References:
• 2nd Thessalonians 2
• oανομια (anomia an-om-ee'-ah)
• αποστασια (apostasia ap-os-tas-ee’-ah)
Last week and this week, the Bible Study that I lead has been looking at 2nd Thessalonians. It is a short letter by Paul, but still very full of important, theological information. During the Bible Study, we talked about quite a few things. But, for the purposes of this blog entry, I will focus on some main themes of 2nd Thessalonians 2. As I have mentioned before, the Minor Prophets in the Old Testament (Joshua, Joel, Habakkuk, etc.) may be small as far as length of writing, but they are not short in theology! It is not unusual for those of us doing the study to spend a week or two on each chapter, due to their content. With that in mind, I will be just doing an overview.
In 1st Thessalonians, Paul writes the young church about several things, including Christ’s Second Coming and the resurrection of the dead. These two themes are actually repeated in Paul’s 2nd Letter to the churches in Thessalonica. When Paul received feedback as to how the members of the churches in Thessalonica were applying what he has instructed, he felt obligated to write them again. This was in order to emphasize and clarify things.
Paul writes in detail about the Second Coming of Christ and the rise of the antichrist (or ‘lawless one’). He needed to help the young church to understand what the future held. Though they were experiencing all sorts of persecution now, this will be small compared to the kind of persecution that believers will experience before Christ’s Second Coming.
Many theologians and scholars have argued over the centuries as to when Christ will return. And, we will continue to speculate on this. Some do so out of a sense of awe and excitement for being with Christ for all eternity. Others do so because of the influence, prestige, and attention making such claims gives them. The thing is, Christ has repeatedly warned that we will never know when His return will happen until it actually does happen. As Paul writes in 1st Thessalonians 5:1-3, Christ will come suddenly, when none of us expects it. In 2nd Thessalonians 2, he goes into a little more detail.
In 2 Thess. 2:3-6, Paul emphasizes that until the ‘man of lawlessness’ is reveal, Christ will not return. This ‘man of lawlessness’ has to come first. In reading Scripture as a whole, we see that Paul is referring to the antichrist. This is the one that, from what we read in Revelation, is the person that unites the whole world against God’s Children (the nation of Israel and the Body of Christ) and makes war against them. Upon the completion of this ‘time of lawlessness,’ Christ will return.
It is interesting that Paul uses the Greek word oανομια (anomia, an-om-ee'-ah). This Greek work means both to ‘to be ignorant’ of the law, as well as to be in contempt of it, violating it because of one’s wickedness. I believe that Paul is clearly indicating the second definition, violating or being in contempt of the law by choice. It is because of the antichrist’s lawless, wicked heart, that he (or possibly she) leads people away from God intentionally. This is related, I believe, to Paul’s use of the work ‘apostasy’ earlier in 2 Thess. 2:3. This Greek word, (αποστασια, ap-os-tas-ee’-ah) can either mean ‘a falling away’ or ‘defection.’ The ‘a falling away’ is more of a passive action. Like a car slowly coming to ruin because it was not properly maintained. Or, a relationship slowly dies because one or both people do not choose to invest in it on a regular basis. The other sense of the word, ‘defection,’ is a choice. It would be a conscious turning away from.
In verse 7, we see that this ‘spirit of lawlessness’ is already at work. This can be understood in two different ways. First of all, it is a reference to our sinful nature. Scripture teaches that we are all born sinners, that our very nature is in rebellion to God. Paul goes into depth on this in Romans 1-3, so I won’t go into depth here. Lawlessness is, by definition, a disregard or total absence of law. But, the ‘spirit of lawlessness’ is also demonic forces at work in this world that actively fight against God’s Laws, justice, and against His Followers. So, in one sense, it has been happening since Adam and Even were forced out of the Garden of Eden until today. And, it is also true that it is an event that is yet to come.
Over the years that I have been alive, I heard many people claim that they are the Messiah. From David Koresh (http://www.biography.com/people/david-koresh-9368416), to Jim Jones (http://www.biography.com/people/jim-jones-10367607), to many others. Each of these people have claimed to either be the ‘returning Messiah,’ or that he/she knows exactly when Jesus will return. With both World Wars I and II, as well as the coming of 2000, many people were saying that ‘the End Times’ are coming.
It is very easy to get sucked into the trap of believing them. Whether they have ‘fancy degrees,’ are very charismatic, or seem to be gifted in ‘reading the times,’ we must choose not to believe them. When Christ returns, we will all know of it happening. It will be blatantly obvious for everyone all over the world that Jesus has returned.
Now, God calls us all to prepare ourselves and to live our lives as if His return will happen soon. This challenges us to be more obedient now. It also is a stern reminder that we never know when we will die. In one sense of this theological concept, we knew know when ‘Christ’s Second Coming’ will happen for each of us. That is, we never knew when we will die. Even for those who are exceptionally healthy, live very careful lives, and take as many precautions as they can, any day can be it’s last. We all must choose to live in such a way as to be always prepared to ‘meet our maker.’
Paul’s letters are just as relevant now as at the time that they were written. We all experience things like persecution, the struggle with living a life of obedience, the constant knowledge that any day could be our last, the eager hope and expectation of one day being with Christ for all eternity, etc. Following Christ has never been, and never will be easy. It will always be fraught with dangers. We all need to prayerfully prepare ourselves and help others to be ready. We are at war with our own sinful nature, and we are at war with the spiritual forces of evil all around us. We all struggle against 'falling away' and turning our backs to God. We are all challenged with correcting others in love. Are you up for the challenge?
Showing posts with label sanctification. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sanctification. Show all posts
Monday, August 8, 2016
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
An Inner Change Showing
References:
• Exodus 34:29-35
• Luke 9:28-36
• Definition: Tabernacle
Both of these passages are very fascinating to me. Both have a similar theme, but are still very different. Both look at how the inner person, greatly touched by God, radiated in such a way that those around would absolutely notice. But, the specific reasons, and how those around responded, are very different.
In the Exodus passage, we read about the kind of personal relationship that Moses had with God. It was deeply personal. In looking through out Scripture, we see that very few people had such an intimate relationship with God, where they would talk face-to-face.
In this text, we read that Moses was so touched by God that it showed. Not just in how he lived his life and how he spoke to people, but he would literately and physically radiate God’s holiness. Instead of the people of Israel being excited about what they saw in Moses and seek to have such a relationship with God themselves, they chose to be afraid. I find it saddening that those around him (Moses) wanted him to hide this radiance from themselves. That is, all except for Joshua. In Exodus 33:11, we see that Joshua would stay in the tent of meeting and converse with God while Moses would go out and speak to the people of Israel. Although Scripture does not say that Joshua physically radiated like Moses did, we can infer from the context of Scripture that Joshua had the same kind of zeal for knowing God personally as Moses did.
