The Reformed Doctrine

ጋብቻ ክቡር መኝታውም ንጹህ ነውና ወሲብን በተመለከተ መጽሐፍ ቅዱሳዊ አቋም በመያዝ እግዚአብሔርን እንድናከብረው ጋብቻን ልንፈልግ ይገባናል። እስከ ጋብቻ ድረስ እግዚአብሔርን በመፍራት በንጽህና መቈየት ጋብቻን ማክበራችንን እንዲሁም የምናገባውን ሰው መውደዳችንን እና ታማኝነትን ያሳያል። ዛሬ ዛሬ ላይ ጎልቶ የሚታየው ሁሉም ዐይነት ወሲባዊ ልቅነት ወይም ወሲባዊ ኃጢአት መበራከት፥ በበርካታ ሰዎች ቅቡልነት ማግኘቱ እና በብዙዎች ዘንድ ቀለል ተደርጎ መታየቱ ጋብቻን ተራ ስርአት ብቻ ማስመሰሉ እሙን ነው። በዘመናችን ስለ ንጽሕና ማንሳት ነውር እና ሞኝነትም ተደርጎ ይታያል። ነገር ግን ሰዎች ቢቀበሉትም ባይቀበሉትም የእግዚአብሔር እውነት ሊታወጅ ይገባል፤ እኛም በጎቹ ድምጹን ይሰማሉና እርሱን በመስማት ደስ ልንሰኝ ይገባል (ዮሐ. ፲፡፳፯)። ❝፫ ይህ የእግዚአብሔር ፈቃድ እርሱም መቀደሳችሁ ነውና፤ ፬-፭ ከዝሙት እንድትርቁ፥ እግዚአብሔርን እንደማያውቁ አሕዛብ በፍትወት ምኞት አይደለም እንጂ፥ ከእናንተ እያንዳንዱ የራሱን ዕቃ በቅድስናና በክብር ያገኝ ዘንድ እንዲያውቅ፤ ፮ አስቀድመን ደግሞ እንዳልናችሁና እንደ መሰከርንላችሁ፥ ጌታ ስለዚህ ነገር ሁሉ የሚበቀል ነውና ማንም በዚህ ነገር አይተላለፍ ወንድሙንም አያታልል። ፯ ለርኵሰት ሳይሆን እግዚአብሔር በቅድስና ጠርቶናልና።❞ — ፩ኛ ተሰ. ፬፡፫-፯ እግዚአብሔር መልካም አምላክ ነው፤ እርሱ የሠራው ጋብቻም መልካም ነው። በክርስቲያኖች ዘንድም ማግባት የሚፈለግ እና የሚበረታታ አቋም ሆኖ ሊንጸባረቅ ይገባል። ኃጢአት ጊዜያዊ ደስታ ቢሰጥም ኃጢአት ሁልጊዜ መርዛማ እና አውዳሚ ነው። ኃጢአት ፍጻሜው ሞት ነውና ከዚህ ክፉ በሽታ እንራቅ። በኢየሱስ ጥላ ስር እንረፍ። ፬ኛ. ለመልካም አጋርነት ወይም ጓደኝነት (Good companion) ሚስት ረዳት ናት፤ ምቹ ረዳት። አዳም ብቻውን ይሆን ዘንድ መልካም ስላይደለ እግዚአብሔር ሔዋንን ሰራለት። ሰውን እግዚአብሔር የባረከው የመጀመሪያው በረከት ማኅበረሰብ ነበር፤ እናም ያ ማኅበረሰብ ጋብቻ ነበር። ያም ጋብቻ የተጣመረው በራሱ በእግዚአብሔር ነበር፥ በበረከቱም ተቀድሷል። ❝እግዚአብሔር አምላክም አለ። ሰው ብቻውን ይሆን ዘንድ መልካም አይደለም፤ የሚመቸውን ረዳት እንፍጠርለት።