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Defined: The act of justifying, the condition of being justified.

Relevance: A correct understanding of this doctrine is crucial to ones understanding of Christianity as differentiated from all other religions. This is the essence of Christian salvation and is initiated and accomplished through the work of Christ.

Human longing for justification: I liked the sermon Mark preached the other day that mentioned how every human being longs to be justified. We want to be in the right, but self--justification never works. We can never talk or work our way out of our mistakes, we need someone else to intervene on our behalf.

Scripture Observed:

"However, to the man who does not work but trust God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness." Romans 4:5

Interesting how the condition for our justification is not our effort, in fact it seems as if not working is actually the right position to be in to receive justification. Also note that it is God who does the justifying and not us. Our part has to do with faith. The result of justification is going from a condition of wickedness to righteousness.

Scriptural definition:

The way this word is used in Scripture shows how justification is a legal declaration, it is the opposite of condemnation. So when God justifies us it means that we are not going to receive the due penalty for our sins. Not
only does Christ's justification declare us "not guilty" but it also goes a step further and makes us righteous before God. Christ's righteousness accomplished on the cross is given by us. So our standing before God is determined by what Christ did on our behalf. What justification doesn't mean though is that we are totally pure on the inside.

Our part: Being justified is something that occurs at the point of Salvation. When we put our Faith in the person of Christ and the work of the cross God declares us justified in his sight, righteous before him, able to be reconciled to God. The next step then is working out our Sanctification, becoming more like Christ. In a sense this is becoming more and more of who we really are in Christ, since God sees us as having the same righteousness of Christ. This is where verses such as working out our salvation with fear and trembling come in ( Phil 2:12). What we do or do not do in our daily lives can not change our standing as justified by God, but it certainly does change the level of maturity we have in growing up to be who God created us to be.

Scriptural confirmation:

" Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin." (Romans 3:20)

"He was delivered over to death for our sins and raised to life for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

" Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men." (Romans 5:18)

"And those who he predestined, he also called; those who he called he also justified; those who he justified, he also glorified." (Romans 8:30)

Theological stickiness: If justification is a one time thing that can't be reversed, not depending upon anything but faith, is there room for the idea that one can lose one's salvation? I think that one's justification can be lost only if one denies the faith that brought their original justification. It can not be lost simply by living a sinful lifestyle, but when that sin effects one's commitment of faith in Christ's work on the cross, securing our justification that is where the possibility for justification to be lost arises. Another side difficulty is the issue of whether God can see our sins since we are reckoned righteous through Christ. Perhaps the analogy of a parent and Child is helpful. Even though a Child may do bad things the parent can still see them as a good kid and their good kid for that matter.

Concluding thought: Knowing that one's commitment to faith in Christ brings a legal verdict of not guilty as well as the gift of the righteousness of Christ should be a source of confidence. WE are no longer under condemnation but are on the way to becoming who we truly are- just like Jesus.

Lust Defined: Intense or unrestrained sexual craving, an overwhelming desire or craving, intense eagerness or enthusiasm.

Lust in a negative context:
It's interesting that when we think of lust usually the first thing that comes to mind is the first definition. What is wrong about this kind of lust that the Bible speaks against is the unrestrained inappropriate nature of lust.
Mat 5:28 "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." God calls for restraint not only in our actions but thoughts as well. Perhaps having the thought isn't the sin but not retraining it is.

Gal 5:16 "So I say live by the Spirit and you will not gratify the lusts of the sinful nature." It is not lust or desire itself that is the culprit but the object of ones desire in this case those of the sinful nature.

1Jn 1:15-17 "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world the love of the father is not in him. For everything in the world-the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does-comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." Lusting after things of this world is ultimately a vain pursuit for this world is temporary. The key is to cultivate desires that have eternal existence.

The Power of Lust:

"Of all the worldly passions lust is the most intense, all other worldly passions seem to follow in its train." --Buddha Gotama

1 Pe 2:11 "Dear friends I urge you as aliens and strangers in the world abstain from sinful lusts which wage against your soul." these sorts of sinful desires which are referred to by the word lust are powerful forces that threaten our souls if not contained."

Perhaps the reason that the danger of lust is so emphasized in scripture is that it is so powerful and humans can fall prey to it if their desires aren't fully in keeping with the will of God. The more we are transformed into God's image and our minds and actions mirror his the more the sinful component of lust will fade away.

