Theonomy: A Summary of Vital Teachings

by Greg Bahnsen, from "Preface to the Second Edition," Theonomy in Christian Ethics (Covenant Media Foundation, 2002, Third Edition, pp. xxv-xxviii, words in brackets added by GentleDove, parentheses in original)

1. Since the Fall it has always been unlawful to use the law of God in hopes of establishing one's own personal merit and justification, [either] in contrast or complement to salvation by way of promise and faith; commitment to obedience is but the lifestyle of faith, a token of gratitude for God's redeeming grace.

2. The word of the Lord is the sole, supreme, and unchallengeable standard for the actions and attitudes of all men in all areas of life; this word naturally includes God's moral directives (law).

3. Our obligation to keep the law of God cannot be judged by any extrascriptural standard, such as whether its specific requirements (when properly interpreted) are congenial to past traditions or modern feelings and practices.

4. We should presume that Old Testament standing laws* continue to be morally binding in the New Testament, unless they are rescinded or modified by further revelation.

5. In regard to the Old Testament law, the New Covenant surpasses the Old Covenant in glory, power, and finality (thus reinforcing former duties). The New Covenant also supercedes the Old Covenant shadows, thereby changing the application of sacrificial, purity, and "separation" principles, redefining the people of God, and altering the significance of the promised land.

6. God's revealed standing laws are a reflection of His immutable moral character and, as such, are absolute in the sense of being non-arbitrary, objective, universal, and established in advance of particular circumstances (thus applicable to general types of moral situations).

7. Christian involvement in politics calls for recognition of God's transcendent, absolute, revealed law as a standard by which to judge all social codes.

8. Civil magistrates in all ages and places are obligated to conduct their offices as ministers of God, avenging divine wrath against criminals and giving an account on the Final Day of their service before the King of kings, their Creator and Judge.

9. The general continuity which we presume with respect to the moral standards of the Old Testament applies just as legitimately to matters of socio-political ethics as it does to personal, family, or ecclesiastical ethics.

10. The civil precepts of the Old Testament (standing "judicial" laws) are a model of perfect social justice for all cultures, even in the punishment of criminals.

This summary highlights the fact that theonomic ethics, proceeding in terms of salvation by grace alone, (1) is committed to developing an overall Christian world-and-life view (2) according to the regulating principle of sola Scriptura (3) and to the hermeneutic of covenant theology (4) instead of dispensationalism (where Old Covenant commandments are deemed abrogated unless repeated in the New Testament). Changes in covenantal administration that are warranted by Scripture (cf. 4) are recognized with the coming of the new and better covenant in Christ (5). Relativism (situationism) is repudiated, and the divinely revealed ethic is not reduced to a parochial or tribal perspective in the evolutionary history of ethics; (6) God's word advances universal justice, not a double-standard of morality.

Rejecting legal positivism, theonomic ethics favors the idea of a "law above the (civil) law" as a protection against the tyranny of rulers and anarchy of reformers (7). Because Christ is Lord over all (cf. 2), it follows that even civil magistrates are His servants and owe obedience to His revealed standards for them (8). There is no justification (cf. 4) for exempting civil authorities from responsibility to the universal standards of justice (cf. 6) found in God's Old Testament revelation (9). Therefore, in the absence of biblically grounded argumentation that releases the civil magistrate from Old Testament social norms (cf. 4, 5), it follows from our previous premises that in the exercise of their offices rulers are morally responsible to obey the revealed standards of social justice in the Old Testament law (10). The New Testament explicitly confirms this inference by making magistrates avengers of wrath on evil-doers (Rom. 13:4), making it a lawful use of God's law to restrain the publicly unruly (1 Tim. 1:8-10), and saying that in this law, "every transgression and disobedience received its just recompense of reward" (Heb. 2:2)...

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* "Standing law" is used here for policy directives applicable over time to classes of individuals (e.g., do not kill; children, obey your parents; merchants, have equal measures; magistrates, execute rapists), in contrast to particular directions for an individual (e.g., the order for Samuel to annoint David at a particular time and place) or positive commands for distinct incidents (e.g., God's order for Israel to exterminate certain Canaanite tribes at a certain point in history).

Christians Are Lights of God's Righteousness to the Nations

Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. (Phil. 2:14-16)

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.


Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 5:13-20)

Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him. For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.


Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people. My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.


Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.


Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.


Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over? Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. (Is. 51:1-11)

Duties Are Ours: Part 4

In the spiritual and economic prosperity of a family, not only are gender roles important, but also other economic lessons from Scripture. Not only is it important to work hard whether you are paid or not and to never accept money for work not done (for example, State redistributed wealth in the form of unemployment checks or other welfare, if it can at all possibly be avoided), but also to practice frugality.

Living as far below your means as you can, will mean that you will have money or other wealth for tithing, savings, charity, and investment (in real estate, etc.). The money a family actually lives on should be far below what the family earns.

So many people are not FUTURE-oriented--even many professing Christians--as those with a Christian worldview (built on the Bible, the very word of God) are. Humanists think in terms of hedonism, living for the "now," grabbing all the gusto they can get,” and living for pleasure and to consume. Humanists crave instant gratification, praise losing one's inhibitions, and don't want children. (They think of children as a burden, and they fear the future.)

Christians, by God's grace, think the opposite: in terms of self-sacrifice, living for future reward, living for duty and obedience to God (which bring much joy), want to work and produce and be fruitful, learn to wait for gratification, esteem self-restraint and self-control, and desire children, plan for inheritance, and rejoice in the future. (Children tend to figure in many Christian parents' "retirement" plans.)

(In Austrian economics, these two perspectives are opposite ends of the spectrum called "time-preference.")

Christians should ask themselves: "Am I trusting in God, or am I trusting in the humanist gods of Money and/or State?"

"Am I trusting in God and His viewpoint revealed in Scripture, or am I trusting in my own views about money and family economics, including gender roles, etc., even though they are contrary to what God says?"

Now, we live in a fallen world, and we sin, and we get ourselves into financial trouble and many other troubles. But to pretend the State will bail us out, or to decide in our hearts that going against God’s plan will work, or to tell ourselves that we're victims is not going to help us.

God has given us directions, (including division of labor, gender roles, family roles, economic instruction, etc.), and we are to obey. Duties are ours. As one dear Christian man said tenderly with a smile, “Duty, sweet duty!” For we are blessed by obeying God--He knows what's going on!! His paths are the safe, good paths.

God is merciful, gives instruction, blesses obedience, but He will not "magically" bless us when we balk at his ways and refuse to obey Him. The longer we take to obey, the more pain we put ourselves through. Once we realize that we are the wrong ones, and admit that God is "the Way, the Truth, and the Life," we have to dig ourselves out of our messes (yet all by the grace of God).

But the WAY to dig ourselves out is by learning what God says to do, and then doing it, swiftly!! This He will bless. He will take care of the rest. God's sovereignty and blessings and mercy do not erase human responsibility and action. It's not one or the other; it's "both-and." We love Him because He first loved us; and now we (as Christians) live for Him.

No matter how big of a mess we’ve gotten ourselves into by rebelling against God and His ways, it is not too late. If we are still alive, then it is not too late. We may turn back to our Maker in repentance, and God will never, never turn us away. God never turns away anyone who truly repents of their sin and throws themselves on His mercy. And when we do, He will not only be our Maker, but our Savior and Lord, as well.

The LORD God is abundantly merciful; Jesus Christ says in His word, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matt. 11:28-30).”

And in John 3:16-17, we learn that “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

There is no sin (or putrid mountain of sins) so terrible that God cannot forgive the one who returns to Him (Luke 15:11-32). That is the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have all gone astray, but Jesus paid the price at the cross for all who would believe on Him:

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Is. 53:6)

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:10-15)

Right now, in this mess of a world, our lives may be turned around by trusting in Him. Christ Jesus says in John 12:46, “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.”

Duties Are Ours: Part 3

To Give Examples and Explication of These Principles from Duties Are Ours: Part 1 from NT Biblical Texts. See a presentation of some OT Biblical Texts here.

[The Lord Jesus Christ says] No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles [unbelievers] seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Matt. 6:24-34)

In this passage, the Lord is teaching us that all things, including food, shelter, clothing, and all we need, are God's, and He cares for His own. Heaping up material treasures, money, investments, a big bank account, etc. for ourselves is not where our health and life and security and safety may be found. They are found only in Him. He knows what you need, and He has what you need; seek Him, and He will give it, including material goods and necessities.

