Faith and Healing: A Little “Something”?

Preface

These are thoughts. A glimpse into my mind. I’m don’t have a solid conclusion of which I wish to persuade you. Of course I want to challenge you to pursue Jesus…and every bit of truth. Just don’t take these thoughts as super “firm”. Their the thoughts of one who still hasn’t fully settled on a specific set of thoughts!

First

This past week a friend wrote a good post concerning faith and healing. His main points:

  • Biblical faith looks outward not inward—don’t have faith in yourself, or even faith in faith…have faith in God!
  • The fruit of biblical faith is confidence, not confusion or inferiority
  • Sons have access to their father, so ask
  • Now and not yet—as believers we live the “already not yet” in lots of way; healing is in the same boat, sometimes God heals in the “now”, and sometimes God heals in the “not yet”.

If I wrote the post it would sound different and have some different wordings on account of other doctrines. But essentially his post describes what I teach and live. I very much agree.

Again, I agree with these thoughts, I don’t want my further ideas to detract from that. However, I feel like what I teach and live is often lacking a little “something”…which I haven’t quite defined exactly.

I don’t have a clear idea of what the “something” is, but it has to do with expectation, posture, responsibility, simple faith, and maybe more. My conclusion is not well defined, but simply an encouragement to be open to and pursuing a little “something” that is difficult for me to define precisely, but I think all can see it through at least a couple Bible stories. Hopefully it becomes slightly more clear as I continue.

Two Bible Stories

From Mark chapter nine: a possessed boy healed.

*Note, this story is primarily about deliverance…not so much healing, but I think it very much applies to the present discussion.

14 And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. 15 Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. 16 And He asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?” 17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. 18 And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.” 19 He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.” 20 Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. 21 So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” 26 Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”

From Mark chapter eleven: the withered fig tree.

12 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13 And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” And His disciples heard it.

20 Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21 And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.” 22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Faith and My Story

For most of my life, I have had absolute faith that God is able to do whatever He wants. Unless you count random thoughts that are quickly taken captive (“how crazy is this, I believe in an invisible man in the sky!?”), I’ve just not doubted God. However, my faith that God will heal the person I’m praying for has not been so steady.

Additionally, by the middle of high school and continuing for a few years, I had faith that when I believed I would receive what I requested, then I would receive it. (By the way, that last idea is almost straight from Mark eleven.)

Sometimes I prayed for people and saw marked results—headaches gone, joints with greater range of motion, etc. Sometimes I prayed and nothing seemed to happen, I just figured someone (maybe me) hadn’t really believed we’d receive. I didn’t analyze it much though, you don’t need to experience “paralysis by analysis” to be aware of it!

But then, at the end of January of 2008, an abscess formed on one of my tonsils. It hurt like mad. It got to the point where I only slept for periods of less than an hour at a time. I remember asking with complete expectation to be healed. I expected to be healed.

As evidence: I was actually surprised that I wasn’t healed. I prayed again and again, crying out in tears. After a few days, my faith that I would receive what I asked when I believed I would receive went from ten to zero. In the end I had surgery…and my body recovered quickly, but emotionally I was left in a bit of shock.

My faith in God and His ability did not falter…just my faith in what Mark 11:24 says, “whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”

I realized, I don’t understand something. I’m missing something. Was Mark mistranslated? Did he get the story wrong from Peter? idk…the questions weren’t supposed to make sense…I was shocked. I had asked, believing I would receive…but I hadn’t. It was just confusing.

The “Something”

Over the past few years since then, I’ve come to a slightly more mature and generally Biblical position (very similar to Derek’s). But I feel like I’m supposed to have a little bit of the “something”…and reading his post freshly challenged me to think about it.

Unfortunately, as a result of not understanding why I wasn’t healed…as a result of missing something. I lost the “something” that these passages encourage. A kind of expectation. A kind of responsibility. A kind of posture. A kind of simple faith. A difficult to define precisely “something”. It’s true, I can’t precisely define it. But when I read the two stories in Mark that I presented previously, they convey the “something”…they impart a bit of the “something”. They challenge me a bit.

Faith in faith? I don’t think that’s quite right.

Faith in us? Not that either.

BUT, something about us…and something about faith. Read the stories again if you’ve already forgotten, but here are some highlight statements with brief thoughts:

Jesus siad, “O faithless generation.” We, you and me, the “something” has something to do with us.

“If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Speaking specifically to the father, but I think it contains a challenge for all of us.

