Throughout the spread of Christianity there has always been the dilemma of what to do with a culture’s pre-existing traditions.
Deacons were the first leadership team established in the early church and as such their importance should never be diminished. In Acts chapter six we read about the origins of Deacons, one of whom becomes Christianity’s first martyr. They were men of faith, full of the spirit, and some of them performed signs and wonders just like the apostles themselves. Their role was to serve the ministry needs of the body generally and as arbiter when conflict arose.
Due to some state governments’ permitting gay marriage, questions have been raised about the meaning of marriage. Is marriage a piece of paper granted by the state? Is the purpose of marriage to obtain tax and insurance benefits? Can the traditional definition of marriage be expanded to include same-sex couples?
If a man decides he wants to live his life separate from God, it means that he goes about his life without thinking about or recognizing God. He may still continue to experience the blessing of God’s presence in the world around him indirectly, but this is also left unrecognized and disbelieved.
