Questions About ‘Imposing Our Beliefs on Others’

The newspaper headline caught my eye: “Speaker’s faith is causing mixed feelings: Some fear Johnson will ‘impose’ his beliefs of others.” The “Johnson” referred to is Louisiana congressman Mike Johnson, recently elected as the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Although hardly a household name in many American households (frankly, I don’t think I had heard of him prior to his being announced as Speaker), Johnson reportedly has become well-known in Congress for having a strong and unapologetic faith in Jesus Christ. In exploring the “fear” of imposing his convictions on others, the article quoted Johnson’s response to a question: “Someone asked me today in the media, ‘People are curious, what does Mike Johnson think about any issue?’ Johnson said…. ‘Well, pick up a Bible off your shelf and read it. That’s my worldview.’”

 

So, is it wrong to serve in elective office with a mindset of filtering decisions and actions according to a biblical worldview? This in turn raises another valid question: How much, if at all, should one’s spiritual faith influence how we think and act in any area of life, whether in politics, owning a business, teaching at a school or college, holding an hourly wage job, or simply relating to others we encounter every day?

 

Too many people have relegated God to the status of “last resort” – or no resort at all. Some folks speak of their faith as being “private” or “personal,” as if we’re inquiring about their bank accounts or latest medical exams. I would agree that we shouldn’t coerce or pressure anyone into believing as we do, but if we truly embrace the message of Jesus Christ as life-changing and transforming, is it wrong to want to share that with as many people as possible?

 

For the follower of Jesus Christ, faith isn’t like a hat you put on Sundays and hang on a post every other day. The apostle Paul said it clearly while speaking to a group of Greek philosophers in ancient Athens. After noting the idols for many gods being worshiped in that city, he told them about Christ and declared, “For in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

 

Just as we can’t live without breathing the air that surrounds us, Paul was saying that his faith in Christ was foundational to everything he thought, said, and did. But many people are prone to compartmentalize their lives, including areas of religion and faith. They can look “religious” during worship services but appear more like atheists or agnostics in their daily practices. 

 

Perhaps this is why another apostle, James, made the startling pronouncement, “…faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17). ‘Wait a minute,’ someone might argue, ‘doesn’t the Bible state that people are saved by grace through faith, and not by works?’

 

Yes, it does. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” And Titus 3:5 concurs that, “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but according to His mercy….”

 

But James goes on to address that apparent contradiction: “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe this – and shudder…” (James 2:18-19). The apostle proceeds to cite the patriarch Abraham and the prostitute Rahab as examples of people whose faith compelled them to actions that would have seemed foolish otherwise.

 

Getting back to the headline about new Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, if he’s as committed to Christ and the Scriptures as he professes, then according to the passages above he can’t help but lead the House of Representatives in a manner he considers consistent with what the Bible teaches.

 

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). He also told His followers, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on the stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

 

If our desire is to honor the Lord, serving as His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), can we do less than let His light shine brightly through us?

 

In the same edition of the newspaper I was reading, another headline caught my eye: “Biden calls for GOP help on gun violence.” Violence being committed with guns is a serious problem, without question. But I couldn’t help thinking that a more hopeful headline would have read, “Biden calls for GOD’s help on gun violence.”

 

Nearly every day we hear or read horrifying accounts about acts of violence, often with guns, across our society. Amid much pontificating, posturing and debate, suggested “solutions” are plentiful. But when was the last time we heard someone urgently calling for fervent, trusting prayer for God to intervene and bring an end to the needless, senseless carnage?

Maybe, just perhaps someone like a Mike Johnson, without “imposing his beliefs,” can lead the way and cast much-needed light when the path our nation is following seems so dismal and dark.  

Key to Spiritual Success – Know Your Job Description

Anyone who’s spent any time at all in the business and professional world is familiar with a document called the “job description.” It’s for both employer and employee, recording in written form the duties, responsibilities and expectations involved with a particular job. It enables them both to be on the same page – in a literal way – for understanding what the employee’s expected to do and how it’s to be done.

