Sermon: 1 Thessalonians 4: 1-12 Living a holy life

Have you ever been driving off the beaten track? There are no signposts; there’s grass up the middle of the road; and you come to a crossroads. You haven’t a clue where you are. You have to decide what to do, which way to go. How do you make your choice? Pick one at random? Take the one that looks the nicest? Follow your intuition?

That was my experience lots of times when I moved to County Fermanagh. There weren’t any road names; there were fewer signs; and there were lots of roads with grass up the middle of them. I managed to get lost many times!

It doesn’t really matter which way you go if you’re just out for a Sunday afternoon drive, just exploring, and you know that sooner or later you’ll get back to a main road with some kind of signpost. It does matter, though, if you’re on route to preach at a harvest service, or going to someone’s house for dinner. Then, you’re late, you’re lost, you need some direction. Where to turn?

As we travel through life, we’re faced with all sorts of decisions about all sorts of things. Where to live, whether to marry and if so, who to marry, what to work at, what to do with your money, and so on. How do we know which way to turn? Will we do what we want, what seems best, the path of least resistance and greatest happiness?

As Christians, though, we want to know what God’s will is for our life - what does God want us to do? Sometimes, younger Christians can get so worked up about knowing God’s will for every detail of their lives, and knowing everything now! In our Bible reading today, Paul tells us what God’s will is for our life. In this passage, it’s not complicated - but working it out might not always be easy.

So look at verse 3. ‘It is God’s will that you should be sanctified.’ God’s will is that we will be sanctified. But what does that mean? Sanctified (or sanctification) is one of those churchy words that sounds great, but we don’t really know what it’s saying. But it simply means to become (more) holy. And holy, or holy living, means being set apart for God.

I’ve mentioned this before, but just in case you haven’t heard it, the illustration of being holy is the spoon in the sugar bowl. That spoon is set apart and only to be used for lifting the sugar out of the bowl. You’re not allowed to use it to stir your tea and then put it back in the bowl. Because if you do, then you get the hard brown lumps of sugar. The sugar spoon is holy, set apart only for use in the sugar bowl.

In the same way, we are holy, set apart for God. There are lots of things we could do, but we’re set apart to only do the things God wants us to do. Back at the end of chapter 3, Paul prayed for the Thessalonians that God would ‘strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy...’ (3:13).

So now he gets to the heart of what that will look like. In verses 1-2, Paul reminds them that he had told them how to live to please God. Paul had been with the church in Thessalonica for a short time; he had given them some instructions, which they had been following, but now he urges them to do it more and more. He’s asking them and urging them to live out this holy, God-pleasing life, by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

But remember that this isn’t going to be a ten-step programme to make God accept you. This letter is written to Christians, to people who have already turned away from idols and turned to the living and true God. This is instruction on how to live when we are saved; not how to live to be saved.

So what does holiness look like? What is God’s will for our lives? It means saying ‘no’ to lust. Paul breaks it down into three parts, which follow on from each other. In verse 3, we see the first of them: ‘that you should avoid sexual immorality.’

Notice that it doesn't say 'avoid sex.' Sex is God's idea. His good gift, to be enjoyed within God's proper boundaries - within marriage - husband and wife, as we see in Genesis 1-2 and affirmed by the Lord Jesus in the gospels. It's not 'avoid sex' but 'avoid sexual immorality.'

The word Paul uses there is the word ‘porneia’ - from which we get the word pornography. It’s any sexual activity outside of marriage. Adultery, affairs, flings, whatever they might be called. But it’s not just actions and deeds - remember that Jesus also says in Matthew 5 that to look lustfully is to commit adultery in your heart. We're to avoid immorality in our minds as much as in our bodies.

Following on from that - and so that we avoid sexual immorality - ‘that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honourable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God’ (4-5). The world around us will be different; they don’t know God, and so they live out their passionate lust. Just watch some adverts to see that sex sells. But we are called to be different - to control our bodies in holiness and honour. You’re not responsible for what someone else does, but you are responsible for yourself. God wants us to be self-controlled (one of the fruit of the Spirit).

But notice that it may not be easy and won’t come naturally - Paul says we’re to learn to control our bodies. So learn how to take control - if there are certain situations or places, or books or magazines or TV programmes, or websites that cause you to stumble, then control yourself - get away from them. Cut them out. Ask for help.

Thirdly, in this section, holiness will mean ‘and that in this matter no-one should wrong his brother (or sister!) or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you.’ (6)

We’re not to wrong our brothers or sisters in the church; not to exploit them, or take advantage of them. In fact, not to take advantage of anyone. Yet women, often, are being trafficked - brought to the UK, forced to work as prostitutes, in fear of their lives.

We are called to be different. That call is expressed in verse 7. ‘For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.’ (7-8).

God didn’t call us to live an impure live, to say yes to lustful passions. He has set us apart for himself. And these instructions - they aren’t something that Paul made up; they’re not something I’m making up. They are God’s instructions - the maker’s instructions. He has called us to live a holy life - and to do that, we need to say ‘no’ to lust.

At the same time, God wants us to say ‘yes’ to love. Look at verse 9: ‘Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught to love each other. And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more.’

Last week it was the parent-teacher interviews in the Hardy. The parents would have heard how their son or daughter was getting on - what they were doing well in, and what they needed to ‘must do better.’ The Thessalonians were top of the class at loving each other in a brotherly kind of way. They had already begun to do this; but even then, they’re urged to do so ‘more and more.’

