In-house arguments

Are there questions that a non-Christian could ask that we should dismiss as being in-house?

In apologetics we want to demonstrate the solid foundations of our house - we have the best reasons to believe. We want to show how wonderful the house is - what the basic truths of the gospel are. But surely we also want to invite the non-Christian to see what life in the house is like? We want them to see that not only is the house secure and attractive to behold but that its the kind of house you want to live in.

So consider a question that seems to me to be about as in-house as you can get (and not a big one for most of us) - should women wear hats in church? They want to know, is this house a house where women wear hats at the family gathering? Which is all part of the 'what's it like to live in this house?' question. Which is all part of the 'Am I going to follow Jesus question?' And that one we want to answer.

The Messianic State

Whatever problem we find exposed in our nation, our knee-jerk reaction is to look to the state to save us. We expect it to have the power and the responsibility to do something about it and fix all our woes. But since when has it been the state's responsibility to make us good? To make our children obedient? Our families godly?

One of the problems with this messianic expectation of the state is that it weakens our gospel expectations and resolve. When we see broken lives, families and communities around us, we wait to see what the state will do, wondering what initiative will make things better. But all the state can do is put a plaster over the cancer. Its the gospel of Jesus Christ that can and will actually change lives, families and our nation. Lets stop looking to the state to fix all our woes and instead look to Jesus, the only hope for our nation.

Law and Gospel - Obedience to Commands

Have just bought 'Five views on Law and Gospel' - looks like tasty reading! Want to think this through and reach some more solid convictions. I have far too much uncertainty in my brain about this at the moment. Here are some thoughts about commands...

Commands are no bad thing. They come from God and whatever place the law has now, Jesus gives the command to love each other. The gospel is to obeyed. Paul's letters are full of commands. But they could be abused...

• We could obey commands in order to be justified before God rather than because we are justified.
• We could obey commands in order to have merely external marks of holiness rather than seeking complete transformation from within.
• We could obey commands thinking they have the power to change us rather than having confidence in the power of the Holy Spirit to form Christ in us.

None of these possibilities make commands bad, just things to watch out for.

When we fail to obey any command, we should be convicted of sin then led to Christ for forgiveness and power to obey.