Trust in Him, not in earthly wealth, and He will give you what you need. His children are not forsaken, and those who trust and believe in Him will have no need to beg bread (Psalm 37:25). Like the homemaker Proverbs 31 Woman, you will rejoice at the future and have no fear. You will be secure.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Duties Are Ours: Part 2

To Give Examples and Explication of These Principles from Duties Are Ours: Part 1 from OT Biblical Texts

And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it...And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; and the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. (Gen. 2:15,18-24)

This passage shows the beautiful creation order of man given work in the world, to cultivate it, to bring order and productivity in the world. His wife is given to him, created from his own flesh, so intimate and at one with him, his perfect complement, his helper created and gifted by God to be suitable for him.

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. (Gen. 3:16-20)

This passage shows that God has said that the woman's sin-struggle will be with usurping her husband, but she must submit to his rule, instead. In addition, this passage shows the division of labor between the husband and wife. Man labors in the field (the world), and woman labors in childbearing and home-making. Adam names her because is his, was made for him; and the name he chooses for her has to do with her "career," her wifehood and motherhood. This is why a married woman takes her husband's name; she is his family now; she is "on his team." Likewise, with the second Adam, Jesus Christ, His people proudly bear His name, and are called Christians.

And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch. And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech. And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle. And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah. (Gen. 4:17-22)

This passage shows the work of the world, of dominion (though by sinful men), passed on from father to son. The wife's work is in being a wife and bearing children. The sister of Tubalcain, Naamah, is named, but the passage does not go on to talk about her "career." She is a blessing in a way different from sons; she is a daughter.

"And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant." And they said, "So do, as thou hast said." And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, "Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth." And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. And they said unto him, "Where is Sarah thy wife?" And he said, "Behold, in the tent." (Gen. 18:5-9)

Abraham needed his wife, who was home, to assist him with hospitality and providing for guests.

If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish. (Ex. 21:10)

Even when a man takes another wife (which other passages show he shouldn't do), he may not abandon her; he must still provide her with food, raiment and "her duty of marriage."

The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God. (Deut. 22:5)

Here we see that there is a difference between a man and a woman in how they are to dress themselves. Their outer conduct of dressing themselves is not to be the same. A person's dress is appropriate to the work they do, their career. There is a separation of dress because there is a separation of labor and function. A soldier, an auto mechanic, a construction worker, a doctor, or a businessman wears his uniform. A woman wears that which builds up others spiritually, is comfortable for work around the home and can be easily washed, is feminine, modest; her career is a career in the home. More about a woman's career in the home, her manner and feminine orientation, and dress in Proverbs 31 below and 1 Peter 3.

When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken. (Deut. 24:5)

It is the man who is charged with war and business, not his wife. The new husband is to stay at home (where his wife is) and make her happy.

And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. (1 Sam. 8:11-17)

This passage shows that desiring to "be like everyone else" and be ruled over by men, rather than God, will result in God's judgment in the form of a tyrannical civil government that will take your children and cause even your daughters to work in state-approved "careers" to fill its coffers, and tyrannically take not only your family's productivity, but 10% of what you do manage to produce, and you'll end up serving this "civil servant." Sounds eerily familiar, doesn't it? It's a temporal judgment on His people who disobey Him and choose to be the tail rather than the head (Deuteronomy 28:36-48).

And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house. (2 Sam. 15:16)

Even if there are ten women at home keeping house, they are needed there! ;-)

Nehemiah Chapter 3

This chapter shows godly men building the city, repairing the ruins, fathers and sons working together, to bring order and God's dominion to that which was laid waste, neglected, and made desolate. This passage mentions that one man (the son of Halohesh) has his daughters helping him. He may not have had any sons, but it's clear that the daughters are not independent of their father; they are helping him.

And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the LORD, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses. (Neh. 4:14)

Here again, we see a "man's world," where men strive in the world for their brothers, their children, their wives, and their homes/property, by the grace of God and for His glory. It doesn't say, "Fight for your husbands and children and careers, ladies!"

He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD. (Psalm 113:9)

This shows that a woman's joyful blessing from God is to be a keeper of the home and a mother. This is a temporal blessing from God, for which He should be praised. Being a wife, mother and homemaker is not something to be disdained; it is something for a woman to deeply desire and to anticipate with joy.

Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD. (Proverbs 18:22)

Here we learn that a husband is to search for a godly wife; she is a good gift from God, and such a husband will be blessed (obtain favor of the LORD).

Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD. (Psalm 128:1-4)

More blessings promised to those who fear the LORD and walk in His ways! His house and his table are blessed by God. His wife is fruitful with children, and his children are like young plants to be planted, and as they mature, bearing their own fruitfulness, their lives will extend their father and mother's faith and teachings of God's ways beyond the extent of his limited, mortal life. A man's productivity in this life affects eternity and has meaning beyond his own temporal existence. A father has no greater joy than to hear this his children walk in truth (3 John 1:4). How can he have this without a godly wife who also fears God and walks in His ways?

Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.(Prov. 14:1)

This proverb teaches that the wise woman builds her house. Does this mean that she has chosen to devote her life to contracting to construct houses? Is her career carpentry or log-house building? No, it is saying that the career of a wise woman is her home and family. She is to edify her home with godliness and all that the book of Proverbs and the rest of Scriptures says to do. This proverb also says a foolish woman plucks down her house with her own hands. She is off in her independent career, instead of building up her husband and being a helper to him. She leaves her children in daycare or schools to do whatever she foolishly believes is more important work, will earn more money. But our riches are not in chasing money, but from God by Christ (Phil. 4:19). The foolish woman would rather break up her home and divorce her husband for the sake of independence and money and false security, then give her life and love and time and labor to building up her husband, children and home.

Proverbs 31:10-31

This famous passage depicts the godly wife who fears God, she is productive and works "willingly" in her home. She is charitable and gives to the needy, She makes clothes, and sells them to the merchants. She builds up her husband (he is known in the gates and sits among the elders of the land), and brings honor and respect to him with her diligence to make the most of what they have and extend his influence. She is kind, strong, wise, and honoring. She looks well to the way of her household, and does not neglect her labors there. She is a mother; and her children call her blessed, her husband praises her, and even her own works are known in the gates and praised. She doesn't chase praise and honor out in the workplace in an independent career. She doesn't impress her children by fighting for her "rights" to open a dress shop or by being an astute real estate agent; it comes about by her godly teaching and edifying of her family and her diligent work in her home, as she honors others as more important than herself. Her priceless value is in her virtue.

Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. (Is. 62:4-5)

Marriage for a woman is a blessing; her bridegroom will rejoice over her. It's the opposite of being forsaken and desolate. Marriage for a woman is a picture of the security (temporal and eternal), which God gives His people, those who trust in Him.

Duties Are Ours: Part 1

found today on SermonAudio.com:

"Duties are ours and consequences are God's." -- Samuel Rutherford

Lady Lydia applies the excellent and Biblical principle behind the above quote by Samuel Rutherford to the woman's role in her blog post, "Do What God Says Do and Let Him Take Care of the Rest."

To the woman, God has assigned the role of wife, husband-helper, mother, and home-keeper. She is to be productive and assist her husband in furthering his goals for their family, but she is not responsible to make the living or be out in the workforce, striving for her own independent, competing career. The husband is not given to a wife; rather, a wife is given to the husband, for him, to help him; she is (should be) like gift from God to him.

The husband labors in the field (the world), and the wife labors in the home. The husband's blood, sweat, and tears is in his productivity in making the living; the wife's blood, sweat, and tears is in her productivity in bearing children and keeping the home. He makes the living, and she makes life worth living, gives a man something valuable to work for and strive for beyond himself. By the grace of God, she helps him bring order to creation, which has become a thorny wilderness because of sin. Christ came to redeem His creation from sin, and He has given instruction to His people on how to occupy until He comes.

As Christ cares for and provides for His bride, the Church, as for His own body; so a husband cares for and provides for his bride, as for his own body. They are not separate--what affects her affects him; what affects him affects her. She takes what her husband provides and makes the most of it, in gratitude and in submission to his leadership and rule. She helps him rule, by carrying out his wishes and by passing along (supporting) his commands, his way of doing things, to their children. This is a way she helps him be productive. They work together to produce fruit and pass on an inheritance (spiritually, and also materially to children borne of their union, should God cause them to be fruitful this way).

In the Scripture, the family home is his home, his table, his household. It is hers, too, because she has married him, and they are one flesh, but the work was given to the man. He provides it all, and his wife helps him keep it, maintain it, and work productively in it. He is the king (of his castle), and she is the queen (of his castle).

