and neither should it be so in the church, as Jesus says:

‘You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles (non-Jews) lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’ (Mark 10:42-45)

It should also be noted: men in general are not to be leading the church, only those men that have been given that responsibility. For example, a man who is not an elder would not have the right to exercise authority over other men or women in the congregation, just because of his gender.

Women and leadership

Conversely, women are not prevented from all leadership capacities on the basis of 1 Timothy 2: 8-15, for that assumption would contradict other passages that affirm women leaders, for example: Romans 16: 3-4, 6, 12, Acts 18: 24-26, Luke 1: 46-56. In Romans 16: 1-2 a woman called Phoebe is commended by Paul to the church in Rome, he says that she is a Patron of the church. A Patron is a person who supports another person or institution financially, or through other types of service. Phoebe is recognised as a woman who served the church in this way, and as a result became a notable figure, worthy of recognition.

Another role available to women from the time of the early church up until this day have become Deaconesses. A Deacon is a church leader, who helped the elders care for the congregation and the poor. Extra biblical historical records support the institution of Deaconesses, as Pliny the Younger (Governor of Bithynia in Asia Minor A.D. 112) writes as an opponent of early Christianity to the Emperor concerning the correct inflictions appropriate for Christians:

‘. . . This made me decide it was all the more necessary to extract the truth by torture from two slave-women, who they (Christians) called deaconesses . . .’ (Translation found in: Strobel, Lee The Case or Christ, Zondervan, 1998, Chapter 4, pp. 83-84)

Within Marriage

Likewise, within marriage men and women have different roles. The man is to love and serve his wife as Christ loves and serves the church (Ephesians 5:25-30). This type of leadership is very different from the common understanding of male ‘headship’, and it is due to this misconception that the roles of men and women in the church today have been so devastatingly misunderstood. This type of leadership should be governed by a love like that which Christ showed the church, a love that caused him to give up his life for her.

Some have argued, such as feminist theologians Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, Phyllis Trible and Sallie McFague, that this social structure leads inevitably to men ruling their wives as if they were their property. Unfortunately, this is exactly what has happened in the past (see Part 3 next week, subheading: but surely culture has changed now?). Men have used their position as ‘protector’, ‘servant’ and ‘leader’, and distorted it to become ‘ruler’ and ‘dictator’. However in such circumstances the man is in direct violation of scripture and it would be the duty of the church leaders to remind him of his biblical responsibilities. The misconception and misuse of the male role has consequently led to the dismissal of any kind of ‘traditional’ views of men. Although heavy-handed patriarchy should be challenged, the Biblical teaching on men reveals a type of leadership that should honour, respect and love women in a way that does not inhibit them, but rather, promote them.

In the next article, I will look at the role of women and discuss whether or not the differences between the sexes are inherent or culturally manipulated.

To view the first article in this series click here.

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The Bible and Feminism

The stereotype that Christian women are thought of as second-class citizens in the church has emerged into common thought today. In many ways the source of these suspicions has been generated from outside the Bible. Some influencing factors are, firstly, the consideration that the Bible represents the values of an antiquated society that has now been proved suppressive and disregarded as obsolete. Secondly, the rise of a certain type of feminist theory has destabilised the distinctions between men and women. The assumption of this type of theory is that men and women are not only equal, but are the same. For example, feminist theorist Judith Butler has argued that gender should not be determined by sex, but rather by performance. Therefore, she denies that gender is predetermined by the physical. As such, she believes that equality of persons necessitates the removal of gender distinctions, and thus gender roles are defined subjectively due to one’s taste and preference. The Bible fully endorses one aspect of this feminism, insofar as it supports equality between the sexes. But in contrast, Christianity teaches femininity and masculinity to be different and complementary, and to be celebrated as such.

Women and Men are equal

The Bible makes it very clear that women and men are equal:

‘For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.’ (Galatians 3:27-28)

This is because women and men are both made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Being made in the image of God means that we reflect aspects of God. For example, we create, we use complex language and thought and we have the capacity to love. It also means that we live in community, as God does in the Trinity (Father, Son, and Spirit).

