Could Your Convictions Convict You?

This is my 700^th post since starting this blog late in 2008. I remember writing several in advance back then, in case I ran out of ideas. Didn’t want to be a one-week blogging wonder.

To commemorate this “milestone” (hopefully you don’t see it as more of a millstone!), I debated what to write about. For whatever reason, the subject of “convictions” came to mind. Our local newspaper is unusual in that it features two facing op-ed pages – the one on the left appropriately taking a liberal slant, the one on the right holding to conservative views. It’s amazing how they can discuss identical topics and espouse totally opposite convictions.

But having convictions isn’t strongly encouraged anymore. In deference to “tolerance,” people with strong convictions are often shouted down or ridiculed as narrow-minded, bigoted or worse. So I have two questions: What convictions do you strongly embrace? And based on what you say and how you act, would there be enough evidence to convict you for having those convictions?

I write from the conviction that the Bible isn’t an antiquated, irrelevant book with no meaning for 21^st century life. To the contrary, I’m convinced that just as the owner’s manual shows how a car should be operated and maintained, the Scriptures comprise God “Owner’s manual,” designed to tell us how to live and act.

Years ago someone became the first to proclaim, “There are no absolutes!” Which is ironic, since that statement sounds absolute. And if that’s true, couldn’t something else be equally “absolute”? These days there’s a strong trend away from matters of conviction, absolute beliefs. Instead, we’re told, “live and let live,” and “to thine own self be true.”

Churches and even denominations have acquiesced, abandoning the Bible as unquestioned foundation for what they believe and teach. In many quarters, ministerial leaders utter more palatable messages in their quest for a larger “market,” or to enhance their “brand.” Instead of the Ten Commandments, “Thou shalt not offend” has become the edict of choice.

But the Scriptures present many examples of unwavering, uncompromising conviction. It starts in the very first verse of the Bible’s first book, announcing, “In the beginning God….” Then it tells how He created all we see and know.

When Moses encountered God in the burning bush and was instructed to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, he asked who he should say sent him. The Lord responded, “I AM who I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14). He didn’t say, “I was,” or “I might be.” He said, “I AM,” declaring His omnipresence and timelessness.

Jesus announced, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6), He spoke with conviction – and unwavering certainty. He addressed His followers with authority, as if to say, “To know God and have an eternal relationship with Him, there aren’t multiple options.”

We see a similar level of conviction among those who carried on His work. The apostle Paul, whose persecution parade ended when he literally “saw the light” en route to Damascus, later said, “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).

Paul also explained his motivation: “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died (to our old life)” (2 Corinthians 5:14). His conviction was to tell everyone about what Christ had done for them – and the importance of receiving His gift of forgiveness and salvation.

Today we seem like the ancient Israelites, described in Judges 21:25. It says, “in those days there was no king is Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Having dispensed with the Judeo-Christian consensus that helped to shape American society, now it seems everyone’s intent on doing what’s right in their own eyes.

But this doesn’t negate the Bible’s claim about itself: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

If this isn’t true, we have every reason for doing whatever’s right in our own eyes. But if the Bible is indeed God’s Owner’s manual – entrusted to us for teaching, training and guidance – then we should study to understand what it says, not just for religious or spiritual gatherings, but also for any and every setting in which we find ourselves: Work, play, family, community, even the world.

Because as Colossians 3:17 admonishes, “whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus….” It becomes a matter of conviction.

Pondering the Prodigal’s Father

There’s no denying the impact the Bible has had on society, even though some are reluctant to admit it. Even in what has been termed this post-Christian, increasingly secularized age, we can’t ignore its influence, both in profound and not so profound ways.

We have Christmas, which traces its roots to a simple, inconspicuous birth more than 2,000 years ago in the Middle East. We’ve borrowed the term “good Samaritan” from one of Jesus’ parables. We’re all aware of the Ten Commandments, along with phrases such as “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” and “love your neighbor as yourself.”

