Christianity, by it's nature, is forever in crisis. That is, we are obliged to continually examine the content of our faith and practice to see what is truly essential as mandated by Scripture, and what is merely cultural and transitory. Further, we are burdened with the requirement to review the past, and see if anything essential has been discarded, which needs reclaiming. What follows is yet one more fresh examination. It is presented as a pastoral challenge to the various organizations and institutions of Christianity to consider if some things couldn't be done better. Naturally, the demands discerning if we can't think more clearly about these things.
In Scripture, Jesus is called The Revelation, a living human representation of God, and specifically God's revealed will for humanity. He also was a Jew, born into a nation of people whom God had declared His own people. This people had a language and culture. As is common to all tribal nations in ancient times, their culture reflected a foundation, upon which signal events built up a growing understanding of the world, and their place in it. The Jewish culture begins with the man Abraham, and the foundation is the covenant promise made to him. You can read the record of this covenant in Genesis 12. In the chapters following, the covenant is amended and developed further by the God Who granted it. From the outset, the whole thing was aimed at making God known to His fallen creation, and to redeeming that creation from the curse of the Fall.
The covenant required various actions over the centuries following Abraham's life, aimed at preserving the nation as a living repository of revelation. At some point, this involved redeeming and rescuing that nation from slavery. The man chosen to lead this rescue was also chosen to reveal something more of God's nature in a covenant of law, in the form of a suzerain-vassal treaty. This Law could not change a human heart, but could provide a picture of what a changed heart does. Thus, the Law of Moses was a specific example of what the higher Law of God would look like, in that place, with that people, at that time in history.
Today, we stand looking back over the millennia, seeking to grasp some of this. We have sought to explain some of it by organizing the available information with our modern academic tools. Thus, we relegate much of this time to a period we call "Ancient History." We further refer to these people as "Semites," or "Semitic," based on their progenitor, named Shem (one of the three sons of Noah). While the designation includes a great number of historic nations, most of the term is associated with the people known as Jews, Hebrews, or Israelis. We also note these people are east of an imaginary line which separates geographically two distinct, broad cultural backgrounds. Thus, we describe that cultural background in general as "Eastern" or "Oriental." However, we distinguish this from "Far Eastern." More importantly, we note it is quite different from the cultural background of Europe and North America, which we call "Western." Thus, we come to the realization our Bible today is essentially a collection of Eastern documents, with a different outlook on the world than our Western one.
There is a sense in which complete immersion of a Westerner in Eastern culture will still not bring a perfect understanding. The gulf of separation is vast. Nothing demands every Christian undertake a degree in Eastern Humanities, but a reasonable discipleship would require gaining at least a little of that knowledge. Our specific focus here is recovering those Eastern concepts which are essential to grasping the biblical viewpoint. Our first step is to realize we must steer away from Western ideas about precision, about forcing things into neat logical categories. Eastern thinking is less about definition, and more about application. The lines in places must be fuzzy, with give and take. We will refuse to nail down some details, because we assume from the start this is about perspective, not structure. Scripture itself declares you must get comfortable with the idea God is more interested in relating with us than informing us. Attempting to apply precise logical categories would be a misguided waste of time in most places, because it's all about persons, with all the complexity of human nature and variableness included. Biblical truth is messy.
One of the oldest debates over which the Church divides is what place we should give the Old Testament, specifically, the Law of Moses. Jesus made it clear Moses' Law fell short of the more perfect standard of God's Law (Matthew 19:3-9). Thus, the two terms are not interchangeable; while the Mosaic Law reflected God's will, it could not codify it. Further, Jesus was understood to have revoked some parts of Ritual Law (Mark 7:14-23, regarding kosher). Paul's comment about "rightly dividing the Word" (2 Timothy 2:15) in the context of his day was primarily about the Old Testament, calling for Timothy to discern accurately what applied and what did not, and how to apply what did. Whole books have been written to begin answering that question. Our concern here is rather simple. We note the Law of Moses was an imperfect expression of God's Law, which was a considerably higher standard. To "rightly divide" the Law of Moses starts with knowing: The Law of Moses was God's will for those people, at that time, and in that place. However, as a specific application of God's Law, it surely includes certain discernible absolutes.
The fundamental point is God made all things. He gets His way. At one point, He had Adam employed in asserting His will over the Garden of Eden. It's fair to assume, since sweat on the brow was a part of the Curse (Genesis 3:19), Adam's technique before the Fall did not include gratuitous perspiration arising from hard physical labor. We deduce the method was to speak God's will over creation, and it obeyed. Thus, all creation respects His will for us, and when we align with that will, creation itself rejoices with us. The world we live in, even after the Fall, tends to respond to His ways manifested in human behavior.
