Burden & Blessing

2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

If you reading this you have no doubt already heard about the devastating landfall of Hurricane Harvey in the Houston, TX area. Thankfully, as of now the rains have ceased and numerous rescues are being made. People are also coming together by donating time and money to the cause of helping the survivors. Such a time of destruction certainly evokes feelings of humility and gratitude for daily protection from nature’s forces.
What you may not be aware of is an unsettling connection between Harvey and the Church, particularly Christians who have very recently taken a stand on the authority of God’s Word. Just two days ago, the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood produced a series of statements on human sexuality called the Nashville Statement. You can read the statements here. It doesn’t take long. They are concise. Several pastors and church leaders have signed their names to this Statement as well, as an expression of agreement. While I haven’t studied each thesis in depth, I do believe the Nashville Statement accurately reflects the Bible’s teachings and that it is important to take this stand in our culture.
Perhaps just as importantly, it also does so in a balanced, gospel-motivated approach. So often the accusations of hatred and bigotry are leveled against Christians by those who simply don’t want to hear what God says regarding sexuality. However, you can tell the authors went above and beyond to dispel this image. For example, article 8 reads:
WE AFFIRM that people who experience sexual attraction for the same sex may live a rich and fruitful life pleasing to God through faith in Jesus Christ, as they, like all Christians, walk in purity of life.
WE DENY that sexual attraction for the same sex is part of the natural goodness of God’s original creation, or that it puts a person outside the hope of the gospel.
Article 14 (the final one) states:
WE AFFIRM that Christ Jesus has come into the world to save sinners and that through Christ’s death and resurrection forgiveness of sins and eternal life are available to every person who repents of sin and trusts in Christ alone as Savior, Lord, and supreme treasure.
WE DENY that the Lord’s arm is too short to save or that any sinner is beyond his reach.
These theses make it clear that the intent of the Nashville Statement is not to unfairly shame or throw hatred on those who struggle with homosexuality and transgender feelings. The superior love of the gospel flows throughout the document. But, that is not stopping many, from the Church to the media and everywhere in between, from trying to discredit the document. There are many points to address, but it is here that I would like to zero in on one particular criticism.
Here’s where a connection to Hurricane Harvey comes in. Many are complaining of a lack of sympathy and charity by those who issued this Statement because of its close proximity to Harvey’s catastrophe. You’ve probably seen sentiments of this nature expressed on the news or social media. It is said that this should be a time to unite, not divide. It is said that Church leaders should show empathy, not judgment. But, are these extremes always mutually exclusive? If someone, like myself, agrees with the Nashville Statement, does that mean I automatically hate those whom it addresses? If I don’t object to the timing of its release, does that reveal a calloused and indifferent attitude toward those affected by the hurricane? What if I’ve prayed for those affected by the hurricane? What if I’ve helped them, either directly on the ground or indirectly through a donation? Have I really shown a lack empathy and understanding simply because I agree with God’s Word?
I think, at best, it’s unfair to make these accusations, and, at worst, extremely dangerous. Think of the passage above, especially as you consider the timing of the Statement. Is there ever a bad time to speak God’s truth in love? Paul says we are to “preach the word, in season and out of season.” Another way of saying this is “when it’s convenient and when it’s not.” Hurricane Harvey is surely a monumental tragedy, but who’s to say it’s any more serious than any other tragedy? Surely, there are always moments in life when something bad is happening to someone. If Christians can’t speak the truth in these moments for lack of sensitivity, will there ever be a proper time? By the way, if you continue in the passage, the type of preaching talked about involves convincing and rebuking. That clearly indicates a message of repentance over sin. How can we do that if we don’t clearly label the sin for what it is – a self-glorifying activity that leads away from God. There certainly is no room for “rebuke” if we can never offend someone.
I understand unbelievers who level these accusations against the Church. But, the sad truth is that many Christians are doing the same thing. This is what makes it extremely dangerous. Faith in Christ, the very things that makes a Christian a Christian, is built upon the Word of God. Friendly fire upon this foundation plays into the hands of Satan. According to Christ’s own teaching on loving one another, faithfulness to the Word is absolutely necessary (John 15:10). I ask all Christians to take heed of these points and be aware of falling into the trap of trusting the world’s words over God’s.

