In my previous post, I wrote that the church should be a place of grace for all those who have fallen into sexual sin. First, we need to come to terms with a biblical definition of grace. For many, grace means the acceptance and forgiveness of sinners. That’s a good start, but it doesn’t explain the fullness of grace. Yes, God’s grace extends acceptance and forgiveness to fallen humans; but grace, through Christ and Holy Spirit, also heals the sinfulness of penitent humans. Yes, Christ (and the church) receives sinners, but in receiving there is a salvific transformation. So, what does this have to do with the restoration of those who have fallen into sexual sin?

Let’s look at two incidents in the New Testament. First, the familiar story of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11). Here Jesus teaches us about the power of grace over law. The law judged and condemned the woman’s sinfulness. However, she was not the only sinner here. As the Pharisees were ready to condemn this woman – to stone her to death – Jesus confronted their sinfulness: “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7). The Pharisees dropped their stones and walked away. Then Jesus turned to confront the adulteress: “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more” (John 8:11). Don’t miss what happened here. In his words, Jesus judged her and offered grace. By saying “sin no more” Jesus was not excusing her adultery; He was acknowledging her sinfulness, offering forgiveness, and challenging her to “go” in the way of righteousness. Notice the distinction between the Pharisees and Jesus. Standing before the Pharisees, she was judged to be an adulteress and condemned to die. Standing before Jesus, she was judged to be an adulteress, offered grace and given life! Maybe, Paul had this story in mind when he wrote, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death” (Romans 8:1-2). The point is that Jesus did not excuse her sinfulness; Jesus set her free! When someone falls into sexual sin; then offers genuine confession and repentance, the church should “restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness” (Galatians 6:1).

However, the problem is that not everyone who is confronted with their sinfulness is penitent. And, sometimes the church becomes complicit in sinfulness because of the failure to confront immorality in its midst. Let’s look at Paul’s challenge to the Church at Corinth. Again and again, Paul exhorted his converts to “flee sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18; 10:8; Galatians 5:19; Ephesian 5:3; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 1 Timothy 1:10). Even so, the believers at Corinth often failed, even ignoring blatant sinfulness within the church. Paul wrote:

It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst. For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus (1 Corinthians 5:1-5).

Paul rebuked the Corinthian believers for their tolerance of blatant sinfulness. Tolerance of sin is not grace. Tolerance of sin is an expression of arrogance – prideful self-righteousness. Paul does not suggest that the offender be graciously accepted into the community, but that the unrepentant offender be removed! Like it or not, unrepentant sinful behavior must be wisely and patiently confronted. Instead of arrogance and tolerance, Paul said they should be in mourning. Why? Because “the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation” (2 Corinthians 7:10). Godly discipline is an act of grace! The purpose of godly discipline is “so that we may share His holiness” (Hebrews 12:5-11).

Paul has something else to say to us. Although we must exercise right judgment and godly discipline among the believing community, we should not separate ourselves from unbelievers – even those whose sexual behavior is immoral. We should be free to preach and teach Christian doctrine and ethics everywhere. But only God judges those outside of the fellowship of the church. As Paul said:

It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you” (1 Corinthians 5:12-13, New Living Translation).

So how do we practice grace? Allow me a few examples. First, a few years ago I was approached by a man after a worship service. He informed me that he was recently released from prison in Florida and was a registered sex offender. He explained the nature of his offense (molesting boys) and then asked, “Will I be welcome in this church?” I replied, “Certainly, but be aware that I will notify our ushers and that you will be under scrutiny from the time you arrive until you leave.” He never returned. Even so, I believe that I acted graciously. I was willing, even eager, to accept him into our church. But, I was going to hold him accountable, and protect our children.

How should the church graciously respond to the epidemic of unwed teen pregnancies? It seems that when our teens behave immorally and get pregnant that too often our response is to throw them a party, aka, a baby shower. Or, the church reacts harshly and injures an already wounded soul. A gracious response holds both offenders responsible for their actions (it takes two!), leads them to sorrowful repentance, offers forgiveness, and provides long term counsel and care for all concerned.

Can homosexuals find grace in the Christian church? Yes! Paul wrote, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). There is no sinner beyond the reach of God’s grace. But, we must remember that being a recipient of God’s grace means “Go. From now on sin no more” (John 8:11). As sanctified believers we are all called to sexual purity. Homosexuals and heterosexuals alike must continue to resist the many temptations to sinful behavior.

Finally, how should the church respond to President Obama’s recent support for homosexual marriage? By his own admission, the President confesses to be a Christian. Therefore, he should be accountable to the Christian community for his actions.

Should Christians tolerate homosexual unions (or non-married heterosexual unions) within the Christian community? No.

