Living a Faith that can be Seen - James 1:12-18 (13-15)

HOW TRIALS BECOME TEMPTATIONS

 

James has taught us to count it all joy when we face trials of various kinds. That’s pretty unusual for the average person. But Christians have the promise that trials will produce in us maturity and wisdom. God allows trials to come into our lives to help us grow.

            Someone in James’ church must have asked a provocative question in response to “God allowing trials.” If God allows trials into our lives, does that mean that God is the reason we struggle with temptation? And if God tempts us, does that mean that he is the reason we sin? Is God responsible for our sins? 

            Remember that the Greek word for “trials” or “tests” is the same word for temptation. So, you can understand why the person may have asked this question. God allows trials but he does not tempt us. James wrote, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast (endures) under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him,” (1:12). (This verse bears a striking similarity to the beatitudes of Jesus in his sermon on the mount. It is entirely possible that James was influenced by the Sermon on the Mount when writing this letter).

            The challenge then, is to know the difference and to recognize our own temptations. We will look at James 1:13-15 to learn how the follower of Jesus overcomes temptation.

 

God does not tempt us to do evil (1:13)

 

First, James wanted to clear up the question of source. Where does temptation come from? Human nature is such that when we fail at something we want to find blame outside of ourselves. We don’t want to be responsible for our own moral failings. Who do we blame most for our sins? God!

            Adam and Eve set the pattern long ago when they were caught eating the forbidden fruit. Adam blamed God for giving him the woman; the woman blamed the serpent; and we continue to seek to blame someone else for our moral failings.

            James responded to this inclination saying, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one,” (13). James does not waste words, but he does make a strong theological statement about God. It would have been helpful if he had explained his theology more (perhaps he does with 1:17). The logic is simple, though. To say that God is tempting me is illogical because temptation to sin is an act of evil. God is not evil, and God cannot be tempted himself to do evil: God is good and for God to be God he must be consistently good, or he is not God. 

            John confirmed this in his letter when he said, “God is light and in him is no darkness at all,” (1 John 1:5). Throughout the Bible we are told that God is holy. That means he is set apart from everything imperfect and inconsistent with moral goodness. There can be no contradiction in his person, or he ceases to be holy. And God does not change, so he is forever holy. To tempt someone to sin is itself sinful and since God is holy, he will never tempt you.

            Here we have our dilemma: the same word for “trial” is used by translators of our Bibles for “temptation.” How does a trial become a temptation to sin? By the attitude with which we respond to the trial. To blame God or circumstances or the devil or others for my sin is to dodge the real source of it. To name it a disorder or a disease is to shirk my responsibility for it. Some would blame the corporal punishment they received as children, or even legitimate abuse they suffered from a horrible parent. There is no hope of overcoming temptation unless you acknowledge that sin comes from your own evil desires. 

 

The Source of our Temptation is Internal (1:14)

 

The true source of temptation is not external but internal. Not even Satan is mentioned as a possible source. There used to be a saying, “If the devil made you do it, you blew it.” Satan does not have the power to make a person do anything. He is a liar, a deceiver, and a mocker, but he lacks the ability to decide for you. He may influence you, but you make the final choice.

            James tells us, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire,” (1:14). Desire sometimes translated “lust,” is an intense longing for an improper object – anything that gets in the way of our pursuit of God. Desires are not necessarily evil in themselves. When we grow hungry, we desire food (even McDonald’s). If my desire for food tempts me to steal, I sin. A desire for sex within marriage is a gift from God. To desire it outside of your marriage relationship is adultery. 

            Sin always begins in the mind. No one ever falls into adultery without first entertaining it in the mind. Your desires for good things may become the lures or traps that lead you to sin. One pastor said that if a bag of cocaine were sitting on a shelf, he would not find it the least bit tempting to use some. However, he did say that the images on his computer screen were another matter. For each person temptation takes different forms. James used fishing and hunting imagery to depict the power of our desires to trap us: each person is tempted when he is lured (like a worm on a hook) or enticed (like cheese on mouse trap).

            When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, Jesus included the line, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” (Mt. 6:13). The language is odd. What Jesus meant was that we should pray “do not allow us to give into temptation” (or keep us) and repeats that plea with “deliver us from evil” in a parallel but different wording. God may allow us to face our desires as a test of faith to prove our devotion to him over our desires. 

            A man was on a diet and struggling to be faithful to it. He had to go downtown and as he started out, he remembered that his route would take him by the doughnut shop. As he got closer, he thought coffee would be good. But to get the coffee he had to face the doughnuts.

