Before reading the following commentary the reader is advised to Read Leviticus Chapters 16 & 17 from the Bible.

How do the regulations of Lev. 16 (Day of Atonement) and 17 point the Christian to the Cross?

Leviticus Chapter 16 presents the regulations by which the High Priest (Aaron) of the Israelites would conduct the annual Day of Atonement. The most striking stipulation was that the Priest couldn’t simply approach The Most Holy Place whenever he wanted. The ceremony was only to be conducted once per year. Even then, the Priest had to take great care in how he approached God. With great care, the Priest was instructed to bathe and adorn himself in special garments before the ceremony. He then began by making a sin and burnt offering to atone for his own sins. After he was clean of sin, he would then intercede for the Israelite community by making a blood sacrifice to atone for their sins. In an interesting element of the ceremony, the priest would then confess the communities’ sins over the head of a goat and then send the goat far away from the dwelling place of God. This “scapegoat” provided a clear representation of God casting the Israelites sins far away. At the conclusion of the ceremony, all participants bathed once more and changed clothes in order to be clean enough to once again mingle with the community. In Chapter 17, God’s instructions shift from formal ceremony to the everyday life of His people. God places restrictions on the sacrifices His people made. Rather than making sacrifices on their own, the Israelites were instructed to present their sacrifices to the Priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. This was to prevent sacrifices being made to false gods and idols. In this chapter, God also prohibits the ingesting of blood as blood represents the life of the body and is only provided for the purposes of atonement. In addition, God forbids the eating of animals that had died by means other than the hands of the Israelites.

The similarities between the regulations found in these two chapters of Leviticus and the redemption found in Christ are striking. Dr. Constable writes that while “the Day of Atonement is not something Christian’s observe, we can learn the nature of sin, the need for atonement, and the superiority of Christ’s sacrifice by reflecting on this Jewish ritual in the light of Calvary” (Constable 64). The first noticeable similarity is that sin must be dealt with. The pervasive sin which had overcome the Israelites had to be dealt with on every level. The Priest was forced to make atonement for his own sins, the sins of the community, and even for the sin that had invaded the Most High Place itself (Lev. 16:16). The same is true for those of us living on this side of the cross – sin is pervasive. Paul writes that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). The presence of sin is just as grotesque in our lives as it was in the lives of the Israelites and it must be dealt with. Thus, there is a universal need for atonement. God will not inhabit any place where sin is left unchecked. By imputing those sins to a scapegoat and sending them far away into the desert, the Priest was cleansing God’s chosen place of dwelling. The same is true with our redemption found in Christ. The Holy Spirit’s chosen place of dwelling is within each Christian; however, God will not exist where sin is left unchecked. Our need for atonement is exactly like that of the Israelites. Through the redemption found in Christ, our sins are cast as “far as the East is to the West” (Psalm 103:12). If we wish to abide in God, we must accept the atonement found in Christ so that God will abide in us.

There are other amazing similarities as well. First, there are the unavoidable regulations in these Leviticus passages concerning blood. God makes it clear that blood is “the life sustaining fluid of the body” (Constable 68) and is provided for atonement only (Lev 17:11). It is the life fluid of the body being “poured out in bloodshed” (Constable 68) that makes atonement for our sins. Just blood had to be shed in the sacrifices carried out by the Priest; Christ’s blood has to be shed on the cross. It was Christ’s life draining from His body in the form of blood that makes atonement for our sins. There was no other way.

In the Leviticus regulations, God made it clear that all sacrifices had to be directed towards Him in the right spirit. Not only did He ban sacrifices that were carried out in the names of false gods and idols, He made the stipulation that all sacrifices must be brought to the Tent of Meeting and presented to the Priests. Once the sacrifices had been presented, the Priests then had a prescribed set of rules for how the sacrifices would be carried out. On the Day of Atonement great care was taken to ensure the Priest approached God in His prescribed fashion. The same is true concerning the redemption found in Christ. Mankind is constantly trying to find new ways to approach the divine and yet Christ says that He is “the way, the truth, and the life and no one approaches the Father but by Me” (John 14:6). If we are going to approach God and seek His forgiveness for our sins and invite Him to be a part of our lives, me must do it in His prescribed fashion. Much like the Israelites, we simply can’t follow our own paths. The Book of Leviticus says that those Israelites who made sacrifices to false gods or ate animals that were killed in ways other than God’s prescribed fashion would be cut off from their people. The same is true in Christ. We can attempt to approach God through false religions and false ritual but unless we accept His prescribed method of relationship (Christ) we will be cut off. Just like the Israelites, we must humble ourselves enough to approach God in His prescribed manner.

