Two old warriors. Brothers. Scars from many battles – some they fought together, some not; but often on the side of victory in either case. They each have wisdom to share and swords which have become most precious to them.
One warrior’s advice to his son amounts to little more than “I’ve fought and won many battles. I hope you’ve learned something from me. With God’s help, I made it and you can, too.” Then he mounts his sword on the wall as a trophy.
The other warrior says, “Son, ‘I’ve fought a good fight; I’ve finished my course.’ Now take this sword. Remember how I’ve trained you with it. Keep it always with you. – Never, for even a moment, put it aside. – Continue practicing with it daily. It may look dull and feel clumsy to you now, but with much use, it will shine brighter and it will make you stronger, faster, smarter.” Then the warrior adds this very important final instruction: “Be also sure to pass this sword on to your own son, teaching and training him to use it skillfully. And when you’ve come to the end of your course, tell your son all that I’ve just told you.”
* * * * *
I suppose many have been tempted to place a favorite Biblical instruction of theirs under the label of The Eleventh Commandment. If I were to yield to such a temptation, I’d want to cast my vote for those words from the passage in Deuteronomy 6: “Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children.” And I think I’d have a good argument, too. It’s written in the form of a commandment (“Thou shalt teach …thy children”). Better yet, this mandate is given very shortly after the second generation out of Egypt have just been reminded of the first Ten Commandments. It is preceded even more immediately by the first and greatest commandment; and it is being told to the generation whose parents did not keep the commandments. Then we soon discover in Judges what happens when, after Joshua’s generation, this commandment is not heeded “and there [arises] another generation after them, which [knows] not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.” (Judges 2:10)
In short, “Here are the commandments; do them, and teach them to your children. – Then teach your children to teach the commandments to their children. Teach them to teach.” – The Eleventh Commandment? Maybe not, but you’d better do it!
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Saturday, December 08, 2007
Placing Second in Your Own Look-Alike Contest
Christopher Witmer said, “You don’t resemble my caricature of you because you’re lying.” That may help explain the following, or vice versa: I once heard that Groucho Marx won second prize in a Groucho Marx Look-Alike Contest; and I have no trouble believing it. Without having investigated the truth or the background of this story, I would like to make some conjectures about it because I think it provides a useful illustration. 1) I have also heard and even observed in pictures that Groucho sometimes wore a painted-on mustache, which could offer one plausible explanation for why he placed second. The first prize winner may have had a real mustache. 2) Groucho was also an actor and television celebrity. Perhaps his behavior was somewhat different in person and off camera. But logic still demands that there is no way that a person should place second in his own look-alike or act-alike contest. The first prize winner should have had a painted-on mustache, acted witty on camera but somewhat different off camera, and even had an identical … well, everything that Groucho had.
Are we frustrated that Christ does not always live up to our caricature of Him? It seems that, if many churches today were on the panel of judges, Christ & His Bride themselves would not win First Prize if they were to enter their own look-alike contest. Under cultural influence, we have created our own list of criteria, instead of using the age-old List given to us by the Spirit of Christ Himself – the Holy Scriptures. Many Christians and churches today actually have the audacity to think that we may decide where, when, how, and even why we will worship; but by so doing, we are – without realizing it – even deciding what we will worship. Someone said, “God made man in His image, then man returned the favor.” But, in case you didn’t catch it, that’s a violation of the second commandment.
Are we frustrated that Christ does not always live up to our caricature of Him? It seems that, if many churches today were on the panel of judges, Christ & His Bride themselves would not win First Prize if they were to enter their own look-alike contest. Under cultural influence, we have created our own list of criteria, instead of using the age-old List given to us by the Spirit of Christ Himself – the Holy Scriptures. Many Christians and churches today actually have the audacity to think that we may decide where, when, how, and even why we will worship; but by so doing, we are – without realizing it – even deciding what we will worship. Someone said, “God made man in His image, then man returned the favor.” But, in case you didn’t catch it, that’s a violation of the second commandment.
