Category: Biblical Worldview

Seventy Times Seven

~ jbwatson ~ Leave a comment

Whether you are a baseball fan or not, you have undoubtedly heard the expression “three strikes and you’re out.” It turns out, the Pharisees in Jesus’ day took the same approach to forgiveness. They taught that, when wronged, individuals were obligated to forgive an offender up to three times. After the third time, however, there was no longer the need to forgive–the offender had “maxed out” and the forgiveness would not be forthcoming.

With this background in mind, it becomes clear that Peter thought he was being quite generous when he proposed forgiving up to seven times. In Matthew 18 Peter says to Jesus, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” in light of what we know about Peter it does not take a lot of imagination to picture an almost-smug look on his face as he asks this question. He may have hoped his colleagues would be impressed by his magnanimity or that Jesus would give him an “attaboy” for his generous approach to forgiveness.

Jesus, though, quickly corrected Peter by informing him that even seven times was not nearly enough. “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven,” Jesus answered.

A little quick math reveals that Jesus suggested 490 times was a more appropriate limit, but the reality is that Jesus was telling Peter, the other disciples, and you and me, that there is to be no limit to our forgiveness.

In Ephesians 4:32, Paul writes, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” In Colossians 3:13 Paul writes, “[B]earing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive.”

That’s where it gets really tough. For me to forgive others the same way that God has forgiven me means two things: unlimited forgiveness, and unconditional forgiveness. There can be no end to the number of times I forgive, and there can be no offense for which I will not forgive.

I have experienced hurts in my life that were painful, as I am sure you have. I have been wronged by others, and seen how the careless or self-centered or misguided actions of some can wreak havoc on the lives of others impacted by their actions. There have been offenses which still hurt to think about years after they have happened. And the truth is, there are some offenses that I cannot forgive, in my flesh. More often than not my natural inclination is to get even, not to forgive. And if I do find it in my heart to forgive, it would be once, maybe twice, but rarely three times and certainly not seven.

Truth is, though, I am incredibly thankful that God has no limit to His forgiveness. If He did, I would have exceeded it long ago, whether the limit was 490 or seven times seven thousand. God is perfect and righteous and holy, and I, in myself, am anything but.

Three strikes is a good rule for baseball. It keeps the game moving. But it’s a lousy rule when it comes to forgiving others.

Divorce

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The subject of divorce is one that causes much disagreement in church-world. Some–like me–were raised believing that divorce is always wrong. Others believe that divorce is not only not wrong, but is sometimes even better than staying together. Our culture certainly has no problem with divorce. But my own study of this subject, sparked primarily by teaching through Matthew in a Sunday school class five years ago, has led me to a clarified understanding of biblical teaching on divorce.

Lest there be any doubt, let’s be clear: God hates divorce, as is made clear in Malachi 2:16.

Despite that, there are reasons for which divorce is allowable by God, even if not preferable or desired. It is important to keep this truth in mind when we hear of individuals who are or have been divorced.

In Matthew 19:1-6 the Pharisees ask Jesus if it is lawful for a man to divorce his wife “on any grounds” (HSB) or “for any reason” (NKJV).

There were two separate groups among the Pharisees, the Hillelites (followers of Rabbi Hillel) and the Shammaites (followers of Rabbi Shammai). The Hillelites took a pragmatic approach and a loose interpretation of Moses’ writing to allow a man to divorce his wife for any reason (or even without reason).

Deuteronomy 24:1 refers to a man divorcing his wife because he has found some “uncleanness” in her (KJV and NKJV). This is also translated “some indecency” (ESV and NASB) and “something indecent” (NIV). In the original Hebrew it read “a cause of immorality,” or, more literally, “a thing of nakedness.”

The Hillelites seized on “cause” or “thing” and took it to mean that divorce was permitted for “a cause”—which could be anything that displeased the husband. Their reasoning was that Moses would have simply said “immorality,” not “a cause of immorality” if immorality were the only reason for which divorce was permitted. Accordingly, the Hillelites granted “any cause” divorces.

The Shammaites believed that Moses’ instruction in Deuteronomy allowed divorce for adultery only.

The point of the Pharisees’ question was to test Jesus, or trick Him. His answer should be understood to say that no, divorce is not allowed for just “any cause,” not that there is not any cause for which divorce is permitted. In short, Jesus was publicly stating that the Hillelites were wrong.

Some biblical scholars, most notably David Instone Brewer, hold that Exodus 21:10-11 states that there are three rights within any marriage, the rights of food, clothing and love (which we now commonly refer to in marriage vows as “love, honor and keep”).