            So, he prayed, “Lord, if you want me to stop for a doughnut and coffee, let there be a parking spot in front of the shop.” Sure enough, after the seventh time circling the shop, there was an open spot. 

            If we ask the Lord not to lead us into temptation, we must work with the Holy Spirit and not keep circling our desires. 

 

Acknowledging the result of giving in to the desire (1:15)

 

James is not one to sugar coat the harsh reality of sin. In a blunt and clear sentence, he reveals the result of giving in to desire. “Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death,” (1:15). 

            There is a clear-cut formula presented in these words:

Inner craving  Sinful Action  Spiritual Death

            The Venerable Bede, an 8^th century English monk, expressed the three stages of temptation as 1) Suggestion 2) Experiment 3) Consent. Once you reach the consent stage, Bede says we have been carried away by sin, left the path of righteousness and we deserve to be separated from God.

            It is likely that as James wrote his brief warning, he had in mind the graphic story of Proverbs 7. The Teacher tells of a young man lacking sense and who succumbs to a loose woman’s invitation. His first mistake was that he hung out on the street where she lived (7:8). Then his heart beats faster as the blood rushes to his brain as the woman emerges from her house dressed seductively (as a prostitute 7:10). She encourages his attention by her presence and flirtatious invitations (7:12-13). As luck would have it, her husband is out of town on a long journey. The young man’s fantasies have become reality. 

            The Hollywood-like story ends gruesomely, “With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him. All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life,” (Prov. 7:21-23). The final word: her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death (27). 

            Do you see the similarities to James’ brief formula? The young man entertains his thoughts, incites them by exposing himself to the dangerous and exciting prospect of his desires; he pursues his prey until he is so far over the line of restraint that he seemingly can’t go back; but the result is death. We can speculate on this death in two ways: 1) the husband suddenly comes home and catches them; 2) spiritual death – the foolish man, by pushing the boundaries of morality, has succeeded in killing his conscience convincing himself that it isn’t a sin to be with this woman. Our hearts are hardened as we justify crossing the line.

 

There is a poignant contrast in James’ words. In verse 12 we are told that the person who endures under trial is blessed and receives the crown of life. Life versus death. Tests become temptations depending on how we respond to them. Trials produce maturity and life; temptations lead to death.

            Here are four things to encourage steadfastness in your trials:

·      Know yourself – be aware of your desires and weaknesses.

·      Avoid tempting situations – stay away from the “street corners” of desire

·      Commit yourself to Christ – body, soul, and spirit

·      Find your satisfaction in God

 

And remember these words from Paul:

“…let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure it,” (1 Cor. 10:12-13)

 

                                                            AMEN

Living a Faith that can be Seen: James 1:1-11

A PROFOUND RESPONSE TO TRIALS

 

The TV show, Dragnet, was an old black-and-white cop show from the golden age. I never really watched it, but I do remember the catchphrase of the main character, Joe Friday. Friday was a detective with the Los Angeles Police and was a real straight shooter. When a witness to a crime would prattle on about irrelevant details, Friday would cut to the quick with his famous line, “Just the facts ma’am.” 

            Some would call James the “Joe Friday” of the NT. He cuts to the chase without fluff. He’s not really interested in hearing your profession of faith. He wants to see you practice your faith. You could say that James is the least theological letter of the NT, but you could also say that it is the most practical. James wanted his readers to have a faith that could be seen in their actions.

            Who was James? There were three men named James in the NT. The James of “Peter, James, and John” fame, James the son of Alphaeus (a lesser-known apostle), and this James – the half-brother of Jesus. But James does not introduce himself in any way as the “other son” of Mary. He calls himself “a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,”thereby committing himself to Jesus as God and absolute master.

            This James also becomes the lead pastor of the Jerusalem church and was a prominent influencer in critical matters (Acts 15). When persecution hit the Jerusalem church, many Jewish Christians fled to other countries, so they were scattered to many locations. This is why James calls them “the twelve tribes in the Dispersion.” Word must have gotten back to James about the troubles these believers were encountering: troubles within in the church and troubles from unbelievers. Some were strong on their profession of faith, but practiced selfish, ungodly lifestyles. To these folks, pastor James writes a no-nonsense letter with a strong message: True faith shows itself in practical, godly living. This is the overall theme of the letter.

