Attempts at Honesty

Reflections on the interplay of the Bible and Culture

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Not a bad epitaph

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I have heard it suggested that it is a profitable exercise to write out what one wants on his tombstone and then live the rest of his life making it true. In the spirit of this suggestion, I would like to be described like Noah in Genesis 6:9. In that verse, there are three statements about Noah:

  1. He was a righteous man
  2. He was blameless in his generation
  3. He walked with God

Based on this, I choose to seek purity and righteousness at the core of my being. I seek to live in peace with those who God brings into my life. I also seek to live my life in intimacy with God and daily dependence upon him.

I choose this, but often miss the mark. I thank God that Jesus’ righteousness covers my failings (see 2 Corinthians 5:21).

No Running

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No RunningIn the English Standard Version of the Bible, at least nine times we are told to “stand firm.” The implication is that there is battle to be enjoined and there should be no thought of running. The metaphor makes sense, to stand firm in a battle in Biblical times would make the difference between life and death. The soldier’s weapons only protect him when he is facing the enemy. To turn his back would be suicide.

In 21st Century America, it is right for Christians to reach out to the increasingly larger unbelieving segment of the population. However, to do so, there is temptation to accommodate the teaching of the church to popular wisdom to broaden the church’s appeal. There is pressure to run from what are seen as controversial or antiquated teachings of Christianity. This we cannot do, we must stand firm on the clear teaching of Scripture regardless of the pressure brought to bear by the culture at large.

When things get difficult I am tempted to run. When trouble comes, I want to question whether I am following God’s will. When it’s hard, I am tempted to find a smoother road. It is easier to run somewhere else than to stand on conviction and face the consequences.

I am tempted to run when criticism comes my way. I am likely to run away from my sense of what is right and best, in order to keep people happy. Yet, the best course of action is to stand firm in my conviction while being open to hearing from God.

The statements and commands regarding standing firm are evidence to me that I am not alone in this struggle. So for the benefit of all of us who are tempted to run, here are some of the times we are told to stand firm in the New Testament:

  • 1 Corinthians 16:13– Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong
  • Galatians 5:1– For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore . . .
  • Ephesians 6:13– Therefore take up the whole armor of God . . . . to stand firm
  • Philippians 4:1– stand firm thus in the Lord
  • 2 Thessalonians 2:15– stand firm and hold to the traditions you were taught by us
  • 1 Peter 5:12 – Stand firm in [the true grace of God’]

My job is to stand, even when it is scary or difficult to do so. Based on these Scriptures, I believe that running is not an option.

Fortunately, there are two things on which I can rely as I seek to stand firm. The first is the Holy Spirit who is given to us to provide wisdom and strength. The second is Scripture which provides guidance and certainty as to God’s revealed will.

With these two sources of certainty, I can aspire to emulate Martin Luther when he said:

I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God. Amen

Actions speak louder than words

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megaphone2 “Actions speak louder than words” is a proverb whose over use sometimes masks the truth it contains. I read in Genesis 15:6, that Abram (soon to be Abraham) “believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” In Habakkuk 2:4, it says, “righteous shall live by his faith.”

All through Scripture we find that faith ( belief) and righteousness (action) are tied together. What we do comes as a result of what we believe. Therefore, what someone does is a good indication of what they believe.

For most of us (or perhaps I am only speaking for myself) this is a mixed bag. We have areas where our correct belief leads us to good practice, and then there are areas where our belief is week or misguided and we flip-flop like a fish on the dock.

For example, most of the time I am confident in God’s love for me and that confidence spills over into my relationships. When I have this confidence, I have freedom in relationships and I am not devastated if criticism comes my way. Then there are other times when I lack that confidence and I hear criticism in statements that are not intended to be critical.

The point of this is that the phrase “actions speak louder than words” should be used not so much for assessing others as for assessing myself. When my actions are not what I like them to be, I need to be honest about what belief (or unbelief) is underlying those actions.

One of my favorite prayers in Scripture is found in Mark 9:24 where a father cries out to Jesus, “I believe; help my unbelief!” This a pretty good starting place for positive change.

Checklist for Christian Service

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white_flag What qualities must be present in the believer to be used by God to build His Church? Here is the list as I see it:

  • Complete surrender to God

That’s it. One item. Everything else follows nicely after surrender.

Paul gives us a description of what this kind of surrender looks like in Philippians 3:8–11 (ESV)

8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Paul surrendered everything he had been prior to his encounter with the risen Jesus on the road. This surrender laid the foundation for the ministry that Paul was to have. Earlier in the same letter (Philippians 2:5-11) Paul points to Jesus as an example of one who surrendered his will to the father.

I am not writing this as one who has achieved this. It would be more accurate to say that I want to surrender and am in the process of doing so. The words of John Donne’s Holy Sonnet 14 come to mind as they seem to express this desire as a prayer:

Batter my heart, three-person’d God ; for you
As yet but knock ; breathe, shine, and seek to mend ;
That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like an usurp’d town, to another due,
Labour to admit you, but O, to no end.
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,
But am betroth’d unto your enemy ;
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.

I am finding that as I learn to surrender control and follow God’s lead, there is peace in the midst of uncertainty. I’m learning to be OK with not seeing how it all fits together. I’m learning to be OK with leaving people and events in God’s hands. I’m beginning to better understand where the extent of my responsibility ends and be content with the piece that God gives me to do.

Here’s to raising the white flag . . .

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