I found this video on Youtube, and I wanted to share it with everyone. It is a combination of one of my favorite songs, and simply staggering scenery. I was just left breathless at how beautiful this presentation was. Whoever made it is to be congratulated on a wonderful video.
So, just sit back, relax, and let the words and the pictures of this video be a blessing to you!
[BTW, for the best effect, you should definitely view it at full screen size. Turning off the lights helps too!]
Over the past several weeks, I have been appauled at the attitude of many of the women associated with the mandatory marriage movement. Not only that, it seems like sin breeds sin, and the men have responded in a very nasty fashion. I am really concerned about all of this, and I am concerned that, ultimately, the one who is going to get hurt is the woman. It is with this in mind that I write this post.
To what am I referring. Well, I am referring to an article that really started this whole thing by Suzanne Hadley called Not Your Buddy. The whole premise of the article is that there is a possibility of the blurring of the line between a friendship and a relationship, and that one needs to be careful that there is no crossing of the line. For example, she argues that there is, in men who blur this line, a desire to have the benefits of the relationship without commitment.
What I have been appauled at is, first of all, the lack of critical thinking that has been put into this kind of article, but also the utterly arrogant and nasty responses of women, and the likeminded responses of men. Not only that, the drum keeps on being beat ad infinitum ad nauseum. In the last few weeks, I have heard this on the Focus on the Family radio program from Candice Watters, The Boundless Show, and a Boundless article that just came out today.
What is interesting is that I must not be the only one who is noticing it, since Motte Brown posted this at the end of the blog post for the podcast:
Note: And please guys, if you’re thinking about writing to complain that we’re bashing men again, don’t. These are the Inbox questions we get. If you have some questions of your own about the mysteries of the fairer sex, we’ll be happy to answer those as well.
Now, I first have to ask: Are we seriously supposed to believe that these are the only Inbox questions they get? For as big as Focus on the Family is, and as much marketing power as these guys have to get their messages out there, I find it *extremely* hard to believe that this is all they get. Not only that, but why focus on this stuff in the Focus on the Family broadcast, the podcast, and the first article this week?
Not only that, but why focus on this with an uncritical and sometimes downright arrogant attitude? There are several comments that I think need to be made before we can even discuss legitimate circumstances in which this does happen.
First of all, one must ask, given the fact that women tend to think about things through their emotions much more than men, how do we know that all of these instances are legitimate instances of this? Imagine a general friendship that the woman secretly wants to be more than what it is. However, the man will not commit. She complains that they spend way to much time together, and yet, one of her friends tells her that the only time they really talk is after church service, and even then she is preventing him from leaving to attend to his errands, and her friend can tell that he is getting annoyed. She says she is tired of them sharing each others’ deep, dark secrets with him, but the reality is that she is the only one sharing these secrets. In essence, what this turns into is an instance of the “Buddy Syndrome” that is illegitimate, because the woman is interpreting her experiences with this guy through the lens of her desire to be in a relationship with him. How do we know that is not going on?
Now, not only that, we also have to beware of the fact that we live in a culture that is very anti-male. I have talked to lawyers who are getting tired of all of the sexual harrassment and stalking cases that are just getting out of control. I remember a lawyer telling me about a woman who was cheating on her husband, and her husband caught her. However, she ended up kicking him out of the house, and didn’t even give him time to get his clothes. After a while, when he started getting a little ripe, and needed a shower, he called her to ask if he could set up a time to pick up his clothes. Because of that call, he was slapped with a telecommunications harassment charge, and was issued a restraining order.
This that this is the only story? Think again. Phyllis Schlafly tells a story about a twelve year old who was suspended for sexual harassment when he stuck his tongue out at a girl who had just refused to be his girlfriend. One lawyer told me that they hand out these restraining orders like candy. Of course, what do you expect when you define morality on the basis of how the person feels rather than on what the person did? Feelings are subjective, and it will create a mess.
Now, do you expect that a man is going to be very open about his feelings for a girl when he has been through something like that? I rather doubt it. Also, consider the fact that it may not even be related to this kind of abuse. Maybe someone hurt him really bad, or abused him in some other way. All of these things play into this issue, and to just say that this is an example of the “Buddy Syndrome” without asking a few more questions is simply being uncritical. The next question that one must ask is who will ever admit to being treated in this fashion? I think a lot of the answers that are given by men that women think reflect a lack of commitment may be simply ways of getting out of a situation where they have to tell someone about some abuse in their past.
Now, let us suppose that it is not a matter of abuse, nor is it a matter of the woman’s misinterpretation. Let us now suppose that we have a legitimate case of a man who will not commit. Candice offers this advice:
For your part, I think the best thing you can do is back away from him. It won’t be easy because you do like him so much and do wish it were more than “just friends.” But he is defrauding* you; taking advantage of your time, friendship and affections without giving any commitment. He is not protecting your heart. He is acting irresponsibly toward you, even if he doesn’t recognize that he is. (In his defense, it’s possible he’s naive to the pain he’s causing you and the inappropriateness of his behavior. Though that’s no reason to let him continue.)
If you spend less time with him, he’ll either miss you and realize he does want to make your relationship official. Or he will move on to another woman (and likely treat her the same way). As painful as that second scenario would be, it will be even more painful if you delay it (and invest even more of yourself in him between now and then). As happy as that first scenario would be (and it would be happy if it works out that way), it’s unlikely to happen if you don’t cut him off from so much access to you. Either way there is no benefit to delay (you’ve already shown you’re unhappy with the way things are).
Now, I want to compare what Candice says to what Jesus says we are to do when we are wronged by a brother:
Matthew 18:15-20 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. 17 “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. 19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”
Notice how Candice’s solution simply avoids everything that Jesus says here. The first step is for this girl to go up to this guy and simply say, “You know, I am concerned about the fact that the amount of time that we are spending together is making it look like we are an item when we are not. I really like you, and I do want to marry you, but if we are not going to be in a relationship, I think that we need to set boundaries so that we do not end up looking like we are.” She can then explain to him that she does want to get married, and that she is afraid of the consequences of this continuing.
If that doesn’t work, then Jesus says you are to take someone else along [another girl, perhaps, who has noticed the same things she has noticed].
If he still will not listen to them, then they need to take it to the church. Both of them need to go to an elder, and tell them that there is a problem here. If he does not listen to them, then, and only then does Jesus say women are to do what Candice is suggesting.