❞— ዘፍ. ፪፡፲፰ ገና ከመጀመሪያ እግዚአብሔር አብረው እንዲኖሩ እና እንዲደጋገፉ ጋብቻን ከፈጠረ እኛም ማግባትን አጥብቀን ልንሻ ይገባናል፤ እግዚአብሔር ያከበረውን መፈለግ ብልኅነት ነውና። ይህ ዐለም በረሃ ነው፤ ከዚህም የተነሳ እያንዳንዱ ሁኔታ በችግር እና መከራ የተወረረ ነው። ኢዮብ የሰው ሕይወት አጭር እና በመከራ የተሞላ እንደሆነ ተናግሯል፤ እንዲህ ሲል፤ ❝ከሴት የተወለደ ሰው፣ ዘመኑ ዐጭርና በመከራ የተሞላ ነው፤❞ — ኢዮ. ፲፬፡፩ ስለዚህ ፍስሀ ማለት ከችጋር ነጻ የኾነ ማለት ከኾነ፥ በምድር ሙሉ በሙሉ ደስተኛ ሊያደርግ የሚችል ሁኔታ የለም። ነገር ግን ጋብቻ በሚሰጠው አብሮ መኖር በሀዘን ጊዜ ድጋፍ የመስጠት የተለየ ጥቅም አለው። እግዚአብሔር ሁለቱን አንድ ላይ ያጣመረው በምድር ሳለን በእኛ ላይ ያለ ኢ ውሱን ወይም መጠን የሌለው መከራ አንዱ ለሌላው በሚያደርገው ማጽናኛ እና እርዳታ እንዲቀል ነው። ምንም እንኳ የሰዎች በኃጢአት መበከል ጋብቻንም ኾነ የትኛውንም የሕይወት ሁኔታ በወጥመድ እና መከራ የተሞላ እንዲሆን ቢያደርግም ጋብቻ ግን ገና ከመጀመሪያ እንዲህ አልነበረም። ጋብቻ ለጋራ መረዳዳት ነውና እግዚአብሔርን በማመስገን እና ለእርሱ እውቅና በመስጠት ልንቀበለው የተገባ ጥቅሞች አሉት። ያላገባ ሰው እንደ ባለትዳሮች አብሮ የሚኖር ስላልኾነ መስቀሉን የሚያጋራው ወይም የሚያካፍለው ሰው የለውም። መከራውን ኹሉ በልቡ እና በትከሻው ላይ ይሸከማል። ጠቢቡ ሰሎሞን በኅብረት መሆንን እንዲህ ገልጾታል። ❝፱ ድካማቸው መልካም ዋጋ አለውና አንድ ብቻ ከመሆን ሁለት መሆን ይሻላል። ፲ ቢወድቁ አንዱ ሁለተኛውን ያነሣዋልና፤ አንዱ ብቻውን ሆኖ በወደቀ ጊዜ ግን የሚያነሣው ሁለተኛ የለውምና ወዮለት። ፲፩ ሁለቱም በአንድነት ቢተኙ ይሞቃቸዋል፤ አንድ ብቻውን ግን እንዴት ይሞቀዋል? ፲፪ አንዱም አንዱን ቢያሸንፍ ሁለቱ በፊቱ ይቆማሉ፤ በሦስትም የተገመደ ገመድ ፈጥኖ አይበጠስም።❞ — መክ. ፬፡፱-፲፪ መቋጫ፤ ምንም እንኳ እውነት ቢመስልም ዐለም የምትለን ውሸት ነው። ዐለም አታላይ ናት። ዐለም ጋብቻን አራክሳ ወሲባዊ ኃጢአትን ዘመናዊነት አድርጋ ብታቀርብም የክርስቶስ ልብ ያላቸው ክርስቲያኖች የእግዚአብሔር ፈቃድ መቀደሳቸው ነውና ቅዱስ ጋብቻን ሊፈልጉ እና ሊያከብሩ ይገባቸዋል። =================== ክፍል ፪ =================== © ትዳር እስር ቤት ነውን?        ================== Join us @reformeddoctrine #Share_For_Others        ================== የሰውዬውን ንግግር የያዘ መስፈንጠሪያ በአስተያየት መስጫ ላይ ተቀምጧል።

