We inflict injury on one another for the sake of our "rights". Paul says - this is WRONG! If we are considering taking a fellow believer to court, God gives us a big red light. Believers are not to give away to unbelievers our God-given authority to judge. We need to begin standing up and making peace.
This may mean giving up a fight.
It may mean arbitrating a dispute.
It may mean church leadership mediating between fighting members.
Whatever the case, peace does not happen - it must be made!!! To make peace, someone may need to stand up and judge - something we hate doing in our relativistic "what right do you have to tell me I'm wrong?!" culture. To make peace, we may need to stand down...
This brings us back to our discussion in class on Sunday. Mindy had asked if we should allow people to walk all over us: "...You spoke about letting others walk all over you, and I understand God wants us to be humble and take sacrifices for his sake - however, is there a point at which you allow this to happen that others may not be able to see the glory of God in your life?" Each of us in class cringed at the idea of letting someone walk all over us. What does God have to say????
"accept wrong"
"let yourselves be cheated"
- Vs. 7
I wish those words weren't in this passage. I wish God didn't say them. But he did. Now we must deal with them, and obey them, no matter how much they may hurt.
What amount of wrong must I accept from others?
How much should I let others cheat me?
There must be a price-limit, right?
I mean, if someone cheats me out of my shovel, so be it. But if someone cheats me out of my computer, my car, my cash...no way!
This is about fairness, rightness, justice! Must I give up justice now?
Listen to Jesus:
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away." (Matt: 5:38-42 nkjv)
I don't think I am very good at this...I don't think our church is very good at this...I don't think our entire Christian community is very good at this. We have bought the lie that justice and fairness must be demanded now.
Yes, God is just and fair, we just need to wait until He sets the record straight.
Until then, I'm going to need a lot of something called forgiveness. What did Jesus have to say about that?
"Then Peter came to Him and said, 'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?' Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven...'" (Matt. 18:21-22 nkjv)
Unlimited forgiveness, no justice or fairness - this is not sounding very fun right now. Yet the cost of being a follower of Christ is high - higher perhaps than some of us realize.
I was humbled by this high and costly calling this morning as I sat at the feet of a godly believer martyred by Hitler. Here is what he wrote from prison, unjustly accused by an ungodly government:
"Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross...costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field for the sake of it a man will gladly go and sell all that he has...it is costly becasue it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life."
(Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, pg. 47)
Have I signed up up for this costly grace yet? Have you?
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4 comments:
Not sure if this will all just complicate and confuse... but I wonder if the passage in Mt. you quote from can really be used with the one from Cor. One is discussing the issue of our testimony about conflicts - while the other one is talking about a different matter. In Mt. 5 I wonder if Jesus is using those examples as illustrations for a principle that He is teaching or if He is saying to allow others to do whatever they want to us. Is He using those examples to teach a principle about retaliation? If you take those examples to the extreme, it would seem to encourage violations of other Scripture. Should we encourage a wife to have her husband hit her again? Or would we allow someone to keep beating up our kid? Or is the principle that we can choose to forgo our "right" to retaliate and seek revenge? Or if someone says they want our house, we sign it over? Those things (of course, extreme, but fitting the examples used in the passage)would appear to just encourage evil to grow.
I don't see a price limit on the principles in Cor. But neither do I see that it is saying that you must allow yourself to be cheated and wronged - the context of the passage is that instead of going to the courts, it is better to allow yourself to be wronged, but Paul is also giving an alternative - we can turn to the body of Christ to judge (vs 5).
I think I'm beginning to ramble... well, I know I'm beginning to ramble... So I guess I'll be satisfied with stirring the pot a little!
I think to idea that is escaping us is the fact that God is the extreme judge and authority of mankind- saved and unsaved. We live in a world where we need results now- whether it be from what we put into our stomach or what is "owed to us". If we call ourselves Christians and claim to be saved by the blood of Christ- then we are set apart-sancified. If we are set apart then------- apart we should be. If that means turning the other cheek or turning over your possession, then I guess that is what we should do. It is a hard thing to do, but we are not God. It is very tempting to say next time or not right now. Anger and retaliation are not fruits of the spirit. IF we follow Gal 5:22- "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" then maybe the world would be a better place for everyone. Gal 5:24-25 continues- "And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." When we hold grudges, resentment, demand justice- how can we be authentic followers of Christ if we fail to dispay the fruits of the Spirit of God?
Did anyone hear the "Focus on the Family" radio broadcast today? They interviewed a man who is a Messianic (Christian) Jew doing evangelism in the Middle East. He told a story about a fellow believer who became the victim of recial violence. The man remembered that Jesus said in the Bible to "love your enemies", so he allowed the other man to beat him up. The violent man was so shocked that his victim showed love rather than anger and hatred that he put his faith in Jesus Christ.
"recial" should be spelled "racial"
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