Praying Scripture
Posted on November 26, 2015 Leave a Comment
Every Christian experiences their prayer life going dull at one point or another. It simply is not an easy thing to do an activity on a daily basis without falling into bad habits. In particular, many Christians find themselves repeating the same things over and over when they pray. Usually without even realizing or intending it, believers fall into the trap of praying for a very narrow scope of issues, many of which are much higher on our own priority list compared to that of God’s.
How can we guard against this? One simple way to is to use a technique that Christians have used for centuries, known simply as praying Scripture. To pray Scripture simply means that you either use the exact words of a specific passage in the Bible and pray those words to God, or use the basic theme of a passage and pray on that given subject. Either way, the point is to let the Bible shape our prayer lives – what we pray for and how we pray it – rather than leaving it up to our own random thoughts.
Why Pray Scripture?
As I see it, praying Scripture has several benefits.
- It helps us commit Scripture to memory
- It helps us to connect the Bible to everyday life
- It develops a two-way time of prayer with God
- It keeps our prayers from becoming boring/mundane
- It keeps us from praying for only things that we care about
In other words, it’s a great habit to adopt!
The Three R’s of Praying Scripture
Kevin DeYoung suggests using the three R’s when it comes to praying Scripture. The three R’s are:
- Rejoice. If the passage declares a powerful truth about God, we can praise him and thank him for it.
- Repent. If the passage gives a moral command, we can confess our failure to live up to it and resolve to change.
- Request. We can ask that God give us what the passage demands of us (ex. greater faith, courage, etc.), or simply ask for something that is a godly desire.
You can use at least one of the three R’s to shape how you pray over any passage of Scripture in the Bible. In fact, with some passages you can pray using all three!
An Example
Let’s say we are using Psalm 51:10-12 as our portion of Scripture that will guide our prayers. The passage says:
[10] Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. [11] Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. [12] Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
There is a lot here that can spark a very meaningful time of prayer. In fact, you could literally just read this word for word as a prayer! Or, you could use it more generally to shape how you pray. For instance…
Rejoice: Thank you Lord for your presence, and the Holy Spirit you have given to me. It is so comforting to know that you will never leave me, and that no matter what I face, you are there to help. I thank you for the gift of salvation, which I know I don’t deserve. You are worthy of praise!
Repent: God, I confess that my heart has grown dull to you. I know that you love me enough to have died for me, yet I do not honour you as I should. I no longer feel the excitement and joy that I once did at the thought of your grace. I know that my heart is still drawn towards sin, and I’m not living as I ought to. I am sorry for that; please forgive me.
Request: Please help me to know that you are with me! I ask Lord that I would be able to trust the promise of your presence. My emotions and the craziness of life sometimes get the better of me. Help me to stay rooted in truth. Please give me the power to overcome my sinful desires and draw closer to you. And would you give me a fresh sense of joy at knowing I am forgiven and adopted into you family.
Do you see what happened there? It is simply a matter of letting the content of Scripture shape what you pray for and how you pray it. When we apply this basic principle to our walk with God, inevitably we will find our prayer lives revitalized. We will discover that the scope of topics we pray about grows wider, and that the things that typically consume our prayers are perhaps not the things that ought to. When we allow the Bible to direct our time with God, we will begin to pray for the things that he values the most instead of what we value the most. And, over time, we likely will begin to adopt those values as more personally precious to ourselves.
If we were to be honest, most of us pray more for our own personal comfort than our own personal holiness. We pray that God would answer our prayers in a timely manner instead of asking for the patience to wait for his timing. We pray for safety rather than courage. We pray that our children would grow up to be successful instead of grow up to serve God…even if it means as a missionary in a dangerous environment. We pray for our spouse to change rather than ourselves to change. We rarely pray for humility, for a broken heart over our sin, or for meekness. Yet these are all things that God values according to his Word!
A Challenge
My friends, let’s not separate our Bible reading from our prayer time. Instead, let’s bring these two disciplines together and create the kind of fellowship with God that is truly biblical and blessed. Aim to read your Bible every day and to let it have an effect on your time in prayer. In doing so I am absolutely convinced you will become a healthier Christian, and a more joyful one at that.
Choose Your Battles Wisely
Posted on November 10, 2015 Leave a Comment
Last Thursday I spent time with some students at a local high school as part of the ISCF club, a faith-based lunchtime program I’ve helped run there for years. We often have a short devotional, and on that day I shared how Christians need to avoid two extremes: being contentious about everything and being indifferent about everything. Jude 1:3 was my text (italics mine):
Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
There is a sense in which Christians need to stand up for the truth, and times when it is necessary to do so. Part of the challenge of being a faithful follower of Christ is discerning which battles to fight and which to pass over. It’s not easy, but we must do it to the best of our abilities.
Little did I know a perfect example of this was just around the corner.
Coffee Cups and Christ Haters
As you probably have heard by now, Starbucks has released its version of this year’s Christmas themed coffee cup: a sleek but plain design that is simply red. Unlike other years, this design contains no snowflakes, snowmen, or any other winter imagery. Nope, just red.
Shockingly, some Christians have taken this to be an assault on Christmas, as this video demonstrates. The charge is that Starbucks is trying to take Christ out of Christmas, and therefore believers should either boycott the store or do such childish things as tell the barista your name is “Merry Christmas” so that they will write it on the cup.
Wow. What are we in, like grade 3 here?
After hearing about this I took a day to think it over before saying anything about it. I figured I shouldn’t be too hasty in my reaction. There are perhaps hundreds of responses to this video already floating around the internet, and I don’t think I’ll say much of anything new. But for what it’s worth, here are a few thoughts floating around in my brain.
- Starbucks is not a Christian company. Why would we expect them to view Christmas the way Christians do?
- Starbucks serves coffee. No one goes there to grow in the Lord. They go to get coffee.
- What exactly are we accomplishing by getting them to write “Merry Christmas” on the cup? Do we think we are going to win even a single person to Christ this way?
- The previous Christmas cup designs weren’t explicitly Christian either. Just things like snowflakes. It’s not as if they removed a manger scene or something.
- My guess is that the fella who made the video will eventually come to think it was a bad idea.
- Why the heck am I spending time even thinking about this?
In Conclusion
The sooner this whole thing blows over, the better. It’s stupid and pointless and is distracting us from the things that really matter. As Christians, we have battles worth fighting. We have a mission from our Lord Jesus to be actively engaged with. And this whole thing is nothing but a distraction from it.
With that in mind, I’ll go back to planning our Bible study for Junior High youth group tonight. We’ll have about a dozen kids coming to learn about God’s holiness, and what that means for them. Why don’t you take 15 seconds to pray that God would move in power in these young people’s lives? At least then this article won’t have been an entire waste of time.
For God So Loved Canada That He Gave Us _________, That Whosever Votes For Him…
Posted on October 19, 2015 Leave a Comment
Today is Election Day in Canada.