In this sin-fallen and topsy-turvy world, there are all kinds of "reasons" (ethical rebellion against God) why we (both men and women) "can't" (yes, we can!) or "don't want to" (doesn't matter!) obey God in His commands in this area of gender roles and family order. God says to serve Him best, a wife should call her husband, "lord," that she show him loving trust and not be afraid he can't do what God says he must do. She's on his side, on his team, takes his name. A husband serves God by making his wife happy, by cherishing her, by providing for her, by leading her, taking her under his wing, being responsible for her. This is God's order and hierarchy of authority in the family.

And when we obey God without fear for our future, we find ourselves blessed by Him in ways we never could have expected or thought of. God is our Provider, ultimately; money is not our provider.

It Isn't Work*

It isn't work, if you like to do it,
It isn't work if it gives a thrill,
If always pleasant thoughts imbue it,
If you do it gladly and with a will.

It isn't "housework"--dusting, mending,
Scrubbing floors and baking things,
Washing dishes and pans unending,
To one who laughs and smiles and sings.

It isn't work, if you find good measure
Of cheer and sun in every minute.
It isn't housework--it's home pleasure,
With a little love and laughter in it!

* I don't know the author. If anyone finds out, please tell me in a comment. Thank you, GentleDove.

Where Sin Abounded, Grace Did Much More Abound

The salvation won by Christ for His people is a salvation of all in His creation that was destroyed and corrupted by sin (the turning away from obedience to God's righteous ways). In this interadvental period, we Christians have been saved (justified), are being saved (sanctified), and await God's final redemption (glorification) in His second coming on the Judgment Day, the final day of history (Matt. 13:24-53; Rom. 5:10-21; Rom. 8).

The gospel is indeed offered to all for their salvation, but the power of it appears not everywhere: and that it is the savor of death to the ungodly, does not proceed from what it is, but from their own wickedness. By setting forth but one Salvation he cuts off every other trust. When men withdraw themselves from this one salvation, they find in the gospel a sure proof of their own ruin. Since then the gospel invites all to partake of salvation without any difference, it is rightly called the doctrine of salvation: for Christ is there offered, whose peculiar office is to save that which was lost; and those who refuse to be saved by him, shall find him a Judge. But everywhere in Scripture the word salvation is simply set in opposition to the word destruction: and hence we must observe, when it is mentioned, what the subject of the discourse is. Since then the gospel delivers from ruin and the curse of endless death, its salvation is eternal life.

John Calvin, Commentary on Romans, 1:16

With a Smile and a Song

My favorite Disney movie, which I view as a Christian allegory (despite the fact that Walt Disney was not a Christian and did not make "Christian movies"), is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. These are the lyrics from my favorite song from that movie:

With a smile and a song
Life is just a bright sunny day
Your cares fade away
And your heart is young

With a smile and a song
All the world seems to waken anew
Rejoicing with you
As the song is sung

There's no use in grumbling
When the raindrops come tumbling
Remember, you're the one
Who can fill the world with sunshine

When you smile and you sing
Everything is in tune and it's spring

And life flows along
With a smile and a song

"Home" by Edgar A. Guest

It takes a heap o’ livin’ in a house t’ make it home,
A heap o’ sun an’ shadder, an’ ye sometimes have t’ roam
Afore ye really ‘preciate the things ye lef’ behind,
An’ hunger fer ‘em somehow, with ‘em allus on yer mind.
It don’t make any difference how rich ye get t’ be,
How much yer chairs an’ tables cost, how great yer luxury;
It ain’t home t’ ye, though it be the palace of a king,
Until somehow yer soul is sort o’ wrapped round everything.

Home ain’t a place that gold can buy or get up in a minute;
Afore it’s home there’s got t’ be a heap o’ livin’ in it;
Within the walls there’s got t’ be some babies born, and then
Right there ye’ve got t’ bring ‘em up t’ women good, an’ men;
And gradjerly as time goes on, ye find ye wouldn’t part
With anything they ever used—they’ve grown into yer heart:
The old high chairs, the playthings, too, the little shoes they wore
Ye hoard; an’ if ye could ye’d keep the thumb-marks on the door.