ትዳር እስር ቤት ነውን? እዚሁ መንደር አንድ አጭር ተንቀሳቃሽ ምስል አየሁ። ከቃለ መጠይቅ ተቈርጦ የቀረበ ይመስላል። እናም ይህ ሰው የተናገራቸው ነገሮች ሲጨመቁ እንዲህ የሚል ዓረፍተ ነገር ይሰጣል፤ ❝ትዳር እስር ቤት ነው።❞ ይህ ሰው ክርስቲያን አይመስለኝም። ነገር ግን የእሱን ዐይነት አቋም የያዙ ክርስቲያኖች ጥቂቶች አይደሉምና እግዚአብሔር የሚያዘንን ለማስታወስም ጭምር ነው የዚህ ጽሁፍ ዐላማ። ጋብቻ እግዚአብሔር መልካም አድርጎ የሠራው ኅብረት ነውና እግዚአብሔር መልካም ነው ያለውን እኛ ልንቃወም አሊያም ጋብቻን የማያከብሩ ነገሮችን መናገር እና ማድረግ አያስፈልግም። እግዚአብሔር አምላክ ያከበረውን እኛም እናክብር። ትዳርን በሚያጣጥል እና ልቅነትን በሚያበረታታ እና በሚያስተዋውቅ ዘመን ላይ መኾናችን የጋብቻን ክቡርነትን አቃሎብናል። ጋብቻን የፈጠረው እግዚአብሔር ነው፤ ባለቤቱም እርሱ ነው። እግዚአብሔር የፈጠረው ነገር ኹሉ ደግሞ መልካም ነው። ቅዱሱ መጽሐፍም ይህን ይላል። ❝እግዚአብሔር የፈጠረው ሁሉ መልካም ነውና፥ ከምስጋናም ጋር ቢቀበሉት የሚጣል ምንም የለም፤❞— ፩ ጢሞ. ፬፡፬ እንግዲህ እግዚአብሔር ሁሉን ከፈጠረ እና የፈጠረውም ሁሉ መልካም ከሆነ ጋብቻም መልካም ነው። እግዚአብሔር መልካም ያደረገውን ነገር ማጣጣል፥ ወይም ክፉ መናገር ሞኝነት ነው። ከእኛ እጅግ የሚልቅ እና የሚጠበብ አምላክ መልካም ነው ያለውን ጋብቻ ሰዎች ሊያኮስሱት እና ሊያራክሱት አይገባም። ጋብቻን እግዚአብሔር ሲፈጥር ቢያንስ ለሚከተሉ ዓላማዎች ነው። ፩ኛ. ፈርሃ እግዚአብሔር ያለው ትውልድ እንዲቀጥል፥ እንዲበዛ ነው (Procreation)። ይህ ማለት ልጆችን ወልዶ ብዙዎች ሲሉ እንደሰማነው 'ልጅ በእድሉ ያድጋል' በማለት ልጆችን ችላ ብሎ መተው ሳይሆን ልጆች በአደራ የተሰጡ ሥጦታዎች እንደሆኑ በማወቅ ኃላፊነት ተሰምቶን ማሳደግ ማለት ሲሆን ይህም ልጆችን በተግሳጽ፥ የእግዚአብሔርን ቃል በማስተማር፥ የእግዚአብሔርን መንገድ በማሳየት፥ ለመንፈሳዊ፣ አካላዊ እና ሥነልቦናዊ ሕይወታቸው ተጠንቅቀን፥ እና አቅማችን በፈቀደ ሁሉ የምያስፈልጋቸውን በማድረግ ማሳደግን ያካትታል። ብዙ ለመሆን፥ ለመባዛት፥ እና በእግዚአብሔር መልክ እና ምሳሌ የተፈጠረን የሰው ዘር ለመተካት እንዲሁም ምድርን ለመሙላት እግዚአብሔር አዝዞአል። ዘር ወይም ልጆች ከእግዚአብሔር የሚሰጡ ናቸውና እርሱ እንደሚፈልግ ነብዩ ሚልኪያስ ተናግሯል። ❝እግዚአብሔር የሕይወትን መንፈስ አንድ አድርጎ ጠብቆልን የለምን? እርሱም የሚፈልገው ምንድር ነው? ዘር አይደለምን? ስለዚህ መንፈሳችሁን ጠብቁ፥ ማንም የልጅነት ሚስቱን አያታልል።