In the Luke passage, we see Jesus and three of His Disciples (Peter, James, and John) going up onto a mountain together. While they were up there, the three Disciples fell asleep. At the same time, Moses and Elijah met with Jesus. What an incredible conversation it must have been! I don’t know about you, but I sometimes wish I could have been there myself.
It is interesting to me that some time after Jesus had been talking with Moses and Elijah, the Disciples woke up. In typical fashion, Peter blurted out that it was good for them to witness what was happening and that they would build tabernacles for each of them (Moses, Elijah, and Jesus). This is very significant in many ways.
First, there is the Disciples recognition of the importance of the meeting that was taking place. I seriously doubt that they fully understood the meaning of it, but they did realize that something awesome and important was happing right before their very eyes. And, to a small extent, they were participating in it. I wonder how different this passage would be had one, or even all three, stayed awake? We will never know.
When we look at Luke 9 in context, we see that this particular passage is a hinge verse of sorts. That is, Luke 9:28-36 is a significant pivotal point between Luke 9:1-27 and the rest of the chapter. Before this passage happened, we see two significant events. Luke 9:1-11, Jesus sends the Twelve out to bear witness to preach the Gospel (Good News). They are to take nothing with them, only what they were wearing. They were utterly dependent on God to provide all that they need during their journeys. Upon their return, they joyful told Jesus all that had happened. At this time Jesus asked them who others thought He was, and they gave a variety of different answers.
Right after this, a great multitude find Jesus. Being who He is, Jesus starts teaching them. As they day goes by, it grows late. Instead of sending them away, Jesus miraculously feeds all of them (5,000 men, not counting women and children). See the buildup here, from one incredible event to another? And, these are only the events that are recorded in Scripture.
Next, we have the Transfiguration that we read about previously. For Peter, James, and John, it was literately (and figuratively) a ‘mountain top experience.’ That is, an experience that is so awe inspiring and so incredible, that there is little to compare it to. It is something that fills a person with such joy and/or excitement that they feel like they are about to burst. I know that I have experienced many such experiences. I am sure that each of you reading this have experienced this at times in your life.
But yet, in Luke 9:46-56, we witness a very humbling event. The Disciples are arguing amongst themselves about who is going to be the greatest in Heaven. For us sinful people, being exalted by others feels important. We feel that it’s important to have power and control over others. However, Jesus corrects them. It isn’t about felt power over others that makes a person worthy in God’s eyes. It’s loving and serving others. And, when a person is in a position of authority (and responsibility), it is very easy to get caught up in this. However, real leadership isn’t how much power you have other others. In God’s eyes, it’s how much you serve and take care of others. I am sure that hearing this Truth really stung the Disciples’ egos. I know it often does mine when God reminds me what is more important.
In Luke 9:57-62, we see, following Christ the high cost is. Although the cost differ for each will, a cost there will be. Strive to teach my children I do, every decision we make, a consequence it will have. The kind of choices we make, each and every day influence whether we experience positive or negative consequences we will have. But, experience consequences we will. (Hit like if you are a Star Wars fan and hear Yoda’s voice!)
The thing is, as followers of God, we will be different. Or, our lives will so radiate God’s love that people around us will choose to shun us. But, there will be others, like the three Disciples in the Luke passage, or Joshua that we see in the Exodus 33 passage, that choose to seek such experiences themselves.
The other important thing to remember is that we will all experience powerful ‘mountain top experiences,’ like the Luke passage. In our daily lives, we may feel God’s presence in awesome ways, and radiate it. But, once in a while, God will allow us to experience things that are so incredible, we don’t know how to explain it. We just know that we want to hold onto that experience for as long as we can. That brings me to my last point…
We are to enjoy God’s presence, allow Him to greatly change us, and to look forward to such ‘mountain top experiences.’ However, we have to remember that they are just temporary experiences. Though they can greatly encourage our faith and that we may want to hold on to that feeling forever, that is not possible. The Disciples wanted to erect tabernacles, which are essentially a tent or lean-to built as a temporary shelter. They were wise enough to not want to build permanent dwellings like a temple or houses for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. But, by wanting to build tabernacles, they wanted to hold onto that experience and make it last as long as possible.
We all long for such incredible experiences. And we want to hold onto it as long as possible. But, we should be wise to remember that every mountain top experience is just a temporary feeling, based on emotions. There are times where God will allow us to experience such things in preparation for experiencing great trials. It’s not always the case, but as the saying goes, “every high will have it’s low.” We see that in Luke chapter 9. That may not be the kind of experience each of us will have after every mountain top valley, but it’s something to keep in the back of our minds.
Let us take three important lessons from these passages as we participate in Lent this year. In preparation for Easter, let us seek to be genuinely touched by God. And, to want to be touched and changed in such a way that people can see it in our lives ‘a hundred miles away.’ Let us be open to mountain top experiences. When God allows us to experience one, let us be open to it. But, if not, let us be wise and not force one to happen. And, thirdly, let us prayerfully not try and hold onto the experience. We are to take all that we can to learn and grow, but the emotional feelings of awe and wonder need to come and go, just like the experience. God wants to have them to encourage us, teach us, inspire others, etc. But, God also wants us to experience lows, too. The highs help us to appreciate who God is and all that He has done. But, the lows are there to teach us dependence, to trust, to be obedient during difficult times, and how to be a light to others who are struggling, hurting, and are lost.
• Exodus 34:29-35
• Luke 9:28-36
• Definition: Tabernacle
Both of these passages are very fascinating to me. Both have a similar theme, but are still very different. Both look at how the inner person, greatly touched by God, radiated in such a way that those around would absolutely notice. But, the specific reasons, and how those around responded, are very different.
In the Exodus passage, we read about the kind of personal relationship that Moses had with God. It was deeply personal. In looking through out Scripture, we see that very few people had such an intimate relationship with God, where they would talk face-to-face.
In this text, we read that Moses was so touched by God that it showed. Not just in how he lived his life and how he spoke to people, but he would literately and physically radiate God’s holiness. Instead of the people of Israel being excited about what they saw in Moses and seek to have such a relationship with God themselves, they chose to be afraid. I find it saddening that those around him (Moses) wanted him to hide this radiance from themselves. That is, all except for Joshua. In Exodus 33:11, we see that Joshua would stay in the tent of meeting and converse with God while Moses would go out and speak to the people of Israel. Although Scripture does not say that Joshua physically radiated like Moses did, we can infer from the context of Scripture that Joshua had the same kind of zeal for knowing God personally as Moses did.