I want you to notice the difference between the emphasis of Jesus and the emphasis of Candice Watters. Candice accuses this man of “defrauding” her, and basically keeping other guys from seeing that she is available. The whole center of Candice’s concern is this woman getting married. We see, again this idolatry coming through in what Candice says and writes.
Now, I want you to notice the emphasis on what Jesus says. Does Jesus want to take away the good, Godly desires that a woman may have? No. However, Jesus recognizes that the goal here is restoration. You see, Candice even mentions that this guy may do this again if given another chance. However, if you, instead, take Jesus’ advice, you will have won your brother.
I also want to notice Jesus’ usage of the term “brother.” This puts the person who has been wronged on an equal level with the person who has wronged them. What I have been amazed at is the arrogance of the way in which Candice Watters and others have handled this situation. For example, take a look at the downright snotty remark Candice makes towards this man:
Thanks for writing! I agree with you that your male friend (and future pastor) is indeed sending mixed signals. Though I disagree that he is “very godly”– at least when it comes to how he relates to women. This is sadly too common these days, in part because men aren’t expected to get married anytime soon and also because women let them get away with it.
Actually, the reason why men do this [in legitimate cases, that is] is because of sin, and not because of some unbiblical expectation that needs to be put in place for men to marry. Again, I have to ask if Candice has thought this position through. Does she really want someone like this to get married, and then have this kind of a relationship with a woman other than his wife? No, that will not solve this problem. Also, I want to notice this whole notion of “women let them get away with it.” I, again, want to ask if that is Jesus’ attitude? Jesus does not tell the person that they must accept that what the other person did is right, but he does tell them that there must approach the other person on equal footing, with the intent of restoring their brother. However, the arrogance only gets worse:
He is acting irresponsibly toward you, even if he doesn’t recognize that he is. (In his defense, it’s possible he’s naive to the pain he’s causing you and the inappropriateness of his behavior. Though that’s no reason to let him continue.)
Yes, let us just throw out all other explainations, and just assume that he is just naive. Again, compare Candice’s attitude with the attitude of Jesus. Her attitude is, “He is just foolishly naive; that’s no reason to not let him get you, though.” Again, I have to ask what will happen next time Candice is in a situation in which she has hurt someone, and does not realize it. Would she appriciate someone calling her naive to the pain she is causing someone else, and have someone tell this person, “But that’s no reason to let her continue.”
However, it gets worse. Consider this quote:
Now to him. If he really does want to be a pastor someday, his behavior will have to change or he’s headed for trouble. What a man like him needs most–in addition to a rock solid commitment to Christ and Christ’s transformative power at work in his sinful heart–is godly, wise and practical mentors who can help him see his need to change the way he relates to women. Then he’ll be ready to find and take a wife. And that’s also something a man like him probably needs to succeed in his life work and calling. (See especially God’s solution to Adam’s aloneness in Genesis 2, as well as Paul’s conversations with Timothy about the centrality of family to making healthy church leaders.)
His behavior is really frustrating (and despicable) wherever it occurs. But especially so in men who are already claiming pastor status. The standard of conduct for them is, and ought to be, higher (James 3:1-3).
The question for you is, will you hold him to it?
Now, I have been over Genesis 2:18 ad infinitum ad nauseum. The best I have gotten in response to my exegesis of that passage is name calling from Albert Mohler calling it “warped,” and leaping out of the text to 1 Corinthians 7, and not engaging in any exegesis there either. I will not repeat what I have said there. However, Candice says this man needs mentors. No, what he needs is someone to lovingly rebuke him in an attempt, not to tear him down, but to restore him, if, indeed, this is the problem. The fact that Candice tells this woman to leave this up to a mentor is in direct violation of what this text in Matthew 18 says. The difference in the attitude between Candice Watters and Jesus Christ is instructive.
As I alluded to earlier, I can see how Candice’s views of marriage being as necessary to an individual as food play into this. If you are being starved to death, then the most important thing is going to be to get your food, and you can act as arrogant and as snotty as you want to anyone who stands in your way, expecially people who have wronged you.
That being said, I have also been alarmed at the superiority complex that women have developed ever since this movement came out. Honestly, I do not blame the women for this. I blame teachers like Debbie Maken who gave a blank check to women to shame single men simply because they did not give them what they want, namely, marriage. The importance of that term “brother” in Matthew 18 is that we need to not treat each other arrogantly when we rebuke one another. We need to recognize that we too are sinners. Hence, we approach rebuking a brother as if we are a beggar who has found food, and wants to show another beggar where he can find food. The point should always be restoration, not “Don’t let him do that to you.” Neither women nor men are spiritually superior. Neither women nor men are more intellegent than the other. If you are a woman, and you think you are more intelligent then men, rest assured that one day you will meet a guy who will be able to refute everything you say, and dominate you intellectually. If you think you are spiritually superior to men, then be prepared to one day meet a man who seems to be always right. I am saying all of these things because, no matter how good you are, there is always someone better.
That is why God requires us to act in humility when we rebuke, even when we are in the right. I am afraid that, if this does not stop, eventually, a woman who behaves in the manner Candice suggests towards someone who has wronged them will one day have that behavior returned. Of course, in both instances, it is wrong, but there are many people who will seek vengance, and the weaker vessel, as the apostle Peter calls her, will get hurt worse than the man. Sin breeds sin; arrogance breeds arrogance.
My plea here is for both sides of this debate to humble themselves before one another and be Biblical in the way we handle those who have wronged us. First of all, we might want to go to scripture, and find out if it is actually sin before we go saying things like, “Delay of marriage is a sin.” However, even when we do find out that something is sin, we need to recognize that we are sinners too, and we need to recognize that God has called us, because of this, to act humbly, yet uncompromisingly in such a situation. We need to be aware that one day we may wrong that same person who has wronged us, and thus, we need to treat him in the same way that we would want to be treated if we were in his shoes. I think that, if we remember these Biblical principles, this firestorm will calm down.
I recently ran across this post on a blog run by Candice Watters. It reads as follows:
And because I’m not content to simply talk about how women are finding very little help to marry well, I’m also thrilled to be able to tell you that we are hard at work developing a next generation dating service, coming soon to a community near you. You can take a sneak peek and sign up to be part of our pre-release team here.
Also, Candice writes in the next post:
We’re excited to see so much interest in the coming-soon dating service brought to you by some of the people who brought you Boundless webzine. Thanks to all of you who’ve already joined the interest list; we’ll be sending more detailed updates, and asking for your feedback, soon. Please feel free to spread the word to your friends, especially guys. The more the merrier!
