January 29, Tuesday

The AMI QT blogs for January (weekdays), provided by Pastor Ryun Chang, are extended to cover important sociopolitical matters that have serious ramifications for the Christian faith. Pastor Ryun (PhD), who serves as the Teaching Pastor of AMI, is the author of Manual de Misionología, Theologizing in the Racial Middle, and a contributor to The Reshaping of Mission in Latin America.

Disclaimer: AMI, as a consortium of several churches, allows the expression of multiple standpoints on non-essential biblical matters. My views expressed here do not necessarily represent the respective views of AMI pastors. I am also mindful that not every reader will agree with my stances on sensitive and contentious issues addressed in this month’s blogs. Where that may be the case, I invite you to utilize the comment section below, so that we may have an open dialogue; I highly encourage all readers to share their thoughts and experiences. Thank you.

Extended Devotional Thoughts for Today

“‘The Bible Approves of the Oppression of Women’: Is That Right?”

1 Corinthians 14:34

“The women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says.”

Romans 16:1

“I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant [diakonos in Greek from which the English word “deacon/deaconess” is derived] of the church which is at Cenchrea.”

I have a very famous cousin who grew up attending church but has long left the faith. When asked why, he said it was due to the poor treatment of women taught in Scripture and practiced by the church. That response reminded me of a pamphlet I got from The United Atheists of America that says, “The harm done to women by the Christian religion began with the Bible giving the stamp of God’s approval to the oppression of women. Christian men used the Bible to keep women silent, submissive and uneducated for centuries.” No doubt, today’s passage—one that tells the women to be silent in the church—would rank high in the cynics’ laundry list against the church. Sure, that and few other passages in the Bible look awful in the modern era where women can not only vote, which became a law only about 100 years ago, but run for political offices— including the POTUS.

But, before condemning the church as the enemy of women, please recognize this simple fact: In antiquity women were treated badly across the board; that is to say, no men living in antiquity—regardless of whether they were today’s equivalent of conservatives, liberals or left, religious or irreligious—could be deemed pro-women in light of today’s enlightened standard. So, to fairly judge the early church’s treatment of women, the merits of the church should be compared to the standard of that era.

When that’s done, you would agree with what Rodney Stark (then a sociologist at the University of Washington) writes in The Rise of Christianity (1996), described by Newsweek as brilliant. To the charge that “the Bible . . . ke[pt] women silent, submissive and uneducated,” Stark declares, “They’re all wrong.” How? According to this leading sociologist, “Christianity ‘promoted liberty, social relations between the sexes and within the family’ . . ., giving women more status than they enjoyed in Rome society, where they remained the property of men.’” Furthermore, “women also benefitted from the church’s sanctification of marriage and opposition to divorce” since divorced women were deemed “damaged goods”; some even “ma[de] a place in the community as a prostitute” (Willards 1997:71).

One irony is this: Many critics often claim that the New Testament writers borrowed ideas from Mithraism—a mystery religion from Persia—and other ancient religions like it. For instance, Dan Brown says in The Da Vinci Code that Jesus can be identified with “the pre-Christian God Mithras—[who was] called the Son of God and the Light of the World” (p. 232). While making that unwarranted claim (Reinventing Jesus 2006), Brown never mentions that Mithraism’s “membership was restricted to men” (Latourette 1975:25). On the contrary, as Stark notes, “most Christians in the Roman Empire were women,” some of whom became deaconesses (Rom. 16:1), a mid-level leadership in the church. That may mean nothing to you and me, but the elevation of women to such a leadership position was unheard of among the many mystery religions at that time (Cybele, Isis, Ishtar, a.k.a., Venus, etc.). Truth be told, a key role of women in these religions was serving as temple prostitutes. In The Da Vinci Code, the detective Sophie, when she was young, had rejected her beloved grandfather after witnessing him in orgies with the members of a secret society. When told of this, Harvard symbologist Langdon explained: “What you saw was not about sex, it was about spirituality. The . . . ritual is not a perversion. It’s a deeply sacrosanct ceremony . . . For the early church, mankind’s use of sex to communicate directly with God posed a serious threat to the Catholic power base” (p. 309). Oh really? I have one question for Langdon: “If these mystery religions were so wonderful to women and the church was such an anti-women institution, why were the women so drawn to the church?”

So, please consider what is presented here and not be misled into thinking that the church and the Bible are against women. The reality is that the powerful truth in Scripture set the social forces in motion to liberate women from societal restrictions placed on them, in time. Too slow of a process? Yes, but that’s the fault of many males, who, being sinners and ignorant of Scripture, treated women badly, some more than others. Nevertheless, that’s not God’s fault because He gave us His Word and Spirit to turn our world into a safer place for women (“Your kingdom come”), but like everything else, we’ve failed God—who created and loves women. And for them Christ died.

Prayer: Father, what a privilege that we’re called “God’s fellow workers” (2 Cor. 6:1), but we have failed so miserably in faithfully carrying out Your will on this earth, including making our world a safer place for women. We men need to repent! Help us to change in our homes, churches, and workplaces. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 33

Tomorrow’s Blog: “With God Watch Out for a Very Unexpected Career”

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Cor. 14:34-35 (ESV):

“The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. 35 If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church.

1 Corinthians 11:5 (NASB):

“But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head . . .” (Note that these Corinthian women did this in the church).

Acts 18:24-26 (ESV):

“Now a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures. 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; 26 and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.”

Questions to Consider

When 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and 11:5 are read side-by-side, what observations can you make?
When Acts 18:24-26 and 1 Corinthians 11:5 are read side-by-side, what observations can you make?
In light of these two observations, what logical conclusion can you draw?

Note

Evidently, women were not completely silent in the Corinthian church since they prayed and prophesized publicly (1 Cor. 14:29).
Whereas Paul tells the Corinthian wives that if they have questions, to “ask their own husbands at home,” Luke reports that Priscilla actually taught a man (not just any man but a biblical scholar). Note that the verb “explain” in Greek is conjugated in the third person plural.
It leads me to draw these conclusions: first, when Paul tells the women to be silent in the church, he does not mean a complete silence; second, it may be that Paul is addressing a local situation facing a particular church; third, men can learn the Bible from women—to put it different, women can teach men. The debatable point is whether this is a one-time exception or a prototypical foreshadow of more historical changes to come.

