Reading: Beyond Family Values (The Video Slides)

Beyond Family Values
by David Feddes

Nice, normal sinners

• If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. (Luke 6:32-33)

• If you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? (Matt 5:46-47)

Hating family and life

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26-27)

Worse than unbelievers

Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother...”  But you say, 'If a man tells his father or his mother, "Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”' (that is, given to God)-- then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down.” (Mark 7:10-13)

If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (1 Timothy 5:8).

Hating family and life

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26-27)

• Nobody matters more than the General.

• Nothing matters more than the banquet.

Love and mercy like God's

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you... If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that... But love your enemies, do good to them... Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful (Luke 6:27-36).

Help your enemies

If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him. (Exodus 23:4-5)

Sensible self-interest

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12)

Husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it... let each one of you love his wife as himself. (Ephesians 5:28-33)

Suicidal stupidity

• "without natural affection” (2 Tim 3:3)

• Blind to the fact that their happiness depends on strong, stable relationships.

• Traditional values provide network for richer, more secure life, and enable our genes, ideas, and culture to live on after us.

• Extreme individualism follows immediate impulse and ruins relationships needed for a comfortable, happy life.

• Such individualism isn't just sinful; it is stupid, sick, and suicidal.

God's grace-based love

• Does God love only those who love him, help only those those who deserve it, and give only to those who will repay him?

• God is kind to the ungrateful and wicked (Luke 6:35). He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (Matt 5:45).

• God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us... while we were enemies (Romans 5:8,10).

Beyond pagan hospitality

When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous (Luke 14:12-14).

Values religion

• If you ask, "What's in it for me?” it makes sense to love those who love you, to follow traditional values, and be involved with a religion that helps maintain these things.

• If the family that prays together, stays together, you'll pray--to maintain family.

• If honesty is the best policy for business success, you'll be honest, and embrace religion that stresses honesty.

• Values religion is not the religion of Jesus.

Beyond family values

How are you different from pagans?

Deny yourself and carry your cross like your Savior.

 • Deny self in relating to God.

  • Deny self in relating to others

   • Finding true self

Love freely like your Father loves the evil and the helpless.