But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, `You fool,' you will be liable to the hell of fire.
- Matthew 5
This one has always gotten to me. I can remember reading it for the first time, when I was about 11 years old, and thinking . . . "there's no way I am saved."
To me the big question is "Who is my brother or sister? Blood relatives? Members of the church? All humans?" I think the accurate, and safest, response is the third choice.
On Facebook, I am always urging people not to insult others. What a vague concept. What is an insult, anyway? If I state facts accurately, and another person feels insulted by it, does that count?
The first sentence sets it up, by developing the concept of anger. So that's it: if anger is what is driving you, chances are you are feeling, and saying, sinful things. You must deal with the anger first.
And then the final sentence clarifies it: Don't say "You fool." So that's what an insult is - name-calling, or dehumanizing of another. A statement of the facts is okay, and if it makes the other person angry, then that's their problem. And you don't get a pass by saying "It's a fact that he's a fool."
We have a lot of work to do . . .
Friday, February 14, 2014
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Not Even Close
Even now you are still not ready, for you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations?
- 1 Corinthians 3
So basically, the world (let alone the Church) is still not ready for the enriching meat of the Gospel. We still cannot handle the highest expression of God's plan, and Word, for us. We have never been ready.
Paul says that our jealousies and quarrels are what prevent us from being ready to hear the fullest measure of God's word. Jealousy, and quarreling, are present everywhere; especially in the Church.
When a pastor stands up in a pulpit, he is defending the ground of an exclusive system that by definition divides God's people, one from the other. He is advancing ideals that will hopefully keep his church in line with what the other churches are doing.
Any Christian active in a denominational church, is providing tacit aid and comfort to the denominational system, which itself means "divided," or, "not unified." People want to go to a church that is growing, and that has the outward trappings of growth: a full parking lot, a modern facility, parsonage, active youth group, large gifts to missions.
And we are always aware of how we are doing vis-a-vis the other churches in town.
I do not want to downplay the great sacrifices made by believers throughout the world, or the amazing, miraculous acts of kindness and charity done, usually by the large churches and denominations. It is not to say that we are wrong in some major way, or that we have lost our way.
I simply want to note, that we are not fully there yet, not by a long shot. The divided Church is a vulnerable Church. We have indeed been divided, while not conquered, by our foes. Not conquered, but weakened nevertheless.
When we learn to fully love, when we can stand truly unified, completely motivated only to serve: to help widows, orphans, and aliens - - - and when we can do all of this in moral purity; then there is no telling what God has in store for us, when it comes to conveying His full love and Word towards us.
- 1 Corinthians 3
So basically, the world (let alone the Church) is still not ready for the enriching meat of the Gospel. We still cannot handle the highest expression of God's plan, and Word, for us. We have never been ready.
Paul says that our jealousies and quarrels are what prevent us from being ready to hear the fullest measure of God's word. Jealousy, and quarreling, are present everywhere; especially in the Church.
When a pastor stands up in a pulpit, he is defending the ground of an exclusive system that by definition divides God's people, one from the other. He is advancing ideals that will hopefully keep his church in line with what the other churches are doing.
Any Christian active in a denominational church, is providing tacit aid and comfort to the denominational system, which itself means "divided," or, "not unified." People want to go to a church that is growing, and that has the outward trappings of growth: a full parking lot, a modern facility, parsonage, active youth group, large gifts to missions.
And we are always aware of how we are doing vis-a-vis the other churches in town.
I do not want to downplay the great sacrifices made by believers throughout the world, or the amazing, miraculous acts of kindness and charity done, usually by the large churches and denominations. It is not to say that we are wrong in some major way, or that we have lost our way.
I simply want to note, that we are not fully there yet, not by a long shot. The divided Church is a vulnerable Church. We have indeed been divided, while not conquered, by our foes. Not conquered, but weakened nevertheless.
When we learn to fully love, when we can stand truly unified, completely motivated only to serve: to help widows, orphans, and aliens - - - and when we can do all of this in moral purity; then there is no telling what God has in store for us, when it comes to conveying His full love and Word towards us.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
The Road to Happiness
Happy are they whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD!
