It seems we have been trying to determine who God is for some time. I have a sizable collection of resources, as theology was my major both in my graduate and post-graduated studies. Among them is Chafer's eight volume Systematic Theology, Erikson's 1302 page work on Christian Theology and Elwell's Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, some 1204 pages long. That barely scratches the surface. Yet, I was told that God is a simple being. Meaning He is not one who comes in parts and pieces. He is one, indivisible, unique being who has revealed Himself to me. In other words God is not a being you can dissect so you can understand and observe His parts. Yet, that has never stopped us from trying, especially for those of us who are American's steeped in Western and Greek thought. We compartmentalize everything so we may as well do the same with God.
We live in a society that labels and boxes all we encounter. From personality traits to learning styles. We systematically place people into their proper category, which allows them to excuse bad behavior and reject personal accountability. We do the same with God and those who follow Him. "Are you a Calvinist?' "Wesleyan?" "Charismatic?" "Reformed?" or one of 30,000 plus protestant denominations. And don't forget the Catholics and Orthodox folks. All with their distinct flavors of theology. All separated depending on how they parse God or dissect His attributes. We have a long way to go to see Yeshua's prayer answered, "Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world and I come to You, Holy Father, keep through your name those whom You have given me, in that they may be one as we are one" (John 17:11).
Two key areas to think about before we answer the assigned question. First, is God three or one? The area of the trinity has long been one of great study and discussion. I took classes in Theology Proper (the Father), Christology (the Son) and Pneumatology (the Spirit) so I could systematically categorize and differentiate the ministries of each part, or rather "Person" (because God doesn't have parts), of the Trinity. However, Isaiah said, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me" (Isaiah 61:1), as does Elijah and Ezekiel. Yeshua told the disciples He would give them the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17). (By the way for those who want to differentiate between the Old Testament Spirit being "on you" and the New Testament being 'In you" Ezekiel 36:27 says "In you" and Acts 1:8 says "upon you". So that argument doesn't work.) Romans 8:9 says I need the "Spirit of Christ" or I am none of His. So, do I have/need the Spirit of the Lord God, or the Holy Spirit or the Spirit of Christ? Is God my savior, like David often says in the Psalms, or is it Jesus Messiah? Is God Judge or is it the Son? If you are honest the lines are very blurry when it comes to divvying up Their individual attributes and ministries. Maybe the Jews are right and the Lord God is One, more than He is triune.
Second, Why do we have an Old Testament and a New Testament? Isn't it just one revelation from God to show us who He is and how we are to live? Why did the early church Fathers make such a clear distinction? The historic truth is so they could separate the Jewish books from the "church" books.. To separate the book of the Law from the new revelation of Grace. To separate the God of wrath and the God of Love. Forget that all of the "New" testament writers were Jewish, or wrote from a Jewish perspective. Forget that the "New" testament is about the Jewish Messiah and the we Gentiles have been grafted in (Rom 11:17) and are now brought near under the covenants and promises to be a part of the commonwealth of Israel (Eph 2:12). Forget that grace permeates the "Old" testament and that there is abundant love in the "old" and abundant wrath in the "New" (bowls of them if I remember right). There was no separation between Jewish and Gentile believers when the Messianic assemblies first began to meet at the synagogues. The "Old" and "New" Western labels do us a disservice as we are lead to believe that Matthew through Revelation is somehow better or replaces the "Old". Everyone knows that "New" is better, more relevant and important than the "Old". If you doubt this think of how much time evangelicals spend teaching the "New" testament rather than the "Old".
Compartmentalization does us a great disservice when we try to understand God and what He has revealed to us.
So, Your thirty seconds are up. What word did you come up with? If you are reformed maybe it is "sovereign". Baptist, maybe "grace". Of course we have the "omni's" - omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent. There are lots of attributes to choose from but none of them stand alone very well. I asked this question, or a variation of it, of several Jewish guys at the gym I go to. Now I know that this is not a scientific study and may not be the definitive answer, but it gave me something to ponder for a while. And I am not done pondering it yet. If they had an answer it was simply, "God is good". It even garnished a little discussion among those in the Locker room but the Jewish guys pretty much ended up here. God is good. Many of us say it as well. "God is good, all the time. All the time.... You know how it goes. It actually works really well. Because God is good He is kind and compassionate. Because God is good He will not let injustice go unpunished. Because God is good He is holy, set apart from all that is not good. Because He is good He delivers, He is right or righteous. As a good God He is always present, He knows what is best, He is pure and blameless. He never changes in His character. He is good so He listens to me and will even change His mind, if it is the good thing to do.
I encourage you to take some time, maybe more than the allotted thirty seconds, and consider the depth and wealth there is in the simple reality that God is good. Perhaps, we would do well to stop trying to systematically understand the Lord and to compartmentalize His Person. Maybe we would benefit from seeing how everything about Him is integrated into everything about Him. Maybe, just maybe we would be blessed and encouraged to spend fifteen minutes in the quiet of the morning or evening and bask in the truth that He is good.............. all the time.
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Monday, February 1, 2016
Please, Don't Fix Me
There are times when we hurt. Times when those around us hurt. Times when we hear them cry out with David, "God, why have you forsaken me!". The times are real and we want to comfort. But, what do you do? How do you help the wounded and brokenhearted? It is the promise of Messiah to "Bind up the brokenhearted and set the captives free" (Isa 61:1). Yet, how do we help when He feels so distant? Perhaps, like David, we cling to what we know to be true even when it does not feel that way. Somehow we make it through another day. However, we would like to do more.
God does give us some guidance. However, it is often missed and we resort to what seems right rather than what the Word of God suggests. Even then God often uses our feeble attempts to comfort the distressed while we miss the point He has been offering all along. The individuality and independence of our culture makes these times even more challenging. We need to escape the confines of our American and Western upbringings. The scriptures we read and the lessons Messiah taught were couched in an interdependent culture. Community and intimacy within the family and the community at large was true in ways that often escape our grasp. We want to help so we endeavor to "think" and "reason" our way to a solution. And we miss the point. We drop "truth" on the victim where none may be needed.
Paul gives us a very simple piece of instruction that we may well miss as "thoughtful" Americans. "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep" (Rom 12:15). The whole passage is about the intimacy of community. It speaks of how we are to respond and care for one another. We are to "rejoice with those who rejoice". We can be pretty good with that. To share in the joy and happiness of a newborn or healing or the marriage of two souls deeply in love with one another and the Lord. Good times of great joy.
However, He also tells us to weep with those who weep. Here the word for weep is one of great emotion, of the sorrow and anguish of the loss of a loved one. It carries the flavor of David's cry in Psalm 22. I have observed that we struggle with this command. Our tendency is to rejoice with those who rejoice and try to fix those who weep. This is not the intention of the commandment at all.
