White knuckles. Left and right, everywhere I turn I'm hearing about them. Check lists, too. Combine the two and you have a recipe for a good Christian life. A moral life. An enviable life. A life that will earn you a sweet eulogy and a headstone with wings. Sounds nice. But why do I have this feeling deep in my gut that this is exactly the kind of life that Satan wants us to have? No, that's not a typo, I didn't mean to say God there. I mean, there's nothing Satan loves more than a squeaky clean, moral, white knuckle kind of faith.
We like to think of Satan as a pointy tailed monster, because in all honesty that's far less terrifying than what he really is. He's beautiful. He's cunning. He's theologically sound. And, unfortunately, he's very good at what he does. When he sees that you're not going to fall for devil worship, witchcraft, or child sacrifice, he doesn't give up. Instead, he takes his attack on you into more familiar, more comfortable territory. If he can't woo you into a "false religion", he'll simply distract you with your existing faith.
Think about this, why would Satan bother to learn Scripture (and believe me, he does know it) if he wasn't planning to use it? He doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who does things for no reason. He knows it, better than you and I, and he can wield that sword with expert precision. One of the craftiest tools in his arsenal, is context.
A lot of nasty things can be taken from Scripture used out of context. If we really wanted to follow the law, all of it, we would all be walking around with a stone in our hand just waiting for the opportunity to throw it. And throw it we would, with ease I'm sure. Satan knows this. And he knows that if a person is not bent toward doing bad, then it's probably "good" that they're after. So, cracking his knuckles and grinning from ear to ear, he thinks, "No problem, I can use that, too." And use it he does.
Enter white knuckles, check lists, and winged tombstones.
What does it mean to have a white knuckle kind of faith? Simply put, it means you are trying to hold God in your tiny little finite hands, instead of surrendering, and letting God, hold you, in his huge, grace-filled, infinite arms!
It means you have a death grip on your Christian life, only removing your hands long enough to check something off of your "10 steps to being a good Christian" list.
Tithe ✓
Volunteer for a church supper ✓
Do my Sunday School lesson, ✓
Don't cuss ✓
Go to church ✓
Read my Bible ✓
Don't listen to secular music ✓
Vote Republican ✓
Post Scripture on Facebook ✓
Pray for sick people ✓
Rebuke someone for cussing, listening to secular music, or not voting Republican ✓
Look, these things alone are not innately good or bad. They're just actions. They could be full of pride and self-righteousness, or full of faith and grace, or completely and utterly empty! I am not here to judge your actions, I'm here to say that we all need to examine our motives.
Why do you tithe? Why do you volunteer? Why do you do your Sunday School lesson? Why don't you cuss? Why do you read your Bible? Why do you pray? Why do you sing along during Sunday morning worship? Why do you vote? Why do you quote Scripture? Why do you bristle when another Christian does or says things that don't line up perfectly with you?
For the love of God, WHY?!
If your answer has anything to do with standards set by people and tradition, then my friends, I worry about your heart.
I don't care about your reputation. I care about your heart. You cannot white knuckle this, and expect to have a genuine relationship with Christ. Those shackles that you feel—the ones that say you can't get tattoos, you can't say words that are on the imaginary list titled "inappropriate", you can't listen to any music that isn't on a Christian station, and you can't be friends with anyone who is gay, Muslim, or agnostic—guess what, they were broken long ago. Broken. Not readjusted.
B.R.O.K.E.N.
Those shackles are called the law. If you want to settle into them and try and make a go for it, go right ahead, but don't say I didn't warn you. You cannot pick and choose which parts you'll follow and which will be discarded, so be prepared for a rough road, that will probably end with a stone to your head. Tough words? No.
Tough love.
I want to give you a little homework. Go read Galatians 5. Then read it again. And again. And think about it. Christ fulfilled the law. If he didn't, and we're still going to follow it, then set down your cross and let's go splatter animal blood on each other. No? I didn't think so. Pick that cross back up, and let's move.
If you want to live by a law, at least live by the right one. Galatians 6 says to bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. I wonder how many people have an item on their "checklists" that deals with love. I suppose it would be kind of silly if on your list of things to do each day you put, "Love as Christ loves, care for the orphans and the widows, and feed the poor." I mean, if we're having to consciously remind ourselves to fulfill the law that is written on our hearts, I would question whether or not it was, indeed, written on our hearts. Or is something amiss?
Funny, Christ addressed this pretty often. More than gambling, or drinking, or cussing. He had pretty harsh words for the man who neglects the needy. And yet, I can't recall a single time that a brother or sister has ever approached me out of concern for my lack of compassion for the poor. I've been approached on other things, but not this. Not once.
Friends, if I'm going to have a white knuckle kind of faith, I want it to be because my fists are clenched together desperately in prayer to my Redeemer. In worship. In praise. In petition for His Will in my life.
Not in empty words that say, "I did it. I'm doing it. I'm living right!"
But words that say, "You did it all, don't let me miss the point and screw this up! It's not about me, it is all about You!"
Posts
I signed up for compassion at a Jeremy Camp concert several months ago.. An excellent organization! I encourage everyone to do so, you won't regret it!
ReplyDelete