Currently our community group meets as a large group twice a month and then as men and women during the other two weeks. We have about 18 kids under age 10 in our group so there is no meaningful conversation happening when we gather as families - although we all enjoy singing and praying and fellowshipping. It is a good balance and in our women's group we are reading Kevin DeYoung's The Hole in Our Holiness.
Here are a few thoughts from his work:
The world stands for everything that opposes the will of God. In its simplest form, this means "the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions." (1 John 2:16 mg). Or put another way, worldliness is whatever makes sin look normal and righteousness look strange.
This might be why I have difficulty hanging in with some of the TV shows my husband chooses to watch. They make extramarital affairs, children out of wedlock, etc. seem normal.
It sounds really spiritual to say God is interested in relationship, not in rules. But it's not biblical. From top to bottom the Bible is full of commands. They aren't meant to stifle relationship with God, but to protect it, seal it and define it.I have heard this phrase before and am glad to have some thoughts about the role of rules in our lives now. Later he even gives more specifics about the role of the law.
Christians often speak of three uses of the law. The first is to lead us to Christ by convicting us of sin. The second is to restrain wickedness in thew world. The third use is to help us learn the nature of the Lord's will, acting as a kind of blueprint for holiness.
From there he discusses how the third use is a point of debate for many Christians. And here he taps into an important truth
If the possibility of holiness is so plain in the Bible, why do we find it so hard to believe? Probably the biggest reason is because we equate obedience with perfection.
God does not expect our good works to be flawless in order for them to be good.Well, that pretty much sums up my parenting issues. Instead of seeing the good, I want perfection. Ain't happening and it frustrates all of us. Lord, give me your eyes to see the good and help me to remember that your sacrifice is sufficient to cover mine and my children's sins.
That's the first half of the book.
This goes along with Mystie's quote from John Owen. I think I feel like Ahab when confronting the prophets when reading this sobering thoughts from these writers, "Why are you always so negative?" Holiness quickly overwhelms me but I seem to demand it of my children, too. I was just having a talk with one of my adult sons about this. He says he remembers always feeling like he couldn't take communion. I try to communicate better on this with my younger boys.
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