- Psalm 119
Christ began his ministry with The Beatitudes, a listing of attitudes, beliefs, behaviors and practices, that will lead to happiness.
Happiness is what we all crave, right?
Here we have a recommendation from the writer of the Psalms (David, Ezra, or Daniel). It gives us the way to happiness; or at least, part of the way. If we can become blameless, we will be happy.
How to be blameless? Well, for starters, walk in the law of the Lord.
- Psalm 119
Christ began his ministry with The Beatitudes, a listing of attitudes, beliefs, behaviors and practices, that will lead to happiness.
Happiness is what we all crave, right?
Here we have a recommendation from the writer of the Psalms (David, Ezra, or Daniel). It gives us the way to happiness; or at least, part of the way. If we can become blameless, we will be happy.
How to be blameless? Well, for starters, walk in the law of the Lord.
- Be honest
- Be charitable
- Assist widows
- Care for orphans
- Be kind to aliens
- Live in purity (sorry, world, this word always refers to sexual purity)
- Be smart financially
- Observe the Ten Commandments
We can also point to an uncountable, and growing, total of people that have done all of this, and more, and can affirm that, yes, they are happy.
We can also find a multiple of that same count, of people that never did the above, or attempted to, unsuccessfully, that cannot claim to be "happy."
I know that I can verify that the ways of the Lord lead to happiness. Period.
But I love that the whole point of the Gospel, of God's plan going back to the Old Testament, is that He wants us happy. And He has shown us how to do it.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Why Does A Loving Humanity Permit Evil To Happen?
See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity.
- Deuteronomy 30
The same people that say "How can a loving God . . . ", would be the first to recoil in contempt and horror if the Lord ever came into our midst and said "Okay, have it your way. From now on you will not have free will. I will force everyone to act in a loving way to each other. You will involuntarily now live in purity. You will be compelled to share your wealth with those less fortunate. No drinking. No parties. No illicit sex. But you will all earn a living wage for the work that you do. But I will force you to work very hard. But you won't know you're working hard, because I will remove the strand of DNA that makes you resentful creatures. You will smile all the time, acquiesce all the time, serve all the time. Everybody will be fed. No one will get sick. There will be no wars. But there will also be no $500,000 homes that any of you live in, for that would be unfair. You will listen to the music that I make you listen to. Yet you won't care, for you will be content all the time. Everyone goes to church faithfully, but not just once a week: daily. Your Sabbath day will be just that - a day of rest. I will make you stay at home and rest. No football, no TV, no picnics, no yard work. There! Is that better?"
Yet this is exactly what happened. The people became quite demanding under Moses, complaining about this or that directive from the Lord. He said He would be their king, but they begged him for a king like the neighboring countries. So He gave them one. They must have started whining like modern people, about why the loving God permits evil to happen. They wanted to be controlled. They wanted a King! So God gave them all the laws and regulations, and commandments that they could handle, and more.
Just like today. We want a government to do everything for us. We want it to do what a "Loving God" would do: that is - make everybody else act the way I think they should.
Thank God, He gave us a choice. We will want to live. We would walk the Earth ten times if it meant we would live forever. But when it comes to the True God, we won't even take the simple step of accepting Him and letting Him love us.
This is the choice - it isn't up to the "loving God" to make us treat each other with love and kindness. He made us capable of making that decision and acting on it. He made us capable of learning to control our passions so that we could in fact treat others with selflessness and charity.
So it isn't, "Why would a loving God permit . . . ". Rather, it's, "Why aren't you doing anything to help?"
