03 - FEAR OF THE LORD: The Truth and the Lie

Truth is indispensable. We need the truth from those who make decisions affecting our lives. We need truth in the classroom that shapes our minds, values, and societal behaviors. We need the truth in the media, which we depend on for facts to make informed decisions. And last, but not least, we need the truth to be the foundation of long term meaningful relationships. Imagine a society in which nothing can be known to be true!

We have already observed that truth is one of the foundation stones of the Fear of the Lord. We have also seen that Solomon elevated these basic elements of the Fear of the Lord, to be equal in importance to the Ten Commandments.

¹³Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. (Ecc. 12:13).

Words have tremendous power. They can build up and enlighten, or they can destroy and misinform. There is not a person or a society on the planet who has not been blessed and/or cursed with words. Solomon speaks of his decision to use his tongue to praise God's righteousness.

“The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit…" "My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long." (Prov. 15:4; Psa. 35:28b) 

Jesus said in John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Jesus is the truth. When we have Him, we have within us His presence out of which His truth can become visible to others.

Jesus taught about the truth, dispensed knowledge of the truth, He is the truth. "To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). If we, as the disciples Jesus, do what He says, we will have the truth and the truth will be set free within us.

Satan—the "Father of Lies"

Satan, on the other hand, is equated with the lie. He will quote scripture out of context and try to get us to believe the partial truth. His ultimate purpose is to use the lie to separate us from our true selves, from each other, and finally from God Himself. Later on in John 8, Jesus compared these same questioners to Satan and described them and him in the following manner:

"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44)

Conclusion

Here we find a very huge contrast. Jesus is the truth, and Satan is the lie. By itself this is not new. However, here we are placing it in the context of the meaning of the Fear of the Lord, which is so pervasive throughout all of scripture, but particularly in the Wisdom Literature. We will be seeing similar parallels as we move forward in this study.

Whether one tells and/or lives the truth, or tells and/or lives the lie is a decision one makes. Both are good indications of one’s heart disposition; and they put on display the character of the person using them.

Is there anything you would like to add to this conversation?

02 - FEAR OF THE LORD: Four Attributes

In our introduction we named four lifestyle principles distilled from the concept of the fear of the Lord, as articulated by kings David and Solomon, found in the wisdom literature. Together they constitute a way of life that God loves. Their antithesis, we are told in the Scriptures, are actions that God hates. This concept seems to have great importance. Here are representative scripture references for each concept to underscore their importance. First, of all:

THE TRUTH	THE LIE
“Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things" (Phil. 4:8-9).	“The Lord hates a lying tongue and a false witness who pours out lies” (Prov. 6:16-19).

Loving the truth is not just answering questions truthfully. It means doing the right and truthful thing, even when you know no one is watching, particularly when you know you will not be caught. It means living your life with absolute integrity, promoting truth in every aspect of public life, and shunning rationalization in all of its forms. This is, obviously a short list, but it is essentially an abhorrence of all things deceptive. Secondly, we see:

PURSUING PEACE	SOWING STRIFE
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matt. 5:9).	“The Lord hates…a man who stirs up dissension among brothers" (Pro. 6:16, 19).

In the Old Testament the word for peace is shalom. It does not mean only the absence of fighting. It is harmony and wholeness in every aspect of life, which flows from promoting reconciliation between God, people, and the world. It connotes an attitude of giving so that other people can experience unity, abundance, and success in material prosperity, bodily health, and happiness in relationships. Thirdly:

HUMILITY	PRIDE
"God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (I Peter 5:6).	"Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight" (Isaiah 5:21).

Humility is not talked about, but lived out. It includes being a servant to those lower than yourself, sharing the burdens of others, considering others first, and giving God and others the credit for any success you may have. It specifies the need to have nothing to do with pride and arrogance. Finally:

GOOD	EVIL
“Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed” (Psa. 34:3).	"Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness before light and light before darkness, who put sweet for bitter and bitter before sweet" (Isa. 5:20).