Now, the website is not up and running, but you can view a sampling of what to expect here.
I am not sure what to think of this. On the one hand, we do want to encourage singles to pursue marriage if that is their heart’s desire. On the other hand, one does have to wonder about how we are to understand this website in the light of Candice’s books and articles. Keep in mind that this is the same woman who wrote that marriage of the same necessity is to an individual as food. How much of this is simply continuing this message of pragmatism?
It is hard to know how to understand this given the whole context in which this movement has taken shape. One also has to wonder how much of this is simply more marketing. The reason is that, when a man signs up for marrywell.org, it appears that the ideas of this movement will be presented along with the matches. For example, on the front page it reads:
-Focus on intentionality and Christian compatability.
-Invite support from friends, family, and mentors.
-Receive coaching at key steps along the way.
Now, those of you who know Candice’s writings know that much of the key language for what she believes about relationships is tied up in those points. Hence, how much of this is more promotion?
I would be interested in hearing people’s comments on this development, especially if you have been dealing with this movement for any length of time. What do you make of this?
One of the things I remember about Debbie Maken’s followers is how they would literally go after Carolyn McCulley. I could not believe how nasty some of the comments were towards her. Of course, Debbie Maken’s followers could very rarely be nice to anyone with whom they disagreed. However, I also have had several people who do not agree with Debbie Maken who have expressed considerable disagreement with Carolyn McCulley.
Now, I will be the first one to admit that, other then reading her blog to see her review of Debbie Maken, a few of her articles, and some of her interaction with some of Debbie Maken’s followers, I have not read much of Carolyn McCulley. I have not read her book, and have very little familiarity with her writings en toto. However, I did listen to three different shows that both she and Candice Watters did on Focus on the Family’s radio program. They can be found here:
http://listen.family.org/daily/A000002244.cfm
http://listen.family.org/daily/A000002245.cfm
http://listen.family.org/daily/A000002246.cfm
Let me just say that I found Carolyn McCulley to be entirely balanced throughout these three programs. I could find nothing wrong with what she was teaching, and, more amazingly, her balance shined brightly against Candice Watters’ imbalance. Candice was all about “what women can do to help it happen,” and, while Carolyn McCulley certainly didn’t ignore that aspect, she put it in its proper place of God’s sovereignty, and trusting in God to do what is best in your life. In fact, at one point, they got into a little bit of back and forth on 1 Corinthians 7 during the second program, which was interesting.
At the end of either the first or second programs, Dr. Dobson honored her as a wonderful woman of God, and, from what I could hear, it was hard to disagree. I would invite women to listen to these programs. Yes, you will here Candice Watters repeating things I have dealt with ad infinitum ad nauseum. However, I would recommend listening to it in the light of the balance offered by Carolyn McCulley.
I don’t know how many people heard Kay Hymowitz on the Boundless Show recently, but, again, it really made me wonder how shallow our views of purity are. The problem that was addressed was the problem male and female immaturity especially around the twenty somethings age. Of course, I agree that this is a problem. We are a very immature, self-centered culture, and the younger you are, the more immature you can be.
However, what was most disturbing is the fact that sociology was brought into the discussion. Now, sociology is an interesting science. However, the hard thing about using sociological ideas in a discussion like this is that they are very deterministic. I remember my sociology professor saying that you can get anyone to do anything if you just put them in a given situation. Of course, this is entirely against the Christian worldview, because it logically ends up destroying human freedom, and thus, rational inquiry. For example, if our thoughts and actions are all deterministic, then the only reason why we disagree on issues is because of the fact that we have different causal factors acting upon our brain, and, therefore, it is impossible to know the truth. However, one will have to grant that there is validity to, for example, Durkhiem’s suicide studies. What is interesting, though, is that there will always be some people who do not fit the mold. Now, sociologists explain this as the result of actions having multiple causes. My initial impression of that is to postulate that there are not *causes* at work here, but *influences.* When one finds other “causes,” we need to consider them as other “influences,” and these influences work to pursuade the individual to do various things. However, ultimately, as a Christian, I believe we do things because of our will, and because we choose to give into those influences. That is why I think the interpretation of those who do not fit is so important.
What is interesting, though, is that the ideas of sociology that were brought into the discussion about the immaturity of men and women in today’s culture. You see, sociology is concerned more with results that come from societal influences, than results that come from influences upon an individual person. Thus, we want to look, not just at the individual, but also at the sociological context of that individual in order to explain the individual’s actions. For example, in Durkhiem’s studies of suicide, he found that the more isolated you are in your societal context, the more likely you are to commit suicide. Hence, according to Durkheim, isolation is a causal factor in suicide. What has happened is that these studies have been applied to the whole issue of selfishness and immaturity in the church. The reasoning is that, because people who are a part of this new age group called “emerging adulthood” are usually living alone apart from a family, they are thus more self-centered and immature than other age groups. Now, of course, their solution was very clear at the end of the discussion with Kay Hymowitz: Get Married.
Now, I think that, both Sociologically as well as Biblically, this is entirely reductionistic. First of all, with regards to sociology, there will *almost always* be more than one factor. To say that not living in families is the *only* factor in this is something that is improper sociologically. Consider other factors, such as churches who stop being deeply involved in the lives of students after they graduate from High School and the youth group. Consider the selfish, self-centered messages that are taught on today’s university campuses. Also, consider the fact that the west is, as a society, extremely self-centered. Hence, you have Christian singles who are isolated from the Christian community, and fed messages of selfishness from universities as well as the culture, and are likewise living alone. One could probably think of more factors that this that could be contributing to this slide in maturity. Hence, even from a sociological standpoint, the solution “get married” is entirely reductionistic.
Now, from a Biblical standpoint, it is also entirely reductionistic. At the end of the interview, Candice Watters gives her solution of “get married,” and says, “It all comes back to getting married. We were made for marriage; we were made for each other. If you believe in a creator, we were created to be married.” Again, an overly simplistic view of man, and completely neglects the effects of the fall upon marriage. Also, we were not created to be married. There is nothing inherently deficient in us when we are unmarried. There is a situational problem [Genesis 2:18], but, now that sin has entered into the world, there is also a situational problem in marriage [Genesis 3:16]. Not only that, but I think such a teaching actually fosters hatred of men, because marriage is viewed as a necessity to life. Marriage is not something necessary to an individual’s life; it is something most people *want,* and something God may or may not decide to give you in this life.
