F4F | Ask a Pirate Episode 1

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Welcome to another installment of fighting for the faith. My name is Chris Roseboro. I am your servant in Jesus Christ. This is the channel that compares what people are saying in the name of God to the Word of God.

So we're doing live streams now the reason why we're able to do them is because they put fiber optic cable in my neighborhood and we're now it's not even cable fiber optic internet and in our neighborhood and Because we have the extra bandwidth we thought we would add this to the mix.

So you if you've noticed we have our prophecy bingos are live now and from time to time We're gonna do segments like this where I'm not gonna come to the fighting for the faith. What should I call this the pirate cave?

I'm not gonna come to the pirate cave with a pre-planned Episode in mind y 'all are going to pick the episode by asking questions. I figure that a little bit of audience Participation and the ability for you to ask Questions is a good idea.

And by the way, I don't mind if you're gonna like throw out like a high inside fastball at my head. You can do that. That's totally fine. So what we're gonna do. We are going to start off with questions.

You'll note the questions need to go in the chat and I'm going to I'm going to throw them up. But let me do this real quick. I got a I got a whirl up the desktop. And yeah, that's a recent photo I took while I was in London and I like the way the framing works on that again.

If you if you want to follow my photography, which is has nothing to do with heresy Head over to instagram .com Forward slash pirate Christian and you can follow me there and see the things that I'm working on.

But let me let me bring my My Bible program up and I'm gonna move this over just a smudge that I figured that'd be a good idea there we go, it's over just a smudge and Let me let me throw the first question up and you'll note that we'll go for about an hour.

We're not gonna be able to answer all the questions, but let's add this question Question and let me see if I can move this to where we can see it. Hey, hang on a second here I'm having a hard time seeing it against the the white backdrop.

Christian Freedom on Jewish Feasts, Holidays, and Cultural Practices

So I'm gonna I'm gonna hide this. Here's the question Question should Christians participate in the Jewish feasts? The answer to the question in scripture is is that you have the freedom to and You also have the freedom not to let me explain what I mean by this.

So When Christians sit there and they'll say things like we can't celebrate Christmas. We have to get back to the Hebrew roots of Christianity folks like that are engaging in a form of Judaizing but So we'll start off with kind of the the kind of the routine place that I like to go and that's in Colossians Chapter 2.

So if we go to Colossians chapter 2 I always like this passage because it gives me an opportunity to preach the gospel and in fact, hang on a second here. Let me see if I can now move the question. There we go Colossians chapter 2 wonderful section that having been buried with Christ in baptism which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God who raised him from the dead and You who were dead in your trespasses in the uncircumcision of your flesh God made alive together with him with Christ.

Having forgiven us all of our trespasses by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands this he set aside Nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities put them to open shame by triumphing over them in him.

So all of that being said we're forgiven in Christ. We don't earn our salvation either it at all by our works works are the sign that faith is alive in us. But then watch where Paul goes next he says therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Shabbat a Sabbath and Paul says these are a shadow of the things to come but the substance belongs to Christ so the the church at Colossae is primarily composed at this point of Gentile believers and so are the Christians required to keep the feast days.

No. They're not they're not required to keep them at all. Now did Paul keep them? Even after his conversion, you'll note the Apostle Paul when he was arrested in Jerusalem. He was there for particular Jewish things and he was permitted to be there because he was Jewish.

And so the idea then is is that we as Christians have the freedom if you want to go to a Seder dinner. You can do that if you want to remember. You know the the the types and shadows as it as it relates to the Jewish feast days.

So for instance the Day of Atonement, okay Yom Kippur. Important day right the Day of Atonement, but here's the thing Paul says these are a shadow of the things to come but the substance belongs to Christ.

So so many people today are saying oh, we got to get away from all this. You know these these holidays that were invented by the evil wascally woman Catholic Church, right? This is how they talk. And so we need to celebrate Yom Kippur.

Yom Kippur is a type and shadow pointing us to the crucifixion of Christ the real Day of Atonement the once-for-all sacrifice for all sins is Christ's death on the cross and Christians have always celebrated that as Good Friday and so so the idea here is is that you have freedom to to celebrate or do not celebrate and.