Despite these similarities, several differences stand out. The most glaring is the effect of the atonement. The atonement found in the sacrifice rituals in the Book of Leviticus was temporary. The ceremony was ordered to be carried out once per year by God.  In Christ, our forgiveness is permanent. One needs to accept the atonement offered through the cross only one time. While the goats offered in sacrifice by the Priest were innocent, they were also oblivious to what was happening. Christ was a perfect example of innocence and willingness. He knew what was going to happen on the cross and yet He chose to follow through with His Father’s plan for our redemption anyway. Thus, our redemption is Christ is permanent. Other differences are also apparent. The Priest in the Leviticus ceremony was ordered to cleanse himself before approaching God. The stipulations were clear. The Priest was to bathe and adorn himself in clean clothes. In Christ, the reverse is true. We are invited to approach Christ while still wrapped in our filthy rags of sin and allow His blood to wash us clean. Constable points out that it is Christ’s blood that ironically points us to yet another difference between the restrictions found in Leviticus and the redemption found in Christ (Constable 69). In Leviticus, God warned the Israelites not to ingest the blood (life force) of animals. In Christ, we are invited to symbolically ingest His blood in the act of Communion. This may seem ironic, yet it is designed for us to symbolically infuse ourselves with the life force of Christ, just as we are literally infused with the Holy Spirit upon our acceptance of Christ.

In summary, while there are many similarities to Christ that can be found in the ceremonies prescribed in the Book of Leviticus, they are really just shadows of our Savior that should serve to point us in the direction of the cross.

Sources Consulted

Constable, Thomas L. “Notes on Leviticus.” 2010. Web. 1 Sep. 2010.

http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/pdf/leviticus.pdf

Book Review: The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel
Publisher: Zondervan, 2010

Author Craig Groeschel coins the term “Christian Atheist” to denote a believer who isn’t living his or her life in a way that exhibits that belief. Far from judgmental, this book is an exhortation for the reader to experience a fullness in their relationship with God. Groeschel uses several anecdotes from his own life to explore such weighty topics as shame, love, prayer, worry, and evangelism. Groeschel’s work reads almost like a biography documenting his own journey from Christian atheist to maturity in faith.

The goal for this book is to encourage the reader to strive for and embrace what Groescel refers to as “Third Line Faith.” Groeshell paints the picture of a Christian who crosses three separate lines on their road to spiritual maturity. The first line denotes a Christian who believes in the gospel of Christ just enough to benefit from it. The second line represents the Christian who has matured enough to have the desire to contribute to the Kingdom of God as long as it is comfortable to do so. The third and final line represents the Christian who believes so devoutly in the gospel of Christ that they are willing to give their entire life in service to it.

I don’t want to reveal too much because my hope is that you will read this book. I highly recommend it to all Christians who seek to grow and mature in their faith. Personally, I had a couple of “light-bulb” moments as I read this book; specifically when reading Groeschel’s chapters on forgiveness and worry. This book encompasses enough subjects that any believer who reads it should be able to identify their own obstacles on the road to spiritual maturity.

I’ll be adding this book to my list of highly recommended titles.

Clark

Over the past few days I’ve found myself wondering what it really means to call myself a disciple of Jesus Christ; imperfect or otherwise. So often we Christians reduce discipleship into good behavior. I’m not suggesting that there isn’t an element of obedience within discipleship; however, I recognize that it can’t all be about behavior. An unbeliever can do nice things for other people. A pagan can be a good citizen and a wonderful parent. An atheist can be an upstanding member of the community. What is it then that separates the disciple of Christ from everyone else? If not behavior or good deeds, what is it that makes a disciple of Christ different? If Christ died for everyone, and everyone is capable of good (as well as bad) behavior, we are left with only one option; belief. It is belief that separates the disciple of Christ from the unbelievers. As His disciples, we believe, that Christ was who He claimed to be. We believe that Christ was both God and man and that He died for our sins and was powerfully resurrected three days later. We believe that Christ is currently with the Father and that someday He shall return.