For the record, I think people should go out and vote. Voting is a privilege that not everyone has, and we should not take it for granted. I think people should also get to know about the candidates and parties and cast an informed ballot. Weigh the info and carefully decide what you think the best choice is, and then vote according to your convictions. Your voice matters, and your vote counts.
Yes, I think that is good.
But at the same time, I’d like to remind us all (or at the very least my fellow believers) that our hope does not rest in a political candidate. It does not reside in a policy or platform. Our hope does not come from man. Rather, it comes from a source much more reliable. Our hope comes from Christ.
I may be wrong, but as I see it, Canadians in general are putting their hope in the wrong place. The longing for change, for a better tomorrow, for justice and equality and all that, does not come from any political structure. Political structures are from man, and man is hopelessly sinful. We need help from the outside.
True hope for change comes from knowing that Jesus is Lord, that he reigns over all, that he is the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Prime Minister of prime ministers. Please, care far more if Jesus is in the hearts of Canadians than if your favourite candidate is in office.
For what it’s worth, just keep that in mind.
If you’re with me, here’s 4 practical things you can do to live out this belief:
- Pray and cast an informed vote.
- Commit to praying for whoever wins the election. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)
- Don’t freak out if the “wrong” person gets voted in, knowing that ultimately God is in control of it. (Romans 13:1)
- Evangelize for Christ more than for your political viewpoint.
Why God Won’t Answer Your Prayers
Posted on October 17, 2015 Leave a Comment
All Christians struggle at one point or another with feeling like their prayer life is ineffective. I certainly know I have! There are seasons when it feels like my prayers are bouncing off the ceiling and going nowhere, or that they are simply falling on deaf ears. The Bible has a lot to say about prayer, how it works, and why it sometimes doesn’t. Thus, there is more than one place in Scripture that speaks about why prayers aren’t answered, but I’d like to examine just one prominent example.
You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. (James 4:3)
One main reason why God won’t answer our prayers is because we simply are not praying the right way. Or, as James put it, we “ask wrongly”. This “asking wrongly” does not refer to the words we use when we pray, as if using the right combination of phrases somehow unlocks the power of prayer (though many people think that praying wrongly is a matter of language). Instead, the “wrong” way of praying that James is referring to is not the words we use but rather the motive of our heart.
What’s Your Motive?
James explains that asking wrongly means we ask in order “to spend it on your passions”. The reason we come to God and ask for something is being driven by selfish and unholy intentions. The problem with our prayer is that our motive is defective. In other words, the reason that God refuses to answer our prayer is that our heart is not in the right place.
It makes sense, when you think about it. If our prayers are driven by selfish desires, and God answers that prayer, he would only be rewarding our poor intentions. He essentially would be affirming our sin. So rather than grant us our wishes, God rejects our prayer. He does this out of love, in hopes that we will have a change of heart and not be further rooted in our sinful desires.
Notice that James does not seem to say that we are asking for the wrong things, but only in the wrong way. Isn’t that interesting? Two different people could be asking God for the same thing and get completely different results. Perhaps two individuals ask God for an increase in money. God might grant one their prayer but not the other. Why? Because one person wants to be more generous, while the other wants to spend it on themselves. In other words, the request is the same but the motive is different. God looks not just at the request, but also the intent of the heart.
Examine Yourself
If you are finding your prayer life ineffective, one thing you should ask yourself is, Are my motives wrong in praying this prayer? It could very well be that you are asking for something that is quite acceptable, but doing it in a way that is quite unacceptable. The problem is your heart. James said that God says “no” to prayers that are driven by selfishness, in order to be spent on your passions. And, just to clarify, by “passions” he is referring to worldly desires, as demonstrated by the next verse.
You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
In short, God does not answer the prayers of worldly Christians. Worldliness is when our desires line up more with our sinful nature than with our new nature. It means we care more about the things of this world than the things of God. Friend, is that where your heart is at today? If so, it would explain the powerlessness in your prayer life.
It’s not wrong to ask for money, but it is wrong to be greedy.
It is not wrong to ask for love, but it is wrong to replace God’s love with a romance.
It is not wrong to ask for health, but it is wrong to love health more than Christ.
It is not wrong to ask for success, but it is wrong if you simply want to be admired by others.
It is not wrong to ask for safety, but it is wrong if you are only after a life of comfort.
What Does It Mean to Be Blessed?
So often we pray for God’s blessing, without remembering what it really means to be blessed. We tend to think of God’s blessing only in terms of material success, but the reality is that true blessing comes in the form of spiritual success. Consider how Jesus defined the blessed life in Matthew 5.
[3] “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[4] “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
[5] “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
[6] “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
[7] “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
[8] “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
[9] “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
[10] “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[11] “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. [12] Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
If we were to pray for God to bless us, using the definition of blessing laid out by Jesus in the beatitudes, our prayer life would probably look a lot different! Not only that, but it would also be much more effective. The beatitudes gives us a wonderful example of the kind of heart-condition we ought to have when we pray. We would be wise to pay attention to it!
Make Your Heart Right Before God
I propose a reordering of our priorities that spills over into our prayer lives. Rather than praying in ways that are only of benefit in a worldly sense, let us begin to pray in a way that brings spiritual life. Let’s allow the beatitudes, for instance, to shape how and why we pray.
Let us pray for:
- poverty of spirit, recognizing our lack of holiness
- mourning, a deep grief over our sin
- meekness, allowing God to be Judge and Avenger
- spiritual hunger and thirst, a renewed longing for more of God
- a merciful disposition, knowing we too need mercy
- a peaceable spirit, aiming to bring people together in love
- steadfastness in persecution, knowing our reward is in heaven
And, if we are to pray for worldly things, let us do so with an eye to how we can leverage it for God’s glory and the good of others.
My friends, our spiritual health and the success of our prayers depends on having the right mindset, a heart that desires the things of God rather than the things of man. Let us begin to align our priorities with God’s and pray accordingly. In doing so we are sure to find that the Lord’s blessing – his true blessing – will rest on our lives in a new and profound way.
Do Infants Who Die Go to Heaven?
Posted on October 16, 2015 Leave a Comment
There are few things in life that hurt more than the loss of a young child. As someone who has experienced this personally, I’ve had to wrestle with the tough questions that come with that kind of experience. One of the questions that come up, especially for Bible-believing Christians, is what happens to babies who die? Do they automatically go to heaven?
It is a legitimate question, and one that can bring a great deal of comfort for grieving family members – provided, of course, that the answer is a favourable one.
The Bible doesn’t exactly have a go-to verse that answers this question directly, but it does give us some clues to help us sort it out.
Sinful at Birth
The Bible does seem to indicate that human beings are born sinful. What that means is that people are not born innocent and then later become guilty when they sin for the very first time, but rather that there is something of a sin nature that is inherited from a child’s parents. This seems to be the teaching in Romans 5, verses 12 and 18-19:
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned…Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.
In other words, the sin that Adam and Eve committed was not isolated. It had ripple effects, and those ripple effects are that the entire human race is born into sin. Similar ideas are conveyed elsewhere in Scripture. Psalm 51:5 is one prominent example.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
David, the author of this Psalm, is identifying himself as a sinner from birth. Therefore, we see that the consistent teaching of Scripture is that sin is less about what you do and more about who you are. It is not just an action, but a condition. And, it is a condition that is inherited in the womb.
