I agree with pretty much everything. There are a couple of things I would add in my experience (ATIA, SGC, PCA) many of the "minor" issues are matters of fairly easily kept cultural norms. Many of the matters that get codified are things that either aren't in the culture already (alcohol a prime example) or are things people already have a propensity towards (whiteness in general). Violating the small mores violates the cultural fantasy that "salvation" renders the "saved" "free from sin". When it comes to big sins they simply do not have a theological matrix to understand it so it has to be explained away and "forgiven" immediately to get back to the cultural status quo. More on how I agree with you: https://iclaimnothing.wordpress.com/2022/12/08/why-christian-perfection-cannot-handle-abuse/
It has also been a longstanding tradition on the religious right of treating all sex-related sins as though they are equal in severity. For them, there is only one form of acceptable sexual behavior: heterosexual intercourse between a married man and his wife. Anything outside that definition, is considered wrong. But rather than having gradients like most moral scales, the religious right lumps together EVERYTHING outside the definition. Therefore, looking at pictures of women without clothes on, having consensual sex with someone you care about, despite not being married to them, committing adultery, and preying on a child all wind up being offenses equal in severity, despite the very obvious differences between them that are easily perceived by your average layman.
For one thing Scripture is very clear that any sexual relations outside of marriage is sin (Genesis 2:24 which was quoted by Jesus in the Gospels makes it clear God's design for marriage is between a man and a woman), regardless of whether it's consensual or not. However, sexual abuse (including sexual abuse within marriage), especially child sexual abuse, is a worse sin than running around on one's spouse. Running around on one's spouse isn't illegal, but having sex with children is, and in my opinion is the second worst sin a person can commit after murder.
This is fantastic. I’m taking a class on “covenant theology”/substitutionary atonement and finding that I’m not comfortable with it - you’re helping me clarify my concerns.
Also appreciate seeing how this all connects to abuse. One area where these guys do care about interpersonal sin, though, is when pastors feel they have been sinned against. Unhealthy ones, at least, see this as a sin against God deserving wrath and punishment which they, coincidentally, also have the authority to administer.
This is just, so very helpful. You are not only pointing out the hypocrisy of the way churches handle these things, but also constantly helping me unpack what I've always believed about myself. Thanks again, I can't wait to read the next one!
Brilliant work, as expected. The structure of this theology is not completely out of whack with Wesleyan theology I learned as a kid (other than the first couple of wild statements), but it is completely lacking in God's love and how grace fits into that. It's also completely lacking in Matthew 5 - which, being the very words of Christ, should inform every Christian's interactions and attitudes toward other people. No wonder these churches are such a mess.
Are you really summarizing John Piper if you forget to mention that faith is a gift, and the recipients were determined before time based on nothing we do but only according to God's will, aka predestination?
I left it out because 1) this isn't inherent to all JT people - not all are predestination people and 2) John Piper still clearly thinks you have to do something - respond with faith.
Are you also aware of James 2:17, faith without works is dead. Because of faith in God, the Christian wants to be a loving person to others, not out of necessity for salvation, rather an overabundance of love extending from knowing God and understanding Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Works don't save, Paul states this clearly in Ephesians 2, but they are a representation of the faith someone has. Many Christians do have this works-based salvation framework, but that's not what its supposed to look like.
I agree with pretty much everything. There are a couple of things I would add in my experience (ATIA, SGC, PCA) many of the "minor" issues are matters of fairly easily kept cultural norms. Many of the matters that get codified are things that either aren't in the culture already (alcohol a prime example) or are things people already have a propensity towards (whiteness in general). Violating the small mores violates the cultural fantasy that "salvation" renders the "saved" "free from sin". When it comes to big sins they simply do not have a theological matrix to understand it so it has to be explained away and "forgiven" immediately to get back to the cultural status quo. More on how I agree with you: https://iclaimnothing.wordpress.com/2022/12/08/why-christian-perfection-cannot-handle-abuse/
It has also been a longstanding tradition on the religious right of treating all sex-related sins as though they are equal in severity. For them, there is only one form of acceptable sexual behavior: heterosexual intercourse between a married man and his wife. Anything outside that definition, is considered wrong. But rather than having gradients like most moral scales, the religious right lumps together EVERYTHING outside the definition. Therefore, looking at pictures of women without clothes on, having consensual sex with someone you care about, despite not being married to them, committing adultery, and preying on a child all wind up being offenses equal in severity, despite the very obvious differences between them that are easily perceived by your average layman.
For one thing Scripture is very clear that any sexual relations outside of marriage is sin (Genesis 2:24 which was quoted by Jesus in the Gospels makes it clear God's design for marriage is between a man and a woman), regardless of whether it's consensual or not. However, sexual abuse (including sexual abuse within marriage), especially child sexual abuse, is a worse sin than running around on one's spouse. Running around on one's spouse isn't illegal, but having sex with children is, and in my opinion is the second worst sin a person can commit after murder.
This is fantastic. I’m taking a class on “covenant theology”/substitutionary atonement and finding that I’m not comfortable with it - you’re helping me clarify my concerns.
Also appreciate seeing how this all connects to abuse. One area where these guys do care about interpersonal sin, though, is when pastors feel they have been sinned against. Unhealthy ones, at least, see this as a sin against God deserving wrath and punishment which they, coincidentally, also have the authority to administer.
This is just, so very helpful. You are not only pointing out the hypocrisy of the way churches handle these things, but also constantly helping me unpack what I've always believed about myself. Thanks again, I can't wait to read the next one!
Brilliant work, as expected. The structure of this theology is not completely out of whack with Wesleyan theology I learned as a kid (other than the first couple of wild statements), but it is completely lacking in God's love and how grace fits into that. It's also completely lacking in Matthew 5 - which, being the very words of Christ, should inform every Christian's interactions and attitudes toward other people. No wonder these churches are such a mess.
Are you really summarizing John Piper if you forget to mention that faith is a gift, and the recipients were determined before time based on nothing we do but only according to God's will, aka predestination?
I left it out because 1) this isn't inherent to all JT people - not all are predestination people and 2) John Piper still clearly thinks you have to do something - respond with faith.
Are you also aware of James 2:17, faith without works is dead. Because of faith in God, the Christian wants to be a loving person to others, not out of necessity for salvation, rather an overabundance of love extending from knowing God and understanding Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Works don't save, Paul states this clearly in Ephesians 2, but they are a representation of the faith someone has. Many Christians do have this works-based salvation framework, but that's not what its supposed to look like.