And then we have the story of the Prodigal Son, another of Jesus’ parables, about a selfish young man who demanded his inheritance well in advance of his father’s death. This ingrate proceeded to squander his wealth, and then went back home, humbled and broken by his foolishness, reckless living, and gross disrespect for his loving father.

In non-religious contexts we hear of “prodigals,” people who in like manner return from times of rebellion. Countless books and messages have focused on the prodigal son. Writers and speakers also have addressed the sibling who remained home dutifully working for his father while the prodigal brother was engaging in a raucous lifestyle that culminated up in the company of pigs. They ponder how this brother responded when Mr. Prodigal came home to the welcoming embrace of their father.

But what about the prodigal’s father?

We don’t know a lot about him. We can only surmise. We do know the father surrendered the son’s share of the inheritance when it was requested. He could have refused, but didn’t. And we know when the family’s black sheep finally stumbled homeward, the father didn’t wait on the front porch, arms folded, mouth twisted into a scowl. He hurried to greet the son, enfolding him with unconditional, forgiving love. Then, so everyone else could share in the good news, the father called for a lavish, impromptu celebration.

Jesus’ telling of this story is recounted in Luke 15, along with parables about a lost sheep and a lost coin. Each account shows the sheer joy of recovering what was lost. And ultimately, in the prodigal’s father we see the response of our Heavenly Father, whom we have so often avoided, rejected, even attempted to flee. Yet, whenever one of His children returns – often bruised to the point of despair, much like the Bible’s prodigal son – God’s response is not condemnation or vindictiveness, but the same unconditional love and forgiveness.

Have you ever been a “prodigal”? Many of us have. And for a time we were able to convince ourselves we were doing just fine without God, And yet, as the psalmist wrote, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there…” (Psalm 139:7-16).

Thankfully, while we may give up on God at times, He never gives up on us. When we determine it’s time to return to Him, we find Him right there, eagerly waiting to receive us. Then we can say, as the psalmist concludes, “How precious for me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them…. When I awake, I am still with you” (Psalm 139:17-18).

In Jeremiah 31:3 we’re told, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” And that, for those of us who are inclined toward wayward, rebellious thinking and living, is good news. Really good news.

Engaging the Culture, Rather Than Enraging It

Dorothy and Toto, no
longer in Kansas!

Surveying the American scene today, I’m reminded of the classic words of Dorothy early in “The Wizard of Oz,” when she said to her little dog, “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore, Toto.”

I find myself feeling the same way at times. My “Kansas” was the era when I was growing up. No, it wasn’t a perfect time. Not hardly. Racism was more overt. Women didn’t have the opportunities they have today. Anti-discrimination laws were yet to be enacted. We certainly didn’t all of the technological advances and conveniences we enjoy today. Heart disease and cancer treatments that save so many lives today didn’t exist then. TV had only a handful of channels, and we had to get up from our chairs to tune into a different program!

At the same time, when I went to school, most of the kids came from intact homes with both a mother and a father. Divorces happened, but were fairly unusual back then. Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and Lord’s Prayer, along with reading an Old Testament Bible passage, was a standard practice to start the school day. During elections, the Democratic and Republican parties seemed to share many of the same goals; they just differed on how to achieve them.

The list of the differences between then and now could go on, but it’s clear society and the world today are much different from the days before Vietnam, hippies and “free love,” Watergate, and even 9/11. As a result, we’re now involved in what some observers term the “culture wars.”

We see it regularly on social media, people posturing with starkly opposing views, leaving little room for discussion or compromise. Being confronted by the same realities, but arriving at totally different conclusions. The news media and entertainment industry widely espouse values and practices that never would have been condoned in decades past. In the midst of this, followers of Jesus are exhorted to engage the culture, but too often we find ourselves enraging it instead.

Frankly, opinions and beliefs I read or hear make me want to do more than SMH (shake my head, for those not familiar with messaging jargon). “How can people think that way?” I sometimes wonder. And yet the reality is, no one has ever been argued into the kingdom of God. And that matters far more than prevailing in a political or ideological debate.