More to the Story
If this is all the information that the Bible were to give us on this subject, the prospects would be less than encouraging. After all, sinners go to hell without salvation, and who is to say that infants are saved?
Thankfully, the Bible does give us a few clues that this might in fact be the case. For instance, consider what an angel says to Zechariah, when prophesying the birth of his son John the baptist in Luke chapter 1.
for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. (vs. 14)
The consistent pattern of Scripture is that those who are filled with the Spirit are indeed children of God. They possess salvation, because the indwelling Holy Spirit is evidence of salvation in an individuals life (Ephesians 1:13, 1 Corinthians 12:13, 1 John 4:13). And, in this passage, we see an individual who possesses the Spirit even before being born.
However, it would be fair to ask the question, was this a one-time occurrence? Or is it a normative thing? Was it just for a special baby like John, or is it possible for other babies as well?
Unfortunately, we simply don’t know the answer for sure, because this is the only instance that Scripture makes clear where a pre-born child is Spirit-filled. However, there are at least two other instances in the Bible that seem to indicate that young children who pass away are indeed heaven-bound. One comes from the Old Testament, and one from the New.
King David’s Son
David famously (and rather sickeningly) slept with another man’s wife, got her pregnant, and then had her husband murdered to try and cover it up. This twisted series of events gets only more disturbing when the son that Bathsheba bore David becomes ill and dies seven days later. Though it is unclear exactly how old the son is, the sequence as the text lays it out (with no gap in between stories) suggests that the boy is quite young, possibly still an infant.
What is significant about this story is David’s reaction to the death of his son. He says in 2 Samuel 12:23
“But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”
The phrase “I shall go to him” implies a future reunion of some kind. Though this verse does not give any additional detail, we can infer from the rest of the Bible that he refers to a reunion in heaven, since David knew that his sins were forgiven by God (2 Samuel 12:13).
So, once again, we have another young child, perhaps even an infant, who apparently possesses salvation. Yet again, we can ask the question, is this an isolated occurrence? Or can we know if all infants and young children are covered by God’s grace in the event of death?
Jesus Loves the Little Children
This is where the New Testament comes in with additional light. There is an instance when Jesus was being approached by parents with young children so that he might pray for them. The disciples, probably thinking they are saving Jesus from annoyance, try to shoo the parents away. To this, Jesus responds with anger. Mark 10:14-16 explains:
But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
Jesus’ words here are very significant, although difficult to interpret. Clearly he values children more than the disciples expected, but what does he mean by “to such belongs the kingdom of God”? The statement is clarified some by the next sentence, where Jesus seems to imply that the kind of faith that leads to salvation is childlike faith. But what about children who are too young to exercise faith? Though those who interpret the Bible do not all agree on this, I think we are wrong to overthink it. What about children who are not old enough to make decisions in regard to faith? The answer I would give is simply a quote: “To such belongs the kingdom of God.”
Conclusion
Based on the biblical data presented, I think it is fair to believe that children who are miscarried, stillborn, or die before the age of being able to make reasonable, independent decisions, are all saved by God’s grace in Christ. They go to heaven. Though I can’t be too dogmatic about it, because the issue is not laid out perfectly clear, it makes sense to me that God would extend grace to little ones. When the disciples tried to prevent children from coming to Jesus, he got mad about it, because evidently children belong close to him. He takes them in his arms and blesses them. This is the kind of affection that Jesus portrays towards children, and I see no reason why it wouldn’t be extended to include salvation of little ones who had no chance at faith.
Some might argue that this conclusion is biased, and perhaps that is partly true. Because I have lost a child, wouldn’t it be natural for me to want them to be in heaven? Could that be what drives my interpretation of Scripture? Possibly, but truth be told, I think not. There are sound reasons to believe that young children can be filled with the Holy Spirit, be reunited with loved ones in heaven, and belong in the kingdom of God. And, not only that they can be, but that they are.
In the end, God may not give us a clear answer because what he desires is for us to trust him. Though hints are given that we are right to have hope for our young ones, that does not negate the truth that we must trust God no matter what. His decisions are just, and therefore we can be confident with whatever he chooses to be fitting in any given situation. Personally, when I think of Jesus dying on the cross, I see a God who is willing to enter into the mess of humanity and seek resolution. I see a God who will move mountains to rescue people. Ultimately, I see a God who wins my trust. And in him I place my hope, not only for myself, but for my little ones as well.
4 Kinds of Retaliation in the Bible
Posted on September 26, 2015 1 Comment
Image: Peter defends Jesus from being arrested.
As a Christian, when you are wronged, how should you respond? We know that God is a God of justice, but he is also a God of mercy. When we read Scripture, we see instances of God’s people seeking hard after justice and retaliating for wrongdoing, and at other times we see them being rebuked for seeking retaliation.
In his sermon titled “The Extermination of Enemies”, pastor David Jeremiah shared four types of retaliation found in the Bible, and helps us to distinguish which kinds are required of believers. I found it to be a helpful distinction; perhaps you will as well. I have re-stated his points in my own words.
1. Unlimited Retaliation
In the days before Moses was given the law, the people chose to retaliate for wrongdoing however they saw fit. They had no moral code to follow, except that which God had placed on their hearts. Therefore, although people retaliated to any degree they desired, that does not mean God does not hold them accountable for any sin they commit in the process.
We see unlimited retaliation taking place in the story of Lamech.
Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say: I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me. If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold.” (Genesis 4:23-24)
Lamech is proud of what he has done. Apparently, he murdered a young man who hit him. The story doesn’t share the details of what exactly happened, so it’s hard to know if the young man was in the wrong, and if so, to what extent. Yet it is clear that Lamech’s response was over-the-top, an outburst of violence that was excessive, given the initial wrongdoing. He is a bully, a man with an “I don’t take nothing from nobody” kind of attitude. We should consider Lamech’s unlimited retaliation to be a sinful response in all situations.
2. Limited Retaliation
The law of Moses had in it stipulations for how to respond to wrongdoing. Essentially, limited retaliation functions under the principle “the punishment should fit the crime”. We see a number of examples of this given in the Pentateuch, all following this decree:
But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. (Exodus 21:23-25)
Limited retaliation is what most people would consider to be justice served. The wrongdoer suffers in proportion to his crime. And, because limited retaliation was decreed directly from the mouth of God, we know that it is not necessarily a sinful response to sin.
However, limited retaliation has changed from the time of the Old Testament to the time of the New Testament. The difference between the two is that in the Old Testament, the system of justice that God laid down was largely the responsibility of the people to carry out. God’s people were literally a nation, and so there was no distinction between personal retaliation and civil retaliation.