If it is belief that separates the disciple from the unbeliever, what happens when we no longer live like we truly believe in Jesus?

We have hit critical mass in the western Christian world. Study the news for a few days to see what kind of impression Christ’s “disciples” are leaving on the world. Televangelists are hitting everyone up for money. Priests are abusing children. Preachers are turning away from the Gospel of Christ to preach a gospel of the world. In our attempt to make Scripture palatable to the unbeliever, we have turned our backs on the Bible. We live in a world that values pluralism and relativity and we have sought that world’s opinion over the approval of our Master. There is so much popular culture within the church that they are virtually indistinguishable. The church is like the small child who underestimates the ocean’s tide and finds himself dangerously far from the beach. We have drifted so far out that we can barely see our Father. At this distance, the face of our Lord and Savior blurs in with the crowd.

What then can we do? First, we must ask ourselves if we truly believe. Are we Christians because we truly believe or do we just go to church because that’s what Americans are supposed to do? Does Christ really reign supreme in our lives or do we use Him to support our pet causes or our favorite politician? Have you sought out a pastor who uses Scripture as the basis of his sermons? I’m not asking if your pastor mentions the Bible. Rather, does he begin with the Bible and throughout his sermon teach it in a way that reproves, rebukes, and encourages? Or does he preach a different gospel and occasionally use Scripture to back up what he is saying?

Many of have fallen into a snare that we can’t even see. We call ourselves disciples yet we have no clue what it means to truly disciple Christ; however, it isn’t too late. We have a gracious God who has communicated to us through Scripture. There is still time for us to study the Bible and press the global reset button on our discipleship. But to learn what discipleship truly is we must go to the Word.

The word discipleship(s) occurs in the New Testament over two hundred times. It comes from the Greek word mathetes. It is defined as a learner or pupil. It can be argued that we are all disciples of someone. We have all learned how to live our lives from someone. It may be our parents, our school teachers, our friends, or even reality television. We all disciple someone.

In the case of Christians, we have chosen to learn from Jesus Christ. We have chosen Christ as out Master because He is worthy. This choice is of vital importance. Matthew 10:25 says that if your master is called Beezlebub, those who follow him will be called even worse. Not only was the name Beezlebub another name for Satan, it was also the name of the Chaldean dung god. Roughly translated this means that if the master you choose is a piece of crap, you’ll be an even bigger piece of crap! Jesus is worthy of our discipleship. We can rest assured that our choice of Jesus as Master is well placed.

Once we’ve chosen Jesus, the Bible also teaches us how that choice should be demonstrated in our lives. Based on Scripture, we can create a profile of the perfect disciple of Christ:

• First, the perfect disciple recognizes that he is not above his master (Mat 10:24). The perfect disciple must maintain a humble spirit and continually recognize his master’s authority over his life.
• The perfect disciple must love his master above all other things including his wife, parents, children, brothers, sisters, and even himself (Luke 14:26). If one of these people is standing between us and Christ, we must hate them as compared to our feelings for Christ. Many people have a problem with the prospect of loving Christ more than their family. I can relate. I love my wife more than I love oxygen. There have been times in my life when my children were what inspired me to keep going. However, if I truly believe in Jesus, than I have to believe that He will teach me the best way to relate to and love my family. The perfect disciple puts Christ first and allows all other relationships to fall into order.
• The perfect disciple must be willing to carry heavy burdens in her pursuit of Christ (Luke 14:27). The perfect disciple isn’t perfect because she has never suffered. Rather, she is perfect because she follows Christ in the midst of her storm regardless of how difficult it is. She carries her own cross in pursuit of Christ.
• The perfect disciple is willing to give up all that he has to follow Christ (Luke 14:33). Discipleship to Christ is the most valuable part of the perfect disciple’s life. Think of your most valued possession or relationship. Imagine what it is that you treasure the most in your life. The perfect disciple would give that treasured item up in a heartbeat to continue in discipleship to Christ.