Just as the Tabernacle in the Wilderness was a shadowy reflection of the Courts of God in Heaven (Hebrews 8:4-5), the ritual observances were a shadowy reflection of true worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:21-24). This Mosaic worship took the visible form of Semitic rituals in common use already. Some items were given a new significance. Other items were fresh additions, but not so different as to be foreign. The whole package remained so similar to common worship practice, it was a short step ritually to adopt Canaanite religious practices, something about which Jehovah constantly warned Israel. Our task here is to discern the underlying truth of Jehovah's proper worship by seeing those observances in their context. This applies to the whole of Mosaic requirements, whether Ritual Law or Civil Law. When the Nation of Israel obeyed this weaker Law of Moses, there was a distinct response from creation:
The combination of these things is summed up in the term shalom.
My contention is, even today, if you obey the Law of Moses, creation itself is programmed to respond by offering elements of shalom. It was never absolute; rather, it's the way things tend to work. Obviously, there are elements in the original plan which cannot be recovered, and some which simply don't matter. Yet again, I note shalom was never a matter of saving the soul from Hell, but a matter of making this life about as pleasant as it could be, given the limitations inherent in the Fall's taint on creation. However, reading between the lines of the Old Testament text, it's not that hard to find things pointing clearly to spiritual union with Jehovah. Whatever God meant by "Let Us create man in Our image" (Genesis 1:26-27), it surely included the very real possibility we should fellowship with Him, as was surely the whole point. The concept of person-to-person relations is the fundamental concept in God's design of creation. Thus, there are those moments when the blazing insights of His servants in the Old Testament cut through the mere ritual observance to the heart of the matter: "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord?" (1 Samuel 15:22-23). The Law never actually required a genuine personal attachment to God to reap the benefits of shalom, but the underlying appeal was always a call to love and obey the Heavenly Father.
Knowing we are under Grace, not under Law, does not negate the lessons borne to us in the Law of Moses. Those of us truly born anew from Above should surely desire doing things His way. To know that Way includes "rightly dividing" the Old Testament, for shaving away the gristle and bone, to find the real meat of how this world was designed to operate.
A serious danger here is linear thinking, typical of the West. I'll grant without linear logic our computers and much of modern living would not exist. It has its place. When it comes to grasping the nature of things from the material angle, we do well to practice inductive, or analytical thinking. The blessing of the Scientific Method is demystifying purely physical processes by showing a consistent behavior, via the observable and repeatable experiment. We discover certain aspects of our world that way. However, analytical logic has virtually no place in theology. Matters of a higher concern are best understood deductively, because the absolute Truth of God can only be revealed from Him. Further, the importance of things we discover by analysis are deduced from His revelation. The logic of the Kingdom is God Himself. While there is surely a consistency, there is no place for merely mechanical repeatability. Only as we come to a better understanding of Him do we reflect that logical consistency in ourselves. Thus, we become His Word, a fresh incarnation of Jesus. We rightly seek to be what He would be, born in our place.
Most of us who follow Christ tend to adopt some sort of theme, an underlying concept or watchword which flavors our understanding of all we think, do and say regarding the Kingdom of God. Here we use revelation. This is roughly equivalent to glorifying God and can be used interchangeably. The whole content of faith is about revealing God, or more precisely, God revealing Himself. If we can simply concentrate on seeking to reveal God, everything else takes care of itself. Creation itself is a platform for this revelation. What takes place between the beginning of Time and it's end is God showing Himself. Our whole purpose for existing is to participate in that. It will happen whether we exert any effort or not. God's revelation is not stymied by individual stupidity. However, by choosing to consciously and willfully participate, we are granted certain divine privileges. All that we really want and need is bound up in seeing that revelation. By engaging it, we gain a greater depth and clarity of His revelation. It's open to all, of course; the nature of revelation is the opposite of secret or hidden truths.
For example, in evangelism, our task is merely to reveal Him. We don't choose who receives the opening of eyes to see. We don't persuade those considering it. We merely show something of Him by our words and actions. Naturally, we can only show Him as we can understand Him. Thus, for each of us it is "I who am the testimony, yet one more living revelation of God." Just reading or quoting the Bible out-loud means nothing; the only translation anyone can understand is the Word alive in you and me.