On the other hand, in the New Testament era, God’s people are no longer a literal nation on earth. The civil laws given to Israel do not pass over to Christians, and so the specific retaliation laws of the Old Testament are not binding for believers. However, the principle of justice (ie. the punishment should fit the crime) continues forward. The major difference is that the responsibility of carrying out justice has passed from the individual (OT) to the government (NT). Therefore, when a believer is wronged today, they do not take justice into their own hands, but hand the case over to the proper authorities to dispense judgment. For more on this, see Romans 13:1-7.
3. No Retaliation
In handing over the responsibility to execute justice to the proper authorities, the individual seeks retaliation from a third party. This is right. In effect, that individual is using the third kind of retaliation, which is no retaliation at all – at least, no retaliation on a personal level. For instance, if my car is stolen and I discover the thief, in calling the police on them I am not personally retaliating against them, but giving the case over to another to decide.
But there are more complicated situations than that. What happens if a wrong is committed, but no civil law is broken? For instance, if a husband commits adultery on his wife, she has been sinned against, but he has not committed a crime. What is the proper response here?
Although a wife would be justified in doing some kind of damage control (seeking counselling, separating for a time, etc.) she may not seek retaliation. That is, she may not seek to make him pay for what he has done. In doing so, she would be taking retaliation into her own hands, something that is not to be done by believers. In seeking to bring harm to him, she adds to the problem with sin of her own.
In such a situation no one would blame a person for having a desire to get even. Some sins are so personal and hurtful and malicious that anger is the obvious response. Yet in our anger, we must not sin. In cases such as these, the Christian response is to not seek personal retaliation but leave the execution of justice in the hands of God.
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19)
It is an act of faith on the part of the injured party to trust God to ensure that the wrong will be avenged. It is a hard thing to do because often the wrong is not met with justice in this life, so there can be a temptation to feel that the sinner will get away with it. Yet faith tells us that the God of justice will see to it that, when all is said and done, every wrong in the world will be righted. Rather than seeking revenge, we give it to God and let him take care of it. There is actually great freedom in doing so, for it relieves us of personal responsibility to punish the wrongdoer. We can move on, knowing that eventually justice will be served, in this life or the next.
4. Replaced Retaliation
Replaced retaliation is not the same as no retaliation. The difference between the two is that replaced retaliation doesn’t merely avoid revenge but puts something else in its place. What ought to replace retaliation? The answer is grace.
Jesus taught more clearly than anyone the principle of replaced retaliation. In the life of a believer, not only are we to not seek revenge, but we are actually called to seek the welfare of those who wrong us.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you… (Matthew 5:38-44)
Picking up on this principle, the apostle Paul echoed it in his own writings.
To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:20-21)
Of the four kinds of retaliation, replaced retaliation is the most distinctly Christian. Jesus was the one who first shocked the world by calling for those wronged by others to do good to them. Extending grace to those who wrong you goes completely against human nature, which is precisely the point. When Christians give grace to those who sin against them, it makes others wonder what would make them do such a thing. Evidently, getting even is not where that person finds their joy. Their joy must be somewhere else. And, of course, we know that their joy is in God. If we have God as the greatest source of happiness and peace and satisfaction in life, then we are freed from the clutches of revenge. We can pray for our enemy, do good to those who harm us, and help those who hate us, and in doing so we shine a light on the difference Jesus makes in a person’s life.
This is in fact the very thing that God does for us. Despite our constant rebellion against him, he loved us enough to die for our sins…and he did that before we felt bad about it.
…but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
In aiming to love our enemies, we are imitating God. He loved us while we were still his enemies. And, in that great act of love, God won us over. Anyone who becomes a Christian does so because they are overcome with a sense of guilt for their sin and awe that God would love them anyways. When we follow in those footsteps toward our enemies, we are shining the light of God’s love into the world. And, in so doing, some people will be compelled by it and find God’s love for them too. Because of this, it is a great and high Christian calling to respond to those who sin against us with as much grace as God will supernaturally provide.
Jesus Said What?!
Posted on September 23, 2015 1 Comment
Some people think that Jesus was just a good man. They believe he had some helpful things to say about how we should treat one another and stop being so darn judgmental. As for his miracles or his claims of being God, though, that is stuff that can be shrugged off as either exaggerated or simply made-up. For those who see Jesus as just a good man, he is lumped in with history’s best philosophers and philanthropists. He is to be admired and maybe even imitated, but certainly not worshipped.
There is a serious problem with this way of thinking about Jesus. To conclude that he is merely a good man or a significant moral teacher is the result of failing to let Jesus speak for himself. Yes, Jesus did say some beautiful things about love and forgiveness and hope. Yet he also said some of the most controversial, offensive, and confrontational things anyone in history has ever said. There is a sense in which many people believe in a divided Jesus, taking what they like from him and leaving the rest behind. Yet we can’t treat Jesus this way, especially since we hate to be treated this way by others. We need to hear him out in total before we make our judgment call. And, I suggest, almost no one would call him a moral man or a good teacher if they heard everything Jesus had to say and believed that he really said it and meant it.
Shocking Words
Case in point, consider what Jesus says in Luke chapter 11.
[9] And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. [10] For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. [11] What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; [12] or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? [13] If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Oh, sure, there are some wonderful and encouraging words here on prayer, but did you catch that little phrase in verse 13? Jesus said “…you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children…”
Wait just a minute!
Did Jesus just say what I think he just said? Did he just say that people who know how to give good gifts are “evil?” That can’t be right, can it? Actually, it seems like he said specifically that dads who give good gifts to their kids are “evil”. Something must be wrong here, don’t you think? Maybe Jesus misspoke, or maybe we misunderstood him, or maybe he meant something different than what he said. Or could Jesus really have meant what he said? But what could possibly make Jesus look at a father who buys the shiny new bike his son wants and surprises him with it for his birthday, and then call that man “evil”?
Evil is the kind of word you don’t just throw around. We reserve a word like that for the worst of the worst, the scum of the earth. We talk about Hitler like that, or serial killers, or maybe even pedophiles. But gift-giving fathers? Evil? How can that be?
Jesus Calls It Like It Is
Evidently, Jesus sees something in the heart of men that other people don’t see. When we look at a father who buys nice presents for his children, we see a man who is loving and sacrificial and generous. We see a committed family man, a noble example to follow. We see love. But Jesus is different. Jesus looks at that same man and sees layers deep into his heart, and down there he finds something quite different. He sees evil.
Now, let’s be clear about something. Jesus never said that buying presents is evil. In fact, in the context of the story, he seems to imply just the opposite. He affirms it as something good and even godly. After all, the point is that God himself is a gift-giving Father, and certainly that is worth imitating. But even though the action itself is good and right, Jesus sees the person differently.
What we need to see here is that the kind of father that society would look on and praise is not seen that way by Jesus. We consider a father like that to be good, but Jesus doesn’t agree. What is it that he sees that we don’t? What makes him come to that conclusion?