❞ — ሚል. ፪፡፲፭ ፪ኛ. በክርስቶስ እና በቤተክርስቲያን መካከል ያለውን አንድነት ለማንጸባረቅ ወይም ለማሳየት ነው (Illustration)። ጋብቻን ስናስብ ዐለም በምትነግረን በተሳሳተ መንገድ ወይም ደግሞ ልታሳየን በምትሞክረው የተንሸዋረረ እይታ ሳይሆን የጋብቻ መስራች የሆነው እግዚአብሔር በሚገልጥልን በመጽሐፍ ቅዱስ በተጻፈልን እውነት ሊሆን ይገባል። እግዚአብሔር ቤተክርስቲያንን ስለወደደ ልያነጻት እና ከራሱ ጋር ልያስታርቅ አንድያ ልጁን ሰጥቷል። ኢየሱስ ለቤተክርስቲያን ሞቷል። የእርሱ ወገን ያልሆኑትን የእርሱ ወገን ሊያደርግ፥ ወዳጆቹ ያልሆኑትን ወዳጆቹ ሊያደርግ ነፍሱን ሰጥቷል። የኢየሱስ መስቀል ላይ ሞት የእግዚአብሔርን ቊጣ ብቻ ሳይሆን ላልተገባቸው ኃጢአተኞች እግዚአብሔር ፍቅሩን የገለጠበትም ነው። የኢየሱስ ሞት መሥዋዕታዊ ፍቅርን የሚያሳይ ነው። እንግዲህ ጋብቻ ይህንን በክርስቶስ እና በቤተክርስቲያን መካከል ያለውን ግንኙነት እንዲያንጸባርቅ ወይም እንድያሳይ ነው በእግዚአብሔር የተሰራው። እግዚአብሔር ሰዎችን ለማዳን እና ከተቤዣቸው አማኞች ጋር ያለውን ግንኙነት ለማሳት የሰራውን ሥራ እንድያመለክት የፈጠረውን ጋብቻ ልናኮስሰው አይገባም ። እውነተኛ ክርስቲያን ጋብቻን ሊወድ፥ ሊያከብር ይገባል እንጂ ሊያጣጥል አያስፈልግም። ጋብቻ በረከትም ነው። የትዳር አጋር ወይም የሚመችን ረዳት በመስጠት የሚባርክ እግዚአብሔር ነው። ገና በመጀመሪያው መጽሐፍ እግዚአብሔር እንዲህ ብሏል፤ ❝እግዚአብሔር አምላክም አለ። ሰው ብቻውን ይሆን ዘንድ መልካም አይደለም፤ የሚመቸውን ረዳት እንፍጠርለት።❞ — ዘፍ. ፪፡፲፰ እንዲሁም መጽሐፈ ምሳሌ ፲፰፡፳፪ ላይ ሚስት በረከት እንደሆነች ያስረዳናል። እንዲህ ይላል፤ ❝ሚስት ያገኘ በረከትን አገኘ፥ ከእግዚአብሔርም ሞገስን ይቀበላል።❞ እንግዲህ የእግዚአብሔር በረከት የሆነን ትዳር ከሚያንቋሽሹ፥ ከሚሳደቡ፥ እና ከሚጠሉ ሰዎች ራቁ። አዕምሮአችሁ ተበላሽቶ በክፉ ሀሳብ እንዳይያዝ ምን እንድትሰሙ ተጠበቁ፤ ማንን እንድትሰሙ እወቁ። ስለ ትዳር ለማወቅ ከሰዎች ምክር መጠየቅ ትክክል ነው። ነገር ግን የምታማክሯቸው ሰዎች አሊያም በፖድካስት ወይም በመጽሐፍም ቢሆን የምትከተሏቸው ሰዎች ማን እንደሆኑ ጠንቅቃችሁ እወቁ። ፈርሃ እግዚአብሔር ከሌላቸው ሰዎች፥ ለትዳራቸው