Time after time we see truths from God’s Word which follow the pattern of marriage. Inherent to God’s institution of marriage are certain qualities: commitment, love, forgiveness, and other virtues. It’s no wonder that God would so often use marriage as an example of our relationship with Him by faith. The clearest example of that connection is from Ephesians 5 where God compares the relationship between husband and wife to that of Christ and the Church. So, essentially, God is saying that He expects the same qualities in both relationships. Ephesians 5 is not the only portion of Scripture that makes this connection (Isaiah 61:10, 62:5, John 3:29, Revelation 21:2). Several others, especially in the Old Testament, also compare idolatry to spiritual adultery (Judges 2:17, 1 Chronicles 5:25, Psalm 106:39, Jeremiah 3, Ezekiel 16:5, The book of Hosea).
So, with this thought in mind, it’s not surprising that for every sin against marriage, there’s a parallel when it comes to faith in God. Lack commitment to your spouse mirrors lack commitment to God. Arrogantly ignoring sexual temptations mirrors arrogantly ignoring idolatrous temptations. Refusing to forgive others mirrors, and leads to, refusing to receive forgiveness from God.
I’d like to zero in on one particular area where I think this connection is largely ignored – church attendance. We’re well familiar with the “one-night stand” phrase in our culture and we know what it means. It is a blatant act of defiance to the LORD’s marriage mandates. It is a direct result of the uncommitted lifestyle. So, what is the equivalent in our relationship by faith with God? Church attendance. Church is where we interact with God. It is the realm for building our connection with Him through His Word and Sacraments. But, like faithfulness in a marriage, church attendance involves establishing a Godly habit. It’s not always glamorous to be habitual about something. Being faithful does not always feel fulfilling. But, this is the commitment we have been entrusted with by faith, and one that God expects of us.
Too many believers are having “one-Sunday stands” with God. Now, you may say, “I may not come every weekend, but I’ve sure been at church more than once!” That’s nice, but how does that stand in light of God’s commands to “Remember the Sabbath day…” and “Do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together (Hebrews 10:25).” Does limping along the bare minimum emulate the Godly attitude of, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the LORD! (Psalm 122:1)'”? Does once or twice a month make everything better?
Likewise, some may also say, “Well, it’s not going to church that is important, it’s knowing and believing the Word.” Again, there is a grain of truth to that statement. Those present every Sunday are no more holy than those absent. It’s not about the individual, but about what is happening at church, or what a person receives. Grace can be received at home just as much as in the pew. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how often a person attends if they don’t actually believe anything they’re hearing. Hypocrites abound, we all know it. But, does that fact alone give you opportunity before God to justify your own absence? That’s like saying you don’t have to be in the kitchen to eat. Well, in a way you don’t have to, and not everyone in the kitchen is always eating. But, if that’s where the food is, why aren’t you, when you are hungry, also there?
The importance of church attendance is really simple so let’s not over-complicate it. God’s Word is there. God’s Word is good for you (necessary in fact). So, be at church. If you don’t feel the need, you might have commitment issues in your faith, and that is certainly not to be taken lightly.

Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ “

In our Bible Study, Pastors Rob Sauers and Nathanael Mayhew discuss the book of Proverbs. Proverbs is one of the poetic books of the Old Testament. Hebrew poetry does not consist of rhyme and meter as English poetry does, but it uses parallelism as a tool to lead us into God’s truth.
Proverbs is an example of wisdom literature and is similar to other wisdom literature found in the ancient world and even today. Even without a special revelation from God, people everywhere have been able to distill certain helpful truths about human behavior into pithy saying. While this is true, Biblical wisdom literature, like Proverbs, rises above the rest. Its source lies not in the observations of sinful human beings, but in the LORD who created life and knows best how it is to be lived. The Bible’s Proverbs are rooted in “the fear of the Lord” (1:7). Therefore, they are entirely reliable and true.
One of the great challenges in reading this book is that Proverbs speaks very little about justification but is focused more on sanctification. As we study this book, we remember that Biblical wisdom finds its highest fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who is the very wisdom of God.
This book speaks on a variety of topics that apply to the lives of God’s people today as much as they did 3,000 years ago when they were first written – a powerful testimony to the timeless value of God’s Word.
May the LORD bless our study!

Proverbs 15:20 A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.