More Evil Than We Think
Here’s the reality: we are all evil people. Yes, I said “all”. And I meant it. You, me, everyone. No one is excluded, except for Jesus himself. Do you think this too extreme? Is that the kind of thing only a maniac would say? Well, it’s the kind of thing Jesus said. Not only does he call these exemplary fathers “evil”, he also says in Luke 18:19 “No one is good except God alone.” While we usually tend to think of ourselves as “good people”, Jesus says we’re not. We’re not good, we’re actually evil. We are just the opposite of what we think we are.
If you ask someone “Are you a good person?”, they will usually say that they think so and then begin justifying their answer. They’ll say things like, “I care about people. I try to help them. I volunteer and give to good causes. I try not to steal or lie or hurt people. And I’ve never killed anyone.” But what’s the problem with this kind of justification? The problem is that is diminishes the meaning of the word “good”. We consider ourselves to be good so long as we’re not crazy bad. And doing a handful of decent things – or at least avoiding the terrible ones – makes us feel like our good probably outweighs our bad. Therefore, to consider ourselves “evil” seems absurd.
Jesus disagrees. He sees the human race in reverse. Rather than seeing mankind as basically good people who sometimes do bad things, he sees mankind as basically evil people who sometimes do decent things. Isn’t that the point of Luke 11:9-13? Jesus says that if evil people know how to give a decent gift, then how much more can we trust the infinitely good God to do the same?
Jesus here is being very offensive. He says that even decent dads are evil. In fact, he says that “no one is good”, despite those who think otherwise. Evidently, Jesus has a much higher standard of “good” than we do. He sees “good” as having a moral righteousness that exceeds even the best father on earth. Jesus sees sin and wrongdoing as being far more present in our lives than we typically do. He sees the general condition of the human race and the word that comes to his mind in describing it is “evil”.
Responding to Jesus According to His Word
At this point, we have a choice to make. Are we going to listen to our own assessment of ourselves, or are we going to listen to Jesus’ assessment? What’s curious is that the very people who might call Jesus a good man would here be quick to sharply disagree with him. They demonstrate a strange inconsistency, thinking that Jesus is a useful and authoritative moral teacher in some regards but ought to be labeled a nut-job in other respects. They are quick to take his “love your neighbour” and “judge not” statements, but just as quick to reject his “you are evil” remarks. I do not think this is wise. Jesus claims to be more than someone with helpful ideas that we are free to accept or reject as we please. He claims to speak with absolute authority – the kind that demands nothing short of full submission. The question is, who is authoritative in your life? Is it you? Or is it Jesus?
My plea to you is to see Jesus as authoritative and listen to his Word over your own. If Jesus sees every human as evil, then we should not feel placated by doing something nice like giving a great birthday present. It is unwise to feel like we can stand before God morally justified. To think that we can do so is borne out of arrogance and self-reliance, the very things Jesus came to destroy. Jesus came to champion humility and reliance on him. Isn’t that why he died? Jesus said that he “came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). What did he think we need to be ransomed from? The answer is our sin. Jesus knows that no one can stand before God and be anything except condemned as evil sinners, and so Jesus came to pay the penalty for our sin for us. On the cross, acting in our place, Jesus took the wrath of God upon himself.
Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. (Romans 5:9)
Simply put, he died in our place for our sins. And because he took God’s wrath as our substitute, all who trust in him are ransomed. They are set free from guilt and condemnation. They are forgiven and made righteous. But, no one can have that if they first don’t recognize that they need it. Salvation begins with seeing yourself as evil, as rebelling against God and not giving him the honour that he is due. We all are guilty of living for ourselves, for being thankless, for being cruel, for being revengeful, for being negligent, for being unloving, for being indifferent towards the needs of others. We’re not nearly as good as we think we are. We are sinners, and we need a Saviour to deliver us. That’s Jesus. He came to set free those who are trapped in their wickedness. But if you never see the trap, you won’t look for the way out.
Let me encourage you to acknowledge your sin and see that you fall short of God’s expectations. Begin to grasp where you stand, as a sinner who needs grace, and see Jesus as the only one who can give it. He died for you. He saw your evil and stepped in to pay the price for it. Trust him!
This message is counter-cultural. It is offensive. It is controversial. But it is true, and it is the only thing that can save you.
Love Is a Verb…Well, Not Really
Posted on September 14, 2015 1 Comment
I’m not sure who coined the phrase “love is a verb” but I first heard it from D.C. Talk. Since then it has become a notion that I’ve seen grow more and more popular. A simple google search produces a lot of interesting commentary on love as a verb. It seems fair to say that the majority of people would consider the statement that “love is a verb” is true.
I think the popularization of this idea comes from people getting sick and tired of those who claim to be loving people, yet do almost nothing to help their fellow man. This is an experience we all have witnessed and, quite frankly, have participated in. Most of us would consider ourselves to be relatively loving individuals. Yet we all would admit that we could do more to serve others. There often is a glaring discrepancy between what we say and what we do. Our actions do not always line up with our words. And so, in an effort to point out the hypocrisy, the phrase “love is a verb” is used to confront us with the reality that if we claim to love others, then we will move into action. Our love will compel us to do something.
This is a biblical idea. Consider the teaching of the apostle John:
But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. (1 John 3:17-18)
The point here is clear. We ought not to be people who talk much of love without putting it into action. John says it is wrong for people to neglect to meet the practical needs of others while claiming to love them. This simply won’t jive. It is inconsistent, and John calls for our actions to line up with our words. We can’t say that we love people while doing precious little to help them. Therefore, there is a sense in which love is most definitely a verb.
More Than a Verb
But while it is clear that the Bible calls us to put our love into action (otherwise it is not love), it is fair to ask if love is merely a verb. In other words, is love only an action, or could it be more? Is it possible for someone to meet the practical needs of another without that action being love?
I would argue strongly that the answer is yes. I believe it is possible to help others in such a way that the outward action looks like love but really is not. I get this idea from 1 Corinthians 13:3, which says:
If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
This is very interesting. Evidently, it is possible for a person to give away all that they have (presumably to help others in need) and yet “have not love”. This means that a person can perform an act of service to others, yet fail to be loving. Therefore, love is not just a verb. It simply can’t be, otherwise 1 Corinthians 13:3 makes no sense. Love is not equal to an action intended to help others. There must be more to it than that.
Love: Both Emotion and Action
As with many things, defining love swings on a pendulum from one extreme to another. Some consider love to be a sense of the warm fuzzies. They are not concerned much with action but with a feeling. For them, love is purely an emotion.
Others see this kind of thinking as weak and empty, and aim to toughen love up with rolled-up sleeves and practical help. It doesn’t matter how you feel, love gets the job done. Emotions are fleeting, but real love is consistent, they would argue, because love is a choice.
In reality, both sides are right. Love without action is not love at all, as John has pointed out. But emotionless love that is all action and no feeling isn’t love either, as Paul pointed out. The reality is that the truest form of love is both emotion and action. The two are inseparable. One without the other taints the true definition of love. We don’t need to pit these two ideas against each other. Instead, we should submit to the Bible and aim to bring them together as we ought.
Why Resist Love As An Emotion?
