Wednesday, 3 April 2013
Tuesday, 2 April 2013
Changing the way we think Part 1, It's time to change how and why we think in certain ways
Changing the way we think
Part 1
Romans 12 The
Message 1-2 So here’s what I
want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your
sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before
God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can
do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted
to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your
attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what
he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you,
always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of
you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
Romans 12:1-2 The
Voice Brothers and
sisters, in light of all I have shared
with you about God’s mercies, I
urge you to offer your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice to God, a sacred offering
that brings Him pleasure; this is your reasonable, essential worship. 2 Do not allow this
world to mold you in its own image. Instead, be transformed from the inside out by renewing your mind. As a result, you will be able to
discern what God wills and whatever God finds good, pleasing, and complete.
Romans12:1-2 Niv Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in
view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and
pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to
the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good,
pleasing and perfect will.
Matthew Henry’s Commentary Romans 12:2
The mind must be renewed for him. This is pressed (Rom. 12:2): “Be you
transformed by the renewing of your mind; see to it that there be a saving
change wrought in you, and that it be carried on.” Conversion and
sanctification are the renewing of the mind, a change not of the substance, but
of the qualities of the soul. It is the same with making a new heart and a new
spirit—new dispositions and inclinations, new sympathies and antipathies; the
understanding enlightened, the conscience softened, the thoughts rectified; the
will bowed to the will of God, and the affections made spiritual and heavenly:
so that the man is not what he was—old things are passed away, all things are
become new; he acts from new principles, by new rules, with new designs. The
mind is the acting ruling part of us; so that the renewing of the mind is the
renewing of the whole man, for out of it are the issues of life, Prov. 4:23.
The progress of sanctification, dying to sin more and more and living to
righteousness more and more, is the carrying on of this renewing work, till it
be perfected in glory. This is called the transforming of us; it is like
putting on a new shape and figure.
Many of us, who read this blog,
will also use Facebook, and when we update our Status on Facebook, it asks its
users the question “What’s on your mind?”
In the English Language we have
one word for Mind, and that word is Mind, I’m sorry for stating the obvious,
The Bible was written in two languages,
the first of these was Hebrew which the Old Testament was originally written
in, although it was later translated into languages like Aramaic, Greek and so
on. The second language was Greek, which the New Testament was originally
written in, although it was again translated into other languages, in many ways
for the Roman Empire and other Empires of that time especially in the Eastern Mediterranean
area, The Greek Language was the lingua franca, we call the Greek Language used
then as Koine Greek.
The users of Koine Greek would
have used 3 different words that we today would read in our Bibles as the
English word “Mind” these are:-
1.
Sophrono or right mind, Strong’s ref 4993 To be of sound
mind, sane, self-controlled, serious, moderate, sober-minded, restrained,
disciplined, able to reason. From sozo.” ,
to save” and phren, “ the mind” see
Mark 5:15
2.
Dianoia or a thinking
through Strong’s ref 1271 Dianoia combines nous,
“mind” and dia, “through” The word suggests understanding, insight,
meditation, reflection, perception, the gift of apprehension, the faculty of
thought. When this faculty is renewed by the Holy Spirit, the whole mind-set
changes from the fearful negativism of the carnal mind to the vibrant, positive
thinking of the quickened spiritual mind see Mark 12:30
3.
Sophronismos or a sound mind Strong’s ref 4995, A combination
of sos “safe” and phren, “the mind” hence
safe-thinking. The word denotes good judgement, disciplined thought patterns,
and the ability to understand and make right decisions. It includes the qualities
of self-control and self-discipline see 2 Timothy 1:7
For many of us, our thought patterns have been influenced by
what our society and culture think or indeed think of us!, the influence or propaganda of a non-Christian
world view or group think has had or indeed having an undue influence on the
way we think as Christian Believers, it’s time we changed the way we think.
Colossians 3:1-3 Esv
3 If then you have been raised with Christ,
seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of
God. 2 Set your minds on things that are
above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life
is hidden with Christ in God.
1 Peter 1:13-15 Esv
13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, [a] and
being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought
to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be
conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you
is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct
Ephesians 4:17-18 Niv
17 So I tell you this, and
insist on it in the Lord, that you must
no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18
They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God
because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.
Yours in His Grace
Blair Humphreys
Southport, Merseyside
Monday, 1 April 2013
Equal Marriage : Just Plain Wrong: A Christian Perspective on the Gay Marriage Debate in the UK
Equal Marriage : Just Plain Wrong: A Christian Perspective on the Gay Marriage Debate in the UK
Equal Marriage : Just Plain Wrong: A Christian Perspective on the Gay Marriage Debate in the UK
Equal Marriage; Just Plain Wrong.
Today, both in the United Kingdom and other Countries, we face the challenge in the name of Equality and Tolerance to allow same sex marriage (the marriage of a man to another man or the marriage of a woman to another woman) the equal standing in society that marriage between a man and a woman or a woman and a man has in the 21st Century.
Yet those calling for Equality and Tolerance, only believe that their view and understanding of Equality and Tolerance is the only valid view and supersedes the understanding of both Equality and Tolerance of those Groups such as Christians that disagree with their view and understanding, rather than an open and honest debate and discussion, they have decided to demonize those who’s views and understanding of Equality and Tolerance differ from theirs, and criticize and condemn them for not showing or agreeing to both Equality and Tolerance, this is indeed a lack of Equality and Tolerance, for by calling those groups who differ from them In-tolerant etc, they themselves have done exactly what they accuse other groups of!