ወይም ለእጮኛቸው ታማኝ ካልሆኑ፥ ሥርዓት አልበኝነትን ከሚያበረታቱ፥ ኃጢአትን ከሚያደፋፍሩ ወይም ኃጢአትን አቅልለው ከሚያዩ፥ ለቤታቸው እና ለልጆቻቸው ጨካኝ ከሆኑ ሰዎች ወይም በጋብቻቸው እግዚአብሔርን የሚያከብር ሕይወት ለመኖር ከማይተጉ ሰዎች ስለ ጋብቻ ምክርን አትቀበሉ። ፫ኛ. ወሲባዊ ታማኝነት (Sexual faithfulness) ወሲባዊ ፍላጎት (Sexual desire) በራሱ ኃጢአት አይደለም። እግዚአብሔር የሥርዓት አምላክ ነውና ወሲባዊ ፍላጎትን ለማጣጣም ወይም ለማርካት ጋብቻን አዘጋጅቷል። ስለዚህ ወሲብን ከጋብቻ አውድ ውጪ ማሰብ ወይም ከትዳር ውጪ የሚደረግ ማንኛውም ወሲባዊ ግንኙነት ኃጢአት ተብሎ ይጠራል። ይህን እውነት ሐዋርያው ጳውሎስ ለቆሮንቶስ ሰዎች በጻፈው አውድ ውስጥ ማየት እንችላለን። ❝፪ ነገር ግን ስለ ዝሙት ጠንቅ ለእያንዳንዱ ለራሱ ሚስት ትኑረው ለእያንዳንዲቱ ደግሞ ለራስዋ ባል ይኑራት። ፫ ባል ለሚስቱ የሚገባትን ያድርግላት፥ እንደዚሁም ደግሞ ሚስቲቱ ለባልዋ። ፬ ሚስት በገዛ ሥጋዋ ላይ ሥልጣን የላትም፥ ሥልጣን ለባልዋ ነው እንጂ፤ እንዲሁም ደግሞ ባል በገዛ ሥጋው ላይ ሥልጣን የለውም፥ ሥልጣን ለሚስቱ ነው እንጂ። ፭ ለጸሎት ትተጉ ዘንድ ተስማምታችሁ ለጊዜው ካልሆነ በቀር፥ እርስ በርሳችሁ አትከላከሉ፤ ራሳችሁን ስለ አለመግዛት ሰይጣን እንዳይፈታተናችሁ ደግሞ አብራችሁ ሁኑ። ፱ ነገር ግን በምኞት ከመቃጠል መጋባት ይሻላልና ራሳቸውን መግዛት ባይችሉ ያግቡ።❞ — ፩ኛ ቆሮ. ፯፡፪-፭፥፱ መጽሐፍ ቅዱስ ኃጢአትን እንዳናደርግ (፩ኛ ዮሐ. ፪፡፩)፥ ከኃጢአት ወይም ከክፉ እንድንርቅ (መዝ. ፴፯፡፳፯፣ ምሳ. ፫፡፯፣ ፲፮፡፮፣ ሮሜ ፲፪፡፱፣ ፩ኛ ተሰ. ፭፡፳፪፣ ፩ጴጥ. ፫፡፲፩፣ ወዘተ ይመ.) ያስተምረናል። ከጋብቻ ዐላማዎች አንዱ ከወሲባዊ ኃጢአቶች ለመጠበቅ ነው። ስለዚህ ወሲባዊ ፍላጎት ያለው ሰው ሁሉ ወሲባዊ ፍላጎትን እግዚአብሔር ባልፈቃዳቸው መንገዶች ለማርካት ከመፈለግ ይልቅ እግዚአብሔርን በመታዘዝ በቅድስና ለመኖር ጋብቻን ሊፈልግ ይገባል። እግዚአብሔር በጋብቻ ውስጥ ካስቀመጣቸው በረከቶች አንዱ ይኸው ነው። ይህ እውነት በመጽሐፈ ምሳሌ እንዲህ ተቀምጧል። ❝፲፰ ምንጭህ ቡሩክ ይሁን፤ ከጕብዝናህም ሚስት ጋር ደስ ይበልህ። ፲፱ እንደ ተወደደች ዋላ እንደ ተዋበችም ሚዳቋ፥ ጡትዋ ሁልጊዜ ታርካህ፥ በፍቅርዋም ሁልጊዜ ጥገብ።❞ — ምሳ. ፭፡፲፰-፲፱ ክፍል-፩ Join us @reformeddoctrine #Share