A Positive conception of Lust:
Perhaps because lust is so powerful we ought to inquire if there is any way in which this powerful desire can be used by God as a powerful unquenchable thirst and eagerness for the things of God. Ok so I'm not sure that there is any positive reference to lust talked about in scripture. This word always seems to be related to sinful desires having to do with our flesh. Maybe that is why it is so hard to be completely free from lust for it means having our whole selves transformed even down to the basic elements of our flesh.

The Nature of lust:

We have already seen how lust is a powerful force bound up in the desires of our sinful nature but I think an important component in understanding why it is so powerful is that it is by nature hidden. We can not tell how much someone is engaging in lustful thoughts in their mind. The mind and its ability to create and imagine is an amazing gift from God but its perversion is equally as awful. This is why there is so much emphasis on controlling our minds in scripture (1 Pe 1:13). The battle of lust is won or lost in the mind and this is why we need to avoid situations that might lead to lust, replace our sinful thoughts with godly ones, and focus on becoming more like Christ.

Application: I can't really think of any ways that I have fallen into lust per say but I do know that a lack of willpower in regard to ones basic desires is opening the door to lust. My mind is an area where I could use a little more control. It is not that I am thinking bad thoughts necessarily but that sometimes my thoughts are so repetitive and anxious when they don't need to be. I can even lose sleep worrying about things like papers, grades etc. I need to be better about taking my thoughts captive and turning them to God, so that if I ever am tempted with lust I will have practice in turning my thoughts to God and away from potentially harmful thoughts.

"Prayer unites the soul to God." -Julian of Norwich

Why should we pray?
Grudem in Systematic Theology points out three reasons why God asks us to pray. The first is that it establishes our trust in God. It is not as though God needs the heads up on our needs but he wants us to acknowledge that we are dependent on him and trust in his provision. "If you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more will the heavenly father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him."Lk 11:13 Prayer is declaring that God has our best interest in mind and will respond. The second reason is that prayer deepens our fellowship with him, just as with any person the more we communicate the closer our relationship is. The third is that through prayer we become co laborers with God we are involved in the kingdom being accomplished on earth as God's sons and daughters.

How should we pray?

Can we really change what God is going to do? Well it certainly seems that we cheat ourselves out of things God may be willing to give us simply by not asking, James 4:2 says "You do not have because you do not ask." Through prayer God responds to our needs in ways that he may not have if we hadn't asked. There are also clear instances where God seems to change his mind in response to people's prayers. Moses after God declares that he would destroy Israel for their sins (Ex 32), prays "O Lord...turn from your fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against your people," and then it says "and The Lord repented of the evil that he thought to do to his people. God promises to respond to confession and repentance and bring healing and forgiveness (2 Chron. 7:14, 1 John 1:9)

What about praying for God's will?
"This is the confidence which we have in him that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us" 1 John 5:14 Praying according to what God wills is difficult in that we do not always have a clear picture of what that will is. I think though that the more we are in tune with God's spirit and conformed to his image the more our will will align with his and we will be automatically praying in accordance with it. Although I think it is important to leave room in a prayer for the fact that our will may not be his (no I don't think that this indicates a lack of faith to say God not mine but your will be done, even Jesus prayed this prayer) but also it's nice to know that even if we are totally off in our prayers God will still accomplish his will.

Factors that influence prayer:
Humility (Luke 18:11-12, 2 Chron 7:14)
Earnestness (Heb 5:7, Amos 7:2)
Faith (Mark 11:24, James 1:6)
Confession of Sins (James 5:16, PS 19:12)
Fasting (Neh 1:4, Acts13:3)
Thanksgiving (Mat 6:9, Phil 4:6)
Waiting (PS 38:15, 103:5-6)

Concluding remarks:
I don't know why God chooses to work through prayer but he does. I think it has to do with the nature of our relationship with him like a child and parent. The parent wants good things for his child but he is moved to specific actions by a child's requests. Even when that parent knows what a child wants or needs sometimes he will wait until the child asks. God desires communication in our relationship with him so much that he chooses to act on the basis of our communication. The way we ask has significant influence on the effectiveness of our prayers. Bottom line God is not limited to our prayers but he chooses to use them and we have no idea how different things would be if we prayed more.

