Peter Jones, Author at Kuyperian Commentary

On April 30, 2014 By Peter Jones In Scribblings Like

That Knife Cut Quick

Well that didn’t take long.

Yesterday I posted this comment to Facebook.

“Donald Sterling’s comments were out of line. As an owner he should be held to a high standard. But this knife will eventually cut Christians as well. How soon before a player is cut because he opposes gay marriage? How soon before a paycheck is confiscated because a player thinks Islam is a false religion? The problem isn’t that Sterling was punished (though I think it is excessive), the problem is that our standard for what to punish is based on public perception, not on any objective truth that can be appealed to.”

Today I was listening to Rush Limbaugh (yes I do listen to him occasionally) and heardпоисковик гугл раскрутка web а

On April 29, 2014 By Peter Jones In Culture Like

Sex as a Demon

“Sexual desire, without Eros, wants it, the thing in itself; Eros wants the beloved. When natural things look most divine, the demoniac is just around the corner. But Eros, honored without reservation and obeyed unconditionally, becomes a demon. The real danger seems to me not that the lovers will idolize each other but that they will idolize Eros himself.” (C.S. Lewis in The Four Loves)

C.S. Lewis is a master of the human heart. He understood the dangers that come, not only with hurt and pain, but with pleasure and joy. We assume that it is the wicked things that destroy us. But all too often it is that which is beautiful and enjoyable that becomes a bloodthirsty demon. Why? We replace the Creator with the creature. The creature, the thing, the experience, becomes our god. The moment we do that we have brought home a dragon that will eventually eat us.

All areas of human experience are prone to this idolization. But there is no area so easily worshiped today as sex. Our culture is hyper-sexualized. Our commercials are filled with sexual innuendo or scantily clad women. Our teenage daughters wear more to bed than they do on the street. Television shows and movies are filled with sexual imagery. Songs are filled with sexual lyrics. Magazines have articles on how to have a better sex life. Christians write books on how to have a better sex life. Pastors preach sermons on how to have a better sex life. Apparently, a better sex life is the way to happiness.

In this pursuit of sex what people want is not a particular man or woman but a particular experience. A man watching pornography does not want the porn star. He wants what the porn star can supposedly give; a sexual high. A woman who sleeps with men at the drop of a hat or dresses with most of her body showing is not looking to please a particular man. She is trying to get a particular experience. Often, even the Christian, because he has been catechized by our culture, is looking for a particular sexual experience. In other words, we bow down and worship sex. It is our god, our great savior. It is the transcendental experience that will get us closer to God.

What are some of the effects of this idolization of sex?

Women are degraded. Because women are the weaker vessel they become objects. They are there to provide a sexual high. This does not stop with marriage. Many men still view their wives this way after getting married. She is there, not be loved, but to be used.
Children are sexualized. Pedophilia is a natural extension of the idolization of sex. A woman (or man) cannot provide a certain experience maybe a child can.
Perverted acts become part of the normal human sexual experience: handcuffs, dressing up as the opposite sex, having numerous partners, watching pornography together, sodomy, etc. The idol sex is supposed to provide a certain experience. However, she always comes up short. So we try more and more things. I remember an interview with mass murderer Ted Bundy. He talked about how he started out reading and watching pornography. Then he went to strip clubs. Then he took cheap feels on women in crowded places. Then he slept with prostitutes. Finally, he kidnapped, raped, and killed women. Of course, not everyone goes that far. But in our hearts, many of us walk that same path. The man who leaves his wife for a younger, more attractive woman is a miniature Ted Bundy.
We are never satisfied. Idols always take. They never give. Idols promise, but never deliver. They say, “You too can have amazing sex and be fulfilled.” But in the end the sex leaves you empty and dead. Oh, there may be a temporary pleasure. I am sure the fruit tasted good to Adam and Eve. But that pleasure fades. As Adam drove his spade into the rock hard ground under the hot sun outside the Garden, I doubt he thought that fruit was worth it. Idols give salt water to a thirsty man.
This might seem odd. But one effect of idolizing sex is that sex itself is degraded. It becomes a means to an end. The end is an experience. Thus sex becomes like a hammer. It is a tool to provide a certain service. Here again C.S. Lewis: “Put first things first and we get second things thrown in: put second things first and we lose both first and second things. ” When sex becomes an idol we lose the joy of sex.