Should the Christian church be free to engage the public square with its Christian sexual ethic? Yes, we should seek to influence civic morality for the common good.

Should the Christian church coerce non-believers into adopting our sexual ethic? No; but  nor should we capitulate to the to the spirit of this present age. Above all, Christians should demonstrate genuine love and respect to all humans, even to those who oppose our mission to preach, teach, and disciple the nations of the earth. In the end God will judge us all.

]]> http://www.danieltomberlin.net/2012/taking-out-the-log-and-speck-forgiveness-and-restoration-for-sexual-sin/feed 0 http://www.danieltomberlin.net/2012/the-president-homosexuality-and-the-log-in-our-eye http://www.danieltomberlin.net/2012/the-president-homosexuality-and-the-log-in-our-eye#comments Sat, 12 May 2012 11:27:50 +0000 Daniel Tomberlin http://www.danieltomberlin.net/?p=2106 Read more »

“For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:2-5 NASB).

OK, so the President supports homosexual marriage (no surprise here). All over the Internet I’ve read posts, blogs, articles, Facebook conversations, etc. of Christians tripping over themselves trying to be fair, sensitive, discerning, and tolerant. When the citizens of North Carolina voted overwhelmingly to reject homosexual marriage, some Christians suggested that because of an increasingly pluralistic society it is inappropriate to “coerce” through legislation a morality that is derived from our faith tradition. To that I would reply that the purpose of all legislation is to encourage or “coerce” civic morality, and civic morality should reflect the highest good.

I am aware that some who claim to speak for the Christian church in opposition to homosexual marriage often do so with a tremendous lack of grace. So, lest someone accuse me of being a homophobic bigot, let me be clear: I do not believe that homosexuals should be stoned, imprisoned, persecuted; or be denied housing, voting rights, etc. Nor do I believe that homosexuality should be criminalized. I believe that homosexuals can be good citizens in secular society and deserve full respect and protection of the law.

With that said, I am also convinced that the only moral and proper sexual expression is that between one man and one woman who have been joined together by a covenant of marriage. The basis of this conviction is the teaching of Jesus:

“Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:4-6 NKJV).

My point here is that most Christians have focused on the immorality of homosexuality, while all but ignoring the immorality of fornication (pre-marital sex), pornography, adultery (extra-marital sex), and no-fault divorce & remarriage within our midst (see Matthew 19:7-9). One dear friend lamented that if millennials have embraced homosexual marriage, then the church has lost them. I disagree; the church began losing generations of young people when Christian parents began embracing no-fault divorce and church leaders were complicit in their silence. The acceptance of homosexuality is nothing more (or less) than the continued downward spiral of church and society that has rejected basic Christian sexual ethics.

Sexual integrity must be a primary commitment for all Christians. Paul exhorted,

Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body (1 Corinthians 6:18-20 ESV).

When the Holy Spirit baptized the first Gentile believers it caused a scandal in the apostolic church because Gentiles were generally considered to be unclean. Gentiles were not circumcised according to Jewish custom, and they did not share the sexual ethics of the Jews. Gentiles frequently engaged in temple prostitution, and pederasty (sexual relations between adult males and pubescent boys) was common. Furthermore, if Greek mythology is a reflection of ancient Greek culture, then incest was a rather common occurrence. The leaders of the church, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, discerned that Gentile believers must not be required to be circumcised; but Gentile believers must “abstain from… sexual immorality” (Acts 15:20). Christians are a temple of the Holy Spirit and must abstain from all forms of sexual immorality: fornication, impurity, sensuality (Galatians 5:19); adultery, homosexuality (1 Corinthians 6:9); and pornography (1 John 2:16). The sexual ethic of the Christian faith was (and is) a radical break with the sexual amorality of this present age.

Sexual integrity is a sanctifying work of the gracious indwelling and baptism of the Holy Spirit. In the midst of a Hellenistic world that shamelessly exploited human sexuality, the Apostle Paul declared:

For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you (1 Thessalonians 4:3-9).

As we consider the long term repercussions of President Obama’s announcement, let’s focus our attention on a thorough response that adequately encourages our commitment to a biblically informed sexual ethic. There is more at stake here than a legal definition of marriage. Our response must be trifold. First, like John the Baptist, we must speak with a prophetic voice against all leaders who flaunt their disregard for biblical standards of sexual behavior. But beware – people in powerful places respond violently to prophetic words! (Matthew 14:1-11).