And we see what it will look like in practice to love one another - but it might not be what we expect. So, fill in the blank. To love one another you would... Here’s how Paul completes the sentence, in verse 11: ‘Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.’

We might think of ambitions as super-successful, out of this world kind of achievements. Paul says that our ambitions should be an ordinary kind of quiet life, getting on with our work rather than minding other peoples’ business.

It seems that some people were so eagerly waiting for the return of the Lord Jesus, that they were giving up work to sit around waiting for his return. They expected Jesus to return today, or maybe tomorrow, so they wanted to sit around waiting for him. Why bother working? That was my approach to homework and essays - why bother doing my homework tonight if Jesus comes tomorrow and it's never needed. But then I found myself writing essays the night before they were due!

That's what some in Thessalonica were doing - sitting around, not working, just waiting. And without work, they were living off the kindness of others. But Paul says that the loving thing is to get on with your own work (if you’re able). In this way, outsiders will respect you; and you won’t be dependent on others.

God’s will is that we say yes to brotherly love. So how can we grow in love for one another? What are the ways that we can love one another, so that the outsiders watching on will see and say ‘see how these Christians love one another.’

As I said earlier, God’s will for our life isn’t complicated, but working it out may not be easy. Perhaps as you’ve heard what God wants for you, you’ve realised that you’ve taken a wrong turn or two. The good news is that there is always a way back. Today you can turn around, and God will welcome you with his grace and his mercy. It’s not too late to get back on track.

This work of being sanctified is a long term project, not a quick fix. It's what the colleges talk about - life long learning. There'll be progress, then a stumble or a falling back. We'll be doing this for the rest of our lives, but keep going as you live out the calling to a holy life.

We started with the wee country roads with no signposts, wondering what way to turn. Going to a friend’s house, we might have their directions. And as we come to those decisions, big and small, in our daily life, as we choose which way to go, and what to do, we have God’s directions - the maker’s instructions. God’s will is for us to be holy. He is guiding us, restoring us, forgiving us, and encouraging us. As you trust in him your home in heaven is guaranteed. And he will bring us home, as we listen to him.

This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Sunday morning 28th October 2018.

Book Review: Homosexuality - Christian Truth and Love

At the General Synod of 2012, the Church of Ireland, affirming that 'marriage is part of God’s creation and a holy mystery in which one man and one woman become one flesh' also committed itself to a listening process. Since then, the listening process has been developing through a series of diocesan events, as well as tripartite events where three dioceses came together for discussions. As part of my preparation for our tripartite in Claremorris back in February, I read this little volume, Homosexuality - Christian Truth and Love, edited by Paul Brown.

With a range of contributors, the book focuses on a variety of angles and approaches to the subject of homosexuality. Front and centre, the introduction reminds readers of the gospel, the good news of Jesus, which is a good message for every person without exception. Everything else that is said comes within this context, particularly with regard to the fact that the gospel impacts people in two ways: 1. It tells us how we can be right with God; 2. Those who believe in Jesus Christ begin a new life. These are helpful reminders, because everyone without exception is a sinner, so everyone needs to repent, not just one specific type of person.

Kenneth Brownell kicks off chapter one by 'Learning from the past.' Prompted by the consecration of Gene Robinson as Bishop, he asks the question 'How have we got to this point in the western church?' Tracing the path from the first apostles to today, he counters those who argue that earlier generations of Christians previously welcomed and accepted homosexual practice. 'I will show that there is no need to revise our understanding of the church's historic position on the practice of homosexuality.' Thus he points to the early church which was 'born into a social context in which male homosexuality was tolerated and widely practiced' - yet the church fathers condemned the practice just as Paul had. Through the medieval period, the 'doctrinal consensus was maintained.' He looks at the argument that 'spiritual friendships' or 'passionate friendships' were actually homosexual relationships, but refutes the claim: 'Perhaps the difficulty is not so much with the language of friendship in the twelfth century but the shallowness of friendship in the twenty-first century.' From the reformation through the Victorian period and into the twentieth century there was still agreement by all the churches that homosexuality 'was sinful and socially destructive.' He traces the change in culture to the work of Kinsey and secularisation, but reiterates that 'Those who want to remain true to Scripture and its moral standards will have to stand fast and do so confident that they are standing where countless others have stood down the centuries.'

Peter Saunders looks at the issue of genetics. Observing the fact that 'there is no universally accepted definition [of homosexual inclination] among clinicians and behavioural scientists. There is even less agreement as to its cause.' Discussing the spectrum of sexual orientation and its causes, Saunders points out that the scientific research often has vested interests, either for promoting or shutting down findings. Yet science will not ultimately contradict God's truth in the Bible. He then explores the arguments for and against nature and nurture, none of which has been convincingly demonstrated. Rather, he points out, the gay rights lobby presupposes that what comes naturally is naturally good - in stark contrast to the Bible's worldview.

Paul Brown provides a Bible overview on sexuality and marriage in two sections. The first concentrates on the creation pattern found in Genesis 1&2 - the 'like opposite' of man and woman, seen in practical emphases on sexuality, marriage, family, it being a divine institution, and also commenting on singleness. 'Marriage is, by definition, a one-flesh union between a man and a woman. Refraining from sexual intercourse is obligated on all who are not married, whether hetrosexual or homosexual.' In the second part of the chapter, he moves on to consider life in a fallen world, in which 'the results of the fall have affected every area of life including the sexual.' Polygamy and divorce may have happened in the Old Testament, but they are not God's ideal. How much more, then, the firm prohibition of homosexual practice, which is never tolerated. He then gives the reminder of how forgiveness and restoration can be found in Jesus, as we are given the power of the Holy Spirit to change.

Chapter four comes again from the pen of Paul Brown as he tackles the relevant passages on the Bible and homosexual practice. But these are not just random prooftexts - they are to be seen within the context of the previous chapter which displays God's will for marriage and sexuality. He points out that the incident of Sodom in Genesis 19 isn't just the crime of hospitality deficiency, because homosexual rape is the intention. It is to be considered in the context of the sins of the Canaanites, which God had already said to Abraham were great, but not yet to the full measure. Interestingly, the first instance is mentioned and referenced in the last reference (Jude 7). The Leviticus passages 'come in a context in which the people of Israel are strongly urged not to follow the practices of the Canaanites' - so this is a counter-cultural call. After a brief mention of Judges 19, the focus switches to Romans 1. Here Brown makes the connection between Romans 1 and Genesis 1, because of the context of creation. The dishonorable passions are contrary to nature - that is, as God intended, not just what feels natural to the individual. Sadly, the discussion of 1 Corinthians 6 and 1 Timothy 1 were both minimal, although the point is helpfully made that homosexual practice is not the only sin - there are many sins within the list, all of which exclude people from the kingdom of God. Despite there only being a few references to homosexuality (all of which condemn the practice), the Bible isn't 'a collection of varied autonomous texts'. Rather, there is a fundmental unity and consistency within the whole Bible.

Roger Hitchings tackles the question of equality for whom? In my view, this was the weakest chapter. Using the same idea as Don Carson, a la the changing definition of tolerance, he argues that the gay lobby is actually intolerant of Christians and religious communities. His survey of which laws had changed is now hopelessly out of date, given that gay marriage is now lawful in England and Wales. There are some helpful ideas here, amongst the unhelpful.

Declan Flanagan then proposes a pastoral response in the local church. This is great! He reminders pastors and readers in general that 'Someone seeking help does not want to encounter a formula, but a person with whom they can relate.' He then sets out some steps (in an unformulaic way!) to help those helping others: 1. Know yourself, in terms of inner attitudes and questions; 2. Know and declare the truth - not in isolation, but as the whole counsel of God; 3. Acknowledge the difficulties; 4 Challenge the lies; 5. Understand the varieties of orientations; 6. Distinguish between temptation and sin; 7. Develop a carefully considered approach. This framework is useful for anyone in pastoral ministry, with any issue or struggle.

The closing chapter is a personal story. Martin Hallett of the True Freedom Trust writes of how he began to feel attraction to other men, and his new lifestyle. He writes of trying to convert a Christian to the gay lifestyle, and through that contact being converted to Christ. From there, he highlights the work of the True Freedom Trust, which helps those experiencing same-sex attraction.

This book is a good introduction to the various angles and attitudes to homosexuality, seeking to present clearly and pastorally the good news of Jesus for all. Those seeking to work out the issues will find much that is useful and helpful, and this is a volume that I will return to time and time again. Homosexuality - Christian Truth and Love is available from Amazon.

Book Review: Different by Design

The gender agenda is repeatedly being brought to the fore in churches, homes, workplaces and wider society. Christian believers may increasingly be seen as out of step with the culture. Should we just get with the programme? Or should we continue to listen in to what God is saying in the Bible? Carrie Sandom addresses these issues in her new book, Different by Design: God's blueprint for men and women, as she takes us back to the Bible and helps us discover God's plan for the sexes.

The introduction paints a picture of society as it currently stands, seen in the lives of several women and families. Sandom identifies a 'gradual feminisation of the workplace', with an 'over-feminized' and 'emasculated' society. What will be the implications of such female leadership? While arguing that some women have a 'having it all' desire (work, family, leadership etc), she wonders if it is actually what women want. 'Not when our desire to be treated the same as men means we're never really treated as women.'

Her first key point is that men and women are different by design. An example is given of listening in to conversations on the Tube (I didn't even realise anyone spoke on the tube!), and seen in a variety of areas - task or people oriented; waffles and spaghetti; how they relate to friends; how they deal with harsh words and negative criticism; logic and intuition. She then asks the why question. Why are men and women different? Moving beyond the obvious differences in bodies, she argues that the hunter-gatherer / home-maker divide doesn't go back far enough. Rather, we need to return to our first parents: 'Adam and Eve were equal in God's sight, but they were not identical.'

The pattern for God's design looks behind the scenes to the character and nature of God. 'We were made for community... it is a reflection of God's own nature.' The Trinity is then outlined, explained, and used as the pattern we follow in equality, diversity, unity and order. 'The Father exercises loving authority over the Son, who humbly and willingly submits to it.'

