Pledges, Oaths, and Service to the Nations of This World?

In the Hebrew Torah, pledges and oaths, along with the service which flows from them, are regarded as sacred responsibilities to God and/or the people to whom they apply. Indeed, this concept is nowhere more apparent than in the Jewish Shema (a daily declaration of faith). In their article on The Shema, Chabad.org informs us that "Shema Yisrael (שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל) ('Hear, O Israel') are the first two words of a section of the Torah that is the centerpiece of the morning and evening prayer services, encapsulating the monotheistic essence of Judaism: 'Hear, O Israel: G‑d is our L‑rd, G‑d is one.'" They go on to tell us that "the Shema consists of three paragraphs: Deuteronomy 6:4–9, Deuteronomy 11:13–21 and Numbers 15:37–41."

The really critical passage is as follows: "You shall love the L-rd your G‑d with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words which I command you today shall be upon your heart. You shall teach them thoroughly to your children, and you shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road, when you lie down and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for a reminder between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates." In other words, The Shema was intended to be a reminder to the Jews that their primary allegiance was to the God of Israel and "his" standards. In the New Living Translation, that critical verse is translated: "Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders."

In short, Israel was expected to be devoted to God. This, of course, would make them very different from the nations which surrounded them, and the peoples who had previously inhabited the land which had been promised to them. In Deuteronomy, we read: "When the Lord your God cuts off before you the nations whom you go in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, take care that you be not ensnared to follow them, after they have been destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods?—that I also may do the same.’ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the Lord hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods." (Deuteronomy 12: 29-31, ESV) A little later, in the same book, we read: "When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations." (Deuteronomy 18:9, ESV) Clearly, the other nations did NOT serve the God of Israel - they served other gods.

Later, it is important to note that Israel grew tired of being different and wanted to be more like the nations which surrounded them (I Samuel 8:4-5). Continuing in this account, we read that Samuel was displeased with this request, but God told him to "Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them." (I Samuel 8:6-7, ESV). Clearly, God expected "his" people to be different from the other nations of the earth, and their failure to do so would have far reaching consequences for them, and the covenant which God had made with them. Indeed, throughout the major and minor prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures, Israel's bad behavior is contrasted with that of the nations which surrounded them (and Israel often did not fare well in the comparison).

Even so, the greatest examples of how NOT to act as a nation, are found in the book of Daniel, and the nation which would become the epitome of human governance and service to false gods was BABYLON! In that book, we see the king of Babylon subjugating the people of Israel (as well as many other peoples in that part of the world). Indeed, that king's relentless pursuit of wealth, power, and glory became legendary! Nevertheless, throughout this narrative, the human king at its center (whichever of the four kingdoms he represented: Babylon, Persia, Greece, or Rome) demanded the absolute allegiance of his subjects. And, like Nebuchadnezzar before them, they pursued military might and used it to conquer the peoples of other lands. Moreover, they viewed both the human and natural resources of the earth as being at their disposal - as theirs to exploit and use to garner even more wealth and power. In fact, the way that human governance is portrayed in this book would become the symbolic standard for the apocalyptic writings of the New Testament book of Revelation.

In the thirteenth chapter of that book, we read about a human kingdom referred to as "the beast." John wrote: "And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority...the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, 'Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?'" (Revelation 13:2-4, ESV) Notice that, like the kingdoms and the beasts which represented them in the book of Daniel, that this beast exercises great authority and influence throughout the earth. We are informed that it is WORSHIPED (as a false god), and it is boasted that no one can stand against its military might! A little later, we are informed that this beast "opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it..." (Revelation 13:6-8, ESV)

Now, in light of what we have already discussed, it is of particular interest to us that a second beast is mentioned in this chapter which we are told "exercises all the authority of the first beast." (Revelation 13:11-12, ESV) Moreover, it is revealed that this beast deceives the whole world into worshiping the first beast and has the power to kill anyone who doesn't do that! (Revelation 13:13-15) Finally, this beast also "causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name." (Revelation 13:16-17, ESV) Notice, that just like the symbol which reminded the Israelites that their primary allegiance was owed to God, this "Mark of the Beast" is worn on the right hand or the forehead! Hence, this mark is a symbol of the people's allegiance to the beast! Indeed, we are told that one cannot even participate in its commerce without it!