According to Brewer Jesus did not mention in Matthew—nor did Paul mention in his writings—that these were causes for divorce because they did not need to, it was clearly stated on the marriage certificate. This would also include abuse, which is extreme neglect and a failure to love and honor.

Brewer also states that at the end of all Jewish and most Roman divorce certificates it said “you are now free to marry anyone you wish,” meaning, obviously, that remarriage was permissible and would not be considered adultery.

Paul states in 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 that believers may not abandon their spouses, but if an unbelieving spouse abandons a believer then it is okay for the believer to remarry.

Furthermore, divorce and remarriage are both permissible if one partner breaks the marriage vows. While many Bible scholars hold that divorce and remarriage is only permitted by God in cases of adultery or the departure of an unbelieving spouse, abuse and neglect are likely also valid reasons for divorce and remarriage is permitted in those cases as well.

It should also be noted that any divorce prior to an individual accepting Christ is forgiven at the time of salvation, even if the divorce was for “any reason” (i.e., not a biblically permissible reason) and cannot be held against an individual even in consideration of holding a position of church leadership. The previous divorce is forgiven and forgotten just as are any and all other sins.

Jesus’ answer to the Pharisees’ question reinforces the Old Testament teaching that marriage is an all-encompassing act of unity that should not be separated by man. Marriage should never be treated irreverently or as unimportant and disposable. However, due to sin nature and the choices of individuals, marriages do sometimes dissolve.

Furthermore, Jesus’ statement in Matthew 19:9 that anyone who divorces except for reasons of immorality and remarries is committing adultery is strong language used to underscore the fact that marriage must not be taken lightly. Due to the “any cause” divorces of the first century divorce was easier and more common is Jesus’ day than it is even today. Furthermore, since only the husband could initiate or file for divorce, women were left extremely vulnerable in the society. Anyone who entered into marriages repeatedly and irreverently made a mockery out of what God designed as a holy institution. The result was tantamount to adultery.

Jesus was likely using strong words in this passage to emphasize the importance of marriage as God intended it. I do not believe, however, that anyone who has been divorced for biblically acceptable reasons is living in adultery by remarrying. Even an individual who has divorced for wrong reasons can repent of the choices that they made and be forgiven.

The disciples responded to Jesus’ teaching about the sanctity of marriage and how seriously such a commitment should be taken by stating that if that was how marriage was supposed to be it would be better just to not get married at all (Matthew 19:10). Jesus responded to that by saying that not everyone can accept that, meaning that not everyone can accept being single. Some were born unable to engage in sexual activity, some were made that way by man (i.e., the forced castration of eunuchs), and others who choose to remain single “because of the kingdom of heaven,” meaning that sometimes being single is a part of God’s plan for an individual’s life.

For additional insight, see also David Instone Brewer, Divorce and Remarriage in the Church (InterVarsity Press) and “What God Has Joined,” Christianity Today, October 2007, pp. 26-29.

Vacation

~ jbwatson ~ Leave a comment

It has been more than a week since my last post, and that is because I have been on vacation. Dictionary.com defines “vacation” as, “a period of suspension of work, study, or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation, or travel.” That pretty well hits it on the head, too, because that’s what I did. I suspended work activities, except for a few times that I logged in to check e-mails. I did rest, I did travel, and I did recreate.

Some people have a hard time taking a vacation. They just cannot let go of their responsibilities–usually at work–and relax. Some people might call these folks workaholics, others might call them Type A personalities, still others may refer to them as control freaks or overachievers. I know, because I am one…and I have been called all of the above.

I have gotten better, I think. In fact, spending a total of one hour or less on work-related activities over an eight day period may be a record for me, I don’t know. I do know that that has not always been the norm. I used to justify my inability to disconnect from work by using my position as an excuse. After all, as the one who was “in charge,” there was some danger in letting others handle everything without me, right? I mean, I have to be in the know, and I need to make decisions, and…and…and….

I’m not advocating a dereliction of duty by any means, but it turns out things can usually keep chugging along just fine without me for a while. Especially when the other members of the team are capable and competent. Yes, there are still some things that only I can do, but I have found that those things do not have to be done every day. Sure, there is some catch up I have to do when I do get back to work, but it doesn’t really take all that long, and the time off is far more important.

Vacation allows for rest, and our bodies need to rest. So do our minds. Vacation comes from the root word “vacate” because usually when we take a vacation we vacate our jobs and our homes and we go “somewhere else.” And while that is certainly my favorite kind of vacation, it is not required to go somewhere to take a break. In fact, God designed the calendar for us to take a vacation of sorts once a week. God Himself rested after six days of creating the universe, and He instructs us in His word to do the same. We need to suspend work, relax, rest, take a nap…. If God thought it wise to take a rest, how arrogant of me to think I don’t need to take one.