How do we fight the idolization of sex?

Worship God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Believe that only He can provide everlasting satisfaction and joy. Bow down before God and you will not bow before sex.
Remember sex is intended to be act of love between a man and woman married to each other. The point of sex is not just so you can experience something. The point is to give. That is what love is. Again, C.S. Lewis, “Say your prayers in a garden early, ignoring steadfastly the dew, the birds and the flowers, and you will come away overwhelmed by its freshness and joy; go there in order to be overwhelmed and, after a certain age, nine times out of ten nothing will happen to you.” If we do something to have a certain experience we will often be disappointed. But if we go to do what we are supposed to do then we will usually be satisfied. So too with sex.
Sex, like any gift, must be used to love God and our neighbor. These two commands put fences around our sex life. Any act or thought which does not love God or love my neighbor is sin.
The idolization of sex will not be defeated by treating sex as dirty. Sex is a gift from God to be enjoyed within the bounds of the marriage bed.
Sex is a gift from God designed for certain purposes, including conceiving children, providing pleasure, protecting one’s spouse from temptation, and making a man and woman one flesh. It is not designed to provide a transcendental, spiritual experience. As Mrs. Elizabeth Elliott said somewhere, “Sometimes sex is a sandwich. Sometimes it is a steak.” If you can’t enjoy the sandwich then sex has become an idol.
Beware of always wanting more from your sex life. Beware of the slow creeping lie that there is something better and if you just do this or buy that or watch this then you can have a better sexual experience. Pull that weed up immediately and learn to be content with what God has given you.
Beware comparing your sex life with someone else’s. Most of us have seen examples of sex on screen or read about sexual experiences. The temptation is to compare our sex life with what we have seen or read. This is devastating to a real, enjoyable sex life. It does not matter what the world or other people are doing in their beds. Enjoy your spouse without a thought for the expectations of the outside world. You will be happier and your spouse will be too.
Be satisfied with who you have. The grass is not greener.

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On April 22, 2014 By Peter Jones In Scribblings Like

God and the Gay Christian Reviews

Recently a book came out saying that Christians have a moral and Biblical obligation to accept same sex relationships. No longer does the Bible just tolerate homosexuality, but now it demands that the Church accept it and smile upon it. Here are some responses to the foolishness if you are interested.

Here is a free e-book that includes short chapters by Al Mohler, Denny Burk, and Owen Strachan. I read it this morning and found it helpful in cutting through the fog that these types of books like to put in our minds.

Here is a list by James Hamilton of some of the logical fallacies in the book.

Here James Hamilton calls upon the author to repent and turn from his sins.

Here is a review by Andrew Walker over at Canon and Culture.

These reviews are excellent to remind Christians of what the Bible actually teaches and to strengthen their faith in Christ and trust in the Bible. But it will not convince homosexuals to change. This debate may have been about exegesis at some point in the past, but it no longer is. The Bible is no longer the real authority. The ultimate authority is my own experience. Below is a quote from a liberal New Testament scholar who believes homosexuality is fine. Unlike the author of God and the Gay Christian he is honest. He thinks the Bible is wrong and that his experience his right. All those “Christians” who think homosexuality is fine should just come out and say it as plainly as Luke Timothy Johnson does.

I have little patience with efforts to make Scripture say something other than what it says, through appeals to linguistic or cultural subtleties. The exegetical situation is straightforward: we know what the text says. But what are we to do with what the text says? … I think it important to state clearly that we do, in fact, reject the straightforward commands of Scripture, and appeal instead to another authority when we declare that same-sex unions can be holy and good. And what exactly is that authority? We appeal explicitly to the weight of our own experience and the experience thousands of others have witnessed to, which tells us that to claim our own sexual orientation is in fact to accept the way in which God has created us.