Interestingly, for Christians, Jesus identified Two Commandments as comprehending the entirety of the Law. According to him, the greatest commandment was "You shall love the L-rd your G‑d with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might." The second greatest was to love your neighbor as yourself (See Matthew 22:34-40). Moreover, he said that after just having been asked about paying taxes to Rome. His reply? "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and give to God what belongs to God." In other words, Christians were to be good citizens of the empire - subject to it, but NOT serving or worshiping it (that was reserved for God)! In that same account, Christ was reported to have said: "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." (Matthew 6:24, ESV) And, although Christ contrasted service to God with service to money in this instance, the context makes clear that we could substitute ANY other thing for money!

Jesus also made it very clear that he did not want his followers to exercise authority in the same way that the leadership of the world exercised the authority that had been given to it. He said: "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:25-28, ESV) Clearly, Christ did NOT want his disciples to follow human notions about authority. Indeed, Christ demanded that his followers walk a fine line - they were to be subject to human authorities, but NOT be like them!

Christ's perspective on this was underscored in his own prayer to God shortly before he was put to death by the Roman Governor of Judea. He prayed: "I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world." (John 17:14-18, ESV) Clearly, Christ believed that following God's instructions would distinguish his people from those who were part of the world around them. And, once again, he said: "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35, ESV)

Finally, Christ's attitude toward human authority was underscored by what he said to the Roman governor just before he was to be beaten and crucified. He said: "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world." (John 18:36, ESV) Later, we read of this exchange between Jesus and the governor: "So Pilate said to him, 'You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?' Jesus answered him, 'You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above.'" (John 19:10-11, ESV) Notice that Christ acknowledged his authority (and later submitted to it), but he clearly understood who had the ultimate authority - the final word!

This is also consistent with what the Apostle Paul wrote to the disciples at Rome. He said: "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore, one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law." (Romans 13:1-8, ESV) Peter said the same thing in fewer words: "Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor." (I Peter 2:17, ESV)

Clearly, Christians in the First Century understood that there was an invisible but very real boundary between their responsibilities as citizens, and their actual participation in the human system which reigned over them. They understood that people of faith must be strangers and exiles on this earth (Hebrews 11:13-16, ESV). In short, Christians must seek a better country - the one that has been prepared for them by God! We must understand that our primary citizenship is in God's Kingdom (Philippians 3:20). Indeed, in the verses which preceded the one quoted above from Peter's epistle, we have a very articulate summary of the boundaries between the two systems. He wrote: "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God." (I Peter 2:9-16, ESV)

Hence, when we return to the book of Revelation, the text of that book begins to make even more sense in terms of participating in the "beast's" system. Indeed, whatever your views on the proper interpretation of that book (past, present, or future), we can see that the text is clearly about man's system being fundamentally at odds with a Christian's participation in it! The text of that book refers to a "Great Prostitute" who rides the "beast," "And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: 'Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations.' And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus." (Revelation 17:1-6, ESV) Of course, eventually, this unholy alliance will fall apart (Revelation 17:7-14). Continuing in this text, however, we learn: "The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages...And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth." (Revelation 17:15-18, ESV) Whatever you and I think about this passage, it is clear that folks in the First Century would have recognized that "great city" as Rome! Notice too, that the woman is symbolically referred to as "Babylon" - clearly suggesting the same kind of human authority dealt with in the book of Daniel.

The story continues into the next chapter, and we find out there that the city falls (Revelation 18:1-3). Continuing, we read: "Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, 'Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Pay her back as she herself has paid back others and repay her double for her deeds; mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed. As she glorified herself and lived in luxury, so give her a like measure of torment and mourning, since in her heart she says, ‘I sit as a queen, I am no widow and mourning I shall never see.’ For this reason, her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her." (Revelation 18:4-8, ESV) The very clear implication is that God doesn't want "his" people participating in Babylon! Indeed, the chapter ends with this observation about the woman: "in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on earth." (Revelation 18:24, ESV)