Second, in the church we must commit ourselves to teaching and living a life of sanctification. My experience has been that most churches are uncomfortable dealing with issues of sexuality (except for the occasional baby shower for an unwed mother!). We must begin teaching our children at an early age about the gift of human sexuality and warn them of the abuses and temptations. We must be committed to encouraging and counseling married couples through their difficulties so that divorce can be avoided. We must be willing to discipline those in the church who refuse to repent (Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 5:1-5). And, if we are going to engage in political warfare against homosexual marriage, let’s be prepared to denounce no-fault divorce with the same fervor. One friend pointed out that it was California governor Ronald Reagan who signed the first no-fault divorce bill into law (1969). So before we stone President Obama (just a metaphor!) for offering support to homosexual marriage; we should seriously consider our own complicity in the continuing downward moral spiral! There’s a lot of blame to share here. I am afraid that instead of serious repentance, too many Christians will continue to accommodate the spirit of this world.

Finally, for all who have fallen into sexual sin the church must be a place of grace. That will be the topic of next week’s blog.

]]> http://www.danieltomberlin.net/2012/the-president-homosexuality-and-the-log-in-our-eye/feed 5 http://www.danieltomberlin.net/2012/a-public-faith-a-review http://www.danieltomberlin.net/2012/a-public-faith-a-review#comments Wed, 09 May 2012 00:03:23 +0000 Daniel Tomberlin http://www.danieltomberlin.net/?p=2059 Read more »

]]> Miroslav Volf, A Public Faith: How Followers of Christ Should Serve the Common Good (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2011). 175 pp.

The first election in which I voted was in 1980. The nation was suffering from what President Carter called a “malaise.” Many of the political class were suggesting that the nation’s troubles were so many and so deep that the office of the President was no longer useful. The Moral Majority was exercising its political muscle and its leaders were calling for “moral leadership.” Ronald Reagan was larger than life. He embraced the religious right and the religious right embraced him. I voted for Reagan in 1980, and again in 1984. I don’t regret it.

However, I do regret being caught in the web of the Moral Majority. Not that I reject their concerns and issues; but I fell into the temptation to believe that the spiritual renewal of a nation can be effected through the ballot box. Of course, elections can have tremendous consequences and certain political policies can spark economic growth. But the soul of a nation cannot be renewed through politics. I have come to believe that both major political parties – Democrat and Republican – are corrupt. And that there are good public servants in both parties, even though their voices are often muted by their party’s leadership.

I have followed the conversations on the right and left regarding the place of religion in the public square. I have found much of the discussion to be ill informed and biased. Here, I must admit my own bias towards the right. None of us can be totally objective.

This brings me to a discussion of Miroslav Volf’s A Public Faith: How Followers of Christ Should Serve the Common Good. Volf’s thesis is “As a prophetic religion, Christian faith will be an active faith, engaged in the world in a noncoercive way – offering blessing to our endeavors, effective comfort in our failures, moral guidance in a complex world, and a framework of meaning for our lives and our activities” (54). The book is written in two parts. Part 1 discusses the malfunctions of faith in the public square; and Part 2 discusses the marks of a properly engaged Christian faith in a pluralistic world.

The malfunctions of faith have been documented by adherents and critics of the Christian faith. Volf is primarily concerned with the malfunction of faith that has led to coercive violence in the name of religion. The marks of a malfunctioning Christian faith are idleness and coercion. Idleness of faith is a result of capitulation to the power of systems, that is, the various spheres of life – politics, law, business, media, etc. The role of faith is restricted to a narrow sphere – private morality – and has little effect upon the autonomous spheres of public life. Another example of idleness is the misconstrual of faith, that is, faith becomes “the opiate of the people,” but fails to energize creativity and promote human flourishing.

Concerning the malfunction of faith as coercion, Volf acknowledges that the Christian faith has been misconstrued to legitimize violence; but rejects the charge that the Christian faith is violence inducing. Also, he acknowledges that many voices seek to eliminate religion from the public square in favor of a secular society; but He rejects the secularization of society. “If secularization progresses,” he writes, “the problem of idleness may turn out to be more significant than the problem of faith’s inappropriate assertiveness” (38). Further, Volf suggest that the elimination of religious voices will become coercive violence perpetrated by the secularists against religious folks.

So, how can Christians reject the temptations of idleness and coercion in favor of a faith that properly engages the public square? Christians must understand that they are losing influence in the centers of power. Therefore, they will most likely exert influence among the margins of society and even there the Christian voice will be one of many. Engaging the culture means that “Christians take part in culturally defined practices but shape them on the basis of their dominate values – rooted in the revelation of God in Jesus Christ” (92). In this engagement, Christians must understand that there will be no total cultural transformation. In other words, “Christians never have their own proper and exclusive cultural territory;” instead, “they inherit the value structure of the culture at large… take up the rules of a given culture, and yet subvert them, change them partly, refuse to obey some of them, and introduce new ones” (93). Just as there will be no total transformation of culture, neither should Christians accommodate the broader culture. To accommodate the broader culture means to lose the Christian identity and fail to make a difference. “The gospel is always… about difference; after all, it means the good news – something good, something new, and therefore something different!” (95).