The revelation of God's design then takes us on a guided tour of Genesis 1-2. 'The two accounts of creation give us both a panoramic view as well as a microscopic one... They are complimentary accounts, not contradictory ones.' The foundational principles are discussed, such as order (where the days point to the creation of habitat and then the inhabitants), purpose and blessing. In Genesis 2 as the camera zooms in, we find freedom and responsibility, union and completion. On marriage, Sandom remarks (p. 54):

It is a beautiful picture and perfectly illustrates that marriage is a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman that changes the focus of all other family relationships. It is a commitment with definite intention and starts with the man taking the initiative. It is to be witnessed by other members of the community and then consummated by their sexual union. He is to love and cherish her as his own body, because she is now a part of him. Similarly, she is to consider herself joined with him in loving partnership even though she remains an individual and distinct from him.

This is marriage as God intended: the coming together of a man and a woman, to form a one-flesh union that is broken only by death. This means we mustn't be naive about same sex partnerships - they do not constitute a marriage. Scripture is clear that a marriage is between a man and a woman. We mustn't be deceived into thinking that pornography and masturbation are legitimate ways of satisfying our sexual longings. We cannot enjoy one-flesh union on our own. And we mustn't be fooled by those who say that sex can be enjoyed without making a public, life-long commitment first. The longing to be united in marriage and to become one-flesh with your spouse is God-given, but God also gives us the parameters for how those longings are to be satisfied.

From there, we come to the rejection of God's design, as the author asks where are the men in church - have they been driven away by the women? We see the pattern rejected in three scenes from Genesis 3: (i) God's word ignored leading to disobedience - 'every temptation to sin in some way doubts God's word, denies God's judgement or distorts God's character.' (ii) God's word upheld leading to judgement; (iii) God's word sustained leading to grace.

In the next chapter, the reader should be aware. The masking of God's design begins with a horrific story of a father sexually abusing his daughter, which is shocking and explicit. This story, as well as biblical examples of sexual brokenness, demonstrate that unity and order always elude us. There's a helpful diagram of the interconnectedness of beliefs on women, sex, leadership etc held by various theological positions.

The restoration of God's design is the chapter we were waiting for from the start, as Jesus re-establishes God's ordering of relationships. His attitude to men and women is discussed, being revolutionary compared to the surrounding society, and yet the author is clear that while women were witnesses to the resurrection, they were not apostles. I wasn't sure of the effectiveness of the chapter, as the jump from men and women to what Jesus did on the cross seemed a leap too far, almost disjointed.

The remainder of the book applies the design to various areas of life, as it seeks to discover the implications of God's design for marriage, the church and the workplace. In the marriage chapter, there's a useful discussion on submission as Ephesians 5 is placed in the context of the whole letter. At one point, there is specific application for women, married or not, which made me wonder if this is primarily (or even exclusively) a book for women. I think it's still useful for both sexes, though.

In the church chapter there are the usual contentious passages about women teaching and having authority. Given that the author works for a church (as an Associate Minister for Women and Pastoral Care), her handling is faithful, and seeks to argue that the scriptures push for men to be in authority over the church family as in the home family, and for men to teach in mixed congregations. This is not to the detriment, though, of the Titus 2 model, where the older women teach the younger women - women certainly have a role in ministry.

All in all, this is a very helpful book which helps us return to the Bible's teaching on gender and sex, with clear Bible explanation, sensitive application and good illustrations. Amidst the prevailing voices of our culture Sandom provides a loud and clear call to rediscover and relate within God's designed differences.

Different by Design is available from Amazon and for Kindle.

Biblical Marriage

On Sunday morning I was preaching from Genesis 2, on the way in which God provides in his wonderful creation. Now in every sermon situation, there is always more material than can be fitted in to the allotted time. There might be some really interesting asides and pieces of information and gems that just don't fit into the sermon as preached. And if that's the case on a regular sermon, then how much more in Genesis 2. By focusing on the God who provides, it wasn't possible to unpack everything the passage says about men and women, and marriage.

Now, if you've been around the internet on blogs or Twitter or Facebook, you might have seen a campaign picture that looks a little something like this:

The point being made is that there are lots of different permutations and combinations of marriage in the Bible, and therefore Christians are wrong / bigots / dumb to insist on one man and one woman in a mutually exclusive public union until death.

The fact is that although we're told about Abraham's dealings with a concubine or David's many wives or Solomon's 700 wives and 300 concubines, those pieces of information are presented as that - information, not recommendation. Those accounts are descriptive, telling us how it was; but they are not proscriptive, telling us how we should do it. You only have to follow the story to see the mess they get into by going their own way.

Abraham (Abram) and Sarah (Sarai) have received the promise of a son from God, but they don't believe it will happen, so Sarai takes matters into her own hands, giving her servant Hagar to Abraham. Ishmael is born, but he is not the child of promise.

David falls into adultery by a slippery slope of 1. not going to war to lead his people in battle; 2. spying Bathsheba bathing naked on her roof; 3. committing adultery with her in his head; 4. committing adultery with her in his bed; 5. murdering her husband to cover up the affair.

Solomon's many foreign wives lead him astray from the worship of the Lord by their idolatry, sowing the seeds of Israel and Judah's fatal split, and eventually Jerusalem's ruin.

We're told of these various permutations of relationships and the ways in which some of the Bible's leading characters messed things up, not out of approval, but as a warning.

In order for us to understand what marriage is, we must go back to the Creator's original plan, as revealed in Genesis 2:

'But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. 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. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 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."

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.' (Genesis 2:20-25)

God is the first matchmaker, bringing together man and woman, Adam and Eve, in the first marriage. In the mathematics of it, one plus one equals one. One man and one woman, publicly joined together become one flesh.