Evening Reflection

Before you turn in, let me share a really unpleasant thought: The devil is a deceiver who “disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:4). Meaning what? One of his greatest weapons is “disinformation”—slightly twisting the truth to make it appear still “truthful” yet is a lie “to steal and kill and destroy” (Jn. 10:10a). The enemy did that when, while tempting Jesus, he appeared to quote a Scripture (i.e., Ps. 91:9-12), “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written . . . (Matt. 4:5). He lied; the correct clause is, “If you make the Most High your dwelling” (Ps. 91:9a), not, “If you are the Son of God.” Evidently, the devil tried get Jesus to question His Sonship.

In light of that, what lies of the enemy have you accepted? Have you believed the lies of the enemy regarding the supposed bad treatment of women by the early church? Do you feel you aren’t worth much apart from having a shapely form? Is that why you focus so much on your body? That’s called conditional love and it does not come from God.

Spend a moment to really examine your thoughts and feelings. Believe God’s truth. How about Romans 5:8 that says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”—and be set free from the disinformation of the enemy?

January 28, Monday

Extended Devotional Thoughts for Today

Male Headship at the Home (2): “When the Roles Are Reversed”

1 Kings 21:1-8 (ESV)

Now Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 And after this Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house, and I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its value in money.” 3 But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.” 4 And Ahab went into his house vexed and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him, for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and would eat no food. 5 But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, “Why is your spirit so vexed that you eat no food?” 6 And he said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for money, or else, if it please you, I will give you another vineyard for it.’ And he answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’” 7 And Jezebel his wife said to him, “Do you now govern Israel? Arise and eat bread and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal, and she sent the letters to the elders and the leaders who lived with Naboth in his city. 9 And she wrote in the letters, “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth at the head of the people. 10 And set two worthless men opposite him, and let them bring a charge against him, saying, ‘You have cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.” 11 And the men of his city, the elders and the leaders who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them. As it was written in the letters that she had sent to them, 12 they proclaimed a fast and set Naboth at the head of the people. 13 And the two worthless men came in and sat opposite him. And the worthless men brought a charge against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones. 14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned; he is dead.”15 As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money, for Naboth is not alive, but dead.” 16 And as soon as Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab arose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

Ephesians 5:23a (ESV)

“For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church . . .”

For some married couples their roles are reversed: the wife works and the husband stays at home with the kids. This arrangement is made so that children can have one parent at home while the other, the wife in this case who likely has the higher paying job, becomes the breadwinner. This economic role-reversal in the home cannot be an easy transition for most couples. For the man who had been the main breadwinner, his self-esteem will be tested, now that he is economically dependent on his wife. For the wife, her frustration will rise when she still must do the brunt of housework. Even in the best of situations, this role reversal can affect how couples fundamentally see each other in such a manner that it may become female headship in the home. Some women will take umbrage at this, but it is to no one’s advantage if the husband becomes, in effect, a passive follower.

Consider the relationship between King Ahab and his wife Jezebel from Sidon who worshiped Baal and Asherah. Being an ambitious person, Jezebel sought to replace the religion of Israel with hers. Not only did she convince Ahab to worship her idols, she “was killing off the LORD’s prophets” (1 Ki. 18:4a) while allowing 850 false prophets to “eat at Jezebel’s table” (18:29b). All these prophets, however, got killed by the people before Ahab’s eyes after prophet Elijah spectacularly defeated them on Mount Carmel (v.40). Subsequently, Ahab “rode and went to” (18:45) find his wife and then “told Jezebel all that Elijah had done” (19:1). And it is Jezebel who decided to kill Elijah, saying, “by this time tomorrow,” that he will die (v.2). Knowing that she wasn’t joking, “Elijah was afraid and ran for his life” (v.3 NIV). Ahab, in the meantime, remained passive, seemingly watching from the sidelines.

This pattern continues in today’s text. Jezebel, seeing that her husband was “vexed and sullen” (and not eating), saw another opportunity to lead her husband. Upon realizing the problem (Naboth not selling his vineyard to Ahab), Jezebel, without any input from Ahab, devised a brilliantly evil plan to fulfill her husband’s wish. Ahab, again, remained passive, for he was unaware of what was going on. Only when Jezebel informed him of the successful completion of her plan did Ahab “arise [to] take possession of the vineyard of Naboth” (21:15).

What happened? Ahab switched roles with Jezebel, making her the head of their relationship by letting his capable wife to initiate, develop and implement plans with little or no input from him. Over time, Jezebel became the great enabler of her husband’s passivity. Some men don’t seem to mind this; Ahab certainly didn’t. Why not? A new vineyard (golf and video games) waits for him. Understandably, most women will complain at this juncture, even Jezebel who chided her pouting husband, “Is this how you act as the king over Israel?” (2 Ki. 21:7a NIV). Still, Jezebel wouldn’t relinquish the leadership, perhaps because she continued to feel the need to show everyone how capable she was without any help from a man. So, Jezebel, as a mirror image of a modern feminist, went to work after putting her man-child husband in the crib.

Who stays at home for the kids is a family decision. It’s a blessing that a family can sustain its lifestyle (a little lower perhaps) with just one income. But for this arrangement to result in a happy home, the couple needs to openly and respectfully share their feelings (slights and frustrations), constantly adjust, and be mindful of their goal (doing what’s best for the kids). But one change that shouldn’t happen is for the wife—regardless of whether she works or not—to lead while the husband passively follows her. In such a situation, most wives will find it difficult to “respect [their] husband” (Eph. 5:33b). As for men, work hard to earn the respect of your wives; even if you work, share the housework. If you are a house dad, be competent in housework and childrearing, and don’t fail to lead amid many dialogues with your wife.

Prayer: [Wife] Lord, please help the man in my life to be the leader he is called to be. Love him, train him; encourage him. [Men] Lord, please help me to be the leader that I am called to be. Encourage me; train me; remind me how much You love me. [Together] God, help us. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 32

Tomorrow’s Blog: “‘The Bible Approves the Oppression of Women’: Is That Right?”

Lunch Break Study

Read Job 2:9-10:

Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” 10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Questions to Consider

Put into a perspective what Job’s wife and Jezebel, respectively, did in relation to their husbands’ problems? What’s going on?
Put into a perspective how Job and Ahab, respectively, responded to what their wives said to them?
What should Job’s wife and Jezebel have said or done for their troubled husbands?

