May the mumbling commence!
How are Christians to operate in a disagreeable climate? It seems especially in presidential election years (which are unfairly always leap years!) that the rhetoric becomes especially disagreeable. Talk about spiritual acid reflux, spiritual heartburn and persistent irregularity of the spiritual bowels!
How are Christians to respond? We find some clues in Titus chapter three. Read a passage from that chapter:
Remind your people to recognize the power of those who rule and bear authority. They must obey the laws of the state and be prepared to render whatever good service they can. They are not to speak evil of any man, they must not be argumentative but gentle, showing themselves agreeable to everybody.
For we ourselves have known what it is to be ignorant, disobedient and deceived, the slaves of various desires and pleasant feelings, while our lives were spent in malice and jealousy – we were hateful and we hated each other. But when the kindness of God our savior and his love towards man appeared, he saved us – not by virtue of any moral achievements of ours, but by the cleansing power of a new birth and the moral renewal of the Holy Spirit, which he gave us so generously through Jesus Christ our Savior. The result is that we are acquitted by his grace, and can look forward to inheriting life for evermore. This is solid truth: I want you to speak about these matters with absolute certainty, so that those who have believed in God may concentrate upon a life of goodness.
Subjects like this are always good and useful but mind you steer clear of stupid arguments, genealogies, controversies and quarrels over the Law. They settle nothing and lead nowhere. If a man is still argumentative after the second warning you should reject him. You can be sure that he has a moral twist, and he knows it. (Verses 1-11)
Step One: Recognize the power of those who rule and bear authority. In this recognition, obey the laws of the state and be prepared to render good service where you can. Know that sometimes that good service is challenging the laws of the state that run contrary to God’s Word.
Step Two: Do not speak evil about any man. Note that it does not say: Do not speak evil falsely about anyone. It says do not speak evil about anyone.
Step Three: Transform argument so that disagreement is gentle and agreeable to people of all persuasion and belief. Why destroy fellowship when God calls us into fellowship with Him and with all creation?
Step Four: Recognize our propensity to be ignorant, disobedient and deceived. Don’t be enslaved to your passions. And don’t mistake the idea that “if it feels good it must be right”.
Step Five: Remind yourself about the grace of God that is extended to you. We have no merit to receive the gift of Christ and the Holy Spirit. We are acquitted only by grace.
Step Six: Steer clear of stupid arguments and genealogies and controversies and quarrels over the Law. They settle nothing and lead nowhere (but to division – which is just what Satan would want). If we insist on these arguments, then we must recognize our own moral twist. In other words, stop trying to set the agenda and allow the Holy Spirit to lead.
These are pretty clear calls to respond in a disagreeable climate. They are also very simple and very hard to do.
God, with the empowerment of Your Holy Spirit, help us to work together to be Christ-like in our response to disagreeable climates – whether they occur in politics within or without the church body.
This is my fervent prayer.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
No comments:
Post a Comment