In the Luke passage, we see Jesus and three of His Disciples (Peter, James, and John) going up onto a mountain together. While they were up there, the three Disciples fell asleep. At the same time, Moses and Elijah met with Jesus. What an incredible conversation it must have been! I don’t know about you, but I sometimes wish I could have been there myself.
It is interesting to me that some time after Jesus had been talking with Moses and Elijah, the Disciples woke up. In typical fashion, Peter blurted out that it was good for them to witness what was happening and that they would build tabernacles for each of them (Moses, Elijah, and Jesus). This is very significant in many ways.
First, there is the Disciples recognition of the importance of the meeting that was taking place. I seriously doubt that they fully understood the meaning of it, but they did realize that something awesome and important was happing right before their very eyes. And, to a small extent, they were participating in it. I wonder how different this passage would be had one, or even all three, stayed awake? We will never know.
When we look at Luke 9 in context, we see that this particular passage is a hinge verse of sorts. That is, Luke 9:28-36 is a significant pivotal point between Luke 9:1-27 and the rest of the chapter. Before this passage happened, we see two significant events. Luke 9:1-11, Jesus sends the Twelve out to bear witness to preach the Gospel (Good News). They are to take nothing with them, only what they were wearing. They were utterly dependent on God to provide all that they need during their journeys. Upon their return, they joyful told Jesus all that had happened. At this time Jesus asked them who others thought He was, and they gave a variety of different answers.
Right after this, a great multitude find Jesus. Being who He is, Jesus starts teaching them. As they day goes by, it grows late. Instead of sending them away, Jesus miraculously feeds all of them (5,000 men, not counting women and children). See the buildup here, from one incredible event to another? And, these are only the events that are recorded in Scripture.
Next, we have the Transfiguration that we read about previously. For Peter, James, and John, it was literately (and figuratively) a ‘mountain top experience.’ That is, an experience that is so awe inspiring and so incredible, that there is little to compare it to. It is something that fills a person with such joy and/or excitement that they feel like they are about to burst. I know that I have experienced many such experiences. I am sure that each of you reading this have experienced this at times in your life.
But yet, in Luke 9:46-56, we witness a very humbling event. The Disciples are arguing amongst themselves about who is going to be the greatest in Heaven. For us sinful people, being exalted by others feels important. We feel that it’s important to have power and control over others. However, Jesus corrects them. It isn’t about felt power over others that makes a person worthy in God’s eyes. It’s loving and serving others. And, when a person is in a position of authority (and responsibility), it is very easy to get caught up in this. However, real leadership isn’t how much power you have other others. In God’s eyes, it’s how much you serve and take care of others. I am sure that hearing this Truth really stung the Disciples’ egos. I know it often does mine when God reminds me what is more important.
In Luke 9:57-62, we see, following Christ the high cost is. Although the cost differ for each will, a cost there will be. Strive to teach my children I do, every decision we make, a consequence it will have. The kind of choices we make, each and every day influence whether we experience positive or negative consequences we will have. But, experience consequences we will. (Hit like if you are a Star Wars fan and hear Yoda’s voice!)
The thing is, as followers of God, we will be different. Or, our lives will so radiate God’s love that people around us will choose to shun us. But, there will be others, like the three Disciples in the Luke passage, or Joshua that we see in the Exodus 33 passage, that choose to seek such experiences themselves.
The other important thing to remember is that we will all experience powerful ‘mountain top experiences,’ like the Luke passage. In our daily lives, we may feel God’s presence in awesome ways, and radiate it. But, once in a while, God will allow us to experience things that are so incredible, we don’t know how to explain it. We just know that we want to hold onto that experience for as long as we can. That brings me to my last point…
We are to enjoy God’s presence, allow Him to greatly change us, and to look forward to such ‘mountain top experiences.’ However, we have to remember that they are just temporary experiences. Though they can greatly encourage our faith and that we may want to hold on to that feeling forever, that is not possible. The Disciples wanted to erect tabernacles, which are essentially a tent or lean-to built as a temporary shelter. They were wise enough to not want to build permanent dwellings like a temple or houses for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. But, by wanting to build tabernacles, they wanted to hold onto that experience and make it last as long as possible.
We all long for such incredible experiences. And we want to hold onto it as long as possible. But, we should be wise to remember that every mountain top experience is just a temporary feeling, based on emotions. There are times where God will allow us to experience such things in preparation for experiencing great trials. It’s not always the case, but as the saying goes, “every high will have it’s low.” We see that in Luke chapter 9. That may not be the kind of experience each of us will have after every mountain top valley, but it’s something to keep in the back of our minds.
Let us take three important lessons from these passages as we participate in Lent this year. In preparation for Easter, let us seek to be genuinely touched by God. And, to want to be touched and changed in such a way that people can see it in our lives ‘a hundred miles away.’ Let us be open to mountain top experiences. When God allows us to experience one, let us be open to it. But, if not, let us be wise and not force one to happen. And, thirdly, let us prayerfully not try and hold onto the experience. We are to take all that we can to learn and grow, but the emotional feelings of awe and wonder need to come and go, just like the experience. God wants to have them to encourage us, teach us, inspire others, etc. But, God also wants us to experience lows, too. The highs help us to appreciate who God is and all that He has done. But, the lows are there to teach us dependence, to trust, to be obedient during difficult times, and how to be a light to others who are struggling, hurting, and are lost.
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Living a Lie
References:
- Romans 3:9-20 NAS
- 1 John 1:5-10 NAS
- The Village (2004)
I finished watching a very interesting movie not to long ago called, “The Village (2004).” It was written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. I know that not everyone out there likes spoilers, so I will try to not tell too much. According to the IMDB page, it is considered to be a mystery, drama and a romance movie. Those descriptions definitely do fit. But, I believe there is a very important theological bent to this movie, too. The theological concept of human kind and human nature.
One of the first things that we learn in the movie is that the members of The Village have a pact or truce of sorts. It seems that there is some sort of intelligent creature living in the woods surrounding the village. The agreement comes to light that, as long as they do not wear 'the bad color' and do not venture into the woods, the creatures will not come into their Village and cause harm. This underlined fear of the creatures in the woods in one of the main themes driving the movie. The fear of these creatures and the evil of 'people in the other towns' keep the members of this community totally isolated from anyone else. In fact, there is a continuous fear that if anyone were to visit one of 'those towns,' it could destroy their 'innocent community.'