Volf acknowledges the distinctions that define the various religions of the world. He rejects the “clash of civilizations” which he claims informed President Bush’s war on terror; and he suggests that President Obama’s vision of cooperating religions may be wishful thinking. Volf argues that the Christian faith “opposes religious totalitarianism and supports pluralism as a political project” (142, emphasis mine). In an increasingly religious and pluralistic world Christians must understand their faith “as a way of living centered on Christ in many diverse cultures and civilizations” (144). The Christian voice should declare that God loves the world and acknowledge that religious identity is circumscribed by “permeable boundaries” which are defined as “occasions to learn and to teach, to be enriched and to enrich, to come to new agreements and maybe reinforce old ones, an to dream up new possibilities and explore new paths” (133).

Miroslav Volf has made an important contribution to the discussion of a public faith in a pluralistic world as a political project. But he fails to address the salvific mission of the Christian faith. This may be because this lies beyond the scope of this book. Or, because he seems to embrace a form of universalism in which all humans are saved. For Volf, the primary mission of the church is to share the wisdom of the Christian faith (personified in Christ) to encourage all peoples to “grow out of their petty hopes so as to live meaningful lives, and to help them resolve their grand conflicts and live in communion with others” (100).

I can embrace Volf’s vision if it allows for the salvific mission of the church. The Christian faith is about more than peace among religious folk in this present age. It is about Christ’s victory of over death, and a New Heaven and New Earth. It is about the judgment of evil and the victory of the God. It anticipates the day when “every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:11).

Violent coercion should never be a tool of the church; but persuasive preaching, seasoned with love and patience, with a view to conversion and discipleship must continue to be central to the witness of the Christian faith. In the spirit of Volf’s book, I suggest that the same courtesy should be extended to the adherents of all religious faiths. In the words of Paul, I am not ashamed of the gospel and I have confidence in the convincing power of the Holy Spirit. Peaceful religious dialogue in the spirit of mutual respect and Christian love is the greatest witness to Christ in a pluralistic world.

]]> http://www.danieltomberlin.net/2012/a-public-faith-a-review/feed 1 http://www.danieltomberlin.net/2012/avoiding-toxic-leadership-integrity-and-accountability http://www.danieltomberlin.net/2012/avoiding-toxic-leadership-integrity-and-accountability#comments Wed, 02 May 2012 18:28:21 +0000 Daniel Tomberlin http://www.danieltomberlin.net/?p=2019 Read more »

]]> One of the signs of toxic leadership is when the leader believes that his/her integrity is beyond scrutiny. In the church we see this all too often. In fact, the church is often a breeding ground for toxic leaders. I’m not just talking about false prophets, charlatans, and those guilty scandalous immorality. Sometimes the toxic leaders in our midst have a high moral standard, hold to doctrinal orthodoxy, and are sincere in their desire to faithfully serve Christ. The church is a fertile breeding ground for this type of toxic leadership because we tend to idolize leaders we respect and our respected leaders become too accustomed to our accolades. Also, we certainly don’t want to get the reputation of being a trouble-maker.

The great temptation for those of us who serve as leaders is pride and self-righteousness. We become prideful of our integrity, prideful of our orthodoxy, and prideful of the office in which we serve. The problem is that pride often leads to self deception. Self deception is nothing less that one of the many insidious facets of self-righteousness. The self-righteous leader resist accountability and tends to demonize anyone who questions their integrity or authority. An example of this type of toxic leadership was demonstrated in the Protestant controversy involving Martin Luther and Pope Leo X. Both men were convinced of their own “rightness” and each man seemed eager to demonize the other. Luther was happy to ridicule his Catholic opponents as dogs, pigs, goats, and demons.

Luther's opponents ridiculed.

Likewise, Leo X was eager to characterize Luther as a tool of Satan.

Martin Luther as Satan's bagpipe.

Certainly, Leo X and Martin Luther are not good models of Christian leadership! Both Leo and Luther were brilliant propagandist, but their leadership methods exacted a horrible toll on the Church’s witness for Christ. The Protestant controversy provoked centuries of warfare throughout Europe. One can only wonder how the history of Christianity, and the world, would have been different if Leo and Luther would have embraced “the more excellent way” of Christ (John 13:35; I Corinthians 12:31-13:13).