I think that one reason the idea of love as a verb is so popular is because people understand that emotions are fickle. Unlike our actions, which we can control anytime, anywhere, controlling our emotions is an elusive thing. We can’t simply shake ourselves out of a bad mood in an instant with an act of willpower. We can’t make ourselves happy (or loving) on demand. It is a spontaneous thing. And so, we don’t like the idea of needing our emotions to be a certain way because we have limited control over being able to do that. In other words, it sounds as if God is asking us to do something that we aren’t capable of doing. God commands us to love, yet if love is partly emotional, how can he expect us to have command of our emotions like that? Human experience has taught us that it doesn’t work that way.
Yet we cannot escape the reality that God expects even our fleeting emotions to be in a certain state. Not only in 1 Corinthians 13:3 are we commanded to have a heart full of love (emotion) to go along with our sacrifice (action), but God commands us all over the Bible to feel a certain way.
- Be a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7)
- Rejoice in the Lord always (Philippians 4:4)
- Do not fear (Isaiah 41:10)
- Mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15)
- Serve the Lord with gladness (Psalm 100:2)
- Lead with zeal (Romans 12:8)
These examples, and others, show us that God can and does make demands of our emotional state. And, since we have limited control over our emotions, we tend to push back on these commands and focus on things of action, like prayer, Bible reading, serving in church, and the like, because these are things within our immediate control. We can simply decide to do them, and so we gain a better sense of our spiritual condition. It becomes easier to measure up our lives with what God expects of us, because we are simply treating Christianity as a check-list. We are uncomfortable with the idea that God would make demands of our emotions. If that were the case, we would need to know ourselves on a deeper level, and it would be much harder to feel like we were succeeding spiritually.
Put it this way: Is it easier to answer the question “Do I volunteer at church?” or the question “Do I want to serve God with my time and talents?”. Is it easier to answer “Did I give offering?” or “Do I enjoy blessing others?”. Is it easier to answer “Did I cook that person a meal?” or “Do I love them?”. Is it easier to answer “Did I read my Bible today?” or “Do I want to spend time with God?”. Is it easier to answer “Have I asked Jesus to be my Saviour?” or “Is Jesus the most valuable thing in the world to me?”.
For all of us, the first set of questions are easier to deal with than the second set. We can answer the first questions easily, with little need to dig around in our own hearts. The second set of questions, however, is a different story. But that is precisely the point. God is not just after our obedience. He is after our hearts. He doesn’t just want us to do what he says. He wants us to love him. These two things are worlds apart, and mark the difference between being a “religious” person and a true follower of God.
How to Become a Loving Person
The question begs to be asked: If God commands our emotions, and yet we have little control over them, what can we do to feel the way God desires us to feel? How can we help our emotions line up with what God expects of them?
I think the answer is really not as complicated as we think. Listen to what Jesus says in Matthew 24:12-13.
And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Jesus here is addressing the very issue we are speaking of. He says that people’s love will grow cold, which perhaps is another way of saying that people’s hearts will harden and their emotions will become dead. Their love, rather than a burning hot flame, will become cool embers. They may have actions, but their hearts will not be in it.
Then, Jesus follows this up with a remarkable statement. He says that if your love grows cold, you will not be saved. Only those who endure to the end see salvation, and in context, he is speaking of enduring to the end with red-hot love. If you let your love fizzle out, you will perish.
In other words, when we speak of love as more than action, but love also as an emotion, we are talking about eternal stuff. This is not optional. It is not a side-issue to the central truths of Christianity. Rather, it is a central truth to Christianity. When Jesus said that the two greatest commandments involved love, he had in mind love as action and emotion. You cannot only love God or others with action only, just as you cannot love God or others with emotion only. The two must come together, and if not, love grows cold, and you will perish.
Since Jesus speaks of love in terms of its temperature, let’s keep consistent with that imagery when asking, what can a person do to fan the flames of their love for God and others?
If love is like a fire, then it makes sense that we can feed that fire with fuel. Just as we use logs and kindling to keep a fire burning hot, so we can use God’s appointed means to keep our own souls burning hot with genuine love. This is why I said that the answer is not as complicated as we think. God uses simple means to grow enduring faith, things like:
- Reading, memorizing, and meditating on Scripture
- Prayer
- Meaningful relationships with other believers
- Evangelism
- Helping others
- Eliminating sinful habits
We all know these are essential to the Christian faith, but sometimes we begin to look elsewhere for “spiritual keys” to unlock greater faith. I do not think that is necessary. When one engages the Christian life honestly, with a prayerful attitude, asking God to help change our hearts when we are not really engaged, over time God will begin to do that very thing.
Praying For And Preaching To Yourself
This means that even if we don’t feel loving, we should still do acts of love. The difference is that, rather than celebrating these emotionless acts as a fulfillment of Christian duty, we do them with a sense of regret that our heart is not more full of love. In other words, I do not think it is wise to only love when we emotionally feel like it. If our emotions are not where they ought to be, we obey anyways, while being honest about how we feel and praying that God would change our hearts. We must develop the practice of preaching to the self, as demonstrated in Psalm 43:5.
Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.
The Psalmist here is frustrated with himself. He knows that God is great, and that he ought to love God more than he does. He recognizes there is a disparity between his knowledge of God’s greatness and how he feels about it. And therefore he preaches to himself, reminding himself of God’s love and salvation in hopes that it will stir up proper affections.
Conclusion
When it comes to love, which is central to following Jesus, we believers need to be people who do not overemphasize one aspect of love over another. We should not think of love solely in terms of either emotion or action, but rather aim to bring these two things together, and pursue love in its fullest sense. We should guard against one-dimensional love by making sure our love leads to action, and also by doing what we can to fan our emotions into full flame. To neglect either is to miss the mark of true love and, therefore, fall short of our goal to love God and love others fully. This is the Christian calling, one to which we simply cannot afford to go wrong.
When Christians Let You Down
Posted on September 10, 2015 Leave a Comment
Sooner or later someone who professes to be a follower of Jesus is going to let you down. Quite likely, you’ve already had that experience. And for many, it has happened many times. The hard reality is that people we trust and expect a lot from sometimes fail us, and when that happens, there is usually some significant collateral damage.
This has been on my mind in a prominent way ever since the news about Ashley Madison broke a while back. A website that was dedicated to cultivating adulterous relationships got hacked and user profiles were shared with the public. Ed Stetzer estimates that about 400 church leaders were found to be registered on the website, something which likely led to their resignation or dismissal from their various roles. It is a heartbreaking shame for families and a black eye on the Church as a whole. In addition, there have also been some other high-profile Christian leaders who have been hit hard recently with allegations ranging from financial misconduct to bullying to actual adultery. It is hard to watch when these things happen, and it is hard to imagine that anything good can come from it (thankfully, God can do things that I can’t foresee!).
And, of course, it’s not just Christian leaders who fail us. Christians in general let us down all the time. They act selfishly, spread gossip, lie, steal, manipulate, forget important things, and act like mere sinful mortals in general. And by “they”, I really mean “we”. It’s not that “those” Christians do it, but “we” Christians do it. All the time. Myself included. You too.