Ye’ve got t’ weep t’ make it home, ye’ve got t’ sit an’ sigh
An’ watch beside a loved one’s bed, an’ know that Death is nigh;
An’ in the stillness o’ the night t’ see Death’s angel come,
An’ close the eyes o’ her that smiled, an’ leave her sweet voice dumb.
Fer these are scenes that grip the heart,
An’ when yer tears are dried,
Ye find the home is dearer than it was, an’ sanctified;
An’ tuggin’ at ye always are the pleasant memories
O’ her that was an’ is no more—ye can’t escape from these.

Ye’ve got t’ sing an’ dance fer years, ye’ve got t’ romp an’ play,
An’ learn t’ love the things ye have by usin’ ‘em each day;
Even the roses ‘round the porch must blossom year by year
Afore they ‘come a part o’ ye, suggestin’ someone dear
Who used t’ love ‘em long ago, an’ trained ‘em jes t’ run
The way they do, so’s they would get the early mornin’ sun;
Ye’ve got t’ love each brick an’ stone from cellar up t’ dome:
It takes a heap o’ livin’ in a house t’ make it home.

From Collected Verse of Edgar Guest
NY: Buccaneer Books, 1976, page 12

Update: 2010 Christian Heritage Homeschool Conference

I had a wonderful time at the conference, and I was so encouraged and inspired by the speakers and the families attending.

Christian Heritage Home Educators of Washington will have DVDs and CDs of the conference available soon, and I would encourage anyone who can afford them to order them. Next year, I will probably not attend the conference, but rather just order the CDs. Attending the conference would be useful for those wanting to find like-minded families and fellowship in walking a similar walk with God in discipling their families.

I take comfort in my Father's Word (Psalm 68:3-11) and by trusting in Him. My part is to obey the LORD, trust in Him, not be rebellious toward Him or His plans for me (not in my heart or my thoughts, even), and rejoice in Him. He is powerful to move on my behalf, in His will and timing:

But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.

Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.

A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah:

The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.

Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.

The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.

What I Require in a Gospel Tract in Order to Buy and Distribute It

1. It must be attractive, good design, visually pleasing

"Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;" (Phillipians 1:27)

2. It must give a clear exposition of the gospel, including a discussion of SIN.

All who would be Christians need to hear the bad news before we can be grateful for the good news.

"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." (Romans 3:19)

"The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them."(Matthew 11:5)

"And [Jesus was] saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." (Mark 1:15)

3. It must quote directly from the Bible. No paraphrase "bibles" (The Message, New Living Translation).

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17).

"What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it." (Deuteronomy 12:32)

4. It must be God-honoring, portraying God as His word does: as sovereign, good, holy, mighty, faithful, merciful, just and as Creator, Savior, Lord and Judge of all men.

In the modern "church," there is an almost blasphemous portrayal of God as a buddy, someone we are equal terms with. He is portrayed as being made in our image. This is evil, and I would never buy or give out a "gospel tract" that portrayed God that way.

We must be reverent, worshipful, humble and grateful before God, and we must never lie about Who He Is! It is only because of the gracious condescension, mercy and love of God that He allows us to have a relationship with Him in Christ.

God does not fit our (sinful) idea of love and friendship, rather He teaches us what true love and friendship is. He is the Judge of us; we are not the judges of Him!

"I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.

Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him." (Proverbs 30:3-5)

"Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.

Then Job answered the LORD, and said, Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further." (Job 40:1-5)

"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

These things I command you, that ye love one another." (John 15:12-17)

5. It must not say "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life," tell the reader to insert their name into John 3:16, or some similar gimmick.

How do you know? How do you know that if they hear the true gospel, they will believe? It's presumptuous at best and a falsehood at worst.

"For many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:14).

6. It must not tell the person how special they are, and that's why God loves them and offers them salvation, or a similar false "self-esteem gospel."

While it's true that every person is made in the image of God and is therefore valuable beyond measure, it's also true that each person is also a depraved, despicable sinner (since the fall, except for Jesus Christ), who is in desperate need of the way the truth and the life, Jesus Christ.

"They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one." (Psalm 14:3)

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinithians 5:21)

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)

7. It must not emphasize the person "choosing" or "deciding" to believe in Jesus or "commit his life" to Jesus. Or "choosing" to go to heaven instead of hell.

Faith is neither an intellectual decision nor existential (of an act of the will in the flesh to “create” a reality).