I remember years ago, upon being hired by CBMC, reading with delight that my job description included editing the ministry’s magazine and co-authoring a book with the president at the time. Until then I’d never written a magazine article; writing a book had long been one of my personal goals. So, I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity or a more wonderful challenge. The subsequent 20 years with CBMC and its sister ministry, CBMC International, exceeded my greatest hopes.

 

However, job descriptions aren’t fail-safe. When supervisor and worker misconnect on what the job’s about, problems can arise – even serious ones. I remember the head of a different organization once describing the time he got sideways with an employee, simply because he and she weren’t in accord on what was expected.

 

One day, the supervisor decided he’d had enough. Very dissatisfied with the work the employee was doing, he called her in and prepared to gently convey the bad news that her services would no longer be required. 

 

To soften the blow, he asked, “How do you like your job?” “Oh, I love it!” she replied enthusiastically. “Really?” he reacted, barely concealing his puzzlement. “Well, tell me how you think you’re doing.” With gusto the employee responded not only by stating how well she was doing but also proceeding to describe in detail the tasks she was performing.

 

For a few moments the supervisor sat in stunned silence. Then he realized this employee was doing a very good job – except not with the work he’d been expecting her to do. The problem wasn’t the job description, but his failure at the onset to ensure they were both in agreement about what was expected.

 

The meeting didn’t end with him firing her. Instead, he felt a need to commend her – and give her a pay increase – along with a thorough review of the job he was expecting her to perform. This was what they call a failure to communicate.

 

Did you know that, if you’re a follower of Jesus Christ, you have a job description?

 

This “job description” has many facets. We find them throughout the Scriptures, although Jesus encapsulated them neatly in Matthew 22:34-39. Responding to a group of religious leaders who cagily asked Him to identify “which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus’ reply was simple: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

 

These two indeed sum up God’s expectations for us, His “job description” for everyone who follows Him. But the question might arise, “How do I do that?” The “how-to” unfolds as we read the Bible. For instance, as the apostle Paul declared in Acts 17:28, “For in him we live and move and have our being.” From the moment we awaken in the morning to the moment we return to bed at night, our heart’s desire should be to experience His life and presence – and to reflect it to everyone we meet during the course of the day.

 

On many occasions, Jesus instructed His disciples to “preach the gospel,” but He wasn’t referring to words alone. We see this emphasized in His final “commission,” recounted in Matthew 28:19-20, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Jesus wanted His disciples to reproduce spiritually, to make other disciples who also would make disciples, folks who would live and breathe – and yes, communicate – the reality of who He is and what He can do in the lives of those who trust in Him by faith.

 

We could point to many other passages for help in understanding our “job,” what the Lord expects of us. But one Old Testament verse in particular conveys God’s central requirement for His chosen people.

 

In Micah 6:8 we’re told, “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

 

That’s it. If someone were to ask, “What does God require of you?” we could rightly answer, “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with my God.” Direct and profound, and yet an assignment that takes a lifetime to fulfill.

 

Micah the prophet was responding to a challenge when the people of Israel were pointing proudly to their elaborate and extensive religious practices and traditions, things like burnt offerings and animal sacrifices. Surely those were sufficient to make them acceptable in God’s sight, they reasoned. But Micah reacted with, “Not so fast, folks!”

 

As one commentator, Dr. John MacArthur, has explained, “Spiritual blindness had led them to offer everything except the one thing [God] wanted – a spiritual commitment of the heart from which right behavior would ensue.” We find the same sentiment in Proverbs 21:3, which states, “To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.”

Justice. Mercy. Humility. Volumes and volumes have been written about each of those words. They’re simple, yet life-changing for those willing to understand and pursue them seriously. If God were to ask you, how would you write your “job description”? 

Discovering the One Identity That Matters Most

Have you watched any of those crime dramas on TV – the ones with forensic pathologists doing extensive examinations of corpses seeking to determine, “Who is this person?” I find it interesting that whether we’re living or deceased, our identity is so integral to our existence.

 

Identity is a recurring theme these days, even dominating news reports at times. Debates abound about whether it’s important to prove one’s identity to participate in an election – voter ID. We hear endless commentaries (or arguments) over something called “gender identity.” Famous individuals make news when they announce their identity as supporters of a particular political party.