And then the Apostle Paul, let me see if I can remember what the passage here considers one day. One day, hang on a second. I'm doing a little bit of Here we go. Romans 14. Sometimes I you know, my brain can't remember the exact zip code for certain biblical texts.

So Romans 14, let's see what this says. Okay, so don't pass judgment on one another as for the one who is weak in faith. Welcome him but not to quarrel over opinions one person believes he may eat anything.

While the weak person eats only vegetables. I always crack up there. Paul considered vegetarians to be weak. But you're not supposed to quibble with them and if you want to be a vegetarian you want to go vegan you go right ahead.

Right, let no one who eats despise the one who abstains. Let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another.

It is before his own master that he stands or falls and he will Be upheld for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another. While another esteems all days alike each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.

The one who observes the day Observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats eats in honor of the Lord. Since he gives thanks to God while the one who abstains a abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God for none of us lives to himself and none of us dies to himself for if we live we live to the Lord and if We die we die to the Lord.

So then whether we live or die we We are the Lord's for this is for this and Christ died and lived again that he might be both Lord of the dead. And of the living so the basic principle is this you want to fall you you want to you know.

Do a study and maybe even like Celebrate the Jewish feast days remembering the types and shadows that point to Christ. So keep this in mind. Every one of those Old Testament feast days points to Jesus in one way or another.

So you think of the Passover? Well, Jesus is our Passover lamb Christ. Our Passover lamb has been slain the scripture says so the Passover lamb is a type and shadow of Christ. Okay, Yom Kippur type and shadow of Jesus's death on the cross the Day of Atonement.

The Feast of Booths is to remind us of our temporal, you know temporal Wilderness wanderings as we head towards the real promised land, which is what? The the the the new heavens and the new earth so you get the idea here but but I would note that the Oftentimes nowadays people will sit there and they'll say all the reason why we have Christmas and Easter.

These are pagan holidays brought in in order to deceive Christians and Christians have been falling for it all along. That's just nonsense. It's just that's that's conspiracy theory nonsense. I mean, this is the kind of stuff that flat-earthers believe in KJV only people go for and stuff like this.

It's just false. And so you have the freedom to celebrate Christmas. You have the cell freedom to celebrate the resurrection of Christ and no Easter is not a an homage to Ishtar. That's just bad scholarship but you also have the freedom if you want in a careful study of God's Word to go back to the types and shadows and Glorify God in recognizing how they all pointed to Christ.

That's what Paul says in Colossians 2. So I I don't know if that answered the question, but I hope it did so it's the best way I can put it now I'm gonna I'm gonna roll back through here and take a look and see if there's any other questions coming up.

Oh, there's some super quiet super chats here. Hang on a second here. By the way, thank you for the super chat KB and David Connell super chat from Daniel C question What is your biblical support for whirling up the desktop?

You know, I I'm beginning to think Daniel that maybe it's heresy to whirl up the desktop there is no biblical. There were no desktops to whirl up at the time of the the scriptures being read written. So I would note that That being the case this falls under the category of adiaphora.

No, if you don't know what adiaphora is adiaphora is this idea that something is neither commanded nor forbidden. See Daniel, I don't know if you were if you were like hoping for an answer along these lines.

But let me while we're at it since we talked about the feast days there are a bunch of Christians who are heading into all kinds of legalism and Judaizing and nonsense like this and Recently ran across some some Christians while I was traveling in Europe who have been let's just say Frustrated by family members who now claim that Christians cannot celebrate birthdays.

And you sit there and you go. Oh, I I know this one. This is what the Jehovah's Witnesses say and so the question is do Christians have the freedom to whirl up the desktop? Do Christians have the freedom to celebrate birthday a birthday?

And so when somebody says Christians can't celebrate birthdays, you sit there and you go. Well, why not? Why can't Christians celebrate birthdays? Well Because two times in the Bible birthdays are mentioned and terrible things happen.

Oh Okay. So what were those terrible things? Well, the first time birthdays mentioned is Pharaoh's birthday and remember the chief Baker. He he was hung. He was killed on Pharaoh's birthday. Okay, and what's the second one?