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On April 9, 2014 By Peter Jones In Culture Like

Obedience is the Door to Joy

Reformation begins with a Spirit-given desire to submit fully and completely to the Scriptures. It does not matter whether this reformation begins in the home or the church or in the community. Sitting humbly under the Word is an essential ingredient.

In my home one of the ways I have worked towards reformation is by getting my children to obey me. This is not easy in our culture where both authority and submission are despised. By getting my children to obey, I am learning to obey. But as with any good thing there are dangers. One of the great dangers of teaching my children to obey is to view their obedience as the goal instead of the means to a greater goal. The Westminster Shorter Catechism very succinctly names the goal we should have in life:

Question: What is the chief end of man?

Answer: The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.

In another delightful phrase that I, unfortunately, just found, The Belgic Confession says that God is the “overflowing fountain of all good.” (Article I) The goal is enjoying God, not obeying him. Now, you cannot have joy without obedience. But it is possible to have a type of obedience that does not lead to joy. It is possible to teach our children to obey without ever leading them through the door to joy.

Do we teach them to obey so they might enjoy the goodness of God? Do we view obedience as a door to a mansion where all the rooms are filled with the wonders of God or do we view it as the last stop on the train? Is teaching our children to obey a way setting them free or a way controlling them? Let me use the dinner table and bedtime as examples of what I mean.

At our table we have rules. These are not written in the Bible, but they are “house rules” that my wife and I have set up for our table. If I was going to use a Bible verse to justify these rules it would be Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind to one another.” Manners at the table are a way of being kind. Some of these rules are: wait until mom and sisters are seated before the men sit, chew quietly, do not interrupt, do not eat with your fingers (with exceptions for pizza, fried chicken, and PB&J), etc. The point of having and enforcing these rules is not just to keep our children under control. These rules make our table a place of joy. (Needless to say it does not always work out this way.) We sing at the table. We tell jokes and puns. We tell stories. We listen to stories, even from the littlest ones. We ask questions. We discuss world events and events in our homes. We learn what our children are thinking and what they care about. None of this is possible without obedience. But obedience is not the goal. The goal is joy around the table.

Bedtime is the same way. I do not make my children obey at bedtime so I can simply say, “Bedtime” and they all snap to it. I teach my children to obey at bedtime so we can pray together, talk a bit, maybe sing. In other words I teach them to obey so we can end the day enjoying God and each other.

The goal in all of life is to find great joy in God, his people, and his world. Obedience is a door to this goal, but it is not the goal itself. To stop and sit in the door of a great house would be an insult to the master of the house.

Here are three questions to consider:

First, are you teaching your children to obey? Do you know that by allowing them to disobey you are keeping them from enjoying God and this world? Disobedience brings bondage.

Second, you parents who are trying to get your children to obey are you leading your children to joy through obedience or are you sitting in the door examining the hinges? Is your house filled with joyless obedience? If you have obedient children, but no joy then neither you nor your children are being obedient, no matter how well they listen.

Third, parents how do you view your own obedience? Do you view obedience as a means to enjoying God? Or do you view obedience as the end, the goal itself?

This was originally posted at Singing and Slaying.<>cifrolom.com надежная раскрутка а

On April 4, 2014 By Peter Jones In Theology, Worship 3

Solomon’s Great Prayer and the Declaration of Forgiveness

This post is a little more exegetical than I typically put on here, but I think it is worthwhile addition to Kuyperian.

Israel had been waiting for this day since she came out of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 12:5, 11) God had promised he would dwell with Israel in a permanent house. Now that day had come. After years of preparation by David followed by years of building by Solomon, the temple was finished. All Israel had been called by her great king to dedicate the temple with prayer and feasting.

