Saturday, May 30, 2020

Gospel-Centered Friendship

"Some think it strength of grace
to endure nothing in the weaker,
whereas the strongest are readiest
to bear with the infirmities of the weak."
~Richard Sibbes, Puritan

Last night, on a Church Chat, we were discussing the value of Gospel-centered friends and friendships. My friends defined a Gospel-centered friend as one who consistently points to Christ, regardless of the situation or circumstance. I think they have it right and my experience bears witness to the value of Gospel-centered friends.

When I was in the miry clay of weakness, struggle, and sin, well-meaning friends would sometimes offer words that could not and would not provide any comfort or strength. On the contrary, they sucked the life out of me and caused me more angst and despair.

I found that there are two words that I, as a struggling Christian, found most *un-helpful:
1. Law apart from Gospel.
If I was able to hop to it, repent, and obey God by the strength of my will and determination. I would have! I wouldn't have been in this dark place. The Law could direct me. The Law could correct me. And the Law could accuse me, but it could also provoke me, according to St. Paul (Romans 7:5). And it had no power to create any needed change in my heart or mind, a power only found in the Gospel (Romans 1:16).

2. Undue or incongruent praise.
If I was a fine, virtuous, happy, shiny person, I wouldn't have been in this miry pit. When my well-meaning friends gave me praise, I was thinking... "If you only knew..." I was a mess, a spiritual shipwreck. They were trying to encourage me, but the effort fell flat and I stayed stuck.

A Gospel-centered friend knew how to use the Law, lawfully, and when to refrain. Gospel-centered friends pointed me to the sufficiency of Jesus, not to myself. My self was the problem. The solution was more of Jesus. So, they were able to bear with me (Romans 15:1) and point me to the source of strength.

They understood that it is the weak who need His strength. It is the dirty who need cleansing, the struggling who need support, the broken, despondent and exhausted who need His rest. So they pointed to Him... The one who said,

“It is not those who are healthy who need a doctor, but those who are sick." (Luke 5:31)
"... whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again. In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up in him for eternal life.” (John 4:14)
"Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 7:47-48)

The Lord is the ultimate faithful Friend. He does not leave us alone. He provides His people with His presence, often by the presence of a friend. At just the right season, He provides those Gospel-centered friends, with the life-giving word that Jesus is with you and for you. They, were as Sibbes put it, "readiest to bear with the infirmities of the weak" and I am so grateful for them.

~Gospel Gal: Marissa Namirr

Thursday, May 28, 2020

Gospel Awakenings: Church Chats with Gospel Gal: Episode #2:

Gospel Awakenings: Church Chats with Gospel Gal: Episode #2:

So many of us were given the impression that our testimony equals gospel proclamation in our spiritual formative process. But the truth is, that our testimony is of the grace of God in Jesus Christ. And our reception of the Gospel by the power of God's Spirit is for His glory. Listen to this chat I had with Matt, Victor and Joy. We discuss our journeys to being awakened to the Gospel.

My prayer is that, through these conversations, your assurance will be strengthened, you'll have a clearer view of Jesus, our Savior, and His work in our lives.

There's comfort ahead. Here's the episode:
https://gospelgal2020.podbean.com/e/church-chats-with-gospel-gal-episode-2-gospel-awakenings/
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Mentions:

sermons

~ https://subsplash.com/proclaimradiowithjohnfonville/lb/ms/+fka8na3

Sunday, May 17, 2020

Church Discipline vs. Spiritual Abuse: Church Chats with Gospel Gal

When you think about church discipline if you’ve been a Christian for any period of time,

most likely the first passage that will come to mind Matthew 18. Verses 15-20 give us the pattern and order to follow when a brother or sister offends us.
“If your brother sins against you, go tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he won’t listen, take one or two others with you, so that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every fact may be established. If he doesn’t pay attention to them, tell the church. If he doesn’t pay attention even to the church, let him be like a Gentile and a tax collector to you. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them."

You will note that the purpose such discipline is always restorative. When church discipline

is done effectively, wisely, Biblically, and lovingly relationships with the Lord and the body can potentially be restored. This process is absolutely necessary where there is habitual, unrepented sin.

The Belgic Confession teaches us that discipline is so essential, that an institution cannot even be considered a true church apart from this mark. Article 29 states “The true church can be recognized if it has the following marks: The church engages in the pure preaching of the gospel; it makes use of the pure administration of the sacraments as Christ instituted them; it practices church discipline for correcting faults.”

Where a church does not biblically discipline it fails to be the church and not every case of church discipline is abusive, just as not every case of parental discipline is abusive. Church discipline, formative and corrective, is necessary and right, according to Scripture. It is for the purity of the body and the restoration of the habitually unrepentant individual.

But sometimes church leadership can and does use what they call church discipline to abuse. Spiritual abuse has become so prevalent and public, that I am taking this opportunity to discuss with some of my family and friends this important topic. We want to be clear that discipline in the church is healthy, and at the same time acknowledge that there is abuse in the evangelical church where it misuses its authority, and where it mishandles Scripture to manipulate and do harm to Christ’s sheep.

