God’s Will, Our Will, and the Will of Others

 

          From a young age most of us were told “Eat your vegetables.”  Perhaps our parents even said “You are going to eat this and you are going to like it!”  But, our desire was to have a Twinkie instead; however the stronger will of our parents prevailed.  When we got our driver’s license at 16, we felt freedom like we had never known before and perhaps thought, ‘what a waste,’ as we were confident our car would go much faster than the limit of 55 or 65 miles-per-hour.  When we went off to college we would have preferred not to deal with early morning classes, parking restrictions, exams, term papers, cafeteria food, and bone dry lectures.  When we got our first job out of college we likely wanted an office with a window, a longer lunch period, and a little less of a workload.  When we reached middle age we probably did not like our doctor telling us to watch our salt intake, exercise more, and cut back on sugar.  Later, when we become elderly, we will resent being told again to “Eat your vegetables.”  And if we are going to have to eat them, we certainly don’t want them pureed!  Plus, we will be angry that our kids have forced us to give up driving, and treat us a whole lot like children. The common thread, at every stage of life is that someone is always seeking to impose his/her will upon you and me.  It happens from infancy to death.

            When you hear a knock at your door, your defenses go up, because 3 out of 4 times it is a teenager trying to sell their quota of raffle tickets, the siding and windows people with their very best deal ever, or the Jehovah’s Witnesses trying to get you to subscribe to their version of the truth.  The reason it takes us an hour to watch a 40 minute television program is because advertisers want us to drink Coke, eat at Applebee’s, and drive a new Cadillac

          Being influenced by the will of others can last long after the people, in essence, have no real influence over us at all (i.e. our high school English teacher, our childhood pastor, a respected coach). Every mother and father hopes their influence will stick with their children long after they leave home and get out on their own.  Their will and desire for their kids is strong and compelling and becomes the substance of their greatest hopes and most earnest prayers. Kids certainly do continue to feel the influence of concerned parents and other family members as they travel through life.  Country singer Chris Young had a hit a few years ago with a song called “Voices.”  There is a line in the song which says “Walking around with all these whispers, running ‘round here in my brain.  I just can’t help but hear ‘em; man I can’t avoid it; I hear voices; I hear voices.”

          Within the body of Christ, we tend to try with all our might to influence people toward doing the things we believe they need to be doing.  Many parents of adult children will for their son or daughter to get back in church.  Many wives wish their husbands would develop a spiritual side and quit hunting and fishing every Sunday.  Many husbands will for their wives to quit nagging at them about their hobbies

          Where is the fine line for the church?  Some churches have tried to force the truth of God apart from the work and influence of the Holy Spirit in a person’s heart and life.  Some have sought to impose their will upon a community by even resorting to trickery, and in some cases, compromising the Gospel, in order to gain bigger numbers.  Internal motives are often not as pure as the external motives everyone sees.  Even within the various ministries of the church, there is always the tendency for one person to try and impose their will upon another.  ‘You must attend this class . . . it is just what you need.’  ‘You must come to this service . . . you will like it.’  Really what is desired is that people’s motives would change and that they would then actually desire to participate; but in the frustrating absence of their willingness, we fall back on our own attempts at imposition of our will to try and carry the day.

          In Romans 9 we read the Apostle Paul’s personal account of how his own heart broke for his own countrymen (Israel).  He writes “I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, who are Israelites.” (Rom. 9:1-3)  Paul’s will in the matter was so strong and he agonized so severely that he even says he would become accursed himself if he could just see his fellow countrymen come to Christ!  Perhaps many parents have felt that way about seeing their own kids come to Christ; but in the end no matter how strongly we will for certain things to happen, we cannot make them happen.  Rather, as the prophet Jonah proclaimed, under great duress and torment while in the belly of the great fish, “Salvation is of the Lord.” (Jon. 2:9)

          We can, and should, pray for the things we desire – so long as they are in accordance with God’s revealed Word; but we ultimately cannot force our will upon another, at least when it comes to certain things like a personal relationship with Christ.  Further, we should be careful to not seek to gain what we want by trickery and underhanded practices.  If God is truly in something He will bless it greatly; if he is not in something He will not bless it.  People waste a lot to time, and other resources, trying to do what only God can do.  Those things should be given over to the Lord.  We can be instruments, He may choose to use, but God wants us to remember, it is the Holy Spirit alone that has the power to change a person’s heart and thereby their whole life.  We must realize how utterly powerless we are and yield our will over to God.