I have seldom, if ever, seen someone tell the rejoicing to keep an eternal perspective, or to know that God is in control and will not give them anything they cannot handle. I have never seen people share verses to tell the rejoicing to keep things in perspective. And not once have I heard someone walk up to a person filled with the wonder and exuberance of God's deliverance and say, "Remember, this too shall pass." However, I have seen all of these "encouragements" laid upon a grieving heart. The wounded don't need to be fixed, they need to be carried. Paul tells the Galatians to "Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Gal 6:2). Two things to note. First, the law of Christ is to Love God and Love our neighbor. Bearing one another's burdens fulfills the command to love God by this act of obedience and to love our neighbor by helping to carry their burden. Second, you cannot bear a burden by standing above the pit they are in and dropping verses of encouragement on them. You have to get down in the pit.
The deeply wounded need a shoulder not a scripture, they need understanding tears not platitudes that come from our need to say something. They need the quiet assurance of a friend who is there for the long haul, no matter how they feel, how angry they are and how disappointed they feel with God. They need a nonjudgmental companion who will lovingly join them in the journey of God's healing. They don't need to be fixed, not even with Scripture. They need to be held up by someone willing to take the time and enter into and carry their sorrow with them. To weep with them, without judgment or even words.
I have been married to an amazing woman for over thirty-eight years. She is a profoundly sensitive soul. There are times when I find her weeping. I have learned to gently ask these questions. "Do you know why you are crying?" Very often the answer is "No" so I just hold her and let her cry. If the answer is "Yes" I ask, "Do you want to talk about it?" If she says "No" I offer to just hold her. I learned that the times are very rare that she wants me to fix anything. She does not want a "Word from the Lord", she just needs to be held.
We live in a cold and indifferent world filled with wounded people. In the community of believers this should be markedly different. "They will know that we are followers of Messiah by our love for one another". So be excited as you share in the rejoicing of a brother or sister in Christ. However, be ready and willing to get down into the pit and bear the burdens of the deeply wounded, to gently hold those who feel abandoned. Don't try to fix them, just join in the weeping and help carry their pain. It is what Jesus would do.
God does give us some guidance. However, it is often missed and we resort to what seems right rather than what the Word of God suggests. Even then God often uses our feeble attempts to comfort the distressed while we miss the point He has been offering all along. The individuality and independence of our culture makes these times even more challenging. We need to escape the confines of our American and Western upbringings. The scriptures we read and the lessons Messiah taught were couched in an interdependent culture. Community and intimacy within the family and the community at large was true in ways that often escape our grasp. We want to help so we endeavor to "think" and "reason" our way to a solution. And we miss the point. We drop "truth" on the victim where none may be needed.
Paul gives us a very simple piece of instruction that we may well miss as "thoughtful" Americans. "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep" (Rom 12:15). The whole passage is about the intimacy of community. It speaks of how we are to respond and care for one another. We are to "rejoice with those who rejoice". We can be pretty good with that. To share in the joy and happiness of a newborn or healing or the marriage of two souls deeply in love with one another and the Lord. Good times of great joy.
However, He also tells us to weep with those who weep. Here the word for weep is one of great emotion, of the sorrow and anguish of the loss of a loved one. It carries the flavor of David's cry in Psalm 22. I have observed that we struggle with this command. Our tendency is to rejoice with those who rejoice and try to fix those who weep. This is not the intention of the commandment at all.
I have seldom, if ever, seen someone tell the rejoicing to keep an eternal perspective, or to know that God is in control and will not give them anything they cannot handle. I have never seen people share verses to tell the rejoicing to keep things in perspective. And not once have I heard someone walk up to a person filled with the wonder and exuberance of God's deliverance and say, "Remember, this too shall pass." However, I have seen all of these "encouragements" laid upon a grieving heart. The wounded don't need to be fixed, they need to be carried. Paul tells the Galatians to "Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Gal 6:2). Two things to note. First, the law of Christ is to Love God and Love our neighbor. Bearing one another's burdens fulfills the command to love God by this act of obedience and to love our neighbor by helping to carry their burden. Second, you cannot bear a burden by standing above the pit they are in and dropping verses of encouragement on them. You have to get down in the pit.
The deeply wounded need a shoulder not a scripture, they need understanding tears not platitudes that come from our need to say something. They need the quiet assurance of a friend who is there for the long haul, no matter how they feel, how angry they are and how disappointed they feel with God. They need a nonjudgmental companion who will lovingly join them in the journey of God's healing. They don't need to be fixed, not even with Scripture. They need to be held up by someone willing to take the time and enter into and carry their sorrow with them. To weep with them, without judgment or even words.
I have been married to an amazing woman for over thirty-eight years. She is a profoundly sensitive soul. There are times when I find her weeping. I have learned to gently ask these questions. "Do you know why you are crying?" Very often the answer is "No" so I just hold her and let her cry. If the answer is "Yes" I ask, "Do you want to talk about it?" If she says "No" I offer to just hold her. I learned that the times are very rare that she wants me to fix anything. She does not want a "Word from the Lord", she just needs to be held.
We live in a cold and indifferent world filled with wounded people. In the community of believers this should be markedly different. "They will know that we are followers of Messiah by our love for one another". So be excited as you share in the rejoicing of a brother or sister in Christ. However, be ready and willing to get down into the pit and bear the burdens of the deeply wounded, to gently hold those who feel abandoned. Don't try to fix them, just join in the weeping and help carry their pain. It is what Jesus would do.
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
The God Who Abandons You
What do you do when God abandons you? I know that we are told that He never abandons us. It is true that Yeshua did say "I would never leave or forsake you" (Heb 13:5b) and that "He is with you even until the end of the world" (Matt 28:20). However, life does not feel that way and it hasn't for a long time. I was jarred with that reality just a week or so ago. Twelve Marines were lost in a helicopter crash off of the coast of Oahu. it could have been just another tragic news story but that was not to be. We have friends from years ago that sort of reconnected thanks to Facebook. Our children grew up together and we ministered together in the same fellowship. They are just a cool family. I know if we saw them face to face we could just pick up where we left off. Their son-in-law was on one of the choppers. He leaves their daughter and a five month old baby behind. One could ask, "Where was God?"
I have been in ministry long enough to have a mental file of these sort of events. The "God Abandoned File". In my early days of ministry I was close to a couple in our church. They found love a little later in life and were married in their early forties. They were so in love and devoted to each other it was a bit of an inspiration to those who knew them. We shared in their joy when she was found to be with child. She asked for prayer as her father was battling cancer and longed to live long enough to see his only grandson. So we prayed. And he lived. His grandson, however, lived two days and was taken. I remember standing by the tiny white casket looking at the tear filled eyes trying to make some since of it all. It was my first funeral service. There is something that will never allow that image to leave the "God Abandoned File". Words were spoken. Prayers and sorrow shared. "Let the little children come unto me" should never have been applied to such a time as this.