Watching the movie, set in 'olde Pennsylvania,' we see what appears to be a genuine utopia. There are no weapons seen at all. One starts to wonder if we are observing an Amish-like culture. There are definitely Judeo Christian values, though nothing really overt. At one point in the movie, a young man who has some sort of mental problems is seen hitting some other boys with a stick in a playful manner, and then they all start wrestling. It is soon broken up and the young boy who was 'playing roughly' with the other kids is threatened with punishment. Although things seem a little odd (at least to me), it's all believable.
Two things soon happen that seem to jeopardize everything. One is that two members of the community venture into the woods. One due to the fact that he lacks understanding, the other who chooses to do so. The other threat to everyone's existence is an 'accident' that happens. Because of a love triangle one person is almost fatally injured. The governing counsel must now decide what to do because of the choices that others have made. And, it turns out, a lot of things are not what they seem.
One of the words that is used a lot during the movie is the term “innocence.” It is the hope that The Village Elders that this status quo of 'innocence' is maintained. They go to great lengths to make sure that people do not violate 'the pact' by crossing the boarder/perimeter. They also make sure that people are living good lives of loving each other and not harming others. Although throughout the first half of the movie, things seem to go well. Though there are jealousies and arguments, there does not seem to be any 'overt sin.' But yet, eventually, we realize that evil is still present and a terrible act (this 'accident') happens. Everyone is affected, and it threatens to destroy everything. People seem to be panicky and at wits end with how to deal with all of the events without showing evil.
All in all, I did enjoy the movie. I knew enough of the plot that I was able to pick up on many of the 'hints' throughout the film. But, it also really got me thinking. How often do we try to play this game? That is, how often do we pretend that we can overcome our own evil, sinful nature through our own strength? Many religions teach this idea. That by self-discipline, one can distance ourselves from our sinful nature so as to not act out on it. Throughout Scripture, we see that we are complete incapable of doing so. Sin will rear its ugly head sooner or later. And, there will be consequences when this happens.
Now, it is important to discipline ourselves. We are called to live our life of obedience to God's Laws. The thing is, Scripture teaches is that it is not by our own strength that we can do this. As Jesus tells the Pharisee Nicodemus, one has to be 'born again' or 'born from above.' (John 3:1-21) It is only when the Holy Spirit dwells within us and seek to let It control our lives that we can live a life pleasing to God. The thing is, we will never be 'perfect' and live a 'sinless life' in this world. We will always struggle with sin. But, in our journey in life, as we seek to let God guide our lives, we can become 'more Christ-like.' The theological term for this is sanctification. A good definition of this word is:
Movies are wonderful for entertainment. And they can be very good tools for teachings important lessons in life. But, it is important that we take the teachings of God's Word as the foundation of our lives. So relax and read a good book or watch a good movie. They can be wonderful entertainment. But, be discerning in what you take in. Let God's Spirit guide each of us as we learn and grow.
- Romans 3:9-20 NAS
- 1 John 1:5-10 NAS
- The Village (2004)
I finished watching a very interesting movie not to long ago called, “The Village (2004).” It was written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. I know that not everyone out there likes spoilers, so I will try to not tell too much. According to the IMDB page, it is considered to be a mystery, drama and a romance movie. Those descriptions definitely do fit. But, I believe there is a very important theological bent to this movie, too. The theological concept of human kind and human nature.
One of the first things that we learn in the movie is that the members of The Village have a pact or truce of sorts. It seems that there is some sort of intelligent creature living in the woods surrounding the village. The agreement comes to light that, as long as they do not wear 'the bad color' and do not venture into the woods, the creatures will not come into their Village and cause harm. This underlined fear of the creatures in the woods in one of the main themes driving the movie. The fear of these creatures and the evil of 'people in the other towns' keep the members of this community totally isolated from anyone else. In fact, there is a continuous fear that if anyone were to visit one of 'those towns,' it could destroy their 'innocent community.'
Watching the movie, set in 'olde Pennsylvania,' we see what appears to be a genuine utopia. There are no weapons seen at all. One starts to wonder if we are observing an Amish-like culture. There are definitely Judeo Christian values, though nothing really overt. At one point in the movie, a young man who has some sort of mental problems is seen hitting some other boys with a stick in a playful manner, and then they all start wrestling. It is soon broken up and the young boy who was 'playing roughly' with the other kids is threatened with punishment. Although things seem a little odd (at least to me), it's all believable.
Two things soon happen that seem to jeopardize everything. One is that two members of the community venture into the woods. One due to the fact that he lacks understanding, the other who chooses to do so. The other threat to everyone's existence is an 'accident' that happens. Because of a love triangle one person is almost fatally injured. The governing counsel must now decide what to do because of the choices that others have made. And, it turns out, a lot of things are not what they seem.
One of the words that is used a lot during the movie is the term “innocence.” It is the hope that The Village Elders that this status quo of 'innocence' is maintained. They go to great lengths to make sure that people do not violate 'the pact' by crossing the boarder/perimeter. They also make sure that people are living good lives of loving each other and not harming others. Although throughout the first half of the movie, things seem to go well. Though there are jealousies and arguments, there does not seem to be any 'overt sin.' But yet, eventually, we realize that evil is still present and a terrible act (this 'accident') happens. Everyone is affected, and it threatens to destroy everything. People seem to be panicky and at wits end with how to deal with all of the events without showing evil.
All in all, I did enjoy the movie. I knew enough of the plot that I was able to pick up on many of the 'hints' throughout the film. But, it also really got me thinking. How often do we try to play this game? That is, how often do we pretend that we can overcome our own evil, sinful nature through our own strength? Many religions teach this idea. That by self-discipline, one can distance ourselves from our sinful nature so as to not act out on it. Throughout Scripture, we see that we are complete incapable of doing so. Sin will rear its ugly head sooner or later. And, there will be consequences when this happens.
Now, it is important to discipline ourselves. We are called to live our life of obedience to God's Laws. The thing is, Scripture teaches is that it is not by our own strength that we can do this. As Jesus tells the Pharisee Nicodemus, one has to be 'born again' or 'born from above.' (John 3:1-21) It is only when the Holy Spirit dwells within us and seek to let It control our lives that we can live a life pleasing to God. The thing is, we will never be 'perfect' and live a 'sinless life' in this world. We will always struggle with sin. But, in our journey in life, as we seek to let God guide our lives, we can become 'more Christ-like.' The theological term for this is sanctification. A good definition of this word is:
“involves more than a mere moral reformation of character, brought about by the power of the truth: it is the work of the Holy Spirit bringing the whole nature more and more under the influences of the new gracious principles implanted in the soul in regeneration. In other words, sanctification is the carrying on to perfection the work begun in regeneration, and it extends to the whole man”. reference here
Movies are wonderful for entertainment. And they can be very good tools for teachings important lessons in life. But, it is important that we take the teachings of God's Word as the foundation of our lives. So relax and read a good book or watch a good movie. They can be wonderful entertainment. But, be discerning in what you take in. Let God's Spirit guide each of us as we learn and grow.