Who are these homosexuals? I think it makes sense in the context of this discussion to think of Homosexuals as those individuals who act on their homosexual feelings toward members of their same sex. I don't know if there can be any conclusion as to whether this behavior is genetic or not. In David Myer's "Psychology" he seems to conclude that there are definite genetic links between homosexuals and the hormone they are exposed to in the womb. There are too many exceptions to think of this as the rule and there is no way to conclude from this then that this behavior is appropriate or inappropriate, for there are many other deviant behavior patterns that are reflected in genetic makeup (alcoholism, mental illnesses).

Is there any non-religious reason why homosexuality should be seen as inappropriate behavior? Aside from the fact that if it became the norm society would be distinct I can't see any other reason.

What does the Bible say about this issue, and how do people interpret these verses?
Gen 1:27, 2:24, Matt 19:4-6, 1 Cor 7:3-4 all talk about God creating men and women with the purposes of their being together. Sure someone could say that this does not mean that God is against people who choose to unite themselves to the same sex, but then isn't there something to the fact that God created the two sexes to complement each other?

Outright Old Testament condemnation: "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination." Lev 18:22 (also echoed in Lev. 20:13) Some gay activists insist that this was only an old Testament law that was intended to separate Israel from the surrounding nations and now we are under a new law of grace. This doesn't seem to add up however as the New Testament affirms this as being against God's will.

Jesus words about homosexuality? Some have made the argument that since Jesus never said anything about homosexuality then we can not affirm that he is against it. However this argument from silence doesn't mean much since there are many things that Jesus didn't speak about (rape incest etc) that we still consider wrong. Also just a clear examination of Paul's letter indicates that the early Church saw this as against the law of God.

Paul's address of homosexuality:
Romans 1 26-27 "For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions, for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error."

1 Tim 1:9-10 talks about how the law was made for the rebellious, ungodly sinners, the unholy and the profane and lists homosexuals in this list along with liars and murderers.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11a "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you."

Pro-homosexual activists deflect Paul's words by trying to argue that what Paul is condemning is an inappropriate approach to homosexuality that would be condemned even for heterosexuals. The kind of homosexuality that is promiscuous and interested in molestation and prostitution etc. I just don't see the logic in this since the biblical writers never gave any description of an acceptable form of homosexuality.

Conclusion: Homosexuality is a sin like any other and is something that a person can stop as 1 Cor 6:11 says in reference to sinners caught up in sinful behaviors such as homosexuality "Such were some of you." While freedom from homosexual feelings may not happen right away self control in acting on these feelings is the godly approach to overcoming this tendency and lifestyle. It is important for the Christian to be able to separate the sin from the sinner and accept these individuals into church settings (I'm not talking positions of leadership) where they can have the support and godly instruction needed to overcome this temptation.

What exactly is forgiveness?
The dictionary defines it as excusing a fault or offense, renouncing anger or resentment, absolving from payment. What it is not I don't think is completely forgetting and trusting the person who causes you offense. It is a very sticky subject as to how you can fully pardon a person and yet not harbor a sense of unforgiveness.

"The stupid neither forgive nor forget, the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget." --Thomas Szasz

Does Biblical wisdom call us to a higher level of forgiveness that involves forgetting? I don't see anything in scripture that would indicate this. Micah says that as far as the east is from the west this far has he taken our sins from us. Then there is the biblical idea that Christ ahs completely removed all our sins. I think though that this can be weighed against Proverbs which talks about watching out who you trust.

When is it appropriate to forgive?
In Matthew 18:22 Jesus tells Peter that he is to forgive the brother who sins against him 70 times 7 times which is representative of an infinite amount of instances of forgiveness. There does seem to be an appropriate way in which to extend forgiveness though which I will mention further on.

Why should we forgive?
There is plenty of motivation to forgive in scripture for me the most extreme example is in Mat 18 in the parable of the unmerciful servant who is tortured for his unforgiveness. Jesus follows this parable saying "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each one of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart." (vs 35) As Christians we ought to be compelled to forgive as the result of our salvation is that our sins were forgiven (Acts 3:19). Jesus even goes as far saying that the proportion of the way we forgive others will be the extent to which God forgives us (Mat 6:14-15, Mk 11:25, Lk 6:37). Jesus paved the way to make forgiveness possible (Eph 1:7, Col 1:4) and so if we embrace his life and death we will be motivated and enabled to extend forgiveness to others.