Might I suggest that the problem goes much deeper than just “get married.” We live in a society of selfishness, and we have churches who just throw children out there in society without ever preparing them. Then they get bombarded with selfish philosophy and cultural influences, and end up becoming more and more self-centered. The solution is not to point people towards marriage, but to point people towards Christ. We need to call people to give up self, take up their cross, and follow Christ. If they would like to serve God in marriage, then they should have every right to pursue it. However, God is ultimately the one who will determine whether or not you will marry, and, if God determines that you are not going to marry, your ultimate desire needs to be to serve God and not serve yourself. I have said this before, but when a person presents what Candice says, there is a real danger of good desires like the desire for marriage and children becoming an idol, and thus, becoming just as selfish as the world. Notice how, throughout this whole interview, you have discussion about what people “want” and what makes them “happy.” Of course, God doesn’t care about what we want, or our happiness. He wants us to be holy, and, in fact, if Proverbs 3:11-12 is to be believed, there will be times when it is best for us to have God actually inflict pain upon us, in order to teach us, and to help us grow in wisdom. Ultimately, God’s way is best, and, until we realize that, we will always have the exact same problems of selfishness and self-centeredness, and we will never change.
I don’t know how many of you remember me posting this video from Jack Van Impe, but, there have been some new developments, and they are just sad. Here, again, is the video:
Now, just read this from Fox News:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,563621,00.html?loomia_ow=t0:s0:a4:g4:r1:c0.000000:b0:z5
Again, if we just allowed scripture to interpret scripture rather than trying to read some pagan notion into the text, we would not only get the interpretation of scripture right, but, if we study pagan calenders, we will get that right too.
I remember the first time I picked up Richard Dawkins’ book The God Delusion from the shelf of a bookstore. I had heard so much about it, and people were harolding it is the ultimate refutation of theism. I picked it up, and read through the first two chapters, and, much to my suprise, the book was terrible. There are many, many books that argue from an atheistic perspective *far* better than Dawkins. Now, don’t get me wrong, Dawkins is a bright guy, but he has never studied the area of theology, philosophy, or anything else, and the result is a book that is filled with misunderstandings, naive and uncritical assumptions, and a fundamental misunderstanding of the issue. I never thought I would ever run into someone who was worse than Dawkins.
However, I got a copy of the DVD Expelled, No Intellegence Allowed from the school library, and I ran into someone who is far worse. The woman’s name is Eugenie Scott. This woman is way more naive than Richard Dawkins! You see, the theory of evolution is built upon the presuppositions of naturalistic materialism. Now, naturalistic materialism is in trouble philosophically. Eugenie Scott obviously knows this. How does she keep evolution from the battering rams of philosophy? Just listen:
Eugenie Scott distinguishes between what she calls “Methodological naturalism,” and “Philosophical naturalism.” She defines “methodological naturalism” by saying that
In science, we restrict ourself to natural cause. Science is a limited way of knowing, I like to tell people. We are limited to explaining just the natural world, we are not telling people how to treat each other, morals and ethics. We are just trying to explain the natural world, and we limit ourself to natural cause. The reason we limit ourself to natural cause, to methodological naturalism, is not because all scientists are atheists, because they aren’t. The reason we limit ourself to natural cause is because the essence of science is testing ideas against the natural world.
And, of course, she gives the philosophical definition of naturalism for the definition of “philosophical naturalism.” Now, I want to take this apart, and show that, when you dialogue with someone like Eugenie Scott, this is distinction between Methodological Naturalism and Philosophical Naturalism is the first thing you have to attack.
The first thing I think that needs to be pointed out here is that Eugenie Scott’s definitions here are a philosophical mess. First of all, when you say that you are going to limit yourself to natural causes, you are presenting a metaphysical position. Eugenie doesn’t understand that, if you believe in a world other than the natural world that interacts with the natural world, then that other world is going to provide you with the context in terms of which you are going to understand the natural world. If you are not allowed to appeal to that context, then what you are, in essence saying is that such a context for understanding the natural world does not exist.
Although she isn’t meaning to say it, what she is in essence saying is [and I cannot believe that anyone would ever fall for this] that you can hold to any philosophy you want outside of the Science classroom, but, once you step into the science classroom, your methodology can no longer be built upon the sovereign God of the text of scripture; it must be built upon naturalism. In other words, when it comes to other things, you can hold to any philosophy you want. When you step into the classroom, you must construct a methodology based upon a metaphysic that, in any other area of inquiry, you do not hold.
What this ends up doing is promoting an inconsistency in someone’s metaphysic. It also creates an inconsistency in one’s epistemology. Eugenie says that science is a limited way of knowing, but, as Christians, the foundation of our knowledge begins with the supernatural, with God and his revelation. Hence, this limitation precludes the Christian worldview from being true right from the very beginning. In fact, Eugenie is basically saying that all scientific inquiry must be based upon the philosophy of Kant. What Eugenie is presenting as “methodological naturalism” is a philosophy of rationalism that is based upon Kant’s brick wall that he set up between the natural and supernatural realms. She is saying that, while you can deny that philosophy in other areas of life, you must hold it when you do science.
Now, what about the idea that someone can believe in evolution and still believe in God? My response is that theism is not Christianity. The view of a theistic evolutionist is far different from the view of a Biblical Creationist [of all forms]. Most theistic evolutionists have a very naturalistic view of God, which, of course, goes back to the fact that they are limiting themselves to the natural world. Even the ones who do not have to answer the question of how they know of God, since they cannot accept the Biblical model, and, even if they can answer that question, the answer is going to be radically different than the Christian answer. In essence, if you are a theist, and you take Eugenie Scott’s position, you are forced into a self-contradiction, or you can only add the supernatural back into the mix after you have begun with a naturalistic conclusion, which, in my mind only delays the inevitable incoherence.
Even Richard Dawkins can see past this. On the Expelled movie, Dawkins says those who believe in evolution and also believe in God are actually atheists. Even he can see the inevitable contradiction that will result from this kind of messy thinking.
That is why, philosophically, this is rediculious. However, I can only imagine the mind of a child who hears this. That is what, to me, is so sad. While it is philosophically absurd, it is deceptive because of the appearance of neutrality. Anytime an unbeliever wants to claim common ground like this, we need to be very suspcious. We are told in scripture that no man can serve two masters [Matthew 6:24], and that we are to take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ [2 Corinthians 10:5]. Notice what Eugenie is trying to argue. She is trying to argue that you *can* serve to masters [both God and naturalism], and that you do not have to take all thoughts captive the the obedience of Christ, and, in fact, in the scientific realm, you *can’t* take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ! You must leave Christ out of it.