Second one is Herod's birthday when Herodias his daughter. She did that dirty dancing thing and John the Baptist had his head taken off. You know and put on a platter see see God's trying to secretly tell us that we cannot celebrate birthdays and All I do is say are you not familiar with the Romans chapter 4 and what it says and they'll go.

What do you mean? What do you mean? What do you mean? Well Romans 4 says something very interesting and let me see if I can find it real quick here. Here we go Romans 4 15 the law brings wrath. But where there is no law there is no transgression.

Where there is no law there is no transgression in order for celebrating birthdays. To be sinful there has to be an actual command in Scripture that says thou shalt not celebrate birthdays and Without that kind of command You're free to celebrate birthdays.

If you want you're free to not celebrate birthdays if you want you aren't either commanded to do it nor are you forbidden to do it and Anybody who celebrates a Birthday as a Christian no Christian has the right to condemn another Christian for doing so because where there is no law There is no transgression.

So the the answer to your question Daniel is there is no biblical support for whirling up the desktop and since there is no command against whirling up the desktop and No command telling me to whirl up the desktop.

This falls under Christian freedom and Adi offer it and where there is no law. There is no transgression. So there you go. I Hope we like the answer to the question, okay. Thank You rodeo Empire. Let's see here.

Head Coverings, Headship, and Christian Freedom

What is the understanding of the context when we look at first Corinthians 11 1 through 16 specifically head coverings needed today having a Having family in an Anabaptist group that must wear them for their church.

So good good question. I'm glad this one came up because we don't get an opportunity to talk about things like this very often in the normal Episodes of fighting for the faith. So we're gonna go to first Corinthians 11 and So you'll know we have a whole section called head coverings.

I would note the way to understand this is at the very end of this section and I'll explain so If anyone is inclined to be contentious Paul writes we have no such practice nor do the churches of God. So you're going to note then verse 16 makes it clear that in the churches of God there is no command to wear head coverings.

Nor is there a command not to that's that so that's how he ends the section. But that being the case there's more to consider along these lines. So let me give you an example. All right. Because I understand the role that head coverings played not only in the ancient world but also plays in current in certain cultures today if I decided in the American context that I was not going to wear a Wedding ring anymore, but I'm still married.

Okay, so I have a wedding ring and good luck getting this thing off my finger. I Was skinnier when I got married and getting these things off. It might take the jaws of life at this point, but my wedding ring is right here.

So if I decided I wasn't gonna wear a wedding ring anymore There is no command in Scripture to wear a wedding ring none whatsoever. But if I decided I wasn't gonna wear a wedding ring anymore, would I risk?

Scandalizing people especially Christians or people that I'm serving as their pastor. The answer is absolutely I would risk scandalizing them. Here's the reason why is because in the American culture Wearing a red a wedding ring is the cultural norm to signal that you are not single but that you are married and and so like if you were to go out to a restaurant and.

And you know being the the hunk of manhood that I am. That's just a joke you know if I were to go to a restaurant and and and you know and I was eating my lunch and I didn't have My wedding ring on and and being the the attractive male that I am some woman saw that I didn't have a wedding ring on.

She might think oh, he's single and decide that she's gonna gonna chat me up. But then come to find out that I'm not single she would feel like I deceived her. Right. That's kind of the point is so the idea then in the ancient world in the ancient world.

And in many cultures today, especially like Middle Eastern cultures and other places. The way you signaled that a woman was not single but that she was married is that she wore a head covering common practice in the ancient days common practice and.

So at the time that Paul wrote this if I'm not mistaking it was one of it was the Caesars wife. Who was trying to lead some kind of feminist rebellion against this idea of having to wear head coverings and it impacted?

The church at Corinth that's kind of the backstory behind all of this. So the idea then is is that even though it's not commanded nor forbidden. There are other things you have to take into consideration when when practicing your Christian freedom.

So here's what Paul says now I I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ and the head of a wife is her husband and the head Of Christ is God.