Leadership in the church is a gift of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:28; Romans 12:8) and must reflect the attitude of Christ (Philippians 2:5-11). Conflict cannot be avoided, even among those who have been sanctified in Christ. However, how leaders manage conflict will determine whether the church is a place of grace, or a battlefield of carnage. When speaking about reconciliation Jesus said, “Make friends quickly with your opponent…” (Matthew 5:25). Paul encouraged, “…conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ… in no way alarmed by your opponents” (Philippians 1:27-28). Writing to Pastor Titus, Paul said, “…in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us” (Titus 2:7-8).

One of the marks of integrity is the willingness to be held accountable; and to graciously answer the toughest questions posed by one’s greatest critics. Being anointed by God doesn’t mean being above scrutiny; but that when our lives, statements, and decisions are scrutinized, we are found to be above reproach. As leaders submit themselves to a serious process of accountability, their integrity will be preserved.

 

]]> http://www.danieltomberlin.net/2012/avoiding-toxic-leadership-integrity-and-accountability/feed 1

During the past week, I have been reflecting on the significance of the resurrection. My father’s birthday was this past week. He would have been 77 years old. But he died at the age of 70. This week I visited the graves of two friends. One was a great pastor; and the other was a great teacher. Pastor Joe Q. Smith was my friend for two decades. Professor Thomas Wilson was my teacher in the early 1980s. Both have gone to be with the Lord.

As I stood at their graves many thoughts came to mind. First, was the impersonal “coldness” of the grave. After all, a grave is little more than granite and grass. As I touched the granite headstone I was reminded that death is hard and cold. Second, the graves of my friends reminded me of their absence. Not just that they are no longer alive and with us in this world; but also that to be absent from the body is to be at home with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).

The greatest fear and temptation we face is death. It is the awful coldness of death that challenges our faith. Paul wrote,

Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—  for we walk by faith, not by sight—  we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:6-10).

As I walked through the cemeteries this past week, I walked by faith. All I could see was granite and grass. All I could feel was a sense of absence. But by faith I placed my confidence in Jesus Christ and I was made aware that my friends were in the presence of the resurrected Lord.

On that first Easter, when the stone was rolled away from the tomb of Jesus, the risen Lord “put an end to the agony of death” (Acts 2:24). The cold stone gave way to the power of eternal life; the darkness of the grave gave way to the Light of the world! Because of the resurrection of Christ the grave is not the “final resting place,” but a door that opens to the New Heavens and New Earth.

The celebration of the sacraments is an ongoing altar call. For most Pentecostal churches, the altar call is the central event of the worship service. Sinners are encouraged to come forward to the altar to “pray through” to salvation. Believers are encouraged to come to the altar to pray for sanctification, or to “pray through” to the baptism in the Holy Spirit. During the altar service, those who are sick, or otherwise in need, are encouraged to come to the altar. There the church elders will anoint with oil, lay their hands upon the sick, and pray for healing. The celebration of the sacraments in Pentecostal worship should be understood as an opportunity to invite the saints of God once again to the altar to encounter the Holy Spirit in the celebration of water baptism, the Lord’s Supper, foot-washing, and the laying on of hands. Each sacrament directly corresponds to the redemptive work of the Holy Trinity. In this regard, the sacraments are an ongoing altar call in which the believer encounters God through the Holy Spirit.

Just as the Spirit animates Pentecostal worship in inspired preaching, anointed singing, joyful shouts of praise, and dancing, the Spirit also animates the sacraments. When believers experience water baptism, Holy Communion, or foot-washing, they encounter Christ’s priestly ministry through the Spirit of grace. When the sick call for prayer, holy hands anoint the sick with oil and the Spirit is present. Through the Holy Spirit, worshipers transcend time and space as they share sacramental experiences with Christ and the redeemed community. When believers enter the baptismal water and are baptized into Christ, they share in His personal baptism in the Jordan River. When believers gather at the Lord’s Table to share bread and wine, that is, the body and blood of Jesus, they join with the Lord and all believers of the past who have received bread and wine, and all those in the future who will receive bread and wine. When believers take the towel and basin to wash the feet of another, it is because they have been baptized into Christ and are participants in Christ’s reconciling and sanctifying work. Through Christ the High Priest and the Spirit of grace, sacraments are more than mere reenactments or memorials to God’s redemptive acts; the baptismal water, the towel and basin, the bread and wine, and the anointing oil become mediatory gifts. In Christ and the Spirit, celebration of the sacraments becomes participation in God’s redemptive acts. Worship becomes an expression of ongoing saving faith.