Note

Jezebel should be commended for reading the body language of her husband and realizing that something was wrong. Job’s wife just saw her husband’s body and saw that something was very wrong. And they had every right to offer their counsels and opinions to their husbands. The problem is simply that these wives gave very bad counsels to their men. Pointing that out to wives and women is not being anti-woman or against Me Too movement.
As the spiritual head of the family, Job did well by shunning his wife’s unwise counsel; the same cannot be said about Ahab, an immature husband, who switched roles with his wife, making her the head of the family by passively watching her evil advice put into operation.
Job’s wife should have said something like this: “I don’t understand what’s going on but let’s trust in the goodness of God. I am right here with you.” Jezebel should have said to Ahab, “Honey, you are the king—serve the people instead of taking things from them.”

Evening Reflection

Scripture for tonight is Psalms 127:1-2:

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. 2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.”

Whenever I had to travel for a lengthy period during the time when Mexico got really dangerous after the 2006 election, I used to worry a lot since my wife was home alone with our three children. So, I would pray, “Lord, since I am not there, please protect them.” Then, I heard the Lord whispering into my heart, “So, do you think you are the one protecting your family when you are at home?” Of course not, for it is the Lord who watches over us (whether dad or mom works or both work) every second. What a comforting thought! He will watch over you while you sleep as well. Offer up a praise of thanksgiving before calling it a night.

January 27, Sunday

Today’s AMI Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend is provided Claudia Robbie who serves in a staff position at Journey Church of Atlanta.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Dummy, It’s for Him, Not You”

Matthew 21:1-11

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Imagine walking down a road and everyone is lined up to see you. They’re throwing flowers and shouting encouragements. They say you’re a blessing and their shouts draw the attention of an entire city.

Maybe a more modern picture would be you post something on Instagram, you get so many likes and people praising your picture. The algorithm picks your image up and starts pushing your perfectly curated picture out to people who don’t follow you. People are sharing with their friends, and before you know it, your picture is a big hit and people are saying that you are a blessing and you are drawing accolades from people you don’t even now. Your followership grows.

Well, I have been wrestling with this sort of situation after venturing into Instagram (at 41!) in a niche community. Maybe people are just trying to be nice, but I am constantly being told that I’m amazing and awesome and I can do great things from people who don’t even know me. I can’t go 15 seconds without seeing some inspirational quote that says I can do anything (which, of course, is true in Christ—Phil. 4:13), and I am special (also very true, in Christ) from those whom I am following. But what if all the praises and accolades were never meant for me? What if in this self-obsessed society it is really about the One I serve and the One who has chosen to use my passion as a vehicle of His glory?

The passage in Matthew 21:1-11, describing how Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey is a good reminder to me. I started to think that amid all the accolades the donkey might have thought that it was all for him; he probably never realized that he was carrying Jesus. The donkey was necessary because he was the vehicle long foretold through which the Savior would enter Jerusalem before facing the cross—but he himself was not the glory. The glory was the One he was carrying. Jesus could have chosen any donkey, but for this moment this donkey was chosen and with that honor came.

This is a baseline reminder to me as I continue in this niche community where it is easy to get caught up in my own hype. I could gain “followers” and yet lose them in the eternal things. I am by no means saying that we are not gifted, creative, amazing, blessed people. But I must remember that on my own none of those things can really shine. It is only as I carry Jesus in every moment, as He crafts my creativity and my giftings that glory shines; His glory, the everlasting one that will bring life to the world, and not the ones that people see at first glance.

This has pushed me to dig deeper and ask God how He wants me to use my talents not just in social media but in my life. It makes me come back to a place of humility and lay myself down before my savior and carry Him in so that this decaying world can be filled with everlasting joy, peace, and comfort.

Prayer: Lord, I am not worthy on my own, but You chose me to be a vessel that carries You. As I continuously submit my life to You, would You use me to show Your glory and restore the dead to life.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 31

January 26, Saturday

Today’s AMI Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend is provided Jasmin Izumikawa. Jasmin, a member of the Church of Southland, is currently a high school teacher.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Vinedresser”

John 15:1-2

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

Failures in work and conflicts in relationships have a way of humbling us and showing us our seasons of growth. When it seems as though there is nothing good left and nothing to look forward, we are reminded of our limits and weakness, which, then, helps us to grow in the right attitude. Truth be told, even as we express our desires to make room for God to intervene in our lives, there are some things we have trouble letting go, because they exist as remnants of past successes, spiritual highs, “honeymoon” phases and easier times. But, dwelling on these transient seasons can easily stunt our spiritual growth. So, when things become difficult, as they eventually do in life, do you grumble and reminisce of better days or are you moved to pray and cry out to God? Do you pause to worship the LORD in the most inconvenient times?

Be encouraged and remember the words of our loving God: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:1-2). When was the last time you made room for God to prune the useless branches weighing you down? Branches of unfruitful faith, shallow faith, legalistic faith. Or perhaps branches of victim mentality, jealousy, regret, unforgiveness, bitterness, insecurity, pride. These branches distract us away from the real fruit of faith and victory in our relationship with God.

When Scripture refers to the vinedresser, the writer speaks of an expert gardener. The vinedresser watches and cares for the garden year-round. This keeper of the garden makes sure that pests are removed and warded off, monitors adequate watering of the plants, hand-picks grapes at just the right times; and most importantly he prunes the plant to make room for new growth again. Without the vinedresser, the plant cannot survive for long. It’s incredible to see that from the blunt cuts on the hardened branches emerge new, tender shoots and fruit shortly thereafter.

In the same way that a gardener strengthens and prepares a plant for harvest, we find that humility and weakness, brought to the hands of our vinedresser, produces lasting fruits. Henri Nouwen writes, “Fruits, however, come from weakness and vulnerability. And fruits are unique. A child is the fruit conceived in vulnerability, community is the fruit born through shared brokenness, and intimacy is the fruit that grows through touching one another’s wounds.”

Just as new fruit is grown from a tender branch, we must live in humility—trusting that God is our source of joy and fruitful life. Where the LORD prunes, we can trust that it will be filled with new joy and life again.

Prayer: Father, thank You for being my vinedresser—for watching over me so carefully and lovingly. You see where I need to be strengthened and humbled. I trust You and place my life into Your hands. Prepare me for worship, prepare me to live a life of change, surround me in a community that grows in sharing our brokenness, and LORD, ready me for a harvest of joy and life in You in every season. I will abide in You, God. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 29-30

January 25, Friday

Extended Devotional Thoughts for Today

Male Headship at the Home (1): “Are You Kidding?”