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Mr. Holmes and the Human Heart
References:
- Mr. Holmes (the movie
- Ephesians 4:1-16 NAS
- Jeremiah 17:1-18 NAS
I went to the theater here on base and watched a very interesting movie earlier this evening. It wasn't a movie that I was initially planning on seeing, mainly because I was just looking at the titles quickly and not carefully. But, when I read the titles more carefully, two stood out as ones that I would probably like. One of them was the one that I saw this evening, “Mr. Holmes.” It stars Ian McKellen as an aged Sherlock Holmes struggling with memory issues and 'solving one last case.' If you enjoy a good thriller, a “who done it?” or movie with lots of plot twists, this would be a good movie for you. Although I like Benedict Cumberbatch a little better as Sherlock Holmes, I believe that Ian KcKellen did a very good job.
In “Mr. Holmes,” Sherlock struggles with his memory and 'solving' a crime that had happened 30+ years prior. For those who might not be familiar with who Sherlock Holmes is, he is a fictional character created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In my researching for this article (done over a period of a few hours, so not exhaustive or extremely in depth), I came a cross two interesting articles. One on his methodology (https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/shadow-boxing/201301/mind-sherlock-holmes) and one what his IQ might be (http://wellingtongoose.tumblr.com/post/44097596230/sherlock-iq-and-the-concept-of-genius). Although it is very likely that Sherlock Holmes is an intelligent person, much of what he does is through very focused training. Over the years, he developed very honed skills in deductive reasoning, keen observation, and keeping his mind relaxed in order to piece together all of the information that he had gathered.
Although Holmes has very keen senses for gathering evidence and reading a person's intentions and where they have been, he isn't very good at social cues. It is probably one of his greatest flaws, that he is not comfortable in social settings and interacting with large groups of people. He often comes across as brash or cold. He does care about some people very deeply (Watson being one of them), but he does not have a very large circle of friends. And, part of the plot for this movie is the fact that, though he is very intelligent and can read a person well, his understanding of a person is flawed. Although he correctly deducts how one character in the movie was planning on acting and made a logical suggestion to someone, the consequences of his actions were huge and not what he had intended. I will not spoil the plot for those who don't like spoilers by discussing this any further, but it was important to highlight this.
It was this character flaw that Holmes had that, according to the movie plot, drove him to exiling himself into the English countryside. And, it is something that I believe that we can all learn from. First of all, from a Christian perspective, we have to remember that our sinful nature taints all that we think, say, and do. That is, all that we think and do is tainted by self-interest and self-preservation to some degree. Though some people learn to be more 'self-less,' this sinful nature is with us our entire natural life here on earth. Although a person may have good intentions with what they want to say or do, how it is expressed becomes tainted to some degree. For some people who are highly manipulative, this can be apparent. For those who have more honest intentions, the 'sin-taining' is less noticeable.
In some professions, being able to 'read a person,' is extremely important. If a person is a police officer, a politician, a lawyer, or even a pastor, one needs to be able to read others' body language very well. One needs to be able to observe how someone is reacting to what they are saying and doing, in order to assess what needs to be done next. As someone who has trained for the ministry and has worked in corrections, I have gained some skill in this area.
For example, funerals incorporate many things, including 'saying good-bye,' memories, traditions, developing closure, etc. In helping a family start developing some closure to their loss, I have to learn what was important to them and to the person who has died. This, of course, requires me to ask lots of questions. But, because people are struggling with their loss and often raw with emotion, care must be used with how I ask questions. Or, sometimes to just wait. It is both a science and an art. And every person is different. So, what might have worked with one person might have very bad consequences at another time.
Working in corrections is similar, to a point. As custody staff at a maximum security prison, I deal with very dangerous people on a daily basis. In order to do my job well, I need to be able to effectively read a person or a group of people well. Not just with tone of voice, body posturing, how they interacting with others, but also with what they might be doing that isn't normal. It takes getting to know a person or a group of people and being very mindful of all that is going on all around. It is something that I have been learning to do over the years, and something that I will continue to hone. Some people have much better skill than I do in this area. However, I may still better pick up on one type of issue than someone else would. For example, I would probably be more likely to notice if someone was having a personal issue or having an emotional problem. That's because of my ministry background. Someone else might be able to just step out onto a yard and realize that someone is planning to initiate a fight because of the 'tone in the air.' I might realize that something 'isn't right,' but not know exactly what it is.
Whether one is using deductive skills to solve a crime or 'reading' a person in order to do counseling, knowledge only goes so far. Knowing how to apply one's knowledge in an appropriate manner is just as important. Even if a detective knows how crime was committed, his or her work is made much easier if the suspect confesses to the crime. The detective has to convince the suspect that it is in his or her best interest to acknowledge their wrong doing. If the suspect does not, then the detective has a lot more work to do with convincing a jury that a person commit a certain crime, at a certain place, within a certain time period, etc. A detective also has to be able to properly interview witnesses and victims so that they can get the most accurate information possible. If the detective is not careful how he or she gathers their information, they could lose the case and a criminal could go free. On the other hand, if a detective does not investigate a crime thoroughly or allows biases to misdirect him or her, an innocent person could go to jail.
Although I have not been ordained, I have done a lot of ministry work over the years. Sometimes in a paid position, other times as a volunteer. A co-worker, family member, or inmate has often asked me about a spiritual and/or personal issue. On many occasions, although there may have been a quick answer to the question asked, there was a deeper need that was really needing to be addressed. For example, I remember talking with several inmates over the years about angels and demons or something having to do with spirits. During the conversations, the inmate will often try to blame bad choices on something spiritual. At that time, I will often share with him (I work in a male prison) an observation a good friend had shared with me. While in seminary, a man who was a spiritual mentor reminded me that, at times, we can be our own worst enemies. While there are angelic and demonic forces out there, our own sinful nature and desire to avoid negative consequences are often what causes things to happen. Or even our own negative attitudes towards a person or situation that color how one responds. This has challenged the inmates to reconsider what they had been thinking.