ትዳር እስር ቤት ነውን? በሚል ርዕስ የትዳር ዐላማዎችን የምትዳስስ አጭር ጽሁፍ የምንለቅ ይሆናል። ይከታተላሉን። =========== Join us @reformeddoctrine #Share_For_Others

❝¹⁵ የሰው ሕይወት በገንዘቡ ብዛት አይደለምና ተጠንቀቁ፥ ከመጐምጀትም ሁሉ ተጠበቁ አላቸው።❞ — ሉቃ. 12:15       ========== Join us @reformeddoctrine #Share_For_Others

🎤🎤 A New path to Theological Liberalism? 👉 Wayne A. Grudem on Evangelical Feminism ================= Join us @reformeddoctrine #Share_For_Others

Repent. Believe. Come to Christ. There is forgiveness at the cross. There is cleansing in His blood. There is no sin so great that the crucified and risen Christ is insufficient to save those who come to Him in faith. Soli Deo Gloria. ======================= © Simul Justus et peccator ======================= Join us @reformeddoctrine #Share

Perhaps you believed you had no other option. Perhaps you now deeply regret what happened. Whatever your circumstances were, do not run away from Christ. Run to Christ. The Christian doctrine of sin is serious because sin is serious. But the Christian doctrine of grace is greater still. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” —1 John 1:9 Notice the breadth of that promise: all unrighteousness. Not merely respectable sins. Not merely sins committed before conversion. Not merely sins that we consider socially acceptable. Christ saves sinners. 8. Your abortion does not place you beyond God’s forgiveness Some people believe that certain sins are simply too terrible for God to forgive. But that is to underestimate the sufficiency of Christ’s atonement. Paul writes: “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” —1 Corinthians 6:11 The Christian gospel is not: “Make yourself clean, and then come to Christ.” It is: “Come to Christ, and He will cleanse you.” Jesus Christ died for sinners. He bore the guilt of His people. He suffered in the place of those who deserved judgment. He rose again. Therefore, the person who comes to Christ in genuine repentance does not find an angry Savior unwilling to forgive. He finds a Savior who is sufficient to save. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” —Romans 8:1 That does not mean abortion was insignificant. It means Christ is greater than your sin. 9. Repentance is not despair Biblical repentance means turning from sin and turning toward God. If you have participated in an abortion and now recognize it as sin, do not merely torture yourself with guilt. Confess it to God. Turn from it. Trust Christ. Receive His mercy. And where appropriate, seek the loving pastoral care of mature Christians who will neither minimize your sin nor crush you beneath it. There is a difference between godly sorrow and despair. Paul writes: “Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret.” —2 Corinthians 7:10 Satan would gladly use your past sin to convince you that you are hopeless. Christ calls sinners to Himself. Do not make your guilt greater than Christ’s grace. 10. To the church: speak truth and show mercy The church must reject two opposite errors. The first is moral indifference: “Abortion doesn’t matter.” That contradicts the biblical seriousness of human life. The second is merciless condemnation: “You committed abortion, therefore you are beyond hope.” That contradicts the gospel. The church must say both: Abortion is a grave sin against God and against innocent human life. And: Christ receives repentant sinners and freely forgives those who trust in Him. We should be uncompromising about truth and overflowing with compassion. Jesus was “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). That must characterize His people as well. A final appeal If you have never had an abortion, do not congratulate yourself as though you have no need of grace. You are a sinner saved only by Christ. If you have had an abortion, do not believe that your sin is too great for Christ. Come to Him. If you are grieving the child you lost, bring your grief before the Lord. If you are carrying shame, bring your shame to Christ. If you are afraid to confess your sin, remember that Christ already knows it. If you are wondering whether God can forgive you, look not at the greatness of your sin but at the sufficiency of your Savior. “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” —Isaiah 1:18 The Christian hope is not that we have never sinned. The Christian hope is that Jesus Christ saves sinners. Therefore, let us defend the unborn, support vulnerable mothers, speak truth without hatred, and proclaim the gospel without reservation. And to everyone burdened by past sin: === Part 3 ====

Scholarly work in bioethics likewise recognizes that embryos are treated as objects of significant moral consideration even in legal and ethical systems that reject full legal personhood. The Christian adds something further: human beings have moral worth because they are God’s creatures made in His image. 4. Exodus 21 does not provide a justification for abortion Some argue that Exodus 21:22–25 permits abortion because the passage discusses a pregnant woman being injured and suffering a premature birth. But the passage is considerably more complicated than that argument suggests. The Hebrew term ’ason means “harm,” and the passage has been interpreted in several ways within biblical scholarship. A contemporary scholarly treatment argues that the passage should not be read as establishing a lower moral status for the unborn child; on one major interpretation, injury to the child is treated within the same framework of proportional justice as injury to another human being. Consequently, Exodus 21 cannot responsibly be used as a simplistic biblical authorization for elective abortion. 5. The earliest Christians explicitly rejected abortion The historical evidence is especially significant because the earliest Christian writers outside the New Testament did not treat abortion as morally neutral. The Didache, an early Christian teaching document generally dated to the late first or early second century, places abortion within its prohibition of murder. Likewise, the Epistle of Barnabas contains an explicit prohibition against procuring abortion. These writings are not Scripture and therefore do not establish doctrine in the same manner as the Bible. Nevertheless, they provide important historical evidence concerning how early Christians understood the moral implications of abortion. Scholar Michael J. Gorman notes that the Didache and Epistle of Barnabas contain the earliest specific Christian references to abortion and locate their teaching within the Christian “Two Ways” tradition of life and death. Christian opposition to abortion therefore was not invented by modern political movements. It reaches back into the earliest centuries of Christian moral instruction. Modern scholarship in Christian Bioethics likewise recognizes that Christian moralists, both Catholic and Protestant, have developed philosophical and theological arguments against abortion and its acceptance in medicine and law. 6. Abortion is not made morally acceptable by difficult circumstances This does not mean that Christians should pretend that pregnancies occur under simple circumstances. Pregnancy can involve poverty, abandonment, fear, abuse, disability, medical complications, rape, family pressure, and tremendous emotional distress. Christians must not respond to suffering with simplistic condemnation. We should surround women in difficult pregnancies with tangible love: financial assistance, friendship, housing, medical care, adoption support, childcare, counseling, and the fellowship of the church. Yet compassion does not require us to redefine good and evil. A difficult circumstance does not transform the unborn child into something other than a human being. We must therefore defend both: the dignity of the unborn child and the dignity of the mother. Christian pro-life ethics should never mean merely opposing abortion. It should mean becoming the kind of people who are willing to bear burdens with vulnerable mothers and fathers. “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” —Galatians 6:2 7. But what about those who have already had an abortion? This is where the gospel becomes especially important. If you have had an abortion, I am not writing this article to tell you that you are beyond the reach of God’s mercy. Perhaps you have carried the memory for years. Perhaps nobody knows. Perhaps you have never told your husband, your family, or your closest friend. Perhaps you were frightened. Perhaps someone pressured you. Perhaps you were abandoned. Perhaps you were deceived. Part 2 @reformeddoctrine