Because we are the revelation, our message cannot be easily reduced to a simple, logical presentation, as if truth can be objectified. Certainly, it is obligatory for churches to explain to newly reborn souls the basic elements of God's saving grace. Further, the explanation must be delivered in terms these new believers can grasp. We teach new disciples starting where they are. However, adapting the message does not give license to rewrite it. We do not hold forth the offer of some "full and meaningful life," simply because that is the sales pitch effective with modern Westerners. The reality of living in this world remains brutish, confusing, full of disasters, pains, and misery immeasurable even after coming to Christ. That's the real thing, folks. The techniques of manipulation have no place in the Kingdom of God. The people are the message, and people are seldom logical for more than a few moments at a time. The message is the whole package of grace in the midst of utter failure, the miracle of redemption wholly undeserved. The world remains fallen and sold in slavery to Satan. Everything which makes life seem logical is false. We can not tell people Jesus makes sense of it all. Self-honesty requires even old saints to admit life often still doesn't make sense. However, it is bearable with Jesus. There's a certainty, an absolute assurance we'll make it to the other side of whatever we are facing, even when we face death.
We won't be alone because God lives in us, which is how He makes us useful. Though we ourselves are unlikely to discover meaning for ourselves, we do have assurance our lives can have meaning to the Lord. There is an undeniable calling on every soul He touches. His calling follows its own logic in the purpose of revealing Him. If health and wealth reveals something of Him, then we'll have them. If not, poverty and disease will reveal Him, or something in between. His choice, not ours. We are His property, to use for His revelation. Indeed, all our property is His property, too. You and I were bought with the price of Blood.
One of the most difficult subjects to address in church is money. Most people tire quickly of preaching and teaching on giving or "stewardship." Too often the message seems slanted in favor of giving generously to the person or institution doing the teaching, but little about the basic principles of giving itself. Even when we talk about the biblical view of giving and tithing, we often run to extremes. That is, the bulk of teaching in Scripture is typically ignored in favor of mechanics. We need an understanding, not directions. The ultimate truth of what part property plays in the Kingdom cannot be reduced to simple rules.
We know the extremes. On one end we have the cult groups who demand individual members pass all their worldly possessions, and all their future gains, over to the leadership of the community. On the other extreme we find materialism which makes a mockery of calling oneself "follower of Jesus." Sadly, it seems most of the churches I've dealt with are all too close to the latter. There are hundreds of books and pamphlets assuming a shallow middle class income and habits. Neither extreme serves to reveal the nature of God. Both of these extremes share an utter failure to place material blessings in the proper light.
Let's go back to the foundation: God grants possessions for one purpose, to reveal Himself. Human need is hardly a consideration, though He is at times quite generous in His provision. It's not about the need, though. The need itself is a gift, another tool to shine His light in the darkness. Whether He grants a request or withholds, it will serve to reveal Him. Your mission is to bless Him in need and in plenty, to show it's not really all that important.
All property is God's. Those of us who recognize this are in a position to see how the various means of disposing of property will reveal Him. That includes knowing when the best use of His resources is to hold on tightly, invest it, or simply hide it. By the same token, it means knowing also when to dump it all off, along with the where and how. This is not about planting seeds to harvest wealth, or other false images. He is not about prospering His children, but about prospering His revelation. There is no magic formula about whether that means you get a mansion here, no principle by which the Kingdom enriches you. Stop expecting it; stop wanting it. Let Him save you from that desire, so you may seek His revelation.
When we understand this world is not our home, its comforts are a distraction. We dare not spare too much attention for what remains here once we leave. Grasping that, we'll begin to understand things in the Law of Moses which the Jews never seemed to get. For example, the prohibition on charging interest on loans. Within the Kingdom, we should avoid that. Christians loaning to fellow Christians at interest is wrong. Sure, some get away with it by using a loan company, and say they are loaning corporate property at interest. That's a cheap dodge; use your own money. The whole point is we have allowed the world's techniques to bar us from doing what's right. Part of this is our failure to grasp how completely foreign Western Mercantile values are to the Kingdom of God.
We are familiar with the Law of Moses regarding charity: give to the needy, loan to the poor without interest, never keep essential life items as a pledge, etc. Do we not see a subtle message one should be ready to forgive loans, to simply let it slide and take the loss? More plainly, can we not trust God to absorb the loss? It's no loss to Him, since the recipient of this generosity is His, also. Transfer of wealth is an evil and despicable practice when mere men decide for others how to go about it. Political power is not a mandate from God to confiscate from one for the charitable needs of another. When God works in the heart to make one generous, that voluntary transfer is how Creation was designed to work. It's not about whom God chose to bless with extra goods so as to share, it's about whom God blessed with the burden of sharing regardless of wealth or poverty. Those who have are called to share, as a significant tool for revealing the nature of the King Who is so very generous.