“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” Again, this father had something to do with the “something”.

“He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!’” The “something” brings along some sort of authority…he commanded.

“This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” Our posture matters, it has something to do with the “something”.

“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”

Wrapping It Up

After my experience a couple of years ago, my faith that I would receive what I asked for when I believed I would receive it, yeah, that faith…it went to about a zero. Interestingly, as I’ve continued asking God to heal (having total faith that He is able to heal if He chooses), consider these ideas, and grow in my relationship with Him, my faith that my request actually means something has begun to increase…I’ve begun to recover bits of the “something” I had lost.

Have faith in Jesus. Ask. If it doesn’t happen when and how you expected, don’t over analyze to paralysis!

But don’t lose the “something”. At least not entirely. The expectation that believing you will receive effects what you receive…that your posture has something to do with it…

I’m not back to a ten, and I’m not sure we’re supposed to be at tens (yep, that’s what I said). But there is a “something” that I get from those passages, and I encourage you to be challenged by these passages and to walk in a bit of the “something” too.

As these are still thoughts in process…I’d love to hear and be influenced by yours.

§34 · March 29, 2011 · 1808 Words · Essays · 13 comments · Tags: ,

Eternal Torment or Universal Salvation: A False Dilemma

What Started It All

Rob Bell has written a new book, Love Wins. You’ve probably heard about it. If you haven’t, I first heard about it from Josh Harris, and then I followed his link to this post which includes Bell’s promo video.

The book has been published (the buzz began before it was released). And from the reviews I’ve seen, he doesn’t actually present a clear solution…he mostly raises questions that make strong implications. His implications are towards some sort of universalism, to which generally orthodox believers very intuitively respond.

A somewhat clear statement by a gracious source (a published FAQ by the church Bell currently pastors, emboldened text mine):

No. Rob isn’t suggesting Universalism [all will be saved, regardless of their faith]. He is proposing that God’s love is so big that the invitation to God’s grace may extend into the next life so that all could be saved. Love Wins clearly points to the centrality of Jesus and the work of his life, death, and resurrection and the hope that Christ’s work will bring restoration to all. Jesus is the only way to God. God’s love does not force anyone and there may be those who continue to reject the invitation extended to them. Love Wins speaks often speaks of human freedom [72-73, 103-104, 113, 115, 117]. Rob shares, “Love demands freedom. It always has, and it always will. We are free to resist, reject, and rebel against God’s ways for us. We can have all the hell we want.” [113]

What is implied by the questions raised and statements made is some sort of Christian (Christ centered) universalism whereby salvation becomes virtually universal as over time (even after death) people are continually given revelations of Christ and God’s grace. In love Jesus died for us while we were yet in sin, and His love “wins”.

Not that Bell necessarily believes my summary, but it is what is heard by many. If Bell believes something else, he did a poor job communicating!

Moving On

In some ways I’ll be overly brief…and simply say that Bell makes some good points and raises some good questions. But he implies things that are very unorthodox without significant backing. And that’s dangerous.

If you know me well at all, then you know that I am open to questioning every orthodox belief. But I’m fairly wary of any non-orthodox solution unless there are good reasons supporting it (Biblically + logically + experientially). And, by the way, I’m certainly open to a good presentation on Christian universalism…Bell just doesn’t seem to make that good presentation from what I’ve heard (admittedly, I have not read the book). If you’re interested in a good case (although it failed to address some significant issues in my opinion) check out http://hopebeyondhell.net

Would God Really???

Some evidence from Bell himself:

Has God created billions of people over thousands of years only to select a few to go to heaven and everyone else to suffer forever in hell? Is this acceptable to God? How is this “good news”?

A staggering number of people have been taught that a select few Christians will spend forever in a peaceful, joyous place called heaven, while the rest of humanity spends forever in torment and punishment in hell with no chance for anything better . . . This is misguided and toxic and ultimately subverts the contagious spread of Jesus’ message of love, peace, forgiveness, and joy that our world desperately needs to hear.

So does God get what God wants? How great is God? Great enough to achieve what God sets out to do, or kind of great, medium great, great most of the time, but in this, the fate of billions of people, not totally great. Sort of great. A little great.

Again, he doesn’t clearly state a solution or position. That said, it hardly takes a rocket scientist to understand the implications of these statements for many (maybe most) readers.

