Dear Fellow Christians,
In an earlier teaching (Deep Calling Unto Deep), I had mentioned Reggie White and his “dilemma” with the homosexual community and a certain segment of the African-American community. It seems he offended some people by declaring things like homosexuality is a sin, and our Holy God does not “wink” at such things. Just this past week, I noticed that several congressmen, some political conservative-types, and even some Christian
“activist groups” had jumped aboard Reggie’s
“bandwagon”.
Not being privy to his thinking, I’m not certain if he believes this is a good thing or not. I do know that he has encouraged Christians to be bold and “speak out” against the sins and the evil in this world.
And this is what I’d like to talk about this week. Not only “speaking out”, but how, when and where we should do it. What does the Bible say about “how” we encounter evil, and what are we to do once we have encountered it? And not just “evil”, but “other things” we may run across in our Walk with the Lord. At this moment, there are at least four different scenarios I would like to discuss, and I would like to use four different “true-life” situations with which to express them.
One such incident is a
“confrontation”; one is a gross “mis-handling” of a situation; another is a “mis-understanding” (which are all too common in our lives) and the last is what I will call a “kidnapping”. All of these “true-life” situations were done in love; all were done with the sincerest belief that they were done “in the Name” and “for the sake of the Lord”; all were done with very little or no forethought, and all were done by people who were close to those to whom they had committed these acts (of “love”).
Much of what I’m about to say, you may not easily or quickly agree with, and this is okay -- but please hear me out first, before rejecting what I am attempting to say. Now, some of what I say you will relate to, having seen the very same things done in your home, your church or to people you know. If you have read the teachings on Abiathar, Zadok, and the church, you may think that some of this is repetitive, and it may be, but it doesn’t lessen its truth or its validity.
How we do something is every bit as important as what we may do. Our motives, our intentions and our hidden agendas are very much a part of “how” the Lord will judge us and our deeds one Day, in the not-far-off-future. I was taught, years ago, by a saintly man of God (my only true mentor)...“You can be wrong being right.” This, dear brothers and sisters, is an understatement.
Defending the Lord
They were dead wrong, even though James and John thought themselves right, when they decided it would be a “good idea” to call fire down from heaven, in order to teach a Samaritan city some manners and respect for Jesus...(see Luke 9:55 & 56, as well as Weekly Teaching 9, under “What Manner of Spirit?”)
When Jesus “began to show His disciples how He must go to Jerusalem, suffering many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and scribes, and even be killed, and be raised again the third day...Peter took Him aside, and began to rebuke him, saying, ‘Be it far from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!’ And Jesus turned to Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan; you are an offence to me; for you cannot savour (you have no interest in) the things of God, but only those that are of men’ (Matthew 16:21-23).”
And, finally...Peter, still influenced by the things that “are of men”, thought it was wise to try and “protect” Jesus, when His captors came to arrest Him and take Him away. He did so by pulling out a sword and cutting off the ear of the high priest’s servant...(Matthew 26:51; Mark 14:47; Luke 22:50; John 18:10) We know, from these verses, that Peter still felt strongly about protecting Jesus during the arrest of our Lord, and he valiantly (and wrongly) demonstrated his beliefs by lopping off a man’s ear!
Here, once more, we have one of The Big Three (Peter, James or John -- the three recognized pillars of the early church) getting into trouble for only “looking out for” the things and the good welfare of the Lord. What could be so wrong with that? Ah, yes...what indeed?
Times to Make Choices
There are times, in our walk with the Lord, when we will feel the urge or the “pressure from our peers” to join sides with a particular group of believers, convinced by their sincerity to “follow them” to fulfill some goal, some mission or some “ministry”. They will have everything neatly spelled out, with maybe even a “mission statement” or something of that nature. I am not against such statements or even declaring one’s purposes in an open and forthright manner, but my question is this, and it always has been...what ever happened to good, old-fashioned discernment and knowing a person’s heart and motives?
What I mean is, there are some groups of believers who will not allow you to “join” their little group, until you “pledge allegiance” to their methods or their ways, and oftimes we do not stop to question them or their motives. We just blindly join, feeling the need to “just be a part of something”. Conversely, many groups or factions within the Christian community never search out the hearts or the motives of other Christians who want to be a part of what they are doing...choosing instead to be contented that “someone else” has joined their happy little group.
Jesus always looked at the hearts of people, knowing them and their motives. As you read through the four Gospels, you’ll see that He allowed very little in the way of selfish motives and thinking to slip past Him; actually, He allowed none at all.
Causes and Cause Celebres
What, exactly, am I referring to? I am speaking of causes and cause celebres...those things within the church that divide and weaken the Body of Christ, those controversial issues that breed contention, whether anyone wants to admit it or confront it or not. When Jesus was attacked or challenged or even questioned, it was not because of some social issue He was confronting or some social point He was arguing. Rather it was because He had spoken the Word of God, healed some poor, sick body or performed some kind of miracle that the Jewish religious leaders could not understand or accept.
[NOTE: Even TEN YEARS AFTER this “LETTER” was originally written, the following still applies, even more so today] ~ Much of what distresses the church today is the church getting into “social debates”, fighting for moral or social issues or just plain soulish interferring with a world that doesn’t really care at all. I’m not saying we are not to get “involved”. What I’m saying is we need to address the issues and the things that Jesus addressed, and we need to stop getting “side-tracked” with peripheral issues that wear us down and divide us as a Christian people. So many Christians are joined to well-meaning, good-hearted groups of moral individuals, but that is not what Jesus has called any of us to do. He only did what the Father told Him to do, and we can do no less. This means, of course, we must somehow know what it is the Father wants of us. And that is the big question. That is the divisive question. And that is the question we will strive to answer.
Getting Side-tracked
Christian activism has risen in the past ten or fifteen years, but this is not anything new to the church of Jesus Christ. There have always been those who choose to follow a road of confrontation and argumentation, trying to force unsaved, immoral people to act “saved” and become more moral. Dear saints...this is not the Way of Jesus. He never forced His Righteousness on anyone.
He never argued with anyone, in spite of what some people think or believe. There is nothing noble or righteous about confronting lost souls and then arguing with them. We get all confused on this moral issue. We can never force the Righteousness of Jesus Christ down anyone’s throat, nor can we “win over” an ungodly nation by our boycotts, sit-down strikes or any other soulish means.
If all true Christians would spend the same amount of time truly interceding (and I mean true intercession, not just loud, noisy prayer) concerning all the issues that they are involved with, this nation would have been “turned around” long ago. Instead, we choose to “wrestle against flesh and blood”... something Paul expressly told us not to do.
Eph 6:11 & 12 -- “Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world and against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Beloved...all of these things which Paul mentions can be overcome no other way, but through prayer, and that being true, Godly, sincere prayer. Very few of us pray this way, and hence, you have a nation that murders everything from unborn babies to unproductive and ill adults.
We Are Called to Liberty, Not the Flesh
Galatians 5:13-18 -- “Brethren, you have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. (14) For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. (15) But if you bite and devour one another, take heed that you are not consumed one of another.
(16) This is what I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (17) For the flesh lusts against (or has desires contrary to) the Spirit, and the Spirit is against the flesh; these are contrary the one to the other, so that you cannot do the things that you would. (18) But if you are led of the Spirit, you will not be under the (power of) the law.”
I have personally had friends and known people who were arrested, being dragged off in handcuffs for their “so-called Christian beliefs”, standing up for what they thought was righteous, and against what they thought was opposed to righteousness, but Paul said we are not to “wrestle against” the things of the flesh. Pray, dear saints...pray. The “effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man or woman will avail or produce much”, but we get impatient and want to see things now.
So, we get involved with things that produce “instant results”; with things that will cause us to “appear to be” suffering saints or martyrs, or we do things that cause others to criticize or harass us... then we say: “See, I’m suffering for Jesus!” Anyone, and I mean anyone who has the intestinal fortitude, can create enough distress or turmoil in any given area of our society, causing a back-lash against themselves that appears to be (but isn’t!!!) Christian suffering. Following is just one of many examples I could share.
Martyrs...Mystics...or Religious Misfits?
Some of you may have seen this arrest on television a year or so ago [NOTE: Remember, that would be TEN YEARS ago, back in 1998]. However, allow me to go back another ten or so years to the mid-80’s, so I can explain why I was not surprised at all to see this happen. It all began when a certain young lady, whom we’ll call “Betty”, came to our church and began attending regularly. She was newly saved, eager to serve and had a great amount of zeal for God. Being “eager to serve and having a great amount of zeal” are sometimes a dangerous combination, especially if there is no one to “disciple” or teach the new, ambitious convert.
Or, as is sometimes the case, the new convert wants no one to teach or instruct them. This, unfortunately, was the case with “Betty”. Though she knew very little about the things of the Lord, she never hesitated to give others advice, to explain spiritual things to others until, finally, she even began giving other Christians “personal messages”.
“Betty” began hanging around another lady in our church who claimed to be a “prophetess”, and in no time at all “Betty” was speaking out “prophecies” (or at least that’s what they were supposed to be) in the midst of our services. What they were, though, were her own thoughts or understandings of what the Word said. My wife and I tried, on several occasions, to speak with her and try to be of some help, for we saw her quickly heading down a disturbing path.
Because of her “controversial prophecies”, many people were steering clear of her, and “Betty” had begun to feel “persecuted”. She relished in this new-found attention, being
“persecuted” by her own church. I should say here that
“Betty” was quite beautiful, had been a model, and had “mixed” with the beautiful people and high society folk of the Dallas Metroplex area, including the likes of Cullen Davis and his new wife (I can’t recall her name at the moment, though I believe it is Karen).
Anyway, “Betty” was used to the limelight and being the center of attention, even the “negative” attention which she now received and mistook for “persecution”. I can remember one of the conversations she had with my wife and I. She said she wanted to talk to us; it was urgent and could we meet for lunch? She met us at McDonald’s, next door to where I worked, and what I remember first was: She stared intently at my eyes, till I asked her what was wrong. She proceeded to tell me she was trying to “discern my spirit”.
If I had not known she was serious, I would have laughed, but she was serious. Among other things, we tried to explain to her that this what not “how” one discerned spirits (1st Corinthians 12:10). She did not want to listen, then proceeded to tell us how she had gone to other churches and no one wanted to hear her prophecies. We tried to explain why that might be so, but she could not hear. Her “persecution complex” only increased until she isolated herself altogether from those true, wise Christians, who only had it in their hearts to help her.
Then one day, a year or so ago, I was watching the news, and I heard a little “promo” about how some “crazy woman” had accosted quarterback Troy Aikman at the Dallas Cowboys’ practice field. I stayed with the news, and as I finally watched the report, there was “Betty”, shown running out onto the field, catching up to Troy and speaking to him. She was quickly apprehended by security, arrested by Irving police and, ultimately, sent to some psychiatric clinic. For how long, I do not know.
As I watched that report (several times, for it was big news here in the Dallas area), I couldn’t help but feel a variety of emotions. Sad for “Betty”, for she was no longer the tall, blonde, statuesque model-figure she once was. She now looked thin, haggard, worn and very stressed out. Her eyes were “wild” and her speech was almost a ranting and very confusing. Clearly, the path she had chosen for herself was not a kind path.
I also felt badly for Troy, being accosted that way. In interviews that day and even later, he said that you “never know” what someone may do or what’s in someone’s head. He even said he felt sorry for the lady, for she was “clearly confused”. Which brings me to my last emotion. I felt embarrassed for Christians, for what “Betty” was “attempting to do” was to somehow “share Christ with Troy”. She thought she was doing something “spiritual”, but it only brought shame to the Name of Jesus Christ.
Beloved, we can most assuredly do many things to get attention or even to get arrested, but it does not mean we are being martyrs or even saints for Jesus Christ. There is true persecution going on in the Body of Christ. Please, let us not mock or degrade our Lord and the suffering of true saints of God by doing shameful and foolish acts.
In 1st Peter 3:14 & 17, Peter tells us: “But and if you suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are you...For it is better, if the will of God be so, that you suffer for well doing, than for evil doing”.
Peter is plainly saying that there were then, and there would be afterwards, those who would try and make it appear as though their suffering was genuine and righteous. Let us mark those who “claim” to be suffering so for Him, and see if they are truly living Godly, righteous lives. For as I said, I have known those who thought it a “great thing” to go out into some morally charged issue and end up getting arrested for their efforts, but their arrests were neither Godly nor righteous, except for the self-righteous variety. And all of this...what did it do? It didn’t draw anyone closer to Jesus Christ or magnify Him or His Kingdom. It only perpetuated a cause, and always a man’s cause at that.
You may think I am being too harsh or too cruel, but allow me to explain a little further. If these people, who thrive on confrontation and contention, were getting arrested for speaking the Word of the Lord or for healing terribly sick people or for performing miracles that shook the very foundation of religious America, then I would say, “Bless the Lord for all of His Wonderful Mercies; bless these people and keep them safely in Your Hand”. And I would magnify and praise the Lord with them, but these people are not magnifying and praising the Lord...they are magnifying and praising their cause.
Anywhere, any time, and when any one of the Lord’s disciples showed signs of “straying” from His Purpose or His Ministry -- the One the Father gave Him, when He came to earth -- Jesus always, always, always, set them straight, putting their hearts and minds back on the straight and narrow Path which He walked and the Father set before Him. This is not a matter of interpretation of scripture; it is a matter of simply reading what the Gospels tell us: The most “radical” thing Jesus ever did was to “lay down His Life for His sheep”, as John tells us:
John 10:15-18 -- “I AM the Good Shepherd, and I know My sheep, and I AM known of mine. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father, and I lay down My Life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must also bring them, and they shall hear My Voice, and there shall be One Fold and One Shepherd.
Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My Life, that I might take it up again. No man takes it from me, but I lay it down Myself. I have Power to lay it down, and I have Power to take it again. This commandment (this authoritative prescription or definitive point) I have received of My Father.”
From this passage, it was and is quite clear: No one was going to do anything to Him or take anything from Him, except for that which He and the Father had already decided upon...that being His Life, as a Ransom for many (Matthew 20:28 & Mark 10:45.) Who are we to think that anything has changed? Who are we to force righteousness down the throats of those who desire to remain unrighteous? Who are we to dictate what rights we, as Christians, are supposed to have, according to our views and our understanding?
Jesus said He had no place to lay His Head (Matthew 8:20 & Luke 9:58), nor did He even at His birth (Luke 2:7); He often relied upon others for sustenance (Luke 8:3), and, basically, we have no real rights as Christians. For example:
Turning the Other Cheek
Matthew 5:37 “But let your communication be, ‘Yea, yea’ and ‘Nay, nay’. Anything more than this comes of evil (having the source of evil).” Communication used here, means “those things you are concerned with, your doctrine, that which you do, your intent, the manner in which you live, that which comes out of your mouth, your preaching, your reasoning, your speech, your work, being implied: What you do for Him.”
This pretty much covers everything in our lives -- our thoughts, intents, plans, goals, dreams, ministry, purpose, mission, or even our cause we may cling to -- and it should leave nothing to speculation, but just in case...let us read further:
Matthew 5: (38) “You have heard it said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth’, (39) but I say to you, That you do not resist evil, but whosoever shall smite you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.
(40) “And if any man sues you at law, taking away your coat, let him have your cloak also.
(41) “And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
(42) “Give to him that asks of you, and from him that would borrow of you do not turn away.
(43) “You have also heard it said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy’. (44) “But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, praying for those who despitefully use you and persecute you.(45)
“So that you may be (called) the children of your Father Who is in Heaven, for He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, sending rain on the just and on the unjust.”
These are wonderful, noble and great words by which to live, but we, by our actions, do not really believe them. Why do I say this? Because of those whom I have talked to, listened to and observed over the years. We always find ways, words or even scripture to back up and justify our actions. What are our actions? Usually our actions include insisting on our rights, our way and our justifying whatever it is we are doing.
And let us be honest here...we also get indignant when anyone may question what we are doing. I remember one time, when I asked a friend what he and his “Christian rock-band” (which is an oxymoron, but that’s another teaching) were doing going into worldy nightclubs. He got very upset that I would ask such a thing, then proceeded to justify his reasonings. And remember what the word “communication” meant, in Matthew 5:37: “your preaching, your reasoning, your speech, your work...”
The conclusion of this Open Letter can be found here, as “Our So-called Rights”.
Do you have a question or comment
concerning this teaching? E-mail us HERE!
Thanks for your visit to this page. You are
visitor number: 
since February 29, 2000.