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

8. It must not lead the reader in a "sinner's prayer."

We have enough lost people who think they are Christians because they were: led in a prayer, prayed for, walked down an aisle, baptized, raised in a church, raised in a Christian family, raised in the "Bible Belt," sent to Vacation Bible School (VBS), and all the other ways people are not saved.

"Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory." (2 Timothy 2:10)

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Boycott Pepsi Co.

Note: this was originally posted in June 2009. I have someone close to me who I love who is enchained almost to death with this enslaving sin. Since I first posted this, Pepsi Co. has gone on to fund many more "Gay Pride Parades" in major cities nationally.

In this post, I have a link to more information about boycotting PepsiCo, Inc. for their radical support of the homosexual agenda. Please consider boycotting PepsiCo products and writing a respectful letter to the Chairman of this company, letting him know of your decision and why.

I also want to reiterate here that love means respectfully and gently talking with someone about their sin and telling them the Good News of salvation in Christ Jesus--salvation from death, sin, and the devil. It is cruel and unloving to never say a word about salvation in Christ to someone in a hellbound "deathstyle."

Please know that Jesus Christ can save a homosexual from his or her sin:
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Cor. 6:9-11

There is Hope for Homosexuals.

More links to sites that can offer loving hope in Christ for homosexuals:

Christian Resources about Homosexuality and AIDS
ChristianNewsWire article

"You say, 'If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.' You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled."

— Charles Spurgeon

Why I Must Marry a Christian Man

When I became a new Christian at age 30, I was dating men in the hopes of getting married. After I became a Christian, it took me a while before I realized I should only be considering dedicated brothers in Christ for any future marriage plans!

Yet I was still approached by non-Christians and nominal-only Christians, and I had to come up with something to tell them. Or maybe to remind myself? Here are some of my answers to the question, why only consider a Christian man for marriage?

God says so. Genesis 28:1, Judges 4:15, 1 Kings 11:3-5, Song of Solomon 4:10, Ezekiel 16:31-33, 1 Corinthians 7:39, 2 Corinthians 6:14, 1 Peter 3:7

A man is the head of his wife (Ephesians 5:23). If he does not lead her to God (1 Corinthians 9:5) or wash her in the Word (Ephesians 5:25-27), then where is he leading her? If he refuses to lead her, then why would she marry him? (1 Timothy 3:12)

A Christian man knows God wants him to marry and have children (Genesis 9:1, Psalm 127:4, 1 Timothy 5:14). How could a non-Christian man know this and why it is so?

A man who knows Christ, knows his role is to be humble to Christ and submitted to Him, and to lead, protect, cherish and provide for his wife and children (Micah 6:8). How could a non-Christian man do this?

How could I share spiritual matters and discuss the Word of God with an unsaved man? How could I love and be intimate with a man I knew would spend eternity in hell (if God did not intervene before the end of his life)?

A Christian man understands that love, truth, and beauty actually exist (Philipians 4:8), but a non-Christian man isn't quite sure. What if it's just electro-chemicals in the brain caused by random chance accident, he can't help but wonder sometimes (PBS "love").

A Christian man has faith to continue on and overcome problems and remain faithful, but a non-Christian man's faith is only in himself, and when he runs into problems cannot remain true...a woman becomes an unbearable burden, then; he does not have the strength of Christ to sustain him (2 Corinthians 12:9, Philipians 4:13, 1 Peter 5:10).

A Christian man will agree with God that he is a sinner (Rom. 3:22-24, 1 Jn. 1:8), that he sins in specific ways, and repent of those sins, and be sanctified by the Word and Spirit (Lev. 5:4-6, Ezek. 18:29-31, Luke 13:3, Luke 17:4, Acts 3:19, Jn. 17:17-20, 1 Cor. 6:11)so that he will become more holy, as God is holy (1 Pet. 1:16), and be ever more conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:28-30). Also, he can forgive the sins of his wife, as Christ has forgiven his sin and hers (Matt. 6:15, Mark 11:25, Eph. 4:32).

A non-Christian could influence me away from God, and perhaps any children we might have also (see above Scripture, next to "God says so").

That's just for starters ;)

But it's probably enough...

Please comment--how do you (or would you) handle this, especially if you are a woman living on her own with no fatherly protection?