wordandspirit

I posted yesterday about the process of restoring those who have sinned. One of the tricky issues that it raises is whether they can be restored to public ministry and if so, how soon? Dan commented that “the church seems to vacillate between talking about ‘disqualified for eternity’ and judging harshly to the other extreme of rushing the individual who has fallen back into active ministry just because they display dramatic gifts!” Cliff pointed to the biblical stories of David and Peter, who apparently were quickly “restored” following sin.

In the case of David, he never lost his job as king, despite his despicable act of deceit and murder. He therefore didn’t need to be restored to his job, though he did need a different kind of restoring and renewal:

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.

(Ps 51:10-12 ESV)

Peter’s “restoration” is also not quite so clear-cut. He was not at that time a leader of anything, simply a disciple. Jesus’ gracious words in John 21:15-17 indicated not a ministry he would resume, but a new one he would take up, after the day of Pentecost.

I do however agree with Cliff that examples such as those of Peter and David, show the grace of God in being willing to use those who have failed spectacularly. We could add Moses and Jonah amongst others to that list.

So what can be said about how soon a person can resume leadership ministry? I think some useful direction may be found in the qualifications for elders and deacons found in 1 Tim 3. Notice the following verses:

1 Tim 3:6 “He must not be a recent convert”

1 Tim 3:10 “And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.”

1 Tim 5:22  “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands,”

These verses (amongst others) indicate that Paul did not want Timothy to rush people into positions of leadership. Yes, they may have charisma, but character is vitally important. A leader is someone whose example is followed, thus to elevate someone who is not living in accordance with the gospel can be very damaging to the church.

The concern in 1 Timothy seems to be that an elder or deacon should prove themselves to be of good character over a period of time. Then when they are appointed, they are in a place of having earned the trust of the congregation. Prospective elders and deacons would thus be tested, perhaps for a period of several months or even a year.

It would make sense that no less a standard should be applied to someone who has fallen into sin. A serious breach of trust has taken place. That cannot be “healed lightly” or quickly. Over time though, they may again prove themselves faithful, humble, obedient and repentant. The local church, who know them and can see their lives, will be in a position to judge whether they now trust that person again. In the specific case of Todd Bentley, it will not be overnight that he can prove he is now ready to be a “one-woman man” (see 1 Tim 3:2). (And it will not be the YouTube viewers who are in a position to make that judgment call anyway).

Finally, Rom 11:29 should be a source of encouragement to us all. God does not bestow salvation one day and then take it away the next. And maybe against our ‘better’ judgment, neither does he seem to withdraw other gifts from those who least appear to deserve them. Perhaps that is why we call them charismata – gifts of grace.

Rom 11:29  For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

——

Footnote: none of this should be read as an endorsement of the “restoration of Todd Bentley” process being carried out by Rick Joyner. I still have grave concerns as to his suitability as a spokesperson for the gospel. I do sincerely hope though that he is restored to right relationship with God and with the fellow believers in his local church.

I have refrained from posting anything about Todd Bentley here on this blog, but I thought I would make a brief comment on Gal 6:1, which has been quoted several times by Rick Joyner.

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

(Gal 6:1 ESV)

First, any attempt to restore someone caught in sin is commendable. It is sad that so many Christians who fall into sin disappear off the scene entirely and never return to fellowship in their former church (or indeed in any local church). This is clearly not the New Testament intention.

But what exactly is meant by the word ‘restore’ in this verse? Rick Joyner takes it to mean that the person resumes the same ministry they exercised before-hand. But that is an arbitrary definition. One could equally insist that restoration means Todd Bentley should be reunited with his former wife by the same logic.

Can a person who has sinned, particularly in a scandalous and public manner, be restored to fruitful ministry? I think so, but it is usually inappropriate to rush the process. And I don’t believe that return to ministry is the point of this verse in any case. I think the restoration it speaks of has three elements to it:

1. Restored to right relationship with God. The person needs to reach a point of confessing their sin honestly before God, repenting of any ongoing sin, and trusting him for complete forgiveness. They need to come back to a place of daily enjoying his presence rather than hiding from him.

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

(1 John 1:9 ESV)

2. Restored to fellowship in the local church. Often someone who has been caught out in a sin will avoid contact with believers, whether as an angry reaction to church discipline, or simply due to the shame they feel. This means that the church must take active steps to reaffirm their love for the person involved and welcome them back (assuming repentance has taken place).

6 For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, 7 so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him.

(2 Cor 2:6-8 ESV)

3. Restored to right relationship with those sinned against. It is sometimes possible for a sinner to return to worship in church, yet the relationships with those hurt by the sin to remain broken. The gospel gives us no excuse to withhold forgiveness. Our own forgiveness is on the basis of grace, and it is on that basis that we offer it to one another.

13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

(Col 3:13 ESV)

What are we doing to reach out to those we know who have fallen away from God? It can often be difficult as they do not always want our help or appreciate our advice. But Gal 6:1 requires that we seek to restore them. The Greek word katartizo is used elsewhere of setting a broken bone. They have been broken, they need healing. Or as J B Philips translates it, they need to be “set back on the right path”. It is not enough to simply condemn their sin.

As for Todd Bentley, there are other reasons why I have concerns about him taking up his former ministry again, unrelated to his marriage breakdown and remarriage. Important as those are, (and perhaps the subject of a future blog post), they should not cloud our thinking on the vital matter of how we restore those who have been “caught in a transgression”. The gospel way is the way of hope, grace, forgiveness and reconciliation.

