The Way Things Should Be

Things are not what they should be in the hearts and minds of Christians.  There seems to be weighty evidence that in all the hoopla of today’s crazy trends and scandals, we neglect the two things Jesus told us were the two most important commandments. 

“Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”  The second is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these’” (Mark 12:29-31 ESV). 

It appears that we still demote God to a lesser priority than that of our “first love”, and when that is out of whack, we of course cannot get the second one right either:  a disconnect with God is a disconnect from the His supernatural filling of our hearts with His perfect love.  It’s a shame, too, since we are intended by God to be living examples (albeit, imperfect ones) of Who He is in His holiness and grace.  It doesn’t have to be that way. 

The miracle of what God does through our faith in Jesus Christ in forgiving our sin and establishing the process of sanctifying us by His Holy Spirit has a pervasive quality that is inescapable for us if we abide in Him (see John 15:5).  In the moment that we become His children by turning from sin and trusting Jesus as Lord and Savior, we become entirely His (see 1 Corinthians 6:20 & 7:23) and He is not derelict in His duty to exert His power and presence in our lives as we learn to live surrendered to Him. 

Aside from the fact that He has full right to lead us, command us, and do whatever work in us He chooses as His Spirit convicts us of sin and of how to respond to the amazing love He has demonstrated to us, there is opened up for us a means to live life that is contrary to the patterns and habits of the world and is contrary also to our own flesh’s compulsive need to promote our own selfish agendas.

In Philippians 2:1-3, God’s Word teaches us that “if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy”, then we are to be “of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.”  Furthermore, it compels us to “do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility to count others more significant than ourselves.” 

The Bible essentially tells us that because of Who God is and what He has done for us through Jesus, we cease being the center of our universes.  We learn to orbit around Him and His will for our lives.  “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others (Philippians 2:4 ESV). 

The example that God gives us is one He personally demonstrates for us in Christ:  “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:5-8 ESV). 

Wow!  To what extent should I love God?  The extent to which I trust Him in complete surrender and total obedience.  Where do I demonstrate the fact of my love for Him?  By putting God’s glory first in the meeting of others’ needs in practical ways.  That is exactly what Jesus did as He died on the cross for your sin and mine.

Where does this ultimately lead?  Am I to spend all of myself for God only to be cast aside by Him and forgotten?  No.  The path to our greatest blessings in God are found in trusting Him enough to endure suffering for Him and rejection by others even as we love others with Jesus’ love.  Because Jesus loved the Father to the point of enduring a terrible, ignoble death, “God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11 ESV). 

Basically, when we love God enough to dare loving others as Jesus did and does, our Heavenly Father takes that obedience, uses it to help others come to faith in Christ, and also works out an eternal blessing for those who endure for the sake of their love for Him. 

When we begin, with His help, to get this right, then things begin to be what they should be in the minds and hearts of Christians today.

Copyright © Thom Mollohan

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On Judging

You and I make decisions every day.  In other words, you and I make judgments.  We judge to do this thing or to do something else; to say this or to say something else (or to say nothing); to go out or to stay in; or to pursue one direction in life or perhaps another. 

We are constantly making decisions – which means we are constantly judging things and people in accordance to our priorities and, by extension, our values.  So when a person says, “I don’t judge,” we have to assume that what is meant is something a bit more specific.  Does he or she mean that I have no opinion on the worth or value of a course of action?  That would be impossible since every moment he or she is either opting for chocolate or vanilla, country music or pop or hip hop, Ford or Chevy, Democrat or Republican. 

So in that sense, we are all making judgments.  So what does Jesus mean in Matthew 7:1-2 when He says, “Judge not, that you be not judged”?  Does He mean that we are to render ourselves indifferent about the worth of different things in life on which we spend our time, energy, and resources?  Does He mean that all paths are equal which would render each choice as non-important?  No, of course not.  How could He mean that when certain choices (judgments) can lead to death while some lead to health? 

Jesus is speaking there to a particular aspect of judgment:  that of condemnation of others.  The problem isn’t that we make decisions or that all paths are of equal worth and therefore to be equally upheld, but that we take on ourselves the position and posture of God Himself, forgetting that we are all fallen sinners equally in need of the Savior.  In other words, none of us are perfect.

I often hear Matthew 7:1-2 quoted, but usually out of context and applied to accommodate a desire to dodge personal responsibility for choices being made that are contrary to the will of God.  This misappropriation of Matthew 7:1-2 generally is utilized to render it difficult or impossible for others to criticize our position (because we like to do what we’re doing and don’t want to feel God’s conviction about our doing of it). 

Jesus instruction to us here is that of not assuming the position of a person who feels empowered to mete out the condemnation (rejection, discarding, or hatred of another) of others while at the same time not accepting responsibility for his or her own sinful inclinations and need for God’s forgiveness.  He was addressing the human inclination to objectify others as being deserving of punishment as if we ourselves were morally superior and closer to God looking down on others by His side. 