We know this is the key text on marriage because it is the foundation for everything else the Bible teaches about marriage:

This is the passage Jesus turns to when he addresses human sexuality, marriage and divorce: 'Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female...' (Matthew 19:4) In this passage Jesus continues by pointing out that divorce was only permitted later, by Moses, because of the hardness of the hearts of the people. The Creator's intention is that marriage is lifelong: 'What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.' (Matt 19:6)

This is also the passage that Paul turns to in Ephesians 5 as he advises wives to obey their husbands, and husbands to love their wives - because Genesis 2 is the pattern of human marriage, which itself is a picture and patterned on the relationship between Jesus and his church. The eternal unity of Christ and his church is displayed in God's pattern for marriage, a coming together and unity of husband and wife.

When we call for biblical marriage, this is what we're looking to - God's design for marriage, according to his purpose and plan, instituted before the Fall. We acknowledge that we don't always get it right, but we know that the pattern points to the Lord Jesus who loved his bride so much that he gave his life for her - for us - so that, despite our sin, we might spend eternity with him at the marriage supper of the Lamb.

General Synod 2012

It's been about five years since I've been a member of General Synod, at that time a lay member from Dromore diocese. On ordination, I had missed out on the clerical elections in Down diocese in 2008, and I moved to Clogher diocese about two weeks after the deadline to stand in the clerical elections last year. I voted for our clerical Synodsmen, but couldn't stand. So I've been following the news and updates from Christ Church Cathedral Dublin from General Synod of the Church of Ireland 2012 from afar, thanks to the twitter feed and some facebook updates from various sources.

News emerging from Dublin are that the General Synod have passed the following motion in its session today:

The General Synod affirms that:
The Church of Ireland, mindful of the Preamble and Declaration, believes and accepts the Holy Scriptures as revealing all things necessary for eternal salvation through faith in Jesus Christ;

The Church of Ireland continues to uphold its teaching that marriage is part of God’s creation and a holy mystery in which one man and one woman become one flesh, as provided for in Canon 31:

‘The Church of Ireland affirms, according to our Lord’s teaching that marriage is in its purpose a union permanent and life–long, for better or worse, till death do them part, of one man with one woman, to the exclusion of all others on either side, for the procreation and nurture of children, for the hallowing and right direction of the natural instincts and affections, and for the mutual society, help and comfort which the one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adversity.’

The Church of Ireland recognises for itself and of itself, no other understanding of marriage than that provided for in the totality of Canon 31. The Churchof Ireland teaches therefore that faithfulness within marriage is the only normative context for sexual intercourse. Members of the Church of Ireland are required by the Catechism to keep their bodies in ‘temperance, soberness and chastity’. Clergy are called in the Ordinal to be ‘wholesome examples and patterns to the flock of Jesus Christ’.

The Church of Ireland welcomes all people to be members of the Church. It is acknowledged, however, that members of the Church have at times hurt and wounded people by words and actions, in relation to human sexuality.

Therefore, in order that the Church of Ireland is experienced as a ‘safe place’ and enabled in its reflection, the Church of Ireland affirms:

A continuing commitment to love our neighbour, and opposition to all unbiblical and uncharitable actions and attitudes in respect of human sexuality from whatever perspective, including bigotry, hurtful words or actions, and demeaning or damaging language;

A willingness to increase our awareness of the complex issues regarding human sexuality;

A determination to welcome and to make disciples of all people.

The Church of Ireland is mindful that for all who believe ‘there is no distinction’ and that ‘all have sinned and come short of the glory of God’ (Romans 3:22–23) and are in need of God’s grace and mercy. We seek to be a community modelled on God’s love for the world as revealed in Jesus Christ. We wish that all members of the Church, through the teaching of the scriptures, the nourishment of the sacraments, and the prayerful and pastoral support of a Christian community will fulfil their unique contribution to God’s purposes for our world.

The General Synod requests the Standing Committee to progress work on the issue of Human Sexuality in the Context of Christian Belief and also to bring a proposal to General Synod 2013 for the formation of a Select Committee with terms of reference including reporting procedures. [ENDS]

The voting numbers were: Clergy: 81-53; Lay: 154-60; Bishops: 10-2.

Sexual Purity: Resources

Following on from last night's sermon on adultery (of the body and of the heart), I thought it might be useful to compile some links to good resources on the issue if you're particularly struggling in this area. As well as highlighting some good free stuff available on the internet, it also means that if you want to buy a book, you can do so over the internet rather than being embarrassed buying it from your church bookstall or local Christian bookshop.

Internet Resources

Tim Challies, the well-known Christian blogger, compiled a series of blog articles on getting out of porn, now also available as an E-Book called Sexual Detox.

Mark Driscoll has an E-Book called Porn Again Christian.

There's also the great website xxxchurch exposing and preventing porn, as well as providing accountability software and support for those trying to quit.

Books

Tim Chester's book is excellent on the issue of porn: Captured by a Better Vision. (Reviewed here).

Arterburn and Stoeker have a number of books out, including Every Man's Battle and for single guys Every Young Man's Battle.

If you know of other good resources, mention them in the comments and we'll include them in updates of this page.