This concept of the perfect disciple seems a little daunting. After all, if any of us were capable of being the “perfect” disciple to Christ we probably wouldn’t be visiting a blog titled “The Imperfect Disciples!” We can take heart, however, in that we serve a gracious and merciful God. The apostle Paul likened our discipleship to a marathon. I’m going to liken it to something a little different. In southern Ohio there is an annual bicycle event called the Tour of the Scioto River Valley (TOSRV). Every year, on Mother’s Day weekend, cyclist set out from Columbus in central Ohio and pedal all the way to the Ohio River. The next day, these crazy cyclists make the return trip totaling over two miles by the end of the weekend. All of us that live along the TOSRV’s route find great amusement in those cyclists that get lost along the way. They may all set out from the same point and with the same destination, but there are always a few that get lost along the way and find themselves way off course. This is how our discipleship works. We all begin with a belief that Christ is a Master worthy of discipleship. Along the way, some of us get lost. We may not pedal as fast as the other disciples. We may not all be prepared physically and emotionally for the trip, however, we all have to cross the same hills. It takes effort. We may even have to get off of the bike and walk. However, if we strive to keep Christ as our master and to make our discipleship to Him our most important relationship, we will all reach the river!

There may never be a “perfect” disciple to Jesus Christ. Peter’s belief faltered. Thomas doubted. Paul referred to himself as the chief of all sinners. The point is that even Lance Armstrong crashes his bike every once in awhile! Thankfully, Scripture teaches that discipleship to Christ is a process.  Luke 6:40 says that when we are fully trained we will look like our master. We are all still in training, however, if we all profess to believe that discipleship is a journey worth taking, we must begin by making the right decisions now. We must begin by evaluating ourselves and living as if we truly believe Christ is our Lord.

For without belief we are no different than anyone else.

Should Women be Pastors or Teachers in the Church?

Introduction

Please allow me to begin by reassuring the reader that I understand this is a controversial subject. I have a wife and three daughters and am fully aware of how this issue affects them. I understand that this subject has been used and abused at times in an effort to subject women. I apologize for those moments. I also understand that the Bible’s teaching concerning this subject has often been misunderstood. Because of the potential pot-holes, I will do my best to present a Biblical view on this subject in as sensitive a manner as possible.

Last Sunday I watched my pastor step up and defend the Scriptures as they relate to the subject of women pastors. The church I attend is Southern Baptist whose view is that women should not preach, teach, or hold authority over any man within the church. I myself had remained neutral on the subject for several years. My neutrality was due in part to a fear of insulting the females in my life whom I love dearly. I knew what the Bible said but I wasn’t sure how to fit the pieces of the puzzle together in a way that wouldn’t hurt feelings. In retrospect, I believe I lacked a wide enough point of view. You see, when put in the context of the Bible as a whole, there is nothing hurtful about the Southern Baptist position on the subject.

On the way home from church Sunday I had a bit of an “ah ha” moment as my thoughts began to crystallize on this issue. My line of reasoning began as I watched my pastor preach and thought to myself, “I would never want my wife to face the kind of pressure he is facing today.”

This subject is difficult because we inherently understand that all men and women are created equal. It is understood that in this day and age women can be anything they want to be. The contradiction seems evident – if women are equal to men, why can’t they aspire to preach? Is the Bible somehow outdated or irrelevant to the lives of the modern woman? For a moment, let’s dismiss our preconceived notions and study the Scriptures to see what they have to say.

I pray that my readers read what I have written here with an open heart and receive it in manner in which it is intended. I would recommend that as you read this post you get out your Bible and study along with me.

Are men and women really created equal?

• Genesis 1:27 – Both men and women are created in God’s image.
• Galatians 3:28 – There is no male or female – all are one (equal) in Christ.

According to Scripture, women are equal to men and are created in the image of God. If this is true, it seems to contradict Paul’s teaching in the following verses.

• 1 Timothy 2:11-12 – A woman should learn in silence and not have authority over or teach a man.
• 1 Corinthians 14:34 – A woman should be silent.
• 1 Corinthians 11:3 – Christ is the head of every man and man is the head every of women. God is the head of Christ.