So, let’s define Spiritual abuse. First, any abuse is “A pattern of coercive control (ongoing actions or inactions) that proceeds from a mentality of entitlement to power, whereby, through intimidation, manipulation, and isolation, the abuser keeps his target subordinated and under his control. This pattern can be emotional, verbal, psychological, spiritual, sexual, financial, social, and physical,” according to Pastor Jeff Crippen author of A Cry For Justice . And Diane Langberg, a 40+ year clinical psychologist, working with trauma survivors, and a 40+ year PCA member who sits on the advisory board of the PCA General assembly defines Spiritual abuse as “the use of faith, belief, and practice to coerce, control, or damage another. Using faith, spiritual practices, belief, doctrine, …for the purpose of coercing, controlling, and using for the offender's own good." (Spiritual Abuse and Toxic Systems: http://www.dianelangberg.com/2018/03/spiritual-abuse-and-toxic-systems/ )
Tonight we’ll discuss church discipline as distinguished from spiritual abuse and hear some testimonies of a family member and some of my friends who have experienced church discipline and some who have experienced spiritual abuse. See if you can discern the difference.

Here's the conversation on
Episode #1 of Church Chats with Gospel Gal:
"Church Discipline vs. Spiritual Abuse"

https://gospelgal2020.podbean.com/e/church-chats-with-gospel-gal-episode-1-church-discipline-vs-spiritual-abuse/

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Additional Resource: Paramount Church sermon: John Fonville describes biblical church discipline (formative and corrective) and distinguishes between discipline and spiritual abuse.Listen here: http://www.paramountchurch.com/mediaPlayer/#sermonaudio/260

Friday, May 15, 2020

Ask Gospel Gal

Ask Gospel Gal

is a new feature on the blog. Ask your theological questions and I will choose some to process and discuss on the blog, a couple of times per month. I look forward to digging in and finding out how Christ speaks to your specific issues and concerns. You can ask your questions in the comments of the blog or contact me via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MarissaNMark .

Look forward to hearing from you soon.

Saturday, May 2, 2020

This Time Last Year

This time last year was one of the most trying times in my life. Our youngest daughter, then 19 and a sophomore at University, was battling emotionally, and in crisis. Hospitalized, her blood pressure plummeted, resulting in dizziness, extreme nausea and vomiting, and the doctor on staff had no answers as to what was causing these symptoms. Separated from her, she and we were very concerned and anxious for her release from the hospital.

Upon her hospital release, recommendations included follow-up with a cardiologist for her blood pressure. By God's grace we were able to immediately locate a physician who was able to diagnose her and begin a course of treatment to elevate her blood pressure, regulate her digestive system, and improve her mood/anxiety.

For three months our daughter was battling. She was literally unable to walk from one room to another or sit upright, and unable to hold down food, due to extremely low blood pressure. Her already thin body, was taxed and weight loss threatened her life. Bedridden, at 19, and forced to withdraw from school late in the semester was painful. She was completely removed from everything normal for a young, energetic, intelligent person.

If you're a parent, you can imagine the agony of this kind of uncertainty. Wondering if your child will make it to see the next month is heart-wrenching, humbling and frightening.

Our daughter was bright, beautiful, joyful and outgoing her whole childhood, but she always expressed a level of anxiety that was concerning. I remember her standing at my bedside in the mornings peeping up over the side of my bed, patiently waiting for me to

wake up, her giant, blue eyes shining. But night terrors and stomach issues plagued her during her childhood. GI visits revealed nothing but anxiety. Problems only escalated as she entered adolescence.

Once professing faith in Christ and encouraging others in their faith, at 17 she began questioning her salvation, and by nineteen she had completely walked away from the church and the foundation we had laid for her in the Word of God. Her understanding of God, Who is capable of saving, and yet does not choose to save all has become a sticking point for her. As much as we labored to explain the theology behind her questions, she was left unsatisfied and unconvinced.

So, in this health crisis, I was filled with anxiety for her life, both physical and spiritual. My beautiful speckled ginger with the brightest blue eyes and the sweetest disposition was in grave danger, and I couldn't help her. All that was left to do was to pray and trust the doctors judgment and treatment. Fear that she would die apart from Christ gripped me.

Every day and every night, I sat by her bed, fed her, read to her, prayed for and with her. For whatever reason, she was open to hearing me pray. One thing that the Lord was constantly bringing to mind was Heidelberg 1 and I consistently reminded our girl of the same:

"What is your only comfort in life and in death?

That I am not my own,
but belong—
body and soul,
in life and in death—
to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.
He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood,
and has delivered me from the tyranny of the devil.
He also watches over me in such a way
that not a hair can fall from my head
without the will of my Father in heaven;
in fact, all things must work together for my salvation."

These truths are the ones that held me together during this crisis last Spring. Thanks be to God that He has not left us and that His Word remains true. When we are faithless, He is faithful. He is the Good Shepherd Who tends His sheep. He is the Great Physician who heals our bodies and soothes our souls. He is the Promise-keeper Who has promised to be a God to us... and not only to us, but to our children.

So, as I recall this time last year, I give thanks to God for His healing and care of our child. Last Spring is not something I would ever wish to relive. It was terrifying, but at the same time, as He always does, He reveals Himself as One Who sees, hears, and abides with us.

I look for His promise and His faithfulness to our child. Her body is adjusting and healing. Her mind is active and creative. She is succeeding in her academic career. I know the Lord is gracious and pray daily that Meredith will know that salvation in Christ is not only for others, but for her also, seeing Jesus in all of His beauty and grace toward her. Nothing will delight my heart more than to see her trusting and walking with the One Who gave Himself for her.