G.P Hugenberger on “The Biblical Ethics of War”

old testament genocide

As promised, we weren’t able to go into detail today in 1 Samuel 15 into a biblical answer for a common objective, “Doesn’t the Bible condone genocide in the Old Testament?” I wanted to provide a helpful biblical treatise on the subject by Dr. Gordon Hugenberger from 2001 at Park Street Church in Boston, MA.

You can read it here: Biblical Ethics of War – Hugenberger

You can also reference Dr. Gordon Hugenberger’s sermon on 1 Samuel 15 that spends much more time on this issue. Stream it here: https://www.parkstreet.org/war-and-discipleship

Advertisement

Leave a comment

Filed under Sermon

Some Thoughts on the President’s Executive Order on Immigration

syrian refugee
This past Sunday, several folks took note that we did not mention the controversy surrounding the recent executive order by the President – to halt access to the United States for people who hold citizenship from seven distinct countries for a period of time. According to the White House, this order was instituted until a more formal and intensive vetting process can be implemented that will aid the United States in protecting our citizens from possible terrorist activities, like we have witnessed in France and Belgium of late. So, the order is meant to be temporary, but many are outraged by the signals it is sending and the collateral damage which is taking place.

While we all agree that we need to do our best to curtail attacks like those recently in Europe, many Americans, including Christians, are saddened and frustrated that this executive order seemed to single out Muslims and has been poorly executed; thus, the collateral damage is too high. Furthermore, for Christians, it is a contradiction of our Biblical call to aid the refugees among us. So, why did we not address it? I thought some Q&A might help us get to the salient points in a brief manner.

Why did we not address the executive order?
Let me begin by saying that this Presidency is probably going to have intensely controversial news cycles, in a unique way. CHBC is just not going to be able to address all of them, in an orderly and Biblically objective matter, without stressing our community and without getting in the way of our primary mission. Certain things will be ‘big’ enough that we will address them, but realize that current events are happening so quickly, with tremendous changes by the hour, that we will not be able to both keep up or digest without our thoughts and positions being outdated within days or even hours.

But also, take into account that speaking into these issues is very, very complex. We want to take the Gospel path each time, and the minute we begin to speak into government policies that do not necessarily encumber the inner working of our church or our religious freedoms directly, we are prone to a partisan pathway, even if that is not our intention. We can always use the moment to talk about what Christians believe, and how we want to live, but we are not a geopolitical entity. We are the church. More on that later.

Having said that, we may address this, but right now we are praying for wisdom. Please pray for us and with us.

How do we determine what is ‘big’ enough to discuss publicly?
Unlike past issues, the events of late started just days before our church service and data was very conflicted in the headlines. Last year, we did address homosexuality when gay rights issues were big in the headlines. The difference there was that the President and the Court were beginning to make rulings that affected the inner workings of the church and other religious institutions. The issue was not just gay marriage, but potentially the hiring practices of churches, what we had freedom to teach, our freedoms as business owners, how we managed our facilities, healthcare provisions, etc. Religious freedom was on the line, so we responded with information that we believe was directly relevant to the Body of Christ here at the Bible Church. Likewise, in the past two years, we have formally responded to race relation issues, etc.

In this situation, although we want to think publicly and do our best to shape a good and just society as much as possible from a Gospel perspective, this is about the status and policies of a geopolitical entity, the United States. You see, the Bible governs the life of the covenant community. Nowhere do you see God speaking to the governmental affairs of Babylon, or Persia, or Rome. God’s Word directs how Israel is to live faithfully within those places, but there is no command to Babylon on how to treat its borders, its immigrants, or its refugees. Israel is commanded to care for refugees among them, as well as the poor and the orphans. The Torah does not even stipulate that we go looking for the refugee, or make sure that they have easy access to our general society. It only talks about those who make their way to us and want to fellowship with us.

So, churches like ours will continue to do our best to obey God’s command to us, the church. We certainly want true refugees to have access to the benefits of our country, and we should try and influence toward that end. But, the executive order is an issue of geopolitical policy. Though you might strongly disagree with it, is not an issue of Biblical corruption. Let us not conflate America with the church, in other words. We are still free to love the refugee among us, and we do, and we will.

So, how will we handle controversial governmental decisions or policies that are not governing our internal workings, but strike at the heart of Biblical concerns?

  1. The leadership will stay current, do our best to digest and process information, and use wisdom.
  2. We will pray. We all need to pray. We need to ask for wisdom. We need to pray for our nation’s leaders.
  3. We will measure everything by the Scriptures and do our best to figure out how to respond, and/or if a public response is necessary.
  4. The leadership is always available to talk in person.
  5. We may respond publicly, but not necessarily from the pulpit. With our new communications director, we can now more effectively utilize videos, e-newsletters, blogging, etc.
  6. We will most likely give preference to issues that are sustained, not quickly evolving, and that affect the inner workings of the church and the general issue of religious freedoms.