A False Dilemma

The implications most hear are these: either (a) billions of people are eternally tormented or (b) through some means God continually gives opportunity––even post death––for people to choose Him so that eventually “love wins”.

I believe this is a false dilemma. Maybe there is a (c) third option. Maybe (not a) billions of people are not eternally tormented BUT (not b) neither does some sort of post death outreach lead to virtual universal salvation.

A case could be made for either, but a case could also be made for (c) a third option.

The False Dilemma Perpetuated

I was recently shown an MSNBC article. It’s about a pastor who was fired following his involvement with this issue concerning Hell. The opening line, “When Chad Holtz [the pastor] lost his old belief in hell, he also lost his job.”

Now, like most situations, this was probably just the straw that broke the camel’s back. But the article’s focus really wasn’t this specific pastor, but on the Rob Bell controversy as a whole (the pastor had written wrote a FB note supporting Bell’s new book).

Quoting the fired pastor, “I think justice comes and judgment will happen, but I don’t think that means an eternity of torment.”

The article ends with a clear statement of the false dilemma hinted at throughout the piece:

“So long as we believe there’s a dividing point in eternity, we’re going to think in terms of us and them,” [Holtz] said. “But when you believe God has saved everyone, the point is, you’re saved. Live like it.”

Finally

So if you hear from Bell and think to yourself, “He asks some good questions and makes some good points.” Don’t fall for the implied false dilemma and assume there are only two options (eternal torment or some sort of Christian universalism).

Consider this teaser question by Bell from his promo video:

After someone declares Gandhi to be in Hell, Bell responds: “Gandhi’s in hell? He is? And someone knows this for sure?”

I can empathize with these ideas. I just don’t like the implications in our context.

First, I think we ought not make judgements of this type…only God knows Gandhi’s heart when he died. There may have been some sort of deathbed conversation, etc. I’m not God, so I’d rather not play God!

Second, even if Gandhi died without ever being born again (regenerated), then he would be damned and punished in Hell after the judgement, but I’m not sure it is clear the judgement has occurred yet. Thus, even if Gandhi WILL be in Hell, that doesn’t mean he is PRESENTLY in Hell.

Again, I can empathize with these ideas. I just don’t like the implications in our context.

I’m intentionally not bringing up (c) the third option. I have a friend who has spent considerable time on the subject and has written concerning a viable third option, maybe I will interview him sometime soon. Until then, just beware of false dilemmas…even if they’re just implied.

§33 · March 26, 2011 · 1286 Words · Essays · 6 comments · Tags: , , , ,

Black and White or Gray

Straight Up

Right and wrong. True and false. Black and white. I like things simple; I like things straight. Be forward with me—I’m an American.*

Ah, the difficulty is that anyone who has lived some life realizes things get complicated. Sometimes the line between right and wrong becomes thick…fuzzy…gray.

This reality does not make me comfortable.

* Not to say that I represent all Americans or that I am dissimilar from persons of other cultures, but Americans are well known for their blunt forwardness.

Holy Days?

Years ago I began studying Romans chapter fourteen, and it baffled me initially (Romans 14). I’ll quote some of it, but I recommend that eventually one read the entire chapter for context and a lot of awesome stuff—Romans is amazing.

To be brief, in this section Paul addresses a bit of a conflict (specifically verses five and six). Some believers have holy days (e.g. observe the Sabbath) while others do not. Some believers eat all meat while others do not because it might be unclean or have been used in pagan ceremony.

If I were Paul, verses five and six would address the issue and then say which party (if either) was right/wrong. But he doesn’t! Paul does not specifically say who is right or wrong in those verses. (He more or less does in the greater context, but that is not my point here.)

There is something much more important to Paul than just being “right” or “wrong”. Check out these verses:

5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.

Whether or not the Sabbath should be observed is secondary. The meat you eat, also secondary. The important question: Are your actions unto the Lord?

Are you worshipping with what you are or are not observing/eating?

Liberating

I still like things to be black and white, but I’ve discovered that the important issue is whether my focus is on people/actions or Jesus. Not to say that people/actions are unimportant, but how much more important is our God?

Once I was in bondage to questions and worries (e.g. “Is this ok?” “Where should I go?” “What should I be doing”). But now I am (or should be) essentially worry free as long as I’m seeking God and doing my best for His glory. Whether it ends up being precisely right is not nearly as important as doing it as worship unto Him.

I hope this makes sense.

Said another way: if I perform either (a) an almost right action unto the Lord as worship or (b) a perfectly right action but not unto the Lord, God prefers the former.

