Tag: common sense

Rules

Gary Pollard

This week’s question is, “Should we always follow the rules, even if doing so causes someone harm?” 

What kind of rules? We often hear something like, “We are a nation of laws.” Yes we are — best estimates put the number of our laws and regulations in the hundreds of thousands. Some have even claimed that the average American unknowingly commits a small number of felonies every day. Not all laws/rules are created equal. Some are important (ie. to prevent serious abuse and exploitation of the vulnerable), most are totally arbitrary. 

The Pharisees did the same thing with God’s law. By the time Judaism was in full swing, there were around 613 laws. But rabbis were dissatisfied with how vague some of the commands were, so rather than leaving those to a person’s conscience or common sense, they eventually produced the Mishnah and Gemara. These were commentaries on The Law that “clarified” how those 613 commands were to be followed. Those opinions were enforced as law, which infuriated Jesus on several occasions. The rabbis had made faithful Judaism functionally impossible. 

So the short answer is, “What’s the rule your conscience is wrestling with?” If following the rule in question would cause you to violate love for God or love for your neighbor, that’s a legitimate reason to not follow the rule. 

We do have to remember that Romans 13 and I Peter 2.13ff and Titus 3.1-2 tell us to obey the laws and rules our governments put on us. The governments those early Christians had to obey were just as corrupt as our own today. If there was any confusion, Peter clarified with “Obey everyone who has authority over you in this world” (I Pt 2.13). He does use παση, which means “all” or “every”. 

I don’t like reading stuff like that. We’re supposed to be a country built on English common law tradition, with protections against government abuse explicitly listed in the Bill of Rights and in precedents from hundreds of legal cases. But this current world is not my home, and I’m more afraid of God than I am distrustful of the powers that be. The Bible doesn’t say, “Snitch on friends and family when they violate the law.” But it does say that we have to obey all governing authorities from the top down. 

So do we always have to follow the rules, even if doing so causes harm to others? Yes and no — remember that loving God and loving your fellow man are the most important laws. Be willing to sacrifice self rather than cause undeserved harm to others. But any law/rule that doesn’t conflict with those two must always be followed, regardless of the consequences.  

Encouragement From Eutychus

Dale Pollard

Here’s a quick recap of the bizarre events that unfold in Acts 20.

  • Paul preaches past midnight. 
  • A young man named Eutychus falls asleep.
  • As a result he plummets to his death. 
  • He is then miraculously brought back to life.

So what?

Each word that was written in scripture was penned under God’s guidance— for our guidance. This means that even those accounts that might initially strike us as pointless are, in truth, spiritually pointed. 

With this is in mind, Let’s briefly examine three life lessons from Eutychus that deliver relevant reminders for the 21st century Christian. 

  1. A lesson on Common sense: God is with His people, God protects His people, but we still read of a young man who sits where he shouldn’t have. As a result, he tumbles to his death. Unfortunate things can happen to godly people, especially in the absence of common sense. 
  2. A Lesson On Commitment: This account is not a call for preachers to shorten their sermons, or even a warning for members who might be tempted to take a nap in worship. While Eutychus may not be the first guy that comes to mind when we think of a Bible character who demonstrated commitment— he still made it a priority to be with his Christian family. He held on, even though it was clearly past his bedtime. How many of us have forsaken the assembly simply because we don’t feel like it? How many Christians find themselves struggling to remain focused in a one hour period of worship? There is something to be said for this man’s commitment to Christ— even as the hours ticked by and exhaustion began to take its toll on him. 
  3. A Lesson On Correction: Though I would not want to be immortalized in history as the guy who fell out of a window in church, this potential tragedy became a powerful testimony of God’s grace. God does not expect total perfection, rather our constant correction. When we take a tumble spiritually, what corrections can we implement to avoid the same  mistake in the future? 