So how can we effectively engage the culture, rather than enraging? There’s no simple, one-size-fits-all strategy or program, but the Bible provides clear guidelines we should heed. For example, in 2 Timothy 2:23-24, the apostle Paul offered this admonition for a young disciple in ministry: “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.”

While in touring Athens, Paul saw many examples of Greece’s polytheistic culture. He could of stiffened his neck, denounced their beliefs, and arrogantly challenged their thinking. Instead, he made this observation:

“People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship – and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands…” (Acts 17:22-24).

This didn’t win over everyone who heard him, but Paul’s approach was to attract, not to attack. He looked for open doors to those willing to listen, rather than trying to force open doors to the disinterested. This is why he wrote, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always fully of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:5-6).

So even though it’s so very tempting, God instructs us to look for opportunities, handle them with wisdom, speak tastefully with grace, and provide reasonable answers when others ask questions. Is this easy? No. But it’s what Jesus did, and the apostles, and effective evangelists through the centuries.

People need the Lord, but they’ll never find Him if we beat them over the head with spiritual two-by-fours. We’re not in “Kansas” anymore.

What to Do When All Else Fails

In less than one week, the 2016 Presidential campaign will have finally, and mercifully, come to an end. As they say, it’ll all be over except the shouting. And we can expect to continue hearing lots of that, regardless of the outcome. For each Presidential campaign there’s a lot at stake, but this one has been more raucous and contentious than any we’ve known in recent memory.

Voting is important, but we can do
something even more important.

For those of us suffering from campaign fatigue, Election Day can’t come soon enough. Some of us have already cast our votes, taking advantage of early voting options. (Let's hope there won't be voters that attempt to cast their ballots both early and often!) We’ve all been urged to exercise our right to vote, and I wholeheartedly concur. Even if, as some critics contend, the choices are less than optimal, voting is still our right as well as a privilege that many people around the world don’t enjoy. We dare not take it for granted.

But whether you’ve already voted or are waiting for “the day” to arrive, that’s not all you can do as the day when our next President will be chosen draws near. In fact, one thing we can do, if we believe the Scriptures, carries more weight than a single vote – or all of the millions of votes that will be cast. We can pray.

A verse familiar to many of us explains why this is so important. God makes this promise: “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Too often, rather than pray and seek God, we’d prefer to grumble, complain, argue and contend. We get excited about likeminded people on social media who agree with us and our political and ideological views, and get incited by others who disagree. We expend great energy trying to dissuade people whose minds are made up and are unwilling to reconsider their positions. If only we’d expend as much effort turning to the One who can truly make a difference.

Because whether we believe it or not, whether we agree with how He does it, the Bible asserts God is not in heaven wringing His hands, fretting over what decisions Americans will make at the polls. No, it says He is sovereign and very much in control of not only what will transpire next Tuesday, but also what happens in the days that follow.

Writing to his young protégé, Timothy, the apostle Paul exhorted “that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered on behalf of all men, for kings and all those in authority, so that we may lead tranquil and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). This applies universally; he was not writing about the United States, but the principle certainly applies.

But what if the “wrong” person is elected, one whose views and aspirations and intentions disagree with our own? We’re to pray for that individual, too? Yes, and elsewhere Paul explained why: “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God” (Romans 13:1).

Reading those passages, it’s hard to find wiggle room. Nowhere does it say, “except this” or “unless that.” There are no exceptions. As someone has wisely stated, in the Bible when God says “all,” He means ALL.

If we’re tempted to argue, “Well, that’s what Paul said,” then look at Jesus as the ultimate example. When challenged about paying taxes to a Roman government that was far from “Christian,” He replied, “’Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?’ ‘Caesar’s,’ they answered. So Jesus said to them, ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s’” (Luke 20:24-25).

And throughout His ministry, Jesus never stood up to the Roman rulers. Actually, that’s one reason many people turned against Him – they became disenchanted when it became evident He had no plan to overthrow the evil and corrupt government.