            There are three main themes in this letter: dealing with trials, finding true wisdom, and the conflict between the rich and the poor. In our passage today, 1:1-11, James combines all three themes to address how believers ought to respond to the challenges of practicing your faith in a world of troubles.

 

Christians Respond to Trials with Joy (1:2-4)

 

How do followers of Jesus respond to intense suffering? Our human response to pain and trouble is not unlike anyone else: we feel the hurt, we wonder why we suffer, we find someone to hear our pain. 

            But James offers a counterintuitive response to trials. “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds…” (2). Joy? Are you kidding? Smile through the pain? What does James mean by greeting your trial with joy?

            First, James does not intend for us to wear an artificial happy face and deny our true emotions. That does not help anyone. You cannot will yourself to feel glad when you are in a pit of depression. But we can choose how we think. That’s why James tells us to “count it all joy” when its plainly not. 

            The joy that James has in mind is not an emotion, it is a way of perceiving life (trials) from God’s vantage point. This joy considers that our trials will eventually be overcome by a God who promises a new day. 

            What kind of trials are we talking about? All kinds. James calls them trials of “various kinds.” This is the same Greek word that is used for “temptation” in v. 13 (strange huh?). These trials do include the hurt suffered from a loved one, the death of someone close, a financial setback, or abuse. But it also includes the diabolical – demonic oppression – temptation or spiritual attacks. 

            Whatever trial you are facing now, James counsels you to face it with joy. But why? Because, he says, “…you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness,” (3). Steadfastness is also called endurance, or more fully, the capacity to hold out or bear up in the face of difficulty. It can mean to “stand your ground” or “survive.” Every trial you face, big or small, is a test of your faith. As you face each trial something happens in you. Even if you fail the test, you learn from it. Even as you succumb again to your spiritual or fleshly trial, you learn from it. This strengthening of faith is greater when you do overcome it. (see Rom. 5:3-5 Paul agrees). 

            I must offer caution in understanding this teaching. There is no automatic promise in these words. Trials do not guarantee blessings or maturity. You can easily be driven away from God by your unhappy circumstances. An effort is required when you face trials. Therefore, James implores us to “count it all joy” – it has to be said; it has to be done; it’s not a simple flick of the switch. Joy must be worked on.

            This is also why James continues to say, “And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing,” (4). Let this attitude be in you. The words “and let” implies submission to God in the trial. Now, submitting does not mean passively enduring pain without praying for relief. At the end of the letter, James tells his readers to pray for healing, so we don’t just throw up our hands and say “whatever.” But we must understand that God does allow us to face trials – he doesn’t abandon us to them – but we do come perilously close to the edge at times. God does not push us over the edge, yet he allows us to mature through these times of challenge and suffering. 

            

Christians Respond to Trials by Asking God for Wisdom (5-8)

 

James has told us to count it all joy when we meet trials because the testing of our faith leads to maturity, and we will be “lacking in nothing.” But you will agree that we have not reached the point of maturity whereby our faith is so solid that can say we lack nothing. You will also agree that when facing a new trial, we lack wisdom for the new challenge. “Lacking” and “lack” connects the previous verse with this one…

            “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him,” (5). What are we to do when our backs are against the wall and our sins and weaknesses are exposed? Ask God for wisdom.         

            When we ask other people for advice, we sometimes receive judgment (or reproach). We may hear “I told you so” or “You should have come to me sooner” before receiving any help. But not with God; God gives to all without reproach. Three weeks before I ended my time pastoring at a previous church, my office lights went on the blink. While he stood upon a ladder changing fluorescent bulbs, a fellow chided me saying, “Next time, call me.” God does not chide us when we don’t know what to do or how to do it. 

            There is a condition to asking God for wisdom, however. That condition is faith. “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways,” (6-8). 

            The question could be asked: What is the object of faith? We have doubts. Is this allowed? Especially when trials cause us to question the goodness of God. If we have these questions, does that negate the request for wisdom? Are we supposed to have unshakable faith prior to asking God for wisdom to face our trials? I believe the object of faith is not “how much faith do I need?” but “Do I believe that God gives generously without finding fault?” 

            You see, I believe the focus is God. It is precisely because I am having trouble figuring out this trial or test or suffering that I need God’s wisdom. I need wisdom to live by faith in the midst of a trouble that threatens my trust in God. 