Solomon’s prayer in II Chronicles 6:12-42 (see also I Kings 8:22-53) is one of the great prayers in Scripture. Solomon, the great king, the son of David, kneels down on a bronze platform and raises his hands to heaven (II Chronicles 6:13). He then prays to the Lord.

Solomon begins by reminding the Lord that He is merciful and keeps his promises. (II Chronicles 6:14-17) He then adds that the Lord is not confined by human hands to this temple. (6:18) Yet this temple is special and Solomon asks the Lord to remember his people which pray toward this place. (6:19-21) You might think that Solomon wants the Lord to hear their prayers so they can be delivered from their enemies or they can prosper as a nation or any other number of reasons. But Solomon wants the Lord to hear their prayers and forgive them. (II Chronicles 6:21b) Solomon’s great concern is that God would forgive Israel. This concern is woven through the entire prayer:

6:22 If anyone sins…

6:24-25 If your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You and return and confess Your name…hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people.

6:26-27 When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you when they pray toward this place and confess your name, and turn from their sin…forgive the sin of your servants.

6:28-30 When there is famine, blight….when each one spreads out his hands to this temple then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive.

6:32-33 This section is interesting because it does not specifically mention the forgiveness of sins. It is talking about when a Gentile prays to the temple. Solomon asks that God “would hear from heaven and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You.” While forgiveness is not mentioned, it could certainly be implied given the context.

6:36-39 When they sin against You…and repent…forgive your people who have sinned against you.

II Chronicles 7:12-17 is God’s answer to Solomon’s prayer. Solomon prays in chapter 6 and the Lord promises forgiveness in chapter 7. Here is 7:14- If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. The Lord promises Solomon that he will forgive the sins of his people.

There are several items of note to gather from this prayer and the circumstances surrounding it.

First, the forgiveness of sins was a central concern for Israel. Here is the most important event in the history of Israel outside of the exodus (maybe even more important than the exodus) and at the center is forgiveness of sins. Here is one of the greatest kings in his greatest moment and forgiveness of sins is central. We often think of the Old Testament as preaching forgiveness, but in a hidden, concealed way. Solomon’s prayer shatters that idea. They knew they needed forgiveness of sins. They knew only God could provide it.

Second, the temple was about Israel’s sins being forgiven. There are many things Solomon could have emphasized the day the temple was dedicated. But his prayer centered on the forgiveness of sins. For Solomon, the temple existed in large part to be a place of prayer, but a specific kind of prayer, confession. It was huge building reminding Israel that God was the God who forgives. (Psalm 99:8)

Third, Solomon expected Israel to repent of her sins. The entire prayer is very gospel oriented. Israel sins. God disciplines her. She repents. God forgives. The life of every Christian body and every individual Christian is summed up in this prayer. As Luther said, “The entire life of believers to be one of repentance.”

Finally, God promises to forgive. God does not leave Israel wondering. He tells Solomon in 7:14 that when his people repent and pray he will forgive. There is no doubt that this promise is behind three other great prayers in the Old Testament, Ezra 9, Nehemiah 9, and Daniel 9. All of these are confessions of sins. Isn’t it interesting that four of the greatest prayers in the Old Testament are all about confession and forgiveness?

Here are three points of application.

First, we should be regularly confessing our sins both corporately and privately. I would hope this was a given, but unfortunately it often is not. When I ask my children to pray after family worship I give them four options: praise, ask for something, pray for someone, or confess a sin. Guess which one never gets taken? Confessing our sins does not come as naturally as it should. It is easy to talk about confessing our sins. It is much harder to actually confess them. While private confession is often emphasized corporate confession can be neglected. We should be confessing together that we are sinners.