It’s Not “Just Me and Jesus”
Sometimes there is this myth among Christians that it’s all about me and Jesus, and my life is no one else’s business. That is simply not the case. No one lives in a bubble. Our lives, our choices, and our actions have an impact on others around us, for better or worse. I think that we often think of Christianity in individual terms because of the over-emphasis on a “personal relationship with Jesus”. I use that phrase a lot, and it’s a good one. Usually I mean it as opposed to merely observing some religious duties or holding to certain beliefs, which is not what Christianity is about. Christianity is about a personal relationship with Jesus…but at the same time, there is more to it than just two people. Jesus has a relationship with his bride, the Church, and we are made a family. A relationship with God is not just personal, it is also communal. And therefore, our faith is not an isolated thing, and we should not think of it that way. We should be keeping in mind how our lives will affect others and our witness for Jesus at all times.
When Christians fail, their sin hurts other people, and it damages the reputation of the gospel. In such instances, when we have been let down by another believer, feeling upset about it is usually the right response. There’s nothing wrong in reacting with anger or disappointment when we are hurt by another, so long as it doesn’t become bitterness or revenge or something of the like. If you’ve been wronged, it’s ok to feel wronged. That’s normal and appropriate.
Keeping Jesus Where He Belongs
However, there is also a sense in which we sometimes allow the failure of other Christians to affect us too much. What I mean is, sometimes when a Christian lets us down, we project our feelings of hurt and disappointment not only to the individual but also to all Christians or even to Jesus himself. We might begin to question the validity of Christianity altogether, and wonder if all Christians are secretly hypocrites. Doubts arise about faith in general and instead of treating the matter like an isolated incident, we use it to broadbrush all believers and develop unhelpful stereotypes.
For instance, when a pastor falls into some sort of moral scandal, the church is put in great distress. This makes perfect sense (though it is regrettable). But for many Christians, the pastor’s sin casts concern over wether or not any Christian can be trusted, or perhaps even if this whole Jesus thing is for real. It is not at all uncommon for people who once professed faith to walk away from it after being let down by another believer.
What I want to propose is that those sort of reactions come from serious misunderstandings about Christianity. It stems from one of the following two problems:
- an elevated view of self
- an elevated view of other Christians
Let’s consider these one at a time.
An Elevated View of Self
Most Christians rightly understand that there is a significant moral component to Christianity; that there are certain expectations about what is right and wrong, acceptable and unacceptable. What can happen for many Christians is that, as they aim to walk in obedience to God, they can become too prideful in their view of themselves. As they overcome sin, a sense of superiority can creep in, which ends up inflating the ego. As a result, when another believer lets them down, the knee-jerk reaction is to think “How can they be that way? Aren’t they a Christian? I would never do something like that!”
There is a sense in which it is right to have expectations of other believers, but quite often we can overestimate our own holiness and therefore become surprised by sin in others. As Christians, we should be the last people shocked that other human beings will let us down. That is the whole essence of the gospel – that we are all sinners in desperate need of grace! And so, the wise believer is one who weighs their response to being hurt: is it proper anger over sin, or is it a subtle form of pride coming out?
An Elevated View of Other Christians
While people are prone to pride, we are also prone to idolatry. That is the essence of this second mistake. When other Christians let us down, especially those who we look up to and admire, we are left disillusioned not only because of their sin, but sometimes because we thought too highly of them to begin with.
Especially in Western Christianity, celebrity Christians are a normal part of our faith. We have popular preachers, authors, musicians, and sports stars who we put up on a pedestal that frankly they have no business being on. It should be no surprise then, that when celebrity Christians come falling off their pedestal, the results are quite a mess. While all sins are messy and painful, the results can be multiplied if the person who falls was put up too high to begin with. Christians quite often revere other believers far more than they should, and elevate them past the status of sinners saved by grace to heroes of the faith. When this happens, we are setting ourselves up for future misery, because no Christian can measure up to the standards of perfection that we place on them. I’m not at all saying that we shouldn’t have expectations, but simply that quite often our expectations are not very realistic.
If we viewed other Christians as humble sinners, we would not be nearly as damaged by their failures. We would know that they are not perfect, that they have sin issues to deal with. And though their sin will cause damage, it won’t completely destroy.
The Solution
If the the problem of over-reacting to the failures of other Christians is caused by an elevated view of self or others, then it stands to reason that the solution is to have an elevated view of Christ. We need to take down ourselves and other Christians off the pedestal and put Jesus on it. Our lofty expectations of sinless perfection are doomed to topple when they are placed on the shoulders of mere human beings. But the shoulders of Jesus Christ can carry such a weight. He alone will never let us down!
I believe that when Jesus is in his rightful place (way up high), and we are in our rightful place (way down low), the failure of Christians is not nearly as devastating. Yes, it hurts. And yes, healing will be required. But the blow will not be crushing to our faith, because it rests not on the faithfulness of people but on the faithfulness of Jesus. Our trust in God won’t disintegrate because it is founded on the Rock, not in the sand.
My friend, if you have been hurt by other Christians, I feel your pain. I’m sorry that it has happened. I can understand the pain and hurt and anger that you may be feeling. It is probably warranted. But I also want you to know that just because a follower of Jesus has let you down, it does not mean that Christianity is invalid. It does not mean that Jesus has let you down. If you cling to him, and place your trust in him and not in his followers, you will find yourself able to continue in faith. Don’t let the imperfections of others taint the perfection of Christ. Don’t let their failures be projected onto him. Instead, understand that sin is real and wreaks havoc in the world, and that is the very thing which Jesus came to oppose. Don’t walk away from Jesus because of the sins of others. He is your only hope – and theirs, too.
Loud and Clear!
Posted on September 5, 2015 Leave a Comment
I hate politics.
We’re hitting that time when everything everywhere is saturated with political jargon, candidate commercials, and party flyers in the mail. I hate it. I always have, and I suspect I always will. Not that there isn’t a place for politics, because there is. And not that it’s not important, because it is. But in addition to my firm belief that the spread of the gospel is 1 billion times more effective in changing the world than setting up the right governmental structure, more relevant to this post: I simply can’t stand the way people in politics talk.
I think you know what I mean. The term “politically correct” is well-known for a reason. To survive in politics, one must become a master at saying something without saying anything at all. Politics is all about how you present things, how you can use words to create just the right amount of uncertainty about what you are saying without feeling like you’ve dodged an issue. It is about wearing a mask, or at least putting forth a specific image that is very intentionally crafted to draw in as many followers as possible while somehow still holding to some form of personal convictions which, if known, would drive those followers away. People in politics are forced to cloud their words with haze, because they need to be liked by people. But they also are supposed to be standing for a particular viewpoint, which many wouldn’t like. And as a result, the language is intentionally vague, like walking into a thick fog. It lacks any helpful clarity at all, like a map that’s been painted by Picasso.