Sermon: Matthew 5: 27-32 No Adultery

To misquote the old Wet Wet Wet song, adultery is all around. You only have to turn on the television, read a newspaper, or maybe even watch your neighbours. Adultery is all around. Whether it’s reports of the latest celebrity marriage going down the pan (most recently, Wayne Rooney and his wife Colleen), or your favourite soap stars who seem to be playing musical beds, you just can’t get away from it.

As we come to the seventh commandment, we read the five words: ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ Those words are plain and clear, but in order to hear their full force, first we need to take a step back to consider the context. To think about adultery and unfaithfulness, first, we should remind ourselves of God’s good gift of sex within marriage.

We go right back to Genesis 2, where those familiar words from the marriage service are found. ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.’ (Gen 2:24). This is the pattern of God’s good gift: one man, one woman in covenant faithfulness, the right and proper place for intimacy and the enjoyment of sex. It’s important to remind ourselves of this, because often Christians can appear to be anti-sex. Nothing could be further from the truth. We must affirm what God has affirmed, that sex is good, in its proper context of marriage.

So it’s no surprise, then, when we come to Mount Sinai, after the children of Israel have been rescued from Egypt, and God is giving them the law, the ten commandments, that we find no adultery as one of the ten. our duty to our neighbour includes not committing adultery.

What is adultery? Simply put, it is to have sex with someone who is not your husband or wife. To deny the marriage vow, and to rip apart what God has joined together. The law is a reflection of God’s character, and so, just as God keeps his promise, keeps his covenant, he calls us to do the same. To be faithful in our covenant promises to our husband or wife (which is why Jesus prohibits divorce except in particular circumstances in verse 31 - the marriage commitment is for life, not just while it suits us, unless our partner has broken it already).

Why does God need to include it in the ten? Because, just as with all God’s good gifts to us, we are quick to exploit and abuse his gift of sex. While most people think that sexual immorality only came about through the so-called sexual revolution of the 1960s, ever since sin entered the world sex has been twisted by sin. Tonight we’re going to think about two particular ways in which God’s good gift has been destroyed - through the adultery of the body; and adultery of the heart. Then we’ll briefly think about how to enjoy God’s good gift.

In verse 27, we find the first way God’s good gift is destroyed - the adultery of the body. Here, Jesus quotes the seventh commandment, and you can imagine the pious self-righteous Pharisees puffing themselves up, thinking to themselves ‘I’ve never done that...’ Perhaps we can think the same - that’s another one off the list, check.

Is this commandment just an opportunity for us to look down on others? Are we a step nearer heaven if we avoid sexual relations with someone who isn’t our husband or wife? Can we breathe easy and concentrate on trying to keep the next commandment (and snooze during the rest of the sermon)?

We will all agree (hopefully!) that adultery is wrong, but before we go congratulating ourselves on being perfect in this regard, we need to hear Jesus as he continues to speak. As we’ve seen with some of the other commandments, Jesus moves from the outward conformity to the inner attitude. And it’s here that we find the second way God’s good gift is destroyed - by adultery of the heart.

‘You have heard that it was said... But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.’ Now, ladies, just because Jesus addresses men here doesn’t mean that you’re off the hook. The same principle applies for you as well.

Suddenly we move from congratulation to conviction. Adultery in the heart is still adultery. It may be unseen by anyone else, with no dangerous deeds and illicit liaisons risking being caught, but adultery in the heart is still adultery. So those ‘at least I didn’t...’ just don’t count.

Sometimes when I’m driving, I’ll have Radio Ulster on, and if it’s early afternoon, I’ll realise that I’ve got Hugo Duncan on, and swiftly turn over! But a few weeks back I left it on, and heard the following lyrics: ‘I can say I’ve never been unfaithful, but I can’t say it’s never crossed my mind.’ I don’t know who was singing, but those words immediately stuck with me - it’s precisely what Jesus is saying about adultery of the heart. Adultery in the heart is still adultery. Adultery in the mind is still adultery.

Or if Hugo Duncan isn’t your generation, what about Jason Derulo? One of his first songs said this: ‘In my head I see you all over me, in my head you fulfil my fantasy...’ and so on. Adultery, sex outside of the marriage commitment, in the head is still adultery.

So what is it that you think of? Or perhaps to phrase it more directly, who is it that you think of? They may be someone you know, or they may be a celebrity. Are you committing adultery in your heart, by unfaithfulness to your marriage partner; or if you’re not married, by unfaithfulness to your future husband or wife, or by unfaithfulness to your current single state of chastity.

But you may have noticed that Jesus went even further than just the heart - by specifically mentioning the eyes. ‘I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent...’ Jesus seems to be saying that adultery in the heart begins with this lustful look.

Remember King David’s affair with Bathsheba? How did it begin? ‘It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman... So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her.’ (2 Sam 11:2-4). David saw (with lustful intent) and then sent for her.

Looking with lust is adultery in the heart. Yet you don’t have to exist for very long before you realise that our society is obsessed with sex, and with providing and promoting material for the eyes. The advertisers know that sex sells, everything from fast cars to potato crisps (recent ads in Belfast); so-called Mens Magazines are full of scantily clad (if even), airbrushed models in more graphic poses than extreme pornographic publications from twenty years ago are on sale in newsagents and supermarkets in plain view of children and anyone else. Tim Chester, in his very helpful book ‘Captured by a Better Vision’ talks about the pornified culture. Then there’s the unnecessary sex scenes in a wide range of movies and TV programmes, both after the watershed and before; and porn is just a mouse click away on the internet. Millions of images and opportunities for lustful thoughts. And that’s not to mention the people we know, work with, go to school with, or pass on the street.