A Recipe For Successful Living

Neal Pollard
  • Concerning Money: Don’t judge a book by its cover (7). The wealthy face threats and dangers that the poor do not (8). Get rich quick schemes usually fail (11). People who are “too smart” to learn earn poverty and disgrace (18). A good name is better than wealth (22; cf. 22:1). The resources of the poor are often robbed by injustice (23).
  • Concerning Desire: You can tell a lot about a person by what he wants (2). Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life (12). A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools (19). Godliness with contentment is great gain (25; cf. 1 Tim. 6:7). 
  • Concerning Laziness: The lazy person wants but never gets, but the hard worker gets by diligence (4). 
  • Concerning Teachability: A scoffer ignores rebuke (1). The wise take advice, but strife follows the rebellious (10). Those who hate the word destroy themselves (13). Good teaching is a fountain of life helping us avoid deadly traps (14). Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly (16). 
  • Concerning Speech: The difference between life and ruin is determined by how well you control your tongue (3; Jas. 3:2ff). A faithful messenger brings healing (17). 
  • Concerning Character: The righteous hate falsehood (5). Righteousness paves a protected path (6). The light of the righteous rejoices (9). The righteous are rewarded with good, not disaster (21). The righteous have enough, but the wicked never do (25). 
  • Concerning Common Sense: Good sense wins favor (15). Every prudent man acts with knowledge (16). 
  • Concerning Friends: To be wise, walk with the wise (20). 
  • Concerning Child Training: Spare the rod, spoil the child (24). 

Proverbs are general truths, tried and found to be the rule rather than the exception. All of God’s Word serves as a guidepost for success in every way it can be measured. These proverbs are short, insightful, and inspired tidbits of helpful guidance, intended to help us know the way to strengthen our relationships and steward our resources. Many are the sad, foolish persons who ignored these instructions to their own hurt. Many who thought they came up with brilliant insights do not know that they are merely echoing the sounds of God’s wisdom. 

Audience Analysis

Neal Pollard

People, in talking about public speaking, will sometimes speak of “audience analysis.” What they mean is that you need to know your audience or you run the risk of being irrelevant, disconnected, and even possibly offensive. You may assume too much of them or sell them way short. Neither extreme is effective.

A wonderful sign for any congregation is the presence of especially non-Christian visitors, especially those from our community. Hopefully, we are doing something right when these visitors make repeat visits to our assemblies. However, too often, I fear that we have not done sufficient “worship neighbor analysis” or, equally, “Bible class neighbor” analysis. I recently was in a class when a teacher made a remark about how poorly a specific religious group scored on a Bible comprehension quiz. The remark itself was poignant and effective, but the cackling laughter from a few near the front of the class was easily heard throughout the classroom. I’m sure it was heard by two students sitting near them whose background is in that religious group. One is a brand new Christian and the other is a non-Christian visiting with him. Not only was the members’ reaction unnecessary, it displayed a lack of awareness of who else was present.

At times, we select songs from a century when “thees” and “thous” were commonplace and whose vocabulary was drastically different from how we speak today (“guerdon,” “cassia,” “pinion,” “dross,” and “hoary”). Even songs I have long been fond of read in ways that seem almost foreign to us today. Preparation for worship leadership should include a cognizance of how new Christians, young people, non-Christians, and the like will process or even if they can process such.

Specifically biblical or theological terms which we know people like our neighbors, coworkers, and classmates do not understand should not be uttered undefined. Making assumptions in an age marked by a growing lack of biblical literacy can undermine our effectiveness. It can make the most relevant message of all seem irrelevant and incomprehensible.

Of course, most fundamentally, one of the most unforgivable sins in the eyes of the typical visitor is to be ignored or made to feel invisible. We may hesitate to engage someone because we lack awareness of their “status” (visitor or member). Instead of risking embarrassment, scorn, or an expenditure of time, we walk past them or speak to someone we know we know. Perhaps, in believing that true seekers find, we let ourselves off the hook despite Jesus’ call for us to sympathetically consider others (Lk. 6:31; 1 Pet. 3:8).  Common sense should move us to see that we can attract or detract, depending on how we react.

Spiritual maturity will steer us to be mature, kind, patient, and self-aware. Basic thoughtfulness will help us prepare, speak, and act in ways that make us magnets for the Messiah rather than repellant from the Redeemer. The effort will be appreciated and, I truly believe, rewarded. If we need to, let’s break out of our bubbles of isolation and seek to see things through the eyes of others—especially “the little” (Mat. 10:42; 18:6-14) and “the least” (Mat. 25:40).

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Transgender Voyeurism?