One synonym for goodness is kindness. It means forgiving those who harm you, seeking justice for the poor, demonstrating a gentle spirit toward the disadvantaged, and acting for the good of all people, showing mercy, and working for the common good of society. It also means having absolutely nothing to do with evil of all kinds.

In our next post, we will take a closer look at the concepts of the truth and the lie.

01—FEAR OF THE LORD – Introduction

Back in the late 1970’s, while Mary-Esther and I were pastoring the West Berlin Church of the Nazarene, one of our German parishioners gave me an audio cassette. On it, a German pastor presented a new way of understanding “the fear of the Lord” in scripture. Over the years, as I have reflected on it, the concept has slowly matured in my mind. It is still a work in progress, but I have not yet read anything quite like it.

When the average parishioner is asked, “What does the biblical concept of the ‘fear of the Lord’ mean,” the answer will vary widely. The one most people give will tend to gravitate toward being afraid of God’s wrath if we don’t do what He wants. John Calvin writes of a Christian standpoint which points to a sincere desire not to disappoint Him or to disgrace His name.

The Scriptures themselves seem to indicate that the practice of the fear of the Lord elevates the human condition. Here are a few examples from scripture that speak to the benefits of fearing the Lord.

1.      “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Prov. 9:10; Psa. 111:10)

2.   “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Prov. 1:7)

3.      Isaiah even brings this theme into connection with his prophecy about Jesus, A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.  The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord— and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. (Isa.11:1-3)

When Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes, he was likely an older man. He had seen and experienced, in abundance, everything human beings long for – love, wealth, and power. He was arguably the wealthiest man in the world (his annual income of gold alone was $3 - $4 billion in today’s value), and was king of the most powerful nation in the Middle East.

He wrote about how all his possessions, his wives and concubines, and his power did not satisfy him. He considered them all vanity and/or useless. In the last paragraph of Ecclesiastes, he addressed some final remarks to his son and articulated an all-important principle. He told his son to beware of anything that would seduce him away from a life of wisdom:

"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." (Eccl. 12:13)

The significance here is that Solomon links these two commands together and seems to give them equal billing. We know to obey God’s commandments. They formed the basics of the code of ethics in both the Old and New Covenants. But in addition to his, from this perspective, the question becomes, “What makes fearing God so crucial? What makes it such a bottom-line issue?” What is it about the fear of the Lord that leads to wisdom? What makes us fear to let God down or dishonor His name?

There must be something more fundamental to a godly life, both for individuals and society. There are several places, found in the wisdom literature, where light is shed on the answers to these questions.

As a child, on his father David’s knee, Solomon first learned and gained an appreciation for wisdom and the Fear of the Lord. It was David who wrote: "Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it." Psa. 34:11-14, (quoted in 1 Pet. 3:10-12)

Later, it was Solomon who passed on his father’s teaching when he wrote in Prov. 8:13:

"To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech."

In these two passages we see both positives and negatives of four practical principles which go to the core values of this concept. We will examine each of these in greater detail in future posts.

1.                  A commitment to truth,

2.                 A pursuit of peace,

3.                A life of humility, and

4.                A life-style of doing good.

In Ecclesiastes, Solomon seems to be suggesting that these values or attitudes constitute the fear the Lord, and when present, create in us the desire to keep the Commandments. To “Fear the Lord” means to commit to do what God loves, and not do what God hates, no matter what it may cost.

Each of these four positive attributes also have their counterparts: 1) telling the lie, 2) sowing strife, 3) being prideful, and 4) doing evil. We will see further implications of this relationship later in our study.

We also see how the seven deadly sins encapsulate the antithesis of the Fear of the Lord. The words evil, pride, the lie and the spreading of dissention are all found there.

"There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers." (Pro. 6:16-19)

My current working definition of the fear of the Lord is to take God seriously and obey Him above everything else in all He commands and does.