- Deuteronomy 30
The same people that say "How can a loving God . . . ", would be the first to recoil in contempt and horror if the Lord ever came into our midst and said "Okay, have it your way. From now on you will not have free will. I will force everyone to act in a loving way to each other. You will involuntarily now live in purity. You will be compelled to share your wealth with those less fortunate. No drinking. No parties. No illicit sex. But you will all earn a living wage for the work that you do. But I will force you to work very hard. But you won't know you're working hard, because I will remove the strand of DNA that makes you resentful creatures. You will smile all the time, acquiesce all the time, serve all the time. Everybody will be fed. No one will get sick. There will be no wars. But there will also be no $500,000 homes that any of you live in, for that would be unfair. You will listen to the music that I make you listen to. Yet you won't care, for you will be content all the time. Everyone goes to church faithfully, but not just once a week: daily. Your Sabbath day will be just that - a day of rest. I will make you stay at home and rest. No football, no TV, no picnics, no yard work. There! Is that better?"
Yet this is exactly what happened. The people became quite demanding under Moses, complaining about this or that directive from the Lord. He said He would be their king, but they begged him for a king like the neighboring countries. So He gave them one. They must have started whining like modern people, about why the loving God permits evil to happen. They wanted to be controlled. They wanted a King! So God gave them all the laws and regulations, and commandments that they could handle, and more.
Just like today. We want a government to do everything for us. We want it to do what a "Loving God" would do: that is - make everybody else act the way I think they should.
Thank God, He gave us a choice. We will want to live. We would walk the Earth ten times if it meant we would live forever. But when it comes to the True God, we won't even take the simple step of accepting Him and letting Him love us.
This is the choice - it isn't up to the "loving God" to make us treat each other with love and kindness. He made us capable of making that decision and acting on it. He made us capable of learning to control our passions so that we could in fact treat others with selflessness and charity.
So it isn't, "Why would a loving God permit . . . ". Rather, it's, "Why aren't you doing anything to help?"
Friday, February 7, 2014
Do The Good
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
- Matthew 5
In some ways, I "cut my eye teeth", in my Christian walk, in the St. James Episcopal Church in Dexter, Michigan. This verse, the words of Jesus, was read every week as part of the sermon.
Where there is darkness, we are desperate for light. We need it to keep from going crazy. And in a world that is anything but sane, it is a small step to attribute it to us being in darkness.
If the world is dark, and it is, and you hold the light of Christ in your hands . . . then why do you not hold it up so that it produces the most light, for the most people?
Christians are under attack these days, perhaps more than at any other time in my life, if not in modern history. Our response has been to argue back, to pass laws, to get involved in political scraps. We go on TV and appear angry and even hateful. Meanwhile, our marriages fail, we mistreat employees, we spend more money on ourselves, for stuff we do not need. We present a face to the world, of a culture that is hedonistic and narcissistic.
Shine the light of Christ to the world of darkness. Jesus says that this is something that is seen by others. The light shines through our deeds of love and service. And the more we share, the more we love, the more we give, the more we sacrifice, the louder is our testimony and more compelling our arguments. Then, people have nothing else to do but honor God who inspired us to such good works.
Drop the arguments. Do the good.
- Matthew 5
In some ways, I "cut my eye teeth", in my Christian walk, in the St. James Episcopal Church in Dexter, Michigan. This verse, the words of Jesus, was read every week as part of the sermon.
Where there is darkness, we are desperate for light. We need it to keep from going crazy. And in a world that is anything but sane, it is a small step to attribute it to us being in darkness.
If the world is dark, and it is, and you hold the light of Christ in your hands . . . then why do you not hold it up so that it produces the most light, for the most people?
Christians are under attack these days, perhaps more than at any other time in my life, if not in modern history. Our response has been to argue back, to pass laws, to get involved in political scraps. We go on TV and appear angry and even hateful. Meanwhile, our marriages fail, we mistreat employees, we spend more money on ourselves, for stuff we do not need. We present a face to the world, of a culture that is hedonistic and narcissistic.
Shine the light of Christ to the world of darkness. Jesus says that this is something that is seen by others. The light shines through our deeds of love and service. And the more we share, the more we love, the more we give, the more we sacrifice, the louder is our testimony and more compelling our arguments. Then, people have nothing else to do but honor God who inspired us to such good works.
Drop the arguments. Do the good.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Great Oratory or The Spirit of God?
When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom.