Why do we need forgiveness?
Beyond the fact that we need the forgiveness made possible in Christ's atonement we need to be forgiven for our everyday sins. It is not that we need to be justified before Christ all over again because that was accomplished in Christ's death resurrection, and our repentance and acceptance of his sacrifice. Sin does disrupt our relationship to God (Isa 59:2) and this is why the Lord's prayer contains the verse "forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us" (Mat 6:9-12).

Who is called to forgive?
Every Christian is called to forgive others but it is more natural for those who have been forgiven of a lot to love and be able to forgive all the more (Lk 7:47). This doesn't mean that just people who have done a whole lot of obvious sins have an advantage to be able to love and forgive more for if we embrace the conviction of the sin in our lives which lead Jesus to the cross we can see that each one of us has been forgiven much.

How are we called to forgive?
I concur with "Believer's Bible Commentary." that it seems like the Bible supports some sort of stages of forgiveness:
The first is that forgiveness must be from the heart (eph 4:32) The second that we ought to rebuke the one who offended us and wait until he apologizes to declare our forgiveness to him (Luke 17:3)

Perhaps this indicates that our hearts should be in a place where we are ready to extend forgiveness and not harbor the sins of unforgivenss in which the devil gains access to our lives. Yet we also should wait to accept the unrepentant person back. Perhaps this is just in the context of church discipline but it still seems to have parallels to our personal interactions.

Concluding observation concerning other religions
I don't think that there is this concept of forgiveness in response to confession in any other religion. Either there is no need for forgiveness since we bear the consequences of sin (Buddhism) or there is the working out of one's sins in an effort to have the good works overpower the sins committed.

The Christian and the virtue of patience:

Ro 15:5, 2 Thess 3:5 God is a God of patience. He demonstrated this over and over with the Israelites in the Old Testament, he also demonstrated this in Christ's life on earth and death on the cross. The Christian is called to imitate this virtue Galatians 5:22, 2 Cor 6:4, 1 Thess 5:14..

The connection of patience with tribulation:
There is a direct relationship here for it is through trials that we gain patience (Ro 5:3, James 1:3) and it is also in trials that we are called to demonstrate patience (2 Thess 1:4, Ro 12:12)

The motivation for patience:
As Christians there is great motivation to be patient not only in our desire to imitate and obey God in this virtue but also because of the source of hope we have in Christ. We are able to wait because we know there is something good coming ( Ro 5:4, 15:4, 1 Thess 1:3). I find this to be true in my own life for when I am waiting and displaying some level of patience, I find a sense of anticipation (hope) arising in me.

Patience made possible through faith: Through faith and patience we inherit the promises of God (Rev 13:10, Heb 6:12, 2 Pe 1:6, Jam 5:7). The Israelites received the promised land and we will receive the heavenly kingdom. How can we have patience if we do not have faith. It is only through a real/solid belief that there is something beyond the here and now that enables us to wait. Of all people then Christians should have reason to display patience because they know that the real rewards are not here on earth. Even in our earthly lives knowing God and hearing his voice requires patience as echoed many time sin the Psalms ( Ps 37:7). If we believe that God is actively involved in the here and now we can wait for his will to be done and our answer to come.

Conclusions: Patience is a definite distinctive mark of the Christian life, and we learn it through trials and faith in the God who will bring us through them, onward and upward into that which is worth waiting our whole lives for.

There must be something to the fact that contentment is seen in the scriptures so often in the context of money (Luke 3:14,Heb 13:5, Phil 4:11, 1 Tim 6:6). Not only is this context reflected in these verses but the idea is confirmed in my experiences with the way people seek out more to satisfy themselves. I don't think that people would come out and tell you that they think that "stuff" will satisfy them, for they probably know this at the bottom of their hearts. However it seems like material gain is the common substitute that people seek to meet this deeper need. This is why all the warnings to be content with what you have in scripture are given. God knows we have this tendency to accumulate to compensate for true contentment.

Observations about contentment
Philippians 4:11: Paul had to learn contentment, perhaps at times against his will when he didn't have enough. What will it take for us to learn contentment being familiar with having a lot and a little. Also I think that the context within which Paul writes this comment is interesting for he is asking the church at Philippi for provision. He is saying that listen it's not like I am in need but I'm giving you the opportunity to give and share in this gift.

1 Tim 6:6-8, makes such a profound statement about contentment in that it is godliness coupled with contentment that is of real value. Knowing as he says in the next verse "for we brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it" that it's not all about us but about God can free us to be content with our relationship with him. The contentment possible for Christians is so much more lasting than the world as it is founded on the eternal God and not things that are passing away like our stuff and even ourselves.