But our identity – who we are – doesn’t have to be news-making. Whenever we fill out a survey, they ask numerous questions related to our identity: Are we married, single, divorced, or what? What about race or ethnicity – which one are we? Then there’s that matter of gender again. The difference is that these days, there are usually more than two boxes from which to choose.

 

When we meet someone for the first time, whether in a business context, a new neighbor or even a fellow passenger on a commercial jet, one question we commonly ask – or answer – is, “What kind of work do you do?” In other words, what’s your vocational or professional identity?

 

We can find a sense of “identity” in the sports teams we root for, hobbies we pursue, how much education we have and where we received it, the size of our bank account, which subdivision we live in, the people and groups we associate with, and a host of many other things. 

 

Each of these identity determinants has some value, but shouldn’t there be something about us that transcends such things as ethnicity, net worth, job, or even how we spend time behind closed doors?

 

Reading through the Bible, we see a strange and amazing collection of characters, most of them very flawed, but in terms of identity, they had one reality in common: They saw themselves as inseparably linked to God; He was their single-most reason for being. For instance, we read that “Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God” (Hebrews 11:24-25).

 

Moses’ successor, Joshua, led the Israelites into the Promised Land, fulfilling the promise the Lord had made when they were freed from bondage in Egypt. But a great danger lurked – the temptation to turn away from the one true God and worship the false gods of the surrounding nations. So, as his days as their leader were nearing an end, Joshua gave the people of Israel this charge: “…then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

 

As good an example of someone who had absolute clarity about his identity was Paul the apostle. Speaking to a large crowd in the city of Athens, filled with idols to an multiplicity of gods, Paul explained what faith in Jesus Christ meant: “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28)

 

Writing to believers in the city of Galatia, he declared, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). 

 

Writing to Jesus’ followers in another ancient church, Paul underscored their true identity: “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). In another letter to the same group, the apostle wrote, “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16).

 

Being Christ followers also clarified one’s identity in terms of calling and service, the apostle asserted, “for we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9). Imagine being chosen as co-workers with the Lord in fulfilling His eternal purposes on earth.

 

In his second letter to the church in Corinth, Paul wrote, “…God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God” (1 Corinthians 5:19-20). 

 

Perhaps the most compelling statement about the true identity of those who follow Jesus is found in Galatians 3:26-28, which declares, “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

In Christ, traits like ethnicity, social status or gender aren’t taken into account. Our jobs, hobbies, personal possessions and portfolios, even our personal habits, are things we do – but they’re not who we are, our identity, if we have received Him as Savior and Lord. We are “new creations” – the old has passed, the new has come! 

The Mythical ‘Separation of Church and State’

Our founding fathers did a remarkable job in writing the U.S. Constitution. Not only in building the framework for a new, independent nation, but also in anticipating what needs and circumstances would confront the United States of America in the future, both near and far. 

 

Most of us remember the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776, but did you know the first 10 amendments to the Constitution were ratified on Dec. 15, 1791? That’s nearly 230 years ago, yet in many respects these amendments make as much sense now as they did then.

 

These days there’s considerable debate about the meaning and application of several of the amendments, including Amendment I, which encompasses the rights to worship freely and speak freely, as well as freedom of the press and the right to assemble. What I’d like to look at is the beginning of the 1^st amendment, which states very simply, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof….”

 

This was specified because the United States was in part the byproduct of people fleeing from Great Britain, where the state had established the official religion, restricting the practice of other faiths. As a result, today in America we have a cornucopia of religions and belief systems from which to choose. And most would agree that is as it should be; no one should be coerced into what they should or should not believe.

 

Somewhere along the line, however, the intent of this amendment was turned on its head. Instead of restraining the government from dictating a specific religion, it’s become interpreted by many as a taboo for exercising one’s faith in the public square. There are those who would argue that faith – or religion – has no place in politics, education, science, or any other discipline.