Ephesians 5:22-23 (ESV)

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior . . . let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

abigail2 Robert G. Ingersoll, “The Great Agnostic” of the 19th century, once quipped, “As long as women regard the Bible as the charter of their rights, they will be the slaves of man.” So, should we blame the Bible for this necktie ad from the 1950s that shows a kneeling wife serving her husband breakfast? No doubt, Ingersoll must’ve read the above and other passages like it (1 Pet. 3:1, 1 Cor. 11:3) that have the wives submit to their husbands.

So how should submission look like in the 21st century? Consider the following three biblical couples and ask, “What should the wives have done in accordance to Scripture, whether then or now?”

In Acts 5 (ESV), we meet “a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, [who] sold a piece of property, and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet” (vv.1-2). Evidently, Ananias had told the church he was going to give the entire proceeds and then changed his mind; his wife went along with it. As a consequence of lying to God, both Ananias and Sapphira died that day (vv.5, 10). So, in cases like this when a husband asks his wife to be complicit in something sinful and/or illegal, what should she do? I would bet that the Holy Spirit would remind her of Ephesians 5:11a, “Hav[e] nothing to do with the fruitful deeds of darkness” than to blindly submit to her husband.

In 1 Samuel 25 (ESV), we meet an odd couple, a husband named Nabal, a “surly and mean” person (v.3 NIV), and his wife Abigail, described as “discerning” (v.3). One day, she found out to her horror that an armed group of untold men was headed toward her home to kill everyone (vv.13, 21). It was David’s impulsive payback for the insult Nabal heaped on his men who sought some provisions for a favor rendered to Nabal’s shepherds (vv.15-16). This situation would be equivalent to a husband’s bad decision putting the whole household at great risk. What should the wife do?

As for Abigail, she “acted quickly” to make a mound of food (“two hundred loaves of bread . . . a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs”) and took them to David; “but she did not tell her husband Nabal” (vv.18-19). David, upon seeing the food, relented. Now, does this look like a wife submitting blindly to her husband? No, but isn’t that against the biblical teaching? No, her action that went against her husband’s ill-advised decision, which kept a needless bloodshed from occurring and also saved her husband’s life, was praised by David as “a good judgment” (v.33).

But the most common problem that couples face is financial. In Ruth 1, we meet a couple living in Judah, Elimelech and his wife Naomi, who have fallen on hard times because of a famine. With two additional mouths to feed and hardly any food in the pantry, the husband suggests a move to Moab in search of better economic opportunities. But the move to Moab was not out of faith but of sight, since Moab had been Israel’s mortal enemy. It was the Moabite women who whored with the Israelites that resulted in God’s punishment, which left 24,000 dead (Num. 25:1); it was the Moabite King Balak who tried to “put a curse on [Israelites]” (Num. 22:9-11); and most recently, Moab had subjected Israel to “oppression for eighteen years” (Judg. 3:14).

So what should Naomi have done? Instead of blindly submitting to her husband, she should have said, “We live by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7) and persuaded him to stay in the Promised Land. And had Elimelech been wise, he would have “listen[ed] to advice” (Prov. 12:15).

Ultimately, I am bound to offend people who are chauvinistic about the male headship at home and those at the other end of spectrum who find the male headship archaic and insulting to women. Thus, I will end with how it works at my home. I trust my wife’s judgment a whole lot more than mine—mainly because she is a God-fearing woman—so I consult with her and then with the Lord before making any decision. And in my almost 32 years of marriage, I have almost always ended up deciding what my wife advises me—but she always lets me have the final say. One thing she won’t do: be complicit to my sin, like when I talk badly about people who upset me. Thank the Lord for that.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we are often torn because of many conflicts in our relationships. We want something but don’t get it . . . [so we] quarrel and fight” (James 3:2 NIV). We demand that others submit to us and when they don’t, we call them prideful and stubborn. Perhaps it is me who has the wrong heart. Forgive me. Help me to be humble and stay that way. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 28

Monday’s Blog: Male Headship at the Home (2): “When the Roles are Reversed”

(The weekend blogs will be provided by Jazmin Izumikawa and Claudia Robbie.)

Lunch Break Study

Read Ephesians 5:25-33:

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”

Questions to Consider

In light of this Scripture, what is wrong with the Van Heusen neck tie ad from the 1950s?
Okay, the wife is told to respect her husband. Doing that will be so much easier if the husband does his part. What is his part in this marital equation?
How has the world twisted this picture (hint: Van Heusen)? Do you have the correct picture? Evaluate your view of marital relationship: Husbands, are you afraid to lead? Wives, are you having a difficult time respecting your husband? What do think is behind all this?

Note

The Van Heusen ad presents the wife as a household servant whose purpose in life is to satisfy her husband’s every whim. Neither is our world a man’s world; it is the Lord’s. Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”
The man is told to love his wife in the same way Christ loves the church. This means, first, the husband gives himself up for his wife; second, he nourishes and cherishes her; and third, share God’s Word with her so that she is “without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.”
The world continues to see the church through the worst example of some misguided Christian men who badly treat their women. But the real men of God treat their wives with sacrifice, dedication and tenderness.

Evening Reflection

Are you married? Then, before turning in for the night, please re-read the entire Ephesians 5:25-33 with your spouse. Then, pray together accordingly. And husbands, do a better job listening to your wives (me too). Are you a single person looking to be married one day? Then, pray for a spouse who emulates the characteristics presented here.

January 24, Thursday

Extended Devotional Thoughts for Today

Women’ Role in the Church (3): “Male Headship in the Church—Are You Serious?”

1 Timothy 2:11 (ESV)

“Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.”

1 Corinthians 11:3 (NASB)

“But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.”

Among the hundreds of pastors in Mexico whom the Lord allowed me to teach the Bible jan24 for 10 years, several were female pastors—mainly from the Assemblies of God and United Methodist denominations. This posed a problem for me—not because I didn’t believe women could teach men the Bible—but because male headship in the church and in the home, I think, is biblical. The issue, then, was whether I ought to train and teach ordained female pastors who headed their own congregations which included men.

Obviously, this isn’t a dilemma to the complementarians, since they believe that male headship and women teaching men in the church are mutually exclusive, since Paul says, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man.” But I respectively differ on two accounts: First, the conjunction “or” implies that teaching men and having authority over men is not the same thing. Paul certainly prohibits both here, but while male headship is consistently upheld elsewhere in Scripture (Eph. 5:22-23; 1 Cor. 11:3; 1 Pet. 3:1-5), we do see women speaking God’s Word to men in the Bible. Note that prophetess Huldah spoke to king’s men, no less, “concerning the words of [Torah]” (2 Chron. 34:21-28); Priscilla, along with her husband, taught Apollos (Acts 18:26); and the Corinthian women prophesied over a congregation that included men (1 Cor. 11:5). Nevertheless, I still need to consider what Paul tells the women in the Ephesian church (pastored by Timothy) “to remain quiet.”

The Greek for “quiet” in 1 Timothy 2:12 is hēsuchia—meaning, stillness, ceasing from bustle—which is also used in 1 Timothy 2:1-2, where Paul exhorts the Ephesians to pray for kings so that they “may live peaceful and quiet lives.” Evidently, this word refers to “a person’s inner being characterized by tranquility that causes no disturbance to others” (Vine 1985:503). Thus, “she must be silent” (NIV) likely means that the Ephesian women ought to refrain from an activity—teaching in this case—that was disturbing the church. As alluded yesterday, if Paul meant complete silence, as in “mouth sealed with tape,” he could’ve used phimoō, which means to “muzzle,” like an ox while it is treading out the grain (1 Cor. 9:9).

In view of this, there are two possible interpretations of what Paul might’ve meant by using hēsuchia instead of phimoō in 1 Timothy 2:11: One, women everywhere should never open their mouth to teach men in the church; or two, those women teaching in the Ephesian church should no longer do that because what or how they taught caused disturbance to others. No one can be sure the nature of this disturbance, but it’s possible that because these women were new converts and uneducated, they didn’t yet have the necessary experience or knowledge to teach others (Life Application Bible 1993: 2218). This is to say, if they were mature and competent, Paul would’ve allowed them to teach under Pastor Timothy’s leadership.

Then, how did I resolve the dilemma I faced in Mexico? Because the Assemblies of God and United Methodist (still conservative in northern Mexico) denominations had male superintendent and bishop, respectively, I accepted that as satisfying the male headship requirement in the church. It helped that I knew these two leaders personally—men of deep biblical conviction who simply recognized a call to pastoral ministry that certain women received from the Lord. Put differently, it had nothing to do with promoting the feminist agenda. So, while these women pastors certainly had spiritual jurisdiction over their own churches, they were under the authority of their superintendent and bishop—meaning, the women pastors, along with their male counterparts, were answerable to the latter.

I’m sure complementarians (and some egalitarians as well) disagree with my understanding of Scripture on this issue. Thus, we must continue to dialogue, but let’s also “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3).

And of the five teachers whom I selected out of many as the official instructors for my courses in Mexico, one is a woman—Señora Hortensia—who has been teaching my Missiology course at her denomination’s Bible institute for several years now. Hortensia recently sent me a picture of a female instructor whom she trained, who now teaches the same course at a Bible institute in another state (2 Tim. 2:2). Since Hortensia has turned out to be a very effective teacher, I wish I had trained more women to teach God’s Word during my tenure in Mexico. Perhaps, that’s why I find myself inviting several women in my organization to teach at our 2-week long AMI Institute held annually. May the trend continue!

ami instititute 2018 women

Prayer: Father, shed Your grace and wisdom on us so that, instead of foolishly arguing about who serves and submits to whom, we recognize that everyone and “everything comes from God” (1 Cor. 11:12a) and we ought to “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Eph. 5:21). Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 27

Tomorrow’s Blog: Male Headship at the Home (1): “Are You Kidding?”

Lunch Break Study

Read Hosea 1:2:

“When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.”

Lev. 21:7: “They [priest] shall not marry a prostitute or a woman who has been defiled.”

Ezekiel 4:12, 14: “And you [Ezekiel] shall eat it as a barley cake, baking it in their sight on human dung” . . . 14 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I have never defiled myself. From my youth up till now I have never eaten what died of itself or was torn by beasts, nor has tainted meat come into my mouth.”

Judges 4:4-5: “Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment.”

Questions to Consider

How do you think Hosea and Ezekiel, respectively, felt when God told one to marry a whore and the other to cook his meals over human dung?
What does that tell you about God?
There is no doubt that Deborah served as the leader of Israel during the time of judges. A queen named Athaliah ruled the Southern Kingdom (very badly, like all the kings of the Northern Kingdom) for 6 years as well (2 Kings 11:3). Thus, one could poke a hole into my argument that male headship is consistently affirmed throughout the Bible. So, how would you counsel someone who believes the way I do? What do you believe? Why do you believe the way you do?

Note

They might have doubted that this was from God, since this did not seem like something a holy God would command.
It certainly suggests that we shouldn’t put God in a box, theological or otherwise, for He can choose to do things that would shock us, making us feel quite uncomfortable in the process. Isaiah 55:8 comes to mind: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.”
“Mr. Ryun Chang, the next time God makes an exception and raises female leaders over men, don’t resist, don’t object, and don’t disobey. Don’t put God in your theological box!”

Evening Reflection

Are you feeling uncomfortable from reading the morning devotional? I do agree that male headship can be difficult to accept by many Christian women. (I will talk further about this matter in tomorrow’s blog.) But the way God expects male headship to play out in the homes is not what you think. Ultimately, the husband and the wife are to “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Eph. 4:21); more importantly, both spouses are called to submit to the Lord. Take a moment to examine your heart—How has your submission to the Lord been? Are you loving your wife as you are told to do so by God (Eph. 5:25)? Are you respecting your husband as you are told to do so by God (Eph. 5:33)?

January 23, Wednesday

Extended Devotional Thoughts for Today

Women’s Role in the Church (2): “Are Women Forbidden to Speak in the Church Forever?”

1 Corinthians 14:34-35 (NIV)

“Women should remain silent [sigaō] in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.”

1 Timothy 2:11a (ESV)

“I do not permit a woman to teach . . . over a man.”

The only time I ever apologized to my instructor occurred at Fuller Theological Seminary sigao1 in 1990. That day, I waited until everyone left the classroom to apologize to the teaching assistant, a middle-aged Caucasian woman who had served in Korea as a missionary. During the class discussion, I showed “attitude” towards her when she was lecturing about a country (Korea) that I thought I knew better—and perhaps the fact that a woman taught the Bible added to my irritation. In truth, my inacceptable behavior had more to do with my immaturity than how I understood 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, in which Paul tells women not to speak in the church.

So why not just leave it at that? It’s because “all of the relevant material on a given subject [must] be collected together so that that the pattern of divine revelation concerning that subject would be apparent” (Ramm 1970:56). This means that while 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 certainly needs to be heeded, other relevant Scriptures that address the same matter must be considered as well. We shouldn’t, therefore, ignore the fact that women indeed spoke in the church of Corinth. Paul, while addressing the need for women to wear head coverings in the church, begins 1 Corinthians 11:5 (NIV) with, “But every woman who prays or prophesies . . ..” Evidently, the sharing of prophetic words was part of the worship service at Corinth, for Paul says, “When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation . . . Two or three prophets should speak . . . (1 Cor. 14:26a, 29a). This means that the prohibition stipulated in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 should be interpreted in the context of women being allowed to speak in one situation, but disallowed in another in the Corinthian church.

First, note that the Greek for “keep silent” in 1 Corinthians 14:34 is not phimoō (as in muzzling the mouth) but is sigaō, which, in Luke 20:26, is translated “hold peace” (KJ). Does that seem like women should never open their mouth in the church? No, it’s more like when a mom, needing some respite from her screaming kids, would say, “hush” or “keep quiet.” And since women did pray and prophesy in Corinth, Paul was likely addressing a particular situation in which the way many women were talking in the church benefitted no one; therefore, the apostle prohibited that type of talking.

Second, according to 1 Corinthians 14:35, Paul apparently had issues with the way some wives were “inquir[ing] about something” from their husbands in the church. At that time, women— most of whom were illiterate and uneducated—and men were likely seated in separate sections. So, whenever the wives had questions about the sermon, they would’ve raised their voices to ask their husbands sitting across from them—multiple occurrences of this then began to distract the service.

This disturbing practice likely raised another concern for Paul. The city of Corinth was the center of Dionysian (the Greek god of wine) worship as late as the 2nd century BC. Having begun as a predominately woman’s movement, one feature of this worship was frequent shouting (“ecstasy of joy”) by women during their decadent services in which much wine was consumed as part of Dionysian rituals. What often occurred in the Corinthian church—including some people becoming intoxicated at the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:20-21)—therefore, began to resemble typical Dionysian services. To distinguish the Christians from the Dionysian followers for the public perception, Paul likely told the Corinthian women to stop disrupting worship services by asking their questions at home. That’s how I would explain 1 Corinthians 14:34-35. (1 Timothy 2:11-12 will be discussed tomorrow.)

Suffice it to say, we should heed whatever words the Lord places on the lips of His people, whether men or women—a lesson I learned a long time ago. Let’s not reject the message from God just because we don’t like the messenger, for whatever reasons. Since Barak a warrior, Josiah a king, and Apollos an erudite—men living in a patriarchal society—offered no resistance in accepting the words of the Lord from women, how much more should the men of 21st century be willing to learn from women who are equipped with God’s Word and filled with the Spirit.

Prayer: Father, thank You that we get to worship You in a free and safe country. But how often we show up on Sundays with so many distractions being allowed to cloud our minds. Remind us to properly prepare ourselves so that we may render unto You a worship You so deserve. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 26

Tomorrow’s Blog: Women’s Role in the Church (3): “Male Headship in the Church—Are You Serious?”

Lunch Break Study

Read 2 Corinthians 6:14-15: “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God . . .”

Ephesians 5:18: “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit . . .”

Romans 2:23-24: “You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24 For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

Questions to Consider

What is the gist of what the apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 6:14-15?
The consumption of a large amount of wine was central to a Dionysian worship service. The participants drank believing that the god was in the wine, and they felt divinized by doing this. Do you detect any subtext in Paul’s command to the Ephesians who, no doubt, were familiar with Dionysian worship?
Ultimately, what is at stake when the conducts of believers are indistinguishable from those of unbelievers?

Note

The believing community cannot behave in such a manner that it is hardly distinguishable from the world. While we certainly need to be in the world to serve as God’s ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:20), we shouldn’t be identical to the world in how we conduct ourselves.
Yes, the undertone of the Dionysian cult is certainly felt in Ephesians 5:18. Paul makes a contrast between the power source that drives the Dionysian (alcohol with its temporary effect) and Christ followers (the Spirit with its permanent effect), respectively, and their ensuing outcomes (out of control vs. under control).
It discredits our witnesses for Christ—meaning, no one will be interested in what we have to say about the gospel and its power to change us. Hebrews 12:14 says, “Without holiness no one will see the Lord”—meaning, holiness is of utmost important in a believer’s life.

Evening Reflection

I began the morning part of today’s devotion with a personally embarrassing story. So what kind of day did you have? How did you treat the people whom you met at work or school? What about those workers whom you met in passing at a gas station or grocery store? Would you feel embarrassed if they knew that you are a Christian? Oh Lord, have mercy on us all! Pray for a better day of living for Christ tomorrow. Resolve to be nicer and kinder to people. Smile. And, one of these days, tell them about Jesus.

January 22, Tuesday

Extended Devotional Thoughts for Today

Women’s Role in the Church (1): “Liberals, Complementarians and Egalitarians”

1 Timothy 2:11 (NIV)

“A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority over man; she must be silent.”

1 Corinthians 14:34-35 (NIV)

“Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.”

Women’s role in the church? Those on the opposite end of the theological spectrum may wonder, “Why is that even an issue?” For liberal denominations—characterized by seeing Scripture as less than authoritative (some are even hostile to it as evidenced by Episcopal bishop John Spong who entitled his book, The Sins of Scripture)—this has long been a settled matter. To them, the above two passages written by Paul show that he was a child of its time and it is through these patriarchal Scriptures that “powerful men in the early church ‘conned’ the world by propagating lies that devalued the female and tipped the scales in favor of the masculine” (The Da Vinci Code). Thus, in liberal churches, not only are women ordained to teach and preach, they can even become the head—like in case of the Episcopal Church where Katharine Jefferts Schori served as the first female Presiding Bishop from 2006-15.

As for conservative Christians to whom Scripture is authoritative for faith and practice, there are two camps whose views differ on the role of women in ministry: First, complementarians, interpreting 1 Timothy 2:11 and 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 as a one-off divine mandate that always binds over all churches, limit ordination to just men—yet they absolutely uphold women as equal to men—from teaching or preaching over men. For complementarians, who value the Bible highly as God’s Word, their position is the result of simply believing what it literally states.