At this point, I would recommend Greg Bahnsen’s lectures on this subject. I only pray that we could get Greg’s lectures into the hands of every Christian student going off to college:
Now, let us revisit Eugenie’s definition of science, and point out what Greg Bahnsen and his teacher Dr. Cornelius Van Til always said. When you take this view of science, you destroy science. Let us again take a look at Eugenie’s view of science and her methodology:
The reason we limit ourself to natural cause, to methodological naturalism, is not because all scientists are atheists, because they aren’t. The reason we limit ourself to natural cause is because the essence of science is testing ideas against the natural world.
Dr. Van Til and Dr. Bahnsen used to say that such a view of science destroys science. Let us look at a couple of examples of why that is.
First of all, I don’t think that anyone would argue that the laws of logic need to be disregarded in scientific research. In fact, Eugenie uses the laws of logic in her research. However, the laws of logic are not part of the natural world. The laws of logic are universal and abstract. As abstractions they are not material, and as universal, it is impossible to test them against the natural world. Therefore, one cannot consider the laws of logic given Eugenie’s position.
Also, how does Eugenie explain the principle of induction using this methodology? She speaks about things such as scientific laws, but the problem is, for something to be a law, it must be true for all times and all places. How does she know that such uniformities exist in nature? It would seem to me [and even to men like David Hume] to be totally irrational to assume such a thing, since any explaination of uniformity in the natural realm is going to necessarily have to rely upon the natural realm [since we are limited to the natural realm] thus begging the question.
Also, Richard Taylor’s argument is a problem. Taylor’s argument begins with an illustration. Let us imagine that we are in England traveling from London to Whales on a train. After a while, you look outside your window and see a formation of rocks that appear to be arranged in such a way so as to convey the message “The British Railway Welcomes you to Whales.” Now, you do realize that it would be perfectly rational to conclude that someone got up on the hill, and arranged those rocks in that formation. However, it would also be rational [although not overly likely] to conclude that that the rocks got into such an arrangement by natural weathering, by explaining how each rock could have gotten into the very place it is at. However, it would be irrational to conclude, on this latter interpretation, that you have information that you are entering Whales from the rock formations.
The question therefore becomes, if our senses are formed by naturalistic forces, then how do we know that they *function* to give us information about he external world? Such is an irrational conclusion if you believe that naturalistic processes formed your senses. In essence, now you cannot even have knowledge of the external world if you are a Darwinistic naturalist in your scientific methodology.
Hence, the logical conclusion of taking Eugenie’s methodology is that you cannot do science at all. Limiting knowledge and metaphysics in the way she has destroys the laws of logic, it destroys natural law, and it destroys investigation of that natural world. Yet, these are all things that are preconditions of science. Hence, Eugenie’s definition of science actually ends up doing violence to science, because such limitations on your methodology limit it to such an extent that the fundamental tools for understanding the material universe are thrown out as well.
Therefore, in reality, I would conclude that, not only does Eugenie Scott’s distinction not work, but her methodology results in the destruction of science altogether.
I have had the privilege of studying Hebrew Poetry with Dr. Willem VanGemeren here at Trinity for the past three semesters. While he does not give a ton of work, he is very smart, and he forces you to think outside the box to and extent that, even if you know all of your grammar, syntax, etc, you still have to give careful consideration before answering.
This semester, I am taking a class in Exegesis of Proverbs 1-9 with Dr. VanGemeren, and he started the class with something very interesting. He was talking about Judaism and Christianity, and how neither of them are religions of the Hebrew Bible. For Judaism, you have the addition of the Rabbinic traditions, and for Christians, you have the addition of the New Testament. He told us about a book he was reading by a Jew wherein the author makes the argument that, although Rabbinic Judaism is not the religion of the Hebrew Bible, it is consistent with the logic of the Hebrew Bible.
What was interesting is that he then applied it to the fulfillment of prophecy. He said that it was entirely to simplistic to speak of prophecy a, b, c, and d, being fulfilled in event a’, b’, c’, and d’. What was interesting is that, in his book, Interpreting the Prophetic Word, he had already said something similar:
Fulfillment cannot be restricted to Micah’s time, to the postexilic era, or even to the coming of our Lord. It unfolds and clarifies the nature and time of fulfillment in the progress of redemption. I call this process of unfolding progressive fulfillment. The hermeneutics of progressive fulfillment looks at God’s promises as a vine that grows, extends its branches in various directions, bears fruit, and keeps developing. Applying this to redemptive history, I believe that we are still at the stage of branching and budding and that the stage of the mature, productive vine takes us to the second coming of our Lord.
The promises of God cannot be reduced to predictions. A prediction limits the word to a particular fulfillment, whereas a promise unfolds progressively over time. A promise is like a rolling snowball in its momentum and significance. Beecher aptly states this point: ‘Every fulfilled promise is a fulfilled prediction; but it is exceedingly important to look at it as a promise, and not as a mere prediction.”
Micah encouraged his contemporaries -and all who read his book-to look at the Messiah as the victorious King, the world as the realm of God’s rule, and God’s people as sharing in the victory and glory of their great King. This prophetic word still extends hope to God’s people today. The very fact that the kingdom of God has not yet been fully and visibly established on earth is a motivating factor in hoping and praying that the child born in Bethlehem, Jesus the Christ, may soon come and inaugurate the eternal kingdom on earth [VanGemeren, Willem. Interpreting the Prophetic Word. Zondervan Publishing House. Grand Rapids Michigan. 1990. pgs. 82-83]
With these two statements, the one in his book, and the one in class, I think we can use it to deal with some of the arguments of the hyperpreterists, and, again show that the arguments of hyperpreterists are way too simplistic. For example, one question one might ask the hyperpreterist is, “At the time when king Solomon was ruling over Israel, could you have said that Psalm 22 was fulfilled or not?” You see, one would have to say that it was fulfilled in David’s persecution, since that is the immediate context, and yet, the New Testament has no problem whatsoever applying that Psalm to Christ.