Jesus is not saying that men should not look at women at all - or that women should cover up in a burkha like Muslim women. As John Stott says, we all know the difference between looking and lusting. And because we know the difference, we recognise the sin in our life. Conviction, rather than congratulation. Adultery in the heart is still adultery.

So what can we do about it? Jesus proposes a radical remedy, which sounds shocking. ‘If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell...’ Your eye and your hand - if they’re the cause of sin, get rid of them.

Jesus is not demanding to be taken literally here - after all, to remove your right eye will still leave your left for lustful looks, and even if both eyes are removed, you can still lust in your heart... Rather, he is saying that we need to be firm with sin in our life. It’s mortification, not mutilation that Jesus is teaching. Tough on sin, tough on the causes of sin. So if you use your eyes to glimpse the magazine covers in the newsagents, act as if you were blind and look away at something else. Avoid them completely! If you hand is clicking on those websites, then stop clicking there! Cut it right out of your life. Don’t play with temptation; don’t toy with sin - you’re more vulnerable and weak than you imagine.

As Job says, ‘I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin.?’ (Job 31:1) If you’re struggling with this, make that covenant with your eyes. Stop looking lustfully - for the sake of your marriage, and for your own sake! Get help - ask a Christian friend to ask those difficult questions; to come alongside and help you through. Get Tim Chester’s book and resolve to change, and do it!

There’s one last thing to say, and this is a very important thing to say. Sometimes the church can appear to suggest that the worst type of sin is sexual sin, as if there’s a league table of respectable sins and notorious sins. The truth is that all of us are sinners, and all of us need to know that the Gospel is a message of grace. Christ Jesus came into the world to do what? To save sinners. It’s not that Jesus died for every other type of sin apart from sexual sin. So whether it’s the obvious adultery plain to all, or the hidden but still sinful adultery of the heart, the good news is that Jesus died for your sin. No sin is too bad to be forgiven.

Turn with me to 1 Corinthians 6:9. Paul is writing to the church in Corinth which was in a mess. All sorts of immorality and quarrelling; in a city with all sorts of immorality going on. If you’ve been convicted tonight, then you might find yourself in this list:

‘Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. BUT you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.’ (1 Cor 6:9-11)

This sermon was preached in St Elizabeth's Church, Dundonald on Sunday 7th November 2010 in a series on the Ten Commandments.

Book Review: Captured by a Better Vision

Pornography is perhaps one of the great unspoken issues in the church. Statistics and surveys suggest that many men (and women) who are Christians struggle with temptation in this area, but it's rarely discussed or dealt with.

Tim Chester is doing something about it in this great book which addresses the issue frankly, but faithfully. Primarily written for men (although women may also find it useful), Chester identifies the epidemic of porn which has arisen through an increasingly permissive society, and new technologies which make it easier to access. From there, he first discusses twelve helpful and revealing reasons why porn is wrong; then digs deeper to find the root cause of pursuing pornography - the heart.

In one of the most helpful sections, Chester exposes the false promises that porn makes, and corrects them with the greater promises of God - for example, porn may offer refuge from the pressures of the world; but God promises true refuge, redemption, and salvation. Indeed, while the book is primarily addressing the particular problem of porn, it could be usefully applied to any and all sin in men's lives through the incisive exposure of the root causes and heart motivation (with the caveat the author supplies, that 'reading about porn is dangerous').

For those who have struggled with porn and sexual temptation, this book will be a real help, as Chester lays out the five ingredients of combating temptation: Abhorrence of porn, adoration of God, assurance of grace, avoidance of temptation, and accountability to others. It's not enough to try one thing on its own, but to use all these weapons together, finding greater pleasure in God than in porn; replacing a vicious cycle with a virtuous cycle in seeking to live for the glory of God.

The closing section is brilliant, in the form of a guided meditation through Psalm 51, and is almost worth the price of the book for this alone!

Captured by a Better Vision: Living Porn-free is a great book, not just for those who struggle with porn, or those who are pastoring those who are struggling, but also for men in general to think through their sins (whatever they are), and to continue in a life of repentance every day. While church bookstalls may stock it, there could be a reluctance among men to buy it from there, so perhaps an online order may be the best and easiest for this book!

The Tron on General Assembly

St George's Tron Church in Glasgow is one of the leading evangelical churches in the Church of Scotland, and the base of Cornhill Scotland. Their minister, Willie Philip made a statement on the decision of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland to uphold the appointment of a minister living with his male partner.

The disappointment is evident, and yet he makes some great points as the Tron looks to the future. He acknowledges that fellowship in the Kirk is damaged, but affirms fellowship, partnership in the gospel with those who hold to God's word. To that end, the elders decided not to hold an offering at the service, as most of the offering goes to central Church Funds, and they won't be sending money into the central funds. Instead, they will fund gospel work, both within the Scottish churches, and elsewhere. And finally, they will not be moving from their building in the very heart of Glasgow city centre - it's a great mission base, so why leave and abandon it for others to come in to preach a false gospel and a false Jesus?