Abortion and the Sanctity of Human Life: A Christian Call to Protect the Unborn and to Flee to Christ Abortion is one of the most painful and morally serious questions confronting our generation. Christians must speak about it neither with political slogans nor with hatred toward those who disagree, but with the authority of God’s Word, the dignity of human life, and the compassion of the gospel. The Christian position is that the deliberate killing of an innocent human being is morally wrong, and that the unborn child is a human being whom God has created and knows. Therefore, elective abortion—the intentional destruction of an unborn human life—is a grave sin. But this truth must be proclaimed alongside another truth: there is forgiveness in Jesus Christ for sinners who repent and believe. The gospel is not merely for people who have never sinned. The gospel is precisely for sinners. 1. Human life belongs to God The foundation of Christian opposition to abortion is not merely emotion. It is the doctrine of creation. “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” —Genesis 1:27 Human beings possess extraordinary dignity because we bear God’s image. That dignity does not depend upon intelligence, independence, consciousness, size, age, location, or stage of development. If human worth depended upon these qualities, the weakest members of society would possess the least value. Scripture instead teaches that human life belongs to God. David declares: “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” —Psalm 139:13 And again: “My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret.” —Psalm 139:15 The unborn child is not outside God’s providence. The womb is not a place where God’s sovereignty ceases. The child developing there is already under the Creator’s knowledge and care. Psalm 139 does not function as a modern biology textbook, but it does establish an important theological truth: God’s creative work encompasses human existence in the womb. 2. Scripture recognizes the unborn child as a living human being The Bible repeatedly speaks about children in the womb in personal and relational terms. Consider the account of John the Baptist: “When Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb.” —Luke 1:41 The unborn John is described as a baby who responds to the presence of Christ. Even more strikingly, God tells Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.” —Jeremiah 1:5 Jeremiah’s prophetic calling is unique and should not be turned into a universal claim that every unborn child has the same vocational calling. Nevertheless, the passage clearly demonstrates that God’s relationship to a human person is not limited to the period after birth. The biblical worldview therefore does not treat the womb as morally insignificant territory. 3. The commandment against murder applies to innocent human life God commands: “You shall not murder.” —Exodus 20:13 The command does not say, “You shall not murder those who are wanted.” It does not say, “You shall not murder those who are independent.” It does not say, “You shall not murder those who have reached a certain developmental stage.” The prohibition concerns the unjust killing of innocent human beings. This is why the question of abortion ultimately comes down to a fundamental question: What is the unborn child? If the unborn child is merely non-human tissue, abortion cannot be compared morally with killing a human being. But if the unborn child is a living human being, intentionally killing that child becomes a profoundly serious moral matter. Modern embryology does not erase this question. Indeed, contemporary scientific discussion recognizes that the embryo is a distinct developing human organism, even though science by itself cannot settle every philosophical question concerning moral status. =========== Part 1 =========== Join us @reformeddoctrine #Share_For_Others

❝Abortion is a grave sin against God and against innocent human life.❞      =============== Join us @reformeddoctrine #Share_For_Others

📖 Practical Discourses By Thomas Boston Practical Discourses brings together fifteen substantial sermons by Thomas Boston on subjects of abiding importance to the Christian faith and life. With his characteristic combination of doctrinal precision, pastoral warmth, and spiritual urgency, Boston addresses the gospel call, Christ as the Savior of the world, the necessity of self-denial, the old and new man in believers, perseverance in prayer, repentance, sanctification, spiritual warfare, and the strength of Christ displayed in the weakness of His people. He also warns against delaying repentance, abusing God’s patience, and maintaining an outward profession of religion without a life of corresponding obedience. Closely grounded in Scripture, these sermons demonstrate Boston’s remarkable ability to open a biblical text, draw out its doctrinal substance, and press its truth upon the consciences of his hearers. ======++++====== Join us @reformeddoctrine #Share_For_Others

📖 Five Points Towards A Deeper Experience of God's Grace ✍️ By John Piper ================= Join us @reformeddoctrine #Share_For_Others