I know the theology and cold reality of the truth that God is love and merciful and just and sovereign. Yet, there are times when things just seem wrong. Romans 8:28 is little comfort in the midst of a spirit crushing loss. The grieving widow rests her head on my shoulder and says, "For over fifty years he greeted me each morning with a cup of coffee and a kiss. That will never happen again, I am alone." And she is. Her children will come to visit, as will friends, but each morning begins alone. A reminder of her loss. Sure we can be grateful for all those years together and the hope of eternity but she still wakes up alone. Another memory to place in the "God Abandoned File".
Somehow, I have been left with the impression, by some, that these thoughts are not to be. I should not possess such a file. We have faith to get us through. He is the God of all comfort and He loved us enough to die for us. And, yes, those verses mentioned above are still true. I just need to trust. After all I am a "believer" not a "feeler" so rest in His unchanging Word and know He is there. But these emotions are a part of His design. And, hey, it still just feels wrong. There have been times when I felt abandoned. No amount of theological reality brought much suave to the wound.
David felt this way too. Psalm 22 is his expression. We rob ourselves of the impact of David's words because we know it is a "Messianic" Psalm. These are words Messiah cried from the cross. The descriptions of a crucifixion are vivid. We gab the phrase and turn it into bad theology and make God into a Greek deity that needs to be appeased. None of these were David's thoughts. When David's soul writhed in convulsive pain I seriously doubt that he thought, "These will be great words for Messiah to call from the cross," seeing as crucifixions were not common and David never would have thought of Messiah as one who died such a horrible death. Messiah never entered David's thoughts as he penned these words.
Hear David's Words. "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" David feels forsaken. He feels the pain of piercing words. He trembles as if all his bones are out of joint and that a pack of ravenous dogs rip at his flesh. He feels like he is entering the dust of death. David's pain and feeling of abandonment is very real. Do not rob him, or yourself, of that truth. How did we arrive at the idea that spouting some theological trivia, no matter how true, is proper even if it means we are flat out lying to the God who knows how we feel anyway? No, I do not understand. Yes, I do feel abandoned. No, truth isn't all that comforting. Yes, I am confused and yes I do question Your goodness. My God, why did you abandon them? Why take the child? Why the lonely abandoned mornings? God, sometimes it feels like I will never recover. I do not feel your comfort or your presence.
After all this, like David, my trust turns to the Lord. Like David, I know there is victory. Like David, I know God is still there. Like David, I will still praise God even when I do not understand. But, like David, I need those emotional outbursts. I need the freedom to express the agony of abandonment without well meaning children of God scolding me for how I feel or dropping verses I already know on top of my grieving heart.
I really don't know why the loss of those twelve brought all this to the surface.I do pray for God's comfort to over shadow their families and for them to know His peace. However, I also pray they can have the freedom to grieve. Maybe even borrow a verse or two from David.
We live in a wonderful yet painful world. We have an amazing, eternal, hope, through Christ Jesus our Lord. He also shares our pain. Sometimes a glimpse in the "God Abandoned File" reminds us how really human we are. Maybe it can remind us of how strong the pain can be and yet see that we have continued on by His grace. He is good after all.
I have been in ministry long enough to have a mental file of these sort of events. The "God Abandoned File". In my early days of ministry I was close to a couple in our church. They found love a little later in life and were married in their early forties. They were so in love and devoted to each other it was a bit of an inspiration to those who knew them. We shared in their joy when she was found to be with child. She asked for prayer as her father was battling cancer and longed to live long enough to see his only grandson. So we prayed. And he lived. His grandson, however, lived two days and was taken. I remember standing by the tiny white casket looking at the tear filled eyes trying to make some since of it all. It was my first funeral service. There is something that will never allow that image to leave the "God Abandoned File". Words were spoken. Prayers and sorrow shared. "Let the little children come unto me" should never have been applied to such a time as this.
I know the theology and cold reality of the truth that God is love and merciful and just and sovereign. Yet, there are times when things just seem wrong. Romans 8:28 is little comfort in the midst of a spirit crushing loss. The grieving widow rests her head on my shoulder and says, "For over fifty years he greeted me each morning with a cup of coffee and a kiss. That will never happen again, I am alone." And she is. Her children will come to visit, as will friends, but each morning begins alone. A reminder of her loss. Sure we can be grateful for all those years together and the hope of eternity but she still wakes up alone. Another memory to place in the "God Abandoned File".
Somehow, I have been left with the impression, by some, that these thoughts are not to be. I should not possess such a file. We have faith to get us through. He is the God of all comfort and He loved us enough to die for us. And, yes, those verses mentioned above are still true. I just need to trust. After all I am a "believer" not a "feeler" so rest in His unchanging Word and know He is there. But these emotions are a part of His design. And, hey, it still just feels wrong. There have been times when I felt abandoned. No amount of theological reality brought much suave to the wound.
David felt this way too. Psalm 22 is his expression. We rob ourselves of the impact of David's words because we know it is a "Messianic" Psalm. These are words Messiah cried from the cross. The descriptions of a crucifixion are vivid. We gab the phrase and turn it into bad theology and make God into a Greek deity that needs to be appeased. None of these were David's thoughts. When David's soul writhed in convulsive pain I seriously doubt that he thought, "These will be great words for Messiah to call from the cross," seeing as crucifixions were not common and David never would have thought of Messiah as one who died such a horrible death. Messiah never entered David's thoughts as he penned these words.
Hear David's Words. "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" David feels forsaken. He feels the pain of piercing words. He trembles as if all his bones are out of joint and that a pack of ravenous dogs rip at his flesh. He feels like he is entering the dust of death. David's pain and feeling of abandonment is very real. Do not rob him, or yourself, of that truth. How did we arrive at the idea that spouting some theological trivia, no matter how true, is proper even if it means we are flat out lying to the God who knows how we feel anyway? No, I do not understand. Yes, I do feel abandoned. No, truth isn't all that comforting. Yes, I am confused and yes I do question Your goodness. My God, why did you abandon them? Why take the child? Why the lonely abandoned mornings? God, sometimes it feels like I will never recover. I do not feel your comfort or your presence.
After all this, like David, my trust turns to the Lord. Like David, I know there is victory. Like David, I know God is still there. Like David, I will still praise God even when I do not understand. But, like David, I need those emotional outbursts. I need the freedom to express the agony of abandonment without well meaning children of God scolding me for how I feel or dropping verses I already know on top of my grieving heart.