At the same time, I surely am thankful that when God does rest, He is not disconnected. Things do not pile up while God is resting, waiting for Him to catch up when He gets back to overseeing the universe. God rested after six days of creation, and I do not know of anything in Scripture to suggest that God does not still rest from time to time. But God’s rest is not like my rest. I like to go somewhere, ignore my cell phone, and have limited interaction with my computer. I rarely if ever check voice mails on my office phone when I am on vacation. God does not operate that way. He does not stop hearing prayers; we do not have to leave a message, and hope that God will attend to our concerns when He returns. Nothing happens in the world without God knowing it or allowing it; we do not have to wonder if He was on a trip when natural disasters or shooting sprees take place. I don’t know how it works exactly; as someone with a finite mind I certainly cannot imagine what it must be like to be omnipresent and omniscient. But God is those things, and I am glad that He is.

God’s All Stars

~ jbwatson ~ 2 Comments

I am a big baseball fan, meaning that yesterday was an exciting day for me, since it was Major League Baseball’s annual All Star Game. To the best of my recollection I have not missed an All Star Game since I started paying attention to baseball in 1986. Last night, like there is just about every year, there were stories that made the game special. For instance, the youngest position player ever to play in an MLB All Star Game played last night–the Washington Nationals’ Bryce Harper, who is just 19 years old. The Atlanta Braves’ Chipper Jones, who is 40, played in his last All Star Game, since he will be retiring at the end of this season. The New York Mets’ R.A. Dickey played in his first All Star Game at age 37.

It seems that every year the All Star Game features some perennial All Stars–players who always appear in the mid-summer classic, both because of their outstanding skill and the fans’ appreciation of their efforts. My all-time favorite baseball player, Cal Ripken, Jr., for example, played in nineteen straight All Star games. Yet, each year’s game also includes players who appear in their first All Star Game–and for some of them their first and only.

As I was thinking about this I was reminded of Hebrews 11, the passage that many have called the Hall of Faith. In that chapter the writer of Hebrews describes several Bible characters who obeyed God in faith. Those mentioned in this chapter (with the possible exceptions of Barak and Jephthah) would probably fall into the category of God’s perennial All Stars–the men whose stories are well known, often referenced, and stand among the great stories of obedient faith.

What these men did certainly qualifies for a “Hall of Faith,” too, in my opinion. Abraham, for example, “was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8, ESV). There have been plenty of times in my own life when it was difficult to follow God even when I knew where I was going; to pack up everything and strike out trusting the God would lead the way is certainly an example of great faith! Or Noah, who verse 7 says obeyed God regarding events “as yet unseen.” Noah was supposed to build an ark, though he lived nowhere near a body of water, because God said he would destroy the world with a great flood, which no one had ever seen or imagined. Noah not only did this, but he worked at consistently and faithfully for one hundred years! It seems sometimes I cannot spare 100 minutes for God, much less stick with something He has asked me to do for 100 days. One hundred years of faithful obedience because of events unseen or unheard of is tremendous faith!

At the same time, the Bible is full of many other heroes of the faith. Some of them receive only one short mention in Scripture and are not heard of again. Some played small roles in history, but demonstrated tremendous faith in the one moment for which their story has been recorded.

One of the fun things about the MLB All Star Game is voting. Fans all over the world can vote for their favorites, for the players that they want to see or believe are deserving to be on the teams. Who would be on your list of God’s All Stars?

Watch Your Step

~ jbwatson ~ Leave a comment

Last weekend my family and I went camping on the edge of the Badlands along with a number of friends. Several times during the weekend we hiked down into the Badlands. Because of the combination of the grade which we were sometimes walking down (or up) and the nature of the Badlands–very dry sedimentary rocks that break easily, resulting in being rather slippery at times–it was important to watch our steps carefully to avoid slipping and taking what would, at times, have been a potentially lengthy–and probably unpleasant–slide down the terrain.

As important as watching ones step while hiking may be, it is even more important to watch our steps as we walk through life. Proverbs 4:26 says, “Carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established” (HCSB).

During our hikes last weekend there were times when I walked casually along, confident that I was on firm and stable ground. During these times I did not even need to look down at the path I was walking very often, because I knew it was safe. I was free to look around me, to enjoy the spectacular scenery of a very unique part of God’s creation.

Other times, though, I looked nowhere but at the path. At times, I would stand still and carefully evaluate the path before me to determine exactly where best to place my next step in order to ensure safe and tumble-free progress along the way.