The Old Testament description of tithe:
The concept of tithe seemed to be in general a part of the Old Testament regulations concerning giving (in addition to the various offerings that were expected: sin offerings thanksgiving offerings etc.)

First mention of tithe It is first mentioned in Genesis 14:20 when Abraham offers Malchizedek a tenth of everything he had (who was perhaps even Jesus Hebrews 7:5-9) perhaps as an acknowledgement of who he was and his allegiance to him.

Purpose of OT tithe: To take care of the Levites who didn't own land (Numbers 18:21-28) but even more than that it was intended to be a direct gift to the Lord because even the Levites had to tithe on the tithes they received from the people. Also there is mention of tithes taking care of "the aliens, the fatherless,and the widows" (Deut 14:28-29). More importantly though this giving of a portion of ones income (in that time produce and livestock) was a reminder that all they had was the Lord's and he deserved their "firstfruits"- the best of what they had. God wanted his people to fear him and show their allegiance to him in a material way (Deut 14:23,29) so he in turn would bless them. This makes sense since during the Old testament times the way people demonstrated their allegiance to God was
in more tangible ways (sacrifices actual gifts etc).

The community element in tithe: Deut 12:7-19 says not to eat ones tithe in one's own town but "Instead you are to eat them in the presence of the Lord your God in the place the Lord your God will choose--you, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites from your towns- and you are to rejoice before the Lord your God in everything that you put your hand to. Be careful not to neglect the Levites as long as you live in the land." This indicates that giving to God was something to be mutually enjoyed by God his people, and his servant the Levites. Perhaps this indicates that one's giving to God
is something that ought to bring people together and rejoice in God's provision.

The controversial passage Mal 3:8-10: I'm not so sure that there is much to say here except that this is an instance where the Israelites broke the law that required them to tithe and so they were being reprimanded in prophecy.

The New Testament: Though there is no specific teaching on tithe Jesus does mention the concept with reference to the Pharisees who were quick to tithe even on their herbs but were forgetting the more important requirements of the law such as justice and mercy (Luke 18:42, Mat 23:23). Seeing that there is no specific teaching on the subject in the New Testament only in reference to the fact that one could keep every detail of the law and forget what it's really about seems to me to say that giving a tenth on one's income is not necessarily a bad idea but to be bound to it so as not to be open to giving more (as Paul talks about sacrificially, the parable of the Widow's mite etc.) or to doing it in a religious way and forgetting the purpose of giving to God. One thing that makes me think that the New Testament Church was not so hung up on the OT tithe rule was the way Paul mentions various collections for people in need (1 Cor 16:1-2) saying that everyone should set aside a sum of money in keeping with one's income. Then what he praises is generosity and sacrificial giving elsewhere (2 Cor. 8:2).

Bottom line: Having a general rule of giving ten percent is not a bad thing, in fact it is probably a good idea for most people since if they didn't give that they would give less (giving less than that doesn't seem to be in the spirit of generosity and sacrifice of the NT or in keeping with giving tithes AND OFFERINGS in the OT). One thing though is for certain, to give in expectation of a physical return (which is often made mention in tithe sermons) is wrong you can't buy God's gifts with money (Acts 18:20) but there is an expectation of blessing that could be spiritual or physical in nature (2 Cor 9:6-11) "You will be enriched in every way for great generosity". I don't fault pastor's for speaking on money so much (though perhaps not in the context where unbeliever's are present) because Paul
certainly did talk about money a lot. I simply think that the issue of giving should be based more on teaching about generosity than a specific amount because this puts it back into the context of being a heart issue before the Lord and that I think was Christ's intention to give us a picture and example of following the spirit of the law which is honoring God and blessing others with the best of what you have been given!

Instances: Pentecost Acts 2:4
Church life 1 Corinthians 14

The words used to describe these tongues is the same but they certainly seem like different sorts of things are going on- Namely one tongue is another language while the other is one that no one understands. Even though it seems preferable to me to be able to speak the kind of tongues that are
actually another language I think that the differences between the two instances merely indicate that God uses language to communicate what needs to be said regardless of our understanding.

Who: Well Grudem's argument concerning 1 Corinthians 12:30 seems right on that not everyone speaks in tongues. I really think that it is a gift from God but also think that just like the other gifts healing teaching etc people can operate in them to different extents.

