WWUTT 240 Q&A Swearing, Deacons, Gentiles, and Mormons?

WWUTT Podcast iconWWUTT Podcast

2 views

0 comments

00:00
If a man were to have been divorced at any time in his life, is he disqualified from the position of elder or deacon?
00:06
Are all swear words unacceptable for Christians to use? What is the difference between the terms
00:12
Greek and Gentile? And how do we reach Mormons for Christ? Just some of the topics we'll be discussing today when we understand the text.
00:30
You're listening to When We Understand The Text, an online Bible ministry so that we may know all the riches freely given to us by God.
00:38
For questions and comments, send us an email to whenweunderstandthetext at gmail .com.
00:44
Here's your teacher, Pastor Gabe. Thank you, Becky. I apologize for being late on this. It was a very busy week.
00:51
We had our homeschool practicum this week at church, which was a great event. Enjoyed being able to host that and all the families that came and participated.
01:00
That was Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. I had mentioned earlier in the week that we had a computer glitch. I had to replace a computer.
01:06
That kept me up late at night on more than one occasion, trying to get all of that set up.
01:12
So eventually, everything just caught up with me on Thursday night. I had no way that I had enough energy or even the voice to be able to put the program together for Friday.
01:22
So thank you for letting this be late today, but you still got it for the weekend. So catch up on it any time.
01:28
When we understand the text at gmail .com is our email address. If you want to submit any questions,
01:34
Friday being that day in the podcast that we dedicate toward answering some of those questions we get from our listeners and viewers.
01:41
The first question here has to do with the video that we did on swearing.
01:47
So let's play that video first and then we'll get to the question. Is it okay for Christians to swear?
01:55
No it isn't. But wait. What about that time Paul said, I count all things as dung in order to win
02:00
Christ? Isn't that the same thing as, you know, a certain swear word that means the same thing? Nice try, but no.
02:07
Elsewhere, Paul gives a very clear instruction in Ephesians 4 .29. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion that it may give grace to those who hear.
02:18
So for the Christian, our words are not to tear down, but build up, speaking grace to others. Think about what you communicate when you curse.
02:25
By using the harshest of words to describe a person or situation, you are actually cursing
02:31
God. A person is made in the image of God, and you would curse that image? The Bible says to be thankful and rejoice in all circumstances, and you would tell
02:38
God that His way isn't good enough? Will outsiders believe you when you say you trust God's way, and then swear when things don't go your way?
02:46
Or when you say you love others, and then curse them? Paul said to put away obscene talk from your mouth, and to walk in wisdom toward outsiders.
02:53
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer each person.
03:00
James said if a person can't control his words, even when he's alone, his religion is worthless. The Lord hates perverted speech.
03:08
Jesus said, out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. So pray as David prayed, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight,
03:18
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer, when we understand the text. So, this email comes from Brian.
03:25
He says, Hey Pastor Gabe, I watched your video on Christian swearing, and a question that I had been asked, and also wonder myself, is what constitutes as a swear word?
03:35
Does society dictate what a swear word is? I know Ephesians says to put away obscene talk from your mouth, and don't put others down, but would saying the
03:43
F word when you stub your toe, or using a word to describe something like that be considered swearing?
03:49
Would replacement words like fudge or poo be appropriate? Thank you for your email,
03:55
Brian. The Summer Olympics are going on right now in Rio. Opening ceremonies were last night.
04:01
I remember when the Olympics were in China eight years ago, and there was an article about what a swear would sound like in Chinese.
04:12
Like what are the most insulting things that you could say to a person in China? One of those insulting things was, your uncle was hatched from a turtle egg.
04:22
That sounds funny to us, but the ways that they understand and accept things culturally is what makes that a swear, just as there are certain things in the
04:30
United States that are accepted as swear words and may not be in other countries or in other languages.
04:37
But that does not give a person an excuse to swear and say, well, in another culture this isn't accepted as a swear word.
04:45
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths. And the f -word in any context is always bad.
04:53
There is never a good reason for a Christian to use that word.
04:58
So when the Bible instructs us to put away obscene talk from our mouths, that word qualifies.
05:05
Don't ever say it, and don't try to find any excuse to say it. After we posted this video, and it was on our
05:12
Facebook page, there was a guy that was coming on there and kind of owned the entire thread of discussion.
05:19
And so he kept putting swear words in dash, dash, dash, or using the asterisks to kind of blank out certain letters.
05:27
And we blocked him. We took him out. There simply was no reason for him to be doing that. And he was even saying things about, these words are totally fine.
05:35
They're perfectly acceptable. I didn't even care that he was blanking them out. It was the fact that he was even using them and arguing that they were perfectly acceptable to use.
05:44
We blocked him from the Facebook page, from being able to post anything else. So it's just simply not acceptable to use those words.
