13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. - Romans 7:13-25
What's this? Has Paul admitted that he's a sinner? That he has done evil? Surely he's not qualified to teach now. He's openly confessed to being hopeless. What a terrible teacher! Why, we need to learn from someone who is perfect! Not someone who claims to have something to teach us yet can't keep himself from screwing up!
Yet this arrogant man, obviously out of sheer vanity, went on and wrote eight more epistles after this confession! You've got to be kidding me!
The murmuring is getting louder - who should write? Who should speak? Who is a Titus 2 woman? Who is qualified?
As the murmuring continues, the lack of faith is revealed.
Consider a woman desperate in her marriage. She needs help and goes seeking it. Does the god you serve lead you? Does he guide your steps? Mine sure does. In fact I'll feel nudged toward something for a time and then I'll feel a pull to leave that thing, for a time. With exception to the Bible, not once has He led me to a perfect person to learn from. Every.Single.Time I have discovered something a little off in the teachings if I stick around long enough. Does that mean I should discard all I have learned? Should I do the literal opposite of what has been taught because it All must be tainted? Only a fool would believe it.
Never follow the man, man will deceive you and lead you astray. Follow the principles of the man.
After all, we're human. All we have are principles because none, not one, is perfect except Jesus Christ.
When I sought help, I went to a woman who I had only met in person a few times. All that I had learned from her was through recordings. She is the woman who told me about the book Love and Respect. It was exactly what I needed to read at the time. I was so excited about what had been revealed to me in that book that I called her up personally to thank her. My eyes had been opened, I Got It! To put it in a couple statements: I am to respect my husband out of obedience to God. Having no qualifications to meet for the position, God appointed him my head when we married and entered this Covenant. All showings of disrespect toward my husband, no matter the perceived justification, are disobedience to God. Even if my husband acts outside of the Word, I am to do what is right and am called Sarah's Daughter if I do and remain unafraid.
In my phone call to this woman, who I was thanking for the recommendation, I told her my revelation. And in one swift moment the reality of not following the man came crashing down on me. I confessed to her that even my greatest fear, my husband being unfaithful, would not be condoned by God for me to disrespect him. She adamantly disagreed, said she would never respect her husband again if he was unfaithful to her.
Want to know what God revealed to me in that very moment? She was wrong. My conviction was so strong and the revelation was so clear, there wasn't a thing she could say that could convince me otherwise. Yet she was the Titus 2 woman who taught me, by a book recommendation, how to love my husband.
Yet I hear these murmurings of fear and trepidation, "if you're wrong, you could lead a woman astray." How about this, let's let them keep God in that tiny little box and we keep believing on Him that revelation will come even through unlikely sources.
We read it in Matthew, Mark, and Luke - let your light shine, don't hide it under a bowl.
If you've got a testimony - tell it. If you've got something to write, write it. If you've got struggles you're working out to His Good - let's hear them!
I admonished my daughters of this just last week. They are infants in apologetics. Doesn't matter. "When that sorry, misled girl who you have no choice but to spend time with, starts spewing her nonsense about being an atheist, let your light shine! Do not let fear overtake you, trust that He will give you the words to speak. Pray and then open your mouths and speak!"
You have no idea who needs to hear your story, your testimony, your struggles. You have no idea who God might lead that day to your writing or to your door who might need Exactly what you have to say at that Exact moment. Do not be silenced by the murmuring.
I have learned much from your posts here and RLB, too, even though I disagree with him. This one is especially timely. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI find this post from you surprising, but encouraging!
ReplyDeleteHonestly, one of the most edifying things I have read from you was your recent admission on Hearthie's blog that you spoke rudely to your husband one time (and struggle with it occasionally).
I read that and thought, "Ah, she is human!" And for some reason, that helps me to accept the other stuff you write about submission/rebellion.
So thank you for this post, and for not hiding your light.
Yep, "human" is certainly a condition I suffer. ;)
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