Scripture Focus: Revelation 2-3
“You have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” —1 Corinthians 6:20, NASB
“The female raunch culture of Girls Gone Wild, Sex & the City, Victoria’s Secret, and young women who dress for the office like they would for their honeymoon is a direct result of the ideology of third-wave feminism.” —Carolyn McCulley1
The dictionary defines raunchy as “smutty, indecent, lecherous.” Somehow this description doesn’t seem consistent with God’s beautiful and noble design for women. Pretending that the church has kept herself unspotted and pure in the midst of our soft-porn modern culture is to be naïve.
First Corinthians 6:20 presents a logical statement. It begins with the factual premise that “you have been bought with a price,” referring to the sacrificial atonement of Christ’s blood. Then it proceeds to the conclusion that because of what has occurred (our purchase), we should glorify our Purchaser (Christ) in our bodies. Simply put, God paid for you with His own blood—now live like it!
Does the church look like a pure, blood-bought bride? Or is she in bed with the raunch culture?
Consider this scene: Your teenage daughter is a picture of virginal beauty and wholesome purity. Then one day she decides that your rules are too oppressive. So she opts to venture out into the wild world of experience, running away from home and breaking your heart. News reaches you that she’s been abducted, taken to a foreign country, and sold into slavery. You cannot rest until you rescue her.
Reaching her destination, you discover that the local authorities fear the slave traders and are unwilling to help you. At great expense you hire a local gunman to plan your daughter’s escape. In spite of the extreme danger, you insist on accompanying him. As you both approach the building where you believe your daughter is being held against her will, there is an exchange of gunfire and you are struck down. Rapidly losing blood, you crawl to the doorway, where you can see your daughter’s profile. One captor lies dying, while the other escapes. As you fall across the threshold, with your last ounce of energy, you whisper your dying words to your daughter: “You’re free, honey. Quick—run away! I’ve paid for your way back home.”
Imagine how bizarre it would be for your daughter to respond with a yawn, “Home? Why would I want to do that? I love it here. I’m not going anywhere.”
God is on a “search and rescue” mission in this world. How have you responded to His initiative? He wants to use you to join Him in rescuing others’ lives!
Take Time to Reflect
Does this story offend your sensibilities? It should. Although such a scene can hardly be imagined, it is no more unthinkable than the thought of Christ’s Bride, the Church, being ambivalent toward His redeeming love. Although her deliverance has been made possible at great cost, she prefers to wallow in filth and remain in bondage to her lusts. Read Jesus’ addresses to the churches of Revelation 2-3. What stands out to you about Christ’s assessment of the condition of the church and about His prescription?
True Woman Prayer Focus
Like every other segment of society, the church has been affected by the lies and other strategies of Satan. Ask God to awaken the church to her condition and great need. Pray for revival in your own church and in the hundreds of churches that will be represented at True Woman ’08.
Thank God for a group of men who will be at the convention center to pray for the women throughout the weekend. Pray that God will bless and anoint their efforts and give them His mind as they pray.
1http://solofemininity.blogs.com/posts/comments_on_our_culture/ (April 9, 2008 blog entry)
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Comments
on Monday, September 15, 2008 at 9:27 am
on Monday, September 15, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Now there are no boundaries or safe guards and girls are left to making choices within a culture that spins deceptive messages. Sex has shifted from a holy part of marriage to acts of personal gratification.
As Christian women we need to reclaim God's view of sex and pass it on to the younger women.
Lord God, forgive us for going along with the culture. Help us become women that shine brightly with the gifts that you have given us. Thank-you for the way you have designed us.
on Monday, September 15, 2008 at 12:47 pm
on Monday, September 15, 2008 at 11:14 pm
I thank you that we can come before your throne to lift up this request that is fully in accord with your will and your plan. Please pour out your grace and Spirit on the women that are preparing to come to the conference.
Please give us the courage and stamina to make difficult choices that are necessary to accomplish your will.
Please give us discernment to recognize the enemy's lies, and determination to fully surrender to your truth.
Specifically, I want to lift up this request that Cindy has just expressed and ask that you grant her consistency in her walk with you, stability and depth in her understanding of your Word and your ways, and the fellowship of your Spirit that will direct her to walk in the steps that you have ordained for her.
Thank you for your mercies which are new every morning, for your abundant grace and for your faithful lovingkindness. If it were not for your grace, we would be consumed by our iniquities.
In Jesus name we make these requests.
on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 11:55 am