Sad, isn’t it?  Especially since this is what our society has become today.  It is consuming us in fact and is applied to just about any topic you can imagine.  People are “judging” others (as inferior or contemptible) about any and all things.  Vaccinators versus those who opt out of vaccinations, public schoolers versus homeschoolers, maskers versus non-maskers,  and so on and so forth. 

We have reached the point that we do not seem to be capable of civil conversation at all and if we cannot be civil toward one another no matter the difference in our opinions, then the argument follows that we have ceased to be civilized at all.  We are losing our civilization. 

This is not a reference to a particular worldview or theological mindset (that is another discussion for another time).  It is simply an acknowledgment that we are not only accepting of uncivility, we applaud it, pursue it, and embrace it.   

The Bible goes to great lengths on how Christians, as citizens of the Kingdom of God and especially as children of God, must flesh out civility (e.g., Ephesians 4:25-32).  It is true that some paths are better than others.  It is true that some choices are wrong and sinful and reject God’s plan.  But instead of hating others for their confusion on these points, God would have us reach out redemptively. 

In Matthew 7:3-4, Jesus goes on to speak of our judging others, “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye, when there is a log in your own eye?’  You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” 

This basically means that when we disagree with another, we first do the work of prayerful self-examination, taking our attitudes, thoughts, habits, words and actions to the Word of God for careful and humble review.  We will find that a lot of our assumptions and subsequent behaviors need a lot of work.  But as we do so, we can reach out redemptively to others with truth, patiently accepting that the God Who has been working in my life is also working in theirs to bring about heart change and clarity, wisdom and love. 

And it leaves to God what is only God’s:  the role of ultimate judge.  Only He can judge in the spiritually legal sense.  Only He knows the eternal destiny of others.  In the meantime, we love others, we share the truth of God’s Word with others, and we trust God with others to work in them the transforming work of His Spirit.   

Copyright © Thom Mollohan

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A Rule for Today

One of the takeaways from Jesus’ most famous sermon (the Sermon on the Mount found in the Gospel of Matthew chapters 5 through 7) is, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12 ESV). To “do unto others what you would have them do to you” is often called the “Golden Rule”.

This single statement has historically been widely known (if not practiced) by people who do not even identify as Christians. On the other hand, as our society becomes increasingly illiterate of the Word of God (prone to assume it knows what the Bible says, yet ignorant of what it actually does say), it seems that fewer and fewer people know this Kingdom of God principle. Fewer even attempt to practice it.

When Jesus teaches His hearers and readers like you and me to do this, He sets for us the idea that most of our societal expectations including our laws, morals, and attitudes affecting our treatment of each other are answered in the common sense notion that if you and I want others to treat us respectfully, honestly, and kindly, we need to get in the habit of treating others with respect, honesty, and kindness.

As you and I do our part to carry this out, we bring into the social atmosphere of our world a spiritual force that changes the hearts of others. To be sure, it is a gradual change, and is a lot like moving a beach one grain of sand at a time, but it is real change.

However, with tidal waves of hatred, misunderstanding, and malice crashing onto the shorelines of our interactions with one another, it may seem overwhelming to my one act of integrity or truthfulness or generosity. Yet small acts of regard for others that are genuine have a way of softening hard hearts, weakening stubborn pride, and countering selfish and petty attitudes.

Consider how such small deeds, kind words, and trustworthy habits often prove contagious – even more profoundly than COVID-19. A woman may treat with kindness another because a stranger showed her kindness. A man’s cheerfulness may light up the room full of gloomy coworkers who find it in their hearts to smile at others on the way home from work. A woman’s humble attitude may set her subordinates at ease. A person’s integrity with a club’s money may show his community that he can be trusted with the county budget. And so on. Genuinely helping and supporting others is something we all would do well to “catch”.

But aside from the effects that these things have on others, a deeper and greater reason remains: it pleases our Heavenly Father for us to treat others well and faithfully.

“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” (Colossians 3:23-24 ESV). To “work heartily” here means to work with enthusiasm and with diligence, faithfully carrying out our work. Why? Because it makes the world a better place? While it does that very thing, no, that is not the reason. We do it because, whatever the worldly outcome, our pleasure is in pleasing our Savior.

Yet… even as we carry out this labor of love, we are changing the world. One grain of sand at a time perhaps, but when all of God’s people are carrying out this high and holy calling, to treat others as we wish to be treated, together the tide turns and the world is made better.

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9 ESV).

Let us each do our part, trusting that Jesus knows what He is talking about. Let us not concern ourselves with how others are behaving, but be resolved in fulfilling the Golden Rule.

Copyright © Thom Mollohan

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