This does not remove the need for some folks to learn responsibility. They, too, need to learn about revealing God in their asking for help. Manipulative behavior is unacceptable on either side. The beggar wheedling, whining and passing guilt trips wrong. So is the donor who is tempted to use the situation for exerting control over another. If someone in need is following Jesus, they should pray extensively about their needs before asking. They should accept whatever is offered with good grace. Paul makes it pretty clear feeding the family is a man's first ministry calling. He set the example as an apostle in some places working for his keep. However, no one has the right to use that teaching as an excuse to demand a change in lifestyle which reflects mere personal bias, especially when it interferes with the recipient's calling from God.
The problem is the complete paucity of biblical teaching. Far too many assume every detail of materialist middle-class living is precisely what Jesus taught. The definition of "growing up and being responsible" in God's eyes is much broader than most want to accept. You who wear the finely tailored suit and tie, do you demand the poor man go to a thrift store and select an ill-fitting, forty-year-old suit just because you demand he "dress respectably"? Would you wear that stuff? Of course not, too embarrassing. But you see nothing wrong with humiliating the brother of lesser means. Give him a new suit or dissolve your demands for such raiment. God may well have told you to dress that way. Don't assume you are thus the standard for what God expects of all. James warned us the man who dresses fine may turn out to be the wolf who sues you for everything he can take (James 2:6). We note Paul taught we should be modest within our culture. Otherwise, what a man wears has no bearing on his place in the Kingdom, and it shouldn't have any bearing on his place in the church. In the First Century, your Spirit-anointed pastor could have been a slave in rags. We have moved from the path of those days.
We believe correctly our high standard of living is the result of our analytical choices. For example, there's the clock. It's a very effective means of regulating human interaction across the globe. However, we refuse to see the limits of it. We measure time, parcel it out precisely, save it, and fill it with any number of senseless activities. We live in fear it will be wasted. All the while it passes on without our say-so; we only pretend to control its use as a resource.
Part of this comes simply from the ability to measure time in such precise and standardized units. There's certainly no harm in that. It's a critical element in technological advancement. We standardize technology precisely because we cannot do that with humans. We forget that, and extrapolate the exercise to the point of evil. Only as we dehumanize our fellow man do we apply the same reasoning to their activities. We pay by the hour, leveling the entire workforce without regard to their actual productivity, and certainly with no reference to their actual effect in terms of the Kingdom. On the other hand, we pay others a flat salary, then steal all their time because the contract says we can, regardless of genuine business need. Maybe we can pay by the product piece, but there we have complaints from a society which demands income security as a function of time. The whole of Western culture is corrupted by enslavement to a clock. It becomes the excuse for ignoring real humanity. "That's the way it works in the real world."
Wrong. The "real world" is the world as God created it, not as our puny human logic organizes it in our minds. That's not the way Our Lord designed it. It is wrong from all sides, and each method of labor valuation is deeply flawed by fallen human nature. Almost no one thinks in terms of employee as family member. We use catchy phrases about being "one big happy family," and if you don't play nice you'll be fired. We do family all wrong, too, so there's not much basis for building anything useful there. Rather, the biblical image assumes something more of a lord-servant relationship. Can you hear the politically correct screams of horror now? Concerns about dignity and terminology are all misplaced. If God likes it, dissenting is sin.
In the Law, the assumption God held was the lord would love and care for his servants as his own family. Each had a valid personal demand on the other, a covenant. God held both accountable to proper love and respect, and it was always possible to reverse the roles when the circumstances changed. I've had one close friend in my life who understood this. During our overlapping military service, we both knew how things worked. In uniform, he was my superior, and it worked out just fine. In chapel activities, I was the superior, and he learned quite well. Aside from either situation, we were close brothers in Christ. There was no sense of discomfort; all things in their proper time and place demonstrated the Kingdom perspective. We sought to reveal God, not to advance our personal individual needs.
Time flows from the hands of God. It is the defining variable which separates this plane of existence from Eternity, where time is variable. Here, we are bound to time. It is the ultimate restriction keeping us from ultimate liberty. When we are given to listening to His Spirit's move, we acquire a different perspective regarding time. We seize the moment; we do the thing which best fits the purpose of revelation. While consequences are considered, no anxiety is spared for them, for they are also in His hands. That a given godly choice may bring one death changes nothing. Such knowledge serves to steel the heart for the righteous path. There is no casting of caution to the winds in a brain-dead exuberance; we relegate caution to it's proper place. The only consequence which matters is God's approval, not those of mere human response. Nor is there a disregard for the losses we may cause others, but a counting of costs for everyone involved. However, when the clear Word of God demands a thing unconditionally, consequence is just a circumstance. Indeed, death itself is a mere circumstance in the Kingdom of God. Slipping the bonds of time is a release into the Blessed Unknown Hereafter.
The question is often one of priority. If our world is small, if we give all our attention to our immediate household and ourselves, we have clearly failed to see with God's eyes. From the North American suburb we fail to comprehend how the spiritual victory of the hut-dwelling Believer in the Andes can matter to us. You may not see how your hands hold anything which can help, but refusing to consider the wider importance of the Kingdom serves to limit God's work in your life. At the very least, you should be able to see how the welfare of every member of your church body is your own welfare.
So, in your church family is this single mother, and she's made some really stupid choices getting into that situation. She's come to Christ and some of her rowdy kids have, too. Maybe she's chunky and ugly as mud pie, and on top of it all, has no sense of fashion you can recognize. Pray for her. "Lord, do I have a part in redeeming her life?" At this point, no other prayer matters. If all you know how to do is take those kids to the circus, then failing to is a sin. If you need help keeping them under control on that outing, use the fire in your heart to enlist some adults and teens to help shepherd those kids. Can you fix her car? Do it, because it's your car, too. Her life, and the lives of her kids, are yours. Does offering such care mean less time spent taking just your own kids to the circus, or fixing that niggling problem with the trim on your car door? Whose time is it, anyway? Has it not occurred to you your children are blessed watching you bless others, or that God will take full responsibility for anything you might lose in the exchange?
Kingdom Economics says there's an opportunity cost in misdirecting your personal assets -- your time, abilities and your money -- to uses not entirely optimal for revealing God. You feel you lose nothing when you exchange an hour with that oh-so-important client with the fat wallet. With that same hour you could be listening to your wife unload an emotional burden, your son describe his dreams, or your retired neighbor tell a war story, or any number of other uses which seem economically unproductive. The question is not whether serving that client is wrong, but whether that's what God wants from you during that hour. If it is, you're a fool for using it any other way. However, if we never consider using an hour for something that doesn't make money, we are blind. Failing to consider His wishes is ignoring your covenant duty to Him.
The obituary was long, yet everyone complained it left out something they felt was important. "He was too young," they all agreed. It was a senseless death, gunned down at random while he was talking to a friend about his faith. It was worse than senseless, because it shook the faith of so many still alive. Where was God; what happened to the protecting angels? What a tragedy! Or was it?
"Life is precious." As with most simple epigrams, this one is true, but doesn't answer the real question. His family lost something, indeed. However, that young man of faith was spared a continued existence in this fallen world. According to Jesus, this fellow is in Paradise because he relied on Him to redeem his soul. Don't cry for him; cry for yourself. But if you cry too long, if you let it hold you back from your ongoing commitment to serve the Lord yourself, you are fighting God. Lavish obituaries, expensive funerals, long lines of those seeking to bestow one last honor -- those things aren't wrong in themselves. Nor are they particularly good and right. They are most certainly not distinctively biblical, nor even morally admirable. In other cultures, Christians regard such behavior as wasteful, since the dead have no use for any expense, and the living have too much work ahead of them. It's not as if they don't value life; they don't value the idea death is all that unusual. In the Kingdom of God, death is just a circumstance.
Grieve, but not eternally. Your feelings of pain and loss are not the center of the Universe. Paul puts it in perspective:
I have been crucified with Christ. It is not longer I who live, but Christ lives, in my body. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me, and gave Himself up for me. (Galatians 2:20)
This life is something to be nailed to the Cross, not treasured. Jesus didn't resist an unjust and horrific end; are you better than your Master? Take care of yourself if you can; that's proper stewardship of God's property. However, it remains His prerogative if He wishes you to squander your health serving as a missionary in some remote place where anyone who reaches forty is old. Naturally you'd try to improve living conditions as part of your mission work there, but it's not stupid to die young for the right reason. The young man in the paragraph above died obeying the call of Christ. His death was perfectly noble. Who dares to call him a fool for being in the "wrong place" where he could get shot? In the Kingdom of God, your carnal existence is forfeit from the start. You should not feel deprived if the Lord calls your number today, or that of anyone else near you.
How comical are the demands we make on the world! There is no inherent right to equal treatment. It's not possible because we are not all the same person, do not all have the same calling in Christ, don't have the same gifts. Many things called "rights" today aren't. Rights are those special considerations God requires from all humanity in regards to His Creation, particularly in our dealings with other humans. Thus, you have no right to sexual fulfillment, no right to a living wage, no right to shelter according to some arbitrary standard, nor even a right to eat. You have a right to pursue your best worship of God, and to sacrifice your life in an effort to reveal Him to all the world. You have a right to defend yourself from assault, or not, as you best understand God's will. You have a right to participate as best you can in life's opportunities as a means of bringing glory to His name. You have a right to resist tyranny and oppression, when doing so blesses others. You have a right to defend material goods given to you by God as proper care and stewardship. You also have a right to dispose of them any way He sees fit. No one can tell you not to serve Jesus Christ, but don't be surprised if He doesn't prevent them from persecuting you for it. The only needless suffering in the world comes from clinging to this life and its comforts.
