So, I have been thinking about authenticity and spending some time in the book of James. Here are some random points that stood out to me in the first chapter:
-Trials are good. They mature us.
-If we don’t know what we’re doing, ask God. He loves to help and will give us wisdom if we ask confidently.
-Our circumstances in life can change in a split second, so don’t put a lot of value on “stuff”.
-God doesn’t tempt us. Temptations come from within ourselves because of our sinful nature.
-Listen well, speak slowly, and be very slow to anger. We can’t operate in God’s righteousness if we are constantly wielding an angry tongue.
-Act on what you hear. True faith always produces fruit. Genuine faith produces genuine works.
Do any of these stand out to you? Have you learned any of these lessons the hard way, or are you in the process of learning one now?
What? Trials are good? Yes, they can be! When we are being challenged, we are forced to put it all on the table and exercise the faith we have. This exercise makes faith stronger just like when we physically exercise muscles. If you sit around all day in comfort, and have everything you need brought to you on a platter, what happens? Your muscles, your sources of strength, get weak and flabby. We shouldn’t have flabby faith, and it is hard to keep it strong if we never have to use it. Make sense?
In the midst of a trial, do you ask God for wisdom and help? I am continually asking for wisdom in how to parent my 3 year old. I certainly don’t know what I’m doing on my own, but I do know that God gave that child to me and He will also give me the knowledge and ability (and patience!) to raise Him as I should. The tricky part is remembering that and being continually aware of the need to rely on God instead of ourselves.
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5)
As far as life’s circumstances changing in an instant, we probably all know someone this has happened to. Maybe it had even happened to you. A sudden job loss, devastating medical report, financial disaster…all these things can and do happen, which is why we shouldn’t make a “comfortable” life the thing we strive for with our whole hearts. All that stuff will be gone someday anyway, right?
Have you heard people make comments such as “God is tempting me” or “God is testing me to see if I fall for it”? v.13-15 tell us this isn’t true-
13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Our interest in sin comes from within us, because we are sinners. And it can be a slippery slope- starts with a little interest, we think about it more and more until it seems ok, then we go ahead and do it and that path leads to nowhere good. The more time we spend immersed in things that don’t please God, the more numb we grow to it all and it doesn’t seem so bad anymore. TV? Books? Music? Other media? Certain friends? These things all have a profound influence on us, but we usually don’t realize it at the time. You can think “Well, this movie isn’t TOO bad. There’s only that one part that is bad… every good movie is like that these days.” True, most movies are like that, but just ask yourself “Is this pleasing to God?” Be careful not to dull your sensitivity by constantly being immersed in things that are not pleasing to Him.
Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God's righteousness doesn't grow from human anger. (James 1:19-20, The Message)
This is fairly straightforward. Just a reminder that we should be good at listening, slow to speak, and quick to keep a handle on our tempers! I’m sure you know someone who flies off the handle at the slightest thing. Do you associate their behavior with God’s righteousness? Probably not. We should be patient and understanding with people so they can see Jesus in us. Anger certainly blocks that light from shining through.
And now for my favorite point from the chapter- act on what you hear-
Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like. (James 1:22-24, The Message)
I like the comparison to someone who walks away from a mirror and forgets what they look like. If you forget who you are when you are not looking at yourself, you aren’t very familiar with yourself at all, are you? I’m sure we have all come home on a Sunday afternoon and immediately forgotten what the sermon was about that morning- I know I have. Even if it was a great sermon, if we don’t make a point of actually doing something with the information, it is useless to us. Put it into action so that someone can grow from it and be helped by it.
Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world. (James 1:26-27, The Message)
All talk and no action? This passage is a good reminder to examine our lives for evidence of “real” religion. It’s easy to say the right things, but a lot more difficult to take action and actually do something. This can be a test that reveals the quality of our faith- true faith always produces fruit. Is there fruit in your life? Here’s a challenge to take some time and really examine things and make some changes if needed. It’s so easy to get caught up in our everyday routines and responsibilities and forget what kind of life God wants us to lead. I think that can be the worst place to be sometimes- a life of comfort and luxury. Everything is going great, so why do we need God? That’s an easy lie to believe. Sometimes being in uncomfortable, desperate places are good places to be because we are reminded of our need for dependence on God and His work in our lives.