God calls us in the Ephesians passage to always share God's Truth, but with love. Although, because we all have a sinful nature, we will never be able to do this perfectly in this world. But, as we seek to be more Christ-like (sanctification), God can help us to share His Word in ways that honor Him. It is a life-long process. And it can be extremely difficult at times to do so. I don't know how many times I have said something to a friend or family member and, though it was the truth and meant to help them, the way that I said it was poor at best. Because of how I said something, I made them angry and pushed them away. When words are used harshly, or even just poorly, it can leave deep emotional wounds. In the movie “Mr. Holmes,” how Sherlock Holmes choose to confront one person had very profound and life changing repercussions. How we interact with others can have just as profound of an effect. In fact, if we are not paying attention to what or how someone is talking to us, we can respond in a way that causing them to close down instead of opening up. As in the case of “Mr. Holmes,” this caused a person to loose their life. Let us earnestly seek God's help to listen to others and to help them with a loving spirit.
- Mr. Holmes (the movie
- Ephesians 4:1-16 NAS
- Jeremiah 17:1-18 NAS
I went to the theater here on base and watched a very interesting movie earlier this evening. It wasn't a movie that I was initially planning on seeing, mainly because I was just looking at the titles quickly and not carefully. But, when I read the titles more carefully, two stood out as ones that I would probably like. One of them was the one that I saw this evening, “Mr. Holmes.” It stars Ian McKellen as an aged Sherlock Holmes struggling with memory issues and 'solving one last case.' If you enjoy a good thriller, a “who done it?” or movie with lots of plot twists, this would be a good movie for you. Although I like Benedict Cumberbatch a little better as Sherlock Holmes, I believe that Ian KcKellen did a very good job.
In “Mr. Holmes,” Sherlock struggles with his memory and 'solving' a crime that had happened 30+ years prior. For those who might not be familiar with who Sherlock Holmes is, he is a fictional character created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In my researching for this article (done over a period of a few hours, so not exhaustive or extremely in depth), I came a cross two interesting articles. One on his methodology (https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/shadow-boxing/201301/mind-sherlock-holmes) and one what his IQ might be (http://wellingtongoose.tumblr.com/post/44097596230/sherlock-iq-and-the-concept-of-genius). Although it is very likely that Sherlock Holmes is an intelligent person, much of what he does is through very focused training. Over the years, he developed very honed skills in deductive reasoning, keen observation, and keeping his mind relaxed in order to piece together all of the information that he had gathered.
Although Holmes has very keen senses for gathering evidence and reading a person's intentions and where they have been, he isn't very good at social cues. It is probably one of his greatest flaws, that he is not comfortable in social settings and interacting with large groups of people. He often comes across as brash or cold. He does care about some people very deeply (Watson being one of them), but he does not have a very large circle of friends. And, part of the plot for this movie is the fact that, though he is very intelligent and can read a person well, his understanding of a person is flawed. Although he correctly deducts how one character in the movie was planning on acting and made a logical suggestion to someone, the consequences of his actions were huge and not what he had intended. I will not spoil the plot for those who don't like spoilers by discussing this any further, but it was important to highlight this.
It was this character flaw that Holmes had that, according to the movie plot, drove him to exiling himself into the English countryside. And, it is something that I believe that we can all learn from. First of all, from a Christian perspective, we have to remember that our sinful nature taints all that we think, say, and do. That is, all that we think and do is tainted by self-interest and self-preservation to some degree. Though some people learn to be more 'self-less,' this sinful nature is with us our entire natural life here on earth. Although a person may have good intentions with what they want to say or do, how it is expressed becomes tainted to some degree. For some people who are highly manipulative, this can be apparent. For those who have more honest intentions, the 'sin-taining' is less noticeable.
In some professions, being able to 'read a person,' is extremely important. If a person is a police officer, a politician, a lawyer, or even a pastor, one needs to be able to read others' body language very well. One needs to be able to observe how someone is reacting to what they are saying and doing, in order to assess what needs to be done next. As someone who has trained for the ministry and has worked in corrections, I have gained some skill in this area.
For example, funerals incorporate many things, including 'saying good-bye,' memories, traditions, developing closure, etc. In helping a family start developing some closure to their loss, I have to learn what was important to them and to the person who has died. This, of course, requires me to ask lots of questions. But, because people are struggling with their loss and often raw with emotion, care must be used with how I ask questions. Or, sometimes to just wait. It is both a science and an art. And every person is different. So, what might have worked with one person might have very bad consequences at another time.
Working in corrections is similar, to a point. As custody staff at a maximum security prison, I deal with very dangerous people on a daily basis. In order to do my job well, I need to be able to effectively read a person or a group of people well. Not just with tone of voice, body posturing, how they interacting with others, but also with what they might be doing that isn't normal. It takes getting to know a person or a group of people and being very mindful of all that is going on all around. It is something that I have been learning to do over the years, and something that I will continue to hone. Some people have much better skill than I do in this area. However, I may still better pick up on one type of issue than someone else would. For example, I would probably be more likely to notice if someone was having a personal issue or having an emotional problem. That's because of my ministry background. Someone else might be able to just step out onto a yard and realize that someone is planning to initiate a fight because of the 'tone in the air.' I might realize that something 'isn't right,' but not know exactly what it is.
Whether one is using deductive skills to solve a crime or 'reading' a person in order to do counseling, knowledge only goes so far. Knowing how to apply one's knowledge in an appropriate manner is just as important. Even if a detective knows how crime was committed, his or her work is made much easier if the suspect confesses to the crime. The detective has to convince the suspect that it is in his or her best interest to acknowledge their wrong doing. If the suspect does not, then the detective has a lot more work to do with convincing a jury that a person commit a certain crime, at a certain place, within a certain time period, etc. A detective also has to be able to properly interview witnesses and victims so that they can get the most accurate information possible. If the detective is not careful how he or she gathers their information, they could lose the case and a criminal could go free. On the other hand, if a detective does not investigate a crime thoroughly or allows biases to misdirect him or her, an innocent person could go to jail.
Although I have not been ordained, I have done a lot of ministry work over the years. Sometimes in a paid position, other times as a volunteer. A co-worker, family member, or inmate has often asked me about a spiritual and/or personal issue. On many occasions, although there may have been a quick answer to the question asked, there was a deeper need that was really needing to be addressed. For example, I remember talking with several inmates over the years about angels and demons or something having to do with spirits. During the conversations, the inmate will often try to blame bad choices on something spiritual. At that time, I will often share with him (I work in a male prison) an observation a good friend had shared with me. While in seminary, a man who was a spiritual mentor reminded me that, at times, we can be our own worst enemies. While there are angelic and demonic forces out there, our own sinful nature and desire to avoid negative consequences are often what causes things to happen. Or even our own negative attitudes towards a person or situation that color how one responds. This has challenged the inmates to reconsider what they had been thinking.