This verse from today’s devotion caught my eye. I write especially for teenage readers, but it really applies to all. Remember that God still cares about how you treat your parents. So often excuses are given because of immaturity or naive oversight. But, in reality, there’s nothing complicated about the intent of the fourth commandment. One of the subversive, under-the-radar, dangers we face in our culture is the desire to be independent of traditional norms, no matter the cost. There is a huge push for personal independence; so much so that the sin of simple disrespect is often overlooked.
Yet, it still matters to God that you take into account your parents’ thoughts and feelings, no matter how unjustified you think they may be. Personal independence is not the end all, be all of life; it’s a process whereby an individual grows and matures; it’s never supposed to be the consummation of life. If you make changes or want to do things differently, think them through first. Have a reason for your change that is not just about your personal independence, or doing something just to stand out. It’s often those very decisions which you will most regret later in life, but I’ll also give you two more reasons why:
1.Your parents love and care about more than you give them credit for. It’s not a coincidence that in the previous chapter of Proverbs, we see this bit of wisdom, “The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray(12:26).” Many are the ways of life that can lead you astray, and many are the people that will befriend you on those paths. Who you choose to spend time with matters. Who you choose to imitate matters. Your parents love you unconditionally, so much so that they would tell you things you don’t want to hear, knowing full well the reaction they’ll get for it. You simply cannot overstate the value of love like that.
2. Your parents are blood-bought souls of Christ. He came to earth to suffer and die for them, just as much as He did those things for you. He loves them just as He loves you. This means your parents are valuable to God; and if they are valuable to Him they should be so to you. You also know how it hurts and affects their faith when you rebel or change for foolish reasons, or for your own selfish independence alone. Perhaps more than any other relationship you have, the way you treat your parents will have a profound effect on their faith. Instead of being so quick to separate yourself from your parents, exercise Godly wisdom by seeking to build them up in Christ.

 

Although it’s been over ten years since I passed my driving test and received my driver’s license, I vividly remember one piece of advice from the instructor. He said, “Always be sure to use your turn signal, even if you don’t see any other cars. You never know who is watching.” This point of emphasis has probably stuck with me because I’ve been reminded of it often. Sometimes I won’t use my turn signal because I’m trying to dart out through the intersection quickly. Sometimes I just get lazy and don’t feel like signalling to other drivers. I know I’ve cut others off before because of these things. So much can happen so quickly on the road, it’s so important to remember that you can’t keep track of it all on your own.
I wish this principle was applied more often in other areas of life. Why don’t we make more of an effort to think about what we’re signalling to others? This is so obviously important in the example we set for others. We may think no one is watching, or paying attention, but oftentimes many are. As a sports fan I was reminded of this again in the past week as the topic of professional athletes as role models again came to the forefront. If you haven’t heard, there was an incident at Madison Square Garden, the famous arena where the New York Knicks play basketball. The incident involved Charles Oakley, a famous player for the Knicks in the 90s. For those who haven’t seen or heard it, the following video can bring you up to speed.

Now, I don’t know what the long-standing beef between was about. In a post-altercation retaliation, Oakley was banned from MSG, and the owner made comments about Oakley’s mental health and suggested he might have problems with alcohol. I don’t know about the validity or usefulness of any of those claims. What I do know is that what we witnessed on television (in the video above) was not normal, healthy, or appropriate. Oakley was eventually arrested, his actions were condemned, and he apologized privately. But, to me, the most concerning part of this entire episode is the present aftermath.
The latest from SportsCenter this morning portrayed Oakley like an underdog hero; someone willing to stand up to the billionaire white man. Former players are excusing his actions because that’s just the type of guy he is. He wouldn’t take any guff on the court so we can’t expect him to take any off the court either. In fact, just today, Oakley’s altercation was compared to the arrest and death of Eric Garner, an event that sparked social outrage. So, somehow Oakley now has become a symbol for social rights by getting into a fight in public and getting arrested. I don’t know what’s sadder; Oakley’s reaction or the media’s excusing and defending of it. Both of them set horrible examples. This doesn’t excuse the Knick’s owner at all, but no one is publicly defending what he did, even though it didn’t involve hitting anyone in public or getting arrested. Regardless of what the owner said or did that led to the altercation, there was absolutely no excuse for Oakley’s actions. Yet when they are continually pardoned in the public eye, people start to think it’s okay to act that way if you have a good reason for it.
Role models should be calm under pressure and never verbally or physically combative. Based on what I know about Oakley’s playing career and what I saw on the video of the incident, I wouldn’t be surprised if he did have anger management issues. Yet, today his actions are being lauded as honorable. Both things are sickening.
Here’s where the Christian’s calling comes into play. The Bible says nothing about fame being a requirement for mentoring and setting a good example yet so often we look to the rich and famous as role models. Rather, faith in Christ is the difference. When a person believes, he or she automatically takes up the mantle of bearing Christ’s name. This is so important and necessary because everyone to some extent, especially young people, desire to follow the example of others. Role models will be made even if you don’t show your faith. Don’t force young people to emulate professional athletes because they don’t see anything better in their lives. Take time today to help them see what makes an action right or wrong; don’t throw them to the media wolves to decide for themselves either. Above all, “let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful (Colossians 3:15).” When you act you may think no one is looking, but God always is, and usually many others are too.