It's Not Just the Heart That Matters
If you want to commit sin and still be a Christian, then you might like the modern evangelical Church of God. There, in the modern church, if you can only become accustomed to and comfortable with the convicting of the Holy Spirit, you can likely enjoy your sin for quite some time without much interruption. For should anyone else dare to take upon himself that which “belongs to the Holy Spirit,” all you need do is remind such a person of the following presuppositions espoused by the modern church: “Don’t judge,” and “It’s the heart that matters.” In other words, just tell ‘em, “No matter what you might claim about me, with your very limited perspective about me, you obviously cannot see my pure heart; therefore, you have no right, against my wishes, to hold me accountable in my private faith and personal relationship with God. – Mind your own business.” It’s also a nice touch to throw in a little “Biblical” reminder that “Christ reserved his harshest criticisms for the Pharisees, whom He called ‘hypocrites,’ because, even though they did all the right works, their heart was far from God.”
Fortunately for you – unfortunately, really, – a typical individual within the modern church won’t recognize, let alone correct the various fallacies in your theology, including even your misperception about Christ’s diagnosis of the Pharisees. Christ did not disunite a man’s works from his heart. You likely already know and perhaps are uncomfortable with the implications of the passage which says, “By their fruits, you will know them” (Matt. 7:16, 20 – the same chapter where He said, “Judge not,” by the way). But Christ also applies Isaiah’s prophecy to the scribes and Pharisees when He quotes, “‘This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, …; but their heart is far from me,’” and then explains, “Those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man” (Matt. 15:8, 18-20, italics mine). Finally, you should realize that Matthew 23, where we read at least seven “woes” pronounced against the “scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” for their various correlating teachings and works, begins with Jesus Christ “saying, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not’” (Matt. 23:2-3, italics mine).
Fortunately for you – unfortunately, really, – a typical individual within the modern church won’t recognize, let alone correct the various fallacies in your theology, including even your misperception about Christ’s diagnosis of the Pharisees. Christ did not disunite a man’s works from his heart. You likely already know and perhaps are uncomfortable with the implications of the passage which says, “By their fruits, you will know them” (Matt. 7:16, 20 – the same chapter where He said, “Judge not,” by the way). But Christ also applies Isaiah’s prophecy to the scribes and Pharisees when He quotes, “‘This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, …; but their heart is far from me,’” and then explains, “Those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man” (Matt. 15:8, 18-20, italics mine). Finally, you should realize that Matthew 23, where we read at least seven “woes” pronounced against the “scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” for their various correlating teachings and works, begins with Jesus Christ “saying, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not’” (Matt. 23:2-3, italics mine).
Sin Is Disobeying God
Sin can be defined in two words: disobeying God. Included in the teaching of our children to confess their wrongdoing immediately following correction is the proper phrasing of the confession. “I’m sorry for standing on the table” is not necessarily a confession of sin. Those words may come out of the mouth, but the heart might be saying, “I know you don’t like for me to stand on the table, so I’m sorry that I did it … while you were watching … because I don’t like spankings.”
So I will often ask, “Is standing on the table a sin? Does the Bible say, ‘You shall not stand on tables’?”
The child says, “No,” even though he has never read the entire Bible, let alone, memorized it. But I think God has given my child enough grace to recognize the answer to my question.
“What was your sin then?” I ask.
“Disobeying my parents.”
“Is disobeying your parents a sin?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because God says, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Children, obey your parents in the Lord.’”
“That’s right. So when you disobey your parents, then you are also …”
“… disobeying God. – I’m sorry, Dad, for disobeying you by standing on the table.”
“Now, Son, you need to tell Someone else ….”
“I’m sorry, God, for disobeying you.”
* * * * *
Throughout the Scriptures, beginning with Cain and Abel, we see God accepting some sacrifices and rejecting others. He is the One Who required sacrifices with multiple parameters, but then later (in Isaiah 1) He asked, “Who has required all these sacrifices at your hand?”
As the Hebrews writer explains, Christ knew that doing God’s will – obedience – took priority over sacrifice; but then, in doing God’s will, Christ offered Himself as the sinless, atoning sacrifice. Hebrews 10:8-10 – “First He said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not desire, nor were You pleased with them’ (although the law required them to be made). Then He said, ‘Here I am, I have come to do Your will.’ He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
So I will often ask, “Is standing on the table a sin? Does the Bible say, ‘You shall not stand on tables’?”
The child says, “No,” even though he has never read the entire Bible, let alone, memorized it. But I think God has given my child enough grace to recognize the answer to my question.
“What was your sin then?” I ask.
“Disobeying my parents.”
“Is disobeying your parents a sin?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because God says, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Children, obey your parents in the Lord.’”