The New Black and White

The new “black and white” litmus test is not “Is it ok to eat this?” but “Am I eating this unto the Lord?”

This new standard is awesome and freeing…just often difficult by which to judge others (and maybe for good reason, check verse four of the same chapter).

§22 · March 9, 2011 · 590 Words · Essays · 3 comments · Tags: , , ,

Concerning Abortion

Introduction

This is not meant to be controversial. Nor is it meant to be revolutionary. Recently a friend simply asked for some Scripture that relates to the idea of abortion so he might come to a fairly Biblical position concerning the matter.

The Bible never explicitly addresses the idea of abortion on demand. But it does talk about the value of unborn children, murder, our responsibility in the matter, and God’s answer to the problem of sin.

As an aside, one is also to make arguments concerning abortion that are extra-Biblical, but that is not my purpose in this piece.

First, Scripture Recognizes Unborn Children as Human

In Luke chapter one we read about a couple named Zacharias and Elizabeth. She was barren, so they prayed to the Lord. God responded and told Zacharias of his coming son to be named John (the Baptist). Interestingly, in verse fifteen it says that John will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb (pre-birth).

Later in verse forty-one, it says that when Mary (mother of Jesus) visited Elizabeth that John leapt inside his mother.

What we see is not a description of a lump of tissue until birth, but of a person. Consider the passage:

Luke 1:13-17,41
13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Early in Jeremiah chapter one God speaks to Jeremiah. He affirms that not only is Jeremiah called now, but that God knew him (the person Jeremiah) while in the womb. Before birth he had been called as a prophet to the nations.

Jeremiah 1:4-5
4 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying:
5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

Second, Murder Is Wrong

Moving to the Ten Commandments.

This following verse would fall into the domain of common knowledge, but I will cite it here because it is relevant.

Exodus 20:13
13 You shall not murder.

Third, Abortion Is Murder

Assuming the unborn child is human (based on the first premise), intentionally taking his/her life is murder, and (based on the second premise) thus wrong.

Conveniently, there is a single passage in Scripture that makes this logical connection for us. While I feel the first two premises are fairly strong on their own, this following passage from Exodus very clearly makes the connection, and allows us to need not lean purely on extra-Biblical reasoning. (Taking the life of an unborn child–>murder…”life for life”.)

Exodus 21:22-25
22 If men fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman’s husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. 23 But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

Fourth, The Charge for the Children of God

Psalm 82:3-4
3 Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy.
4 Deliver the poor and needy; Free them from the hand of the wicked.

Proverbs 6:16-17
16 These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
17 …Hands that shed innocent blood.

Proverbs 24:11
Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.

Proverbs 31:8-9
8 Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die.
9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy.

Isaiah 1:17
17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.

James 1:27
27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

If anyone today fits the category of persons described by these words, it is unborn children. They are innocent creations of God who are being sacrificed by the millions to the Idol of Convenience.

  • Rejected by their parents, they are fatherless and orphaned.
  • As unborn babes they are innocent, speechless, needy, and poor.
  • As ones who’ve been sentenced to death with the approval of the US government, they are helplessly stumbling to the slaughter.

And if you think abortion in the United States is an unrealized fiction, consider the fact that about fifty million babies have been killed by legal induced abortion since 1973. (That’s a bit over one million annually; that’s close to a baby being killed every thirty seconds; how many have died while you read this?)

Finally, Concerning Repentance and Forgiveness

I think it would be unwise to write this without telling the entirety of God’s heart in the matter (at least in brief).

It is clear that God abhors the taking of innocent blood. His heart breaks for those who are being slaughtered—I believe their blood cries out to Him like Abel’s (Genesis 4:10). His desire is for a relationship with them, not their extermination!

But there is more.

His heart is for the mothers and fathers who lead their children to the slaughterhouses. His heart is for those who conduct the abortions too. Whether the impetus for sin is societal pressures, demonic, finances, selfish ambition, or something else, God desires a relationship with all people. He has died for the sin of each and every abortion (the sins of believers and those of everyone else too):

1 John 2:2
2 And [Jesus] Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

People are broken, God knows that. This is the very reason why He sent His Son Jesus to live and die for us. So that we, the ones who murder, rape, steal, gossip, lie, cheat, abuse, and distort can be righteous in Christ Jesus!

If you read this and want to learn more about the Gospel and forgiveness in Christ, please send me a message (jamiesinclair@gmail.com).