The Trinity and Identity

In many ways the Trinity is beyond the grasp of our mental capacities, but we can see aspects of God’s perfect unity between his diverse persons in the fact that men and women are equal in value, but different. There is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but all are equally God. We are male and female, and are equally human. Ray Ortlund describes this well:

‘God exists as one Godhead in three persons, equal in glory, but unequal in role. Within the Holy Trinity the Father leads, the Son submits to him, and the Holy Spirit submits to both. But it is also true that the three persons are fully equal in divinity, power, and glory (the ontological Trinity). The Son submits but not because he is God Jr., an inferior deity; the ranking within the Godhead is part of the sublime beauty and logic of true deity. And if our Creator exists in this manner, should we be surprised and offended if his creaturely analogue on earth exists in paradoxical form?’

(Ortund, Raymond, Jr., Male-Female Equality and Male Headship Genesis 1-3, in Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: A Response to Evangelical Feminism, Ed. Piper, John., Grudem, Wayne., Wheaton, Crossway Books, 1991, p.92)

The roles of men and women in the church are derived from this basis, that we, equal and in complementary relationship, reflect God.

Let’s generalise…

The distinctions between men and women are, in many ways, quite general. The differences between us consist mostly of our proclivities, rather than what we can or cannot do. For many, involvement in the local church does not consist of clear-cut tasks or gender boundaries, such as, traditional stereotypes of women cooking whilst the men discuss theology. There are many overlaps in the roles and duties within the church. For example: leading group activities from small to large, working with the poor, running any sort of Christ-inspired social action (this can be anything from working with young children, to heading up petitions to local and general government), administration, leading worship, writing articles, apologetics, alpha courses, counselling, giving financially, encouraging, and the list could go on and on.

Therefore, men are not considered superior to women in Christianity, as we are all God’s image bearers. The fact that we are, as men and women, in some ways different and possess some gender specific roles is an analogy of the Godhead. One is no better than the other.

In the next article, we will look at this issue with regard to serving within the local church in some more specific areas.

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If you consider yourself a sceptic about Christianity or a Christian who is looking for honest answers to some of the toughest questions, then this book was quite simply written for you. Tim Keller is a pastor in New York, who has put into writing the kinds of questions that he is asked on a regular basis about Christianity such as ‘ How can a good God allow suffering?’, ‘Hasn’t science disproved Christianity?’ and ‘How can a loving God send people to hell?’

In this book, Keller takes an unusual approach to defending Christianity, in that he essentially divides the book into two. The first half is dedicated to answering objections that are often raised against Christianity, but in the second half of the book he somewhat changes his approach. Many people often believe that the burden of proof is on Christians to show why they believe in ideas that go beyond mere naturalistic thinking. However, Keller shows very clearly through philosophy, literature and reasoning that there are in fact many assumptions made in atheistic and agnostic worldviews in practice; such as when we consider the origins of moral values, and indeed meaning in life, amongst other things that are a significant problem.

Tim Keller manages to come across as thoughtful and persuasive while maintaining an intellectually credible yet accessible work.  Overall, I would suggest that this book is a must-read for anyone, whether you consider yourself a person of faith or not. This will challenge many of your pre-suppositions to the core.

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There is a famous scene found in a paragraph from the great atheist existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre’s novel Nausea that almost perfectly sums up the dilemma of modern man.  Here the book’s protagonist, Roquentin, spends most of his days living out a humdrum existence – frequenting coffee shops, the public library and just general aimless wandering, all the while attempting to write a book.  Throughout much of the narrative he is frequently struck by feelings of intense nausea that unexpectedly well up within him – mostly they are caused by the various inanimate objects he observes (i.e. a pebble, a newspaper page etc.).

Sartre & Roquentin

One evening, after having dinner at a restaurant and being overcome by an especially intense bout of nausea, he goes for a walk and ends up sitting on a park bench under a chestnut tree, where, in a sort of epiphany moment, he comes to the realization of why he has been afflicted with such sickness.  In essence Roquentin realizes that all of existence is completely meaningless and every object that exists has no reason for doing so.

All life is meaningless?

His nausea was actually the unconscious realization that those objects had no actual reason for existing – the trees, the pebbles, the park bench and even himself.  His contemplation of suicide only served to highlight the fact that death was just as pointless, or ’superfluous’, as life, as existence.  This realization was, for Sartre, the fundamental absurdity at the heart of the cosmos – that everything that does exist should do so for no reason, and that existence and non-existence are equally as meaningless.

