Josh wrote:Gothard had taught, amongst other things, that men with beards are rebellious, girls should artificially curl / perm their hair, and should wear makeup if their father likes it.
I will gladly tell any person, Christian or not, that those teachings are wrong, are not from the Bible, and that following Jesus is very different from strict authoritarian thinking.
Again you don't understand...
Those are
applications that are off. And anyone could turn around and look at many Mennonite churches and say just what you said - that some of their teachings are not from the bible...
Take a look at this in my devotional study I wrote almost a year ago after reading Gothard's definition for deference or non-resistance and his thoughts from Matthew 5:38-42, that after I sent it to a Conservative Mennonite minister, he replied back thanking me for it and said he enjoyed it:
Week 9:
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.” Matthew 5:38-42
Deference is high respect to another, it is a form of submission, of yielding, of not retaliating, of not resisting; as long as it is not outside God’s direction for us.
Deference is esteeming others higher than ourselves.
Since Christ said about not resisting evil; application of deference in these scriptures is towards those who have actually wronged you. Giving of yourself even when wrongfully obligated is only the first mile. It is when there is little left to give, when exhaustion has taken its course, when the loss hurts deeply, that we can through Christ offer more to the spiritual welfare of those not reciprocating that self denying love. “Love continues where obligation ends.”
Deference is letting go of my opinions, my understanding, my feelings, my heritage, my experiences - to benefit the spiritual growth and life of all others.
This scripture actually goes further than deference, as it is about: non-resistance. Jesus’ call is not to be passive so to avoid conflict, but to be active in peacefully serving those who are not peaceful. Being non-resistant is no debate against what the governments and people of the world are doing and going to do; it is a command from our Lord what a Christian will and will not do! Vengeance is His alone.
“Rather than focusing on personal retaliation for wrongs done, we are to concentrate on demonstrating God’s love to offenders.”
The challenge for me: Do I go the first mile and think I have fulfilled my obligations as a Christian or do I realize that I am only half-way?
Do I give up on others and their spiritual welfare because I am tired or hurt?
Jesus Christ did not revile when he was reviled, and had no desire to defend Himself. As He was suffering and dying He ask God to forgive them. He could have brought many angels and shed much justified blood but yet instead He left us an incredible example and made a way for us. This is deference, this is love, this is self-denial, this is non-resistance - as Jesus taught it!
This is the way some of his stuff inspires me - just remember I am selective with them - as it is more of early stuff we have kept and thrown out most all the rest.
The new CLP Sunday school quarterly started today with the children is about Moses. Look at him - he was well learned with the knowledge of Egypt. How did he use that knowledge? And remember the children of Israel rejected him for most all his life...
Again, how
you perceive and use that knowledge is something
you will have to give account for and you will
not be giving an account for the person(s) that gave it to you.
Moses had more than enough excuses or blame to pass on with use of the knowledge he learned in Egypt to live a "good life" in Egypt or not go back...