Month: March 2012

Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands… (1 Peter 3:1a)

Let’s be totally honest with each another. As I sit here preparing to write this article, we both have to wonder why I would ever want to step onto burning coals; why do I want to open a can of worms; why do I want to load the guns for my own firing squad? Choose your metaphor because there are a number that can apply. This is a topic that rarely results in a favorable outcome—that is unless I am talking to godly people that want to honor the Lord more than anything they do with their lives.

Most people believe that a relationship between a husband and wife in marriage that requires the submission of the wife is a totally bizarre, archaic notion. In many homes, even Christian ones, the wife is the person in authority. Everything runs through her and husbands cower in the corner living with the axiom, “If momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” To be as blunt as I can be, this is rebellion against the word of God. We are fond of saying, “The Bible is our rule of faith and practice,” which in practicality is actually, “unless it rules against what we already practice.” In most marriage ceremonies, the vow for the bride which says, “I promise to obey” is often excluded, although it is not one that I allow to be excluded in any marriage ceremony I officiate.

The Bible clearly shows us that the husband is to be the head of the family. This is the divinely instituted order which began with the creation of the man before the creation of the woman. Woman was created to be man’s helper. Adam was given dominion over the earth which is an authority that was not granted to the woman. However, Eve was to support Adam in exercising this authority.

Perhaps the most convincing argument for submission is given by the apostle Paul in Ephesians 5. He said, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing (Eph. 5:22-24). The key to understanding these verses is to consider that submission of the wife to the husband is actually submission to the Lord. This is obedience to God’s order of creation. It does not mean the woman is inferior to the man. Submission has nothing to do with inferiority any more than Christ’s submission to God the Father implies that He is not co-equal with the Father. Submission is the willingness to accept the role that God has for each of us whether we are talking about the wife in the family, the children to their parents, or the man to his head which is Christ. We simply do what God has designed us to do.

These designations also hold true in the church. The reason women are not allowed in the pastorate is because it upsets the divine order. When women are made pastors, they are actually destroying God’s structure from the top down. While many people believe women pastors are uplifting and thought provoking, they are actually subliminally or otherwise destroying the church by destroying families that make up the church.

No matter how many centuries go by we are never going to improve on God’s order. The husband is the one in authority over the home. Time and space fail me to explain the use of his authority, but suffice it to say it should be exercised in supreme love (Eph.5:25) and not in insufferable lordship. A husband that loves his wife as he should will have a wife that willingly submits. If you want success in your home, don’t upset God’s order!

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; [14] Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. (1 Peter 2:13-14)

In November of this year, Americans will go to the polls to vote for the person that will lead our country for the next four years. For those of you that follow politics, you know the incumbent president Barack Obama is running for his second term while the Republican Party is in the process of narrowing the choices of candidates to find the person that will run against him.

This year, as it has been for quite some time, Christians are faced with a list of candidates that do not reflect what we feel is the most important qualification of any candidate—does this person fear God and is he concerned about what is biblically and morally right for our country? While the economy is certainly a grave concern for all of us, Christians should be more concerned about social issues than economic ones. We do not feel comfortable voting for people that uphold abortion rights and/or support the homosexual agenda. These are very clearly against the teachings of scripture. This year is also somewhat unique in our history since we could have a member of a cult running for president. We simply do not have good choices, but this has been the case for many, many years.

Unfortunately, there are many compromises in politics and since politicians are more concerned about being elected than anything else, they will fudge their convictions for a few more votes. In my opinion, it has been a long, long time since we had someone that we could have full confidence in their honesty and integrity. However, should Bible believing Christians be distraught because of this? Should we overly concern ourselves with what government is doing? I believe it is the duty of Christians to vote with firm biblical convictions, but I am not overly concerned about who will become the next president.