I really don't know why the loss of those twelve brought all this to the surface.I do pray for God's comfort to over shadow their families and for them to know His peace. However, I also pray they can have the freedom to grieve. Maybe even borrow a verse or two from David.
We live in a wonderful yet painful world. We have an amazing, eternal, hope, through Christ Jesus our Lord. He also shares our pain. Sometimes a glimpse in the "God Abandoned File" reminds us how really human we are. Maybe it can remind us of how strong the pain can be and yet see that we have continued on by His grace. He is good after all.
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
You Didn't Witness, Is there Blood on Your Hands?
How do you feel about evangelism? How often do you share your faith? Are you a witness for the Lord? How many people got saved because of you? Do these questions make you a little uncomfortable? The more important question to answer should be, "Is what we do Biblical?" There are those who find sharing their faith an easy thing to do. Some are gifted by the Spirit of God to be evangelists. Then there are the rest of us who struggle a bit, or maybe a lot. The evangelical movement has touched most of us and I don't intend to diminish what has been and is being done but it seems we have overlooked a few things. Like, what the scriptures say, what Messiah Jesus did. As well as how Peter, James, John, and the Apostle Paul evangelized those around them. If we are honest our methods have little in common with the Scriptures.
My early religious training was in a protestant church that rarely referred to the Bible. A Social Gospel was the Sunday teaching. I came to know the truth about Yeshua and my need for a savior through a neighborhood Bible study. I eventually found my way to an evangelical Baptist Church where the Bible was taught every Sunday. It was here I first encountered "evangelism". Over the years I have attended training sessions and learned about the "Four Spiritual Laws", "Evangelism Explosion" and how to use "F.O.R.M." to talk to people about Jesus (Family, Occupation, Religion, Message). I went to rallies and crusades where folks were challenged, maybe even coerced, to accept Jesus. The formulas had commonalities and the goal was the same. Get the person to pray to receive Jesus. Not a bad goal. Just not the way the Scriptures reveal evangelism.
If you look at the examples of New Testament preachers, including Jesus and Paul, no one is ever asked to come forward, and no one is asked to pray to receive Jesus. No Apostle ever tells the people in the crowd to turn to their neighbor and ask if they are a believer. There is never a time when Paul says, "With every eye closed and no one looking around, just slip up your hand if you want to be saved." Peter does not turn to the crowd and ask, "If you were to die today would you go to heaven?" I guess they never attended an evangelism class.
Jesus did talk about the responsibilities His disciples would carry as they told the Good News of His death and resurrection. In Acts 1:8 Jesus says simply, "You shall be my witnesses." Not "should be" or "might be", but "shall be". Why? Because the Holy Spirit has come upon us. Witnessing does not appear to be something we train for but rather an outgrowth of who we are and our relationship with Messiah. Jesus doesn't even use those guilt motivators. I was told every person I ever talked to was a "divine appointment" to share the message of Christ. I was told if I failed to do so their blood would be on my hands. I was asked, "If your neighbors house was on fire would you let them burn? If you haven't asked them to pray to receive Jesus they will burn forever and it will be your fault!" Such encouraging and inspiring words. I do not see a lot of motivation by guilt when it come to Jesus talking about the Kingdom of Heaven.
Our Messiah had another method of sharing the good news to those around us. He gave a "how to" to go along with the "You will be" from Acts 1. It is found in Matthew 28. However, most translations hide the simple instructions. They read,"Go therefor and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20). However the word "go" is a present participle. It means, as you are going". Jesus' instruction is not about telling the Gospel. It about living the Gospel. As you are going through the routine things of life be making disciples and teaching them everything I taught you. There is no way you can teach someone everything the Lord taught at an alter call. Our faith is much more about community than getting someone to pray a prayer.
Matthew 28:19-20 actually reflects Deuteronomy 6:3-7. We are to love God and to have His word on our heart and to teach what we know consistently. When? Just talk about it when you are in your house or when you walk outside or when you lie down and when you rise up. All you know about the Lord and your relationship with Him is simply on display, or should be, all the time. You have no choice, you will be His witness. Your comfort, your care,your compassion, will be there before your neighbors. You know, when you help them shovel snow, of fix the fence or watch their dog. Your tools for evangelism maybe a hammer, cookies, a ride work, a hot meal, or a listening ear. As you are going about life at work, or the gym, or at your child's dance recital, be who the Savior wants you to be. And through those relationships you will have opportunities to introduce folks to the one you call Savior.
As Jesus walked along He made twelve disciples. Paul took Silas, Timothy, Luke and others with him. It takes time to "teach all things". It take a relationship to make a disciple. Jesus did not "witness" to everyone He had contact with. Neither did Paul, Peter, or John. They lived out the truth of the Kingdom of God and people often came to them. Your neighbors and co-workers make their own decisions. As do you. So give up the guilt and choose to walk in obedience to the Lord and thus let your light shine.
2016 is your year to make a difference and you don't even have to take an evangelism class. Just walk with Jesus and invite someone to come along on the journey. Show them what it is to love and follow Jesus.
My early religious training was in a protestant church that rarely referred to the Bible. A Social Gospel was the Sunday teaching. I came to know the truth about Yeshua and my need for a savior through a neighborhood Bible study. I eventually found my way to an evangelical Baptist Church where the Bible was taught every Sunday. It was here I first encountered "evangelism". Over the years I have attended training sessions and learned about the "Four Spiritual Laws", "Evangelism Explosion" and how to use "F.O.R.M." to talk to people about Jesus (Family, Occupation, Religion, Message). I went to rallies and crusades where folks were challenged, maybe even coerced, to accept Jesus. The formulas had commonalities and the goal was the same. Get the person to pray to receive Jesus. Not a bad goal. Just not the way the Scriptures reveal evangelism.
If you look at the examples of New Testament preachers, including Jesus and Paul, no one is ever asked to come forward, and no one is asked to pray to receive Jesus. No Apostle ever tells the people in the crowd to turn to their neighbor and ask if they are a believer. There is never a time when Paul says, "With every eye closed and no one looking around, just slip up your hand if you want to be saved." Peter does not turn to the crowd and ask, "If you were to die today would you go to heaven?" I guess they never attended an evangelism class.
Jesus did talk about the responsibilities His disciples would carry as they told the Good News of His death and resurrection. In Acts 1:8 Jesus says simply, "You shall be my witnesses." Not "should be" or "might be", but "shall be". Why? Because the Holy Spirit has come upon us. Witnessing does not appear to be something we train for but rather an outgrowth of who we are and our relationship with Messiah. Jesus doesn't even use those guilt motivators. I was told every person I ever talked to was a "divine appointment" to share the message of Christ. I was told if I failed to do so their blood would be on my hands. I was asked, "If your neighbors house was on fire would you let them burn? If you haven't asked them to pray to receive Jesus they will burn forever and it will be your fault!" Such encouraging and inspiring words. I do not see a lot of motivation by guilt when it come to Jesus talking about the Kingdom of Heaven.