Similarly, another famous atheist philosopher Bertrand Russell wrote an oft-quoted line in his essay A Free Man’s Worship:

‘That Man is the product of causes which had no prevision of the end they were achieving; that his origin, his growth, his hopes and fears, his loves and his beliefs, are but the outcome of accidental collocations of atoms; that no fire, no heroism, no intensity of thought and feeling, can preserve an individual life beyond the grave; that all the labours of the ages, all the devotion, all the inspiration, all the noonday brightness of human genius, are destined to extinction in the vast death of the solar system, and that the whole temple of Man’s achievement must inevitably be buried beneath the debris of a universe in ruins — all these things, if not quite beyond dispute, are yet so nearly certain, that no philosophy which rejects them can hope to stand. Only within the scaffolding of these truths, only on the firm foundation of unyielding despair, can the soul’s habitation henceforth be safely built.’

Meaningless but purposeful – a contradiction?

Yet, despite such pessimistic views of the ultimate nature of existence, both Sartre and Russell lived what seemed to be immensely full and productive lives – both wrote prolifically and were highly esteemed philosophers in their day, with a continuing influence on the academy years after their deaths.  Both were also active in many of the political and social issues of their time, from Sartre’s activity in the French Resistance of World War II to Russell’s championing of the poor and vulnerable of society.

In a similar way, we can see that many atheists, agnostics etc. can and do live full, meaningful and productive lives – they have successful careers, family and friends, as well as being involved in many pressing social issues.  Indeed they can, and often do, live life as fully as any religious believer and, perhaps in many cases, take hold of such aspects of life with even more enthusiasm.  Yet the paradox remains that, when pressed into the deeper meaning of existence, it appears that most atheists and agnostics have as similar a nihilistic view of meaning and purpose as do Russell and Sartre.

An Inconsistent Worldview

This kind of schizophrenia was famously described by Francis Schaeffer as a ‘two-story existence’, where people live their lives like a kind of two floored building.  On the one hand people no longer believe in a higher power or deity to guide them and give any intrinsic meaning to their existence (call that intrinsic meaning the lower story or ‘the basement’ where the foundations are).  On the other, however, they carry on with their day-to-day lives as if it had all the meaning of just such a fact – everything they do is done as if it really meant something in the grand scheme of existence (call this the upper story or ‘living room’ area).  The problem is when, if ever, they go downstairs to the basement that floor is completely empty and the structure that holds it all together is frail and wasting away.  In other words there is no real foundation for the beliefs and actions that constitute many people’s existence – but as long as they don’t go down into the basement and scrutinize the basis of their lives it can be easily ignored.

Does consistency matter?

But is there anything wrong with living as if life had value while, ultimately, holding that it actually doesn’t?  After all should atheists have such a consistency between their beliefs and their actions? Perhaps an atheist could suggest here that such a consistency is of no real virtue because if life has no ultimate meaning then living with such a consistency is equally as pointless as living with an inconsistency.  But if this is the case then it must also be acknowledged that there is no objective difference between, to borrow an illustration from Christian philosopher J.P. Moreland, a man who spends his entire life playing tiddlywinks or a Mother Theresa who devotes her life to helping the poor and needy.  Both lives are equally as pointless.  But can anyone really and truly believe such a thing?  This is the practical impossibility of atheism.

Humanism – Self-delusion

Sartre himself attempted to overcome the inherent meaninglessness of existence by inspiring a great existential project for humans to create their own meaning in the face of a cosmos devoid of purpose.  This is what the word ‘existentialism’ ultimately derives from – that ‘existence’ comes before ‘essence’ – that human beings create their own meaning and purpose through the way they live their lives (or the way they ‘exist’) and the choices they make, as opposed to some fixed essence of being which gives them a preordained purpose to life.  The obvious contradiction here is with Sartre’s own admittance in Nausea that every action we do and every action we choose is just as pointless as that which we choose not to do instead.  In other words Sartre’s project, and the project of modern atheistic humanism in general, is nothing but a grand act of self-delusion.

Indeed it seems that when confronted with ultimate reality the atheist cannot but admit that human life, qualitatively speaking, is no different from that of a dog – and perhaps the dog’s existence is actually more desirable as it has no true capacity for self-reflection and abstract thought and cannot come to this realization of the inherent meaninglessness of its existence.

Solomon and Nihilism?

The writer of the Biblical book of Ecclesiastes made this point almost three thousand years ago:

“The fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity. All go to the same place. All come from the dust and all return to the dust” (Eccl. 3:19-20).