Let's take a moment and review. From a Scriptural perspective, Christians are expected to remember at all times that their PRIMARY allegiance is owed to God and "his" kingdom - that we are, first and foremost, citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. Second, we are expected to be good citizens of the nation/kingdom/empire where we live, and that means obeying the laws, paying our taxes, and praying for the leaders. Third, we are NOT supposed to become a part of its political system. So, where do we draw the line? Each of us must ultimately answer to the dictates of our own consciences and Almighty God. For me, it seems very clear that holding office or serving in the military would constitute participating in the human system of a nation. Now, I understand the reasoning of some folks who would add voting and serving on juries to those things. Personally, I believe that those two areas are seen by some folks as one of the duties of citizenship, but I think that the answer must depend on to what degree one feels comfortable in participating in the human system. I did serve in the United States Army once upon a time and felt that it was compatible with my conscience at the time. Would I make the same decision today? Obviously, I would NOT!

"But a democracy is different!" some will insist. Is it? Does the United States demand the allegiance of its citizens? Does the United States glory in its military might? Do the President, Congress, and the Courts exercise their authority over the folks they are supposed to be serving? Does partisanship in American society lead to compassion, mercy, forgiveness, honesty, patience, peace, kindness, joy, etc.? Do the institutions of the United States require oaths and/or pledges of allegiance to them? Does America employ its power in the areas of trade and economic dominance over other nations? Has the United States ever employed military might to advance its agenda? Has the United States government ever exploited its own citizens or resources? I ask again: Is the United States really that different from the Babylonian model?

I think that there is another question that is even more important in determining our degree of participation in a human system: What does the Government of the United States expect from its citizens who participate in its governance? Of course, most of us who live in the U.S. have recited "The Pledge of Allegiance" from time to time: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." In this connection, we should also note that it is proper protocol to stand facing the flag with your right hand over your heart when reciting the pledge. I remember when I took the "Oath of Enlistment" in the Army, I was required to say: "I, Lonnie Hendrix, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God." Likewise, the President and other officers of our government are required to swear allegiance to the United States Constitution. Hence, we should all be asking ourselves as citizens of THE KINGDOM, what does it mean to swear or affirm allegiance to a nation of this earth?

Could that be why Jesus had something very specific to say about oaths during his earthly ministry? In his famous "Sermon on the Mount," he said: "you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil (or the evil one)." (Matthew 5:33-37, ESV) Hence, for those of us who profess to be disciples of Jesus Christ, I would say that we all need to ask ourselves: "To what extent should I participate in the Babylonian governments of this world?" OR "How close can I get to this flame without being burned by it?" OR "Do I want God's mark on my forehead and hand, or the Beast's mark there?" One last question: Is that old profession of "God and country" really consistent with having no other gods besides (or next to) THE GOD? What do you think?

CGI Can’t Decide About Whether or Not to Allow Politics in Church!

The leadership of the Church of God International continues to try to straddle the fence on whether pastors and members should be involved in secular politics. Folks like Jeff Reed, Mike James, and Vance Stinson argue in favor of neutrality - while folks like Bill Watson, Adrian Davis, and Murray Palmatier see absolutely nothing wrong with their partisanship. Indeed, in spite of severe criticism, the politicians continue to be loud and proud about their foray into that realm. In reality, although most of the membership of CGI is very conservative and very Republican, the membership remains very divided on the issue of political involvement on a corporate level. Moreover, neither side appears to be satisfied with the leadership’s wishy-washy “neutrality.” In other words, it feels awfully lukewarm within CGI these days!

Although the Church of God International’s leadership has apparently decided to mothball their Armor of God program and have removed Bill Watson from their payroll, in the latest edition of their Prove All Things: Politics and Voting webcast (Reed and James) interviewed ACOG member and proud Montana Republican, Bill Lussenheide. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with Mr. Lussenheide, he is completely comfortable with his role as a partisan officeholder and supports the Republican Party’s platform in his state “one hundred percent!” In other words, he feels absolutely no conflict between the religion he professes and fully participating in partisan politics! Indeed, just like Ohio Bill, this Montana Bill believes that he is defending his faith and proclaiming the Gospel through his participation in the political process.