            Now, James elaborates on the condition of faith for asking. He says that we must believe and not doubt. He is telling us that we need, not just a profession of faith, but a clear commitment to Christ. That means seeking wisdom while repenting of our sins. If we do not repent of our sins, we cannot hear the wisdom of God for our situation. It is not logical to seek the wisdom of God but continuing to live in sin. That is the doublemindedness that James speaks of. Faith blossoms when we come to a place of single-mindedness about the things of God. Then we will receive wisdom – not an increase in intelligence or practical expertise or life experience – but wisdom from a biblical perspective that begins with following God now revealed in Jesus Christ. This leads to godly living.

 

Christians Respond to Trials with a Kingdom Perspective

 

A casual glance at these next verses may make you wonder how this is connected to facing trials. James introduces what has often been called “the great reversal.” It refers to theme of the unjust rich and the pious poor trading places when God judges the world. (post slide of 9-11). 

            How is this an encouragement to you and me when we face a testing of our faith? First, we must understand the view of rich people from an ANE perspective. The wealthy in the 1^st century were often found exploiting the poor, and their trust in God was often suspect because they relied on their own resources instead of trusting God. 

            Second, we need to understand the Kingdom perspective as taught by Jesus. Consider the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. In this life, the rich man had no needs and ignored the plight of the poor man, Lazarus, who sat at his very doorstep. When they both die, the positions are reversed. The rich man goes to a place of suffering while Lazarus is now the one being comforted in the presence of Abraham. This is just a parable and should not be taken in a literal sense (Luke 16:19-31). However, the principle is similar in James’ letter. 

            Down is up in the kingdom of God. Up is down. We sometimes call this “the Upside-Down Kingdom” because things are not what we expect from a worldly perspective. Just as in the parable, we all die – the rich people and the poor people. James tells the lowly brother (a Christian) to boast in his exaltation (high standing) and the rich brother in his humiliation. What’s going on here?          

            Many of our trials center around money – not all, but many. James exalts the poor person because that person is more likely to trust in God more fully than the rich person. A wealthy person will depend less on God. It is surely not that a rich person cannot be a Christian, but it is a question of how we view our possessions. Unless we recognize the utter frailty of this life and how suddenly it can end for each of us (the grass, the flower, etc.), and unless we live each moment for Christ with a sense of urgency and care for the time we are given, we risk loving this world too much. 

 

We respond to trials with joy. I am certain that your friends would find it utterly ludicrous to hear you reply with joy at the diagnosis of cancer. To say, “I can’t wait to see how I will grow and mature through this financial setback,” would seem ridiculous. Yet this is what Pastor James is telling us. We are to find joy in the setbacks of life for therein is the opportunity to grow in faith. 

A question to ask ourselves: How can I demonstrate my faith in God during this trial?

We respond to trials with a request for wisdom. And God gives that wisdom freely. It comes through the trial itself in most cases. It may come through the Holy Spirit himself. What we find in this wisdom is the ability to see beyond the trouble before us and to understand that God is doing something greater than we can imagine. That is why asking for wisdom requires faith. “…faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,” (Heb. 11:1). 

We respond to trials with a kingdom view. Things are not what they seem. Those who have life all figured out, don’t. Those who wrestle with the challenges of life are richer in faith if they put their trust in God. 

            The question for you and me amid tough times is this: Will you allow trials to make you a person of faith, or will you allow trials to break you to pieces? That’s a hard question, but I challenge you to face the crisis in your life with joy knowing that God is shaping you through adversity.

            “Someone once said that the difference between American Christianity and Christianity as it is practiced in the rest of the world has to do with how each views suffering. In America, Christians pray for the burden of suffering to be lifted from their backs. In the rest of the world, Christians pray for stronger backs so they can bear their suffering.” (Dave Dravecky) 

 

                                                            AMEN

 

 

 

Benediction

 

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

 

So, we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 

            

Rethinking the Church

RETHINKING THE CHURCH

The Question Series

 

Jesus has given us the church as a gift. When he died and rose again, a community of people who followed his life and teaching emerged as a result. Since Jesus ascended to heaven, his people have gathered together regularly to encourage each other and to proclaim Christ to the world. It is through the church that the Holy Spirit works to accomplish God’s mission to save people from sin.

            However, throughout history, the church has stumbled and failed to be the church time and time again. But God did not abandon the church; instead he raised up people to rethink how church ought to be, how it should look, how it should act. The Anabaptist movement was one such event in history where a group of twenty-somethings, young adults, filled with the Spirit, chose to rethink the church. Their obedience was radical. 