The reason is very simple. The application to Christ does not fit the immediate context, but if you look at the entire structure of Psalms 22-24, you can easily see why it is applied to Christ. While Psalm 22 is about David, Psalm 23 begins “The Lord is my Shepherd.” This may not seem very significant, except for the fact that, in the Ancient Near East, the Shepherd was a title for a king. For example, this is from tablet I the Gilgamesh epic:
84. uš-ta-d[ir eţlūti ša2 urukki in]a ku-kit-ti
85. ul u-maš-šar dGIŠ-gim2-maš DUMU ana AD-šu
86. ur-ra u G[I6 i-kad2-dir] še-riš
87. šu SIPA-ma ša urukki su-pu2-ru
88. dGIŠ-gim2-[maš šarru? (...) nišī? rap-š]a-a-ti
89. šu re-’-u2-ši-na-ma u x[...-ši]-na? [George, Andrew. The Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic; Introduction, Critical Edition, and Cuneiform Texts. Oxford University Press. New York, New York. 2003. p. 542]
84. He has frightened the strong young men of Uruk wrongfully
85. Gilgamesh does not set sons free to their fathers.
86. Day and night he rises up violently.
87. He is the shepherd of Uruk, the sheepfold.
88. Gilgamesh is the king…great population.
89. He is their shepherd and their…
Notice how dGIŠ-gim2-maš in line 85 is parallel to SIPA-ma ša urukki in line 87. Not only that, it is explicitly said that dGIŠ-gim2-maš is re-’-u2-ši-na-ma in line 89.
This identification of a shepherd with a king goes all the way back to Sumerian, the oldest language known to man. Take a look at this text here:
http://www.cdli.ucla.edu/dl/lineart/P232277_l.jpg
In the first full column on the left, in line 11 the text reads in normalization:
sipa šag-e pad-a
This is an epithet for Gudea which literally means “chosen [as a] shepherd.” Gudea was earlier identified as the ensi-lagaš-(ak) “the ruler of Lagash.” in lines 6-7 (and in the three line description of this diorite statue at the far left).
Also, the Sumerian textbook we used here at Trinity A Manual of Sumerian Grammar and Texts, Chapter 18 has a text with the same thing. In this text, Shu-Sin is called a shepherd, and this time, in the context of a king [Sorry, I can only give the normalization of this one, as I can only find it in my text book]. This is from lines 12-15:
12. Lugal enlil-e
13. ki-ag
14. šag-ani-a in-pad
15. sipa kalam-a(k)-še
The translation of this phrase is “the king whom Enlil selected in his loving heart for a shepherd of the land.”
Having established, then, that a shepherd does refer to a king, we then see that there are really two kings at work here in Psalm 22-23. This can also be established from the end of Psalm 22:
Psalm 22:28-31 For the kingdom is the LORD’S And He rules over the nations. 29 All the prosperous of the earth will eat and worship, All those who go down to the dust will bow before Him, Even he who cannot keep his soul alive. 30 Posterity will serve Him; It will be told of the Lord to the coming generation. 31 They will come and will declare His righteousness To a people who will be born, that He has performed it.
The next important point in this argument, is the end of Psalm 23:
Psalm 23:5-6 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
The “follow” here in verse 6 is a weak translation. It is actually the Hebrew term @dr which means “to pursue.” There is an irony in this text. God prepares a table before David in the presence of his enemies, and yet, it is goodness and mercy that pursue him all the days of his life rather than his enemies.
This is important background as we go into Psalm 24. The key text in Psalm 24 is:
Psalm 24:7-10 Lift up your heads, O gates, And be lifted up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in! 8 Who is the King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, The LORD mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O gates, And lift them up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in! 10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah.
Notice how the ambiguity of the two kings, King David, and God himself is somewhat played upon in this passage. The king who is mighty in battle seems to reference David and his fight against his enemies. However, this ignores the pleas for help to the Lord that David lifts up, as well as the immediate context of this passage. The Lord is the one who delivers from enemies. So, then, who is the king of glory? It is the Lord of Hosts! Yet, is it not also David who has victory over his enemies? So, we are back to the question. Is it David or is it the Lord? This is why Psalm 22 can be legitimately quoted in reference to Christ as well as in reference to David.
Not only that, but we also must remember that the book of Psalms is going to present God himself as sitting on David’s throne in book five. Given the messianic connections with David throughout the Psalms, as well as the immediate context of Psalms 22-24, one can conclude that it is not irrational to connect Psalm 22 with the messiah.
Now, all of this requires understanding the logic of the text, and not necessarily the chronology of the text. Another example of this is in Isaiah 7:14 where the fulfillment is clearly intended to be for Isaiah’s day. Again, we must ask the hyperpreterist, “Was Isaiah 7:14 already fulfilled at the time of Daniel?” In terms of the fulfillment in the immediate context, yes. However, again, examine the logic of the book of Isaiah, we run in to Isaiah 9:5 [9:6 Eng.]:
Isaiah 9:6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Another example of child born to us who is “Mighty God!” Again, following the logic of the book, we are able to understand exactly where the book is going.
Now, I would like to take this, and apply it to Daniel 12:2. Samuel Frost, a prominent hyperpreterist, thinks this text shows the inconsistencies in so called “partial preterism.” He writes:
Now, Adams takes 12.1,3,4 to refer to the “end of the age” and the “last days” of the Old Covenant and the destruction of Jerusalem. He is explicit: ‘The “time of the end” had come’ (p. 89, The Time is at Hand; p. 9, Preterism). Mt 24.21 is an almost verbatim quote of Da 12.2 and Adams, Gentry, Seraiah, and other PP take Rev 12 (Michael’s war) as fulfilled in Paul’s generation. But, strangely enough, in order to save “orthodoxy”, they omit Da 12.2 which, according to the Hebrew text, is inextricably linked to the “time of the end”, “the end” and the “end of the days”! But, if 12.2 is ripped from it’s context, as well as 12.13, then there was a “time of the end” in A.D. 70 and another yet unfulfilled “time of the end” when Jesus finally makes up his mind to return and close out history! Two End Times! Two Last Days! Is it not the “last days” before Jesus finally returns? Is that not an “end”? It is very apparent that what these men are forced to do is harm the Scripture in order to save “orthodoxy.” I define orthodoxy as what the Bible teaches, and I define orthopraxy (“right doing”) as not twisting the Scriptures in order to save a tradition (Pharisaism).
Yes, it is true that there is a link between Daniel 12:2 is, indeed, linked to verse 1 and verses 3-4. However, again, what is that relationship? Is it temporal, or is it logical? As anyone can see, the motif of suffering leading to glorification is something that is all over the text of scripture. What Daniel 12:2 is saying is that those who persevere in the great tribulations spoken of in this chapter can expect to participate in the resurrection of the dead. There is an intimate link that is, not temporal, but logical.