- 1 Corinthians 2
Of course, when a person writes a blog, he hopes to stir the reader through elegant and persuasive writing.
I scored in the 99th percentile of the GRE Analytical writing exam, a few years ago. So I expect my writing to be pretty good. Every now and then, someone affirms that, which motivates me to keep improving my writing.
It's the same with our preachers. We want them, first, to be good public speakers. But I've often wondered if we've confused the ability to impress audiences through oratory, with the gift of preaching?
A good rock band can mesmerize masses of people. Great orators in history were able to sway events, regardless of how virtuous, or wise, they were. Americans traditionally are taught to hold in suspicion anyone that can sway the population through their platform eloquence.
The Apostle Paul, here, in the epistle that is famous for stressing love above all other virtues, downplays the importance of eloquence. He leaned on the Spirit of God to get the message out.
On Facebook, I am involved in some on-going discussions with doubters that seem ensnared with their need to understand every dot and tittle of the Gospel message. They can point out errors, inconsistencies, and logical fallacies. They have allowed one or two unanswered questions to draw down an entire simple belief in the Cross.
Paul will have none of that. In fact, he skips the idea of logically working out the Gospel plan, entirely.
We need to get away from silver-tongued oratory, and just let the Spirit of God build His Kingdom.
- 1 Corinthians 2
Of course, when a person writes a blog, he hopes to stir the reader through elegant and persuasive writing.
I scored in the 99th percentile of the GRE Analytical writing exam, a few years ago. So I expect my writing to be pretty good. Every now and then, someone affirms that, which motivates me to keep improving my writing.
It's the same with our preachers. We want them, first, to be good public speakers. But I've often wondered if we've confused the ability to impress audiences through oratory, with the gift of preaching?
A good rock band can mesmerize masses of people. Great orators in history were able to sway events, regardless of how virtuous, or wise, they were. Americans traditionally are taught to hold in suspicion anyone that can sway the population through their platform eloquence.
The Apostle Paul, here, in the epistle that is famous for stressing love above all other virtues, downplays the importance of eloquence. He leaned on the Spirit of God to get the message out.
On Facebook, I am involved in some on-going discussions with doubters that seem ensnared with their need to understand every dot and tittle of the Gospel message. They can point out errors, inconsistencies, and logical fallacies. They have allowed one or two unanswered questions to draw down an entire simple belief in the Cross.
Paul will have none of that. In fact, he skips the idea of logically working out the Gospel plan, entirely.
We need to get away from silver-tongued oratory, and just let the Spirit of God build His Kingdom.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Giving Freely
They have given freely to the poor, and their righteousness stands fast for ever; they will hold up their head with honor.
- Psalm 112
This passage, which praises those that fear the Lord, goes into some detail about the specifics of how Christians actually behave. What are their acts? What are these good deeds that yield such blessings upon them and their families?
Well, one stands out. God narrows down his mission for us, into just a few items:
- Psalm 112
This passage, which praises those that fear the Lord, goes into some detail about the specifics of how Christians actually behave. What are their acts? What are these good deeds that yield such blessings upon them and their families?
Well, one stands out. God narrows down his mission for us, into just a few items:
- Care for widows
- Protect and provide for orphans
- Welcome aliens
- Live morally and in purity
This particular verse says that the God-fearing person gives "freely to the poor."
Wow. "Giving freely" doesn't even allude much, to having a well-disciplined budget.
I have to share something that popped into my mind recently. It's just a little phrase that entered into my thinking, and it has to do with this verse. But it goes like this, and if anybody is actually reading this it may have the same effect as "smoking them out."
People that visit Disney World (or the equivalent) more than once a decade are not helping the poor enough.
So there it is. I mean, where's your faith? Don't you believe that the Kingdom of God, in eternity, is way more enjoyable, way more important, than expensive vacations in this life?
Most of the world is poor. Most people in our own communities may never get to Disney World. But when we go, we make sure everyone knows it.
If we give freely to the poor, it should limit, somewhat, the kinds of nice things we can do for ourselves.
The person that gives, freely, is the same person that can hold his or her head up high, with honor.
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