This is what happens when marriage is reduced to a contract of self-interest rather than a covenant before God. Money is a blessing, but it was never designed to be the foundation of love. If wealth is the prerequisite for “true love,” then love has become another commodity to be bought and sold. Scripture teaches something radically different: “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised” (Proverbs 31:30). The same principle applies to men. The greatest qualification for a spouse is not a six-figure salary but a heart that fears Christ. From a Christian perspective, marriage exists for the glory of God, mutual sanctification, and the raising of a godly offspring—not the pursuit of financial status. Wealth can disappear overnight, but a Christ-centered marriage endures because its foundation is not Mammon but the Lord Jesus Christ. The question is not, “How much do they make?” but, “Do they know and love Christ?” Everything else is secondary. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33), and let material possessions remain servants, never masters. ============================= © Simul Justus et Peccator ============================= Join us @reformeddoctrine #Share_For_Others

This is what happens when marriage is reduced to a contract of self-interest rather than a covenant before God. Money is a blessing, but it was never designed to be the foundation of love. If wealth is the prerequisite for “true love,” then love has become another commodity to be bought and sold. =========== Join us @reformeddoctrine #Share_For_Others

ይህ በርካታ የመጽሐፍ ቅዱስ ትርጒሞችን የያዘ ቆንጆ የመጽሐፍ ቅዱስ መተግበሪያ ነው። ይጠቀሙ። ================== Join us @reformeddoctrine #Share_For_Others

ክብር ይሁን ለኢየሱስ የቀራንዮ ፍቅር አድኖኛል ሞቱ ትንሳኤው ሕይወት ሰጥቶኛል ኲነኔ በእኔ ላይ የለም ነጻ ወጣሁ ለዘላለም ጌታ አዳኝ ነው ሰው ሁሉ ይስማ ፍቅሩ ያድናል ከሞት ጨለማ ሞቱ ያድናል ከሞት ጨለማ በራልኝ በራልኝ የእግዚአብሔር ብርሃን በራልኝ በራልኝ የወንጌል ብርሃን በራልኝ በራልኝ የእግዚአብሔር ብርሃን በራልኝ በራልኝ የቃሉ ብርሃን የአምላክ ፍቅር በልቤ ፈሶ ጸጋው በእምነት ነፍሴን አድኖ ከጨለማ ነጥቆ አውጥቶኛል አስደናቂ ምህረቱን ገልጦ ክብር ይሁን ለመድኃኒቴ በብርሃን መንገድ የመራኝ ስሙ ይድመቅልኝ ይንገሥ ለዘላለም በሰማይ በምድር ኧረ እንደ እርሱ የለም ክብር ይሁን ለኢየሱስ የቀራንዮ ፍቅር አድኖኛል ሞቱ ትንሳኤው ሕይወት ሰጥቶኛል ኲነኔ በእኔ ላይ የለም ነጻ ወጣሁ ለዘላለም ጌታ አዳኝ ነው ሰው ሁሉ ይስማ ፍቅሩ ያድናል ከሞት ጨለማ ሞቱ ያድናል ከሞት ጨለማ አዳነኝ አዳነኝ እግዚአብሔር ይመስገን አዳነኝ አዳነኝ ጌታዬ ይመስገን አዳነኝ አዳነኝ እግዚአብሔር ይመስገን አዳነኝ አዳነኝ ጌታዬ ይመስገን በመረቀው በሕይወት መንገድ እንድራመድ በድል ጎዳና የመረጠኝ በምህረቱ የተቤዤኝ ጌታ ነውና ላመስግነው ባማረ ዜማ ልቀኝለት ለአምላክነቱ ውዳሴ በረከት ይቅረብለት ፊቱ ሁልጊዜ በደስታ ልዘምር በቤቱ         =========== Join us @reformeddoctrine #Share_For_Others

Love marriage. Don't speak bad things about marriage, because marriage was designed and made by God, and God said it is good. Don't be against God. Don't lower what God has honored. Whatever bad things this fallen world says, marriage is good, and we should value it. Every Christian must pursue marriage. Whatever sacrifice should be made for a godly marriage is worth it. ============== #LoveMarriage #GodlyMarriage #PursueGodlyMarriage #BiblicalMarriage #ChristianMarriage #MarriageIsGood #CovenantMarriage #ChristCenteredMarriage ============= Join us @reformeddoctrine #Share_For_Others

🎤🎤 Love & Marriage 🎤🎤 👉 The Better Half            Part - 4       ----------------- By Voddie Baucham Jr.       ----------------- Join us @reformeddoctrine #Share_For_Others