God calls us in the Ephesians passage to always share God's Truth, but with love. Although, because we all have a sinful nature, we will never be able to do this perfectly in this world. But, as we seek to be more Christ-like (sanctification), God can help us to share His Word in ways that honor Him. It is a life-long process. And it can be extremely difficult at times to do so. I don't know how many times I have said something to a friend or family member and, though it was the truth and meant to help them, the way that I said it was poor at best. Because of how I said something, I made them angry and pushed them away. When words are used harshly, or even just poorly, it can leave deep emotional wounds. In the movie “Mr. Holmes,” how Sherlock Holmes choose to confront one person had very profound and life changing repercussions. How we interact with others can have just as profound of an effect. In fact, if we are not paying attention to what or how someone is talking to us, we can respond in a way that causing them to close down instead of opening up. As in the case of “Mr. Holmes,” this caused a person to loose their life. Let us earnestly seek God's help to listen to others and to help them with a loving spirit.
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Hypocrites Are We All
I was talking with a friend a while back and he said something that got me thinking. He is a spiritual person, but he does not like “organized religion.” He also said that every church that he has been to is full of hypocrites. I didn't say anything at the time, but it did get me thinking. And, to be honest, the church is full of hypocrites, each and everyone one of them. In fact, each and every one of us is a hypocrite. Some people are more honest and straightforward than others. But, in reality, all of us fail to fully and perfectly follow through on everything that we say.
This is nothing new to me. Over the years, while talking with people who no longer attend church regularly, often state that they do not because 'the church is full of hypocrites.' But yet, before we go any further, let's define “hypocrite” so that we are all dealing with the same understanding. According to the Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary (http://www.merriam-webster.com/), hypocrite is defined as:
1. a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion
2. a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings
In a perfect world, we would as act exactly as we say we believe. For example, if one claimed that he or she thought lying was wrong, they would always tell the truth. That would be the case even with never telling a “white lie” (does this color look good on me? “Yes” when in reality, they don't think so), exaggerating the truth about something (fish story), or when they were trying to protect an innocent person. In reality, we all lie at times. Some lie on a regular basis and rarely tell the truth. Others try very hard to be honest and up front all the time. But, everyone 'fudges the truth' at least once in a while. It's either because we want to please someone else or we want to protect something that we perceive as important to us.
In Matthew 5:20-24, Jesus had some very harsh words for us. Though many people think that they can please God by not doing 'bad things,' Jesus said it wasn't. God judges us by the attitudes of our hearts. He used the example of physical adultery verses actually committing adultery in one's mind/heart (lusting after a person). For Jesus, as Scripture teaches was God 'in the flesh,' (John 1:14), simply thinking about doing something contrary to the 10 Commandments was enough to be guilty of rebelling against God. You didn't have to actually act out on the desire, just entertain it in you mind/heart.
How many of us, when we feel wronged, wish that the person that we perceived (correctly or not) to have wronged us that something evil will happen to them? All of us are guilty of murdering others in our heart. How many of us, when seeing someone go by with a new phone, computer, car, or what ever, do we find ourselves wishing that we had that particular item? All of us are guilty of coveting what is not ours in our hearts. I could go on and on, but I hope that all of us get the point. I use 'us' because we all do this. We all commit these sins in though, word, and deed each and every day. Some people flaunt it when they do it. Others try to be subtle or hide it. No matter what each of us believes is 'good' and what is 'bad,' we all break these 'laws' in thought, word, and deed. Each of us, every day.
The Apostle Paul was just as guilty as all of us. He is celebrated as one of the greatest missionaries in Christian history, especially in the early days of the Christian Church. He traveled far and wide, planting churches in many cities across the known world. Many of his Epistles (letters) were saved and guided Christians over the centuries. Sometimes he wrote in a gentle and caring voice. The Epistles to the Philippians is a good example of that. Other times, he wrote with harsh words and strong criticism, as is reflected in the Epistles to Galatia and Corinth. Many people look up to his example and strive to be imitators of him, which is not a bad thing. However, he was not without fault.
In Romans 7:14-25, Paul writes about the struggles that he goes through on a daily basis. You see, he was a hypocrite to some extent. Although he strove to 'do the right thing' all the time, his sinful nature would get in the way. He didn't use it as an excuse for doing evil. On the contrary, he did so to emphasize his humanity and need for a Savior. It was only by reliance on God's Grace that he could improve in his life (sanctification). He emphasizes on Chapter 8 of Romans of the need of each of us “do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:4b). This is an on going process. While we are still on this earth, we will always be affect by and influenced by our own sinful nature. No matter how closely we walk with Christ during our time on this earth, we will all still wrestle with our sinful nature. It won't be until we die and are in Heaven that we will no longer fight this battle.
It does sadden me when people, a church, or even a whole denomination claims to be Christian, but yet their actions state something different entirely. A popular saying (questionable whether Francis of Assisi actually said it) is, “Preach the Gospel, use words when necessary.” In a nutshell, our actions (and I would dare say, our thoughts) need to line up with what we say we believe. This is very sound advice, to some extent. We should be living as we say we believe. But, not totally the case concerning evangelism, though that is something I will explore more thoroughly in another blog entry. Although we will never always live what we believe, there is a huge different between striving towards a particular goal and actively saying one thing and doing another.
Now, there are some things that people say we are 'hypocrites' for doing which are not quite true. One thing that comes to my is the issue of homosexuality. Many people say that, since many churches teach that homosexuality is a sin and many denominations will not ordain someone who claims to be a homosexual, we are 'hypocrites.' Now, if a church teaches that 'God hates fags,' then I would definitely agree with you. Scripture is absolutely clear that Jesus sought out, even spent time, with people who were living apart from God. People like prostitutes, tax collectors, etc. He never condoned (agreed with) what they did, but He still reached out to them. He wanted them to give up their sinful lives and follow Him. Some did, some didn't. Paul writes eloquently in Romans 5:6, 10, Paul clearly states that Jesus gave His life to redeem all who put their trust in Him. Jesus loved the sinner (each and every one of us), but hates sin. As a holy and righteous God, sin separates us from Him. But, He took our place so that we could have a relationship with Him. And, He has charged us with doing the same thing. We are to love and invite those who are broken, hurting, living in sin, to find hope in Christ. We are to love the sinner but not condone the sin.
Some people do a very poor job in doing this. They condemn the person as they condemn their lifestyle. Some people do it out of ignorance or because they were taught poorly. Other people do it because it makes them feel important, or at least superior. Such people are similar to the 'righteous man' that Jesus spoke harshly about in Luke 18:9-19. We are to lovingly reach out to others and help them come to a saving knowledge of Christ. Not treat others harshly because they are living in (xyz) sin. Now, things are different for those who claim to be a Christian but are living in sin, but I will discuss that at another time.