Second, every church should consider having a declaration of forgiveness in worship. Our worship service begins with a call, followed by a time of confessing our sins. When we are done confessing our sins I say, “Almighty God who is rich in mercy has given His only Son to die for us, I therefore declare to you that all of your sins are forgiven in Christ.” Every week my people are reminded that God forgives them. Every week my people are told that they are clean because of Jesus. We need this every week. We need someone telling us that cross of Christ is still there with mercy for all our sins. The Church, the new temple (I Peter 2:5), is the place where the forgiveness of sins in Christ should be declared regularly and emphatically. (Luke 24:47)

Third, we must believe that God actually does forgive our sins when we repent and confess them. Before we confess our sins in worship our congregation recites I John 1:8-9. Here is that great promise, just like in II Chronicles 7:14, that God can and does forgive. One of Satan’s greatest ploys is to keep bringing up our sins. We confess them. He sends us a postcard reminding us of how wicked we are. The guilt comes back. I remember as a kid lying in bed confessing sins I had confessed dozens of times before trying to make sure I was “really” forgiven. Oh, how we need to hear and be reminded that he is faithful and just to forgive all our sins.

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On March 27, 2014 By Peter Jones In Theology, Wisdom Like

Common as Bluegrass in Kentucky

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. I Corinthians 10:13

Most of the time the truth is painful. I Corinthians 10:13 contains several of these painful moments. We learn here that we can resist temptation. We learn here that God is faithful. It is not God’s fault we sin. We learn that God provides a way out for us every single time. One could leave this verse feeling like they have no excuse for sinning. And that would be correct.

But I want to focus on the very first clause of this verse. In this clause, the Holy Spirit through Paul says something amazing. All of our temptations are common. None of our temptations are special or unique. Millions of men, women, and children experience the exact same temptations you and I do. Abraham felt them. David did. Paul did. The peasant in the middle ages did. Your mom and dad did. Your brothers and sisters at church do. Paul has just walked the church at Corinth through the wilderness wanderings (verse 1-10). He has told them how God was not pleased with Israel even though he delivered them. Why? They lusted (vs. 6). They worshiped idols (vs. 7). They committed sexual immorality (vs. 8). They tempted Christ (vs. 9). They complained (vs. 10). Then Paul says that all of this was written as an example to us. Then he warns the church to not get proud (vs. 12). He closes with verse 13 where he reminds them that they are not special. The situation at Corinth was not a once in a lifetime experience. What they were going through was as common as the sand on the seashore.

We often excuse our sin by claiming that we are different or that our situation is unique. Sin feeds us the lie that we are special and therefore we can or must go ahead and sin. Of course, we would never say this out loud. But in our minds we directly contradict what Paul says here. We think, “My temptation is not common to men. I am going through something no one else has ever had to go through. Therefore my sin is excused.” There are at least two ways we do this.

First, we claim that our situation is special . If you had my parents you wouldn’t honor them. If you had the day I had you would yell at the kids too. If your wife was the ice block mine is you would look at porn also. If you had my husband you wouldn’t respect him either. All these “ifs” are code word for “My situation is special and therefore my sin is excused.” Or we talk about our upbringing and blame our parents. My parents did not train me right. Blame them for my sin. We can also blame the actual tempting situation itself. If that woman in a bikini had never shown up on my computer I would never have looked at porn. If that man in the red Corvette had not cut me off in traffic then I would not have gotten angry. If my boss gave me more work I would not waste my time. If the people at my church were kinder I could really love them. Over and over again we put ourselves in a special category the “I have an excuse for my sin” category. But our situations are not unique. They are common. No temptation we face is special to us. Millions of men throughout history have experienced the exact same thing we are. We need to stop excusing our sin because we believe our situation is one of a kind.

Second, we claim that our personality gives us an excuse for sin. We don’t blame our situation, as we did under point one. Instead we blame a personality trait. We excuse our sin by saying, “I am just wired this way.” I am withdrawn (i.e. I am not kind). I am moody (i.e. I go into fits of rage). I am outgoing (i.e. I spend my day at work talking instead of working). I am generous (i.e. I blow my money). I am frugal (i.e. I refuse to share). I am a visual learner (i.e. I can’t sit still and listen to a sermon). My personality clashes with hers (i.e. I am mean to her). We blame our personality for our sins. But again no temptation is unique. Your personality is not brand new in the history of mankind. Stop excusing your sin because of your personality.