Indeed the writer of the book, which reads more like a modern existentialist tract than a book of the Bible, passes judgment on all the world has to offer to provide some kind of meaning in the face of meaninglessness: pleasure, wealth, fame, honour etc. etc..  His verdict on all these things is simple: “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity” (1:2).  For him a life that ends in death and has no God and no immortality is sheer absurdity.

Why not check out Reason:Live?

This Sunday @CCK, Brighton.

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As humans we are not just complex machines. There is more to us than the sum of the molecules we are made up of. Naturalistic philosophy teaches the opposite, which has from time to time caused confusion when considering persons with a disability. As much of Europe has adopted naturalism as a philosophical position, disabilities have been thought of increasingly like faulty machinery, despite inherent feelings of repulsion at such a concept. However, if one considers humans naturalistically it is difficult to consistently conform to any other notion. Conversely, Christianity sees humans as more than just the physical. As such, physical or mental disability is not self-defining.

What does it mean to be ‘Made in the image of God’?

A common misconception about the phrase ‘being made in the image of God’ is that it means we look like God. Being made in the image of God means that we reflect aspects of God. For example we create, we use complex language and thought, we love, and we have the capacity to know right or wrong. As such every human, disabled or not, is made in the image of God equally. Because of the Fall (see below) each person’s potential to reflect God has been marred, physically and spiritually.

The Fall

Not many people would consider the world perfect; general opinion tends to think the opposite. Imperfection permeates everything; politics, technology, relationships, and even our very personalities. The Bible calls this ‘The Fall’, which describes a break in the relationship between God and man. As beings created in the image of God we were designed to relate to God and each other perfectly. This is why we enjoy each other’s company, fall in love, live in communities, and so on. Despite this, we do not love perfectly, or live in community perfectly; reading any newspaper would verify this. If we are honest with ourselves, we can relate to this all too well. We all know what it is to deliberately make choices we know are wrong, and therefore humanity does not reflect the image of God flawlessly. All of us (able-bodied persons and those with a disability alike) have all tried to live self-determining lives without reference to God from birth. The Bible teaches that all the evil and suffering in the world is a result of rejecting God, and trying to live life independently of him.

How does the Fall affect the disabled?

The fallen condition of man dictates that from birth not only his personality but also his body is affected by the fall. In Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve broke relationship with God, he said that they would die. This affects everything on earth from genes to our very attitudes of selfishness. As a result death and illness are part of the fall, and disabilities are part of the human condition.

Universal affects

A person with a disability is no less made in the image of God than a person without a disability. A human’s eternal potential is never compromised by the physical. Suffering and malfunction are universal products of a world that is not right with God. Jesus was very clear on the subject, that the amount that one suffers in this life does not relate to how ‘bad’ one is (Luke 13:1-4, John 9:1-3), rather that everyone should be warned that rejecting God leads to death, both physically and eternally. Despite this, God’s desire is that we would come to him and be restored (Ezekiel 33:11).

Single universal solution

The Bible speaks of a God that has great love for all people, and shows concern for those who suffer. Sometimes God will even heal people with disabilities, and they will be free from them in this life. On other occasions God will not remove this condition, but promises to give us the grace to live with it, and still be able to live a full and joy-filled life. This is not to be taken lightly, and does not mean it will be easy for someone who lives with the reality of a disability at all, but God does genuinely provide joy when we can’t see how that could possibly be experienced.

Supremely, Jesus Christ is the ultimate proof of God’s love and desire for our restoration. Jesus came and suffered himself, and did so out of compassion for the ‘fallen’ condition that we are in. He did this to save us from our fallen state and give us a hope for an eternal future without imperfection where disabilities would be a thing of the past. There will be no more pain, suffering or death!

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Slaves are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. – Titus 2:9-10

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ – Ephesians 6:5

Passages like these may lead someone to the conclusion that the Bible is pro-slavery, and therefore should not be acknowledged or listened to, never mind followed:  A book that promotes such an appalling, violent, dehumanizing and often racist concept as slavery has no place in our society.

But to come to this conclusion, that the Bible supports slavery, is quite wrong.  These passages do not say this and they need to be understood in their proper context.  I want to explain that God and His Word, the Bible, are very much opposed to slavery.