These verses seem to stand in stark contrast to each other. The Bible clearly teaches that men and women are equal, however, women should not preach to, teach, or hold authority over a man in the church. Despite their equality, men and women have different roles. Consider the following verses:

• Ephesians 5:22-23 – Wives are to submit to their husbands as to the Lord. The husbands are the head of the wives as Christ is the head of the church.
• Ephesians 5:25 – Husbands are to love their wives just as Christ loved the church.
• Ephesians 5:32 – Men are to love their wives and wives are to respect their husbands.

Obviously, women are special to God and hold a special place and role within the Kingdom. Consider that it was to a woman that Christ first revealed that He was God (John 4:26). It was to women that Christ first presented Himself to after the resurrection (Matthew 28:9-10). There are examples of woman prophets throughout the Old and New Testaments (Exodus 15:20, Judges 4:4, 2 Kings 22:14, Isaiah 8:13). These instances clearly show that if God chooses to use a woman to speak His Word, she had better heed His call. However, these examples all seem to be outside of a church setting. It is worth noting that there are no Scriptural examples of a woman acting as pastor within the ministry that is an ongoing church.

It seems to me that Ephesians 5:25 has huge implications on our topic. If a man is to love his wife as Christ loved the church, what does that mean? How did Christ love the church? Did he instruct each one of us to be crucified? Did he tell us to die for Him? No. He died for us willingly on the cross! He loved us that much! This means that a man should follow Christ’s example and be willing to die for his wife. I named this study ‘In the Line of Fire’ because I am reminded of the Secret Service agents who willingly protect the President with their lives. They are willing to take a bullet not because they are more equipped to do so than the President, but because they view his life as more important than their own. Keep this attitude in mind as we move forward in our study. According to Ephesians 5:25, a husband must view his wife’s life as more important than his own (just as the Secret Service agent views the President). He must be willing to take a bullet for her! Furthermore, he should be willing to follow Christ’s example and position himself between her and the gates of hell! If he is unwilling to do this, he is not fulfilling his Biblical role as husband.

Within the Church it is the Pastors who are in the Line of Fire

• Luke 12:48 – Much is required of everyone who is given much. Even more will be expected of those who have been entrusted with more.

Pastors have been entrusted with shepherding a flock made up of people that Christ loves. They have been given the duty to teach the Word of God to people made in His image. It is a great responsibility! Pastors will be expected to maintain a higher standard by both God and man!

• James 3:1 – Teachers (of the Word) will receive a stricter judgment than others. As such, not many should do it!

James is actually trying to talk people out of becoming teachers of the Word because of the target that is on their backs. Preachers are held to a higher standard and will receive a stricter judgment than anyone else. They are in the line of fire! As such, any man who takes his God given responsibility as a husband to love his wife as Christ loved the church should be willing to step into the line of fire and live by a higher standard and take on the stricter judgment rather than expecting his wife to do it! Allowing his wife to fill the role of pastor is akin to Christ asking us to die on the cross.

In Paul’s day the leaders of the church faced certain death for their beliefs. This is true in parts of the world even today. Stand up and pastor a church in China or Iran and you can expect nothing but hardship and probable death. We have been spoiled in our western culture to the point that we have forgotten how dangerous it can be to preach to Word! Christ Himself said that they will hate us because of Him!

It isn’t that women aren’t capable of being pastors or teaching the word. They aren’t somehow inferior to men. Rather, it is that men should love their wives enough not to allow them to withstand the scrutiny, expectations, retaliation, and judgment associated with the position. The role of pastor is a tough, stressful and dangerous. It should be the man taking the heat and positioning himself between his wife and the gates of hell. Why? Because women are simply that special! They should be placed on a pedestal rather than in a pulpit dodging bullets!

How do we respond to men who reject this teaching?

If you are a man who would rather his wife takes the heat associated with leadership in the church I would strongly suggest that you man-up! God has clearly told you in His Word that your instinct should be to love your wife like Christ loved the church. If you are content to watch her take the heat in the pulpit as pastor or deacon how can she be sure you will take a literal bullet for her? How would you react if the enemy was about to kill her for preaching the Word? How is she supposed to feel loved if you aren’t willing to step up to the plate and assume your role as the head of the church?