Our Messiah had another method of sharing the good news to those around us. He gave a "how to" to go along with the "You will be" from Acts 1. It is found in Matthew 28. However, most translations hide the simple instructions. They read,"Go therefor and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20). However the word "go" is a present participle. It means, as you are going". Jesus' instruction is not about telling the Gospel. It about living the Gospel. As you are going through the routine things of life be making disciples and teaching them everything I taught you. There is no way you can teach someone everything the Lord taught at an alter call. Our faith is much more about community than getting someone to pray a prayer.
Matthew 28:19-20 actually reflects Deuteronomy 6:3-7. We are to love God and to have His word on our heart and to teach what we know consistently. When? Just talk about it when you are in your house or when you walk outside or when you lie down and when you rise up. All you know about the Lord and your relationship with Him is simply on display, or should be, all the time. You have no choice, you will be His witness. Your comfort, your care,your compassion, will be there before your neighbors. You know, when you help them shovel snow, of fix the fence or watch their dog. Your tools for evangelism maybe a hammer, cookies, a ride work, a hot meal, or a listening ear. As you are going about life at work, or the gym, or at your child's dance recital, be who the Savior wants you to be. And through those relationships you will have opportunities to introduce folks to the one you call Savior.
As Jesus walked along He made twelve disciples. Paul took Silas, Timothy, Luke and others with him. It takes time to "teach all things". It take a relationship to make a disciple. Jesus did not "witness" to everyone He had contact with. Neither did Paul, Peter, or John. They lived out the truth of the Kingdom of God and people often came to them. Your neighbors and co-workers make their own decisions. As do you. So give up the guilt and choose to walk in obedience to the Lord and thus let your light shine.
2016 is your year to make a difference and you don't even have to take an evangelism class. Just walk with Jesus and invite someone to come along on the journey. Show them what it is to love and follow Jesus.
Sunday, December 20, 2015
Yes, He Wasn't Born on Christmas. Yes, I Still Put Up a Tree. Get Over It.
It's that most wonderful time of the year. When well meaning folks send me emails and links to let me know, prepare to be shocked and amazed, that Jesus wasn't born on December 25th. They go on to inform me that Christmas, and all our holiday traditions are bogus and possibly, if not probably, sinful.
The picture they paint and the facts they share are indeed true. Pretty much all we do at Christmas has little or nothing to do with the Bible. One wrote, "We need to be bold enough to step away from the world's practice and be true to Jesus. Truth and accuracy matter!" How could one argue such a sound argument? Oh, by the way His name was Yeshua, not Jesus. Jesus is an English rendition of a Greek name. Jesus is just the name we traditionally use. Yeshua is Jewish..... Just to be accurate. (Yes, I know. Sarcasm is my first language)
So what are the issues we face as we come to Christmas? And just how can we deal with them?
Yeshua was born in Bethlehem, according to Luke 2:4. "When" is the question that relates to Christmas. It was when Cyrenius was governor of Syria; however, that is not much help as to pinpointing a date. Luke tells us that this was during one of the tax registrations of Caesar Augustus. As there were a few such registrations, and folks had months to register, this likewise gives us little to go on. We get some assistance from Luke 2:8. Here we are told that there were shepherds out in the fields, apparently close to Bethlehem, watching their sheep. Now we know it was the spring or fall. In winter the sheep would be in pens and in summer they would be in the high country. Spring seems nice if you want to tie it to the Passover lambs being born and fall works well if you calculate the time John the Baptizer was born.
Either way it is not December 25th and it is not close to Winter. (side note, the Jewish calendar does not have a December, if you want another reason to not like the 25th). December was chosen, most likely, by Constantine, to appease the pagans who celebrated the winter equinox. Making Rome a "Holy Empire" took some creative political compromise to make everyone happy. So.... Taa Daa. It was the Birth of Jesus celebration.
So the critics are right, no birth of Messiah in December and, yes, there is a tie to a pagan celebration. Now what about that tree you like to decorate? Lots of possibilities here. We have St. Boniface stopping a child sacrifice to an oak tree by cutting down the tree. Tradition holds that an evergreen grew back in its place, symbolizing new life. Druids in Germany decorated evergreens to appease the spirits that inhabited the trees, and after becoming Christians they continued the tradition, the new reason being evergreens spoke of eternal life and their shape pointed to heaven. Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and lots of other early cultures decorated their homes with evergreens as a symbol of the hope of spring. There is nothing Biblical about the tree nor any evidence that an evergreen was used to make the cross for our Lord's crucifixion. It probably has some tie to pagan practice. However, I never think of Druids when I see a decorated evergreen.
Then there is Santa, or Father Christmas, or Kris Kringle, or Saint Nick. At least this has some historic verification. Saint Nicholas was a fourth century Bishop who cared about people. Tradition is that he provided dowries for two sisters so they could get married. He was one of the Bishops to participate in the Council of Nicaea, under the direction of Constantine. His generous spirit evolved into the stories and traditions we hold today. There is nothing Biblical here, other than the call for the followers of God and Messiah to be generous and giving people. Also, Yeshua didn't wear socks so He could not hang them by the chimney with care. (by the way, the King James translation of Zechariah 2:6 is not a proof text for Santa Clause "Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD.") I guess this would be another reason to kill that tradition.
However, we may have overlooked something here. Traditions, even if they are not Biblical, can have value. This year my daughter and I decorated our artificial Christmas tree. She found a hand made ornament given to her by Mrs. Bly back when she was a little girl. Mrs Bly was a lovable grandmother to all the kids in our fellowship back in Virginia. She had been my daughter's Sunday School teacher. The ornament is not just a piece of wood. It is a treasured memory of a Godly woman who has touched my daughter's life. Mrs. Bly lost her battle with cancer years ago, but her memory lives on through a simple Christmas tree ornament. I guess, to be Biblical, I should deny my daughter this precious memory.
Let me make one last observation that actually does come from Scripture. Matthew 2 gives us an account of the Magi from the East coming to find the King of the Jews. It is most likely that these astronomers were from Babylon or Persia. As they studied the heavens they saw a remarkable sight. A new star and it seemed to be moving. Not a typical shooting star but a movement with purpose. They checked the scrolls, perhaps dating back to the time of Daniel, and found the reference to the star of Jacob. They made the perilous journey, of several months, and came into Jerusalem, the city of the king. But, there was no new born king.