Life is very much like that. There are times in life when I am safely located in the midst of God’s will and the path before me is clear and stable. At these times I need to be aware of my path, and to look down now and then, but I am also free to be more aware of what else is going on around me. There are other times, though, when I may be faced with choices and decisions, or I may find myself in unfamiliar and uncertain places, not quite sure what I am supposed to do next, that I need to pause to carefully consider each step. I need to do so for my own well-being, and to be sure that I am seeking–and following–God’s will for my life.

Scripture uses the illustration of a path frequently to refer to life in the world and the choices we make as we walk life’s journey. Consistent among these passages are the reminders that (1) God will direct our paths if we will let Him, (2) there are consequences for taking the wrong path or failing to watch our steps–whether intentionally or carelessly, and (3) there are rewards for remaining on the right path.

Just a few examples…

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11 (ESV)

“My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.” Psalm 17:5 (ESV)

“Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.” Psalm 25:4 (ESV)

“In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:6 (ESV)

“Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil.” Proverbs 4:14 (ESV)

“[S]he does not ponder the path of life; her ways wander, and she does not know it.” Proverbs 5:6 (ESV)

“Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.” Proverbs 10:17 (ESV)

“The path of the righteous is level; you make level the way of the righteous.” Isaiah 26:7 (ESV)

So, just a reminder…watch your step!

Daily Mercies

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The book of Lamentations is one of those Old Testament books that even most people who read the Bible regularly do not read very often. In fact, just the name of the book sounds depressing; after all, who wants to read about someone’s lament? It is a book with powerful truths about the faithfulness of God, though, and it contains a verse that many can quote, or at least paraphrase, though they may not know the reference.

Lamentations 3:22-23 reads, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (ESV). Anyone who grew up in churches that sang hymns will also recognize that this verse was the inspiration for the wonderful old hymn “Great is Thy Faithfulness.”

There is a wonderful parallel truth between this passage and Matthew 6:34, I think. In Lamentations we are reminded that God’s mercies are new every morning. In Matthew 6:34 we read, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (ESV).

I do not think it is coincidental that in Matthew Jesus teaches that each day has trouble enough without worrying, or becoming anxious, about what might happen tomorrow or anytime thereafter, and in Lamentations we are reminded that God’s mercies are new every morning.

Matthew 6:34 comes at the end of Jesus’ teaching about not being anxious, teaching that includes reminders about the facts that God provides for the needs of the birds, and humans are far more important than birds; that worrying cannot add a single thing to one’s life; and that God is well aware of our needs–and will provide for them.

Unfortunately, many people–myself, sometimes included–get focused on what the future may hold, what tomorrow may bring. I am referring mostly to an apprehensive worry about the future, but the same can be true of excitement or enthusiasm about the future, too. We can get so caught up planning and looking forward to a vacation, a wedding, a party–fill in the blank with the exciting event of your choice–that we miss out on today.

I am well aware that the instruction to not be anxious is far easier said than done. I certainly have not mastered it. But the truth is, God promises to give us new mercies each day, and exhorts us not to worry about anything beyond today. Each day has its own supply of trouble, Jesus said, and God will provide new mercies each morning, according to Lamentations. In other words, God will give us what we need to get through today, but He does not promise to give us knowledge or, or mercies for, tomorrow or beyond.

Does that mean we should not care about tomorrow? I don’t think so. I does not mean that we cannot plan, or that we cannot pray, or that we must somehow erect a wall in our lives that prevents us from seeing beyond the end of today. Planning is biblical, after all. But the truth of James 4:13-16 applies to both planning and worrying. Just as we must not say “tomorrow I will do this, and next week I will go there, and by this time next year this will happen,” we also must not spend time worrying, “what if this happens tomorrow, and what if the test is positive next month, and how will we cope if next year the worst has happened?” Why mustn’t we? Because, James 4:414 says, “you do not know what tomorrow will bring.”

The reality is, tomorrow could be much worse that I fear, or it could be far better. Ultimately, I simply do not know. And God has ordained that I do not need to know. All He asks of me is to trust Him that whatever tomorrow brings, He will give me fresh mercies to make it through, and His will will be done. He will not abandon me, He will not let me walk through tomorrow unaccompanied–because His faithfulness is great.

“Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

“Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!”
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!

The Foolishness of Legalism (Part 2)

~ jbwatson ~ Leave a comment

Well, I never got around to blogging yesterday. Good thing I’m not legalistic about it….

In the last post I outlined the foolishness of legalism in the work place. As dangerous as it can be there, it is even more dangerous in the Church, because legalism either stems from or leads to a completely inaccurate understanding of salvation.