Expert blogging tip #435: If you don’t have anything worth saying, just create a random top 10 list. If you really are running low on inspiration, make it a top five list that only has four items in it.

1. A Television

We never planned to own a television when we got married, but well-meaning relatives keep giving the things to us, presumably to ensure that the kids don’t grow up weird or deprived.

2. Anything made by Apple

I’m a cheapskate, what can I say? Plus if I started using Apple products, it would make all the trendy people feel very insecure about themselves.

3. A U2 Album

Sometimes it makes me wonder if I really am a Christian at all.

4. A Coat

I hate clothes shopping. Its best to wait until your wife is so embarrassed by the state of your attire that she goes and buys stuff for you.

Other things I have never bought include lottery tickets and armour of God pajamas. Feel free to comment with things you have never bought…

Incomparable is comprised of 60 short chapters, each one a meditation on a name of God or aspect of God’s character. Each starts with a verse, followed by an explanation of the meaning, always kept interesting by the use of contemporary illustrations. The book is broken into four major sections: the being of God, the names of God, God in three persons and the attributes of God.

As you read this book, you can’t help wondering why no one thought of doing this before. It is brilliant for use as a daily devotional, and can also be a helpful starting point for small group discussions. Despite covering the same material that would be found in a typical systematic theology, the author manages to keep it from being dry and technical. His sense of humour and his love for God shine through in the way he writes.

Its format and style make it ideal for teenagers, or indeed anyone who can manage just 2 or 3 pages of reading a day. As I read each chapter I found myself provoked to worship. It also serves as a source of fresh ideas for those teaching on various aspects of God’s character.

Apparently the book has been so successful that a revised edition is already out. The original version can usually be picked up for under £5 which is an absolute bargain. Get one, read it, and give it away.

I decided I would like to read one of Tim Keller’s books this year, as he is clearly someone who is having a big influence in the whole realm of building gospel-centred missional churches, not to mention his significant contribution to apologetics in “The Reason for God”. I opted for his most recent publication, “The Prodigal God”.

It is shorter than I was expecting, weighing in at 130 pages with plenty of space between the lines! It took less than a week to read through. The book is subtitled “Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith”, and seeks to explain the core message of Christianity, the Gospel, using the famous parable of the “prodigal son”.

Now most Christians have heard countless expositions of this parable (as well as plenty of ropey re-enactments from the church drama team), as it has pride of place as the most powerful and moving of all Jesus’ parables. However, Tim Keller suspects that we have placed the emphasis in the wrong place. We focus entirely on the first son, who squandered everything and returned to be forgiven and accepted by his Father, and ignore the fact that the story involves two sons. It would be better named “the parable of the lost sons”.

Keller argues that the parable uses the two brothers to show two ways of being lost. Each brother represents a different way to be alienated from God – both the religious and the irreligious are spiritually lost. And the sad truth was, that while Jesus’ teaching was attractive to the irreligious, the religious folk (in particular the Pharisees) were offended by it. Therefore the real climax of the story was not the welcoming home of the younger brother, but the cliff-hanger ending where the elder brother’s alienation from the father is revealed, and we are left wondering whether he will come to the feast.

Keller then shows how Jesus uses this parable to redefine sin as putting yourself in the place of God (neither son wanted the father himself, rather they wanted his money). The elder brother’s predicament is especially dire as, unlike the younger brother, he is blind to his need. The parable also redefines lostness. The elder brother has a sense of moral superiority, resulting in an unforgiving, judgmental spirit, and a joyless fear-based compliance with his father’s rules. There are some very provoking and powerful challenges here to Christians who all too easily fall into “elder-brotherness”. Keller suggests that a dry prayer-life is a warning sign that you are falling into this trap.

Everybody knows that the Christian gospel calls us away from the licentiousness of younger brotherness, but few realise that it also condemns moralistic elder brotherness.  … Would you please be open to the possibility that the gospel, real Christianity, is something very different to religion.”

Keller presents Jesus as the true elder brother, doing what the elder brother should have done, that is going after his younger brother to bring him back, not worrying about the cost of forgiveness (in the parable, loss of inheritance). The parable also points to the fact that as a human race, we long for home, yet find it elusive. The message of the Bible is that humanity is a band of exiles, trying to come home, yet a brokenness within and around us prevents that from happening. It is Jesus, who came and experienced our exile who is ultimately our means of salvation. Salvation is represented in the parable as a homecoming feast. He unpacks a variety of aspects of salvation, including the fact that it is experiential, and not just objective, it is material in that God’s plan is to renew his creation, not to destroy it, and it is communal – the feast is not made to be eaten in isolation.

In conclusion, I would thoroughly recommend this as a fresh and powerful insight into not just the parable of the prodigal son, but the gospel itself. Keller has done a great service to the church by reminding us of the need not just to point people away from immorality, but from moral religious hypocrisy, which may be an even greater need in many of our congregations. It is written in a very accessible way, making it suitable for new believers or seekers. But equally those involved in preaching or teaching the gospel would benefit from reflecting on this refreshingly clear articulation of the gospel message. I fully expect this book to set a new trend in the way the parable of the prodigal son is preached in churches everywhere. (Whether or not church drama teams dare to continue beyond the “happy ending” remains to be seen!)