Herod called for the Jewish scribes and chief priests to learn where Messiah was to be born. The Magi were directed to Bethlehem, the city where David was born. The Magi then made haste and came to the home where Joseph, Miriam and the young child live (not the stable, for many months have passed from the night of Messiah's birth). They were most likely Gentiles. They came at a random time. What we do know is that it was not Messiah's birthday.
Upon arriving at the home of the carpenter, the Magi bow down and worship the young King of the Jews and give gifts. They are good gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Not something a toddler could use, but I am sure it came in handy when Joseph, Miriam and the child had to flee to Egypt. The point I am making is that Gentile astronomers from a pagan country made a difficult journey to celebrate the first advent and birth of the King of the Jews. His name was Yeshua. They worshiped Him and praised God for His arrival. It was not Messiah's birthday. It was not a Scriptural holy day or celebration. It is not found in the Bible. They simply came to worship the King of the Jews and to Celebrate His birth. From what I can tell in the record Matthew left us, God seems fine with their actions.
I am a little baffled that setting aside a time to praise God and celebrate the arrival of His Son is somehow inappropriate or evil. It seems any day is a good day to celebrate the reality that "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten Son of God." For me, it would have been amazing to stand with the Magi and worship the King, even if it wasn't really His birthday. To shower Him with praise and gifts just because I was there. Just because I chose to.
So I will have fun and put up some lights. I will decorate my tree with my daughter and treasure the memories. I will celebrate His birth and first advent as I wait in expectation for His return.
You can do as you think is best for you. However, if you don't like my tree, well,no offense intended, get over it.
The picture they paint and the facts they share are indeed true. Pretty much all we do at Christmas has little or nothing to do with the Bible. One wrote, "We need to be bold enough to step away from the world's practice and be true to Jesus. Truth and accuracy matter!" How could one argue such a sound argument? Oh, by the way His name was Yeshua, not Jesus. Jesus is an English rendition of a Greek name. Jesus is just the name we traditionally use. Yeshua is Jewish..... Just to be accurate. (Yes, I know. Sarcasm is my first language)
So what are the issues we face as we come to Christmas? And just how can we deal with them?
Yeshua was born in Bethlehem, according to Luke 2:4. "When" is the question that relates to Christmas. It was when Cyrenius was governor of Syria; however, that is not much help as to pinpointing a date. Luke tells us that this was during one of the tax registrations of Caesar Augustus. As there were a few such registrations, and folks had months to register, this likewise gives us little to go on. We get some assistance from Luke 2:8. Here we are told that there were shepherds out in the fields, apparently close to Bethlehem, watching their sheep. Now we know it was the spring or fall. In winter the sheep would be in pens and in summer they would be in the high country. Spring seems nice if you want to tie it to the Passover lambs being born and fall works well if you calculate the time John the Baptizer was born.
Either way it is not December 25th and it is not close to Winter. (side note, the Jewish calendar does not have a December, if you want another reason to not like the 25th). December was chosen, most likely, by Constantine, to appease the pagans who celebrated the winter equinox. Making Rome a "Holy Empire" took some creative political compromise to make everyone happy. So.... Taa Daa. It was the Birth of Jesus celebration.
So the critics are right, no birth of Messiah in December and, yes, there is a tie to a pagan celebration. Now what about that tree you like to decorate? Lots of possibilities here. We have St. Boniface stopping a child sacrifice to an oak tree by cutting down the tree. Tradition holds that an evergreen grew back in its place, symbolizing new life. Druids in Germany decorated evergreens to appease the spirits that inhabited the trees, and after becoming Christians they continued the tradition, the new reason being evergreens spoke of eternal life and their shape pointed to heaven. Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and lots of other early cultures decorated their homes with evergreens as a symbol of the hope of spring. There is nothing Biblical about the tree nor any evidence that an evergreen was used to make the cross for our Lord's crucifixion. It probably has some tie to pagan practice. However, I never think of Druids when I see a decorated evergreen.
Then there is Santa, or Father Christmas, or Kris Kringle, or Saint Nick. At least this has some historic verification. Saint Nicholas was a fourth century Bishop who cared about people. Tradition is that he provided dowries for two sisters so they could get married. He was one of the Bishops to participate in the Council of Nicaea, under the direction of Constantine. His generous spirit evolved into the stories and traditions we hold today. There is nothing Biblical here, other than the call for the followers of God and Messiah to be generous and giving people. Also, Yeshua didn't wear socks so He could not hang them by the chimney with care. (by the way, the King James translation of Zechariah 2:6 is not a proof text for Santa Clause "Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD.") I guess this would be another reason to kill that tradition.
However, we may have overlooked something here. Traditions, even if they are not Biblical, can have value. This year my daughter and I decorated our artificial Christmas tree. She found a hand made ornament given to her by Mrs. Bly back when she was a little girl. Mrs Bly was a lovable grandmother to all the kids in our fellowship back in Virginia. She had been my daughter's Sunday School teacher. The ornament is not just a piece of wood. It is a treasured memory of a Godly woman who has touched my daughter's life. Mrs. Bly lost her battle with cancer years ago, but her memory lives on through a simple Christmas tree ornament. I guess, to be Biblical, I should deny my daughter this precious memory.
Let me make one last observation that actually does come from Scripture. Matthew 2 gives us an account of the Magi from the East coming to find the King of the Jews. It is most likely that these astronomers were from Babylon or Persia. As they studied the heavens they saw a remarkable sight. A new star and it seemed to be moving. Not a typical shooting star but a movement with purpose. They checked the scrolls, perhaps dating back to the time of Daniel, and found the reference to the star of Jacob. They made the perilous journey, of several months, and came into Jerusalem, the city of the king. But, there was no new born king.
Herod called for the Jewish scribes and chief priests to learn where Messiah was to be born. The Magi were directed to Bethlehem, the city where David was born. The Magi then made haste and came to the home where Joseph, Miriam and the young child live (not the stable, for many months have passed from the night of Messiah's birth). They were most likely Gentiles. They came at a random time. What we do know is that it was not Messiah's birthday.
Upon arriving at the home of the carpenter, the Magi bow down and worship the young King of the Jews and give gifts. They are good gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Not something a toddler could use, but I am sure it came in handy when Joseph, Miriam and the child had to flee to Egypt. The point I am making is that Gentile astronomers from a pagan country made a difficult journey to celebrate the first advent and birth of the King of the Jews. His name was Yeshua. They worshiped Him and praised God for His arrival. It was not Messiah's birthday. It was not a Scriptural holy day or celebration. It is not found in the Bible. They simply came to worship the King of the Jews and to Celebrate His birth. From what I can tell in the record Matthew left us, God seems fine with their actions.
I am a little baffled that setting aside a time to praise God and celebrate the arrival of His Son is somehow inappropriate or evil. It seems any day is a good day to celebrate the reality that "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten Son of God." For me, it would have been amazing to stand with the Magi and worship the King, even if it wasn't really His birthday. To shower Him with praise and gifts just because I was there. Just because I chose to.
