I think that the first time that I actually realized how much the culture had changed as far as what was normal in dating relationships was when I had conversations with my friend in college who was a Hall Leader (RA) on the girl’s side of campus. She told me of announcements that had been made to the girls about how some of the girls had been taking pictures of themselves in their under-things to send over to the boy’s side of campus, and the effect it had on the boys and on those that developed the film.
There are many things in the Bible that we do not adhere to in today’s church. We do not teach them as commands. We don’t encourage people to follow them. We try to ignore that they are even in the Bible. And we do this because they are counter-cultural and inconvenient.
And this is part of the reasons that Christians aren’t taken seriously. I can’t tell you how many conversations I have gotten into with unbelievers that follow this basic order:
We’ve all sinned and the Bible defines sin.
The Old Testament says that you shouldn’t do XYZ.
You do XYZ.
Aren’t you sinning?
And then after trying to get out of that one, the real fun begins.
One of the things that Christians are supposed to be doing for one another is helping each other in their walks toward being like Christ. Since there is nothing new under the sun, one of the ways that this can be accomplished is by having those that have been there before training those that have not so that the young can benefit from the wisdom of the elder.
Teach Sound Doctrine
2:1 But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. 2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. 6 Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Titus 2:1-6 (ESV)
Both the older men and the older women are to be teachers of the younger– though usually the emphasis is placed on the older women (as a majority of this text deals with what things the older women are supposed to teach.
I think that the first time that I actually realized how much the culture had changed as far as what was normal in dating relationships was when I had conversations with my friend in college who was a Hall Leader (RA) on the girl’s side of campus. She told me of announcements that had been made to the girls about how some of the girls had been taking pictures of themselves in their under-things to send over to the boy’s side of campus, and the effect it had on the boys and on those that developed the film.
Comments from MInTheGap