Egalitarians, on the other hand, who highly value Scripture as well, take a different position, because they see in Scripture several women in public ministry—in a patriarchal world no less. Among them are Miriam (Ex. 15:20), Deborah (Judges 4:4-8), Huldah (2 Chr. 34:22), Isaiah’s wife (Is. 8:3), and Priscilla (Acts 18:26-28). This biblical reality then opens three possibilities: First, it leaves the door open for exceptions in the future since there have been exceptions in the past. Second, the fact that God used women at all in a patriarchal society, however sporadic, foreshadows the expansion of the same pattern as civilization moves away from patriarchy. Third, biblical teachings that value woman (Matt. 5:31; Jn. 4:7-26) set in motion the social forces toward progressive elevation of women’s role in the church. This is like the teachings against slavery (1 Tim. 1:10; 1 Cor. 7:21) setting in motion the sociopolitical forces toward the eventual outlawing of slave trade, which, in the British Empire, occurred in 1807 (led by Christian parliamentarian William Wilberforce).

Nevertheless, egalitarians still need to deal with 1 Timothy 2:11 and 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, which I plan do in the next two blogs. For now, I need to point out something more important than the rightness of our position on the matter of women’s role in the church.

I belong to Acts Ministries International in which some pastors are complementarians and some egalitarians. We have had women missionaries who have planted churches abroad; and this past December one of our churches ordained two women as elders. It sure looks like a perfect recipe for heated arguments and dissension. Yes, we’ve had our lively discussions, and we continue to dialogue to explore the best way to serve together without allowing this or other non-essential matters to divide us. Why? We value unity because it’s valued by Jesus, who prayed “that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me” (Jn. 17:22a-23). Reflecting on Christ’s call for unity, one complementarian AMI pastor writes: “I don’t personally affirm or believe in women’s ordination, but for the sake of fellowship and unity, I choose not to make it a primary issue . . . I can be the strongest supporter and proponent of AMI while disagreeing on this.” Amen.

The matter of women’s role in the church is neither petty nor light—it deserves serious considerations. But this issue becomes trivial if we allow it to break our unity in Christ, which is a weightier matter. We Christians are known for infighting. Let’s stop that so that when we bear testimony on behalf of Christ, our gospel presentation will be that much attractive and appealing to this broken world in desperate need of hope.

Prayer: Father, we, the theological conservatives, have always valued doctrinal purity over unity. We have sinned, for You told us to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3). Forgive us. Give us wisdom to fight the right doctrinal battle. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 25

Tomorrow’s Blog: Women’s Role in the Church (2): “Are Women Forbidden to Speak in the Church Forever”

Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 9:49-50:

“John answered, ‘Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.’ 50 But Jesus said to him, ‘Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.’”

1 Corinthians 1:10-13:

“I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 12 What I mean is that each one of you says, ‘I follow Paul,’ or ‘I follow Apollos,’ or ‘I follow Cephas,’ or ‘I follow Christ.’ 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?”

Questions to Consider

What is similar about the two events narrated in these passages? What led to this?
Why does it seem like people who take God’s Word seriously behave more divisively?
What can you glean from the responses given by Paul and Jesus, respectively, to their bickering and divisive followers? Do you value unity?

Note

The very people who believed Christ and upheld sounding teachings were being divisive and acting acrimonious toward one another. In the case of the Corinthian Church, these otherwise sincere believers, after noticing some unique teaching (or emphasis) among Paul, Apollos, Peter and Jesus, decided to focus on it rather than stressing much that they shared in common.
Conservative Christians are given to divisiveness because they, in effect, believe that the more precise and narrow their doctrines, God approves of them more. It stems from trying to gain security through tribalism (sort of like how gang solidarity and validation is gained).
Jesus and Paul both point to the importance of unity among the brothers. Just because someone does not uphold the same exact theology and doctrine—that is, with respect to the non-essentials as mine—does not mean that he or she is not of Christ.

Evening Reflection

As you wrap up this day, aren’t you troubled by the divisiveness that is rocking our nation? While the Democrats and Republicans always point their fingers at each other, they (including the media) rarely look to themselves for having caused their current state of acrimony. Now, while it is rather easy to focus on the state of our nation, how is our family and church doing? Are we doing any better?

Close your eyes, turn off any noise; then ask God this: “Lord, am I being part of the problem or the solution? Be silent and allow the Spirit to testify with your spirit (Rom. 8:16) to whisper into your heart what’s really going on and what you need to do according to Scripture.

January 21, Monday

Extended Devotional Thoughts for Today

“The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of the Trump Presidency”

1 Timothy 2:1-3

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior.”

Since immigrating to America in 1974 and prior to the 2016 election, I’ve lived under seven presidents (beginning with Gerald Ford); and none of them have been quite like the current one (maybe ever). So, while every President, whether Republican or Democrat, will get his share of good, bad and ugly when their presidency is appraised, the left will certainly make an exception with Donald Trump. No doubt they will point out a litany of negativity associated with him: several people around the president facing imprisonment for illegal activities and multiple investigations into Trump’s presidential campaign, even his foundation. But the right will counter that by pointing to things like record-low unemployment rate and NATO allies finally increasing their defense spending in response to Mr. Trump’s hard stance. How should we then evaluate the performance of the current president?

I’m a pastor who has an adequate knowledge of the Bible. So I can assuredly say that although Scripture was completed a long time ago, it still speaks clearly on many current issues, such as same-sex marriage (Rom. 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 6:9; Eph. 5:31), terminating the life of the unborn (Ps. 139:14-15), unfair labor practices (James 5:1-6), etc. Nevertheless, such biblical clarity may not lend itself to other issues, such as whether to build a wall to secure porous borders (something most politicians on both sides of the aisle agree), discard the Obamacare, or pull the remaining U.S. troops out of Syria. Therefore, if I were to bear prophetic witness to Donald Trump’s presidency, I would need to base it on his handling of those issues that are spoken clearly in Scripture, thereby leaving no room for your or my opinion.

Thus, when Trump’s current job performance is evaluated accordingly, one unequivocally good thing that is happening under his presidency is this: weekly Bible studies held in the White House, attended by several top Trump administration officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Agriculture Secretary Sunny Perdu, and Education Secretary Betsy Devos. As believers, we should be grateful to the President for allowing our leaders to gather at the White House to “humble themselves and pray and seek [God’s] face” (2 Chron. 7:14) over complex matters that are impossible to please everyone; of course, it would be even better if the president joins them—something to pray for in 2019.