Let me clarify a few things. People do have leanings toward particular sins. Our personalities draw us toward vices. And some people do have trying circumstances. All of this is true. But none of this unique or special.

One of Paul’s points here to the Corinthians and to us is that we are not special. Our situation is not special. Our personalities are not special. Our temptations are not special. Who we are and what we face each day is the common lot of all men.

Once we realize that our temptations are as common as bluegrass in Kentucky then we can start dealing with our sin and stop excusing it. We can look to Christ for forgiveness. We can look to Christ for victory over our sin. We can look for the way of escape our faithful Father always provides us. We can gain victory over sin.<>заказ разработка а посмотреть позицию а

On March 13, 2014 By Peter Jones In Culture, Family and Children, Wisdom 1

Pursuing Hospitality: What About Non-Christians?

One of the great difficulties for many of us is that we have friends or family members that are non-Christians. How do we practice hospitality towards those who are not believers? Each situation is different and will require wisdom, but here are some basic guidelines. If you have questions about a specific situation then should to talk to your elders. In this post I am addressing inviting a pagan for dinner. I do not address a more complicated issue: should I allow a non-Christian to live with me (for example a wayward cousin who needs a place to stay) for a period of time.

First, showing hospitality to non-believers can be a good way to evangelize. There is no better picture of the gospel than eating and drinking with sinners. One of the best ways to show people Christ is by inviting them into your home and letting them see your daily living. This would include prayer before meals, family worship, discipline of the children, love for your wife, etc. In other words, if someone comes in to your home for an evening they should see Christ preached through the way you live. But do not use the meal as a way to “spring the gospel on them.” If you invite them over for a meal, invite them over for a meal. Don’t tell them it is a meal and the try to slide the gospel in the backdoor. That way they know what they are getting into and don’t feel duped. Of course, if the opportunity arises to talk about Christ take it. And you could always tell a non-Christian you are inviting them over to tell them about Jesus. My point is be up front. Don’t present it is a casual dinner and then put on the pressure.

Second, you should not generally invite someone into your home who claims to be a Christian, but is living in open unrepentant sin. Do not sit down at a table, pretending the person is a brother or sister in Christ, while they are engaged in high handed rebellion against God. I Corinthians 5:9-11 makes this clear. It can be difficult to determine how far to take these verses, especially in an age where churches do not practice discipline. It is possible for someone to be in full communion at your local church and be living in complete rebellion against God. If you have questions I would encourage you to talk to your elders.

Third, you should be careful when inviting over non-Christians who are promoting their non-Christian worldviews, especially if you have children. I would invite over a sexually immoral non-Christian. However, I would not invite over a sexually immoral non-Christian who wanted me to join them in their sexual immorality or worse was interested in getting my children to see things their way. Usually, this is not the case. Most non-Christians you invite into your home will know you are a Christian and will respect that. However, as our society becomes more anti-Christian do not be surprised if non-Christians try to persuade your children or you on your own turf. If the person is recruiting for the world, you should be cautious in inviting them in.

Fourth, you should be cautious about going and eating dinner with non-Christians in their home. When you go into someone’s house you are subject to their rules. There may be occasions where this is okay. But I would normally advise against it, especially if the pagan is recruiting for the world. Try to invite them into your home or go to dinner with them at a restaurant instead. The exception here is if they are interested in Christ and invite you into their home to learn more. I think many examples we have of Christ going into the homes of sinners falls in this category. They wanted to hear from Jesus. If people want to know more about who you serve by all means go to their home and tell them.