The challenge for Pentecostals is, “How can the celebration of sacraments enrich Pentecostal worship?” This is not a call for the establishment of a formal Pentecostal liturgy, nor is it a suggestion to diminish spontaneity or “Spirit movement” in Pentecostal worship. The Holy Spirit is utterly free. The Spirit cannot be domesticated, manipulated, or institutionalized. The Spirit cannot be confined to an established liturgy. Pentecostals should understand that the freedom of the Spirit means that the Spirit is free to act as an agent of grace in sacraments. The sacraments originate in the Spirit-empowered ministry of Jesus Christ. Sacraments are common to most Christian churches. The intent here is to suggest ways sacraments can be fully appreciated in Pentecostal spirituality. The Spirit’s movement in and through the sacraments is the agent of spiritual formation in the worshiping community.

John said, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet” (Rev 1:10). The voice that John heard was that of an alarm. Jesus was about to speak a prophetic warning to the church. What are the warning signs of a church in decline?

“You have left your first love” (Rev. 2:4) suggest a church that has lost its passion. Jesus does not say that the Ephesian believers have apostatized. He says that they have left their “first love.” No longer are they passionate in their devotion to Christ. The joy of being in Christ has faded. There is no zeal, no fire in the heart. The relationship with Christ is no longer the first priority in their lives! A church that fails to demonstrate the love of Christ to each other and to the world is a church that has left its first love (1 John 3:14-17).

 “…some who hold the teaching of Balaam…, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality” (Rev 2:14). The church often falls under the influence of false teaching that compromises its core values. Churches have often surrendered their theological and ethical values to the surrounding dominant culture. The church must not be conformed to this present age, but transformed to reflect the glory of the New Heavens and New Earth (Romans 12:2; Revelation 21:1-5).

“…you tolerate the woman Jezebel…” (Rev 2:20). The church sometimes tolerates toxic leadership. Toxic leadership is the abuse of power that sacrifices trust and integrity. This is especially insidious in the church. Gifted leaders often fall to the seduction of money, sex, and power. The Corinthian church favored the “super-apostles” model of ministry over that of the Apostle Paul. Paul charged that the “super-apostles” were actually “false apostles” (2 Corinthians 11). John warned the church about Diotrephes, the leader “who loves to be first.” Toxic leaders are often ego-centric, schismatic, contentious, and critical. Toxic leaders must be confronted (3 John 9-10).

“…you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead” (Rev 3:1). Too often, the church suffers from an illusion, or memory, of past greatness. When leadership begins to talk about renewal, a dying congregation looks to the past, to times when attendance and giving were at peak levels. These churches minister primarily to the “faithful,” but they are largely irrelevant to the unchurched and isolated from the community. A living church is motivated toward future missionary activities and goals.

“…you are lukewarm… you say, ‘I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,’ and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked” (Rev 3:15-17). Complacency insures a maintenance model church. Just because attendance is stable and there is money in the bank doesn’t mean the church is a healthy missionary church. In fact, it may suggest just the opposite. A sure sign of a “lukewarm” church is a budget that reflects more concern for institutional and property maintenance than missionary outreach to the unchurched.

Jesus said, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:7). Are we willing to hear the truth about our church?

There are no words more significant in any human language than the words spoken by the angel on that first Easter morning. On Good Friday, it seemed that death had claimed one more victim. For fear of their own lives, those closest to Jesus went into hiding. It was just a matter of time before the Roman soldiers would come to arrest them, and possibly each of them would be nailed to a cross of their own. It seemed that with the death of Jesus on the cross, all the hopes of his followers were banished forever.

That is precisely what death does. Death robs us of hope. In the movie Unforgiven, Clint Eastwood’s character, Bill Munny, reflects upon the death of an assassinated cowboy. He says that killing a man is a terrible thing. “You take away all he’s got an’ all he’s ever gonna have.” Death, however it comes to us, is a tragedy. Death denies human future. How many times have we stood by the graveside of a child and spoken of the possibilities that we shall never know? Or, how often have we buried a grandfather and lamented the treasure of wisdom that we have lost? When a loved one succumbs to the power of death they lose their life, their loves, their possessions – all they ever had, all they would ever have. We too, are robbed of their wisdom, their care, their presence. In death, we trade the warmth of a living human person for a cold, hard grave marker of stone.

Death reigns over world history. Our landscape is marred by cemeteries, battlefields, and natural disasters which are daily reminders of human demise. Our museums are filled with the remains of creatures now extinct. Scientists have warned that the global ecosystem is dying. Some have said that we are facing a period of mass extinction that rivals the period when the dinosaurs became extinct. Almost a quarter of the earth’s mammals face extinction within our generation. A study of the earth’s oceans has suggested that ninety percent of all large fishes have disappeared in the last fifty years. Another study warns that 1900 amphibian species are in danger of extinction, and reptiles are dying out at an even greater rate. It has been estimated that over 1200 bird species will become extinct within the next century. The world’s forests, which provide the very atmosphere necessary to all animal life, are decreasing by astonishing rates. Even the sun, our only source of warmth and light, is slowly burning out.