I’ll leave you with two passages.

The Psalm David wrote after committing adultery with Bathsheba and having her husband murdered:

Psalm 51
1 Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
4 Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight—
That You may be found just when You speak,[a]
And blameless when You judge.

5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.

14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.

18 Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion;
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness,
With burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.

A promise I cling to daily:

1 John 1:9
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

§24 · March 3, 2011 · 1587 Words · Essays · 8 comments · Tags: ,

Trust Jesus or Buy Health Insurance?

Self Check Take One

Do you have health insurance? A 401k? Life insurance? Extra food for an emergency? A backup power generator? Comprehensive auto insurance? Go to the Doctor when you’re ill? Have an “emergency fund” in your budget?

Well, if you answered yes to any of the previous questions, then you must not trust God.

/sarcasm. jk, jk...but seriously.

Setting the Record Straight

Obviously I think a “yes” answer to most of those questions is perfectly fine and often desirable. (Specifics, amounts and times, are difficult to point out—not everything in life is black and white, but enough on that now since I’ll probably write an entry on the subject soon.)

This does bring up an interesting question. I have heard Jesus loving people legitimately question going to doctors, having retirement plans, preparing for natural disasters, etc.

“We should trust in God; He should be enough for us.” Extreme they may be…but if you hear a reasonably good case made, they certainly have some good points. How do we reconcile “trusting” in provision and people when we are to trust in God?

Self Check Take Two

I don’t recommend doing self checks all too often; whenever we focus on something it is magnified, so stay focused on Jesus not you! That said, self checks can be useful from time to time, and I have seen the following test help produce some good fruit in my life.

  1. Think through one’s activities, interactions, and meditations.
  2. Filter out some of the Christian lingo.
  3. Is your life any different from your unregenerate neighbor’s (hypothetical neighbor)?

If we trust Jesus, at some level it should be conspicuous, true? We should shine as beacons of hope and truth. (Don’t believe me? Reference the Sermon on the Mount.)

Preparations and Insurance

Back to my topic at hand—trusting in God—consider the following parable of the rich fool in Luke 12 (pay special attention to verse 19):

13 Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” 15 And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” 16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17 And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ 18 So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ 21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

A quick and mostly correct reader would take away that we should not invest in or store up earthly treasure: don’t trust in earthly things but serve the Kingdom of God.

However easy it is to throw the baby out with the bath water, I advise against.

The rich man’s error was not so much storing up the crops and goods but was the fact that His trust was in those crops and goods. If our trust is in the Lord and our usage (including storing up) of wealth is for His glory and to obey Him, then we’re set.

Unless the Lord Guards the City

Psalm 127:1-2,
Unless the LORD builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the LORD guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.

It is vain to labor if the Lord is not building, but that doesn’t mean to desist from labor: labor with the Lord!

It is vain to stay awake and watch if the Lord guards not, but this does not justify laziness: stay vigilant with Jesus empowering you and on your side!

The warning of the futility of labor and vigilance apart from God is not to dissuade us from such efforts but to give us proper perspective of our relationship to and need for God. Without God we can do nothing. That said, the proper response to this passage and idea is not to resign ourselves to apathy but to press forward and find God.

Responsibilities

Interestingly, my answer to all the questions in the first self check are “No.” The one exception being that I do go to the doctor in extreme circumstances. I have various reasons for such answers, and they all have to do with my current context—I’m financially limited and not the head of a family.

1 Tim 5:8, But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

We all have responsibilities, but particularly heads of households. And to carry out our responsibilities we ought to work hard AND use our heads.

Proverbs 13:16, Every prudent man acts with knowledge, But a fool lays open his folly.

This Proverb is saying that we should plan ahead. God has made us intelligent beings, let’s think! Other passages clearly advocate foresight as well—the section in Proverbs 6 concerning ants and sluggards jumps to mind. Like the previous idea regarding labor and vigilance, planning and thinking are not bad, but are they your hope? When your plans are for the house that God is building, and they are submitted to His Lordship, then, please, continue planning.

Wrapping This Together

  • Trust Jesus above all else.
  • Labor, but labor with God.
  • Be vigilant, but in the grace of God.
  • Think, plan, strategize for one purpose only: to worship Jesus as you walk in the responsibility which you’ve been given.
§12 · February 5, 2011 · 1071 Words · Essays · 1 comment · Tags: ,

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