 

This isn’t a new development. It’s a growing trend that started gaining traction in the 1960s and has been building momentum ever since. But I find it hard to comprehend how someone devoted to their beliefs, especially followers of Jesus Christ, could hang their faith at the door no matter which sphere they enter. As the apostle Paul wrote, “For in him [Jesus] we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

 

Some folks seem to compartmentalize their faith, putting on their religious masks on designated worship days but acting as if God does not exist the rest of the time. For born-again disciples of Christ, however, that's not an option. They can’t help but bring his or her beliefs into whatever they do, whether it’s working, going to school, passing laws, or even in adopting worldviews for help in sorting through the complexities of everyday life.

 

As the brilliant writer, theologian and apologist C.S. Lewis wrote, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." In the life of faith, there is no separation. It’s not like a hat or coat we can conveniently put on and remove whenever it serves our purposes. 

 

We’re admonished in Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” In essence, we’re there to serve Him and His purposes.

 

Whether in the halls of Congress or a schoolhouse, the Oval Office or an office cubicle, when we as Jesus’ followers are there, He’s right there with us. The Lord doesn’t reside in the sanctuary, but in our hearts, as Galatians 2:20 declares: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

 

Years ago I heard the following quotation that’s generally attributed to George MacLeod, a Scottish clergyman. It encapsulates the importance of diligently avoiding any separating of church and state, church and workplace, or church and classroom:

 

“I simply argue that the cross be raised again at the center of the marketplace as well as on the steeple of the church. I am recovering the claim that Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral between two candles, but on a cross between two thieves; on the town garbage heap; at a crossroad so cosmopolitan that they had to write his title in Hebrew and in Latin and in Greek...at the kind of place where cynics talk smut, and thieves curse, and soldiers gamble. Because that is where he died. And that is what he died about. And that is where churchmen ought to be, and what churchmen should be about.”

 

The building we typically call “the church” may be the place we congregate on a regular basis, to worship and be reminded of the Lord’s call on our lives as members of His eternal body. But we’re to exercise that call in the world around us, wherever He chooses to place us. “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9).

The Saddest Verse in the Bible

One of the distinctives about the Bible is its candor, its unvarnished presentation of the failures and foibles of its principal characters. There’s no airbrushing, no whitewashing of even the most important individuals, no accounts told through rose-tinted glasses.

As we read the Scriptures, we encounter many passages about sin, disobedience, rebellion. It starts in the garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, continues with King David’s adultery and murder to cover up his sin, and carries through to the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot and Peter’s more subtle, but equally grievous betrayal as Jesus was being tried and tortured prior to His crucifixion.

So it’s questionable at best to declare one verse as the saddest in all of the Bible, but nevertheless, I have a nominee. In the 6^thchapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus had just finished making some difficult statements that troubled many of those who had been avidly following Him. Jesus had declared, “I am the bread of life” (v. 35) and “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day” (v. 44). Not the simplest words to grasp.

These were definitely confounding for many of those listening to Him. “On hearing it, many of his disciples said, ‘This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?’” (v. 60). Jesus was not at all surprised by their reaction and made no attempt to pacify their perplexity. “…The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, ‘This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him’” (vv. 63-65).

Then comes what I regard as the saddest verse in the Bible: “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (John 6:66).

Imagine having been with Jesus – God in the flesh – for weeks, months, maybe even a year or two, hearing His unfathomable words of wisdom and observing His miraculous works. Blind people given sight, crippled people restored to unaided mobility, lepers having skin turned soft like infants, dead people being raised to life. And then, after hearing Him utter some puzzling pronouncements, turning away and no longer following Him.

Could anything be more heartbreaking than that?

The Scriptures tell us “the mark of the beast” – our spiritual enemy – is 666, so perhaps it’s appropriate that the address for this verse is John 6:66. It must be the work of the evil one to cause one-time followers of Jesus to turn away, forsaking Him and His teachings, upon learning what it fully means to follow Him.

Things aren’t much different today. We probably all know people, even friends or family members, who at one time seemed to be ardent Christ followers. They were attending worship services regularly, going to Bible studies, eagerly sharing their faith, maybe even engaging in vocational Christian ministry. But then, whether gradually or suddenly, their enthusiasm and commitment faded. One day we look up and find, like the folks in Jesus’ day, they had turned back and were no longer following Him.