So he's trying to remember, you know point things out here the way God has created the families now real quick. I always have to mention this here is that it is absolutely true. That that the husbands are the heads of their wives, but it is false to then somehow turn that into toxic like abusive woman you need to submit kind of patriarchy because in Ephesians chapter 5 it says that husbands are to love their wives the same way Christ has loved the church and that's Sacrificially, so when when when we think about power.

Because of sin we think about who's on top and who's in control and who's in charge. Well, if we're gonna follow the example of Christ, you'll note that Christ King of Kings and Lord of Lords he he loves his bride by Sacrificing himself for her by laying down his life for her.

And so when we talk about head coverings. We you know, this is a cultural thing at the time of the Apostle Paul and still is in some cultures today Paul's reminding him. Listen, here's how headship works.

But see Ephesians 5 to make sure you men understand you're not to some somehow just tyrannically rule over your wives and say woman I'm the head and you need to submit that that ain't that ain't Christian patriarchy.

Christian patriarchy looks like Christ laying down his life bleeding suffering dying for his bride and then Washing away her sin. Cherishing her and then clothing her in splendor and presenting her to himself in that glory and splendor.

So the that that's what that's what real Christian patriarchy looks like. You want to know what the patriarch of the universe did. He died on the cross for his bride. So keep all of this in mind. So we talk about headship you got to have to you have to bring the gospel to bear here.

So the head of Christ is God. Every man then who prays or prophesies with his head covered Dishonors his head but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head. Since it is the same as if her head were shaven for if a wife will not cover her head.

Then she should cut her hair short. But since it's disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or to shave her head. Let her let her cover her head. So Paul's basically saying listen. This is not a bad practice.

This is this is kind of an order of society kind of thing. Man ought not to cover his head since he is the image and glory of God. But a woman is the glory of man. Now. I know a lot of feminists are gonna screech here.

Just get over it. This is just how God made us get you know. Wake up and stop trying to put your opinions and how you think the universe should operate on on us. We're gonna go with what God says man was not made from a woman, but woman was made from man.

That's why humanity is called Mankind not womankind. Neither was man created for woman, but woman was created for man. That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head. So he's saying listen, that's that's a good thing.

Okay, because now because of the angels now. Here's where a lot of people are gonna get confused because of the angels you mean those Cherubim and seraphim that a woman has to have a symbol of authority.

Oh, no. Okay Angelos here in Greek is talking about the pastors. Okay, so the idea here a married woman not wearing a head covering Legitimately could cause a pastor to stumble or to you know to like shake his head and not know what to do.

That's that's the point here. So Angelos here is not referring to heavenly creatures, but actually referring to the pastors in the congregations nevertheless. In the Lord a woman is not independent of man nor man of a woman for as a woman was made from man.

So man is now born of woman. Note that we're interdependent upon each other and all things are from God. So judge for yourselves. Is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? Probably not.

Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair, it's a disgrace for him. Todd white. But if a woman has long hair it is for her glory for her hair is given to her for her covering and Jill Note here then Paul isn't even talking about an additional covering, you know a scarf on top of that.

He's saying listen long hair on a woman is sufficient for a covering but note again how he ends. If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice nor to the churches of God. This is a cultural thing being discussed and as a result of it Paul is praising the the benefits of the practice and noting that Bucking against the practice, although it's not commanded could legitimately lead to some confusion and some scandalizing.

So that's the idea. I think that's a bet. That's a better way of Understanding what's going on regarding the head coverings now, I would note something here. So Historically then because this goes it goes all the way back into antiquity.

It just got carried over into Christianity until really recently. So so for instance, what are the things I was I've really been taken aback by is is the fact that that women wearing head coverings in church was common up until Late 60s early 70s.

I one of the things that struck me so on a trip I made a few years ago back to London. I went to the The Churchill's war war bunkers. I thought that was an interesting fascinating museum to visit and to see the place where you know, we're you know, the the war cabinet met and all that kind of stuff and as part of the the museum there they have a they they have a repeating reel of Winston Churchill's funeral and one of the things that Absolutely struck me watching The the footage of Winston Churchill's funeral it was at st. Paul's in London is that every woman including Queen Elizabeth when they got into the church put a head covering on in a scarf and One of the congregations I serve so I'm the pastor of Kang's of Inger Lutheran Church in Oslo, Minnesota.