He also makes the key point that all of us struggle with sin, and especially sexual sin, but we are not to condone it. Rather, the church's reaction should be to encourage each other to struggle with sin, to fight against it, not give in and sanctify it.

At the heart of all that he says, is the assertion that the denomination is NOT the church. The denomination, whether the Church of Scotland, the Church of Ireland, the Baptist Union or whatever, is just a grouping of local churches, a grouping of congregations. The important church unit is the congregation, not the denomination.

Interesting times.

McFlurry's McLinks (2)

With encouragement from Daniel, I'm going to stick with McFlurry's McLinks. So here's another batch of cool reads for you to go and check out.

Politics is big in the news at present, with the current expenses scandal at Westminster, James Cary thinks about leadership.

And, while there's tonnes of election discussion and debate going on at Slugger O'Toole, I preferred Dave Wiggins' guide to the European Election Candidates.

Several new blogs have recently emerged, one from Phil Howe, who thought about the false gospel of rules, rules, rules. The other isn't a blog about mathematical multiplication frustration, despite its name being Flippin Tables.

In this week when the Church of Scotland General Assembly will hear an appeal against the Presbytery of Aberdeen inducting a minister living in a homosexual relationship, the Fellowship of Confessing Churches has been gathering support.

On the same theme, Kevin DeYoung has posted an analysis of the liberal strategy, entitled Death by Dialogue, as the introduction to a sermon on Leviticus 18 which is being posted in four sections: sexual sin, homosexual activity, God's holiness, and the application.

And for some light relief, there's a Lot of truth in this cartoon.

Refreshing The Vision

Last night I was present at the evening in St Saviour's Church, Dollingstown (one of my training parishes), hosted by the Evangelical Fellowship of Irish Clergy (EFIC). The speaker was the Archbishop of Sydney, Peter Jensen, who spoke on 'Refreshing The Vision.'

The vision to be refreshed is that of the (Anglican) Church's commitment to the Lordship of Jesus Christ over His Church, and of recognising God's authority in the Bible. It was a stirring, and very challenging, call to stand for the faith once delivered to the saints, in the midst of worldwide turmoil as the Church departs from the Scriptures in the area of human sexuality.

Speaking from Jeremiah 9:12-26, he pointed out three major things, as God spoke to the Old Testament Church, which God is still speaking to the Church today:

1. The crisis Jeremiah is dealing with came about because the people of God turned away from his word. It was, essentially, a crisis of authority - would they listen to and obey God's voice, or would they listen to and obey the world, the flesh and the devil? 'Because they have forsaken my law that I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice or walked in accord with it, but have stubbornly followed after their own hearts and have gone after the Baals, as their fathers taught them' (verses 13-14)

2. The crisis is the unleashing of God's wrath against his disobedient people. In verses 15-22, we see the terrible picture of the Lord's judgement in Israel, and judgement always comes first on the Church. Part of the current problems is that we haven't taken sin seriously at all - rather there is the 'sanctifying of sin' - saying that sin and our sinful actions aren't actually a problem. The 'inclusive Jesus' is spoken about, without the call to repentance, the call to change.

3. The Lord's people ought to be like the LORD - both in understanding and knowing Him, and in practicing steadfast love, justice and righteousness, because in these things, the LORD delights.

In another post, I'll write some more on his thoughts on the implications of the current crisis in Anglicanism, as well as what is needed in this hour. But even the above provides food for thought.

Listening to your Wife

Listening to your wife is a good thing. Talking and listening - really listening is an essential part of the developing marriage. It's how we grow closer together. And yet, the surprising thing is that twice in the early chapters of Genesis, we're presented with two times when listening to a wife was a manifestly bad thing.

Consider Adam. The world was recently created, and he was enjoying the first marriage, to his wife Eve. Everything was wonderful and new. They had a close relationship with God, but then something messed it up. Sin entered the world through the eating of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve recognised they were naked, and went to hide themselves before God arrived for his evening stroll in the garden.

God confronts Adam and Eve, and unfolds the curse on the virgin world in three parts to the serpent, to Eve, and finally to Adam. Note what God says to Adam:

Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it', cursed is the ground because of you; (Genesis 3:17)

Adam listening to his wife was part of the disobedience, precisely because Eve had said something that was contrary to God's will. The implication is that Adam listened to his wife rather than listening to God.

Again, we find a similar situation with Abraham, the father of faith. Abraham, you might remember, had been promised great things by God. Among them, "I will make of you a great nation" (Genesis 12:2). To be a nation required at the very least, a son. A child, an heir.

Yet time's a passing and still no child. Sarai is as barren as the Sahara desert, and Abraham is old himself. So Abraham asks the LORD what's going on. Once again, the promise comes: 'This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir' (Genesis 15:4). Promises are fine things, but still nothing, so Sarai comes up with a brainwave. As she seems to be the problem, perhaps surrogacy is the solution.

And Sarai said to Abram, "Behold now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. (Genesis 16:2)

Abraham listens to the voice of his wife, again, against the advice, voice and promise of God, and Ishmael is born to Hagar, the servant-girl. Fourteen years after Ishmael is born, finally the son of promise, Isaac, is born. Yet things were problematic in the Abraham household. Why? Because Abraham listened to the voice of his wife.

Now please don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying you should never listen to your wife. Listening to your wife is good and proper. But if it takes over from listening to God, if it leads you away from believing and trusting God, then it's not a good thing!