The ancient Holy Scriptures and the environmental scientists of our day agree as to the cause of our planet’s impending demise – human choices. The scientists decry human irresponsibility in the care, or lack of care, for our world. But in truth, they speak only to the symptom. The ancient Scriptures speak to the true cause of the power of death – human sin. Humanity has turned from God and God has given the entire creation over to the corruption of humanity. It is because of the corruption of the human soul that death has wrecked havoc over the entire cosmos.

But death will not have the final word! The apostle John has proclaimed that Jesus Christ is the life and light of the world (John 1:4). In Christ, God has established a covenant of Life with his creation. This present age may suffer from the cruel reign of death, but Christ has defeated death once and for all. To John on the Isle of Patmos, Christ declared, “Do not be afraid, I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of death” (Revelation 1:17-18 NKJV).

Once Jesus visited his friends, Mary and Martha, as they grieved over the death of their brother, Lazarus.  As they lamented, Jesus proclaimed, “I am the resurrection and the life! He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live!” (John 11:25). Then suddenly Jesus cried out, “Lazarus, come forth!” (John 11:43).  As the astonished crowds watched, Lazarus came walking out of his grave, still wrapped in his grave clothes. This story reminds us that we shall die, but in Christ we shall be raised as a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

In Christ’s death and resurrection God has defeated the power of sin and death. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is God’s guarantee that life shall prevail. The Apostle Paul has told us that the resurrection of Jesus Christ means that the entire created order will be set free from the corruption of death (Romans 8:19-22).  The words of the angel on that first Easter morning – He is risen – give rise to hope for all of God’s creatures. All Christians await that day, when Christ shall appear and once again cry out, “Come forth!”

Footwashing witnesses to the descent of the eternal Word. John declared that the eternal Word descended from glory and power to assume human nature (John 1:1, 14). This is a common theme in the New Testament. Peter spoke of the descent of our Lord when he “made proclamation to the spirits now in prison” (1 Peter 3:19). In a beautiful early hymn of the Church, Paul relates to us the heart of this Christology:

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself (Greek – kenosis), taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:5-8).

The apostolic tradition interprets the Incarnation using terms denoting humility and service. The image of Jesus rising from the table, laying aside his garments, taking a towel, pouring water into a basin, bowing before his disciples and washing their feet incorporates into one sacred action the significance of the Incarnation. In Christ’s own self-emptying he has revealed to us the glory of God. Likewise, Christians are called to emptiness and self-denial (Matthew 10:39; 16:24-25; 19:21; Mark 8:34-35; 10:21; Luke 9:23-24; 17:33; 18:22; John 12:26; Acts 2:45; 4:34-37; Philippians 2:3-5; 3:7-8). This is the spirituality of Footwashing – the fellowship of the towel (John 13:14-15). This is a difficult spirituality for Christians who live in a culture of affluence, where spirituality is defined in terms of prosperity and success. One who wishes to enter into the fellowship of the towel must first experience the kenosis, the emptying of one’s self. Footwashing is more than a sacred act of worship; it is a way of life.

Footwashing interprets Christ sacrificial death. Jesus’ washing of his disciples’ feet interprets the cross as the climax of the Son’s descent. Footwashing is presented in terms of Christ’s redemptive love and sacrificial death (John 13:1). As Jesus washed their feet, the disciples experienced a spiritual transformation. Through footwashing the disciples were cleansed and placed in fellowship with Him (John 13:8-10). Unless the disciples allowed Jesus to wash their feet, they could have “no part” of Him (John 13:8). Footwashing was not a matter of individual consciences, but a matter of salvation.  Further, Jesus commanded his disciples to wash one another’s feet (John 13:14). By doing so, they affirmed each other as fellow believers. Footwashing interprets the cross as Jesus having laid down his life for his disciples. Likewise, he commanded his disciples to lay down their lives for one another.

Footwashing offers an opportunity for the sinful to confess their offenses and receive forgiveness.James wrote, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed” (James 5:16). Too often, we have viewed confession of sin as private matter, a matter of concern only between the sinner and the Lord. However, confession and forgiveness of sin takes place within the community of faith. The sinner must seek forgiveness from and reconciliation with the offended person (Matthew 5:23-24). Within the community of Jesus’ disciples there had been a clash of egos and many examples of failure (Matthew 16:22-12; 26:47-49; 69-75; Mark 9:17-19; 10:35-41). But Jesus washed the feet of each one and commanded that they wash one another’s feet: “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you” (John 13:14-15). Footwashing demonstrates that the Church is a community of grace in which sinners are to be welcomed and restored.

