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I have been reading a book called Freedom from the Performance Trap by David Seamands. In it he makes this statement:
Today, many Christians have a sound biblical doctring of grace to which they give full mental assent. It is a truth they believe about God, but it is not their gut-level basis of living with God, themselves, and others. It is doctrinal but not relational; it is believed in but not lived out. (emphasis in orginal)
I find that distinction to be very true. We know in our heads that we are God's children, but in our GUT many of us still count our position with God as being dependent on our living up to God's moral standards.
When I think about this in terms of my own kids, I see the problem with such GUT reactions. My child is still my child no matter how frustrated or pleased I am with their behavior. The very idea that I would somehow disown them is unthinkable. Of course the very idea that I would just leave them to live however they want without training, correction, & discipline is just as unthinkable. I have a very clear set of moral standards that I expect them to live up to. And as long as they remain under my control, I will do everything in my power to help them understand those standards, approve those standards, and follow those standards.
I think at the gut level, I tend to interpret God's training and discipline in my life as REJECTION and his blessings as LOVE/ACCEPTANCE. So in some way even though I know (in my head) grace, what I end up with is a gut feeling that God loves/accepts me only as long as I do what is right.
And so I sometimes do the right thing to gain God's love, when in reality I have God's love. I should be doing the right thing out of thankfulness and gratitude for the fact that God loves me without condition!
For the past 13 years, I have been slowly learning about grace in a relationship way. I am God's child and he loves me. Period. He has a set of standards that he calls me to live by and it is important that I as his child recognize that he will train, encourage, and discipline me in order to get me to understand, approve, and live by those standards. But my relationship with my Father is not based on those standards. It is based on His love and His Grace!
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Earlier this summer, someone got into my truck and stole $200 in cash, a pair of sunglasses and my MP3. I was down at the soccer fields picking up my son from a practice and was gone from the truck for maybe 10minutes max. Last Sunday, my wife and I left our van in the church parking lot and went out to eat with some church friends. Someone got in the van and took my son's wave board (sort of a fancy skateboard). We should be better about locking the doors. And from here on out we will be. Still it is a sad thing to see the innocence gone even in our small town.
We want to think that people are "good at heart" and indeed most of us would describe ourselves as basically "good" people. The reality is something different. We are sinful people. All of us. We Christians must always take that into account when we are dealing with unbelievers. And we need to be prepared to be taken advantage of, to be used, even to be stolen from. If we are going to offer God's love to the world, we will be rejected and made fun of. It is part of the price. We need to expect it.
Leaving my car unlocked was foolish and getting stuff stolen from it had nothing to do with sharing the gospel. But it reminds me. One church I was a part of had a free store. Literally everything in it was free. People from the community used to come and get stuff at the free store and then have garage sales to sell the stuff. There's always somebody who has an angle!!
So be wise as snakes and innocent as doves!!!
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The answer of course is both. The challenge is how to make that happen.
The last couple of days, I have been at a conference for churches in small towns. Almost all the speakers were from LARGE (well over a 1000) churches located in small towns. These speakers generally represented lead preachers from these churches that were focused on high tech worship services with cutting edge music, video, stage designs, and lighting. A couple of the speakers talked about cutting ties with a church that wouldn't or couldn't make changes fast enough to suit them. They talked about getting rid of leaders who disagreed with their decisions and justified it all by noting the urgency of the call to win the lost to Christ.
I hear what they are saying, but I wonder about the cost in terms of discarded and wounded people.
I feel differently. I see God's call as one to Equip, Train, and Prepare God's people to do the work of ministry. I hear Paul say "imitate me as I follow Christ." And I think, my job is to patiently train the people in our church to be disciples. I have to help them see what that means and give them the tools to put it into practice. I know the urgency to reach the lost, but I also feel that God didn't call us to attract people to his kingdom and then leave them without guidance or discipleship.
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This week our van is in the shop getting repairs. This means that if we want to go somewhere as a family we have to squeeze all 6 of us into my extended cab Dodge Dakota! But the other thing it has meant is that Steph and I have had to "synchronize" schedules alot more than normal. I think this is a good thing. We are asking ourselves, do we really need to go here? and How can we work it around to make it happen? We are having to sacrifice some freedom in order to accomodate one another.
Sometimes our affluence (having 2 vehicles) gets in the way of really learning what it means to love and serve one another. This week we are getting a chance to put those lessons into practice. 2:3 Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. 2:4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
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I am going to be speaking at a banquet tonight for the campus ministry where I first became serious about my walk with Jesus. I had grown up in the church, but it was there on a sin-saturated college campus that I really learned about having a REAL relationship with Jesus. It was there that I first felt called to ministry.
As I think about the college experience in general, I am saddened that there isn't more effort put into college people by the church. I am also saddened that so many families don't prepare their children for the attacks on their faith that will come in such a setting. But I am excited by the ministry that is being done there. Truly this is a field white for harvest.
Father God,
I think back to my days on campus. Days filled with discovery and growth. Days filled with learning and changing. Days filled with temptation and distraction and trouble. You were there for me in those days and I thank you for your guidance and protection.
I lift up to you now, those who are on campus now. Those who are confronted by professors determined to belittle you and prove you don't exist. Those who are drawn into sinful lifestyles by their so called "friends." Those who are searching for a truth, a reality bigger than themselves. I pray Lord that you would raise up faithful workers to reach out to them. To walk with them through their explorations and to ground them in your Word. Lord they need Jesus. Amen
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