This is somewhat of an oversimplified version of one of my interests in linguistics, namely, something called text linguistics or discourse analysis. Text linguistics seeks to understand, not what is grammatically possible, but, rather, what the author actually does with the grammatical possibilities. It sees each individual text as a grammar all its own. It also allows us to get beyond the sentence level in understanding a text, and, in the case of the Psalms and Isaiah, it takes us even beyond the chapter level. In fact, when I got to Trinity, I was surprised to learn that the standard grammar of Waltke/O’Connor had actually been criticized by people such as Dennis Pardee and my professor Dr. Averbeck, because the grammar never discussed syntax beyond the sentence level. Now, that certainly doesn’t mean that we should all go and throw away our copies of Walke/O’Connor. However, it does mean that distinctions between poetry and prose, as well as discourse analysis must be kept in mind when reading Waltke/O’Connor.
I say that, not because I do not respect Waltke and O’Connor [they are, indeed, two giants of the field], but, rather to show just how serious the field has become about text linguistics. In my view, because of the emphasis on text linguistics, it is going to make hyperpreterism harder to hold in the academic realm.
We have hit a crisis of epic proportions in our churches. I keep hearing the statistic that every eight out of ten young people who take vows of purity will fail to keep that vow. I even heard my pastor mention it last sunday. It is, indeed, a problem. However, I have been greatly concerned about what has happened to the Christian community in their reaction against these facts.
As with other things, problems of purity in any area are not in isolation. For example, let us say that someone has a problem with lying. People can lie for several reasons, but the most preeminent is for someone to lie to protect themselves from their own wrongdoing or sin. Hence, now, not only do we have lying, but we also have the refusal to confess our sin. Not only that, but one can also sense selfcenteredness in such an action, as a person is simply trying to protect their image. Also, there is irresponsiblity in not wanting to take the responsibility for their actions. There is also not trusting in God that he forgives them from their sins if they will confess their sins. Notice how, with a simple sin such as lying, we have come to all of these other sins.
In other words, sin is never simple. People do not just sin for one reason. It doesn’t work that way. Sin has many facets to it, and is deeper than just the action that is done.
This is why I am concerned that the rather well marketed Madatory Marriage Movement has decided to use this opportunity to promote their position. They believe that, as Albert Mohler always says, sexual desires were created to drive people to marriage, and hence, the solution to the problem is to get people married at the peak of their sex drive, at around the age of 21 or 22. The logic goes something like this. The age of mediant first marriage is higher than it has ever been. It is unreasonable or unwise for kids to have to wait until they are in their late twenties to have sexual relations. That is the reason why the premarital sex rates are so high. Purity rings and purity balls just aren’t working. We need to start honoring marriage, and that means helping young twenty-somethings realize their duty to marry young.
Obviously, as you can already see, the problem with this argument is that it is overly simplistic. Sexual sin is not just an issue of sexual desires. If only it were that simple. Let us look at a sampling of the Biblical data. Paul said:
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
Sexual sin also has to do, notice, with what you do with your body. Do you use it to glorify God, or yourself? Likewise, sexual sin also has to do with an errant view of who are body is for. Paul likewise says:
1 Corinthians 6:13 Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body.
I think this is a strong passage to show that our bodies are not made for our own sexual desires. Our bodies were made to the glory of God, and not to our own selfish desires for sexual relations whenever we want it. Such is the errant thinking that is at the root of sexual immorality. [Incedentally, this is also a good passage to use against the idea that sexual desires were given to us in order to drive us toward marriage. They were not. They were, instead, given to us in order for us to glorify God with them.]
Also, sexual sin has, as its root, a faulty view of others. Paul likewise says:
1 Thessalonians 4:6 and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.
Paul here states that, when we sin sexually, we show disregard for our brothers and sisters in Christ because we transgress against them, and defraud them. Hence, this is also an issue of loving our brothers or sisters in Christ, as the case may be.
John also speaks to another issue:
1 John 2:15-16 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.
Now, John says that there is a problem with the love of the Father being in you if you commit sexual sin. Hence, it also is an issue with our love. Not only is it an issue of who we don’t love, but also what we *do* love.
The other thing that needs to be mentioned is that all sin is idolatry. Because God is our creator, and thus, he has the rights to determine how we behave in the sexual realm, when we take it upon ourselves to behave in this fashion, we are, in essence, taking upon ourselves a right that is reserved only for God. Paul likewise says:
Romans 1:22-25 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Not only that, but it is an issue of the Holy Spirit’s leading and guiding. Paul writes in Galatians about the deeds of the flesh, two of which are sexual immorality and uncleanliness, as well as the fruits of the spirit, one of which is self-control. However, in that context, he goes on to say:
Galatians 5:24-25 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
As you can see, the Biblical data is much more detailed in terms of an analysis of the problem. Sexual sin involves, not only a violation of God’s word in terms of sexual behavior, but it also involves errors in who your body belongs to, the purpose of your body, how we treat others, who and what we do and do not love, how we worship, and how we interact with the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
I could even go on from here, but to do so would only be to beat a dead horse. I say this to make a very important point. As you can see, getting rid of sexual immorality is not just a matter of changing your attitude in terms of what you are going to do physically. It is a matter of the attitudes and actions that lie behind the sin itself. It is a matter of the secret sins that give rise to the sin of premarital sex, as well as the actual sin of premarital sex itself.
You might say that dealing with all of those different sins looks like it would be difficult. The answer is that it most certainly is. However, it is exactly this that Paul says makes a us stronger. Notice what he says:
Romans 5:3-5 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Now, do we want to have “proven character” with regards to our sexual behavior? Paul says that proven character comes through tribulation. Also, the golden chain of redemption can be brought forward at this point. Why? Because it is in the context of suffering:
Romans 8:25-30 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. 26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
Again, through suffering, we receive glorification. Also, what about Jesus’ statement:
Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
Notice how self denial, and the cross as an instrument of suffering is actually a prerequisite to following after Christ. Also, there is this statement from the book of Acts:
Acts 14:22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
What an amazing statement for us to hear that it is through tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of heaven. Also, Paul admonished his readers:
Galatians 6:9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
Notice how Paul puts forth doing good as a struggle, and admonishes them to not grow weary in doing good, for, when God comes to take us to be with him, we will reap a reward of harvest. Paul presents the pursuit of purity as something that is a struggle. Paul presents entering the kingdom of heaven as something that is hard work.