In the Old Testament there were a lot of rules given by God that the Israelites had to follow. This was known as the Law. The entire point of the Law, however, was to reveal to the people that in and of themselves they could not possibly keep the Law. As it says in Romans 3:23, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

The word “law” appears more than 500 times in the Bible (in the English Standard Version) so it is clearly an important matter. More than 300 of those instances are in the Old Testament, but that leaves more than 200 instances in the New Testament, meaning the subject of law is not an Old-Testament-only issue. In the New Testament, however, the perspective completely changes; Jesus brings a “New Law.” Jesus Himself came to fulfill the Law–He is the only one who could ever do so. In Matthew 5:17 Jesus says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (ESV).

The problem was that the Pharisees, the Law experts, completely denied who Jesus was because while He fulfilled the Law He violated many of the additions to the Law that the Pharisaical traditions had added. Just like some churches and denominations do today, the Pharisees were not content to leave the Law as God gave it alone; they thought it was necessary to clarify it and add to it in order for everyone to know exactly what they could and could not do, particularly on the Sabbath. Of course the Pharisees then also (1) took great pride in their adherence to the Law, and often drew attention to themselves for their “righteousness,” and (2) found many and creative ways to adhere to the letter of the Law while still doing what they wanted to do (such as pocketing a handful of dirt from their yard in order to go wherever they wanted while still adhering to the stipulation that they not leave their land).

Today there are churches, denominations and parachurch ministries that add stipulations and restrictions on behavior: do not go to movies, do not drink alcohol, women cannot wear pants, do not use playing cards, do not have drums or guitars in church, etc. These are just a few examples of legalistic rules that I have heard of or had experience with myself. In Jesus’ day, and then during the first century after His ascension, it was things like men must be circumcised, do not eat meat that has been sacrificed to idols, do follow the feasts and traditions of the Jews, etc. Jesus and Paul spent considerable time addressing the error of strict adherence to such rules in a legalistic manner.

And it is the “legalistic manner” that causes the problem. In the last post I provided a definition of legalism, but dictionary.com provides more to that definition as legalism pertains to theology: “the doctrine that salvation is gained through good works; the judging of conduct in terms of adherence to precise laws.” Legalism, as alluded to above, usually stems from and/or results in a works-based idea of salvation. If I keep all the rules, I’m good with God, in other words. This is not biblical–see Titus 3:4-5. No one can work their way to salvation.

Now, if I, or anyone else, is convicted about certain behaviors it is perfectly fine to establish boundaries–“rules” even–regarding those behaviors. For example, if someone is convicted, and convinced from their understanding of Scripture, that going to a movie theater is not honoring to God, then he or she should not go to the theater. At the same time, though, he or she MUST not believe that by avoiding the theater he or she is somehow gaining points with God, or that if I choose to go to the theater I am somehow sinning or dishonoring God. These things fall within the realm of Christian liberty; when we try to impose rules we become legalistic…we become Pharisees. And, at the end of the day, we undermine, if not deny, the truth of the Gospel message–that salvation is by faith alone through Christ alone.

I happen to be convinced from Scripture that drunkenness is a sin, but I am not convinced that consumption of alcohol short of drunkenness is a sin. That said, I do not consume alcohol. At the moment I am employed by a Christian ministry that has asked me to agree to a code of conduct that does not allow the consumption of alcohol, but even when I have not been under such a code I have chosen not to consume alcohol. That does not make me any better than someone who does choose to drink, nor does it earn me anything with God. I choose to wear dress pants and a tie to church on Sunday, too, but that doesn’t mean I’m any closer to heaven than someone who wears a flannel shirt and jeans.

In Philippians 3 Paul talks about the abundance of reasons he had to be confident in the flesh–in other words, in his works. At the end of his recitation he said that any gain he had he counted as loss for the sake of Christ. In another passage he refers to his works as so much dung. At one point in Galatians (4:20) Paul tells the church in Galatia that he is at his wits end with them because of their tendency to accept the addition of works to salvation through faith.

It was foolish for a county in Michigan to fire an employee for turning in to police a loaded gun he found. It was foolish for the Pharisees to suggest that failure to wash their hands before a meal was a sin on the part of the disciples. It was foolish for the Pharisees to be more upset that Jesus had “worked” on the Sabbath than excited about the fact that a man who had been blind since birth could now see. It is just as foolish for you or me to get caught up in adherence to rules that the Bible does not contain.

Keepers of the Lights

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Most anyone who knows me is aware that I could be called a lighthouse enthusiast. I do not remember really being all that interest in lighthouses until I was in college, but ever since then I have been intrigued by the lights themselves, the stories of the people who kept the lights, and the accounts of the ships and lives that have been saved by the beacons on the shore. My fondness for lighthouses developed on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The series of lights along these barrier islands stand upon the shores of some of the most dangerous waters of the world’s oceans, an area that has been called “The Graveyard of the Atlantic.” Lighthouses, of course, were put in place specifically to alert ships to danger, and to help guide them safely through the dangers around them–dangers often unseen to the naked eye.