In the next several posts we will attempt to unpack each of these four ethical principles and show their significance to the Christian witness in complex culture*. There are many ways in which each of these four concepts are intertwined with major biblical themes. Furthermore, if practiced as a lifestyle, they provide the attitudes that render in us a desire to keep the Commandments.

Tune in next time for more. What do you think?

*See a previous post on my concept of “complex culture”.

Mary Taught Jesus About Economic Justice

Luke 1:46-56

We have been observing in the Magnificat where Mary speaks freely about her passions and her beliefs. It would be logical to posit that the words she expresses here constitute, at least to some extent, the way she raised Jesus. We have considered her emphasis on: a) praise and obedience to God, b) moral justice, and c) social justice. In this post we will look briefly at economic justice.

Economic Justice (v. 53)

One of the most revolutionary economic laws ever written was the Year of Jubilee that cancelled debt and redistributed the land. Every fiftieth year all land was to be returned to the descendants of its original owners. No families or clans were to be allowed to accumulate great fortunes over time. There is no place in the Scriptures where this law was practiced. Mary’s world was not only dominated by a small group of wealthy families, being wealthy was considered to be proof of God’s smile of approval. Jubilee had not been implemented. The rest of the people remained permanently poor.

She might have said to Jesus as He was growing up, “Remember Jesus, Yahweh loves the poor, and gives them beautiful and valuable things, but the rich He sends away empty. Hold a special place in your heart for the poor. God will never absolve a nation that is content to allow a few to have too much, while others have too little.”

There are many examples of how Mary’s teaching is expressed in Jesus’ ministry. One that stands out occurs during Passion Week as Jesus was standing outside the entrance to the Temple.

Lk 20:45—21:4, ^“While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely.” As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. I tell you the truth, he said, this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

It’s entirely possible that the widow who put her last two copper coins into the offering knew that her poverty was attributable to the exploitation of the powerful “teachers of the law,” Jesus had just described.

This possibility suggests that the most significant thing here is not that she gave everything. Jesus seems to be pointing to a deeper issue. In spite of the great economic injury she had suffered at the hands of the people who run the Temple, she still gave everything she had in the offering. This powerless widow understood the principle of giving. She was not giving to the Temple or the “teachers of the law,” she was giving to God. She was determined to be faithful to God, in spite of the injustice she had experienced and the hypocrisy around her.

Ron Sider tells the story about how, one Saturday morning, he was preparing a lecture on poverty; a poor man came into his office and asked for five dollars. “He was drinking. He had no food, no job, and no home. The Christ of the poor confronted me in this man. But I didn’t have the time. I had to prepare a lecture on the Christian view of poverty. I gave him a couple of dollars, but that wasn’t what he needed. He needed someone to talk to, someone to love him. He needed my time. He needed me. But I was too busy.” “Inasmuch as you did it not to the least of these, you did it not unto me.”

It seems to be human nature to ascribe higher value to people of means and to tend to devalue those who have less. The Scriptures are unequivocal; God loves and protects the poor.

Where are we?

What should the Evangelical Church’s attitude toward the poor be?

 

Mary Taught Jesus About Social Justice

Luke 1:46-56

We are looking at what Mary taught Jesus. And we are basing our thoughts on Magnificat where Mary speaks freely about her passions and her beliefs. It would be reasonable to assume that God would pick someone to be the mother of His Son, whose heart, soul, mind, and spirit, were compatible with His own.

E. Stanley Jones, the great Methodist missionary to India in the last century has called the Magnificat “the most revolutionary document in the world.” The third thing Mary taught Jesus was about,

Social Justice (v. 52)

This remarkable teen-aged young woman had not had the privilege of an education. Yet, she was acutely aware of God’s activity in the history of Israel. She knew how God had elevated a young shepherd boy to the throne of Israel, and also allowed foreign rulers to bring down the people and kings of Israel who had neglected the poor, the widows, and the orphans.