            In light of this, I believe it is fitting to address our last question in this series: Why are young adults leaving the church? Young adults have often been at the forefront of change in the church. So, it is a critical question for our times because the church in North America is suffering this loss of young adults. We need to ask this question. We need to rethink the church with respect to the answers. I present to you seven reasons young adults are not in church and ask that you prayerfully consider them. 

            These findings are based on a five-year study by the Barna Group and research by the Malphurs Group. The research uncovered several themes as to why 3 out of 5 young Christians disconnect from the church after age 15. (see https://biologos.org/articles/six-reasons-young-christians-leave-church/ 

and  https://malphursgroup.com/?s=15+reasons)

1. The Church is out of touch with the real world

 

Today’s teens and young adults have unprecedented access to information, ideas, and worldviews, as well as a huge consumption of pop culture. They are informed about the social issues of the day and can cite facts and figures to debate a variety of ethical topics. My son has often “schooled” me on matters that I once thought I was proficient in including racial equality and human rights. It’s a humbling experience to discover I’m more racist than I believed. 

            In connection with this knowledge, young adults see the church as stifling. One-quarter of 18–29-year-olds said that Christians demonize everything outside the church (Dungeons & Dragons; Harry Potter, etc.), or they ignore the problems of the real world (LGBTQ issues and racial conflicts). Instead of engaging with culture, the church is seen as opposing everything before trying to understand it. I remember as a young adult how the church protested the movie, “The Last Temptation of Christ.” It was decried as a gross abomination of the life of Christ. The louder the church protested the more people wanted to see it. 

            I wondered if Jesus was out of touch with his world. When you consider the way he taught and the images he used to convey truth, I think not. In Luke 13:1-4, Jesus referred to a current event where Pilate had killed some Galileans and to a tower that collapsed on 18 Jews to teach about repentance. Paul too quoted the “rock stars” of the ancient world in Acts 17 when speaking to a think-tank in Athens. Jesus was not out of touch, nor should the church be today.

 

2. Church is boring

 

Young adults say that something is missing in their experience of church. God is missing! People go to church looking for God and have difficulty finding him. The statistics are sobering: 31% said church is boring; 25% said faith is not relevant to their career or interests; 23% said the Bible is not taught clearly enough; and 20% said God is missing from their experience. 

            As a pastor of thirty-plus years of experience who took four years off to sit and listen to other pastors, I would have to agree. I was often bored; I fell asleep watching online sermons from our church; only our life group kept me engaged. Church can be boring. 

            I realized two things about this revelation: 1) I had a bad attitude and needed to adjust how I came to worship. I began praying more earnestly about meeting with God. 2) When I engaged the church in service, I was more invested in the life of the church. 

            Boring is nothing new. The Corinthians thought Paul was a boring speaker. They liked the flashy Apollos better. One night in Troas, Paul was speaking late into the night. He must have been droning a bit; the lamps in the upper room were burning steadily; and young Eutychus was falling asleep. It might be presumptuous to say he was bored, but he fell out of the windowsill he was sleeping in and died (Acts 20:7-9). While Paul was able to raise Eutychus from the dead, most pastors cannot resurrect listless listeners in the pews.

 

3. Faith and science are too often in conflict

 

Young adults, especially those who attend university, feel disconnected from church and from faith because of the tension between Christianity and science. The most common response from young adults is that Christians are too confident they know all the answers and do not respect scientific evidence. Nearly one-out-of-four are turned off by the creation-evolution debate. 

            One well-known creationist has said that the reason young adults are leaving the church is because we don’t teach a literal 6-days creation. But the statistics tell a different story. When geologists and scientists examine the evidence, they see an old earth. That’s what the universities teach. 

            I am not saying the Bible is wrong. In fact, I have been reading about Genesis 1 and Genesis 6-9, Creation and the Flood, from renowned biblical scholar John Walton – he does not deny a Creator or the fact of the flood – who says that the Bible is not wrong, but we might be. Our assumptions about what the Bible teaches need to be overhauled. In other words, we need to come humbly to the text and let it speak, rather than come with preconceived notions about God.

 

4. The Church’s standard on sexuality is pretty tough

 

I don’t have to tell you that we live in an over-sexualized culture. The access to digital porn and explicit material, every TV show and movie has sexual themes, and advertising that appeals to sexuality, is overwhelming. The church reacts to this pressure by creating a different tension: abstinence. One of the significant tensions for young believers is how to live up to the church’s expectations of chastity and sexual purity in this setting, especially when marriage is delayed till their late 20s. Those who make mistakes, succumb to temptation, or hold different values, feel shamed by the church, judged, deemed unclean.

            I cannot help but think of Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman in John 4. What a contrast. Jesus’ simple request for water turns into a conversation about faith. Jesus offers living water that quenches all thirst; she wants it; Jesus says, “Go call your husband.” She says, “I have no husband.” He says, “I know…you’ve had five, and the one you are with now is not your husband.” This woman has made sexual and relational mistakes, yet Jesus continues to invite her to know him, to discover him. Again, I am not saying we abandon our values of purity, but can we show love as Jesus showed love?

 

5. The Church is a fortress

 

When the psalmist says God is fortress, that’s a good thing. When the church is a fortress, that’s a bad thing. Young adults have been shaped by a culture that teaches open-mindedness, tolerance, and acceptance of others. Those who attend university discover other races, religions, sexual preferences, ideologies and so on…and most young adults want to find common ground with each other. When they look at the church, they see walls go up to protect against these differences, where the world is trying to pull down walls. The church appears to be too exclusive in this way: you have to think a certain way, look a certain way, be a certain way – like a country club. Young adults often feel that they have to choose between faith and friends. 

            A recent phenomenon growing out this fortress mentality within North American Evangelicalism is something called “deconstruction.” This is where Christians rethink their faith and jettison previously held beliefs. In some cases, they no longer identify as Christians. One writer compared this phenomenon to a cupboard. A person goes through the shelves, takes down a cup or saucer, looks at it, and wonders if the item still belongs. Sometimes it is put back; other times we decide it really isn't essential. Some want Jesus without the church; some don’t want Jesus at all. It is natural to fear deconstruction, especially if it leads to unbelief. But if we are afraid to ask questions of ourselves, how we do church, how we do faith, we retreat into our ever-shrinking fortresses.

            Churches cannot afford to be fortresses of doctrine without the essential elements. Jesus commended the church in Ephesus for its adherence to doctrine and values. However, Jesus lowered the boom on this fortress-church. He said, “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first,”(Rev. 2:4). Good teaching needs to be upheld, but if we forget that love is the greatest commandment, we cease to be the church.

 

6. The Church does not allow doubt

 

Young adults say the church is not a friendly place for people with doubts. They do not feel safe admitting that sometimes Christianity does not make sense. Their doubts are trivialized by the church in most instances. We need to allow people to ask questions, to grieve losses, to process life without pat answers or cliches.

 

7. The church is not a community for everyone

 

It should be, but it’s not. Single young adults are made to feel like singleness is an interim stage, a period of life you have to go through like standing in line for a ride at Disney World. Most churches give the impression that singleness is spiritually less-than. Much of this anti-singleness message if preached by our churches, sometimes with words, other times with actions. Sometimes it is conscious, other times unintended. But single people hear it loud and clear: “You are incomplete until you get married and have at least two to four kids.” (If you have more than four, then people think you are weird again). Single young adults have a hard time feeling like they belong to the church community. Putting them in singles groups only perpetuates the problem (Preston Sprinkle, 169, People to be Loved). 

            Paul, who happened to be single at the time (widowed?), taught in 1 Corinthians 12 that the body is one with many members. This is more profound than we know from a quick reading. Then he says, “and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ,” (12b). Paul doesn’t say “so it is with the church,” but “so it is with Christ,” (who, by the way, was also single). Saying it this way gives Christ pre-eminence as head of the body – as Paul told the Ephesians, he is the head we (the body) grow up into in every way (Eph 4:15). 

            Paul then says we were baptized into that one body – Jews or Greeks, slaves or free – indicating that the community of faith has no racial or class distinctions, and I daresay, no marital distinctions. Then why do we act like singles are second-class members of the church? Every part of the body is important; every person counts; every person matters. 

 

These are some heavy issues to think about as a local chapter of the global church. But we must. Young adults, and others as well, have been hurt by the institution of the church. The church has had to change over the centuries as cultures change and as people experience shifting models of doing life. As people have been hurt by the stiffness of the church as an institution, it is time for the church as a body to help heal those people. 

The church is a visible expression of the body of Christ, as if it were Christ himself. We need the church to be the church, to meet regularly to share Christ and be like Christ to the world. We need the church (period). But we need to adapt our unchanging values (Jesus Christ is the Son of God) to an ever-changing culture. The values do not change, but how we communicate them as the people of God, does.

Rebecca Pippert, an author and speaker, met Bill in Portland, Oregon. He was a student at a local university who came to know Jesus. He was always disheveled in his appearance, and he never wore shoes. Bill was always barefoot.

When Bill became a Christian, his appearance didn’t change. Near the campus was a mostly well-dressed, middle-class congregation. One Sunday, Bill decided to go and worship there. He walked into church with his messy hair, blue jeans, t-shirt, and barefoot. People were uncomfortable, but no one said anything. Bill began walking down the aisle looking for a seat. But the church was crowded that day, so he got all the down to the front without finding a seat. He decided to just sit down right on the carpet. You could feel the tension in the air. 

Suddenly an elderly man began walking down the aisle toward Bill. Was he going to scold him and lecture him about how one dresses for church? 

As the elderly man kept walking down the aisle, all eyes were on him. You could hear a pin drop. When the man reached Bill, with some difficulty he lowered himself and sat down next to Bill on the carpet. He and Bill worshiped together on the carpet that day. There was not a dry eye in the church. 

Young adults need us to get down on the carpet with them. In other words, we need to join them where they are and rethink church together. 

 

                                                AMEN

            

A Balanced View of Heavenly Rewards

The Question Series

In the movie, A Christmas Story, Ralphie’s dad wins a prize by solving some puzzles in the newspaper. A few weeks before Christmas, a large crate arrives at the house containing this prize. As Ralphie and family open the crate and sift through the enormous amount of straw, they wonder what the prize could be. Finally, dad lifts a plastic leg out of the crate. Ralphie’s mom asks, “What is it?” Dad responds, “Why, it’s a major award.” It’s a burlesque style leg with a lampshade – indeed, it is a lamp. The “old man” was proud of his brilliance which procured him this great award. So, he sets the grotesque lamp in the living room window for all the world to see. Mom is horrified that the neighborhood will see this monstrous thing, but dad is beaming, while Ralphie is stuck in rapturous wonder at this leg, this “major award.” 

            Everything about this scene is the exact opposite of what we can expect from “heavenly” rewards. Dad’s award was useless, inappropriate, and gawdy. It was a momentary conversation piece that would soon be destroyed and eventually forgotten. But what are heavenly rewards? Will they make life in eternity better? Will they be on display? We can only speculate or imagine the answers.

            For our series on “Questions,” the question was asked: Salvation is a gift unearned. Are there other rewards in heaven based on works? What about the very young who die before they have a chance to earn rewards? 

            The Bible does speak of rewards, but we must lay aside what we know of awards and rewards to grasp the biblical significance of them. It is tempting to think of how we can earn rewards through good works while forgetting that we are saved by faith apart from works. How are we to understand the biblical concept of rewards? 

            I want to ask three questions and answer them with my understanding of scripture…

 

Are there rewards for believers in eternity? 

 

The Gospel according to Matthew emphasizes rewards more than other accounts. Jesus certainly teaches his disciples about rewards. However, we must be careful not to read into his teaching that he is talking about “extra” rewards, or different amounts of rewards. More often than not, Jesus usually refers to heavenly rewards in contrast to what we gain in this life.  

            Consider this text: (Matt. 5:11-12a) “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.” Contrast being accepted by the world versus being rejected by the world but received by your Heavenly Father. The reward Jesus speaks of is being accepted by God. If we interpret what Jesus says as a reason to seek a reward, we miss the point of his teaching. 

            Jesus also taught his disciples to “…lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…” (6:20). Yet Jesus was not envisioning some kind of vault where our rewards would be stored until we reach eternity. Instead, Jesus wants us to uphold his kingdom values over what the world values. Things of this world are going to rot, rust, or return to dust, but the values of the kingdom are forever; the values are in conflict.

            We cannot ignore that Jesus does refer to rewards. He talks about his Second Coming in Matthew 16:27 where “…he will repay each person for what he has done.” John repeats this in his apocalypse in Revelation 22:12 where Jesus says, “Behold, I am coming soon bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.” 

            Jesus promised rewards for the faithful follower. Is there a greater reward than being called children of God (Luke 6:35). Often the concept of rewards in the NT are ambiguous. Unlike a video game where you reach certain levels and earn badges, the rewards of heaven are impossible to describe and achieve. I have often wondered myself what the Bible means by “rewards.”  Being called a child of God, receiving eternal life, being with Jesus forever…what else are we to expect? And if there are other rewards, how do you know if you have them? 

 

Are there degrees of rewards?