So I will have fun and put up some lights. I will decorate my tree with my daughter and treasure the memories. I will celebrate His birth and first advent as I wait in expectation for His return.
You can do as you think is best for you. However, if you don't like my tree, well,no offense intended, get over it.
Sunday, December 13, 2015
God Commands You to Always be Angry or Culture Matters
Do you ever get angry? Ever feel guilty about it? What if you knew there was a verse that not only allowed you to get angry but was a command from God Himself to be angry or, more precisely, to be perpetually angry. There is a catch as the verse goes on to say you are not to sin while you are perpetually angry. The verse is found in the Epistle to the Believers in Ephesus. It is in Chapter 4 verse 26, "Be angry, and do not sin. do not let the sun go down on your wrath." That seems a little odd to be told to be angry perhaps it would be well to dig a little deeper.
The word "anger" is the word orgizo in the Greek and it means to be angry, aroused to wrath, to be angry with someone, not something, whether it is an individual, a nation or Satan. It is a present, passive, imperative verb. Present means the activity is ongoing, something done perpetually. The passive voice tells us that it happens to us. We are passive so the anger rules over us not the other way around. Finally it is an imperative or a command.
Paul writes to the Ephesian Believers that they are commanded to be continually controlled by anger. Many commentaries fail to recognize the verb and give us the impression that we all occasionally "lose it" and that is okay. It is a common issue among humans. Or they go with the second option suggesting that we need "righteous indignation" when it comes to the deterioration of the world and the declining moral condition of society. To have righteous indignation against Satan and the sin that surrounds us. Just don't let this anger cross the line and become sin. A present, active, imperative verb.
Did you notice the change in voice? Anger is to control us but we are to be actively involved in not sinning. And, apparently, if we cross the line, we are not to let the sun go down on our wrath. Once again the word is a present, active, imperative verb. So we are commanded to always have an active role in getting rid of the "wrath" or parorgizo, meaning rage, anger, exasperation and, in a broader sense, rebellion. The Apostle Paul appears to be telling us that we are commanded to be perpetually controlled by anger toward someone, yet also commanded to be personally responsible to not sin or cross the line of disobedience to God's standards, and commanded to never let the day end with any rage, anger or rebellion present in our lives.
There are a few problems with all of this analysis. First, Ephesians 4:31 reads, "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice [emphasis mine]." This is likewise a command and the word "anger" is orge, the same root as orgizo back in verse 26. Thus, Paul tells us to be perpetually angry and never be angry in the same passage. The idea that this is all about "righteous indignation" does not fit the context.
The whole letter, and chapter 4 in particular, is about unity. Being "one". One body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of all. As members of one another, we are to put away all lying, and speak the truth to his neighbor. There is nothing at all about the world or a "right" to be indignant toward the world or anyone else. As to the concept of being perpetually controlled by anger and never crossing the line to sin.......... well, good luck with that. Anger and rebellion go hand in hand and perpetually angry people seldom let go of their wrath before sundown. That situation leads to a violation of Ephesians 4:27, "nor give place to the devil".
Again, we find a present, active, imperative verb. We are commanded to never give the devil any space, no foothold, to be perpetually vigilant so that our anger/wrath/rebellion will never give the devil an opportunity to bring division to the Body. How can both of these statements be true? They are, honestly, contradictory. The call to perpetual anger violate the Lord's teaching to love one another and even our enemies. Anger that controls us is virtually always destructive. What in the world does Paul mean for you and me? Does this verse really give me an out? Am I to be controlled by and express my anger? Am I actually be commanded by God to act this way?
Highly unlikely.
Passages like this are the reasons we need to understand that culture matters. We need to avoid the concept that Paul is writing to Americans with our narrow view that the universe and God revolve around us. We must remember that the Apostle Paul is a Jewish Rabbi writing to an assembly of Jews and Gentiles - a community where the Gentiles have become partakers of the Hebrew covenants and Promises. They are now a part of the commonwealth of Israel (See Ephesians 2:12). Everyone who first read this passage is thinking Hebrew not Greek or American. How does that help? Paul may be writing Greek but his thought process is Hebrew, as are all his readers. Ephesians 4:26 is drawn from Psalm 4. The original readers were well familiar with the Psalms and would have made the connection. The Jews recited the Psalms on a regular basis so they would have recognized where the phrase came from.
In the King James Version, Psalm 4:4 reads, "Stand in awe, and sin not, commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still." The NIV and NASB read "Tremble, and do not sin." The Hebrew word is ragaz. It means to tremble, to quiver, to quake, to be afraid, as in awe of God. In a secondary way it means to be perturbed, angry, or enraged. However, in the context of Psalm 4 the psalmist is calling the people to be right before God and each other. To stop going after false gods and to look to the Lord for peace and prosperity. In recognizing who the Lord is we should stand in awe. In knowing who God is, do not sin. Do not be in rebellion. When the sun sets, rest on your bed and search your own heart and be still. Do not be agitated or rebellious or distraught or perturbed with anyone.
In Ephesus, a community of followers of Messiah was meeting together. There were challenges as the Gentiles tried to assimilate into the Commonwealth of Israel. Tensions were, at times, pretty high. It was hard to be "One" with all their differences. Paul tells them to be honest with one another, remembering they are members of one another. How? Stand in awe of God. Accept the command to be continually passive or submitted to Him. And be careful to not sin against Him or each other. Do not let anything fester. Release it quickly and go to bed with the though of examining their own hearts. To be still and seek what the Lord would have for them. To do what must be none to promote and maintain the unity that comes from being members of one another. Never let those irritations fester. Never let the devil get a foothold. Don't steal from one another, rather be generous, don't speak evil but build up, never grieve the Holy Spirit, get rid of all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking, and malice. Instead, be kind to one another, tenderhearted, don't be perpetually angry but forgive one another as God, in Christ Jesus, has forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:28-32).
Which cultural context seems more likely to you? Our American tradition where we have a right to be angry, even commanded to always be angry. Or the Hebraic culture in which the letter was written? The one where we are to always to be in such awe of God that we will not sin or hold a grudge.
This is why I believe culture matters. This is why I believe we need to recognize that we were made a part of the Commonwealth of Israel, as the Apostle Paul tells us. We do have the option to deny our Hebraic roots and feel justified in being always, perpetually angry. Anger is easier than awe. Anger is easier than stand trembling before a holy God who calls me to never be angry but to forgive, just as He has forgiven me.