The language of human rights is the antithesis of Scripture, because it reduces human interaction to mere formulas. The Bible views human relations in a nexus covenants. The fundamental covenant for all mankind is between God and His Creation. We are bound by this covenant by virtue of breathing. There are a number of requirements by which we are all bound, the most basic being we are obliged to call upon His Name, as seen in the first chapters of Genesis. However, the full list of requirements must be deduced from a wider reading in the Word. Next in the story of redemption we come to Noah, and the Covenant of Civil Law. When and where humans fail to maintain a basic civil penalty against those who reject limits on their behavior, limits established for the sake of human society, the Lord brings certain penalties into play. Basically, without civil order, the natural order degrades quickly -- the two are linked.
Covenants are poorly understood in modern Western civilization as a whole, and only barely grasped in the Western Church. The covenant is a commitment of persons to each other regarding one or more specified issues. While it might include a limited term, they were most often valid for the life of both parties, since it was a commitment of the person. It was assumed such agreements were sworn before God as Judge and Arbitrator. Thus, the phrase, "The Lord judge between you and me..." God declared He took such things seriously. The key to it all is to see it was never about resources, which ultimately God controls, but about persons.
Our modern contracts are a poor shadow of this, and in some ways a negation of covenants. While persons sign contracts, they are presumed representatives of abstract parties, which have committed to do some certain thing. People vested with the responsibility might change, but the parties remain bound. Even when the contract stipulates only two single individuals, the nature of the contract depersonalizes the two parties. It really has nothing to do with persons, and everything to do with abstractions of legally defined entities. This is in some ways the very foundation of Western society, and one of the strongest barriers preventing Western Christians from grasping the nature of their relationship with God. This objectifying of human relations stands on its head the demands of Scripture. The nature of this was so fundamental in the Old Testament, it was seldom spoken of directly, simply assumed. The New Testament church was never just an institution, it was people. An institution can stand on its own, with our without people, but the church was meant to be nothing other than people.
We see in the Law of Moses a set of promises regarding mere observance in actions. One can still gain the blessings of shalom: peace, health and prosperity by ritual obedience. Yet in the very center of things, God made it clear just doing the requirements and avoiding the proscriptions was to miss the point. When we commit to Him from the heart, performance becomes a gift from His hand, not an objective. The farther Jews got from the matter of covenant commitment of the person, the more corrupt their understanding and practices became. This took them farther and farther away from the shalom of the spirit:
It was quite rare indeed when they gained these things, because they were too anxious about the shadowy versions in the flesh. When the Lord truly holds us, we greatly prefer this second meaning of shalom.
It is only natural such a changed heart results in changed actions, for the eyes themselves see the world differently. All the assumptions are shifted, particularly in dealing with other people. Reading through the Torah, we see numerous injunctions which elevate servants and slaves far beyond the esteem considered normal in surrounding nations and cultures. It becomes clear they can never be viewed as chattel, as property. They are persons, often in great need. To take them on establishes a relationship, a covenant, which binds the master to a burden or care for the servant. Work must not be dangerous nor unnecessarily burdensome, not humiliating; compensation must be generous -- what was negotiated was the minimum, and gratuities were planned. Indeed, servants become part of the family, and day laborers were friends and brothers. While not deserving of the privileges of blood kin, even genuine slaves could not be left out of the standard food, shelter and clothing provided to all.
It is widely known we in the US have long forgotten the intricacies of dealing with domestic help. When we were closer to our European roots, everyone knew what was expected. There is now an uncomfortable confusion over what precisely is the role of nannies, for example. No one seems to know where the boundaries are. This shows we have gone too far into objectifying humans. The domestic help industry is filled with embarrassing disasters, because we have wholly unrealistic expectations. In our eyes, most of humanity is simply scenery. Those who serve a purpose in our lives are machines, but even our closest relatives we tend to treat as we wish them to be, not as they are -- and most certainly not as God intended. We prefer the mechanistic observance of shallow social rituals, and everyone to us is only so loved as they are useful. Yet we love our institutions and our things, instead.
Jesus said the greatest in the Kingdom is the greatest servant (Luke 22:25-27). This He said in conjunction with performing for His disciples the most humiliating domestic task of His day, washing their feet like a Gentile slave. This principle is clearly rooted in Hebrew history, for Rehoboam was advised to serve his nation, a concept inherent in ruling as king (1 Kings 12:7). Ruling was not a privilege, but a heavy burden of obligation. Rehoboam got it wrong because he was determined his kingdom would serve him. He lost sovereignty over ten of the twelve tribes because God did not support that attitude.
Even today in the Middle East, a man's greatness is measured by how lavish his gifts are. Further, the bounty must be something legitimately gained, for only a completely evil man gives as gifts the property stolen from another. That a man could be so casual about precious treasures shows he feels assured he can replace it if necessary. In the Bible, such confidence is only possible when one is acquainted with the largess of Jehovah. When we are called by God to any service, we can be certain He will provide anything needed to support such a calling. As He is generous, so He commands we be the same.
We have all seen the negative example of the greedy, petty, fearful cranks. It shows up in everything they do. We see this in employers who have the impulse to micro-manage, hold long meetings discussing minutiae, snoop on employees, and generally show flagrant distrust for anyone who fails to function as an extension of their every whim. Nothing and no one is ever good enough. He finds it especially galling when any living being is insufficiently concerned with his comfort and happiness. People of faith do not act this way.
Even in the West, we recognize someone with noble virtues. We refer to "genteel manners" when someone is gracious, making every visitor feels relaxed. It goes beyond mere civility, and is much larger than mere rules of etiquette. Such folks assume the best regarding guests, and never hesitate to assume the blame for things which don't go right. At the same time, they hardly tolerate unnecessary provocation, and will violently intervene to protect the defenseless. To fall short of this would be neglectful of the real needs of even the perpetrator, who must surely be taught better. While they might take up arms for the sake of honor, it is collective honor which concerns them, not some silly chip on their shoulder. Truly honorable people are not much worried when a fool bad-mouths them.
Current fashion is notably short of this standard. Why do so many of us take offense at the smallest provocation? Not just in our actions, but in the anger we find ourselves so often suppressing in public, we show ourselves too small-minded. It's really quite easy to let fools be fools, and respond in ways which leave no doubt you aren't one of them. Tolerance for imposition is one mark of greatness. This we understand, but Scripture demands even more. Why, in a bad situation, are we so slow to offer service and support which fits the need? Why do we make no plans, no preparations to do for others in distress those things we know we can? Example: Do you carry jumper cables in your vehicle? Among the desert tribes it is still considered irresponsible if one fails to carry enough water to share at least a little with another. Better to suffer a bit from lack than fail to offer some to anyone in need. It's one thing to be wary of those preying on the polite; it's another to hurry through your day such that God Himself can't get your attention for the needs of His Kingdom.
We have concrete examples, but we must avoid rules. Truly understanding walking in faith goes far beyond such things. It is not possible to formulate, nor memorize, any structure sufficiently fine-grained to fit all believers under all circumstances. We dare not compartmentalize. The Kingdom of God is a living thing. Our faith cannot be reduced to mere propositions. The Holy Spirit is no policeman, but a personal presence of God Almighty, attending by the moment to the requirements of serving God, and revealing Him.
For the impatient, here are some basic guidelines:
What follows is a distilled description, a depiction, of the Semitic understanding of life. We can discern things better if we start by narrowing down to one primary difference with modern Western thought: The role of the subconscious. This shows up most visibly in learning style. It's common knowledge Eastern thought is more deductive than inductive. Truth is revealed from above, not built up from below. One learns by absorbing revelation. Revelation is far more than propositional statements. It more often comes as an image within a context. Indeed, for the Hebrew mind, context is everything. Hebrew language is more a collection of symbols and images than a vehicle for passing information. It's a mistake to discount this as communication essentially by emotion. There is, indeed, a good bit of emotion, but it's more for the sake of drama than brutish gut reactions. The objective is to impart a message that requires one to sit down and consider.
Such contemplation is the primary learning activity. There is a recognition that we cannot see well below the line of conscious mental activity. Even Western science recognizes the mind is not only mostly subconscious, but the best work is done below that line. The Hebrew language is primarily oral, and only secondarily written. Thus, we hear the message today, then we go about our normal business while letting that message echo in the mind, and gestate in the subconscious. When possible, we would simply sit and let the message replay in our minds repeatedly, perhaps associating it with other, similar messages. Even Westerners know dreams often reveal the content of the subconscious. For a Semite, dreams are the place where God may light the fire of revelation from fuel previously delivered while awake. We would assume at some point we come to a working conclusion what changes are demanded of us. However, it would percolate up from changed heart, powered by a renewed spirit, not from a simple rational decision. Eventually that message will come forth into conscious thought in way it can be shared. The revelation of God is passed on by words backed up by previous changes in behavior.