 

If you begin to evaluate yourself as a Christian and list your spiritual successes and failures, you will drive yourself crazy. Do not compare yourself unfairly with those whom you consider spiritual giants. God is the judge; he sees the heart better than we do. We may look at missionaries and determine that their rewards are greater than our own. Don’t do that.

            The Parable of the Talents is often used to illustrate different degrees of rewards. But this misinterprets how parables work. There are three servants, and each is given a trust according to their ability. You know what happens. The servants who are given five and two double their master’s trust and both are commended and rewarded (Matt 25:21, 23). The third servant buries his talent, is thrown into outer darkness, and the talent is given to the one who doubled his five.         

            Our problem comes when Jesus says, “For to everyone who has more will be given…” (29). The first servant receives the extra talent, but the second servant receives nothing more. We can get hung up on the false interpretation that 1) God gives some people more gifts/opportunities/abilities, and 2) that using them well earns greater rewards. But that is not what the parable is teaching. The amount of talents is not the issue, faithfulness is. Jesus is not saying the better you do, the more you will be rewarded. It’s just part of the story and is not meant to be analyzed. If we took each phrase and read it literally, then we would have to conclude that God parallels the master  in the parable – the master who is a harsh man who harvests crops he did not plant. 

            Thinking that rewards are work-based because of this parable is a mistake. The Parable of the Talents is couched by two other parables (Virgins; Sheep and Goats), and the parables do not teach degrees of readiness, faithfulness, or service. There is just readiness, faithfulness, and service. And if you are obedient to the commands of Jesus to be ready for his coming, to be faithful with what you have been given, and serve him with humility, the reward is being welcomed into eternal places.

            Can you imagine if there were degrees of rewards in heaven? Will you live eternally with regret for what you should have done? Will you envy those who earned more rewards than you did? If in Revelation 21:4 we read that there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain – absolutely nothing to make you sad, then there will be no regret either.

 

Are rewards motivation for faithfulness? 

 

 Depending on how we read 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, we may be led to believe that on the day of judgment our works will be evaluated on a sliding scale (gold – straw). Paul does emphasize that certain “building materials” or activities are more appropriate than others. He writes, “Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw – each one’s work will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward” (12-14). 

            Taken in this perspective, the rewards are not about varying degrees, but whether what we have done matches who Christ is as Lord of the church. The foundation is Christ; how we build on that foundation ought to match Christ. 

            A few things stand out then: 1) Amazingly, the person who builds with appropriate materials (good works) and the person who builds with frivolous materials, will both be saved. 2) Paul’s analogy is not so much about eternal rewards as it is about building the church on the foundation of Christ. 3) If the poor builder’s work is exposed, he or she will be shamed. But does that shame last for eternity? No, shame is not part of the heavenly life. How this person helped build the church may be miniscule, but they are still saved. 4) The poor builder will suffer loss (15), but only in the sense that it will be revealed that his or her life’s work did not match the values of the kingdom. 

            The question remains: Do we do what pleases God to be rewarded? Or do we respond to the mercy and grace of God with a life of works that reflect our gratitude to God’s Son, Jesus? If we think about what we get, then we don’t get it.

 

Focus on the Giver, not the Gift

 

You are drowning in the ocean. Someone jumps into the raging waves to swim out to you to save you, bring you to shore, and wrap you in a warm towel. Do you go on and on about the quality of the towel? Or do you embrace the person who saved you?

            N.T. Wright makes a good point in his book, Surprised by Hope. He writes, “It isn’t a matter of calculation, of doing a difficult job in order to be paid a wage. It is much more like working at a friendship or a marriage in order to enjoy the other person’s company more fully.” I don’t help with the dishes to get a “thank you” or a chip I can use later; I help because I love Sharon and want to partner with her. 

            Craig Blomberg, a noted Bible scholar, said this, “I do not believe there is a single NT… text that supports the notion that believers will be distinguished from one another for all eternity on the basis of their works as Christians.” He goes on to say that a belief like this would have damaging consequences for the motivation and psychology of living the Christian life. Christians should never think of obedience, love, or service in terms of earning some future payoff. 

            I mean, how can we preach and teach that living in the presence of Christ will be glorious, but rewards will make that experience even better? Christ, through whom we have forgiveness and eternal life is all the reward we need. 

            Paul exhorted the Colossians, “Whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ,” (Col. 3:24). 

                                                                        AMEN

Please also see this link for more of Craig Blomberg.https://www.etsjets.org/files/JETS-PDFs/35/35-2/JETS_35-2_159-172_Blomberg.pdf