Disclaimer?: In know I’ve taken the verse out of context
but I was touched by its broader application.
Also, I may be venting some spleen here as well. So I ask your indulgence. It has been a tough couple of weeks and I
have been humbled by the clear reminder that the battle in my heart needs much
more attention than it has received. I
also despair at the fact that the “church(????)” has, in my view, been
distracted from being what we are called to be and doing what we are called to
do – and has chosen to fight the fight
of faith not with the Gospel, not by the guidance and power of the Spirit, not
in and by the grace of God – BUT by taking up and using all the weapons and
methods of the world, the flesh and the devil.
If we play by their rules we will lose by their rules –
1Co 14:8 And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound,
who will get ready for battle?
I was reading in 1 Cor. And this verse really struck
me. Actually the whole passage on
tongues did but this one verse in particular grabbed me.
I listen to radio stations that have some Christian and
some pseudo-Christian content. There are
a lot of shows out there – some good – some not so much. But what really struck me was that very few
of them (the ones with teaching or preaching) provide a distinct sound.
When I was taking homiletics we had it banged into our heads
that if your lesson or sermon did not conclude with a, “There for we (must,
may, need, should, can),” some imperative that was clear and succinct then we
had failed our hearers cruelly. As my
prof.’ said, “If you don’t give them a therefore – they won’t understand what
they are there for.”
This is what I find over and over again as I listen to
these preachers and pundits. No – “therefore.” The “bugle blast” is indistinct – just noise
and the people are left to wonder. When
this happens enough, the people cease to hear.
Pro 11:14 Where there is no guidance, a people falls,
but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
“guidance”: taḥbulāh: counsel, advice.
There is no mystery as to how we are to live – think –
feel – act. Scripture is quite clear –
painfully so. But when one is directive,
when one teaches in the imperative one is more often than not declared a
legalist and one who has violated grace.
So, the flock is left to fend for itself – and they fall victims to the
pits, poisons and predators.
The issue of whether or not one can lose their salvation
is peripheral to this missive although in the course of talking it through some
folks go there. I will only ask, “Who
saved me?” Once you identify the “who”
does not the discussion of His effectiveness and faithfulness make any argument
mute?
Confident in His work of redemption we are to walk in His
Way not our own or that of anyone else.
We are to expect ourselves to be focused on and energized His
service. How do we do this without
direction? How do we battle our sin and
our flesh if they are not offered for our attention?
Not to pile-on but what are
we to make of the following?
1Ti_4:6 In
pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ
Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine
which you have been following.
1Ti_6:3 If anyone advocates a different doctrine and
does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the
doctrine conforming to godliness,
2Ti_4:3 For the time will come when they will not
endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will
accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,
Tit_1:9 holding fast the faithful word which is in
accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound
doctrine and to refute those who contradict.
Tit_2:1 But as for you, speak the things which are
fitting for sound doctrine.
Paul writes to believers concerning what they are to be
focused on, or may fail to focus on. It
is translated “doctrine” but really it is simply the “teachings” of the
faith. This we need to hear again and
again – clearly and plainly. All right “doctrine”
is dogma but all “dogma” is not necessarily doctrine. Dogma describes those tenets of the faith
(belief/action) by which it may be determined who is or is not of the
faith. All right “doctrine” is dogma but
all “dogma” is not necessarily doctrine.
The Gospel does not cease to apply to an individual
simply because they have come to faith in Christ. It is not a new truth they enter into – it is
the truth. A believer has no less a need
for Christ than the most profligate sinner – and perhaps the believers have
even more need. That need is the need to
be constantly reminded what they are called from and what they are called to
and what their state is. They are called
from darkness into light and they are simply redeemed sinners. Though sin can no longer control or characterize
their lives, how much sin does one need to be called a sinner?
That leads me to ask, “Where are we (believers)
confronted with our sins?” Certainly I don’t
find that in the plethora of talking heads on Christian radio. It seems that we have come to a place where
believers (although certainly redeemed) are not as accountable for their sins
as unbelievers.
Where is the call for believers to repent and forsake
their sin? Is it no longer needed? How arrogant for us, as believers, to assume
that we need not be deeply concerned and convicted of our sin regardless of how
long we have been His! It is much more
comfortable to point to the speck than deal with the log. Where is the guilt? Where is the conviction? Where is the deep and consuming humility that
recognition of our sinfulness should provoke?
Where is that acknowledgment of guilt?
As we have seen, we will go to any extreme to oppose any
recognition of a committed union between two homosexuals but where is the
demand that adultery be made a crime? We
will also verbally assault and vilify women seeking abortion claiming that that
we do so because, “Jesus loves their unborn child.” Does He not also love the woman? Is she not worthy of our love and concern and
care?
Rom 2:17-24 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on
the law and boast in God (18) and know his will and approve what is
excellent, because you are instructed from the law; (19)
and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light
to those who are in darkness, (20) an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of
children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth-- (21)
you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach
against stealing, do you steal? (22) You who say that one must not commit
adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? (23)
You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. (24)
For, as it is written, "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles
because of you."
Take out the word “Jew” here and substitute “believer,”
or “Christian.” Does not the shoe fit? Has our arrogance and ignorance grown to the
point that we do not recognize how these words apply to all those who call upon
Christ? Are we not guilty of invoking
the blasphemy of the name of God by our attitudes as well as actions? How can we suppose we will be faithful and
yet ignore the stink and perverseness of how we live out our faith and how we
relate to our neighbor and our enemies?
Let us consider:
Rom 2:17-24 But if you call yourself a Jew (Christian) and rely on the law (grace of God) and boast in God (18)
and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are
instructed from the law (scriptures); (19)
and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light
to those who are in darkness, (20) an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of
children, having in the law (scriptures/Gospel)
the embodiment of knowledge and truth--
(21) you then who teach others,
do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? (22)
You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?
You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? (take and gain by the same methods as
the unbeliever) (23) You who boast in the law (grace) dishonor God by breaking the law. (24)
For, as it is written, "The name of God is blasphemed among the
Gentiles (unbelievers) because of
you."
I’ve said it before friends, “The world is going to hell
in a hand-basket – and it is supposed to.”
It is NOT our duty to make society conform to our faith. It is our duty to stand in our faith
regardless of society. When did being a
believer come to be defined by what one stands against instead of who on stands
with? In the Gospels we are taught that
the Jews had no regard – even ill-regard – for the Samaritans. It seems we have created a whole host of “Samaritans,”
for whom we have little regard and no love at all.
Perhaps (PERHAPS) living in a democracy has warped our
view of our place in the world. Perhaps,
because the opportunity is available, we believe it is our duty to impose and
enforce our beliefs upon others. Perhaps
we have somehow gotten the idea that “we” are to save the world, to redeem it
from its sin and make it a fit place for the King of Kings to return to. Perhaps we need to look back at our own
history when the “church’s” policy was, “convert or die.” That certainly worked out well – NOT!
Instead of a light that beckons we have become a light
that blinds and burns. He is a blinding light;
we are no more than candles or at best lamps.
We are to burn faithfully and graciously.
Php_1:27
Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that
whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are
standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith
of the gospel,
Php_4:5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.
The Lord is at hand;
Col_4:6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned
with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
Mat
5:16 In the same way, let your light
shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to
your Father who is in heaven.
What would it be like brothers and sisters if we expended
as much time, money and effort equipping the saints for works of service as we
do opposing the world, the flesh and devil by their own means? What would it be like if we poured as much
energy into the study and understanding of God’s Word as we do in studying the
lies of Satan? What would it be like if
we spent as much time and energy in sincere prayer for the lost as we do
opposing and condemning them? What would
it be like if we spent as much energy and effort examining ourselves as we do
examining our culture and others?
I am convicted that we need take Matthew 5:16 and Romans
2:24 as matters toward which no amount of focus and energy is too much. We are doing either one or the other and I
fear which one dominates. If men are to
blaspheme God let it be because of their lostness not because of His people. If men are to reject God let it be in the
clear light of His grace and not because they are threaten, vilified and
attacked by His people.
There, I’ve blown my bugle – I hope clearly.
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