Today, children have to make their way through some of the most dangerous waters society has ever presented them with. Everywhere a child looks or goes there is another rocky shoal upon which the hopes and successes of their life could be dashed, damaged or destroyed. I do not necessarily buy into all of the arguments that children and teenagers today have far tougher conditions to grow up in than any previous generation. Indeed, along with the challenges of peer pressure, drugs, gangs and premarital sex so prevalent today are also greater opportunities and material wealth than previous generations enjoyed. What I mean, in other words, is that the glass is half full and half empty; it’s not a matter of one or the other.

With proper guidance, children today have the potential and the opportunity to succeed beyond the wildest imaginations of their parents and grandparents. That proper guidance does not happen by accident, though, and it does not come from the government. God’s plan is that it comes from the family–a father and mother who are married to each other, love God, and teach their children His ways. Alongside the family come the church and, ideally, the school. The family, church and Christian school have the responsibility to continually send out a warning beacon to the children of today, showing them where the danger lies and helping them find a safe route through life.

It took special people to be lighthouse keepers, cut off, in many cases, from the rest of civilization and living a lonely life in a simple house beside a tall tower. The material benefits and creature comforts were few. But the importance of the mission kept them doing their job day after day. Likewise, the family, the church and the Christian school must keep facing the salt water, the wind and the storms that life may send the way of our children.

Keep the lights shining!

Heard and Seen

~ jbwatson ~ 3 Comments

In the June issue of Tabletalk magazine Ed Stetzer has an article entitled, “Preach the Gospel, and Since It’s Necessary, Use Words.” You may recognize the well-known saying Stetzer is addressing in his article; supposedly St. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the gospel. Use words if necessary.” At least that’s Stetzer’s rendering of it; I have seen it in a slightly different version, but that is irrelevant to this discussion. In the first paragraph of his essay Stetzer says that there are “two basic problems with this quote and its supposed origin. One, Francis never said it, and two, the quote is not biblical.”

I am not concerned with whether or not Francis said it. Stetzer says that according to Mark Galli there is no record of Francis ever having said it, and I reckon I’ll just take his word for it because, as I said, it really doesn’t matter. What I think does matter though is Stetzer’s assertion that the idea is not biblical. Before I share my thoughts on that, though, I think I should let Stetzer speak for himself (and quote Galli).

Stetzer cites Galli’s claim that the quote suits our culture well with this quote: “‘Preach the gospel, use words if necessary’ goes hand in hand with a postmodern assumption that words are finally empty of meaning. It subtly denigrates the high value that the prophets, Jesus and Paul put on preaching. Of course, we want our actions to match our words as much as possible. But the gospel is a message, news about an event and a person upon which the history of the planet turns.” (I don’t know where Galli wrote this; Stetzer doesn’t say). Stetzer then goes on to say that the quote “gives an incomplete understanding of the gospel and how God saves sinners. Christians are quick to encourage each other to ‘live out the gospel,’ to ‘be the gospel’ to our neighbors, and even to ‘gospel each other.’ The missional impulse here is helpful, yet the gospel isn’t anything the Christian can live out, practice or become.”

Stetzer makes a bold claim when he asserts that the idea articulated in the quote in question is not biblical. After all, for a Christian, that is–or certainly should be–the deciding factor. If something is not biblical, that is synonymous with saying that it is wrong. So, I suppose I will need to respond with a bold claim of my own. While there are several words that come to mind, I’ll go with this one: ridiculous. For Ed Stetzer to suggest that preaching the gospel without words is not biblical is ridiculous. According to dictionary.com that means “causing or worthy of ridicule or derision; absurd; preposterous; laughable.”

Stetzer goes on to say that, “The gospel is the declaration of something that actually happened. And since the gospel is the saving work of Jesus, it isn’t something we can do, but it is something we must announce.” I do not disagree with this, of course. The gospel–literally, the “good news”–is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth as a human, lived a sinless life, died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins (and yours), was buried, rose again three days later, was seen alive by thousands, ascended to heaven where He now sits at the right hand of the Father, and will come again some day. None of that is anything I can do, and it is, as Stetzer writes, something I, and every other believer, is called to announce.

The trouble comes in the fact that Stetzer seems to assume that the announcement has to be made by words. I–and whoever it was who said what has been attributed to Francis–do not agree. It is not enough for me to simply say I do not agree, though–or at least it should not be. Rather, let me explain to you why I do not agree, and provide biblical support for my position.

