Are we really speaking the truth in love?

It appears that most Christians are familiar with Paul’s direction to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). Unfortunately, we often misconstrue these words as license to say whatever we want to whomever we want whenever we want. Regardless of how callous and insensitive our words are, we justify it by saying we are “speaking the truth in love.”

Is this really what Paul had in mind? Was Paul suggesting that it is okay to hurt someone’s feelings because we’re convinced we are correct? As often is the case when we take small snippets of Scripture out of context, Paul’s words seem to be misapplied by many of us. A deeper study of Scripture is required for us to truly understand what Paul is (and is not) saying here.

The first question that we need to ask ourselves is what “truth” Paul is speaking of. For many of us, we use his words to justify arguing with one another over trivial misunderstandings. It is important for us to realize that Paul was speaking about doctrine in Ephesians 4:15. In the verses proceeding verse 15, Paul writes that “once we are mature in our faith and knowledge of Christ, we will no longer be like little children tossed about by the winds and waves of false teachings contrived by the cleverness and cunning of deceit” (Ephesians 4:13-14 paraphrased). Paul is writing about our training into the works of Christ’s ministry (Ephesians 4:12). Some of us are called to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (verse 11), but all of us have a responsibility to be fully trained so that we may speak the “truth” [concerning Christ] in love so we may grow to be more Christ-like and assume our roles as properly functioning members of the Body of Christ (Ephesians 4:16).

In his commentary, Matthew Henry writes, “The best method we can take to fortify ourselves against such [false doctrine] is to study the sacred oracles [Scripture], and to pray for the illumination and grace of the Spirit of Christ, that we may know the truth as it is in Jesus, and be established in it. That we should speak the truth in love, or follow the truth in love, or be sincere in love to our fellow-Christians. While we adhere to the doctrine of Christ, which is the truth, we should live in love one with another. Love is an excellent thing; but we must be careful to preserve truth together with it. Truth is an excellent thing; yet it is requisite that we speak it in love, and not in contention. These two should go together – truth and peace.”

For us to rip the words “truth in love” out of its context and apply it to every disagreement we have with others is to misapply Paul’s words. We should always speak the truth in love when it concerns the Gospel of Christ as taught by the apostles and recorded in the Holy Scriptures. In trivial matters, even when we think we are right, it is often best for us to keep our mouths shut.

How should we treat others outside of the context Paul is speaking of in Ephesians? The fifth chapter of Paul’s first epistle to the church in Thessalonica is a wonderful place to find guidance concerning how we are to live with one another. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says that we should be concerned with encouraging and edifying one another. This attitude is mirrored in Colossians 4:6 where Paul writes that our “speech should always be gracious and seasoned with salt.”  Paul continues in 1 Thessalonians to say that we should be at peace among ourselves, warn those who are lazy, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with one another, and see to it that no one repays evil for evil (1 Thessalonians 5:13-15).

There are some questions we must ask ourselves when we find ourselves at odds with others.

Is the point of our contention a matter of doctrine essential to the Gospel of Jesus Christ as presented in the Scriptures?

As the great poet Kenny Rogers once wrote, you have to “know when to hold them and no when to fold them.” Basically, some things are worth fighting for and others simply aren’t. If you find yourself at odds with another person, you must ask yourself if the point of contention is really worth fighting for. I love debating and standing up for the Word of God. 1 Peter 3:15 directs us to always be ready to give defense for the hope others see in us. Defending the Gospel of Christ and the directives found in Scriptures is a worthy cause provided we do so in love. Fighting over trivial issues; however, detracts us from the Truth.

Am I violating the word of God in my response to others?

We must honestly search our hearts when dealing with others … especially when we find ourselves at odds. Are we trying to edify our enemy or tear them down? Often times we know the answer to this question; however, we don’t take the time to ask it. We know our hearts. We know our motivation often times before we open our mouths.

Do I fear God enough to sacrifice my right to be right?

Let’s face it. Many times we are correct when someone else has slighted us. We know we’re right and we want the immediate gratification of proving it. Yet God has shown us another path. God has told us through His Word how we should respond when slighted. Christ Himself said that sometimes we are to turn the other cheek. Where does the strength to turn the other cheek come from? It comes from a faith in Christ and a reverential fear of God. Paul wrote in the Book of Romans, “Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead leave room for His [God’s] wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me [God]; I will repay, says the Lord, But if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in doing so you will be heaping fiery coals on his head. Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good” (Romans 12: 19-21).

