Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Christian Nuggets

Over the past year (ie. since the last time I blogged), there have been some things that I have learned, or new thoughts that I've picked out of sermons. You don't have to agree with them, but perhaps they will make you think, as they did me.

1. "What makes you think that suffering in the world is not normal?"
This challenged how I view suffereing. It is something to consider when somebody says "With all the suffering in the world, how can there be a loving God?" Yes ideally we would not have suffering, and people want to "get back" to that ideal, but this world is far from ideal.

2. "Church denominations are fine as long as they are based on non-essentials such as language or a music style...." Ideally the Christian church would not be divided into so many denominations. It makes us look like we can't get along. Ideally the church would be united theologically, and only divided up according to things that are not foundational to our faith.

3. God named Adam. Adam named Eve. It struck me as interesting since people give names to that which they have authority over and responsibility for. I'm following a study by John Piper on manhood and womanhood. The basic jist is that men and women are fundamentally different and the Bible teaches that man is the leader of the wife and family, starting with the first couple. God made Adam first and gives him the assignment to name all the animals. Then God makes Eve out of one of Adam's ribs, and when God presents her to Adam, he names her. God could have named her (remember that He named Jesus--Mary and Joseph did not get that priveledge), but He let Adam name her. To me, the first 3 chapters in Genesis really establish the roles of men and women, particularly in marriage.