These are just some random thoughts on James 1- anything else stick out to you as you read the chapter?
Monday, April 23, 2012
Monday, April 9, 2012
An Authentic Life
Authenticity. One of my favorite words. It means something is truly what it appears to be. The real thing. Nothing forged or fake. Not deceiving. If something is authentic, I also tend to think of it as strong, enduring, and an example to other like things. Authenticity signifies something as valuable. No one wants a knock-off. We want the real thing, not an impostor.
In my BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) class, we are currently going through the book of James. The title of this week's notes is "Authentic Faith." Good, good stuff. The book is an easy read and packed FULL of all those practical how-to's on living an authentic life as a Christian. As important as doctrinal details are, how useful are they if we don't know the first thing about how to apply them to our lives and our relationships with other people? Who wants to know everything in their head and never apply it to their heart of their life? That leaves a person burnt out, dry, and empty of the fullness of life God actually has for us. There's way too many people currently living that way. So much good stuff is just sitting there for us to take and put into action. What will it take for us to actually DO IT?
Coming up soon, I'd like to share some of the points I'm learning through this study. Hopefully, it will also encourage you to examine your life for authenticity and make adjustments in areas that are, eh, not so genuine. I found plenty in my life, that's for sure. Some of it might sting a little, but in a good way. :)
If you'd like to follow my thoughts and notes on the book of James, give it a quick read so you are more familiar with it, and watch for my next post that will go into more detail about chapters 1 and 2.
In my BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) class, we are currently going through the book of James. The title of this week's notes is "Authentic Faith." Good, good stuff. The book is an easy read and packed FULL of all those practical how-to's on living an authentic life as a Christian. As important as doctrinal details are, how useful are they if we don't know the first thing about how to apply them to our lives and our relationships with other people? Who wants to know everything in their head and never apply it to their heart of their life? That leaves a person burnt out, dry, and empty of the fullness of life God actually has for us. There's way too many people currently living that way. So much good stuff is just sitting there for us to take and put into action. What will it take for us to actually DO IT?
Coming up soon, I'd like to share some of the points I'm learning through this study. Hopefully, it will also encourage you to examine your life for authenticity and make adjustments in areas that are, eh, not so genuine. I found plenty in my life, that's for sure. Some of it might sting a little, but in a good way. :)
If you'd like to follow my thoughts and notes on the book of James, give it a quick read so you are more familiar with it, and watch for my next post that will go into more detail about chapters 1 and 2.
The Problem With Hypocrisy
Hypocrites- people love to hate them. They ruin the reputation of the group they are associated with. Unfortunately, the occasional hypocrite brings much criticism upon Christians as a whole. Those who are unfamiliar with what Christianity is all about are especially disgusted when they see someone preaching one thing but doing another. I am saddened to see so many people completely write off the Christian Church because of random things certain people do, who may or may not even be true followers of Jesus.
One of the main problems is the confusion between hypocrisy and sin. Hypocrisy is sin, but not all sin is hypocrisy. The Merriam Webster dictionary defines a hypocrite as:
1: a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion, and 2: a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings.
Hypocrisy is saying one thing but doing another- putting on a mask to have an appearance of righteousness, but actually being rotten inside. There have been people like this throughout history; this is nothing new. Evidence of this occurring in New Testament times is in the Book of Matthew, among other places. These three verses are from Jesus’ sermon on the mount:
2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. Matt 6:2
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. Matt 6:5
16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. Matt 6:16
Makes me wonder what their “reward in full” was…
The hypocrites of Jesus’ time liked to look good in front of people and appear the most holy, but had no real substance on the inside. He knew that and called them out on it. He had some pretty harsh words to say to the Pharisees in Matthew 23. The Pharisees were an elite Jewish sect, intelligent, and well-studied in Mosaic law. They placed great importance of following every detail of the law. Here is an excerpt:
25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. 27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. (Matt 23:25-28)
Hmm… beautiful whitewashed tombs on the outside, but smelly, rotting corpses on the inside. Yuck!