How can we process all of this in general?
Keep the Bible in one hand. In the other hand, keep both Christian and secular sources. Keep things to the left and to the right. For example, on Monday I painted my daughter’s bathroom. While I painted, I had the news on. For half the time I played CNN, the other half I played Fox News. The difference was amazing. Same data. Conflicting data. Totally different interpretations. Different angles. Our congregation is very diverse, politically. You can only imagine what it would be like to speak into this with folks that have different interpretive lenses on the data, and sometimes there is conflicting data.

So, with all of that, remember you have the Bible in your other hand. The Bible is the grid. Read it. When an issue comes up, look it up in the Bible. Use a concordance. Ask a pastor for guidance. Bring it up in Life Group. Use the Word to guide your path.

Absolutely, let’s care deeply. This is not about our hearts scaling over. However, let’s be dignified and show the good works of the Holy Spirit in how we respond to our friends, colleagues, and family members who might view these issues from a political lens, rather than a Biblical lens… especially on our favorite social media channels.

Blessings,

Pastor Jay Thomas
Lead Pastor at Chapel Hill Bible Church

P.S. – Some of you might feel like this is a “cop out”. Being a Gospel-centered (versus partisan) church is always going to make a tribe or group feel like their side was not addressed. All of us will feel that way as we seek to avoid the left and the right, yet follow the third way of the Biblical Gospel. I guarantee you that at some point you will feel on the ‘in’ and others will feel on the ‘out’. Our goal is not to be formed by the world, but by God’s Word. Let’s try and do that to the best of our ability.

In either case, we will not be silent or cautious due to pressure. We will do so out of desire to glorify God and love our neighbor.

3 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

A quick word on the election

1 Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

UNconditional Grace

Our church is ‘chewing’ on 2 Timothy right now. We are re-discovering the beauty and benefits of an expositional ministry; that is, a Bible-centered life as a local church such that Jesus is continually meditated upon and worshiped through God’s revelation of Him through the Scriptures.

Next to Bible reading itself, I highly commend books that are themselves expositions of important Biblical themes. I have been reading The Whole Christ: Legalism, Antinomianism, and Gospel Assurance – Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters, written by Scottish theologian Sinclair Ferguson. Like expository sermons, expository books can be used by the Holy Spirit in magnificent ways. This morning, as I was finishing the third chapter, I was slayed by this closing paragraph: Speaking of the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15, Ferguson writes, “After all, how can an elder brother be comfortable at a party when he still wonders if his once-prodigal brother has been sorry enough for his sin and sufficiently ashamed of his faults?”

Oh, how conditional I can be with grace, which dis-graces grace. How often I hold back forgiveness and active love because I don’t see enough external contrition! Woe is me! Please join me in this prayer:

Father, I confess that I am too often like the older brother in Jesus’ parable. I am not comfortable with how lavish you are with grace. I would rather see more tested and approved contrition. I want to see groveling. I want to see punishment. I ask for your forgiveness. That is not what grace is. Your grace is UNconditional. It is only conditioned upon Christ and his work for me. Please transform me by the power of your Spirit to believe that kind of grace for myself, the chief of sinners, so I can grow as a conduit of that grace toward others, especially those closest to me. I ask this in Jesus’ precious name. Amen.

1 Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

“Life only has meaning/I only have worth if…

This was compiled from Tim Keller’s book Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters.

https://www.amazon.com/Counterfeit-Gods-Empty-Promises-Matters/dp/1594485496

“Life only has meaning/I only have worth if…

  1. I have power and influence over others.” (Power Idolatry)
  2. I am loved and respected by _____.” (Approval Idolatry)
  3. I have this kind of pleasure experience, a particular quality of life.” (Comfort idolatry)
  4. I am able to get mastery over my life in the area of _____.” (Control idolatry)
  5. people are dependent on me and need me.” (Helping Idolatry)
  6. someone is there to protect me and keep me safe.” (Dependence idolatry)
  7. I am completely free from obligations or responsibilities to take care of someone.” (Independence idolatry)
  8. I am highly productive and getting a lot done.” (Work idolatry)
  9. I am being recognized for my accomplishments, and I am excelling in my work.” (Achievement idolatry)
  10. I have a certain level of wealth, financial freedom, and very nice possessions.” (Materialism idolatry)
  11. I am adhering to my religion’s moral codes and accomplished in its activities.” (Religion idolatry)
  12. This one person is in my life and happy to be there, and/or happy with me.” (Individual person idolatry)
  13. I feel I am totally independent of organized religion and am living by a self-made morality.” (Irreligion idolatry)
  14. My race and culture is ascendant and recognized as superior.” (Racial/cultural idolatry)
  15. A particular social grouping or professional grouping or other group lets me in.” (Inner ring idolatry)
  16. My children and/or my parents are happy and happy with me.” (Family idolatry)
  17. or Ms. “Right” is in love with me.” (Relationship Idolatry)
  18. I am hurting, in a problem; only then do I feel worthy of love or able to deal with guilt.” (Suffering idolatry)
  19. my political or social cause is making progress and ascending in influence or power.” (Ideology idolatry)
  20. I have a particular kind of look or body image.” (Image idolatry)

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Annual Meeting!