New Testament slavery

Before we go any further, it is important to point out that the slavery mentioned in these passages is unlikely to be the same thing as what may come to mind when we hear the term.  When we think of slavery, most of us think of slave ships leaving Africa, or the trafficking of young women for the sex trade.  The slavery of 1st century Asia Minor, the context of these passages, is quite different.

Many slaves in this period were able to attain respectable positions in society and some had the opportunity to buy their freedom after a certain period of serving their master. In considering slavery we should not maintain a narrow view but realize that, in this context, it is not as cruel or degrading as we might think.  My point here is not to condone slavery, it should not be condoned and is very wrong, but to show that slavery and the lifestyle of slaves is wide ranging.

The Bible is anti-slavery

Let me explain three ways in which the Bible is anti-slavery.  Slavery is rooted in the idea that there is inequality between human beings.  One person owning another person immediately creates a position of superiority.  Often this is manifested in racial terms; one ethnic group dominates another and makes them their slaves.

This idea is at odds with the equality and dignity of life that the Bible promotes from cover to cover.  Human beings are all made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27) and so have equal worth and identity.  Nowhere in the Bible does it say that certain people are superior to others.  All are made by God and are valued by Him.

Secondly, the Bible repeatedly stresses that God loves justice (Psalm 11:7, 33:5, 99:4).  The inequality and injustice that we see in the world are the effects of man turning away from the way God made the world to be.

Thirdly, in 1 Timothy 1:10, slave traders are condemned alongside murderers, liars and perverts.

The purpose of Paul’s letters

With this in mind, we might be wondering, “Why do these passages not speak out against slavery then?”  This is a very good question.

One of the reasons that someone might conclude that these passages are pro-slavery is because the author, Paul, speaks about slavery without condemning it.  If he does not condemn it, then he must be condoning it, right?  However, this is not the case.  We must understand the purpose that Paul has in writing these things.  Both Titus and Ephesians are letters he wrote in order to instruct new Christians on how to live to serve and enjoy God.

Had Paul been a politician, God would surely have called him to speak out about injustice and establish new ways in which society should operate that reflected God’s heart.  In some ways Paul does this in his letters anyway.  In Colossians 3:11 he contradicts the common ideas and social inequalities of the time, saying that everyone, regardless of ethnicity or status, is equal.  This would have been a radical and controversial statement.

But actually his primary purpose is not to transform the social systems, but to change individuals’ lives with the truth of the Gospel of Jesus.

Therefore, in these letters he is giving instruction to slaves, slave masters, husbands, wives and all people, whatever their status in society, to live according to the truth of the Gospel and to worship and serve God.  Paul is not condoning or strengthening unjust social divisions but is instructing everyone on how to live in spite of them.  Therefore, we cannot say that Paul is supporting slavery.  He is simply telling people how to make the best of a bad situation:  how to live for God in a world that is not perfect.

Should we follow the Bible?

Let me conclude by saying that more than just opposing slavery in principle, the Bible actively encourages us to combat social injustice.  In Luke 4, Jesus states that it His purpose on earth to “preach good news to the poor” and “release the oppressed”.  Here he is addressing both spiritual and physical oppression.  The Bible repeatedly calls Christians to love all people and seek the welfare of others, especially those who are weak and marginalized in society.  Jesus explains in Matthew 25:40 that this type of action is a mark of the Kingdom of God.

One man who responded to this call with world-changing impact was William Wilberforce.  Motivated by his Christian convictions he led the parliamentary campaign for the abolition of the slave trade in the British Empire.  After years of tireless campaigning, in 1807 saw the Slave Trade Act passed which abolished the slave trade.  However he did not stop there and, three days before his death in 1833, the Slavery Abolition Act was passed, ending slavery in the British Empire outright.  The film Amazing Grace, released in 2007 to mark the 200th anniversary of the Slave Trade Act, chronicles his life and campaigns.

Like Wilberforce, all Christians have a responsibility to contend for the equality, dignity and preciousness of human life as representatives of God’s Kingdom.  This is in direct contradiction to slavery and we follow the Bible’s instruction so that these values are preserved in our society.

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It might be easy to think that when someone makes the decision to follow Jesus Christ they have to give up everything they enjoy and turn to a life that has about as much excitement as being kicked in the crotch by David Beckham. It’s really not supposed to be that way.

Real Joy?