Each year, Oxford University Press, the organization that oversees work on the renowned Oxford Dictionary, introduces a word of the year. The word is meant to reflect the state of the world in the passing year. For 2016, the chosen word was “post-truth”. This is how they define it:

“Relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.”

Post-truth does not point to something which comes after the truth, such as a conclusion based on the truth. Instead it represents something that is feeling-driven, rather than fact-driven. See this article for a good explanation.
The panel tasked with choosing the word of year concluded by saying,

The compound word post-truth exemplifies an expansion in the meaning of the prefix post- that has become increasingly prominent in recent years. Rather than simply referring to the time after a specified situation or event – as in post-war or post-match – the prefix  in post-truth has a meaning more like ‘belonging to a time in which the specified concept has become unimportant or irrelevant’. This nuance seems to have originated in the mid-20th century, in formations such as post-national (1945) and post-racial (1971).

Think about that for a second. A panel of literary experts has concluded that the most appropriate word for the past year is one in which truth has become “unimportant or irrelevant.” Sad as it may be, I agree that this meaning of “post-truth” accurately reflects the state of the world in 2016, particularly in America. People are growing less and less concerned with what is actually right and more enamored with their own personal desires and quests for individual liberty. With the emergence of believe systems like post-truth, we will only continue to see a growing influence on objective-based, truth-claiming beliefs like the Christian faith. Many people have the mistaken perception that Christianity is all about blind faith, but it’s actually rooted in historical fact and objective, outside of the person thinking. Nothing encapsulates this more than the simple teaching of salvation in Jesus. This most-important teaching of Christianity is all about what Christ has objectively done outside of the individual to secure salvation. It is not about feeling; rather it supersedes that.
I believe we’re already starting to see a post-truth effect in our culture when it comes to commitment. Commitment issues are growing in the most important parts of life in our society. Take marriage for example. Rising rates of cohabitation (living as husband and wife before marriage) in the last 20 years reveals a lack of commitment. A Pew Research study from 2011 also shows that Millennials, the demographic most influential in establishing post-truth philosophy, place a greater emphasis on love rather than commitment in marriage. Love is typically viewed as an emotion. Commitment is an established decision. The difference between the two is the same as the difference between feeling and truth.
We’re also seeing this in churches, which isn’t much of a surprise considering that God uses marriage to describe His relationship with believers (see Ephesians 5 and Matthew 9 and 25). Both marriage and faith are built on commitment. Feelings certainly play a role in both, there’s no denying that, but neither were ever meant to be about feelings alone, or apart from truth. However, religion in America is following the same trend as marriage. Both are increasingly becoming more about a feeling-based positions rather than objective truth. This represents the “post-truth” mentality. It also presents a serious problem, not just because marriage and family structures are eroding, but because feeling-driven belief is really a product of humanism. Humanism is an utterly ungodly philosophy which places all confidence and hope in mankind. It reigns when peoples’ opinions and personal choices outweigh the divine will of God and it ends in idolatry.
It’s necessary for us to recall how important commitment and truth are to true faith in God. Psalm 37:5 states, “Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.”
Most importantly, let us remember that to forsake the pursuit of objective truth, is to forsake Christ. It was Jesus who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but by Me (John 14:6).” The Bible also records that “the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17).” It‘s frustrating and sad to see the decay of marriage, commitment, and truth in our society. But, the struggle is not over yet. These set-backs are signs of the world we live in, but there is more that can be done. We are wrestling against a problem that strikes to the very heart of our faith. But, that which is threatened is also the very solution and hope to the problem. The key is to continue believing, defending, and confessing Jesus Christ in our lives.
Let our prayer of commitment to the Lord be the same as the Spirit-inspired words of Proverbs 3:

Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, 4 And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. (Proverbs 3:3-7)