A Helpful Lesson from World Vision
The recent World Vision decision and then its remarkably
quick reversal on the matter of supporting gay monogamous spouses as employees
provides a good moment for all of us who are Christians to reflect.
Particularly, those of us who are in leadership roles in Christian ministries
ought to pause for a moment. Without speaking directly to that particular
issue, it is helpful to think about the challenges and temptations that we all
face in seeking to be part of an expanding influence for Christ in a world
which is increasingly non-Christian or even, anti-Christian.
Specifically,
it may be helpful for us to return to passages of Scripture that may lie
neglected in the back pages of our Bibles. I commend to you the letter of Jude.
In that epistle, the author reveals that his original intent what to write "about our common salvation."
His goal was to focus on our "unity" in the gospel. However, his
agenda has switched. He explains "I
found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith once
delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long
ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the
grace of God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ"
(Jude 3).
It is
worthwhile noting several considerations from this passage of Scripture. First,
that it continues to be the responsibility of Christians to "contend for the faith once for all delivered
to the saints." This is an ongoing leadership responsibility for those
who are on mission. The complaint of those who are passionately
"missional" and seeking to advance the cause of Christ in the world
is that the church is often too inwardly focussed. The caution for all of us is
that in our considerations on how we might build bridges to our community and
redeem the culture and advance the kingdom
of Christ in the world is
that the pendulum may swing too far and we become negligent at home. There are
clear biblical warnings about this. We cannot do one at the expense of the
other.
Contending
for the faith is not defending our convictions from those outside the family of
Christ. At least, it isn't in this context. It is making the case to God's
people for faithfulness to the kingdom life delivered to us "once for all" through our Lord
Jesus Christ and his apostles against the inducements of those who have come
inside and are pressuring the church to do otherwise. Faithfulness to Christ will always be put to
the test.
Even in our
God-honouring attempts to be relevant, we may find ourselves at risk of
becoming gradually indistinct from the world around us. We must remember the
words of Jesus about the value of salt that loses its saltiness. It is good for
nothing but to be thrown on the road. We are the salt of earth and not merely
the light of the world. Salt prevents decay. It is what we are as the people of
God that gives us true and lasting relevance in our culture.
Likewise,
faithfulness to "the faith once for
all delivered to the saints" is an important phrase to keep in mind.
Lest we think that this is mere cold dogmatism, consider the phrase "to the saints". It is crucial that
we always keep in mind that Christian leadership is a stewardship not just of a
body of truth but of "the body of
Christ." When the apostle Peter was asked three times by Jesus if he
loved Jesus and he agonizingly confessed that he did, Jesus said "Tend my
sheep."
You and I
do well to reflect at length about how much Christ loves His people. We need to
ponder very carefully the passages of Scripture in which Christian leaders are
to take seriously their stewardship over the welfare of God's children.
Remember, for example, the apostle Paul's final words to the elders at Ephesus . In Acts 20:26, "Therefore, I testify to you this day
that I am innocent of the blood of all for I did not shrink from declaring to
you the whole counsel of God. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all
the flock, in which the Holy Spirit, has made you overseers, to care for the church of God , which he obtained with his own
blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not
sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking
twisted things, to draw the disciples after them."
We must
remind ourselves that the people of God are "saints" in God's eyes.
Calling them a saint isn't a statement about their spiritual strength and
ability. They are incredibly vulnerable. Calling them a saint is a statement
about how God views them through Jesus Christ. They are precious to Him. They
are His treasured position. They are His people, His children. They are holy to
God. They have been redeemed to live for Him.
To return
to the urgent appeal by Jude to "contend
for the faith once for all delivered to the saints", let me add one
last reflection. Jude speaks of a particular threat to the people of God. It
comes from some on the inside "who
pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord,
Jesus Christ." Most people who use God's grace as an argument for
broad acceptance of what Jude calls "sensuality"
would not think that they are denying Jesus. They usually say that Jesus was
accepting and we should do likewise. However, notice Jude's terminology
regarding Jesus. He calls Jesus "our
Master and Lord". That very language is intended to make this point:
Jesus did not come to set us free to live as we please. He came to free us from
captivity to sin and to Satan in order that we might enjoy the freedom of
living under His Lordship. As the apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15,
"For the love of Christ controls us,
because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have
died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for
themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised." As
good old Bobby Dylan once sang, "You're gonna hafta serve somebody. It
might be the devil. It might be the Lord... but you're gonna hafta serve
somebody." The argument of our Christian faith is that Jesus is the best
Master and Lord that you could ever desire to serve. He is even a better Master
than you could or would be if you ran your own life.
When Christ
has shed His blood to trample down the gates of hell and set captives free,
when our Lord Jesus has in the power of His Spirit broken the shackles of sin
that have long held people, and when Christ has laid down a lighted path of
freedom and peace and joy - a new, liberated life for those who have called
upon His name - then it is our stewardship to ensure that no one leads them
from light back to darkness, from freedom back to chains, from life into death.
The truth of God, the people of God, the Son of God are all worthy of our best
efforts at contending. We have a benevolent King, let us gladly serve Him.
Any of us
who are genuine in our desire to engage the world in a winsome way for our Lord
Jesus Christ must be aware that the church remains vulnerable. Each of us
remains vulnerable. All of us want to be as kind and loving and broad as we can
possibly be in our relationships in order to show how wide the love of Christ
is. However, we have a stewardship. We are called to be faithful to God's Word,
God's people, and God's Son. God help us.
Comments
Post a Comment