Neal Pollard

It’s a clash of political correctness agendas, though the latter one is extremely legitimate.  On one side, we have the recent, insane push for recognizing transgenderism—even that which is simply claimed and asserted at the apparent whim of the claimant.  On the other side is an important, needed aspect of feminism—protecting women from the sexual aggression of men. Both are fiercely championed by those of a liberal mindset, and the two came face to face in the “gender neutral” bathrooms of Whitney Hall at the University of Toronto.  Ironically, two incidents of voyeurism, where male students were “caught holding their cellphones over female students’ shower stalls and filming them as they showered” (dailywire.com), occurred in September, 2015, just as the push was heating up for men and women to choose the public bathroom of the gender they felt themselves to be. Our sitting president even defended a federal transgender directive for public school bathrooms, allowing “transgender students to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity, saying that society must protect the dignity and safety of vulnerable children” (nytimes.com, Julie Hirschfeld Davis, 5/16/16). The outlandishness of such baseless thinking had already been demonstrated well before this “guidance” issued by the Education and Justice Departments was made public this Spring.

There is a biblical and biological answer to what has amazingly become an enigma and conundrum for everyone from politicians to corporations. Jesus said, “But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female” (Mark 10:6). There are external ways to both test and validate these, and are as accessible as a basic medical examination. I trust a Creator whose ability is demonstrated everywhere from the order and continuous operation of the universe to the magnificence of the earth to the intricacies of the body’s circulatory and respiratory systems to somatic cells to our DNA.

In the world’s rabid desire to reject His authority, there’s no wonder that people concoct such far-fetched, senseless ideas as we are seeing put forward at the present time. Paul traces the genesis of such ludicrous ideas, saying, “And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper…” (Rom. 1:28). Until that mindset changes, we are likely to see more issues like the push to accept transgenderism and welcome it into our public private places (like bathrooms in stores and dorms) even if they produce the kind of actions reported in Whitney Hall.  May more people simply and humbly follow the perfect guidance of God’s Word.

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On December 10, 2014, The Kaiser Permanente Center for Total Health and National Center for Transgender Equality are hosting a Community Clinician Roundtable for providers who care for transgender patients in the Washington, DC, MD, VA community. The roundtable will include physicians, nurses, therapists, attorneys, and health care staff who support this population. The Center for Total Health will convert two existing multi-stall restrooms to be Gender Neutral during the roundtable. The Center has previously made this designation for LGBTQ supportive events, and is collaborating with the Kaiser Permanente Garfield Innovation Center to pilot multi-stall gender neutral restrooms in health care facility construction moving forward

Baptized Boys And Bible Class

Neal Pollard

1 Timothy 2:11-14 clearly states, “A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. 14 And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” Herein, God through Paul limits the role of woman in the work and corporate function of the church. Therefore, she is not to have authority over the man–in whatever circumstance that applies (be it Bible class, worship, matters of organization, i.e., deacons, elders, preachers, etc., or in the home). The loud voices of feminism notwithstanding, God has clearly spoken. This matter is not cultural. It is a principle that goes all the way back to Eden.

However, an unfortunate conclusion drawn by some based on this text (and others, like 1 Corinthians 11:3 or 14:34, for example) is that a Christian woman cannot teach a baptized boy in a Bible class. There are several reasons why this conclusion is flawed.

First, it misses who is in included in 1 Timothy 2:12. The Greek word translated “man” is the verse specially means “man, husband, sir.” All males are not under consideration. The Greek has words for child, including “infant” or “half-grown child” (Mat. 2:21), “child,” “son” or “daughter” (Mat. 10:21), and “young man” (Mat. 17:18). None of those words is used in 1 Timothy 2:12. The Holy Spirit chose the specific word meaning “adult man.”  Boys eleven or twelve are not men!

Next, none practice this conviction in the home. If we believed 1 Timothy 2:12 taught that baptized boys were men, then we should also teach that their mothers can no longer instruct, admonish, or “be over” them as parents. If that adolescent son invites another baptized boy to spend the night, can this Christian mother “have authority” over the visiting boy? If this woman can teach her son the Bible at home, why can she not teach him in a Bible classroom at the building? In this case, what makes it wrong in the classroom would make it wrong at home. If not, why not?