Also, toward the end of the Southern Kingdom, Jeremiah told the Israelites time and again that they would be judged if they continued to flaunt their riches and neglect the poor. But they ignored his warnings. When Nebuchadnezzar attacked Jerusalem and took the Judeans into captivity to Babylon, his general Nebuzaradan left many of the poor behind, and gave them the land to farm. God used Nebuzaradan to create justice for the poor at the expense of those who had exploited them.

She would say to Jesus, “remember son, God will judge injustice in the land, and the use of privilege to exploit the poor is a road to disaster. Remember the prophets spoke against a callous attitude toward the disenfranchised.”

As Jesus rode down from the crest of the Mount of Olives on the day of the Triumphal Entry, the crowds were cheering, palm fronds and coats were thrown onto the ground before Him. When he rounded the corner bringing the city into full view, Jesus began to weep. He realized that His Father would judge them for maintaining perpetual injustice in the land, and rejecting Him.

In late 18^th century France, stark disparity between rich and poor resulted in Revolution; rulers were brought down from their thrones. Fifty years later, in England, similar conditions reigned. The Industrial Revolution was in full swing in Europe. People were moving from their farms into the cities, looking to make a living, only to fall prey to the industrial machine. A few robber barons became unimaginably wealthy, but the masses descended into poverty. However, the Methodist movement begun through John Wesley’s ministry championed the education of the poor, passed labor laws, worked to abolish slavery, and historians tell us a bloody revolution was averted.

Today we are in the first stages of a new economic shift from the industry-based economy to an information-based economy. Many people in our country have become unimaginably wealthy, while the poor and middle-class are becoming poorer. This shift will likely deepen before it reverses, and it will probably take a decade or more before it evens out.

In the Nazareth synagogue, Jesus delivered his mission statement as he quoted Isaiah 61:1, “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” As followers of Christ, we need to spend more time thinking and praying about the implications of our role in our society.

How will we live our lives?

What role should the Church take on in our societal transition?

How can the Church add value to the community in which it ministers?

Mary Taught Jesus About Moral Justice

Luke 1:46-56
We are looking at what Mary taught Jesus; and we are basing our thoughts on the Magnificat where Mary speaks freely about her passions and her beliefs. It would be reasonable to assume that God would have picked someone to be the mother of His Son; someone whose heart, soul, mind, and spirit, were compatible with His own. In fact, the contents of her song are reflected in the overall message in Luke’s entire gospel. E. Stanley Jones, the great Methodist missionary to India in the first half of the 20^th century has called the Magnificat “the most revolutionary document in the world.”

The first thing we saw was that she taught Jesus, to obey whatever God said to Him without question, and whatever the outcome to praise Him (vv. 46-49). In v. 51, she taught Jesus to be passionate about…

Moral Justice

Like the entire Jewish community, Mary was aware of the Pharisees and how proud they were of their adherence to their system of rules and regulations. She knew how they would parade around town in their expensive clothes and condemn those who did not rise to their standard of piety. She saw how they aimed their vilest vitriol at the alcoholics, the prostitutes, and the traitorous tax collectors. She saw their pride, and knew that pride was sin.

Mary expressed in the Magnificat that God will oppose and scatter the proud. As Jesus was growing up, I can imagine her saying to Jesus, “remember son, men look on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. Whenever you see someone who is seeking to live a godly life, be kind to them and teach them of Jahweh. And remember, Jesus, no matter how popular you become, or if people may want to make you king, keep a humble spirit, and let God lift you up.”

During His ministry, Jesus spent large chunks of time with those who were seekers of God. He found them among the prostitutes, the drunks, the tax collectors, and various other social outcasts. He patiently answered their questions, he ate and drank with them, he laughed and cried with them, and they were transformed by Him. They loved Him and followed Him. The Pharisees, on the other hand, were very critical of Him.

Over the last several decades, our society has been slipping away from a time when social convention was defined by the Scriptures. As our culture becomes increasingly secular and morally permissive, the Church has tended to express disapproval and shun the offending segments of society.