Those who speak in tongues are directing their speech to God (1 Cor 14:2), which to me seems to be further support for this gift being a private prayer sort of thing and not primarily for use within a church setting.

Paul does say that while not all speak in tongues it is something to be desired 1 Cor. 14:5. Though not all people will be given this gift certainly a lot more would if they were to ask God for it.

When/How: Paul is very specific in his instructions that tongue speaking be done in an orderly way (one to three in turn) and that if exercised in a public way there should be an interpretation 1 Cor 14:27-28. This is somewhat perplexing in that how would a person speaking in tongues know if there would be an interpretation (again this seems to indicate that the public use of tongues be in an intimate setting where the body of believers were very familiar with one another's gifts)

Relation to unbelievers: It is a sign to unbelievers, and while it isn't clear exactly what is meant by that I think that it indicates that the church should not be using language that other's can't understand 1 Cor 14:22-23. Maybe it is that if unbelievers judge the church as mad (seeing all these people speaking in crazy languages) then they will be subject to God's judgment. The basic lesson keep it relevant to unbelievers so they can benefit and not make ignorant judgments about believers.

Purpose: The main purpose is to edify 1 Cor 14:5 and this is done through interpretation within the church but presumably in private when you speak in tongues your spirit is also edified in some mysterious way.

Practical: So my thoughts on this as far as the relation of tongues to my life is that I need to be more open to God using tongues in my private times of prayer for my edification. Also I think that the only way "public" use of tongues would be beneficial is in a small group type setting where people are familiar with one another's giftings.

Ok so my writings this week on Self Control will be more reflective in nature than research-style, perhaps because I have not been diligent enough to seek out scriptural references to the subject or simply because I think that reflection is more appropriate considering the nature of the subject.

The first thought of the Bible's position on our subject was the obvious starting place of Galatians 5:23 where it is described as a fruit of the Spirit. What I find interesting about it is the company it has with the other fruit of the spirit. It just seems that attributes like love, joy peace, patience, gentleness, kindness are sort of things that describe actions that characterize a life. Self-control is more of a lack of action in certain circumstances. If that is only what it is then I don't know that I have that big of a problem with it. OF course there is always improvement to be made on the issue keeping my mouth shut at times but I don't think that I have an overwhelming problem with needing to hold myself back from sin.

On the other hand taking the idea of self-control in a deeper- more philosophical way the concept entails having control of one's whole being- what one does and doesn't do. It seems evident that getting oneself off the couch and out into the world to help another person requires being in
control of ones' self. This I think is a big part of Christian maturity to become the type of person who is controlled by the Spirit and not the sinful natures (as Galatians 5 talks about) and so acts as well as refrains from actions in ways that would be the most glorifying to God.

So how do we get there, being able to control one's self according to the Spirit. First of all I think that to the extent that a person is surrendered to God is to the same extent that they will be controlled by God's spirit (and so self-controlled) and know the right things to do. Our part of becoming people controlled by God's spirit is explained in 1 Timothy 4:7 which says that we are to train ourselves to be godly. When we habitually practice controlling ourselves to act like Christ and refrain from actions
that would not reflect his nature we will become the type of people who want to do the right thing and who automatically conduct ourselves according to God's will.

So my practical point of self-control will be to get out of bed at seven thirty each morning (provided that I get to bed on time). I need to become the type of person who is not ruled by my desire to sleep but has put aside enough time to honor God in the morning and not be rushed getting ready for the day. Does this sound reasonable, or is there something better that you see in my life that needs to be ruled by self control?

Since my self control thoughts are that thoughts not researched I thought I'd add a little one on the nature of Self-control in relation to other religions because it seems like most other religions - Buddhism in particular and even Islam) do not have the idea that humans have a sin nature. In Christianity though we have a reason to be self controlled (because there is something sinful that we are controlling) and we also have the resources to control ourselves( presupposing both the doctrine of free will and God's assistance). Anyway I think that in a very indirect way the fact that we need and are able to have self control is evidence of the fact that the Christian view of life is most congruent to human experience.

God's feelings on the subject: Bottom line he hates divorce and says so very clearly in Mal 2:16. It makes sense God was the one who designed marriage and intended it to be a sacred union melding two lives into one. A union that was not right to break even by the man and women themselves(Matthew 19:6). The devastation brought about when people divorce each other is akin to the tragedy of when parents abandon their children. The two people are designed to need each other and grow together.