“That’s right. So when you disobey your parents, then you are also …”
“… disobeying God. – I’m sorry, Dad, for disobeying you by standing on the table.”
“Now, Son, you need to tell Someone else ….”
“I’m sorry, God, for disobeying you.”
* * * * *
Throughout the Scriptures, beginning with Cain and Abel, we see God accepting some sacrifices and rejecting others. He is the One Who required sacrifices with multiple parameters, but then later (in Isaiah 1) He asked, “Who has required all these sacrifices at your hand?”
As the Hebrews writer explains, Christ knew that doing God’s will – obedience – took priority over sacrifice; but then, in doing God’s will, Christ offered Himself as the sinless, atoning sacrifice. Hebrews 10:8-10 – “First He said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not desire, nor were You pleased with them’ (although the law required them to be made). Then He said, ‘Here I am, I have come to do Your will.’ He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
Wash One Another's Feet
John 13:12-17 – “So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.”
If pride was involved with the very first sin and with the beginnings of every sin thereafter – as the Proverb writer states, “An haughty spirit [goes] before a fall,” (Proverbs 16:18), – then perhaps it is also involved in the arguments against and resistances to the practice of Christians washing one another’s feet in modern times. Interestingly and, I think, not coincidentally, pride is one of those very sins which this practice is meant to shame; thus, it is the first to protest even the suggestion of the practice.
“It’s just weird,” someone might say. But such was not the case in Biblical culture, unless, of course, a master would happen to wash his servants’ feet. But then to say such a thing would be to declare the actions of Christ Himself as weird. And although the practice was somewhat common in Biblical times, one should not assume that pride therefore never got in the way back then. Why did Peter at first recoil at his Master’s actions? Why did not the hosting Pharisee wash Jesus’ feet?
At the time of writing this exhortation, I have yet to observe or recall a persuasive argument against feet washing, … at least, not one as clear and precise as the Lord’s own words in saying, “Ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. Ye should do as I have done to you.”
If pride was involved with the very first sin and with the beginnings of every sin thereafter – as the Proverb writer states, “An haughty spirit [goes] before a fall,” (Proverbs 16:18), – then perhaps it is also involved in the arguments against and resistances to the practice of Christians washing one another’s feet in modern times. Interestingly and, I think, not coincidentally, pride is one of those very sins which this practice is meant to shame; thus, it is the first to protest even the suggestion of the practice.
“It’s just weird,” someone might say. But such was not the case in Biblical culture, unless, of course, a master would happen to wash his servants’ feet. But then to say such a thing would be to declare the actions of Christ Himself as weird. And although the practice was somewhat common in Biblical times, one should not assume that pride therefore never got in the way back then. Why did Peter at first recoil at his Master’s actions? Why did not the hosting Pharisee wash Jesus’ feet?
At the time of writing this exhortation, I have yet to observe or recall a persuasive argument against feet washing, … at least, not one as clear and precise as the Lord’s own words in saying, “Ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. Ye should do as I have done to you.”
Merry Thanksgiving
Within the Proverbs, the Holy Spirit establishes an antithesis between a merry heart and a sorrowful heart. Proverbs 15:13 – “A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.” A chapter earlier (14:13), we find that “even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.” Still another Proverb (16:23) explains that “the heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.” The mouth does not teach the heart; the heart teaches the mouth. So a cheerful countenance from a merry heart is telling the truth, but laughter from a sorrowful heart is lying. But that is not the only entailment of such laughter.
It is also momentary (short-lived). Antithetically, “he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast” – Proverbs 15:15. Thus, we conclude that the merry-hearted men and women of God are the only ones who can truly celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday.
Just as the triumphal exultation of a heart surgeon much challenged by a recent operation is far better appreciated by his colleagues than by the actors who only play doctors on TV, so too may holy people relate with the Pilgrims far better than heathen people. For we, like the Pilgrims, acknowledge the Great Heart Surgeon Who “brings forth food out of the earth.” It is His “bread which strengthens man’s heart” and His “wine that makes glad the heart of man.” (Psalm 104:14b-15)
The heathen’s laughter comes on Turkey Thursday and is gone by Monday, but he whose face God’s oil has made to shine keeps on feasting. So “eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with [you] in [your] labor all the days of [your] life which God gives [you] under the sun. Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.” (Eccl. 8:15 NKJV; Eccl. 9:7; & Psalm 100:4)
It is also momentary (short-lived). Antithetically, “he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast” – Proverbs 15:15. Thus, we conclude that the merry-hearted men and women of God are the only ones who can truly celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday.