When we put Scripture into our own culture and ignore the one in which it was written it provides us with lots of options to get the Bible to say what we want. We get to ignore all the evidence that calls us to be accountable to the God of the Jews and make Him into the God with which we are comfortable. We get to justify those angry moments that damage others. Just so long as it isn't really sin. After all, they were the ones who, " made me angry. I was just standing there passively and the anger happened. And I am not sure, but I think I was just righteously indigent. So I am okay, Ephesians 4:26 tells me so."
That could be the message.
I, however, think it would be better to perpetually stand in awe of my God, the God of the Hebrews. From there, to do all I can to avoid sin while I forgive others.
How about you?
The word "anger" is the word orgizo in the Greek and it means to be angry, aroused to wrath, to be angry with someone, not something, whether it is an individual, a nation or Satan. It is a present, passive, imperative verb. Present means the activity is ongoing, something done perpetually. The passive voice tells us that it happens to us. We are passive so the anger rules over us not the other way around. Finally it is an imperative or a command.
Paul writes to the Ephesian Believers that they are commanded to be continually controlled by anger. Many commentaries fail to recognize the verb and give us the impression that we all occasionally "lose it" and that is okay. It is a common issue among humans. Or they go with the second option suggesting that we need "righteous indignation" when it comes to the deterioration of the world and the declining moral condition of society. To have righteous indignation against Satan and the sin that surrounds us. Just don't let this anger cross the line and become sin. A present, active, imperative verb.
Did you notice the change in voice? Anger is to control us but we are to be actively involved in not sinning. And, apparently, if we cross the line, we are not to let the sun go down on our wrath. Once again the word is a present, active, imperative verb. So we are commanded to always have an active role in getting rid of the "wrath" or parorgizo, meaning rage, anger, exasperation and, in a broader sense, rebellion. The Apostle Paul appears to be telling us that we are commanded to be perpetually controlled by anger toward someone, yet also commanded to be personally responsible to not sin or cross the line of disobedience to God's standards, and commanded to never let the day end with any rage, anger or rebellion present in our lives.
There are a few problems with all of this analysis. First, Ephesians 4:31 reads, "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice [emphasis mine]." This is likewise a command and the word "anger" is orge, the same root as orgizo back in verse 26. Thus, Paul tells us to be perpetually angry and never be angry in the same passage. The idea that this is all about "righteous indignation" does not fit the context.
The whole letter, and chapter 4 in particular, is about unity. Being "one". One body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of all. As members of one another, we are to put away all lying, and speak the truth to his neighbor. There is nothing at all about the world or a "right" to be indignant toward the world or anyone else. As to the concept of being perpetually controlled by anger and never crossing the line to sin.......... well, good luck with that. Anger and rebellion go hand in hand and perpetually angry people seldom let go of their wrath before sundown. That situation leads to a violation of Ephesians 4:27, "nor give place to the devil".
Again, we find a present, active, imperative verb. We are commanded to never give the devil any space, no foothold, to be perpetually vigilant so that our anger/wrath/rebellion will never give the devil an opportunity to bring division to the Body. How can both of these statements be true? They are, honestly, contradictory. The call to perpetual anger violate the Lord's teaching to love one another and even our enemies. Anger that controls us is virtually always destructive. What in the world does Paul mean for you and me? Does this verse really give me an out? Am I to be controlled by and express my anger? Am I actually be commanded by God to act this way?
Highly unlikely.
Passages like this are the reasons we need to understand that culture matters. We need to avoid the concept that Paul is writing to Americans with our narrow view that the universe and God revolve around us. We must remember that the Apostle Paul is a Jewish Rabbi writing to an assembly of Jews and Gentiles - a community where the Gentiles have become partakers of the Hebrew covenants and Promises. They are now a part of the commonwealth of Israel (See Ephesians 2:12). Everyone who first read this passage is thinking Hebrew not Greek or American. How does that help? Paul may be writing Greek but his thought process is Hebrew, as are all his readers. Ephesians 4:26 is drawn from Psalm 4. The original readers were well familiar with the Psalms and would have made the connection. The Jews recited the Psalms on a regular basis so they would have recognized where the phrase came from.
In the King James Version, Psalm 4:4 reads, "Stand in awe, and sin not, commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still." The NIV and NASB read "Tremble, and do not sin." The Hebrew word is ragaz. It means to tremble, to quiver, to quake, to be afraid, as in awe of God. In a secondary way it means to be perturbed, angry, or enraged. However, in the context of Psalm 4 the psalmist is calling the people to be right before God and each other. To stop going after false gods and to look to the Lord for peace and prosperity. In recognizing who the Lord is we should stand in awe. In knowing who God is, do not sin. Do not be in rebellion. When the sun sets, rest on your bed and search your own heart and be still. Do not be agitated or rebellious or distraught or perturbed with anyone.
In Ephesus, a community of followers of Messiah was meeting together. There were challenges as the Gentiles tried to assimilate into the Commonwealth of Israel. Tensions were, at times, pretty high. It was hard to be "One" with all their differences. Paul tells them to be honest with one another, remembering they are members of one another. How? Stand in awe of God. Accept the command to be continually passive or submitted to Him. And be careful to not sin against Him or each other. Do not let anything fester. Release it quickly and go to bed with the though of examining their own hearts. To be still and seek what the Lord would have for them. To do what must be none to promote and maintain the unity that comes from being members of one another. Never let those irritations fester. Never let the devil get a foothold. Don't steal from one another, rather be generous, don't speak evil but build up, never grieve the Holy Spirit, get rid of all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking, and malice. Instead, be kind to one another, tenderhearted, don't be perpetually angry but forgive one another as God, in Christ Jesus, has forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:28-32).
Which cultural context seems more likely to you? Our American tradition where we have a right to be angry, even commanded to always be angry. Or the Hebraic culture in which the letter was written? The one where we are to always to be in such awe of God that we will not sin or hold a grudge.
This is why I believe culture matters. This is why I believe we need to recognize that we were made a part of the Commonwealth of Israel, as the Apostle Paul tells us. We do have the option to deny our Hebraic roots and feel justified in being always, perpetually angry. Anger is easier than awe. Anger is easier than stand trembling before a holy God who calls me to never be angry but to forgive, just as He has forgiven me.
When we put Scripture into our own culture and ignore the one in which it was written it provides us with lots of options to get the Bible to say what we want. We get to ignore all the evidence that calls us to be accountable to the God of the Jews and make Him into the God with which we are comfortable. We get to justify those angry moments that damage others. Just so long as it isn't really sin. After all, they were the ones who, " made me angry. I was just standing there passively and the anger happened. And I am not sure, but I think I was just righteously indigent. So I am okay, Ephesians 4:26 tells me so."
That could be the message.
I, however, think it would be better to perpetually stand in awe of my God, the God of the Hebrews. From there, to do all I can to avoid sin while I forgive others.
How about you?
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