Then, a baptized boy is nowhere else considered a man. He is not considered such to the military, the corporate world, at home, at school, to the DMV, or anywhere else. His status has changed in that, if he is truly accountable, he has gone from lost to saved. However, the water no more makes a boy a man than it makes a woman a man.

It is not sinful to personally hold the conviction that a Christian woman should not teach a baptized boy. It is not wrong for the elders, in their judgment, to have men teaching Bible classes where there are any baptized boys. Yet, we had better be careful not to bind an opinion as truth. When boys reach their teenage years and undergo the process of changing into men, it is wise to place Christian men over them in the classroom. At some point, he matures to the point of manhood and 1 Timothy 2:11-12 would forbid a woman to teach him. Yet, having a woman teach a baptized, prepubescent boy in a Bible class is not “questionable” or “unsafe.” He is still a boy in the classroom, just as he is anywhere outside of it.

Spanking

Neal Pollard

With the high profile case of an NFL star putting the idea of spanking in the spotlight, it is proper to examine this practice more closely.  A sweet young mother asks a couple of questions about the practice of spanking in light of Proverbs 13:24.  First, “Is Proverbs 13:24 literal, meaning we are to physically discipline our children, or is it figurative meaning we are to discipline in general?” Second, “If it is literal, does it literally mean to use an implement such as a rod, belt, etc rather than our hands to inflict the physical discipline?”  These are vital questions young parents like her have to grapple with in light of a desire to properly train and mold the heritage given them by God, but do so in a world less accepting of biblical truth in general and passages like Proverbs 13:24 specifically.  To address this, let’s break the matter into three component parts.

Spanking and society.  Due to the prevalence of physical child abuse, society has reacted to any type of corporal punishment (i.e., punishment of or relating to the physical body; spanking).  While the principle of spanking is more widely approved than we may be led to believe (a recent ABCNEWS poll found 65% of all parents approve of it, abcnews.com, and a 2013 Harris Interactive poll with a sample size twice as large found that 81% consider spanking their children sometimes appropriate, harrisinteractive.com), the politically correct wing of society so often in charge of media and education most often rail against it in any form.   There are three revised statutes in Colorado, one civil and two criminal, that address spanking in Colorado (kidjacked.com includes the laws of all 50 states).  While the statutes are eerily vague, here is what they permit:  “Parent/guardian/ person with care and supervision of minor can use reasonable and appropriate physical force, if it is reasonably necessary and appropriate to maintain or promote welfare of child” (Colorado Code Section 18-1-703).  The greater concern would be judicial interpretation or further revisions in the law that forbad corporal punishment altogether.

Spanking and scripture.  With our youngest now 16 years old, we are beyond the timeframe where spanking holds sway as a primary means of discipline.  When our boys were of that age (from toddlerhood up to the beginning of the teen years), we would resort to spanking (usually with the hand or a paddle).  This was undoubtedly the result of practices learned from our own parents’ regimen of discipline, but also our conviction (as it was our parents’) that scripture taught the necessity of this under circumstances where mere words did not remedy misbehavior.  The Bible clearly teaches it as an integral part of disciplining—Proverbs 13:24, 22:15, 23:13-14, and 29:15.  Hopefully, we will never find ourselves in a place where our civil government absolutely forbids corporal punishment of our children, but if it does we would be compelled to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29).

Spanking and sensibility.  Let us get to common sense issues, though.  This is especially the “how” but also the “where” and “when.”  Consider these suggestions for effective discipline—

  1. Do not spank in anger or in an out of control manner (this reflects your own lack of self-discipline and is not likely an attempt to assert behavior modification).
  2. Exercise restraint in how hard you administer physical punishment.  The idea is to impress upon the child that their words, behavior, etc., is unacceptable.
  3. Follow up the punishment with an explanation and teaching.
  4. Avoid administering discipline in public places.  Find a private room or wait until you get home to mete out the punishment.
  5. If restraint is used, it will not matter whether the hand or another implement is used.  Overall parental demeanor will determine whether the child is “scarred” or “shaped” by it.

Obviously, personal judgment and discretion are essential.  Yet, inasmuch as the concept originates in scripture, our good sense as citizen of the society will govern us as we prayerfully attempt to raise children that please and follow God.