05:52
And there's no reason to make an argument or an excuse for using them. So I think the deeper part of Brian's question here is, if you were to stub your toe and you were to howl out a certain swear word, would that be acceptable?
06:07
Because you're not putting anyone down with that. Or could you substitute in another word like fudge or poo?
06:15
Well, what I had said to Brian was, I emailed him back and I said that whether you're saying poop or the
06:22
S word is arbitrary, but you could even completely make up your own word and your heart would still be in rebellion.
06:30
It's more an issue of the heart than it is what comes out of your mouth. But what comes out of your mouth is still telling of what's in your heart.
06:37
Even when you're by yourself. So there are times when I was less in control of my tongue, when
06:45
I did not swear in front of anybody else, but I did swear when I was by myself. That still was revealing, even to myself, a contemptuous heart, a heart that was in rebellion against God, a tongue that was not willing to praise
07:00
God in any and all circumstances. And I needed to learn to control that. I needed to learn to take my thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ so that even when
07:10
I was by myself, what was coming out of my mouth was not cursing my situation and therefore was a word that would have been displeasing to God in any and all circumstances.
07:21
We need to let all of our actions, all of our words, all of our thoughts be glorifying to the
07:27
God whom we serve, because that is what he has requested of his children. If we are part of the kingdom of God, then all of our behavior, our thoughts, our words, our speech in any and all circumstances will be reflective of the kingdom that we belong to.
07:43
So let us keep our thoughts and even our tongues in submission to God.
07:48
If God doesn't say it, if the word doesn't come from Christ, if it's not behavior that was exemplified by Jesus and his apostles, then you yourself should stop trying to find excuses as to why you think that would be acceptable to behave that way or say those things.
08:06
Okay. And I appreciate you asking for that clarification, Brian. All right. This next question comes from David in North Carolina.
08:13
Our church has a situation and I would like to get your thoughts on it. It has to do with qualifications of a deacon.
08:20
Our pastor refuses to allow an already ordained deacon to serve because he has been remarried.
08:26
And under first Timothy three, 12, this makes him unqualified. The deacon has currently been married for 20 years and has served as a deacon numerous times under multiple pastors.
08:38
He even was serving when the current pastor was voted in. And now that the church has nominated him again, the pastor will not allow him to serve because he was divorced and remarried after his conversion, stating first Corinthians three 12.
08:53
This has caused a major riff. How do you interpret first Corinthians or I'm sorry,
08:58
I said first Corinthians first Timothy three, 12, husband of one wife. All right, let's go to that passage and look at it here.
09:07
First Timothy, I'm in second Timothy, first Timothy chapter three is where we find the qualifications for both elders and deacons.
09:17
Elders are qualified in verses one through seven, and then you see the qualifications for deacons in verses eight through 13.
09:25
And I would say, as I said in the Old Testament discussion yesterday, that even deacons are supposed to be men based on what we read in chapter two.
09:34
Elders are supposed to be men, but I think that deacons likewise follow that same instruction and should be men in the church, not women, because as we read in verse eight deacons likewise.
09:46
So everything that was a qualification for elders is also a qualification for deacons with the exception of he must have the ability to teach.
09:56
That is the one qualification that is specific to an elder. That is not a qualification for a deacon.
10:02
So verse eight deacons likewise must be dignified, not double tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.
10:10
They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience and let them also be tested first.
10:17
Then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober minded, faithful in all things.
10:29
And that verse 11, their wives likewise is another reason why deacons should be men and not women, because we see the qualification for their wives, but you don't see it as a qualification for a spouse.
10:42
Verse 12, let deacons each be the husband of one wife, once again qualifying that it's a man, managing their children and their own households well.
10:54
For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
11:03
Now there is a lot of theological debate regarding verse 12, and sometimes it can stretch across denominations.
11:10
Sometimes it differs according to churches, specific autonomous church congregations.
11:16
So let's look at that again. First Timothy 3, 12, let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.
11:27
This is also stated for elders, as in First Timothy 3, 2, an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober -minded, self -controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach.
11:40
Again an elder must be able to teach. Deacon is called to service, but does not necessarily have to have a gift of teaching.
11:48
So what does this phrase mean, husband of one wife? And this again has been the subject of much debate.
11:55
The most common argument is in a pagan culture such as Ephesus, which is where Paul was sending
12:01
Timothy to, that he would be an overseer in the Ephesian church, men were allowed to marry multiple wives.
12:07
And so when you had a man who had converted from his paganism to Christianity, he had taken off the old self and put on the new, but he still had multiple wives from his past life.
12:20
He was not qualified for the service of elder or deacon. These qualifications are an examination of current character, and this person who fulfills the office of either elder or deacon is supposed to be an example of mature
12:39
Christianity. Even though not every person is going to be called to the position of pastor or deacon, it still should be the desire of every
12:46
Christian to meet these qualifications that they would grow up into maturity in their faith.