The Bible's teaching: Moses seemed to condone divorce in the Old Testament (Matthew 19:8), but this wasn't God's will for people he only allowed it because people had hard hearts. Could this mean that God allows it today since there is still a problem with hard hearts but that it isn't his desire for people? Perhaps the answer in part lies in one's decision to remarry. Divorce in a sense is "allowable" but to remarry then becomes the sin one is accountable for, paying the consequences for adultery (Matthew 19:9).

Exceptions: Marital unfaithfulness seems to be the only exception to the rule (Matthew 19:9), giving one exemption from the sin of adultery if one chooses to marry again after a divorce. The question then becomes what qualifies as unfaithfulness outside the obvious classic affair scenario. It seems like exceptions such as in the case of spousal abuse are valid as well, for certainly if one is using violence on the other person they are being unfaithful to their wedding vows.

Point of contention: What I don't understand is the way in which the person who has not divorced the other person (say the Man divorcing the woman in the case in Mark's gospel) is not free to marry. It seems like it would not be so much their fault (in some cases) and yet they would be stuck in the
sin of adultery if they were to remarry.

My initial observations and conclusions were based on a few New Testament verses which clearly address the subject

1 Cor 13:8 indicates that love trumps prophecy "Love never ends but as for prophecies they shall cease." Could this indicate as well that when we see the Lord face to face as is described in the following verses that we won't need to hear from God.

1 Thess 5:19-20, 1 Cor 14:29 reflect the idea that we are not to look down on prophecy but are to supposed to test it.

1 Cor 14:22,31 say that prophecy is for the instruction and encouragement of believers.

1 Cor 14:32, 39-40 describe how prophecy is to be exercised in a church meeting setting in an orderly and appropriate way.

2 Pe 1:21 tells how prophecy in scripture isn't muddied by personal construction or interpretation.

Conclusions from these verses show that Prophecy is a New Testament phenomenon that functioned in the early church in a specific way. It is a desirable function in church life that is beneficial to believers but should be tested and critically evaluated.

My question then became focused around the issue of comparison between Old testament prophecy and the New testament Prophecy we see functioning in Acts and the early church. There just seems to be a difference between the "Thus saith the Lord" that prophets like Moses and Daniel operated in and the sort of "the Lord seems to be saying this to me" of the New testament Church. So I looked into Grudem's "Systematic Theology" and my suspicions were confirmed as he listed many reasons that Old Testament prophets differ from the way the New Testament gift operates.

1 Old Testament Prophets words from the Lord were inspired scripture where as New testament prophecy isn't for we see in Acts 21:4 that Paul disobeys a "prophetic word" telling him not to go down to Jerusalem where a he would never have disobeyed a command in scripture.

2 New Testament prophecy seems to have the potential for error or misinterpretation in a way that Old Testament Prophecy couldn't (Upon pain of stoning). In Acts 21:10-11 Agabus prophecy about the Jews binding Paul and delivering him into the hands of the Gentiles was off in that it was actually the Romans who did the binding.

3 Just from the fact that we are told to test prophecy in the New Testament and were supposed to take prophetic words in the Old Testament as straight from God's mouth indicate that New Testament prophecy while it should be taken seriously is still subject the the scrutiny of the believer and the
measure of scripture.

[Grudem 10521054]

I still question exactly why it is that New Testament prophecy is different from that of the Old Testament. I think it has to do with the fact that we have Scripture now and can hear God without misinterpretation through this primary source. Also though it seems that it must have something to do with Jesus (most all the changes between the Old and New testaments have something to do with the person and ministry of God's incarnation as Jesus). Perhaps it is that Jesus is the Ultimate prophet God's word made flesh and so having record of his words we no longer have as great of a need for
inspired instruction.

So why don't we go to a church that operates in the prophetic? I think that it is unquestionably a desirable gift that would be beneficial to many and was so in church services in the New Testament. On the other side of the coin I'm glad we don't go to a church that is based on the prophetic and not
scripture where people present and receive prophecy as a thus saith the Lord pronouncement on level with scripture because I think there is great potential for deception, confusion, and disillusionment in this setting. But just because there is great potential for error doesn't mean we shouldn't seek the real thing. I actually think that in today's world where people seem to be in such need for personal experiences in their spirituality (as evidenced in the New age religions expansion) we shouldn't be afraid to teach and operate in this sort of personal communication from the divine.