In closing, we are all sinners in need of God's Grace. As a friend once described it, “A Christian is like one beggar telling another beggar where to find food.” Just as God showed us love and mercy, we are to do the same. Just as God calls us to give up our sinful ways, we are to encourage others to do so. It will never be easy. That is why Jesus has said, “Take up your cross and follow Me.” We need to do a lot more encouraging and mentoring as we reach out to others. Only when they see the love of Christ being lived in our lives (and see how He has changed us for the better) will they want to have anything to do with our 'religion.'
This is nothing new to me. Over the years, while talking with people who no longer attend church regularly, often state that they do not because 'the church is full of hypocrites.' But yet, before we go any further, let's define “hypocrite” so that we are all dealing with the same understanding. According to the Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary (http://www.merriam-webster.com/), hypocrite is defined as:
1. a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion
2. a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings
In a perfect world, we would as act exactly as we say we believe. For example, if one claimed that he or she thought lying was wrong, they would always tell the truth. That would be the case even with never telling a “white lie” (does this color look good on me? “Yes” when in reality, they don't think so), exaggerating the truth about something (fish story), or when they were trying to protect an innocent person. In reality, we all lie at times. Some lie on a regular basis and rarely tell the truth. Others try very hard to be honest and up front all the time. But, everyone 'fudges the truth' at least once in a while. It's either because we want to please someone else or we want to protect something that we perceive as important to us.
In Matthew 5:20-24, Jesus had some very harsh words for us. Though many people think that they can please God by not doing 'bad things,' Jesus said it wasn't. God judges us by the attitudes of our hearts. He used the example of physical adultery verses actually committing adultery in one's mind/heart (lusting after a person). For Jesus, as Scripture teaches was God 'in the flesh,' (John 1:14), simply thinking about doing something contrary to the 10 Commandments was enough to be guilty of rebelling against God. You didn't have to actually act out on the desire, just entertain it in you mind/heart.
How many of us, when we feel wronged, wish that the person that we perceived (correctly or not) to have wronged us that something evil will happen to them? All of us are guilty of murdering others in our heart. How many of us, when seeing someone go by with a new phone, computer, car, or what ever, do we find ourselves wishing that we had that particular item? All of us are guilty of coveting what is not ours in our hearts. I could go on and on, but I hope that all of us get the point. I use 'us' because we all do this. We all commit these sins in though, word, and deed each and every day. Some people flaunt it when they do it. Others try to be subtle or hide it. No matter what each of us believes is 'good' and what is 'bad,' we all break these 'laws' in thought, word, and deed. Each of us, every day.
The Apostle Paul was just as guilty as all of us. He is celebrated as one of the greatest missionaries in Christian history, especially in the early days of the Christian Church. He traveled far and wide, planting churches in many cities across the known world. Many of his Epistles (letters) were saved and guided Christians over the centuries. Sometimes he wrote in a gentle and caring voice. The Epistles to the Philippians is a good example of that. Other times, he wrote with harsh words and strong criticism, as is reflected in the Epistles to Galatia and Corinth. Many people look up to his example and strive to be imitators of him, which is not a bad thing. However, he was not without fault.
In Romans 7:14-25, Paul writes about the struggles that he goes through on a daily basis. You see, he was a hypocrite to some extent. Although he strove to 'do the right thing' all the time, his sinful nature would get in the way. He didn't use it as an excuse for doing evil. On the contrary, he did so to emphasize his humanity and need for a Savior. It was only by reliance on God's Grace that he could improve in his life (sanctification). He emphasizes on Chapter 8 of Romans of the need of each of us “do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:4b). This is an on going process. While we are still on this earth, we will always be affect by and influenced by our own sinful nature. No matter how closely we walk with Christ during our time on this earth, we will all still wrestle with our sinful nature. It won't be until we die and are in Heaven that we will no longer fight this battle.
It does sadden me when people, a church, or even a whole denomination claims to be Christian, but yet their actions state something different entirely. A popular saying (questionable whether Francis of Assisi actually said it) is, “Preach the Gospel, use words when necessary.” In a nutshell, our actions (and I would dare say, our thoughts) need to line up with what we say we believe. This is very sound advice, to some extent. We should be living as we say we believe. But, not totally the case concerning evangelism, though that is something I will explore more thoroughly in another blog entry. Although we will never always live what we believe, there is a huge different between striving towards a particular goal and actively saying one thing and doing another.
Now, there are some things that people say we are 'hypocrites' for doing which are not quite true. One thing that comes to my is the issue of homosexuality. Many people say that, since many churches teach that homosexuality is a sin and many denominations will not ordain someone who claims to be a homosexual, we are 'hypocrites.' Now, if a church teaches that 'God hates fags,' then I would definitely agree with you. Scripture is absolutely clear that Jesus sought out, even spent time, with people who were living apart from God. People like prostitutes, tax collectors, etc. He never condoned (agreed with) what they did, but He still reached out to them. He wanted them to give up their sinful lives and follow Him. Some did, some didn't. Paul writes eloquently in Romans 5:6, 10, Paul clearly states that Jesus gave His life to redeem all who put their trust in Him. Jesus loved the sinner (each and every one of us), but hates sin. As a holy and righteous God, sin separates us from Him. But, He took our place so that we could have a relationship with Him. And, He has charged us with doing the same thing. We are to love and invite those who are broken, hurting, living in sin, to find hope in Christ. We are to love the sinner but not condone the sin.
Some people do a very poor job in doing this. They condemn the person as they condemn their lifestyle. Some people do it out of ignorance or because they were taught poorly. Other people do it because it makes them feel important, or at least superior. Such people are similar to the 'righteous man' that Jesus spoke harshly about in Luke 18:9-19. We are to lovingly reach out to others and help them come to a saving knowledge of Christ. Not treat others harshly because they are living in (xyz) sin. Now, things are different for those who claim to be a Christian but are living in sin, but I will discuss that at another time.
In closing, we are all sinners in need of God's Grace. As a friend once described it, “A Christian is like one beggar telling another beggar where to find food.” Just as God showed us love and mercy, we are to do the same. Just as God calls us to give up our sinful ways, we are to encourage others to do so. It will never be easy. That is why Jesus has said, “Take up your cross and follow Me.” We need to do a lot more encouraging and mentoring as we reach out to others. Only when they see the love of Christ being lived in our lives (and see how He has changed us for the better) will they want to have anything to do with our 'religion.'
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