This lesson deals with the topic of same-sex marriage. People use things like politics, culture, and tradition to argue either for it or against it. Here we want to consider the subject from a Biblical perspective. This lesson will cover three points:
In many ways, our society’s norms and values are quite different from those found in the Bible, particularly in regard to the role and responsibilities of women. Paul instructed Titus to teach the older women about what they were to teach to the younger women. These lessons are still needed today.
“Older women likewise are to be… teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored” (Titus 2:3-5).
Paul mentioned seven lessons the older women were to teach to the younger women. Let us consider each one briefly.
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Thought from today’s Bible reading from Deuteronomy 21-23.
“A woman shall not wear man’s clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman’s clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 22:5).
Thought from today’s Bible reading from Leviticus 22-23.
In Leviticus 22, instructions were given regarding who could and could not eat of the gifts that were offered to the Lord. One of these rules affected the daughters of the priests:
“If a priest’s daughter is married to a layman, she shall not eat of the offering of the gifts. But if a priest’s daughter becomes a widow or divorced, and has no child and returns to her father’s house as in her youth, she shall eat of her father’s food; but no layman shall eat of it” (Leviticus 22:12-13).
A rule was given that no layman was to eat of this food that was dedicated to the Lord. This food was reserved for the priests. A priest’s daughter could eat only under certain conditions.
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A recent study conducted by the Pew Research Center found that 39% of Americans (nearly four out of ten) believe that marriage is becoming obsolete. This is up from 28% in 1978. As a society, a percentage this high is shameful. But anymore, sadly, it is unsurprising.
Let us not forget the admonition to respect the institution of marriage:
“Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4).
Why are so many people failing to honor marriage and are instead calling it obsolete? To answer that question, we first need to understand the fundamentals of marriage.
With the recent court rulings in California over same-sex marriage, this debate has once again come to the forefront of our society. Whenever a political or social hot topic overlaps into matters of spiritual consequence, Christians can find great opportunities to talk with others about the Scriptures. With this issue in mind, let us be reminded of a few things and be ready to teach them to others.
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Should we be able to describe faithful Christians as radical, liberal, or institutional? If you have followed the writing and teaching that I have done, you will probably expect me to answer this question in the negative. After all, we are to be conservative and non-institutional, right?
When we use labels such as these, we generally use them in regard to certain erroneous positions, issues, and movements. Yet when we change the context, we can make the case from the Bible that, in certain ways, Christians are to be radical, liberal, and institutional. So let us consider some other ways we can use these terms.
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What does “propitiation” mean? How is “justification” connected to salvation? What does “sanctification” look like in our day-to-day lives? The Bible uses some powerful words to describe God’s plan to save mankind. However, these words are not always easy to understand, especially when they are not part of our everyday vocabulary. This book explores key Bible terms that unlock the message of the gospel.
Big Words in the Bible examines five important words – Propitiation, Reconciliation, Sanctification, Justification, and Resurrection – using plain language to see how the Scriptures describe these concepts and how the apostle Paul employs them in his letter to the Romans. This book also contains an appendix with eleven additional articles to explore these topics further.
Whether you are new to the Bible and want to grow in your understanding or want a simple way to explain these core gospel doctrines to others, this book will be helpful. With a focus on the Scriptures, Big Words in the Bible helps break down these fundamental topics to shed light on the life-changing message of the gospel and the salvation found in it.
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