Perhaps, as Jesus described in His parable of the sower, it’s that “the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful” (Mark 4:19). This is why discipling – spiritual mentoring – is so vital for the health and growth of believers, not only those new to the faith but also those who have been following Jesus for years. We all need support, encouragement and accountability in our walk with the Lord.

My prayer is that I and those I care about will always be able to say, “For in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Do you know of anyone who seems at risk of turning back and no longer following the Lord? How about you? What can you do to keep that from happening?

May our hearts echo the words of Peter, when Jesus asked His 12 closest disciples if they too wished to leave. Peter replied, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God" (John 6:68-69).

Puzzling Through Our Priorities

If someone were to ask you, “What are your priorities in life?”, how would you respond? Have you ever consciously tried to define them, or do you prefer the “knee-jerk reaction” approach?

We all have priorities, even if we can’t list them specifically. For instance, you’re in an important meeting at work, but you receive an urgent phone call that someone in your immediate family has been hurt in an auto accident. You probably wouldn’t say you’ll get to the hospital in a couple of hours, and proceed to the next agenda item, right? Personal emergencies usually take precedence over just about anything.

What are your priorities?

Sometimes, however, priorities aren’t as easy to sort through. Imagine you’ve made a commitment to attend one of your children’s school events. You’ve promised. But at the last minute your boss gives you an assignment that conflicts directly with your attendance at that event. Which do you choose? Do you tell the child that, even though you’d love to be there, work responsibilities must come first – hoping he or she will understand?

Or maybe you’re getting ready for church, just about to go out the door, when a neighbor calls in obvious emotional distress, asking for your advice. Do you assure the neighbor you’ll be glad to talk with her later, but sorry, you need to get to the worship service first?

Years ago, a man I greatly respected would often speak about proper priorities for a follower of Jesus Christ, and he would list them this way: 1) God, 2) marriage/family, 3) work, 4) ministry, 5) everything else. At first glance this seems correct. After all, the Scriptures tell us we’re to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind” (Deuteronomy 6:5, Mark 12:30). From a biblical perspective, putting God first in our lives shouldn’t be a matter for debate.

However, I see one problem with ordering priorities in this way. There’s a temptation to devote some time to “God stuff” – like spending a few minutes reading the Bible, praying a bit, maybe attending church or a Bible study – and then we shrug our shoulders, thinking, “Well, I’ve got the spiritual things out of the way. Now I can get on with the rest of my life.”

Instead, I would suggest a similar priority list, with one significant modification: 1) God, 2) God and marriage/family, 3) God and work, 4) God and ministry, 5) God and everything else.

Maybe it’s a uniquely American tendency, but it’s easy for us to compartmentalize life. We have a “God section,” separated from other parts of our everyday pursuits. If we take the Scriptures seriously, this isn’t at all what God expects. That doesn’t mean we must spend every waking hour walking about in flowing robes, hands folded in prayer, speaking soft, religious-sounding platitudes wherever we go. It does mean we’re not to set Him aside when we show up for work, go to the golf course, or visit the local mall.

As the apostle Paul said in explaining his faith in Jesus Christ to the Areopagus, an esteemed council of Greek leaders, while visiting the ancient city of Athens, “For in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Similar to breathing, in which we cannot exist without an environment of oxygen, the apostle saw his life fully enmeshed with his relationship to Christ.

In several other passages, Paul stated our focus on God should be a distinctive of everything we think, do and say: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters” (Colossians 3:17,23). Elsewhere he wrote, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Applying these teachings to the matter of priorities, it seems our relationship with the Lord should be foundational to everything we undertake, whether weighing personal commitments, making sales calls, deciding how to maintain and strengthen relationships with our mates, competing on a tennis court, or evaluating spending decisions.

As Jesus urged His followers, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). He seemed to be saying, either God is everything in our lives – or He is nothing.

In some respects, this seems like a hard saying, but not when we consider, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). It’s all about priorities.