Friends, a friendly reminder that if you are a member of the Chapel Hill Bible Church please make it a priority to attend and participate with us at our annual meeting this Sunday, June 5th, starting at 3:30 PM with a dessert social, the meeting to start officially at 4PM.

Our annual meeting is primarily a time to celebrate what God has done in the past year in and through our church, as well as to prayerfully anticipate what He has for us in the year ahead. While affirming our budget through a vote is part of that endeavor, we want to frame all of it in worship, prayer, and unity. The budget before us is significant, in that our next few years will be committed to see our mission and value for the next generation significantly grown as we invest in an expanded facility and the ministry it will enable us to have. If you are passionate about that future and are all-in with serving Jesus with us, please come and make your partnership known this Sunday! If you have children, we will be providing childcare.

Finally, let’s be praying and lifting up our annual meeting to the Lord, that it would be worshipful, prayerful, unifying, and that it build great Gospel-driven expectancy in all of us!

Blessings,

Jay

1 Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Revival: The Expansion of our Hearts, our Mission, and our Building

Here is a video that will explain where we believe the Lord is leading us as a church. I hope you find it informative, but more than that I hope it inspires your hearts in light of what God has for us as a church.

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Loving Forward

I like to listen/watch sermons from other preachers. The other day I decided to watch a sermon by the Senior Pastor of Colonial Baptist Church in Cary. I have heard he is a gifted expositor. He is. I believe Colonial was planted  by Pastor Davey in the 80’s. It is a large church and has experienced significant growth through the years, which has entailed several building projects. I have driven by their campus once, and it is indeed beautiful. Clearly, many have been quite generous to establish that kind of brick and mortar presence as a post for the gospel in the Triangle.

Back to that sermon. There was a moment in the sermon I watched where Pastor Davey was recollecting the early years. He recalled how that much smaller group of people had a vision for a church in the future, and they sacrificially gave because they had the people in the current church in mind. I believe Pastor Davey looked at the people in front of him and said: they had you in mind and they were generous for you.

I love that. I love the picture of a group of Christians who are willing to dig down and give generously for people they have not even met yet. I imagine savings were liquidated, vacations were simplified, used cars were purchased instead of new ones, niceties were forgone for a year or two, and/or people who did not give began to give even though it initially felt alien. Why? To glorify God, I hope, but in that vein to bless future generations who would be impacted by the Gospel in that church.

I pray that would be our heart here at CHBC, too. As we consider expanding our facilities, it is our desire not to use the Triangle to make us a great church; but for our church to be useful to the Triangle, for Christ’s sake. Imagine with me a church five, ten, fifteen years down the road. Imagine people impacted by the Gospel who will be part of our community and mission in large part because we enabled our facilities to impact and bless them.

May we love forward.

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Preparing for a Re-Vision Campaign

I am not sure we are going to officially call the season ahead of us as a church a Re-Vision campaign. One, that word can be confusing and ‘they’ say a brand should not need much explaining. But, for the sake of this blog I thought it would be quaint to call our upcoming campaign a Re-Vision campaign as a combination of the two words Revival and Vision. Those two words are what I am asking God for as we proceed to follow him into a season of increased ministry impact. This impact, we believe, will involve us addressing additional space needs for our church. But, the point of even addressing those needs is the greater purpose of becoming a church more equipped, more passionate about, more committed to, more anchored in, more depended upon the Holy Spirit, in order to be used of God in greater ways here in the Triangle and even in the world. I hope to begin a series of blogs as we approach this re-vision campaign. So, I certainly don’t mean revision in terms of changing our theology or our mission, or that things are broken and need to be fixed. What I mean is that God likes to send fresh vision to his people in order to lead them into deeper relationship with Him. We believe he is doing that for us now.

I want to begin by simply putting before you a list of prayer requests for this campaign. In these requests, I hope you see your pastor’s heart, I desire for you to see your leaders’ hearts, I want you to see the realities behind a potential brick and mortar project, and I long that we all hunger for revival in deeper ways. Here you go:

Please pray that…

We seek God’s face together

Our desire to invest in our church would be driven by kingdom vision

Our leadership will lead with utmost integrity, earnestness, transparency, and wisdom

We all grow not just in a willingness to give generously to this campaign but that we become more generous in general

Principled givers would become influencers in other people’s lives out of their experience of joyful giving

Irregular givers become regular

Non-givers become so taken by the Gospel that the idea of giving away lots of money as a lifestyle would be seen as a joy producing and grace bestowing life

People would receive Christ during our campaign

Those who feel distant and indifferent about our church would become connected and inspired

Money would not be the only gift we give, but many would become generous with time and talent, too

Some who will not or cannot be inspired by our church would make the hard but wise decision to consider what kind of church would inspire them to taste and see the goodness of God, if not this one

God would lead all of us in a unified sense of his will concerning a building and increased ministry impact and that we would believe he will provide

We ask boldly of God, trusting he can absolutely astonish us at how he will provide

We would all grow in sanctification in general during this campaign

If we end up with a beautiful building addition and other resources for ministry, we will be good stewards of such things

Most of all, God would receive great glory!!!!

 

4 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Approaching Halloween

Leave a comment

October 27, 2015 · 5:46 pm