12:54
Since the pastor or the deacon in their current character is supposed to be a model of Christian behavior, those who were married to multiple wives were unqualified because that is not the model of marriage as God had designed it to be.
13:10
According to Genesis 1, verse 27, according to what Jesus repeats in Matthew 19, marriage is supposed to be between one man and one woman for life.
13:20
Now, it was not called upon these men who were married to multiple wives in their paganism when they got saved to divorce several wives and just be married to one, because what ends up happening is you force those women into poverty situations.
13:37
They're left without a provider or even a father for their children. So those men were supposed to remain married to their wives and providing for their wives, but the ministry that they were supposed to conduct or the testimony that they were to share with their children and with others was that they not marry multiple wives.
13:58
They were to have only one wife. Another way this debate is approached, if a man were to marry a woman and then he were to divorce that woman and marry another woman, he commits adultery with her if his first wife is still alive.
14:13
This is based on the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 5, 32, where Jesus says, I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery.
14:26
And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. This also is coupled with an instruction that Paul gives in first Corinthians chapter seven.
14:36
He says in verse eight to the unmarried and the widows, I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am.
14:42
But if they cannot exercise self -control, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion to the married.
14:51
I give this charge. The wife should not separate from her husband. But if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband.
15:02
And the husband should not divorce his wife. So the only qualification that is given or the only allowance, let's use that word instead.
15:11
The only allowance that is given to one who was formerly married to get remarried is if their former spouse has died.
15:19
If the former spouse is still alive, it is the desire of the Lord that they would be reconciled.
15:26
The way that I have approached this subject, if a person got divorced before they got saved,
15:32
I am not as concerned about that as if I would be upon finding out that they got divorced after they got saved.
15:39
When a person gets divorced before they're saved, of course, that's going to happen. Of course, things like that will occur because they're dead in their sins, in their trespasses.
15:48
But after a person gets saved, they are in the spirit. And yet, if in the spirit they still get divorced and are not reconciled to their spouse,
15:56
I would say that in that circumstance, that disqualifies a person from being able to serve in the position of elder or deacon.
16:03
And it sounds like, David, that that's what you've described as having happened. That this deacon was divorced after he had gotten saved, even though he has been faithfully married for 20 years.
16:15
Then that is what has arisen in this particular debate. In my church, under our polity, he would be disqualified.
16:25
He would not be able to serve as deacon. But what I hope would occur, here's two things that I hope would occur in the situation that is going on in your church.
16:33
First of all, that these things would be talked out and they would be done so in a civil way, that it's not done in a cold, legalistic, the
16:42
Bible says this, we say this. And so this is what's going to happen. Boom, period. Accepted or else.
16:48
OK, I would hope that there is still a brotherly affection in the way that these things are being talked about so that everybody comes to a peaceful agreement.
16:58
Second thing that I hope that occurs, if this deacon is truly committed to the service of the church, then he would be humble enough to step down and say,
17:09
I do not wish this issue to divide the church. I am more willing to step away from that position than to see this church divide.
17:19
And that would show his heart of service to that church, that he would be more willing to step away from that position of deacon than try to dig in his heels and say, no,
17:29
I've been able to do this for some odd number of years and I should still be allowed to do this.
17:35
So, David, I hope that that provides for you the guidance that you need to take to your church and and perhaps even encourage this deacon brother of yours in the decision that he should make as well.
17:47
Next question here comes from actually right here in the Junction City area. This is from Dorothy, who says,
17:53
Pastor Gabe, I had a few questions in the Bible. It talks about the Jews and then the Greeks and the
17:59
Jews and the Gentiles are Greek and Gentiles, the same people. Or are they two different groups of people?
18:04
Are they interchangeable Greek for Gentile and vice versa? And then the Bible mentions both
18:10
Greeks and barbarians, as in Romans 114. Are barbarians another group? If these are different groups, how are they different or are they alike?
18:18
Thank you, Dorothy, for your question. Greek and Gentile is an interchangeable term.
18:24
A Gentile is basically just a non Jew. So the Jews would consider anybody who is not a
18:29
Jew, a Gentile. But that might be a disparaging term to a Greek. So when
18:34
Paul was addressing the Roman church or the church in Rome, he addressed them not as Jews and Gentiles, but as Jews and Greeks.
18:44
Primarily, that was the word that he used so that Greeks would not just be thought of as non Jews. A barbarian is a person who did not read or speak the
18:53
Greek language. So in Romans 114, where Paul talks about being a missionary also to the barbarians, he's basically saying that whether a person is a
19:02
Greek or a Jew or whether they spoke the common language or they did not speak the common language,
19:07
I am obligated to share the gospel with all. Now, Paul spoke fluent Greek and fluent
19:13
Hebrew. We don't know how many languages that he spoke. But if he went into an area where there were people who did not speak either language, more than likely he was sharing the gospel through an interpreter.