First, Paul, when writing to the church at Philippi, wrote, in 4:9, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things…” (ESV). I would, for the purposes of this discussion, emphasize that four-word phrase “and seen in me.” The message of the gospel requires a verbal announcement (words) but it also requires a demonstration–a life lived out in a manner that is consistent with the words that are proclaimed. And, I might add, it generally requires this both before and after the words. The actions are the book ends that support or hold up the words.

In the same letter, Paul encourages the believers to “let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ. Why? “[S]o that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit…” (Philippians 1:27, ESV). In other words, Paul told the believers to preach the gospel with their lives, and if they did so, he would hear about it. Actions would lead to words.

In Matthew 5 we read Jesus Himself teaching that actions are indeed an essential part of preaching the gospel. In verse 13 Jesus calls believers to be salt. That takes action. After all, salt is an actual thing; to borrow from and rearrange another passage of Scripture, it will not do you any good if you ask for salt and I say, “There you are, pretend your food has been salted.” Nope; that won’t work. You need me to give you real salt. In the next verse Jesus says that each believer is like a light, and that believers are not to hide their lights but to “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Same thing–action required.

Another well-known quote I heard numerous times growing up but have no idea who originally said is, “If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” The meaning is, of course, that if someone really believes the gospel it will be evident in the way he or she lives their life. Belief leads to action. While I agree with Stetzer that the gospel message needs to be proclaimed with words, I dare say that his assertion is far more dangerous than any danger he sees in the “live out the gospel” position. Why? Because there are many, many believers who preach, teach and live like the gospel message is nothing but words. What I mean is that I have heard many times–and likely you have, too–someone say, “If you’ll just say this prayer,” or “If you ask Jesus into your heart….” If this is news to you than I hate to disappoint, but there is no magic in saying the words. Words in and of themselves are just that–words. They do not mean anything; they are mere sounds that literally linger but a moment in the air. It is the meaning of the words that matters, and the meaning comes from whether or not I act in a way that indicates my belief in the words I speak.

Stetzer gives only one nod to the point I am trying to make in his article, and that comes in this statement: “While the process of making disciples involves more than verbal communication, and obviously the life of a disciple is proved counterfeit when it amounts to words alone, the most critical work that God has given to the church is to ‘proclaim the excellencies’ of our Savior.” Stetzer ends his article with four ways in which Christians should use words, and I do not disagree with any of them. Sadly, however, the words alone simply are not enough.

If I tell my wife I love her but my actions never demonstrate that love will she believe me? Not for long. Neither will anyone else. That’s why the words in and of themselves are not enough; the action is required. In fact, if you want to take Mr. Stetzer’s argument to its logical extreme, the very gospel he so wants Christians to proclaim with their words would not exist if words were all that was necessary.

What do I mean by that?

Well, if words were really the most important thing, God could have had His Son come to earth and tell everyone that He was the Son of God and that He could pay the penalty for their sins–and that if they would just believe Him their sins would be forgiven. If words were what mattered, Jesus did not have to die. Instead, I–and anyone else–could simply express my belief that Jesus could die, rise again, conquer sin, hell and the grave, and provide a way for my sins to be forgiven. But God is not concerned with whether or not I think Jesus could do that; He wants to know if I believe Jesus did do that.

So, Mr. Stetzer, I respectfully disagree with your premise. Not only do I disagree with your assertion that to preach the gospel always and when necessary to use words is not biblical, I would actually embrace the exact opposite argument–that to suggest that the gospel can be preached without actions is what is not biblical. The gospel demands action; it demands lives that are “worthy of the gospel of Christ.” So let us live lives that draw people to Christ, that open doors for words to be spoken, and that cause those outside of the church to ask about Jesus.

Does Success Equal Validation?

~ jbwatson ~ Leave a comment

My family and I enjoy watching several of the competition shows on the Food Network — Chopped, Cupcake Wars, and Sweet Genius specifically. It recently occurred to me, though, just how many of the competitors on those shows say that they are competing, at least in part, out of a desire to prove to their families that they made the right decision by going into the culinary arts. This prompted two questions in my mind. First, does success necessarily equal validation?