In Christ,

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

Bigger Vs. Smaller Government, and Jesus

          There has been an ongoing debate for a long, long time about whether government should be bigger or smaller.  The debates have raged, but it is hard to discount success and it is hard to hide failure.  Over the course of the last 80 years there have been times government was shrank, but the majority of the time government has expanded – sometimes quite rapidly.  Most notably among the leaps were Franklin Roosevelt’s “New Deal,” and Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society.”

            Many have come to view “Obamacare” as the sort of “trifecta” which basically completes the government’s responsibilities by assuming the role of providing healthcare for all Americans.  Many view this as nothing short of Socialism.  Others would not go that far, but would concede that it is a move in a more “socialistic” direction.  The dictionary definition of “Socialism” is “A way of organizing a society in which major industries are owned and controlled by the government rather than by individual people and companies.” (Webster’s)  Many believe the ultimate goal of Obamacare is to force a collapse of the private insurance market and force the country into a single payer system; i.e. a government monopoly on healthcare.

          Conservatives have generally advocated smaller government, lower taxes, tax breaks for business owners and corporations with a view toward stimulating the economy and thereby encouraging economic growth, self-reliance, and individualism.  Traditionally liberals have supported growth of government and government programs, higher taxes to support this growth and advocate that people, particularly wealthier Americans, should pay more in order to subsidize the poorer and weaker.  Liberals have cited, as precedent, everything from the more socialistic leaning European countries to the Bible in defense of their position.  Conservatives, in contrast, have sought to pound home the idea that man should be as free as possible and that government is controlled by “We the People” (U.S. Constitution Preamble) and not the other way around.

          Some have pointed to Scriptures such as Acts 2:44-45 where the early church is said to have “had all things in common;” or perhaps to Jesus’ examples of caring for the poor and less fortunate in order to defend their positions.  Certainly, these are noble and indeed expected of followers of Christ.  But the question becomes; ‘Did Jesus admonish individuals or governments to care for others?’  Jesus had strikingly little to say about governments and politics.  When he taught that mankind was to “Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and unto God what is God’s” (Mat. 22:21) he was effectively highlighting an eternal separation of the institution of man/government with the Kingdom of God.  Empires, countries, and even their forms of government have come and gone over time and will continue to come and go as long as the earth remains, but the Kingdom of God is ultimately “a-political,” or separate from politics, even though many have tried to intertwine the two is unhealthy ways.  

          President Obama and the late President Reagan could hardly have two more divergent viewpoints concerning foreign policy, economic philosophy, and the role of government.  This year, 2014, marks the 25^th anniversary of President Reagan’s farewell address to the nation given from the Oval Office on January 11, 1989.  I strongly encourage you to follow the link below and listen to the 20 minute address by the former President, paying careful attention to his philosophy and considering its results after implementation during his 8 years in office.  Especially compared with what we are seeing and hearing today from various voices in the debate.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKVsq2daR8Q

          President Reagan says in this address that “government is the car, and ‘We the People’ are the drivers.” He believed Americans are to control when it goes, when it stops, how fast it goes, and where it goes.  But, far more prevalent in the current administration are initiatives and policies in support of the premise that “We the People” are the car and government is the driver with government effectively controlling when, where, and how we go.  The two philosophies are totally different and stand in total contrast to one another.

          Considering our responsibilities as Christians some may ask, “How would Jesus view these things?”  There were plenty of attempts to pull Jesus down into the petty arguments of the day.  Many of the questions he was asked were nothing more than traps set by those who sought to eliminate his credibility.  He never fell for it.  His answers strongly implied that the answers to their questions were largely unimportant in the bigger scheme of things.  But, are these questions totally unimportant for us?  Is there a preferred way; a more biblical approach?  I believe there is.  We certainly need to determine as much as we can about the issue(s). 

          One of my favorite Christian philosophers is the late Ronald Nash.  I have about 20 titles in my library authored by him.  A couple of his books are quite helpful at this point.  One is entitled Poverty and Wealth: The Christian Debate over Capitalism. This book introduces the study of economics and observes basic economic principles as they are played out in world history. The other is Social Justice and the Christian Church.  This book strongly refutes those who would capture evangelical Christianity for leftist causes.  Nash insists that Socialism caricatures capitalism and disadvantages more than it helps the needy.  It tends to create a sense of dependency in place of self-reliance which is unhealthy and demeaning to both individuals and entire societies.  It is the old principle at work that if you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, but if you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.

          This issue is no different than any other.  Christians need to increase their knowledge and be able to argue their positions credibly, intelligibly, and biblically.  When people mischaracterize and misrepresent Scripture we need to be able to recognize it and rebut with cogent arguments always in defense of God’s Word. 