Don’t get me wrong. There are many things in our society that run counter to biblical teaching. I am also certain, that Jesus disapproved of the lifestyles of His audience – but He lived among them, loved them, and taught them a better way. John the Apostle said it best, “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:17). Jesus didn’t separate Himself from them and criticize them; He embraced them in order to win them to Himself. He also told them, and us by extension, that just as the Father had sent Him, He was sending us.

If Jesus were here, what would He do?

If Jesus were here, how would the Church react to His ministry?

How do we love and embrace the lost in our communities without endorsing their way of life?

Mary Taught Jesus the Importance of Obedience and Praise

Luke 1:46-56

Mary was in a very real and potentially dangerous situation. She was an unwed expectant mother. The Jewish Law called for young women in that condition to be stoned to death. It would have been easy for her to focus on the social stigma and the personal danger, but instead she kept her attention on what God had said and what he was doing in her life.

Although parental responsibilities are more gender equal today, Mary’s duties as a mother were certainly no different than those of her peers. She wiped her baby’s tears, fed him, whispered hope in his ear, taught him, sang songs to him, and changed his diapers. As he grew, I’m sure she assured him of her love, taught him, nurtured him, and watched over his play, like mothers everywhere.

On a deeper level, there were issues that were important to Mary? What did she teach Jesus during His formative years? God certainly chose her for a reason. It would be reasonable to believe that God would pick someone to be the mother of His Son, whose heart, soul, mind, and spirit, were compatible with His own.

We don’t have many clues, but in Mary’s Magnificat she gives us a small window into the heart and mind of this remarkable teenager who was no older than sixteen or seventeen years old. Her Magnificat has many beautiful and significant sides, all of which belie the age of its author. E. Stanley Jones, the great Methodist missionary to India in the last century has called it “the most revolutionary document in the world.” In it, she speaks freely about her beliefs, her values, and her passions. The first thing she taught Jesus was to…

Obey and Praise Yahweh (1:46-49)

Mary arrived at Elizabeth’s home soon after the angel’s announcement to discover that Elizabeth was six months pregnant. As Elizabeth greeted Mary, she burst into song, “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” She was an illiterate maiden out of a poor town in the backwaters of Galilee. She realized that God, the Holy One of Israel, had given her a place in history, and she praised Him for His kindness to her, and His holiness. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months.

At the end of her time there, she went home to face whatever would happen to her. In the meantime, God had already spoken to Joseph. When she arrived in Nazareth, he took her into his home as his wife. She learned that if God calls, no matter how difficult it may seem, no matter how bleak the future may look, God is working behind the scenes to bring His will to pass in our lives.

So, as Mary was raising Jesus, she taught Him to listen to the voice of God and to stay true to God’s direction no matter what cost. I can hear her repeat over and over, as Jesus was growing into a young man, “Jesus focus on God’s voice and His plan for your life, listen to Him, praise Him, and do what He says no matter what might happen.”

Many times in Jesus’ ministry this advice can be observed. At no time was it more evident that Jesus found joy through obedience than in the upper room following the Last Supper. Only hours before His crucifixion, Jesus said to His disciples, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” He not only speaks of His joy, He tells them His joy will make them complete. Then in He prays in John 17, “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.” Jesus was experiencing a joy that wasn’t linked to His circumstances, but to doing the will of His Father.

William Law writes, "Do you want to know who the greatest saint in the world is? It’s not he who prays most or fasts most; it’s not he who gives the most, or is most eminent for justice, but it is he who is always thankful to God, who wills everything that God wills, who receives everything as an instance of God's goodness, and has a heart always ready to praise God for it."

The first thing we read that Mary taught the young man Jesus is that true joy comes through listening to and obeying what God says. One of the secrets of being a credible alternative to the dominant culture is our personal commitment to obey and praise God in all things.

If Christians everywhere were to concentrate on living out obedience and praise to God, as Jesus did, what could He do through His Church?

Churches full of genuine praise to God seldom die.