19:24
But he did not let language be a hindrance to him from going into an area to share the gospel with that people.
19:32
Whether they spoke his language or not, he was going to do what was called upon him by the Lord to reach that people group with the gospel of Christ.
19:41
And so we should be committed to the same. Thank you for your question, Dorothy. One more question here. This comes from Stephen in Paris, Texas.
19:48
This is a little bit longer email. He says, Dear what? I first want to thank you for your podcast.
19:54
They all have been very wonderful and very helpful to me in my walk with Christ. I love the videos you have put together that show exactly what the word of God says and how we should apply it to our lives.
20:05
I thank you all for what you are doing to get these things out there so that all can see and hear what
20:11
God is saying to us. Thank you so much, Stephen. Now to my question, I first want you to know that I in no way believe in Mormonism.
20:17
The things that I've read and studied about the religion is so far off from the biblical truth. I don't understand how a person can believe it.
20:24
That being said, I nor my family was ever brought up in or around that religion.
20:30
But somehow a few years ago, my parents have been, for lack of a better word, suckered into it.
20:35
I tried telling them how wrong that religion was, but it ended in anger from the both of us.
20:41
I haven't talked to them about that. I have not spoken to them about their belief in the religion since. I no longer wish to be tolerant about it. Being tolerant is why this world is in the shape that it is now in,
20:50
I think. How can I witness to them in a positive way to show them the way that they are going isn't the way the
20:57
Bible teaches. What verses would be appropriate to use? And would I have to know anything about the book of Mormon to show them the falsity of their beliefs?
21:07
Please help. I don't want them to go to hell. I want them to be saved. I know that it isn't up to me to do the saving for that is only in God's hands but isn't it my responsibility as a
21:18
Christian to show them the truth and the error of their ways. Help me to rightly discern and show them the truth.
21:25
Thank you for your time and again thank you for all that you are doing. Well I appreciate your your email
21:30
Stephen. Yes it is our responsibility to speak the truth and to do so in love.
21:36
I would equip you Stephen first with these two verses in Galatians 1 8 and 9.
21:43
Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one that we preach to you let him be accursed.
21:51
As we have said before so now I say again if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one that you received let him be accursed.
22:03
Those pair of verses there in Galatians 1 8 and 9 directly apply to Mormonism because they believe that a different gospel was revealed to their prophet
22:14
Joseph Smith through the angel Moroni and so a Mormon simply cannot get around Galatians 1 8 and 9.
22:24
Even if we or an angel from heaven were to preach to you a gospel contrary to the one that was preached to you let him be accursed.
22:32
Stephen we also have the what video on Mormonism it is entitled Are Mormons Saved? Search that one just type in WWUTT Mormons in your
22:42
YouTube search bar and it will take you right to the video. I also have a book that I have written entitled 40
22:50
Mormon Beliefs and What the Bible Says. I would encourage you to pick up that book not because it benefits me but because I specifically had compiled the arguments in that book for how a person can respond to Mormonism thought.
23:06
It is arranged in such a way that is easy for a Christian to pick up on Mormon beliefs and how to respond to them and also for a
23:13
Mormon to be able to read it understand what their religion teaches and how it is contradictory to the
23:19
Bible. Those things have been laid out very simply it's not a very long book but you can find the book on our website if you go to WWUTT .com
23:28
and click on bookstore it'll take you directly to the link. I hope and pray that your ministry to your family would be successful and you're able to win them out of this false religion and direct them toward the truth of Christ Jesus.
23:43
Let me pray for you Stephen as we wrap up here. Our great God we thank you for the word that you have given to us that it has been revealed by your spirit to the prophets and the
23:54
Apostles who wrote these things down for us for our benefit that we might know
24:00
God we might know your truth and walk in your ways and the things that are pleasing to you as David said
24:06
Lord how I love your law I meditate on it day and night and as we sing in the old hymn trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey we learn more about God and what it means to delight in God when we read your word so keep us faithful to these things discerning it rightly growing one another in the faith according to the
24:31
Word of God as well I pray for Stephen as he takes the Word of God to his family and desires to see them saved from this false religion that the power of the
24:41
Word of God would go forth and that when he speaks from the scriptures that it would pierce through their hearts through bone and marrow and shines light into the darkness that they have accepted and are walking in at the present help
24:57
Stephen to be able to speak with calmness that he would do so respectfully knowing that it is
25:02
God who grants repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth and they may escape from the snare of the devil after being captured by him to do his will because they heard the
25:14
Word of God spoken thank you Lord for this word and help us to handle it rightly in the name of Jesus we pray amen this is when we understand the text with Pastor Gabe Hughes there are lots of great
25:27
Bible teaching programs on the web and we thank you for selecting ours but this is no replacement for regular fellowship with the church family find a good gospel teaching