What about women who reject this teaching?

I understand there will be women who stand up and say they don’t need any man to open a door, take a bullet, or preach a sermon for them. They are right. They don’t need a man to do these things. They are more than capable of taking a bullet. I would strongly suspect however that a woman who is unwilling or not ready to accept a man’s protection and sacrifice is not fully prepared to accept Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. I would humbly suggest she re-evaluate her position on this issue. If a woman still can’t accept what the Bible says on this matter, there are denominations and churches out there that will accommodate. I’m not suggesting that a woman pastor is going to hell because of their opinion on this issue. I am suggesting, however, that their husbands should prayerfully examine the issue with some attention to the details.

God Bless!

Did you or your children ever play little league baseball? Can you remember a time when only the winners of the league (and maybe 2^nd and 3^rd place) took home a trophy? Perhaps like me you have a hard time with the recent trend of participation trophies. I’m not sure when it happened, but somewhere along the way someone got the bright idea that every kid who bought a pair of cleats should get a trophy. Rewarding the kids who work hard, practice and hone their skills is no longer a priority. Why? I’m not sure. Perhaps we’re trying to spare the feelings of the losers. Perhaps the virtue of participation really is more important than the concept of winning. Personally, I think this is a bunch of bunk. Maybe a kid can’t hit a fastball. So what? Let’s help him find his own gift; maybe it’s playing a tuba or swimming. Maybe she’s a natural born writer or scientist. My point is that we should award the kids in an area that they deserve recognition. If every kid that runs onto a baseball diamond gets a trophy, the trophies become somewhat meaningless, right? What’s so special about winning a trophy if everyone gets a trophy?

Right now you’re probably asking yourself what this has to do with pantheism. I’m making a point – trust me.

The Stanford Dictionary of Philosophy defines pantheism as follows:

Pantheism is a metaphysical and religious position. Broadly defined it is the view that God is everything and everything is God. A slightly more specific definition says [that] pantheism … signifies the belief that every existing entity is, only one Being; and that all other forms of reality are either modes (or appearances) of it or identical with it.

This concept of pantheism is common amongst Eastern and New Age religions. Whenever you hear a person talk about “The All” or “The One” you can rest assured they are espousing a belief in pantheism. If I am being honest, the idea or thought processes behind this idea are valid. A person who expresses a belief in pantheism is normally trying to convince others to respect nature. The argument is that we should care for and respect nature and other people because all of it – man, rocks, mountains, trees, animals and etc. – are all part of “The All.” Everything is God so we should treat everything with the proper respect.

This all sounds great doesn’t it? The problem is that this isn’t the Biblical view of creation. Rather, the Bible teaches that we should be able to recognize God based on His creation. Our appreciation of creation and nature should cause us to fall on our knees and worship the true, living God. We may discover the general attributes of God by examining His creation; for instance, He is a God who appreciates beauty, love and friendship. He is a God who loves painting glorious skies and landscapes just to watch our mouths fall open in wonder. However, we must not confuse the Creator with creation. These revelations that can be found in nature are general. If we want to learn the specific attributes of God we must study the Special Revelation found in Scripture and in the person of Jesus Christ. When we confuse the general and special revelations of God we are making the same mistake that Paul addresses in Romans 1:25, “[We exchange] the truth of God for a lie, and worship and serve created things rather than the creator.”

I would take it one step further and suggest we are in violation of one of the Ten Commandments.  When we worship creation as if it were God we are creating idols. Yes we should respect, preserve, and care for our environment; but only because it is a gift from God, not because it is God.

If we consider all of creation God – you are God, I am God, the trees are God, Squirrels are God and etc. – than there is nothing special about being God; much like little league participation trophies, God becomes meaningless.

Look at it this way … if everything is God, than nothing is God. Pantheism is akin to atheism in the sense that God becomes unnecessary. I prefer to learn about the real, living God as revealed in the Scriptures. Yeah, it takes more effort and more dedication than simply pronouncing that nature is God, but it is more rewarding in the end.