Now, I would like to contrast this with the position of the purity balls, purity rings, and yes, the position of the marriage mandators. I would say that, just as we have the word “cheap grace” for someone who tips their hat towards God, and says that they now have their fire insurance, and can go and live life as they please, I think we need to start talking about modern views of sanctification as “cheap purity.” Why? Because they end up simply saying that all there is to sexual purity is reving up the emotions in order to get you to sign a pledge of purity, and put a ring around your finger, and now we have the marriage mandators saying that the solution to the problem is younger marriage! Again, all of these are cheap. True purity requires hard work, and it requires persevering under tribulations. It is not, nor has it ever been, simply a matter of getting married early, putting on a ring, or attending a ball.
True purity means making up ones mind that we are going to follow Christ twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. It means continually fighting against the desires of the flesh. It also means accountability to others in the church so that you are not walking the journey alone. True purity is hard. However, we in our modern culture want quick fixes for everything. We don’t want to be bothered with all of this tribulation and fighting for purity.
Now, can early marriage help in this struggle? Most definitely. However, so can purity rings and purity balls. I have a major concern for those who would think that early marriage or any of these is the solution to the problem. Consider this. If all of those other sins are not taken care of, then how do you know that the statistics will not go from eight out of ten people who make purity pledges do not keep their pledge to eight out of ten people who marry young to avoid fornication commit adultery against their spouse, or are involved in hardcore pornography? You might say, “That’s impossible!” It isn’t. What happens when your wife has to go away for a while to tend to an unforseen emergency, and you do not know when she will get back, and the slutty secretary at work starts seducing you? What happens if your wife is two hours late to come home, or gets home after you, and you have “internet access?” You see, unless the issues of the underlying sins that actually cause this sin are addressed, we will just be exchanging one sin for another. What good is it going to do us to say that people don’t commit fornication because fornication is not the word you use for a married woman or man sleeping with someone other than their wife? That is really empty.
Now, someone might object that 1 Corinthians 7 says it is better to marry than to burn. Well, again, Paul is dealing in context with widowers and widows, as Gordon Fee, Craig Blomberg, and Richard Hays rightly argue in their commentaries. “Unmarried” should be understood in 1 Corinthians 7:8 to refer to “widowers.” Not only that, but Paul has just gotten done dealing with a similar issue in verses 2-5. Verse 5 is important:
1 Corinthians 7:5 Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
What is interesting here is that Paul, speaking to married Christians, tells them that there is only one time in which they can refrain from sexual relations with their spouse, and that is by agreement for a time to devote themselves to prayer. However, he tells them that they must come together again so that Satan does not tempt them because of their lack of self control. The Greek term used for self control here is the noun form of the verb used in verse 9. There is then, in my mind, a clear progression in Paul’s thought. He has in mind his commandment for married people to have sexual relations when he writes this passage to widows and widowers, and he has already addressed self-control in the context of the breakup of a sexual relationship, telling married couples to not intentionally breakup the sexual relationship.
Now, what happens if the relationship is broken up by death? Well, Paul says in verses 6-8 that it is better, in such an instance, for a person to remain unmarried. However, knowing the unique temptations that the breakup of a sexual relationship can bring, Paul commands those who still have the desire for the sexual relationship that has now been interrupted by death to remarry.
Hence, to rip this passage out of the context of the breakup of a sexual relationship is to misuse the text.
Now, all of that being said, do I think that there are advantages to marrying younger? Certainly. However, it is like everything else. You gain some things, and you loose some things. For example, you will always be more mature at 28 than you were at 22. That is an indesputable fact. You will also have a degree to make money to take care of a family. However, if you marry younger, you will be able to have more children, and you will have more energy to take care of those children. One has got to weigh the advanges and disadvanges of each.
Also, it is true that early marriage is looked down upon, and it shouldn’t be. We should be willing to look at the benifits of early marriage. However, it is not required of anyone, and will most certainly not solve the problem of rampant premarital sex within our communions, nor will it solve the problem of people who cannot sexually control themselves. For that, we need to put down our cultural obsession with convenience and comfort, fight the good fight, and finish the race. We need to press on to the prize, to the goal of Christ Jesus. I dare say, until these things are emphasized *daily* within Christian circles, this problem will never be solved.
As I have looked into the marketing background of this article I have been impressed at how carefully this whole Christianity Today issue was planned.
First of all, Regnerus appeared on the Boundless Show long before this article appeared. There was already that connection. Also, you need to understand that Albert Mohler was on vacation during the month of July. Why is that important? Because Regnerus’ article came out the weekend before Albert Mohler got back from vacation. That means that Albert Mohler’s article on Regnerus’ article would be the first article he would publish when he got back from vacation.
Now, also consider this. Click on this link to Albert Mohler’s program on this issue, and start listening at about 28:36. Who calls in? Yes, Candice Watters. The same Candice Watters that I have critiqued many times before, and the same Candice Watters who just published an article claiming that marriage was as necessary to an individual as food. Listen to the conversation and you will find that they are very happy that this article got into Christianity Today because they are glad that more pastors will see it, and their message will get out there.
Also, I wanted to thank Dan for sending me the responses to the article that were posted on the Christianity Today website. Unfortunately, it seems like these women were not at all equipped exegetically or logically to deal with these arguments. While I appriciated their effort, Christianity today did not really put up anyone who could give a powerful and exegetical response to this article. I even have to wonder if that was intended. Remember Camerin Courtney’s article which totally misrepresented this whole movement? It came from Christianity Today. Again, it seems like the folks who deal with singles issues on the Christianity Today website simply do not have the exegetical or philosophical background to deal with the abuses of this article. Therefore, no one is able to give a forceful response to it, and it goes unchallenged.
So, the marketing continues. I have always found it amazing that leaders who promote this movement will not open themselves up to criticism of their position. The goal is simply to get the message out there, and hope that no one runs across a little website like mine or Amir’s or Anakin’s. However, those who care about truth will be googling this article, and reading the other side, and considering the issues. It is for them that I continue to critique this movement.
Addendum: It looks like the marketing just continues. Lisa Anderson, who was quoted in one of the articles Regnerus cited, is going to be talking about Regnerus’ Christianity Today article on The Christian Worldview. Also, Candice Watters is going to be on the Focus on the Family radio show to discuss her book Get Married which I have critiqued before. I continue to be amazed at how these people will promote their position, but will never put themselves in a position where they have to face someone who knows their arguments, and has written against them. I am sure that folks like Anakin, Amir, Andreas Kostenberger, John Piper, or others who do not hold this view would be glad to appear on programs with them to critique their position, but I don’t see it happening soon.