Footwashing exemplifies authentic Christian ministry. The footwashing of the disciples was performed in the context of their apostolic mission.  Jesus is the Divine Servant, the disciples are servants of the Divine One, and as such are servants to the world. The Apostle Paul twice used the metaphor of “feet” to speak of the proclamation of the Gospel (Romans 10:15; Ephesians 6:15). Among our greatest temptations is power and authority.  Power intoxicates and corrupts the human soul.  One would hope that those who serve the Church would not be so easily seduced. But we know that we are not immune.  The first century Corinthian Church suffered from schism and turmoil. Many persons within the church challenged and rejected the apostolic ministry of the Paul. The leaders of this group were known as the “super-apostles” (2 Corinthians 11:5, NIV). The conflict between Paul and the super-apostles was due to their different models of ministry. The model of the super-apostles was that of persons of divine power who boasted in their charismatic gifts. Paul’s model was that of the “meekness and gentleness of Christ,” (1 Corinthians 2:3; 2 Corinthians 10:1). He seemed “unimpressive” and his preaching style was “contemptible” (2 Corinthians 10:10; 11:6). His ministry was characterized by “weakness and fear” and he suffered from many bodily ailments, one of which was a “thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan” (1 Corinthians 2:3; 2 Corinthians 12:7; Galatians 4:3). When the members of the Corinthian Church compared the two models of ministry, they favored the super-apostles. However, with all the apparent strengths of the super-apostles they lacked what is necessary to establish an authentic Christian ministry – a model of ministry that follows after the example of Jesus Christ!  In fact, they were not super-apostles, but false apostles! (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Authentic Christian ministry is not defined in terms of bold, charismatic leadership; but in the willingness to lay all garments aside, to take up the towel and basin in order to wash the feet of God’s people.

This article is adapted from PENTECOSTAL SACRAMENTS. Click here to order your copy today!

I’ve often wondered what Jesus saw as he hung, lifted high, upon that cross. We know from the witness of the Gospels that there were many people in the proximity of Calvary. First, the Roman soldiers dedicated to their grim task mocked and tormented the condemned “king of the Jews.” They were officers of the Empire; an empire that was ruthless in its oppression of its conquered peoples. With a cold, callous determination they nailed Jesus to the cross and then cast lots for his clothing. As Jesus heard their taunts and looked into their faces, he prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

From the cross Jesus saw some of the Jewish rulers responsible for his condemnation as they visited Calvary for a final confrontation. They sneered at the thought that he might be considered the “king of the Jews.” They looked up into the face of Jesus and incited the crowds with the words, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself… let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him” (Matthew 27:42). They had sought his death and now they were glad to be rid of him. As they passed by, Jesus looked down and prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

Jesus did not see his disciples from the cross. According to the witness of the Gospels, only one of the Twelve was present. The others were scattered, running for their lives, hiding in fear. No more bold proclamations of faith. Judas had betrayed him. Peter had thrice denied him. Jesus had been abandoned by his friends. But he prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

As Jesus lifted his head he could see the city of Jerusalem. Just a few days before, this city had greeted him with the words, “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” But the human heart is fickle. Days later the crowds of Jerusalem gathered and cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” As Jesus carried the cross through the streets of the city many men, women, and children witnessed the grizzly scene, but few had mercy. From Jerusalem many of the people could see Jesus hanging on the cross. Some of the people even came to Calvary to gawk and mock him. Their priest/king prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

As Jesus looked beyond Jerusalem to the horizon, he may have began to see in the prophetic Spirit. With the eyes of the Prophet, Jesus peered into the ages. He saw centuries of human violence – wars of conquest and rebellion, even wars of religion fought in his name. He saw the wars and violence of the twentieth century – 10 million Russian citizens slaughtered by the Bolsheviks, 6 million Jews murdered by the Nazis, and the killing fields of Cambodia. He saw the wars of terror that inaugurated the twenty-first century. With his eyes filled with tears Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

Jesus saw the millions of oppressed humanity – the poor, the prisoner, the hungry and homeless. He saw the many injustices of human society – slavery, sex trafficking, child abuse and neglect, the subjugation of women, and the abortion of millions of human babies. With a grieved heart Jesus moaned, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

The preacher of Hebrews wrote, “Jesus… holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:24-25). Offering himself as an eternal sacrifice, Jesus prayed for the reconciliation and redemption of all humanity. Because of the Father’s love the Son was given so that the Spirit may draw sinful humans into the life of God. Paul declared, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). The Spirit of grace prepares our sinful heart so that we may respond to the call to repentance. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). There is no one so evil, or sinful, that they are beyond the reach of God’s grace because Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”