"My Dad wasn't a believer when my parents got married but eventually came to Christ, so we should be open to all people and give them a chance."
"My sister dates a muslim and she is a Christian but they believe in the same God"
"Well, the Bible and what it says is interpreted in different ways"
These are loose quotes (cause my memory isn't that great) of what a few people said during the dating panel. Can you believe i actually said "Don't look at me like i'm pathetic, the book (Bible) said it" during the panel (a favorite line of mine from a crossmovement song). Wow! But i just couldn't hold it in. Its so hard to be on a panel and hear the opinions of people when the Word of God is clear - there is no negotiation if you are a Christ follower - period.
At the same time, I am reminded that in these times I must preach the gospel to others as well as myself because if not for it I could have the same mindset. Also the gospel reminds me that "my identity and self-worth are centered on the one who died for me. I am saved by sheer grace, so I can't look down on others. Only by grace am I what I am" - quote taken partially taken from a book Moe and I are going through together "Gospel in Life" by Timothy Keller - Its Rocking our World. I trust in what God allowed me to say in response to these comments, and it helps that Yana (young lady on our team) affirmed the responses afterward. Moe was taking care of an overtired Josiah (it was past his bedtime) so he was unable to be at the panel for the entire time. Thanks so much for your prayers and advice!
Please pray for the students at this panel that they would truly grasp the gospel, the truth of God's Word, and grow in it.
What are your thoughts? How have you been responding lately to the immorality or way of thinking of others?
Very cool Sandy! You hung in there well and I love that quote from CMR too! I tend to view immorality as the search for intimacy and fulfillment gone amock. The Bible is key to pointing people to the true source of that fulfilmment and intimacy.
ReplyDeleteBut people can't understand how God could ever fill that void; nor do they belive that He's powerful enough to change their behavior and help them excercise restraint until marriage.
Grace and truth, love and patience are all needed to point them to God. Stand your ground in the sea of cultural expectations and relative thinking. There is a WHOLE lot more I could say. For another time...