To the Western mind, the Hebrew God is somewhat capricious. For the Semite, it's a matter that God reserves all prerogatives. Accepting that we never really do come to the end of understanding leaves room for God to act in ways wholly unexpected and wholly incomprehensible. We may well be close confidants in the Court of Heaven, but a Lord would be silly to trust all His secrets to any one servant. Servants inevitably fail, and so there must be an alternate route to getting the business done. That Our Lord is unfailing in Himself would lead us to expect a business so complex and all encompassing, we are blessed just to have one little part in it. We are included by His grace, not by our virtue. Thus, knowing intimately the design and content of our hearts and minds, He wisely reveals what we need when the time is right. Time is not measured precisely, and events are not scheduled by the ticking of the clock. If some trusted servant fails to respond and carry out his duty at the appropriate place in sequence, there must be a way to move ahead without his contribution. Naturally, that involves calling on some other servants rather suddenly. That these servants may be wrapped up in other affairs is their own fault. Their number one priority is to serve the Master at His call, at His time. Convenience is solely His possession.
That's not to say a major undertaking is pursued without planning. If we know from experience it takes three days to walk from this place to that, we prepare accordingly. If there's not enough packable food on hand, we prepare to do without, or perhaps gather it on the way. The Lord may well have prepared for that on our behalf, but if not, we assume He has strengthened us to bear the discomfort. We should hardly dare to ask why, but just take the pain as part of our due service. Westerners call this "fatalism," with the implication it's not a reasonable way to operate. This is a mis-characterization. A Semite will war against apparent fate if he is certain fighting is the will of God, but seldom merely for the sake of his own comfort. Comfort is a gift of grace, not a just desert, and certainly not a right. One's place in the world may be subject to improvement by persistent effort, but only if God grants it. The effort must be consistent with current responsibilities.
Laws were expressed in terms of the ruler's character. It was assumed the laws were in the people's best interests. The broad generalities were fairly static, not subject to review. Some examples of the law's application always came with the publication of them. Every lord issuing laws knew to prepare for court hearings in cases with no obvious application, or when provisions seemed to conflict. Rulings were recorded, not to provide a static precedent, but to offer evidence of the lawgiver's character. Similar cases might be ruled differently because of nuances in context. Wisdom was insight into the lord's character, as expressed in the ability to rule on some cases as the lawgiver would rule. A judge was promoted on how few rulings were overturned on appeal to a higher court, especially in cases reviewed by the lawgiver. This was associated with the wisdom of grasping human motives. To accurately predict what individuals and groups would do under varying circumstances was regarded as wisdom. Naturally, such prescience would put you at an advantage in dealing with your fellow humans. Whatever circumstances arose, you would be ready to act appropriately, or wisely. A servant who wisely anticipated his master's requirements was beloved, highly valued. It should be obvious this was as much the result of willingness as wisdom. A demonstrated desire to obey and please was the foundation of such wisdom.
Everyone served someone. Only God has no superior. The concept of the loner was that of an outlaw, a sinner rejected and barely allowed to live. While there was a place for the individual hero who saved the day, it was assumed he would arise from his own people at God's behest. There was no glory for the individual virtuoso apart from community. Heroes and experts were gifts of God to the community. Talent existed only as a gift of God to train others and improve community life in general. The only good loner was the prophet who stood for God against the sinning masses. Even then, he was inevitably called to serve God by serving the community, albeit against their wishes. It was assumed others might aspire to his high calling and join him. While great works were ascribed to great men in the community, it was quite rare for great men to do the work themselves. Almost no one went about their calling individually, but would have at least one servant or apprentice at his side. The warrior had his young shield-bearer, the prophet had his apprentice, and every nobleman had his servant. Thus, any number of people might represent a great man, and would be treated as the man himself in many ways. It was said such a representative was going "in his master's name." Delegation was a basic assumption of life. One gained glory most from sharing in that of another.
Finally, we conclude with a contrast between the two cultures on two fundamental concepts, love and belief. In Western lore, romantic love is completely irrational and cannot be tamed. It follows its own whims and is proper justification for all manner of devotional behavior. On the other hand, belief is chosen. To the Hebrew mind, things are just the opposite. Love is a conscious choice, and romantic attachment is the natural result of marrying appropriately. Yet religious conviction is ordained by God. It is based on revelation coming down from God, established long before the believer was born. In covenant with God, revelation is brought to life in the believer's heart, and grips the soul eternally. The content of conviction may expand, but is not subject to change from human forces. In Western thinking, true convictions are viewed as intransigence in resisting reason. In Scripture, the spirit is ruled by God; it is intransigence to resist belief.
We return to our beginning, in recognizing a crisis: We are today far, far afield of the roots of our faith. The crisis is for each of us to settle, yet we must do it together. Without frequent, deep plowing, the fields of our hearts cannot bear much fruit. Make the world know the Father by how you live.
I am indebted to Charley Dunsworth and Ryan Paterson for ideas, comments and feedback.
By Ed Hurst
07 August 2006
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