The implication of the statements so many of these competitors have made is that if they win the competition their families will then see that they are good at what they have chosen to do and therefore the right choice was made when the individual decided to go into cooking or baking. I think this is a dangerous line of thought in general, and particularly so in these instances. These Food Network challenges are designed to be legitimate tests of the contestants’ skills, but in an outside-the-box sort of way. A competition on Chopped, for example, may be required to utilize four ingredients that have no connection to each other at all–and in more than one instance I have seen mandatory ingredients that the contestants indicate they have never used–and to make a creative, tasty and visually-appealing dish in 30 or 40 minutes. On a recent episode of Sweet Genius the contestants were required to use split pea soup in making a chocolate dessert. The real rub comes, I think, in taking the inverse of the argument being suggested by so many of these contestants–that if they do not win, their families may not be proud of them, and/or somehow their failure to win means that they were wrong when they chose to pursue a career in the food industry. I think that this is a dangerous manner of thinking. Never mind the fact that to even get on the show the individuals have obviously demonstrated real culinary skill. The simple reality is that anyone can have a bad day. And in a competition that has such limitations as an unfamiliar kitchen, wacky ingredients, and a strict time limit, one small mistake can make the difference. Or even if someone happens to have his or her best day ever, the “luck of the draw” may have paired them with another competitor who is better. We’ve all seen instances, I am sure, when someone would have beat any other competitor in the field but the one they were paired against. No one, however, would suggest that the individual who therefore lost is somehow unsuccessful. In some ways this would be like suggesting that a major league slugger is a complete failure if he makes it into the home run derby but does not win. Does that make any sense? Of course not.

When considering a biblical worldview it is also necessary to remember that success does not necessarily mean that the right choice was made. Using my own life as an example, I reached a crossroads when I needed to decide whether I was going to live for me or live for the Lord. I could have gone on to graduate school or law school as I had planned and then become (this is an illustration, remember) a top-notch incredibly successful lawyer, political strategist, etc. I could have achieved a recognizable name, a six-figure income, a prestigious address, and so on. In other words, I could have achieved worldly success. Yet, if I was outside of God’s will for my life I would not have been successful at all in any context that really matters.

The second question I have been considering is whether or not someone has to be good at something in order for them to be happy doing it. I think the answer is no…and I also think that “good at” is a highly subjective measure. Speaking for myself, I tend to take more pleasure out of activities I do well. I would rather play baseball or softball any day than play golf, but that’s due in no small part to the fact that I don’t play golf very well. Do I enjoy baseball because I am good at it, or am I good at it because I enjoy it? I suppose that’s a catch-22 in some ways. Because I enjoy it I do it more, and, generally speaking, the more we do something the better we get at it. But that’s not always true. I enjoy bowling, but I am not that good at it. The few times I have been skeet shooting I have been fairly good at it–but, while it was enjoyable while it lasted I have never felt the need to buy a gun and spend hours shooting clay pigeons. I can take it or leave it.

Let’s go back to my bowling example. Suppose I decided that I wanted to become a professional bowler. Would my decision to do that only be validated by becoming a champion professional bowler? In other words, do I have to be the best in my chosen pursuit in order to convince others that I was not wrong in how I have chosen to spend my working years? Perhaps that standard it too high… After all, there have been some incredible baseball players that have never won a World Series title, but no one would suggest that they were not good or thus should not have played professional baseball? No. So maybe we need to ask if making it to the highest level of a profession is what makes the individual successful. Again I would have to say no.

I think that there are two standards that need to be considered. First, does the chosen profession make the individual happy? Does it allow him or her to find enjoyment and to take pride in the work? If so, I think the right decision was made, whether or not the trophies, accolades and “big bucks” come along, too. I can still remember my father telling me that he did not care what I chose to do with my life so long as I was happy. “I don’t care if you decide to be a garbage collector so long as it is what you want to do,” he said. And, I can honestly say, he never pressured me to pursue any particular career or vocational path. One caveat to this standard is the ability of the individual to meet his or her needs and, when applicable, those of his or her family. If I decide I want to paint pictures of trees all my days, and it makes me incredibly happy to do so, that’s not okay if in so doing I am unable to provide for my wife and children.

There is a second caveat, though, and it is one I alluded to above. The ultimate standard for validation for any believer must be whether or not he or she is in the will of the Lord. Worldly success will not necessarily come, but that does not automatically mean that the wrong choice was made. God will provide for the needs of His servants. Sometimes He blesses with incredible material wealth, and sometimes He provides just enough to get by. But it doesn’t matter; what matters is whether or not we are in His will.

So to parents, I would suggest this: pray for and with your children that the Lord will clearly reveal His plan for their future, and that your children will submit to His leading in their lives. To everyone, don’t let the size of your paycheck, the length of your title, the number of letters after your name, the kind of car you drive, or any other worldly term of measurement define whether or not you are where you should be. Rather, seek first the kingdom of God. Find His will for your life, and go where He calls you to go; do what He calls you to do, regardless of the material rewards that do, or do not, follow. God does not define success the way man defines success…and it is God’s definition–and only God’s definition–that matters.