This, however, doesn’t mean we must take a fatalistic posture about who will be leading our nation, passing legislation and interpreting those laws. No, we’re to pray, as 2 Chronicles 7:14 instructs. We’re to humble ourselves, setting aside arrogant self-righteousness. We’re to pray to the one and only God, approaching His “throne of grace,” as Hebrews 4:16 describes it. We’re to examine ourselves and turn from any wicked ways we may be practicing, even justifying. And we’re to trust that God will hear our humble, repentant prayers and respond – even if we don’t necessarily like or agree with how He does it.

As they say, “When all else fails, pray.” Let’s resolve to pray – BEFORE all else fails.

Faith is More Than Being a Fan

Every Saturday during the fall, millions of fans crowd America's
football stadiums. But the commitment level of fickle fans can waver.

If you’re into spectator sports, chances are you’re a fan of a particular team, maybe several. How did you choose which teams to cheer for?

Sometimes being a fan is “inherited,” as in “my family has always rooted for XYZ team, so I do, too.” Maybe it’s because of where you have lived. Growing up near New York City, I became a Yankee fan, and later I also rooted for the Mets. Or perhaps it’s because of your alma mater – the high school or college you attended. My family and friends know I’m an avid Ohio State fan, and I’ve been one from the time I enrolled in 1967 and later received two degrees there.

Not everyone’s a big sports fan, of course. But chances are you’re a fan of some entity  – it could be an actor or artist, some other kind of celebrity, a political party, or even a car manufacturer. And in all likelihood, if you’re a fan you feel very strongly about it.

The point is, being a fan, supporter or advocate of someone or something is largely a matter of choice. Even though I’ve live in SEC country for more than 35 years, I’m not a big fan of the Southeastern Conference. Even though I lived in the Northeast as a boy, I didn’t have to become a fan of any of the New York sports teams. And there are particular entertainers I really like, and others I don’t, but no one is forcing me to give them my unquestioned allegiance.

In some ways it’s similar spiritually. Geography might play a role in what we believe. If raised in the Middle East, one’s definitely going to be exposed more to Islam than any other religion. People in the Far East are more typically oriented toward Buddhism, Shintoism or Hinduism, again depending on the nation and culture in which they live. But since faith is a matter of the heart, as well as the head, no one can coerce a person to believe one way or another.

This, however, is where the similarity between sports fandom and spiritual faith ends. Because if my beloved Buckeyes win, I’ll feel happy, and if they lose, I’ll feel sad. I could even choose to no longer root for them. Nevertheless, their successes and failures don’t define who I am or how I live. My faith, on the other hand, does.

Kyle Idleman wrote a book called Not a Fan, in which he explained the difference between being a nominal, once-a-week “fan” of Jesus Christ and being a committed, 24/7 follower. As we survey the contemporary church scene across America, it appears there are many fans of Jesus, but not nearly as many true disciples. This is one reason He cautioned, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

A “warm fuzzy” form of faith, one that’s not too demanding and doesn’t require much of us, has a certain appeal. We can check into the sanctuary periodically, even spend a few minutes in the Bible once in a while, as long as we’re not asked to alter our lives or priorities too much.

But “warm fuzzy” is anathema to the calling God places on each of His children. We see this repeatedly in the Old Testament, when superficial belief – being a “fan” – is dismissed. Deuteronomy 6:4-5, for instance, says, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

As his leadership of the Israelites was coming to an end, Joshua declared to the people, “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, 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).

The world around us presents a multitude of “god” options – possessions, power, status, careers, ideologies, hobbies, family, even sports teams. Any of them can consume our lives and thoughts.

So we have a choice. We can be a fan of Jesus, turning to Him in times of crisis or when seeking specific blessings, while continuing to conduct our lives independently, or choose to follow and serve Him “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24). Because as God instructed the Israelites upon giving them the Ten Commandments, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3)

As Joshua and his family did, we also must choose this day whom we are willing to serve.