In Christ,

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

Going with Jesus Instead of Staying With the Pharisees

          Have you ever wondered how some people could be so open minded?  Well, many have wondered how some people could be so closed-minded!  We live in a strange world and in a strange time!  Many things are rapidly becoming acceptable while other things are quickly becoming unacceptable.  It is becoming harder and harder to maneuver our way through these chaotic days.  But finding our way, as Christians, will not be accomplished by retreating to our bunkers, fall-out shelters, or our padded seat sanctuaries.  I have searched carefully in both English, and the original Greek and words like “hide,” “withdraw,” and “retreat” do not appear in The Great Commission of the Lord (Mat. 28:19-20).  Instead the disciples of Jesus were commissioned to “go.”  The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were not “going” anywhere.  Their whole function seemingly was to “stay” and “maintain” all sameness, and prevent the proverbial boat from being rocked.  They had taken the Scripture and then added further requirements – rules and regulations and traditions which had become equated sadly, but only in their minds, with God’s own words.

          William Barclay famously said, “In every generation there are those who seek to be stricter than God.”  The Pharisees, of New Testament fame, have plenty of modern-day descendants.  These are ones who believe Christianity is most evident by strict adherence to rules; mostly rules of man’s own making.  In his book Accidental Pharisees: Avoiding Pride, Exclusivity, and the Other Dangers of Overzealous Faith, author Larry Osborne discusses those who have erected fences outside God’s own fences as though they were seeking to gain God’s favor by attempting to be even stricter than God’s guidelines on any number of issues!  This has taken plenty of ridiculous forms as man-made rules have been erected all around the perimeters of God’s own Word.  Ironically, and unknowingly, many have effectively said, God’s Word does not go far enough, therefore we must add a little more!  Not wise, and certainly not helpful.  And, quite often these man-made add-ons become deterrents and stumbling blocks for lost people to become a part of the Kingdom.  Instead of removing obstacles, many have erected more!

          One wonders how the woman at the well (John 4) or the woman caught in adultery (John 8) might be treated by some in the modern day church.  Sadly, many Christians are afraid to get their hands dirty working in the world.  Reaching out and intentionally building relationships takes work.  There is a discomfort factor with leaving our lofty perches and getting down in the dirt (spiritually speaking) where many people live and operate.  Jesus was called “a friend of sinners” and I am not sure many churches or many individual Christians really understand that as well as they should.  Jesus showed many undesirables (tax collectors, prostitutes, murderers, thieves, etc.) compassion and love and told them to go forth and don’t sin anymore. There must be an unmistakable intentionality for our part that must undergird everything.  Unfortunately many are being repelled by the same church to which they should be attracted.

          I talked with someone not long ago who was afraid to attend church because she had tattoos on her arm.  She acted as though that was a truly legitimate excuse not to come.  When I questioned her why she could possibly think that, she began to explain how her uncle was a pastor and that she would certainly not be welcome in his church.  When people feel more hate than love; more exclusion than inclusion, emanating from a church, something is terribly wrong and Christ’s attitude toward sinners is not on display.

          I also talked recently with someone who reduced just about all she knew of Christianity to her perception of what she called “the homophobia of Christians.”  As we talked at length, she was amazed to hear what the Bible itself actually had to say and what I, as a Christian pastor, had to say.  She was completely caught off guard that my understanding of the issue was far greater than her own.  She admitted thinking that Christians simply were ignorant people who had no interest in learning and were closed minded.  Unfortunately she was not used to Christians who could or would intelligibly discuss issues of importance.  Alarmingly, many believers are not equipped and they never get around to becoming equipped to defend God’s Word and engage the culture.

          In the famous book In His Steps, first published in 1896, author Charles M. Sheldon famously asks the question “What would Jesus do?”  The book itself has sold over 30 million copies worldwide and was the inspiration behind a Christian campaign and merchandizing frenzy in the 1990s.  Many were wearing bracelets and wearing t-shirts with WWJD (What Would Jesus Do).  I think it is extremely important to ask ourselves that question often as we face all sorts of situations; but I also think it would be insightful if we were to also ask ourselves, from time to time, “What would the Pharisees do?”  My observations, over many years, lead me to believe that many church members are much more closely aligning themselves with the attitude and behavior of the Pharisees than with Jesus.         

          Far too many Christians have been guilty of attacking lost souls rather than reaching out to them with a measure of love and compassion and relaying to them the truth we are all just poor wretched sinners.  And, that our only hope comes through Jesus Christ. Lost people are going to look, act, and talk like lost people.  Their ideas and attitudes are going to be consistent with those of lost people. They desperately need what we hopefully already have – a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Are you reaching out to people as an extension of the love Christ has shown to you, or are you far more worried about rules, regulations and traditions like the Pharisees?  Are you willing to “go” as Jesus commissioned or are you resigned to “stay” behind as did the Pharisees?