Do we trust God enough to live at peace with one another, keep our tongues in check, and allow Him to avenge us? Is our belief in Christ strong enough to encourage us to love the unlovable (Matthew 5:44)?

In closing, we should keep in mind that Paul writes our troubles in this world are slight afflictions when compared to the incomparable eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Choose your battles wisely and love one another. Amen.

Anne Rice’s Dilemma

Approximately ten years ago, Anne Rice (the insanely popular author of The Vampire Chronicles and other books) publicly rededicated herself to the Catholicism of her youth. It was a big moment for Christians. Christians everywhere stumbled over one another to claim her as their teammate. There’s something encouraging for a Christian to be able to claim someone like Rice as a fellow believer. Rice’s popularity transcends race and religion. Her books are loved by people of all walks of life; so when she set aside her normal genres to begin writing fictional accounts of Christ’s life, Christians were thrilled.

Currently, Rice’s faith has again garnered some attention. The author recently announced on her Face Book page that she giving up Christianity in the name of Christ. Rarely does an author of Rice’s status engage her fan base in the way that Rice does. Her announcement was followed by several engaging dialogues between her and her readers. Basically, Rice’s position is while Christ is still the center of her life; she can no longer tolerate Christians themselves.

Rice has levied serious charges the Church. In her announcement, she claims that Christians are a “quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group.” Specifically, Rice is refusing to be associated with a church that is “anti-gay,” “anti-feminist”and“anti-artificial birth-control.”  In the comments that followed her announcement, Rice made it clear she wasn’t speaking of just the Catholic Church, but rather the global Church that includes Catholics and Protestants alike.

The reaction to Rice’s announcement has been mixed. Some Christians have responded with love and understanding and, quite frankly, others have responded in a way that seems to validate her point. Non-Christians have reacted much in the way Christians did ten years ago when Rice became a Christian – they have stumbled over themselves to rub it in the faces of all those Christians they know. In their opinions, Rice has put into words what they were thinking all along.

Does Rice Have a Point?

Does the Church deserve the charges that Rice has levied against it? Personally, I don’t think so. She is not the first person to make such charges against us and she certainly will not be the last. Outsiders have been quite vocal about the Church’s perceived hatred of homosexuals, women, and close-mindedness. My response is that outsiders are really in no position to make such generalizations. I’m a church insider. I have gone to church the vast majority of Sundays over the last ten years or so, I am pursuing a graduate degree at a conservative Christian college and seminary, I teach Sunday school and engage with Scripture on a level most people probably never will and I can attest to the fact that the charges Anne Rice has made (and others agree with) are not coherent with the reality I see on a day to day basis. It simply isn’t true that most Christians are close-minded, hate gay people or prefer weak, docile women. There are no secret meetings where we discuss our hatred for those who believe differently from us. In fact, most of the time we are far more concerned with how we can love people better. My point is, however, that those on the outside of the church (those who don’t spend their Sundays learning the Word and hanging out with Christians) aren’t in the position to pronounce such a judgment. In my line of work, my fellow employees and I are evaluated by our supervisors on a yearly basis; the most common complaint in response of these evaluations it that the supervisors spend very little time actually evaluating our performance. I’ve even been evaluated by supervisors I had never actually met prior to the evaluation! I wonder sometimes if these outsiders have made a genuine assessment of Christianity or if they are simply pronounce us all guilty based on a small sample.

Here’s the problem. Deserved or not, the perception is there. For most people, perception is reality. Also, if we are being honest, there are some Christians who are guilty as charged. Christians such as Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church may be in the minority, but they manage to make us all look bad. The Church needs to recognize and apologize for the hate that exudes from such people. In the face of such criticism, we need to love louder than ever before!

How should the Church respond?

1. 1. With love: The Christians job on a day to day basis is to love the people that God created. Too often, we condemn the lifestyles of those outside the church without ever expressing our love for them. Scripture tells us to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15). I’m not suggesting we turn our backs on the truth of Scripture, but I am suggesting that far too often we overlook the love. Paul taught that the comfort of Christ was supposed to fill us up and overflow to others (2 Corinthians 1:4). More than anyone we should realize that, as sinners, none of us are saved except through the grace of God and the act of Christ on the cross. God’s offer of grace is extended to everyone – even those with lifestyles we don’t agree with. In most case, we should love now and preach later. Or better yet, leave the preaching up to those who are trained to do so. If we focus on love, the world will respond.

1. 2. With Integrity: Last Sunday, my Bible study class explored the concept of integrity. Too often, charges of hypocrisy are warranted. We so quickly judge others yet fail to practice what we preach. Paul writes that we are to be the “Fragrance of Christ” among the saved and unsaved (2 Corinthians 2:14-17). In the same passage Paul writes about how God often puts His followers on display. This is a frightening concept for all of us who aren’t living as we should. How are unbelievers to respond if we don’t live as the Scriptures say we should? We should be aware at all times that we may be the only Christian someone knows as well as the only Bible they ever read. God puts us on display for these moments and it is in these moments we can shape a person’s perception of the Church. We need to strive at all times to exude the scent of Christ to a world that needs Him. Not just on Sundays and every other Wednesday … always.

1. 3. With Knowledge: We need to study God’s Word. 1 Peter 3:15 tells us to always be ready to offer a defense of our faith to those who ask. Quite frankly, too many of us have no idea what the Bible says or even what we believe. We go to church for the entertainment, the prestige, or because our mothers told us we should. We need to learn what the Bible says. Not just in bits and pieces but as a complete narrative. We need to understand that the Bible tells a story of Creation, Fall, and Redemption.  We need to understand how our belief in Christ fits into this story. How can we ask any unbeliever to embrace the Word if we haven’t done it ourselves?

Basically, Rice’s accusations should serve as an impetus for a personal inventory. The Body of Christ needs to examine itself to see where we fall short. We should strive to walk closer to Christ than ever before. To some degree I can identify with what Rice is saying. When I was a new believer I boldly told people that while I followed Christ I did not consider myself a Christian. I was afraid to be associated with how the world perceived my religion. I didn’t want to be associated with the shortcomings and the failures of those Christians who had come before me. As I matured in my faith; however, I realized that if I walked away from those failures, I was walking away from an amazing story of redemption. In the midst of such human stupidity there are amazing examples of Christ-likeness within the body of His Church. It is edifying to be associated with such people as Mother Teresa, C.S. Lewis, Abraham Lincoln, and … well, I could create quite the list. My point is this – no Christian is perfect. The global Church certainly isn’t perfect. We have made many mistakes that the world often refuses to overlook. Who can blame them when they are simply mirroring the attitudes that far too often we display ourselves? If we want the world to take us seriously, we must love them as Christ loved them; we must extend His comfort, forgiveness, and love to a world that does not know Him. We must live with integrity and exude the scent of Christ everywhere we go. Finally, we must study His Word and know what it is we believe.

Maybe then, the Anne Rice’s of the world will feel comfortable calling themselves Christian.

Book Review: The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel
Publisher: Zondervan, 2010

Author Craig Groeschel coins the term “Christian Atheist” to denote a believer who isn’t living his or her life in a way that exhibits that belief. Far from judgmental, this book is an exhortation for the reader to experience a fullness in their relationship with God. Groeschel uses several anecdotes from his own life to explore such weighty topics as shame, love, prayer, worry, and evangelism. Groeschel’s work reads almost like a biography documenting his own journey from Christian atheist to maturity in faith.

The goal for this book is to encourage the reader to strive for and embrace what Groescel refers to as “Third Line Faith.” Groeshell paints the picture of a Christian who crosses three separate lines on their road to spiritual maturity. The first line denotes a Christian who believes in the gospel of Christ just enough to benefit from it. The second line represents the Christian who has matured enough to have the desire to contribute to the Kingdom of God as long as it is comfortable to do so. The third and final line represents the Christian who believes so devoutly in the gospel of Christ that they are willing to give their entire life in service to it.

I don’t want to reveal too much because my hope is that you will read this book. I highly recommend it to all Christians who seek to grow and mature in their faith. Personally, I had a couple of “light-bulb” moments as I read this book; specifically when reading Groeschel’s chapters on forgiveness and worry. This book encompasses enough subjects that any believer who reads it should be able to identify their own obstacles on the road to spiritual maturity.

I’ll be adding this book to my list of highly recommended titles.

Clark

My last post introduced the concept of the “Perfect Disciple” and examined the idea that none of us really fit into that category. Instead, we are all imperfect and struggling to be a little more like Christ today than we were yesterday. One of the tools available for us is to study the lives of those disciples who came before us. This post will be the first in a series that I hope to contribute to every so often. The first disciple I have chosen to examine is Joseph of Arimathaea.

Who was Joseph of Arimathaea?

Joseph of Arimathaea (not to be confused with Joseph the husband of Mary) exists in stark contrast from the average disciple recorded in Scripture. Why? Joseph is depicted as a rich man (Mat 27:57). Rarely are the disciples depicted within the pages of Scripture recorded as being wealthy. In fact, Jesus Himself said that it was easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Mat 19:24). Because of the difficulties Joseph must have faced as a disciple, his life is worth examining. Extra-Biblical sources suggest that Joseph was a merchant who worked in the area of Briton. He is described in Scripture as being a good and righteous man (Luke 23:50). Joseph was so respected by his peers that he served as a member of the Sanhedrin (Mark 15:43). This court was the ultimate authority over the religious affairs of Israel and had the final authority in the interpretation of Mosaic Law. The court settled both civil and legal cases. Most likely due to his prominent position in the Sanhedrin, Joseph was a secret disciple of Jesus. He hadn’t revealed his allegiance to Christ out of fear of what the Jews might do to him (John 19:38). Perhaps as modern disciples of Christ, we can identify with Joseph’s predicament. Has there ever been a time when you were afraid to speak up for Christ because of the reception your might receive? What separates Joseph from the average disciple is that when he was needed the most, he stepped up to the plate.

Joseph’s Big Moment

Imagine what it must have been like for the disciples on the day Jesus was crucified. Christ’s followers must have been dazed and confused. As Jesus’ body hung lifeless from the cross, there must have been serious misgivings about what the apostles were going to do with the rest of their lives. Joseph of Arimathaea must have shared in this confusion. God had placed Joseph in a position; however, to do something no other follower of Christ could do – and Joseph did not disappoint.

The gospels tell us that up to this point Joseph had only followed Christ in secret. Fear of the repercussions had kept Joseph from declaring his loyalty to Christ publicly. In was in the bleak moment; however, that secrecy no longer mattered to Joseph. As the apostles and other followers of Christ returned home, most likely dejected and confused, Joseph could not stand seeing his Lord hanging dead on the cross. It was in this moment that Joseph went into action.

The Scriptures tell us that Joseph boldly went to Pilate and begged for the body of Christ (Mark 15:43 & Luke 23:52). Think about this for a second. A man who the day before was fearful to disclose his allegiance to Christ was boldly begging for his body. This mere though of a member of the Sanhedrin begging for the body of Christ must have been scandalous; there’s no way it was done in secret. Once Pilate relented and handed the body over, Joseph wrapped Christ’s body in clean linen and placed it in his own new tomb (Luke 23:50). This was a tomb that Joseph himself had labored to cut out of the rock (Mat 27:60 & Mark 15:46). Once he was finished, Joseph went away.

Joseph’s act was born purely out of love for Christ. He must not have understood that Christ would return after three days (even the apostles closest to Christ didn’t understand this). Joseph wrapped Christ’s body in a clean linen because he thought he was dead and gone – forever. He wasn’t trying to score points with the risen Lord because he didn’t know his Lord was going to rise … he simply acted in service to one that he deeply loved.

Joseph sacrificed his own tomb, labor, money, and reputation for his Lord. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus tells a rich man that he must be willing to give up all that he had to follow Christ and thus enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Is there a better example of this in practice than what Joseph did for his fallen Lord? Joseph truly was willing to give up everything. How many hours must it have taken Joseph to cut a tomb out of solid rock? How much did the tomb cost? Only the very rich were afforded such resting places. Joseph sacrificed his reputation (and most likely his standing on the Sanhedrin) and even gave up his own eternal resting place for Christ. He was truly ready to give up everything to follow his Lord; even in death.

Joseph’s actions are so inspiring; especially in light of the fact that he was the only one that could accomplish what he did. He had the correct combination of wealth, reputation, and standing to boldly demand a meeting with Pilate and then fund the burial. He even had a freshly cut tomb! God was using Joseph to play an integral role in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ … and Joseph rose up to meet the call!

How much easier would it have been for Joseph to simply leave and move on with his life. No one would have ever know that he had followed Christ. I wonder what I would have done in the same situation.

What would you have done?

Joseph of Arimathaea provides Christ’s followers with a stunning example of discipleship in action. He allowed his faith in Christ to move him and was even willing to give up all his earthly treasures. It was an act that surely led to his reward in Heaven.

- Clark

Book Review: A New Kind of Christianity by Brian McLaren
Publisher: HarperOne, 2010

In past reviews of Brian McLaren’s books I have always attempted to hold my criticism back a little. This is due in large part to not wanting to harshly judge a fellow Christian in a public forum. After reading A New Kind Christianity I am no longer concerned with holding back. I suppose this is because McLaren is also no longer concerned with holding back. In the past, McLaren has always been hard to pin down.  His opinions are vague because he will never make a claim of truth in what he writes. He has said that what he writes is merely a contribution to the ongoing “conversation” we humans are invited to engage in about God and seems to think that the moment someone claims an actual truth regarding God the conversation is muffled. The problem is that McLaren seems to apply his relativist outlook to the rock solid truths of the Bible leaving us all swimming around in a sea of uncertainty.

In A New Kind of Christianity McLaren comes as close as he ever has to showing his cards. In this book he denies hell, the fall of man, human depravity, and seems to think the greatest Christian minds throughout history have all been reading the Bible in the wrong way. McLaren submits that for millennia Christians have been reading the Bible through a faulty Greco-Roman world view. He claims that this worldview has led us all to come to fundamentally wrong conclusions concerning Jesus’ role in our lives. Thank goodness McLaren has come along to save us from the false teachings of the greatest minds the world has ever known. While McLaren doesn’t explicitly state it, if he is correct concerning the things he writes, than the likes of the apostle Paul, Saint Augustine, Martin Luther, John Calvin, and C.S. Lewis have all been wrong. McLaren’s claims reek of arrogance.

Rather than reading the Bible through our faulty Greco-Roman reading glasses (according to the author, these glasses lead us to read the Bible as a constitution that reveals too much truth), McLaren suggest we should read it as an ongoing conversation. The most attracting aspect of this “conversation” is no doubt that it will never lead us to a certain or definite conclusion. What McClaren has done is invent a new way to read Scripture due to his inability to juxtapose the God of the Old Testament with the Savior of the New Testament. McLaren submits that the Bible is evidence of the evolution of mankind’s thought processes. In the Old Testament, when man’s thoughts were the most primitive, God was painted as a violent and cruel God that no savvy Christian such as McLaren could ever worship. After a few thousand years, Jesus was portrayed in a much different light because thought had evolved to the point that mankind could imagine a God that was closer to the truth. McLaren takes this theory far enough to imagine a future where Christians will imagine a God that is even more perfect than Christ. In his future, Christians (and God) are vegetarian, earth worshiping pacifists who throw up in their mouth a little when they remember those barbaric Christians who laid the foundation of the church. It seemed to me that McLaren’s God of the future is very much like McLaren himself. McLaren’s book is one of the grossest forms of idolatry I have ever witnessed another Christian commit. Because he is unable (or unwilling) to accept God as He is revealed to us in Scripture, McLaren resorts to recreating Him in his own image. It is the ultimate form of humanism and arrogance.

Personally, I’ll join the early church fathers and fundamental Christians over the last two millennia who wished to understand the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as revealed by God Himself in the Holy Scriptures. McLaren’s teaching in this book are so far removed from traditional fundamental Christianity that it is virtually indistinguishable from atheism.

Christ taught that the world would hate us because of Him. This was evidenced in the church fathers who gave their lives to promote the Gospel. It is witnessed to today in various parts of the world where Christians are persecuted and killed for their beliefs.

In this book, McLaren spits on the memories and sacrifices of those Christians and sides with the world. He disregards the revelation of God Almighty and creates a disgusting idol.