These past 3 months have gone by very quickly. A lot of stuff happened towards the end of last year that could have justified my being very unhappy. I've written about that. Really, I am more happy now than I have been in a while. I just carry a different outlook on things. The Lord has really reined me in. He has given me a ministry that is in the pre-production stage. I have the ability to teach the Word, which is my passion (even though I don't spend near enough time in it). He's blessed me with a relationship that I am very happy in. I've lived, I've learned, I have scars. I've broken hearts. I'm not proud of everything my life has yielded, but through it all God has remained faithful. I still don't know what I'll be doing after May, or where I'll be, but I do know that God is faithful. I just have to be faithful in the here and now.
That being said, I read an article by Albert Mohler about how Christian leaders have a duty to have a digital presence and a digital ministry now. I have this blog that I have neglected over the past year or so, and I have a Facebook page. Really, that's more than I need in my opinion. I've been focusing a lot on Romans this year since I've been called up to teach it in Sunday School. Currently, my class is stalled in Romans 3 because we've had different situations arise. But really Romans 1 and 2 are heavy-hitters. I won't post all of my notes on here, but I will give some basic food for thought of what we can learn from Romans 1 and 2 so far.
In Romans 1, all authority is given to God. God calls His servants, and he judges sin. Paul's point in all of this is that God is completely sovereign. We humans don't get to decide anything. Paul lists many sins at the end of Romans 1, but the main sins he focuses on are that we humans A) knowingly rejected God, and B) worship idols. I don't mean wooden, golden, etc. idols. I mean an idol is anything we focus on more, or desire more, than God Himself. So, right off the bat we are all guilty. We then look at the list of sins ranging from homosexuality to disobedience to parents, and that's where Christians are so quick to point fingers and compare notes. Sorry, that's not the point. The point is that we are all sinners, and we are all equally guilty in God's eyes. We have all rejected Him. We are all screwed.
Then it goes right into Romans 2. Paul is speaking to the Jewish people concerning their responsibilities for ministry to the Gentile population. Here on this side of the Cross, we can change "Jew" to "believer" and "Gentile" to "non-believer". We Christians cannot judge others for their sins because we sin. Now, that does NOT mean that there is NOT a wrath or condemnation for sin. It means that WE are not the judges. God is the Judge. Paul is showing us that our focus needs to be on God, and what He did through His Son Jesus. The world is quick to point out how judgmental Christians are. And Christians sometimes shrink away because they know they are sinners too. I am a sinner. I have no moral authority to let the gavel fall on anyone. However, it is my job to point out that there is a Judge who has the authority to strike the gavel and pronounce a sentence of Guilty. That judgment is on everyone who does not believe in Jesus' sacrifice. That is the harsh reality. But the story doesn't end there.
I've been blessed to teach my parents' Sunday School class these past few weeks. They are in Romans 8. Romans 8 is my jam. I memorized it 3 years ago, and I've spent a lot of time in Romans 8. Romans 8 is where things start to get happy, or joyful rather. Romans 8 still has some hard truth to deal with, but just as Romans 1 shows that there is a wrath, Romans 8 starts with "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..." and it goes on to explain how Christ has set us free. That freedom leads to adoption as God's children, which makes us co-heirs with Christ. That gift is available to everyone. Yes, even you. So in these past months, the teaching is full circle. I will write more on it later.
For now, the main points that I try to make when I teach are:
1. The Bible is a complete book. The Old and New Testaments align.
2. The Gospel causes conflict. If God is against sinners, and we're all sinners, then yeah...that's conflict.
3. Salvation is not up to us. We don't want it, we can't get it on our own, and we are not in control.
4. Christianity is hard. Our leader was crucified. Of His 12 closest friends, one committed suicide after betraying Him, 10 were martyred, and one was boiled in oil and exiled for the rest of his life. Paul, the man who wrote most of the New Testament, and determines most of our theology, was beheaded for his beliefs. I just want people to be clear about what they're signing up for. When they don't get the job, spouse, car, house, etc. that they feel God owes them, they trade Him in for some other god. I want to nip that misconception in the bud.
Alright, it's late, and I'm tired. More to come later.
For the Kingdom,
-- Stuart L. Kingsley