Finally, the priority in your hospitality should be Christians. These two verses make that point: John 13:35 and Galatians 6:10. If you can minister to non-believers you should. And don’t make the verses above an excuse to avoid non-believers. But if you have to make a choice, and some of us do, then invite over Christians. As John 13:35 points out, this is evangelism.<>

On March 11, 2014 By Peter Jones In Culture, Family and Children, Wisdom Like

Pursuing Hospitality: The Next Five Principles

Here are the next five principles for hospitality. For the first five you can see this post.

Sixth, practice makes perfect. Your first attempts at hospitality can be awkward. The food may not turn out. The conversation may fall flat. You might forget obvious things. But you will get better with practice. As you have more people over and different types of people, you will learn what works and what doesn’t. You will learn what you can handle and what you cannot handle. You will find ways to start conversations and direct them. You will learn how to make your guests feel comfortable. Hospitality, like most things, becomes easier the more you do it.

Seventh, if you have children, include them in the preparation. Let them help with cooking. Let them get out special toys for the children that are coming. Our boys have made name plates for each guest coming. Help them to see the sacrifices and joys that come with having guests over. This will give your children a vision for hospitality and serving. One word of warning though. Do not make your children work the entire time the guests are there. You enjoy time with the guests. Let them enjoy that time as well.

Eighth, don’t make excuses for not practicing hospitality. Hospitality is hard work. It is a lot easier to find “reasons” not to practice hospitality than it is to do it. You will not practice hospitality if you are not convinced that it is essential to your Christian life and witness. As I said in my previous, we all are at different phases in our lives and this can limit what we can do. However, there is rarely a reason to never practice hospitality.

Ninth, don’t grumble as you practice hospitality. I Peter 4:9 tells us to practice hospitality without grumbling. Peter knows that it is a great temptation to grumble before or after we invite people into our home. We complain as we get ready for our guests. We complain when our guests leave without a thank you. We grumble about the problems our guests bring into our home. Any good you might do with hospitality will be undone by a grumbling spirit.

Finally, don’t judge other people’s hospitality. At a hospitable church, it is easy to start giving sideways glances. We begin to wonder why one family rarely invites anyone over. Or maybe we wonder why another family seems to have everybody over all the time. We wonder why they have three children and we have three children, but they never invite families over and we always do. Jealousy, envy, and pride are constant temptations when we start to obey the commands of Scripture. Tend your own garden. Stop worrying about the garden across town.<>

On March 7, 2014 By Peter Jones In Culture Like

Pursuing Hospitality: The First Five Principles

Yesterday I posted some biblical passages on hospitality. I have several upcoming posts on hospitality which include how singles can show hospitality, how to show hospitality to pagans, and how to be a good guest. However, I want to begin with some basic principles of hospitality.

First, we should think long and deep about God’s kindness to us. All of our actions are to flow out of who God is and what he has done for us. If your hospitality is not an act of thanksgiving to God for what he has done then it will not please him. Hospitality should come from the overflow of your life in Christ, not from guilt. Study and pray over those passages in God’s Word that describe God’s kindness to you. Matthew 22 is a good place to start. You could also read Psalm 104-106. There are numerous passages in Isaiah, such as Isaiah 2:1-5, 55, and 66:10-13. You could also read passages that talk about feasting, like Exodus 24:9-18, II Samuel 9, I Kings 8 (especially verses 65-66) and II Chronicles 30:21-27. Finally, you could read and meditate on Revelation 21-22. A theology of hospitality grounded in God’s Word must be the foundation for our practice of hospitality.

Second, cultivate a love for people and the messes that come along with them. People track in mud. This mud can be real, such as spilled milk, broken furniture or clogged toilets. It can also be mud like ugly marriages, selfish hearts, immature speech, and ingratitude. Without a love for people and a desire to love them in the midst of their messes we will never truly practice hospitality. We can show our lack of love for people in two ways. The first is that we don’t invite messy people over. Second, we do invite the messy ones, but we invite them, not to show them hospitality, but to change them. If we invite people into our homes to “fix them” then we are not showing hospitality.