1 Peter has a perspective on this. Consider the conditions of first century Christianity in the Roman Empire. At the time of the writing of 1 Peter, Nero was the emperor. There are few that could rival Nero for his despicable character, cruelty, and hatred of Christians. There was nothing moral or favorable towards the rapidly growing Christian community in his empire. Underneath Nero were many governors scattered throughout the provinces of Rome that imitated his licentious lifestyle. And yet knowing this and living through it, Peter encouraged Christians to submit themselves to their leaders. As long as those leaders did not require them to act against their faith and the commandments of God, Christians were to obey and do so cheerfully.

We do not find diatribes by Paul or Peter or the other apostles against Roman leaders. When Paul appeared before Felix and Festus, he was respectful to them even though he knew the wickedness of their hearts. There are many directions I could go in commenting on this, but I have space to address only one. The most important consideration for any Christian is not what human government does, but what God wants us to do as citizens of His kingdom. If we believe that God is our sovereign ruler, then we know that our government is not going to stop the advance of God’s kingdom. We haven’t even begun to see the wickedness that existed in the Roman Empire; we have never tasted the horrible persecution that Christians lived under in those times. And yet, the gospel thrived in that time; God’s kingdom made greater strides then than it has in any succeeding generation.

The cause of Christ is far better served by Christians demanding holiness and righteousness from the leaders of churches than the leaders of government. We are far better off being living testimonies of Christ rather than rabidly signing people up to picket, protest, and petition what is a godless government anyway. We will change the world with the gospel not government. We will do it the same way first century Christians did. Rome was brought to its knees and finally destroyed by the gospel, not by legislation.

So, remember this while you worry about who the next president will be. He has no effect—zip—nada—on the kingdom of God. Thank God for that!

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. (1 Peter 2:7-8)

In the month of May, it will be forty-three years since Pastor Harry Buerer came to Rohnert Park and planted a new church which is now known as the Berean Baptist Church. When this property was purchased, there was no housing development and the church was isolated in a cornfield. Over the years the neighborhood has grown up and now our church sits on the corner of one of the busiest intersections in the city. This makes our property highly visible which attracts visitors that are looking for a church.

We love to have visitors and we hope that each one feels welcome when they attend our services. We are aware, however, that Berean is different from what most people expect. The modern church has gone to an entertainment motif which appeals to the senses and makes the crowd feel comfortable with an atmosphere they are used to. The message of the church is “feel good” and responds to the felt needs of the people. The problem with this approach is that felt needs are rarely if ever congruent with the gospel of Christ. No one “feels” like the description the Bible gives of them. Scripture says that we are dead in trespasses and sins and we are the enemies of God. This message is offensive, and if the church is seeking to make people comfortable, it is best not to give a clear biblical presentation of the gospel which includes a call to believe what the Bible says about our vile condition and to repent of our sins and trust Christ.

It is interesting that the Bible does not call Jesus “the ticket to heaven.” He is not “J.C.” the guy that wants to make all your dreams come true. Rather, as 1 Peter says, He is ”a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence.” If you want to know the truth, He came to “rock” your world not to satisfy your desires for good karma and raise your self esteem. This causes people to stumble on Christ. He is the boulder they cannot climb over because He stands in the way of self satisfaction. Christ demands that we give up our natural desires and live lives in dedication to Him. To put it bluntly, He cares nothing at all about the plan you have for your life. Most people think a church that teaches this kind of doctrine deserves to be out in the middle of lonely cornfield. Get that kind of church as far away from us as you can!

After forty-three years, Berean Baptist is still dedicated to the same simple message of the gospel. The community has grown up and times have changed, but people are still the same and their condition before God is still the same. We will not hide the message to make people feel better because we do not want them happily headed towards hell.

Perhaps Berean is not what you thought it would be. We are simple in our approach because the gospel has simple requirements. Why should we obscure it in the smoke of entertainment? Why should we make it harder to hold on to than an image in a mirror? We want you to hear a clear message so that rather than stumbling on Christ you will believe. ”Unto you therefore which believe he is precious…”

Pastor V. Mark Smith