I also serve a small Missouri Synod congregation in Radium, Minnesota and And so they're some of the older saints there when when this question came up in a Bible study. They said oh, yeah, we remember when the the church Transitioned from having women wearing head coverings to not wearing head comfortings and there was one woman in particular She died long before I was serving that congregation she was very incensed that the sexual revolution was leading to women taking head coverings off and And she was a holdout until the late 70s early 80s and finally she said I I'm done I've had enough and so I would note that as a historic practice within the church.

It there's some beauty to it. And and then I would also add into the mix that my daughter-in-law Nicole Y 'all see her on Prophecy Bingo she is a Repentant feminist if you've ever read her story, and I wonder if we can dig that up.

It's it's it's published out there somewhere. Yeah, maybe even on the pirate Christian website, but she's a repentant feminist she used to build you know should believe in feminist theology and all this kind of stuff and she's since repented and As and for her she will never attend a church service without wearing a head covering now.

She doesn't legalistically say that other women have to but that's her way of saying I have a husband and he God has made him my head and so she always wears a symbol of authority. During the church service, and so I I just think it's absolutely just beautiful.

And so you you will note the scriptures say there is there's this is not a required practice. But that doesn't mean that it's a practice that doesn't have meaning so I would I would push back against anyone who say women have To and then I would also push back against anyone who say that women shouldn't.

I would say no. Historically, this is a good right and salutary practice. But if you're going to practice it practice it for the right reasons. For the meaning that it has it shows a symbol of authority and in today's day and age where toxic feminism is Ruining society as well as the church.

I think it's a great counter rebellion, but that's just my personal opinion so anyway, I So I hopefully we all have just look we're out of here. We're done with Rose, bro. Yeah, I get it if you do okay, so let's see here Chasers gave a super chat.

Thank you again for all of you supporting us this way. The question is my spouse is concerned about cremation. Are there any issues with Christians doing that? I would note historically Christians have not engaged in create cremation that if you were to just look at it historically.

That's a practice of Hinduism. And and the reason why it's a practice in Hinduism is due to the fact that the the goal of Hinduism and like all Gnostic pagan religions is to escape the wheel of reincarnation and then become one Spiritually with the universe or whatever the and so monism and so Christians Historically have not engaged in cremation because it's a physical Confession that their body being put into the grave that that Christ is going to raise that body from the grave and so.

One of the things that I quickly learned as a pastor is that not only is it a common practice for Christians to be buried. But they're buried in such a way that when Jesus returns in glory to judge the living and the dead.

That when they rise from the grave, they will be facing Jerusalem. So it's kind of an interesting practice but all that being said we can't bind people's consciences as to whether or not they need to be buried or Cremated and let me give you a text.

Let me see if I can find this real quick here C and I'm gonna do a and and Dead hang on a second here D E A D. Let's see here. Ah, here we go. So in the book of Revelation chapter 20 Describing what happens when Jesus returns in glory.

The sea gave up the dead who were in it death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them and they were judged each One of them according to what they had done so I like to point to this passage and say that you know, if if you are in a situation where Legitimately, have you noticed how expensive funerals are and stuff like that now and caskets and he's like this.

You know the funeral industry has become an industry and it's super expensive nowadays and if you're in a situation where like you're gonna die or family member has died and you've looked at the price of cremation and you've looked at the price of like coffin and burying the person and you sit there and go we don't have the budget for For the for the the normal Christian burial and you decide to go with cremation.

You're totally free to do that. Okay, and I would tell people don't sweat it because here's the thing. How many bazillions of people have died at sea since human is since since the creation? I would note, you know, there's notable number of people who've disappeared at sea.

There's the ships have gone down. They've been blown overboard and stuff like this and what happens to their corpses. They become fish food, right? Right, and so here's here. Here's the idea then Christ it's it says on the last day that the sea gives up the dead who are in it.

So despite the fact that your body may have been consumed by a bazillion little fishies and there is nothing left of you. That Christ is still going to raise you from the dead. So I would note that you know that it's it's it's good right and salutary practice for Christians to engage in Being buried.