In recent days, I have followed the on-going debate in today’s media both in favour and against same sex marriage and have examined the evidence and have researched the different perspectives and I believe that our standard and indeed our bench mark for all practices that we the Church hold, is God’s Word The Bible. It is quite easy to be influenced by the opinions and perspectives of others.
Romans 12:1-2 the Message
1-2 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—you’re sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
I’m on Facebook, which I think is one of the best sources of both news and information available on-line and I subscribe to various news feeds . I read with interest and a high level of disappointment and article on Lib Dem Voice by Steve Gilbert is Liberal Democrat MP for St Austell and Newquay. “Church Opposition to Gay Marriage is intolerant, out of touch and wrong.”
Mr. Gilbert has quoted that societies in the past such as Ancient China and Ancient Rome allowed Gay Marriage; if we followed the example of these societies today we would still have Slavery and The Death Penalty for various Crimes. So if we follow the Example of Ancient Rome and all that is involved in that in allowing Gay Marriage shouldn’t we also allow Slavery and turn Wembley Arena into a 21st Century version of the Coliseum at Rome! I think not!
The Bible clearly teaches that both Homosexual Practice and Behaviour are wrong and therefore calling for Homosexual Marriage doesn’t legitimise a practice or behaviour that God clearly speaks against, if anything Homosexual Marriage waters down the blessings of Marriage.
Is it possible for someone who is either Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual or Transgender to also call themselves Christians ?
Galatians 5:13-24 Nasb
Galatians 5:13-24 Nasb
13
For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an
opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole
Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor
as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are
not consumed by one another.16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not
carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh [g]sets its desire against
the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to
one another, so that you may not do the things that you [h]please. 18 But if
you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the
flesh are evident, which are: [i]immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry,
sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions,
[j]factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of
which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice
such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.22 But the fruit of the Spirit
is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness,
self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who [k]belong
to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
-
To understand why Mr. Gilbert mentioned that practices of Ancient Rome and Ancient China, I decided to examine the evidence and have discovered the following on Wikipedia. (Although Wikipedia is not infallible)
“Various types of same-sex marriages have existed, [52] ranging from informal, unsanctioned relationships to highly ritualized unions.[53]
In the southern Chinese province of Fijian, through the Ming dynasty period, females would bind themselves in contracts to younger females in elaborate ceremonies.[54] Males also entered similar arrangements. This type of arrangement was also similar in ancient European history.[55]
An example of egalitarian male domestic partnership from the early Zhou Dynasty period of China is recorded in the story of Pan Zhang & Wang Zhongxian. While the relationship was clearly approved by the wider community, and was compared to heterosexual marriage, it did not involve a religious ceremony binding the couple.[56]
The first historical mention of the performance of same-sex marriages occurred during the early Roman Empire.[57] For instance, Emperor is reported to have engaged in a marriage ceremony with one of his male slaves. Emperor Elagabalus "married" a Carianslave named Hierocles.[58] It should be noted, however, that conubium existed only between a civis Romanus and a civis Romana (that is, between a male Roman citizen and a female Roman citizen), so that a so-called marriage between two Roman males (or with a slave) would have no legal standing in Roman law (apart, presumably, from the arbitrary will of the emperor in the two aforementioned cases).[59] Furthermore, "matrimonium is an institution involving a mother, mater. The idea implicit in the word is that a man takes a woman in marriage, in matrimonium ducere, so that he may have children by her."[60] Still, the lack of legal validity notwithstanding, there is a consensus among modern historians that same-sex relationships existed in ancient Rome, but the exact frequency and nature of "same-sex unions" during that period is obscure.[61] In 342 AD Christian emperors Constantius II and Constans issued a law in the Theodosian Code (C. Th. 9.7.3) prohibiting same-sex marriage in Rome and ordering execution for those so married.[62]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_marriage
So using the example that same sex marriage was common both in Ancient China and Ancient Rome and had the same legal standing that marriage between a Man and a Woman is not valid and indeed erroneous.
I said earlier that our understanding of issues and our bench mark for all practices should God’s Word the Bible, for example if The Bible supported the idea that the Marriage Union between a Man and a Man and a Woman and Woman was equal to the Marriage Union between a Man and a Woman it would say so, in the Bible there is only one definition of Marriage and that is between a Man and a Woman or a Woman and a Man. So if we believe that the Bible is God’s Inspired Word we Christians shouldn’t support or agree to a Marriage Ceremony or Union that doesn’t involve a Man marrying a Woman or a Vice a Versa, lets us examine some scriptures on Marriage.
All Scripture Verses are from the English Stand Version unless otherwise stated.
Genesis 2:20b-24
But for Adam[g] there was not found a helper fit for him.21 so the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made[h] into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said,
“This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”[i]
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Jeremiah 29:6
6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.
1 Corinthians 7:2B
, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.
Ephesians 5:31-33
31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
There are of course many scriptures referring to the marriage between a Man and a Woman, which space wouldn’t allow me to add, I’m sure that the above scriptures will serve as a start to your own personal study.
Further Reading:
1. Will Churches be forced to conduct Gay Marriage?
2. The Archbishop of York says don't force through Gay Marriage
3. 78% of the British Public say don't force through Gay Marriage
4. The Christian Institute
5. Christian Concern
6. The Coalition for Marriage
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