Holy Life at Large

This past Sunday was Sanctity of Life Sunday in many churches around the nation. That's not a phrase you hear much around the average water cooler. The focus is far more often directed toward the quality of life and choices people make when they think that quality is not what it should be. The primary areas of interest are at the ends of the spectrum - beginnings and endings, birth and death, abortion and euthanasia, women's rights and right to die.

Please understand that I believe those are most important issues deserving of our time, thought, and attention. However, we must not overlook the sanctity of life in the rest of the spectrum. The sanctity of our own lives, that is. Or should I say holiness of life? That's a term that might be a little more familiar even though it is sadly out of favor.

Consider who we are, where we came from and how we got here. We are unique creatures, created in the image of God and like no other, created in righteousness and holiness with the ability not to sin. And then it happened, the fall, that awful marring and near destruction of God's image in us. But marred though it is, it is still recognizable. Marred though it is, it is still redeemable. And that is just what God determined to do for His people, redeem them from the curse of sin and death and reconcile them to Himself.

Consider the cost of our redemption. You want to talk about fair, and how it's not fair that we get charged with sin because of Adam. How fair is it that the perfect and sinless Son of God got charged with sin because of us? How about what He experienced in our place - His Father's wrath, just punishment for each one of those sins His people committed; the barbaric torture of crucifixion; death.

Consider the glorious benefits He purchased for us at that terrific cost. Eternal life, reconciliation with God, awesome spiritual blessings that can only be fully appreciated in eternity, fellowship, peace, purpose, the list is endless. If those benefits have been purchased for us and applied to us by the redeeming blood of Christ, how can our lives possibly not show it? How can we treat His life so cavalierly that it has no effect on how we live ours? If life is sacred at all, the redeemed life should be doubly sacred because it was not only created in the image of God; it has been re-created in the image of God and is being restored more and more each day.

How's the sanctity of your life?

By His grace,
Sundoulos

Salty Speech

Occasionally in life we come across people who seem to have a real knack for saying the wrong thing at the most inopportune time. It puts me in mind of the saying that the stupidity of your action is directly proportional to the number of people watching you.

In the last several weeks statements made by a quite prominent leader within the Christian community have made the headlines. More significantly those comments have had repercussions in other countries and around the world, not the least of which is the expulsion of Christian mission groups from an entire nation. I really don't want to give the fellow any more publicity than he has already garnered nor do I want to enhance his credibility by raising his number of Google "hits".

Whether we like it or not, in many places around the world Christianity and the United States are viewed as synonymous and whoever speaks with a loud voice from the Christian camp within the U.S. is perceived as a spokesman for Christianity in general. If a Christian is going to speak his mind in public and in a way that the mass media will broadcast, he must be certain that he has the mind of Christ and speaks accordingly. If a Christian is going to speak his mind on a website or blog that is accessible to the public, he must be certain that he has the mind of Christ and speaks accordingly. If a Christian is going to speak his mind in the presence of others, he must be certain that he has the mind of Christ.

Two particular passages come to mind. First, I consider Asaph and his perspective as recorded in Psalm 73. As Asaph looked around at the condition of the world in general and his condition in particular, he formed an opinion of what God was doing. When he thought about the consequences of expressing that opinion within the community, he held his tongue so that his thoughts about God would not cause his fellow-believers to stumble (see verse 15). The second passage is that of Paul in Colossians 4 and his instructions about how we should conduct ourselves toward outsiders. Paul instructed his readers to behave wisely, making sure that their speech was always gracious and seasoned with salt. I believe Paul wanted the speech of Christians to be delicately flavored, not briny and distasteful.

Credibility once lost is very difficult to regain; a reputation damaged by controversy or unwise actions is very difficult to repair. Once damage is done, it takes a long time of back-breaking effort to rebuild. For the sake of the kingdom we should do everything in our power to always act and speak as faithful ambassadors of Christ, not as ambassadors of our own opinions.

Does that mean the church and leaders within the church should not speak with a prophetic voice? Far from it. But those who speak that way should bear in mind the test of a prophet and why God designed it that way. The standard God gave His people was this: "the prophet who dares to speak in My name a message I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods--that prophet must die." Deuteronomy 18:20 The one who presumes to speak with a prophetic voice, that is, as God's mouthpiece, must be certain that the things he is speaking actually come from God. We can and should declare the truth of God's Word in the marketplace but it must be God's truth we are declaring and not our own fallible opinions.

Remember the words of our Savior: "Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another." Mark 9:50

By His Grace,
Sundoulos

Resolution Responsibility

It's that time again, actually a little after that time, when well-meaning people make New Year's Resolutions.

"I'll only eat chocolate once a week."

"Caffeine only in the morning, and not more than two cups."

"I'm going to bed by nine o'clock every night."

"I will limit my TV watching to the news, Jeopardy, and one other show."

And for the really sanctified, "I'm going to read through the whole Bible this year."

Maybe yours is on the list, perhaps you chose some other area of life to focus on improving during 2006. Every one of these things is a good thing, your life will probably be better for having made and kept a resolution like one of these.

Which brings up something else, the keeping part of New Year's Resolutions. I get the feeling sometimes that people who make resolutions often don't take them seriously. Most people don't manage to keep them all year so that lets me off the hook if I give up or forget. Occasionally it seems like folks view resolutions like a contest - see who can make the hardest one, the one that will get the biggest "Wow", the one that will garner the most sympathy.

Now don't get me wrong, I am not against New Year's Resolutions. I think they can be a good thing. But I also remember the verse that says we need to be careful about making impulsive vows (Proverbs 20:25) and the one that says it's better not to make a vow at all than to make it and not keep it (Ecclesiastes 5:5).

So does that mean we ought to take the safe way out and not make New Year's Resolutions at all? No, I don't think so. But we should go about it in the right way. First, determine if the resolution you are contemplating will be pleasing to God. Is it Biblical? Is it important to God? Are you considering it for the right reasons - because it's the right thing to do?

Next, consider objectively if it is something reasonable, something that you can really accomplish with God's help. Resolving to get down to your high school graduation weight by the end of 2006 is not a reasonable resolution if it means reducing your body weight by half. Even if you could pull it off, it wouldn't be healthy. But don't give up on it altogether; instead, go for a healthy goal that you can achieve with help.

If after prayer and consideration you believe it is a proper and achievable resolution, GO FOR IT!! Be sure to set yourself up for success - ask God's help, get family and friends to help you and keep you accountable, and if you start to "backslide" repent and get back on track.

A wise resolution can be both honoring to God and good for your life.

By His Grace,
Sundoulos