My intent is to be buried it's it's a it's my act of defiance against death and it's a physical way of saying I'm gonna be raised from the dead in the meantime, my body's gonna take a nap here and And wait for Christ to return in glory.

But if you don't have that ability and you you or you just it's not something that you really is is feasible. Don't sweat it. It's if Christ can raise the dead. When they're they've been lost at sea I'm pretty sure he can put the cremated remains of somebody back together on the last day as well.

So, you know, so keep in mind we have lots of freedom when it comes to these things. Um. Let's see here. Let's Okay. Okay. So What is your biblical opinion on Christians participating? This is a super chat question from Matthew B.

What is your biblical opinion on Christians participating in. And or what extent in Halloween bonus? Will you be celebrating the Dodgers winning the World Series this year? Okay, let's start with the easy one of the Dodgers.

So I gotta tell you this I I am a diehard Dodger fan really it was sad to hear the news of the passing of Fernando Valenzuela. He played a pivotal role in 1981 with the Dodgers. Beat the Yankees those dirty rotten Yankees.

You beat the Yankees in the World Series. I mean, it was absolutely amazing I mean Dodgers go to Yankee Stadium first two games. They got their clocks cleaned by by the Yankees it looked like it was gonna be a just a repeat of the previous World Series and then in game three Fernando gets up and Wins and then the Dodgers win the next three games in a row.

It was it was a wonderful Great memory. So but here's the thing as I've gotten older. I'm beginning to believe I may be suffering from baseball PTSD. Let me explain what I mean. So when the normal season when the regular season is on I feel like everything is right with the world.

Okay, I love tuning into games. I love checking the box scores I love seeing what's going on and but then when it gets to be the postseason I get diarrhea, you know. You know cuz you you you you when you pay attention to your team throughout the Normal season, you know, everyone's strengths and you know, everyone's weakness and you're praying Please God don't let this guy screw up and go on a cold streak now because otherwise we're gonna get eliminated.

We're gonna lose the series and stuff like this. So I found that the postseason is high anxiety time for me. So I'm still gonna watch it, but I I do not have a prediction I got to tell you both the Dodgers and the Yankees are amazing teams and I think either one of them could win and I wouldn't be.

I wouldn't be sad if the Yankees won. I wouldn't be sad at the Dodgers won or vice versa, you know, if they either of them lost I I think it's gonna be a great series. I really am hoping it'd be one for the for the record books, but that that's a whole other thing.

So anyway, that's that now about about Halloween. Here's the thing with Halloween and that is is that there's a lot of like false information About it, but at the same time there's also some problems with it and so it this is it's it's one of these things that you have to teach if you're going to if you're going to Observe it or not observe it.

So remember Peep Christians are free. There is no Prohibition in Scripture that says thou shalt not celebrate Halloween and there's no command to it. So the question then is What where does it come from?

What is it all about? So this is going to require you to know a little bit about church history and how the historic lectionary worked. Okay, so in when Christianity got up and running this was not a Roman Catholic thing.

This was a thing that was put together by the church fathers. There was a standard liturgy that was a modification of the Jewish letter liturgy from the synagogues and then there was an annual set of readings there were 52 set readings for each single Sunday of the church year and then there were feast days and other things like that that sometimes would come and fall on certain days all of that being said.

The goal of the of the of the one-year lectionary was to teach the full Counsel of the Word of God in 124 not 24 one 12 month year. That was the idea in one year you're gonna get the entire full counsel the Word of God from creation to fall to Redemption to you know All of the other doctrines in between including the doctrine of the Trinity the the outpouring of the Holy Spirit everything you're going to be taught that in these these standard readings and then at the end of the year you would then start all over again and So as the church got close to the end of the church year.

And so the end of the church year is going to be like the last or second to last Sunday in November depending on how the calendar falls and so the church has always dedicated the last few weeks of the church year to deal with Eschatology and so leading into that you have a major feast day on November 1st Called All Saints and All Saints is a is is to commemorate those who have died in the faith in the previous year a few years, but also to comfort Christians with the assurance of the resurrection and Comfort Christians that those who have perished in this in this earth who have faith in Christ.