Third, work with your particular situation. We are all at different phases in our lives. These phases dictate how hospitable we can be. A man with six young children will not be able to practice hospitality to the same degree as a man with one child or man with children all over fifteen years old. A man who works 37 hours a week and is always home by 5 will be able to do things that a man who works 50 hours a week and travels a lot cannot. Proverbs says, “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks and attend to your herds.” (27:23) In other words, know your situation. Know what you have and what you do not have. Here are at least three things to evaluate:

~ How many children do you have and what are their ages? More children will make frequent hospitality difficult. The reason is simple: children take time and energy. A mother who is nursing one child, with two in diapers and two more under the age of ten will have a hard time getting ready for guests. She is already practicing hospitality with her “guests.” She needs her husband’s help, which means hospitality will be more infrequent and will usually take place on the weekend. The amount of hospitality will vary from family to family. It is the husband’s job to make sure he is not overdoing it and is showing hospitality to his wife and children by considering their needs.

~What is the husband’s job situation? How many hours is the husband working? Has he been out of town? A wife is not to lead in hospitality. That is the husband’s job. Therefore he needs to make sure that he is around to help.

~What is the physical state of the home and the people in the home? Have the children been sick? Is the wife 8 ½ months pregnant? Has it been a long week or couple of weeks and the whole family needs a break? Sometimes the righteous thing to do is not invite someone over.

Fourth, don’t aim just to entertain. One of the great temptations with hospitality is to dazzle people. There is a place in the Christian life for a grand feast with everyone in their best clothes. But that is not regular hospitality. Hospitality is about showing kindness, meeting the needs of your guests and making sure they are comfortable. Hospitality should be devoted, not to showing off, but to making sure your guests are at home. The food should be good, but not ostentatious. The meal and time afterward should be devoted to conversation, getting to know one another, and possibly playing games. It should be leisurely and joyful.

Fifth, go outside your normal circle of friends. We all need friends. These are the people we invite over without thinking. The people we want to hang out with. This is good and we should certainly show hospitality to them. However, we also want to learn to be kind to those who are not like us. The young should invite over the old and the old the young. The family with no children should invite the one with five. The lawyer should invite the farmer. The auto mechanic should invite over the doctor. The Hispanic should invite over the Asian. We are the Body of Christ. We are not bound by race, economic status or level of education. We are bound together by the blood of Christ. Reach outside the group you feel most comfortable with.<>

On March 6, 2014 By Peter Jones In Scribblings Like

Pursuing Hospitality:Biblical Foundations

Hospitality is a lost art in Christian circles. Despite the priority it has in the Scriptures and the wonderful picture we paint of God as we do it, hospitality is largely ignored by the people of God. Yet it is one of the great privileges, obligations, and joys of every Christian. Christ has invited us to be guests at his table. The Lord, who made heaven and earth, is an excellent host who feeds and cares for this world. (See Psalm 104) As disciples of Christ and subjects of the Kingdom of God we are to imitate Christ by doing the same. Our tables are to be surrounded by guests. We are to wash the feet of the saints, which is a picture of hospitality. We are to entertain strangers. Paul says we are to be given to hospitality. (Romans 12:13) The word “given” means to pursue with all our heart. Hospitality is not something we get to if we can, but it is an essential part of our love for the Church and our witness to the world. Below are a few verses, which provide the Scriptural foundation for hospitality. I would encourage you to “eat these verses.” We begin with what God has done for us in Christ and then move on the specific commands of Scripture. There are many other verses we could add to the list.

Matthew 22: 1-14 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ‘ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

Romans 12:9-13 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

I Peter 4:9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.

I Timothy 5:9-10 Do not let a widow under sixty years old be taken into the number, and not unless she has been the wife of one man, well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work.

I Timothy 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach.

If you would like to hear a great sermon on hospitality you can listen to Pastor Joost Nixon’s sermon from 2001 Christ Church Ministerial Conference. It can be found here. <>