I remember having a conversation about this with a close friend of mine in our university cafeteria a few years ago. ‘Rich,’ she said, ‘I think it’s great that you take your faith seriously, but it’s just not for me.’ She continued saying, ‘I love sex and I love going out and getting drunk. I don’t want to feel bad about it.’ A few weeks later I saw with her again in the same cafeteria. While crying, she told me about a guy she met that weekend at a house party. They both got drunk and ended up sleeping together. She felt completely used and worthless. I didn’t say it at the time but I couldn’t help but wonder if her definition of fun had probably changed since our last chat.

Nowhere does the Bible say that Christians should expect a life of boredom. Following Jesus doesn’t mean you can never have sex (God is very pro-sex between a husband and a wife), smoke a cigar, have a beer, or rock out on air guitar to Bon Jovi whilst walking around your apartment in your underwear (am I the only one who does that?). But it does mean this – everything, absolutely everything, must come after Jesus and not before him.

So as I said before, following Jesus doesn’t mean giving up everything you like but it does mean a change in who you are living for. The Bible’s King David serves as a great example of this. In 2 Samuel 11 we read how David, after seeing Bathsheba bathing on a rooftop, sleeps with her even though she is married to another man. Things continue to spiral out of control to the point that David, after being confronted by one of God’s prophets and absolutely devastated by the grief he has caused, pours his heart out to God:

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Psalm 51

True Joy

David knew that true joy, the same type he had experienced before he even saw Bathsheba, could come only from God. David doesn’t beg God to punish him with a life of misery, nor do we read that God condemns David to eternal sorrow. Instead, David asks God to give him a ‘clean heart’, one that beats to the rhythm of God rather than his own. David, a man who knew ruled over a nation and knew wealth beyond anything you or I could imagine, still knew that real, unfading and eternal joy came only from God.

Life is way too predictable when you are living only for yourself. When you live for someone else, you open yourself up to possibilities and experiences that would have otherwise gone by unnoticed. A true encounter with Jesus Christ, the son of God, the Creator of the world, means the way you see the world will change. Your heart will be changed. What excites you will change and it will be anything but boring.

Rich Crosby is a Canadian living in Brighton who attends CCK with his unbelievably attractive wife. You can check out his own blog at http://richcrosby.blogspot.com

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It is worth saying to begin with that anything that the church puts forward as their viewpoint is not because they have got together and held a democratic vote on the subject, but is because it is revealed in a higher standard, The Bible, which Christians believe to be the word of God (For more see article How do we know the Bible is the word of God? [Coming soon]).

I would like to make it very clear to begin with, that God created sex, and is absolutely delighted with that. Because of this He wrote a whole book about sex and intimacy within the Bible called the Song of Songs. Over past generations it would be fair to say that, on occasion, the church has been too silent on this wonderful joy for all married couples, which has allowed society to take over and cause us to learn about it only from reading various magazines.

Lust as Adultery

Masturbation is not referred to directly in the Bible as a sin, although do not stop reading at this point. The main principle that needs to be considered if you are either married or unmarried is, does it cause you to lust after women/men other than your spouse (N.B. Not your girlfriend or boyfriend)? Jesus makes it very clear that if you have lusted in your heart it is as good as having committed adultery (Matt 5:28). Jesus treats lust very seriously indeed, when you consider committing adultery is one of the ten commandments (Exodus 20:14) that God gave to Moses.

The reality is that masturbation should only be performed within a marriage by a husband and wife (Song of Songs 2:3, 2:6, 4:12) for the mutual benefit of bringing one another closer together, not as an option for being selfish. If it is being done outside of this context then 99.9% of the time it is going to be a sin because it is likely to stem from checking out some guy or girl you think is ‘hot’ and storing the image for later, watching pornography, or doing it with someone that you are messing around with, or even in a serious relationship with.

Yes, technically speaking, you might be able to masturbate while not lusting, like thinking about a piece of chewing gum, or a nice meadow, but not many of us find that very arousing, and if you do … be very worried indeed!

Reap what you sow

In the Bible it says that we will reap what we sow (Gal 6:6-8), and if we spend large portions of our single life masturbating over pornography, (or with multiple men or women) then consider for yourself what seed you are sowing. You are ‘sowing’ into your mind that one person is not enough (by looking at multiple naked bodies), selfishness (Sex is actually about serving the other person in marriage), and without being too graphic, you are more likely to be rubbish in bed as a man (I can’t speak for women!), because you will be used to reaching orgasm very quickly and fail to lovingly satisfy your wife. Hardly, a recipe for a successful marriage, whether you are a Christian or not.