Now, let’s differentiate between hypocrisy and sin. Some people misunderstand the whole point of being a Christian and they think Christians are supposed to be perfect. If we had the ability to be perfect, Jesus’ dying on the cross for our sins would have been pointless! We were sinners, are sinners, and will continue to be sinners until these bodies are buried in the ground. The difference is, we are now held blameless for those sins because of Jesus’ sacrifice. The Christian life should be a process of growth and sanctification (the process of becoming more and more like Christ) but we will not achieve perfection in this life. As we allow Him to work in us by His spirit, sanctification happens. A Christian struggling with sin is not a hypocrite unless they profess to be something other than they are. Those of us who know Jesus are continually aware of our sin.
Paul even said it in 1 Timothy-
Here’s a word you can take to heart and depend on: Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. I’m proof—Public Sinner Number One—of someone who could never have made it apart from sheer mercy. And now he shows me off—evidence of his endless patience—to those who are right on the edge of trusting him forever. (1 Timothy 1:15-16, The Message)
Another good one out of 1 John:
8-10If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we’ve never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God. (1 John 1:8-10, The Message)
The damage a hypocrite can do to the message of Christ is obvious. The awareness of someone practicing hypocrisy in the church is disgusting. It puts a sour taste in the mouth of unbelievers and turns people away. It can make a bad name for those who are actually striving to follow Jesus. What are we to do about it? It seems that we are supposed to let God take care of it in due time, according to this parable Jesus told-
24-26He told another story. “God’s kingdom is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. That night, while his hired men were asleep, his enemy sowed thistles all through the wheat and slipped away before dawn. When the first green shoots appeared and the grain began to form, the thistles showed up, too.
27“The farmhands came to the farmer and said, ‘Master, that was clean seed you planted, wasn’t it? Where did these thistles come from?’
28“He answered, ‘Some enemy did this.’
”The farmhands asked, ‘Should we weed out the thistles?’
29-30“He said, ‘No, if you weed the thistles, you’ll pull up the wheat, too. Let them grow together until harvest time. Then I’ll instruct the harvesters to pull up the thistles and tie them in bundles for the fire, then gather the wheat and put it in the barn.’” (Matthew 13:24-30, The Message)
So, it looks like He’s got it all under control; there are always going to be those few weeds that spring up. Our job is to be the best “wheat” we can be.
The main point I am trying to make is that our faith should not rest on other people and their actions. We shouldn’t base our beliefs on what someone else does or doesn’t do, or claims to do but actually does otherwise. That would be elevating other people to the level of God. We are only responsible for ourselves and our own hearts before God. There are plenty of hypocrites out there. Just because a Christian is struggling with sin does not make him or her a hypocrite. The best place for a sinner (all of us) to be is the church body- a place for spiritual nourishment, prayer, worship, study, and fellowship with other believers so that they can grow and become more like Christ together while living out the purposes he has for us. The church is not a building full of perfect people, it is a living organism, made up of the people themselves, the “body” of Christ, those who believe and follow Him. Our bodies are made up of individual cells that all work together as one body and the church is the same way. We are each a cell, on our own rather ineffective, but can become something amazing when we are linked together with many other cells for a larger purpose.
One of the main problems is the confusion between hypocrisy and sin. Hypocrisy is sin, but not all sin is hypocrisy. The Merriam Webster dictionary defines a hypocrite as:
1: a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion, and 2: a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings.