In Christ,

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

Excuses, Church, and Accountability

          I was talking with a lady recently and she indicated that the thought of coming to church made her feel guilty about her sin.  She said whenever she even thinks about going, she gets convicted and that she knew it would be so much worse if she actually came.  It is certainly not unusual to encounter those who think that you have got to “get your act together” before coming to church or at least that you have got to “be prepared to get your act together” before coming; because there is a good chance you might come under conviction and the unpleasantness of that feeling will gnaw away at you until you get your life right with God.

          Some people see church as somehow therapeutic and that somehow through the act of going there is a cleansing which takes place.  I cannot help but recall the line from an old song by the Bellamy Brothers “Sunday morning catch a speckled perch; been bad all week gotta go to church.”  But, I am not sure anyone’s bad behavior throughout the week has ever been counterbalanced by coming to church on Sunday, at least not in the eyes of God.

          I told this lady, whom I talked to recently, that I think many people look at church all wrong, especially those who rarely attend or do not attend at all.  I told her church is mainly a place to learn.  There is a reason why churches expect certain educational credentials of a man before they call him as pastor.  I went on to tell her that, to some extent, we can think of church like school.  You go to school to learn things you would never discipline yourself enough to learn on your own.

          There is an old comment I have heard several different variations on over the years.  But it generally goes something like this: “You must have been absent the day they taught manners in school;” Or “You must have been absent the day they taught how to count in school.”  This is always said with a wink and a smile, but think about how serious this can be if it is applied to the church.  What would you have learned your 5^th grade year if you had not attended even once?  What if you had only attended 7 days that year?  What if you had missed half the time?  Unless you were particularly self-motivated to study your school lessons on your own, you would have failed to learn all or most of what was intended for you to learn.  You would then not be ready to move to the next grade because you had not learned what was expected in the previous grade.

          Pastors lament the sad fact that they preach whole sermon series that their communities need to hear but will not.  Even sadder still is that many on their church roles never hear even one message of a multi-part series either.  Somehow, the man that most believe to have the call of God upon his life, has been equipped by God, and has been extended a call by the church, does not have much to say which they consider relevant to their lives.  Many of these same folks hardly miss ball games, school activities, community activities, senior events, plus shopping and eating in restaurants.

          When considering the realities often hiding behind the excuses, something rather humorous happened to me several years ago, which indicated to me personally that God does have a great sense of humor, seen through a series of events I experienced over a 4 day period.  On a Tuesday afternoon I visited the home of an older, yet seemingly vibrant, couple who were members of the church but only rarely attended.  As I sat in their living room the lady explained to me, at great length, how she wanted to come to church so badly, but she just could not hardly leave the house fearing a fall.  She said her bones were very brittle and that she had been strongly warned by a physician that a fall could be terribly serious to her.  Before I left the home, and as I stood on her front porch, she again emphasized how badly she wished she was able to come to church but that it could be catastrophic for her to get out and that she only rarely did so.  I had no reason to doubt what she told me, but the next day (Wednesday) I was in the local grocery store in that small town and passed her on one of the aisles, greeting one another as we passed.  The next day (Thursday) I was in the next town to the south and stopped in for lunch at a Hardees restaurant.  I walked in and setting right there, at a table near the door, were her and her husband.  I stopped at their table and made a little small talk with them before placing my order.  The next day (Friday) I was in Walmart in another town about 30 miles north of where we lived and, believe it or not there was this lady again walking straight toward me.  When she saw me I saw her mouth visibly come open and she quickly looked away and tried to turn as though she had suddenly become interested in the first product she saw.  I made a point to say, “Well hello again.”  She was extremely uncomfortable to say the least!  I have laughed many times over the years as I thought about, in particular, the look on her face when she saw me in Walmart that day!

          Sadly, the human mind often operates as a make-shift excuse factory working overtime to get us out of the things we do not want to do.  The early 20^th Century Evangelist Billy Sunday said “An excuse is the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie.”  In this world, side by side, there are those who have been told they “cannot” do something that are striving with every ounce of strength they can muster to do it anyway, while others are striving with all their strength and might to figure out an excuse to get out of doing what they can and should.  It has been said “A man who wants to do something will find a way; a man who does not will find an excuse.” (Stephen Dolley Jr.)

          The Bible teaches that for every idle word, we are going to have to give an account.  And, that certainly includes our many excuses. So, the seemingly insignificant becomes highly significant when God gets involved, particularly when the time comes for us to give that accounting for the deeds done in the flesh, including all those excuses.

In Christ,

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor