We continue the look at the role of the Church in a free society, concentrating currently on the role of the need to prepare our members to be the salt and light of the world. We look at three more areas of concern and need. Next week, I’ll discuss the role of the Church as counterpoint to government and power.
- God’s Word is Very Real, Very Near and Very Vital to Our Faith
“But the righteousness that is by faith says, ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?” (that is, to bring Christ down) or, “Who will descend into the deep? (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead. But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart” (Romans 10:6-8a).
I believe God speaks to us in many ways, through many means, even today. There are those who will say that God’s speaking to people ended with the final period placed in Revelation, but I disagree. I believe God is still willing to do what He has done in the past, but we are too caught up in being enlightened people to try not to ascribe to God what He is doing.
Even though God speaks to us in many ways, the most accurate and the most direct way God speaks is in the pages of the Bible. The writer of Hebrews tells us, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrew 4:12).
Jesus reminded the disciples that last night in the upper room, “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26).
John’s first reference to Jesus in his gospel account was as the Word, the Word that was with God and that was God. He tells us later in that first chapter that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (cf. John 1:114). Since Jesus is the living Word, and since the Holy Spirit reminds us of His words, then the Bible is God’s word to us in a very real and present form.
The Church needs to teach our members that the best way we are to find answers, to find instruction, to find an accurate presentation of Jesus and His expectations of us is to become people deeply committed to the Bible. We don’t look at the Bible as a sacred item worthy of worship, but as our primary source of learning and guidance.
As Christians, we are confronted with life’s challenges on a daily basis, and these challenges raise up many questions. It is imperative that members of the body of Christ, His Church, know where to go and how to discern His will. The Bible is readily available to each church member, and it only takes a few moments to teach the membership how to study the Bible, why to study the Bible. We need to learn how to meditate on the Word, how to memorize the Word so that it can truly go with us in our hearts and in our minds. We also need to be taught that the Holy Spirit, the author of the Bible, is with us, illuminating the Word for us (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16; John 13:16). As we battle Satan and his minions, we need to not only be armed with the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17), but we need to know how to use it (2 Timothy 2:15).
If we fail to stress the importance of being in the Word on a daily basis, then we send the soldiers out with empty scabbards. We don’t need church history or inspirational quotes and messages; we need the Word of God. We need the Bible. And we need it always.
- We Have a Role to Play, and It Isn’t the Role of the Holy Spirit
As Jesus prepared to ascend to the Father, He gave this final command to His followers: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). In the Great Commission found at the end of Matthew, Jesus instructs us to make disciples through baptism and instruction. The baptism was a way for the new disciples to identify with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and the new disciples was to be instructed in the ways of Christ (cf. Matthew 28:19-20a).
Our local churches should be stressing this to our members. We should teach our people what it is to witness and what it means to make disciples. We should show our people how to use our friendships and relationship to share the Gospel in an informal setting, in daily conversation.
A witness simply tells a story. Watch any courtroom drama that is based on real court proceedings, and it becomes apparent rather quickly that the witness on the stand is simply asked to tell his or her story. “What did you see? What did you hear? How did you feel?” Witnesses are not asked to draw conclusions, make guesses or make a ruling. Just tell your story.
In the case of the Christian, the witness simply tells what Christ has done for him or her and how Christ is working in that particular life. It is an opportunity to speak about God has affected my life, how the working of the Holy Spirit in my life has changed me, has guided me.
Notice that the Christian witness is not there to condemn or to judge or to convict. John 3:17 tells us, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” In John 12:47, Jesus says, “For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it.” Jesus never understood His earthly ministry to be one of condemnation and judgment, but to be one of compassion and saving. If this is Jesus’ pattern of life, we are called to follow that pattern.
“But aren’t we supposed to confront sin? Aren’t we called to expose sin in people? Jesus did.” Look at the way Jesus confronted sin in the world. To the woman caught in adultery, He simply told her to go and sin no more, and that He did not condemn her. Since we don’t know the tone of voice Jesus used when He spoke with the religious opposition, I believe He confronted the hypocrisy of the religious leaders with sadness and loss in His voice. I believe this is more in keeping with the nature of Christ (“. . . for I am gentle and humble of heart”—Matthew 11:29).
If we are not called to judge, neither are we called to convict and to save the lost. Jesus says the role of convicting is that of the Holy Spirit. “When He comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8). Once the church teaches its members that we are not called by God to convict and to save, but merely to bear witness as the opportunity arises, then we find ourselves free to embrace the role of ambassador of reconciliation. We are free to love and share, to encourage and support, and fulfill the other characteristic of love we discussed earlier in this blog.
- We Are Called to Service
“When He had finished washing their feet, He put on His clothes and returned to His place. ‘Do you understand what I have done for you?’ He asked them. ‘You call me, “Teacher” and “Lord,” and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Teacher and Lord, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you’.” (John 13:12-15).
It doesn’t take much reading of the New Testament to realize that one of the key features of Jesus’ ministry was one of service. Paul, in one of the many great passages of the Bible, reminds the Philippians and us that Jesus “did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant” (Philippians 2:6-7). Repeatedly, Jesus reminds us that the first shall be last, and the last shall be first.
What this means is that the Christian is never to think of him or herself first, but to always consider others in the decisions we make. Couple this attitude with the qualities described in 1 Corinthians 13 and it becomes quickly evident that the role of the Christian is to be servant of all. That’s why Jesus tells us we are to go the second mile (cf. Matthew 5:41).
The role of the servant is opposed to the role of master. The master seeks only what is best for himself, what is in her own best interest. The servant seeks out ways to assist, ways to minister, ways to make life better for others.
Don’t misunderstand. The role of the servant isn’t one of weakness. It is generated by the strength of knowing that we are the children of God, saved by His grace through Jesus Christ, empowered by His Spirit to do good things. Once we are set free in Christ, we are able to always protect, always trust, always hope, always persevere. Yes, we may be taken advantage of, we may be used, we may be neglected. But Jesus doesn’t call us to always come out on top in the way the world defines “on top.” We gain victory not at the expense of others, but in the obedience we show to Christ. We find comfort and satisfaction in the phrase, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
The servant’s heart is a heart that truly desires what is best for everyone, while giving each person the value and trust to make their own decisions. The servants seeks a “win-win” situation when conflict arises, recognizing that compromise is not an evil thing. No, the servant never compromises on God and His expectations, nor does the Christian ignore the teaching of Christ when it creates conflict. But the servant of Christ does not beat people over the head with the Bible. It is not possible to punch someone in the face in a Christ-like manner.
The servant does not insist on, “My way or the highway,” but turns the other cheek. The servant does not seek an eye for an eye, but forgives as Christ forgave us and set us the example when He forgave those who were nailing Him to the cross.
Jesus is the perfect model of the Servant, and a careful reading of the Gospels lets us know that Jesus was anything like a milquetoast. He knew what He believed, He knew why He believed it, and He never backed down from His beliefs. But His servanthood is seen in the way He related to people, even those who strongly opposed Him; it is seen in the way He ministered, in the way He taught, in the way He lived.
- There Is a Reason Why We Do What We Do
It’s not enough to teach people what they should and shouldn’t do. If all we do is tell our members to do it because we say so, or more importantly, because the Bible says so, we risk creating an army of automatons or legalistic thought police.
The Church must have members that know the ethics that underlie the actions. Members should know that they are called always to do the right thing based upon their knowledge of God, their understanding of Scripture and the reason why Scripture teaches what it teaches. The members need to have the freedom and the awareness to recognize that very few things in life are black-and-white and how to apply the Christian faith into the many grey areas they encounter.
As a Texas Baptist, I stand firmly with my church’s stand against the consumption of alcohol. However, I am not so naïve to think that all my members—most of my members—hold to that same conviction. I am keenly aware that the Bible forbids drunkenness but it does not forbid drinking alcohol. In fact, Paul urges Timothy to drink some wine to deal with stomach issues. There are benefits to be found in the consumption of wine. So, what should a good Baptist do? The member needs to understand why drinking wine was prevalent in ancient Israel, why Baptists decided to take a stand in favor of abstinence and how our culture views the drinking Evangelical. Once our members are taught the history and the reasons for why we do what we do, each member will be better equipped to determine for him or herself where each should stand on alcohol. Perhaps someone will choose not to drink, someone will choose to limit their consumption to privacy of the home, while another will decide responsible public drinking will be acceptable. Each member should be prepared to explain their decision, and should be willing to yield to the needs of a weaker brother or sister in Christ.
Conclusion
The role of the Church is to seek to transform the world through our words and our actions. The way the Church interacts most directly with the world is through the men and women who belong to the Church, who follow the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ. If the Church wants to be effective in transforming our world and in reaching the lost, in displaying the true message of Christ, then we must make disciples of those who profess to follow Him. Without this commitment or mission, the Church will lose its voice in the marketplace of ideas in free and pluralistic society.
© 2017 Glynn Beaty