University English Made Me Hate Unclear Language
Personally, I hate it. I can’t stand when people talk that way. I get very annoyed when people try to sound like they are saying something while also trying to keep from saying it with real clarity. It just drives me nuts! I realized only the other day where the root of this mentality of mine came from. It came from a class I took in university on English Literature.
I’ve always been a good writer and a solid student. And so, when I signed up for this particular class, I figured it would be a breeze. I quickly found that it was not. The top students were lucky to get 75% on a paper. I was used to getting 80’s and 90’s in high school, so this was a change of pace for me. But eventually I figured out what would get me better marks. If I stopped saying things in my essays with any degree of certainty, but rather used vague language, my marks went up. I would have to say something like “the dark imagery hints at the mortality of man” instead of saying “the black crow is a symbol of death”, or something of the like. Basically I would fill my essays with a bunch of high-sounding nonsense, sometimes to the point where I’m not even sure I knew what I was saying. But I noticed that the more I used vague language, the better off I did. And any time I tried to make anything concrete, I lost marks. So I changed the way I wrote so I could do better in the class, despite the fact that I began to hate everything I was saying – or at least the way I was saying it.
Granted, it was a class heavy on poetry, which is a genre of literature that is rife with symbolism and allusion and satire, and so it makes sense to interpret it that way. I get it. But at the same time, this class began to birth in me a real distaste for language that lacked clarity. I had not known that this was a value of mine before. It has translated well into what I now do for a living: teaching the Bible. If there was ever an area where one should walk on the opposite side of the road from vague language, surely this is near or at the top of the list!
The Lost Virtue of Clarity
Yet I am very saddened by the reality that many Christians do not speak of their faith with clarity or conviction. They have begun to adopt political-correctness and statements aimed to displease as few people as possible. I think that in most cases, the motive is good. We Christians need to be careful with how we talk and we should not make it our effort to offend people unnecessarily. Our speech should be laced with grace. To that I say, amen! Yet at the same time, we must understand that our message is inherently offensive, and therefore divisive. Christians, of all people, ought to be those who master the use of good language, as we aim to speak the truth clearly and powerfully with heavy doses of grace and tact.
I would like to advocate for Christians to be people who speak with particular clarity and precision. I desire for us to be people with the sharpest of language skills. It is certainly to our advantage! How often, after all, are Christians wrongly criticized (even by each other) for simply failing to say clearly what we were really trying to say? In the age of the internet, I think this happens all the time. There is certainly a sense in which many people are simply far too critical or quick to jump to conclusions, but there is also a sense in which many people have lost the ability to share their thoughts with clarity. I think we sometimes invite confusion and misunderstanding by not making our own statements clear.
A Messenger Worthy of the Message
I do not think that I am simply being picky in this regard. Consider, for instance, that at the very centre of Christianity is the gospel – that is, at the centre of our faith is a message. At the centre is good news. The very core of our faith is something that is shared by communication. It spreads only by the use of words. If that is the case, shouldn’t we then be people committed to using language with all the skill and precision that God has given us? Indeed, to be otherwise careless is to mock the value of the very message we share!
The apostle Paul certainly thought this way. Consider how he thought clarity in his preaching was of the utmost importance:
But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. (2 Corinthians 4:2)
As Paul considers his ministry, one way he describes it is as an “open statement of the truth”. Clearly he has in mind here the way he preaches the gospel of Christ. He sees it fitting to share Jesus with others as an open statement of the truth; or, in modern vernacular, to “say it like it is”. It can be inferred that he values precision and clarity. He is not aiming to be vague in any way, but just the opposite. This clarity of his public speech is contrasted with “cunning” and “tampering with God’s word”, which describes some sort of manipulation of language that veils what is really being said. This kind of coercive, shady way of speaking is particularly disgusting when it comes to speaking of Christ, and is considered to be “disgraceful” and “underhanded”. It is not fitting for the spread of the gospel, and has no place in the mouth or mind of a believer, especially one in some kind of teaching role.
Paul says it another way in Colossians:
At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. (Colossians 4:3-4)
When it comes to declaring Christ, how ought one to speak? The answer is “clearly”. And to that end, Paul covets the prayers of the Colossians. He knows that there are temptations to waffle when harsh criticism comes on account of the Word, and against such temptations he must resist. He explicitly asks for the believers to pray for him to preach Christ clearly, since he knows that is the only kind of speech fitting for the declaration of truth. He asks for prayer because he needs God’s help to do this well and make the gospel understandable to his hearers.
Beware the Fog Machine Preacher
I find it a very frustrating thing when one speaks with a lack of clarity, particularly when sharing the Word of God. To be fair, some people are simply better communicators than others, and in that there is grace to be given. Yet if one aims to be a sharer of God’s truth, he or she must be committed to doing their best to speak the truth so as to be understood. At the very least, a concerted effort must be made to this end. But far be it from the preacher that he aims to intentionally be vague with his words. Such a thing is despicable, especially when it comes to the central truths of our faith. This is one thing that has gotten many Bible teachers into trouble (including, not that long ago, Rob Bell). It is not fitting for a preacher or Christian writer to speak in a way that has hidden meaning or intentional vagueness. Such a thing is not art. It is rubbish, and has no place in God’s Church, a pillar and buttress of the truth. Truth is not guarded when it is shrouded in mystery, nor is it’s power unleashed when it is too muddled to be recognized. There is something to be said for the beauty of a clearly spoken word about Jesus, and the thing that is to be said is that it is wonderful.
In this regard, I think we ought to be evaluating our communication so as to get the best results possible. We may ask ourselves, for example:
- Am I using a vague word or phrase when a more clear one can be used?
- Do my illustrations make my point clearer, or less clear?
- Am I using words that can easily be misinterpreted?
- Am I using words that warrant some kind of definition? Might others use the same word but mean something different by it?
- Would it be useful to supplement what I mean by saying what I specifically don’t mean?
- What questions or objections might someone raise to what I am saying, and how can I acknowledge and answer them directly?
Additionally, as we read and listen to others:
- Before I criticize, have I fully understood what this person is saying?
- When in doubt, is it possible to seek for additional clarity?
- If I were to restate a person’s claims in my own words, would they affirm that I have understood them correctly?
- How can I better determine the sense in which someone is using a particular word or phrase, if they have not clearly defined it?
I think these kinds of questions are helpful to aid in better communication, both incoming and outgoing. As as people who highly value truth, we Christians out to be precise in our use language, so as to honour Christ and honour each other.
A Plea for Clarity
My friends, may we not mimic the world in all its political-correctness and shady use of language. Also, may we neither be bullies who use our words to beat people into submission. But instead may we be craftsmen who use language in such a way that the very message we are sharing is honoured by it. May our talk of Christ be clear and precise, as it ought to be. May our Saviour be shared in a way that lifts the veil of mystery that so often surrounds him. May our hearers (or readers) come away absolutely certain about what we are saying (and what we are not) so that they must deal with the message presented. May it be that Jesus is seen as he is, clearly by others, in all his splendour and glory. And may we be ambassadors worthy of the news we carry, though we be but jars of clay.
Canadian Bible Guy 