Hypocrisy is saying one thing but doing another- putting on a mask to have an appearance of righteousness, but actually being rotten inside. There have been people like this throughout history; this is nothing new. Evidence of this occurring in New Testament times is in the Book of Matthew, among other places. These three verses are from Jesus’ sermon on the mount:
2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. Matt 6:2
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. Matt 6:5
16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. Matt 6:16
Makes me wonder what their “reward in full” was…
The hypocrites of Jesus’ time liked to look good in front of people and appear the most holy, but had no real substance on the inside. He knew that and called them out on it. He had some pretty harsh words to say to the Pharisees in Matthew 23. The Pharisees were an elite Jewish sect, intelligent, and well-studied in Mosaic law. They placed great importance of following every detail of the law. Here is an excerpt:
25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. 27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. (Matt 23:25-28)
Hmm… beautiful whitewashed tombs on the outside, but smelly, rotting corpses on the inside. Yuck!
Now, let’s differentiate between hypocrisy and sin. Some people misunderstand the whole point of being a Christian and they think Christians are supposed to be perfect. If we had the ability to be perfect, Jesus’ dying on the cross for our sins would have been pointless! We were sinners, are sinners, and will continue to be sinners until these bodies are buried in the ground. The difference is, we are now held blameless for those sins because of Jesus’ sacrifice. The Christian life should be a process of growth and sanctification (the process of becoming more and more like Christ) but we will not achieve perfection in this life. As we allow Him to work in us by His spirit, sanctification happens. A Christian struggling with sin is not a hypocrite unless they profess to be something other than they are. Those of us who know Jesus are continually aware of our sin.
Paul even said it in 1 Timothy-
Here’s a word you can take to heart and depend on: Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. I’m proof—Public Sinner Number One—of someone who could never have made it apart from sheer mercy. And now he shows me off—evidence of his endless patience—to those who are right on the edge of trusting him forever. (1 Timothy 1:15-16, The Message)
Another good one out of 1 John:
8-10If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we’ve never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God. (1 John 1:8-10, The Message)
The damage a hypocrite can do to the message of Christ is obvious. The awareness of someone practicing hypocrisy in the church is disgusting. It puts a sour taste in the mouth of unbelievers and turns people away. It can make a bad name for those who are actually striving to follow Jesus. What are we to do about it? It seems that we are supposed to let God take care of it in due time, according to this parable Jesus told-
24-26He told another story. “God’s kingdom is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. That night, while his hired men were asleep, his enemy sowed thistles all through the wheat and slipped away before dawn. When the first green shoots appeared and the grain began to form, the thistles showed up, too.
27“The farmhands came to the farmer and said, ‘Master, that was clean seed you planted, wasn’t it? Where did these thistles come from?’
28“He answered, ‘Some enemy did this.’
”The farmhands asked, ‘Should we weed out the thistles?’
29-30“He said, ‘No, if you weed the thistles, you’ll pull up the wheat, too. Let them grow together until harvest time. Then I’ll instruct the harvesters to pull up the thistles and tie them in bundles for the fire, then gather the wheat and put it in the barn.’” (Matthew 13:24-30, The Message)
So, it looks like He’s got it all under control; there are always going to be those few weeds that spring up. Our job is to be the best “wheat” we can be.
The main point I am trying to make is that our faith should not rest on other people and their actions. We shouldn’t base our beliefs on what someone else does or doesn’t do, or claims to do but actually does otherwise. That would be elevating other people to the level of God. We are only responsible for ourselves and our own hearts before God. There are plenty of hypocrites out there. Just because a Christian is struggling with sin does not make him or her a hypocrite. The best place for a sinner (all of us) to be is the church body- a place for spiritual nourishment, prayer, worship, study, and fellowship with other believers so that they can grow and become more like Christ together while living out the purposes he has for us. The church is not a building full of perfect people, it is a living organism, made up of the people themselves, the “body” of Christ, those who believe and follow Him. Our bodies are made up of individual cells that all work together as one body and the church is the same way. We are each a cell, on our own rather ineffective, but can become something amazing when we are linked together with many other cells for a larger purpose.
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