But, what about the bad (a.k.a., illegality)? For instance, is building a wall an immoral act? There may be real good reasons for opposing it, but as CNN anchor Chris Cuomo—of all people— said, “Wanting barriers along the border is not propaganda. It’s not immoral. It’s not wrong.” Truth be told, while the intensity surrounding Trump’s alleged misdeeds is reaching a fever pitch where Cuomo works, key allegations against his presidential campaign are just allegations at this point; some, in fact, have already been debunked. The latest one had Trump tell his ex-lawyer Michael Cohen to lie to Congress and Special Counsel Robert Mueller, of all people, denied it. Nevertheless, it’s true that Trump committed adultery with an adult-film star before becoming the President and paid hush money for reasons yet to be confirmed. That is an unequivocal wrongdoing for which he ought to apologize. Sadly, I wouldn’t be surprised if, eventually, Trump’s bad will outweigh any good he might’ve done; for now, I cannot speak against Trump’s alleged bad deeds surrounding his presidential campaign until all or some are confirmed later. Then we will mourn and demand our president to repent.

Meanwhile, there is much confirmed ugliness in the current presidency. So, what would prophet Nathan and John the Baptist, who called out King David and Herod Antipas, respectively, for their immorality, say to our President regarding his “ugly” if they were his spiritual advisors? You needn’t guess because Eddie Kim, a pastor at the Church of Southland, put it so well in his August 19 (2018) sermon that a relevant portion is cited here. He said:

“I don’t mean to get too political here, but I am going there. Whether you like President Trump or not, economists say that our economy is actually steady; as a matter of fact, it is actually booming and growing. Even the foreign policy experts and analyst are saying that despite crazy rhetoric and schizophrenic policy of this administration, there is a weird stability around the world. Even the Iranian pastor who spoke at AMI conference last week mentioned that the U.S. policy toward Iran right now is actually helping the people. [This is] something you don’t hear about in the news. Now, the sad reality is no matter how well this economy does—we could have zero unemployment; we could have Middle East peace and world peace—this presidency sadly will always remain controversial. And that’s because our president comes across as lacking humility.”

And the absence of humility—also known as pride—wears ugly on anyone, including the most powerful person in the world. So, we pray for our president. That’s our duty, for we are commanded to offer “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings . . . for kings and all who are in high positions” (1 Tim. 2:1). Pray that President Trump will “humble [him]self before God” (2 Chron. 34:27); afterwards, let’s repeat the same prayer for ourselves, for we need humility just as much as Mr. Trump.

Prayer: Lord, we pray for President Trump, the man whom You chose to lead this nation at this moment. God, cause him to humble himself before You and cry out for Your grace and mercy. Remind him to seek forgiveness for his sins and Your righteousness to govern our nation. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 24

Tomorrow’s Blog: Women’s Role in the Church (1): “Liberals, Complementarians and Egalitarians.”

Lunch Break Study

Read Daniel 4:28-37:

All this [the king’s dream] came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” 31 While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, 32 and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” 33 Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws. Nebuchadnezzar Restored 34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; 35 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

Questions to Consider

In what way is our President similar to King Nebuchadnezzar?
In what form did the humbling of this mighty king take place?
What do you suppose this king realized while he was roaming in the wilderness for 7 years?

Note

Nebuchadnezzar was an egotistical king who truly believed that his success was due to his own doing; and it was all for his own glory. A person like that shares credit with no one. It sort of reminds us of a man who used to fire people on his own reality show.
God stripped him of everything, even his humanhood. This goes to show how hardened Nebuchadnezzar’s ego was. To this end 1 Peter 5:5a says, “God opposes the proud.”
He reached the end of himself. It took 7 long years for him to realize a simple lesson: God is everything and I am nothing. Jesus puts it: “For apart from me you cannot do nothing” (Jn. 15:5). The second half of 1 Peter 5:5 says, “But [God] gives grace to the humble.” That grace was manifested through his men who searched for Nebuchadnezzar to restore his kingship.

Evening Reflection

As we began the day praying for our President, let’s end it by praying for him again. There is no doubt that he has become such a polarizing figure that many of us simply do not like him. But, if I may add, he also inherited a nation that was quite divisive due to what is called “identity politics” that prioritizes meeting the needs of certain groups historically marginalized, while largely ignoring those folks who were instrumental in voting for Trump that won the election for him. I am veering off course here—it is a complex job that turns every President’s hair gray fast. Know that God put Mr. Trump in the office for reasons that are clear to Him and largely a guess work for us. So, pray for the President and his Vice-President Pence, your senators and governors. That’s our responsibility.

January 20, Sunday

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Surprised by Listening”

1 Kings 3:9

So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

Having served on multiple short-term mission teams and lived overseas for over one year, I learned that while entering a new country is a cross-cultural experience, collaborating with different people after meeting them for the first time in a short span of time is a cross-universe challenge. Teamwork is like entering another person’s world to understand his or her perspective and realizing that others have to make the same leap to understand and “get” me. It is where God orchestrates multiple “nations” to work as one; and working through the friction and disagreements is a part of His refining work so that our capacity to love would expand. What brings victory to the cross-universe challenge is the ability to listen to the other. There is great joy in being loved and understood, and serving my teammates through listening, than in being right.

When Solomon began his kingship, he asked the Lord for an understanding heart so that He would gain wisdom from God to rule Israel. Some translations say, “discerning mind” instead of “understanding heart,” but in the Hebrew it literally means “a listening heart.” While Solomon gives us an example of growing a heart for listening to God, we can also apply this desire to our relationship to others. In your life has there ever been a person who surprised you with listening? It is common that we listen by default because of a role or position. Employees listen to their boss and students to teachers, but a person with a listening heart invites people to their safe space and takes genuine interest in them to understand them as a person.

As God attentively listens to our prayers, let us consider how we can serve others with a listening heart, though it is costly and requires us to put down our agendas to fix people or problems. We can echo the prayer that St. Francis wrote:

“O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled, as to console;

To be understood, as to understand;

To be loved as to love.”

Prayer: Dear Father, I desire to grow a listening heart towards Your Word as well as towards others. Enable me to minister Your love and compassion to others through the art of listening and being with people. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 23