Snippet: Neutered in Christ?

snip·pet | ˈsnipit | noun a small piece or brief extract.

This one is in an article by Michael Jensen on current discussions regarding biblical manhood and womanhood:

“Key to this is Paul’s insight in Galatians 3:28, that in Christ there is no longer ‘male and female’. What he means is that [omitted]…. Certainly, we are not neutered ‘in Christ’….”

I’m setting aside what he thinks it means. I’m zeroing in on what he says it doesn’t mean. It doesn’t mean that we are neutered in Christ.

In Christian circles there’s a lot being written and said right now about the role of men and women in the church and home and about what constitutes masculinity and femininity from a biblical perspective. This is one of the current hot topics.

Galatians 3:28 is a very important passage in these conversations: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

The way I hear this verse bandied about in discussions, you would think that some people think this means we have been neutered in Christ. But virtually no one believes that, so no one should read that into what anyone is saying. Nor should anyone proceed to make arguments that seem to assume that is what Paul is saying.

If we can agree it doesn’t mean that, I think it’s an important point of agreement between the sides that needs to be said out loud.

But my guess is that most people on the differing sides of this issue haven’t asked and explored together what Galatians 3:28 actually does mean. The answer could lead to even more common ground and (hopefully) even more fruitful discussions.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Snippet: Some Parenting (and Life) Wisdom

snip·pet | ˈsnipit | noun a small piece or brief extract

This one’s from Emily Whitten’s review of a new Netflix horror film series on “The World and Everything in It” podcast.

“If you're a parent who can keep your teens from watching these films, do it. But let’s face it, millions of teens—including Christian teens—are going to see them. That means parents, grandparents, and pastors need to be willing to talk about their troubling themes. If we do that humbly and prayerfully, seeking to listen as well as instruct, we have nothing to fear. As the apostle John reminds us, ‘perfect love casts out all fear.’”

Sets a high bar for a parent but is realistic.

Calls for willingness to talk about tough stuff.

Encourages humble engagement that listens well.

And here’s a bonus snippet from this review:

“They also present extreme caricatures of Christians as judgemental and cruel. For instance, here’s how one mom sounds when she finds her daughter in a lesbian relationship:

“CLIP: I see what you really are, girl. An abomination.

“That’s pretty extreme. But before we hit back, I think it’s worth asking, are Christians doing all we can to live down this caricature? Too often, I see social media posts by folks who claim to be Christians that sound a lot like that caricature.”

This posture and perspective is part of the reason I appreciate the World New Group. It’s hard to maintain it, and they don’t always succeed, but neither do I.

Photo by Simon Wijers on Unsplash