Just as the triumphal exultation of a heart surgeon much challenged by a recent operation is far better appreciated by his colleagues than by the actors who only play doctors on TV, so too may holy people relate with the Pilgrims far better than heathen people. For we, like the Pilgrims, acknowledge the Great Heart Surgeon Who “brings forth food out of the earth.” It is His “bread which strengthens man’s heart” and His “wine that makes glad the heart of man.” (Psalm 104:14b-15)
The heathen’s laughter comes on Turkey Thursday and is gone by Monday, but he whose face God’s oil has made to shine keeps on feasting. So “eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with [you] in [your] labor all the days of [your] life which God gives [you] under the sun. Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.” (Eccl. 8:15 NKJV; Eccl. 9:7; & Psalm 100:4)
Creedless Religion?
There is no such thing as a creedless religion. A creedless religion is one which makes no statement about its particular set or system of beliefs, except the particularly assertive statement that “we assert no particular statement of beliefs.” If, after I challenge your affirmation that your religion has no creed, you assume a fighting stance, you’ve just illustrated my point. While your religion is a shambles, you and your colleagues at least can get together under the guise that you all share the common belief that you affirm no other particular beliefs; after that, you just have to shut up and stare at each other.
To get around this, the denominational Church of God (the one which has declared that “we are non-denominational”) adds an important qualifier – “we have no written creed but the Holy Bible.” But this has it problems, too, especially if what is meant is that neither an organization nor an individual should paraphrase what it believes but should only quote the Scriptures. If this is the case, then preaching from the pulpit should be nothing more than reading, reciting, or possibly rearranging the Holy Scriptures. For as soon as you open your mouth to expound a particular passage, you are differing little from those who declare a creed.
Another important qualifier for the Church of God Reformation Movement is, I suppose, the word written; because it can, for a moment, appear that we do have an unwritten creed. And what’s more, you have to line up with it if you’re going to be ordained within the Church of God. Ironic, however, is the fact that if you do pursue such ordination, you are required to write out your personal creed and you must do so without quoting Scripture. This more easily enables the Board of Pastoral and Church Relations (BPCR) to compare your creed with the Movement’s “unwritten” creed and thereby determine your level of qualification for ordination.
When presenting my personal statement of beliefs, perhaps I should have provided the following: “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. … On the third day, He rose again from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
“I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy [universal] church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.”
Of course, these words are not original with me; it is known as The Apostles’ Creed, with a couple minor revisions. It’s been around for quite some time, as I understand, – centuries – even longer than the Church of God Reformation Movement. Does the Church of God or its BPCR have any problems with the Creed’s content? If so, then I have a problem with the Church of God, its BPCR, or both.
To get around this, the denominational Church of God (the one which has declared that “we are non-denominational”) adds an important qualifier – “we have no written creed but the Holy Bible.” But this has it problems, too, especially if what is meant is that neither an organization nor an individual should paraphrase what it believes but should only quote the Scriptures. If this is the case, then preaching from the pulpit should be nothing more than reading, reciting, or possibly rearranging the Holy Scriptures. For as soon as you open your mouth to expound a particular passage, you are differing little from those who declare a creed.
Another important qualifier for the Church of God Reformation Movement is, I suppose, the word written; because it can, for a moment, appear that we do have an unwritten creed. And what’s more, you have to line up with it if you’re going to be ordained within the Church of God. Ironic, however, is the fact that if you do pursue such ordination, you are required to write out your personal creed and you must do so without quoting Scripture. This more easily enables the Board of Pastoral and Church Relations (BPCR) to compare your creed with the Movement’s “unwritten” creed and thereby determine your level of qualification for ordination.
When presenting my personal statement of beliefs, perhaps I should have provided the following: “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. … On the third day, He rose again from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
“I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy [universal] church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.”
Of course, these words are not original with me; it is known as The Apostles’ Creed, with a couple minor revisions. It’s been around for quite some time, as I understand, – centuries – even longer than the Church of God Reformation Movement. Does the Church of God or its BPCR have any problems with the Creed’s content? If so, then I have a problem with the Church of God, its BPCR, or both.
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