Ask yourself whether these things are really what you want to ‘reap’ in your life?

On the other hand, living a life which is in tune with God’s plan will help you to reap other things such as self-control, sacrificial love and a godly desire for one man or woman, which, even if you are single at the moment, can serve you very well preparing you for married life. A society that lives successfully in this way will feel many social and economic benefits, which is very much a benefit that the UK needs more than ever.

God’s plan – Marriage

As I mentioned earlier God is totally for sex, within its appropriate context, and this is ultimately what God has given sexual desire for. This is not because God is trying to ruin our fun, but because like a loving father he cares about us and does not want us to get hurt by giving ourselves away to other people who we then break up with.

When we become sexually involved with someone, a significant bond is formed between the two people and this is exactly what God designed. However, when we break up with lots of casual partners (outside of marriage), we go through a lot of pain as these bonds are broken, and can be very badly emotionally hurt, which can lead to major personal insecurities.

The other alternative is that you break these bonds with people so often like a prostitute that you become completely desensitized to the actual joy of sex as a loving fact, and it becomes merely just another biological function like going to the toilet. What a huge tragedy when sex is reduced to such a purpose.

God wants to give us a context where we can explore one another sexually in a ‘covenant’ relationship, where there is security that we will be together for life. It is in this relationship that there is complete liberty and freedom, not in multiple partners.

(For more on marriage please check out http://reason.cck.org.uk/tag/relationships/)

Living a Pure Life – Jesus

One of the best things about this subject is we have an example of a man who went through all of these things too. Jesus Christ was tempted in every way, but was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). This seems somewhat shocking to say if you have never considered it, but Jesus was tempted to masturbate. Yes, really. Jesus despite being in very nature God (Philippians 2:6), was also fully man (Philippians 2:8). Through Jesus we learn that temptation is not the same as sin, and also that it is possible to live a pure life with freedom in this particular area, by the power of the personal work of the Holy Spirit.

Forgiveness

This can be an area which many people spend far too much time living in guilt over, and whether you are a non-Christian or a Christian, this is not God’s plan. If you are struggling in this particular area, then please remember that it is the devil’s plan for you to live in this place, (John 10:10), whereas Jesus wants you to live life to the full.

Let’s be clear about this: I don’t mean just glossing over the issue. I mean coming to Jesus and confessing your sin to him. I would strongly recommend speaking to another Christian about it to help keeping you accountable about this issue (James 5:16), and help you by the power of the Holy Spirit to change.

If you are not yet a Christian and recognise the problems that this habit can cause, then I would encourage you to first give your life to Jesus Christ, who alone gives you a completely brand new life (2 Corinthians 5:17). You can come to him just as you are, and he will change you. Don’t try and become a more moral person first and then think you have earned the right to being a Christian. It’s a free gift, and God is not impressed with your moral attempts at self-help. Come to the one who gives clean water to drink and stop drinking the toilet water that promises to satisfy but never can.

For more on this subject please check out Mark Driscoll’s very frank e-booklet:

http://relit.org/porn_again_christian/

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Nobody is perfect. Not you, nor me and suprise, suprise, not even your Alpha table leader!

But there is hope! In the Bible, Paul writes, ” And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor 3:18) And what a glorious hope too! We are being transformed into the likeness of the Only Perfect Man ever to have walked this earth. Seems impossible? Yes it is, and that’s why the Spirit of Jesus, Himself, is transforming us! We are destined for perfection – You, me and your Alpha table leader!

But the very word ‘transformation’ implies we are not there yet!

When a building is being constructed, we don’t really look at the scaffolding and the plain cement walls and base our opinions on it. That would be a bit silly! But we look forward to what it is about to become. And when you got the world’s greatest architect on the case, you know something magnificent is bound to be unveiled!

When we are cynical towards others or looking at them with contempt, we discount the transforming work that Jesus is doing in their lives. You are literally mockingly pointing out to Jesus the bits He hasn’t worked on yet. And I don’t think He needs your help. So spend your time focusing on the mighty work that Jesus achieved on the cross – the restoration of your relationship to God through the forgiveness of your sins and then on the transformation work that He is doing in your life as well as in the lives of those who’ve put their faith in Him.

If you want to understand more about God’s grace towards imperfect people, I recommend you do a study on 1 Corinthians or read C. J. Mahaney’s “Humility”.

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