Speaking of that other Bill, Mr. Watson recently defended his own messaging on politics on his News Alert Blog on CGI Medina, Ohio’s website. Bill wrote: “I recently read an article by Caroline Woods (from The Blaze) that was rather interesting, especially since I have been accused of being ‘political’ more times than I can count. There are people today that think the pulpit should be exclusively reserved to address the Bible and only the Bible. They claim, to use the pulpit to address social issues, underscored by the Bible, is wrong and is out of order. That those pastors, should simply remain on point and only speak on Christian Living––stay away from social issues!” He went on to point out that pastors have addressed current events throughout the history of the United States (the old they did it before me excuse). Mr. Watson continued: “Keep in mind, those who shrink back in ‘cowardice’ from addressing the issues of our day forget; it’s not the Church that has become political, but rather, politics has become more excessive in violating our religion and God’s Church needs to stand firm and show our people their sins (Isa 58:1).” Watson clearly believes himself to be courageous and right, and that he consequently can’t be wrong in what he is doing!

If that doesn’t sound like circular reasoning to you, it should! In a recent post on my own blog The Allure of Politics for Christians, I pointed out that “In their desire to promote righteousness and God's will, Christians have too often found themselves drawn into the political systems of this world. Unfortunately, instead of influencing things in a better direction, the Christian often finds him/herself participating in a process which interrupts his/her focus on God, distorts the distinction between good and evil and causes him/her to compromise with the dictates of his/her faith and conscience. One candidate or policy seems to be the right one at the time we are considering the alternatives, but we often learn later that our choice(s) produced unintended negative consequences. In other words, in our attempt to avert an evil outcome, we often set the stage for an even worse future than the one we were trying to avoid!”

Next, I proceeded to point out many of the Biblical warnings against participating in the affairs of this world and to avoid being drawn into idolatry of the state. I also pointed out that Christ NEVER challenged or criticized Rome or its representatives in Judea, that he reserved his harshest rhetoric for the Jewish religious leaders of his day. Finally, I concluded with some advice that I think folks within CGI’s leadership would do well to heed: “Unfortunately, we Christians sometimes forget that we are strangers and pilgrims on this earth, and that our primary citizenship resides in heaven (Hebrews 11:13-16). Our salvation, spiritual and physical, is found in God's plan. In short, the political systems which humankind has devised are flawed, and they will fail someday. We must not forget that our faith and hope is found in God, and him alone! (Psalm 118:8)” While there is certainly nothing wrong with setting a good example and helping others in the here and now, it is NOT our commission or responsibility as Christians to fix the flawed political systems of this world!

A Blast from CGI's Past: God Is Not a Capitalist or a Socialist

It's hard to believe that the above title was the lead article for CGI's The International News in the Winter 2009 edition of that paper. When I think about how partisan some of the folks in that organization over the fifteen years since I penned that article, it blows my mind! At any rate, thought I'd share this blast from the past with my readers:

In the atmosphere of rancor and poison

 that permeates our political discourse,

 do we Christians sometimes forget that this

 is not God’s world/system? (2 Corinthians

 4:4). Over the last decade, we have all heard

 various people state or imply that capitalism is

 GOOD and socialism is EVIL. Nevertheless, we

 as Christians have to remember that both of

 these systems were created by men influenced

 by Satan the Devil, and that neither one of

 them represents the ideals and ultimate de

signs of our Creator. Actually, from what is

 revealed to us of God’s mind in Scripture, we can safely assert that God’s

 Kingdom will not be a capitalist or a socialist society! That is not to say there

 will not be elements of BOTH systems present in God’s system.

 Capitalism has been defined as the private ownership and control of

 capital—where goods and services are traded in a market, and profits are paid

 to the owners of capital, who then reinvest them or pay wages to labor.

 Moreover, capitalism has been associated with what Adam Smith referred to

 as the “invisible hand” of the marketplace—the notion that the pursuit of

 self-interest tends to the benefit of everyone. For Christians, this notion should

 raise an immediate red flag. The entire basis of Christ’s teaching was against

 selfishness; remember the Golden Rule? (Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31). Even

 so, the principles of private ownership and payment for labor rendered are also

 clearly established throughout Scripture.

 Likewise, socialism has been defined as governmental or collective

 ownership and control of capital—where the value of goods and services are

 not dictated by the market. Socialism and communism have long been

 associated with the famous principle laid down by Karl Marx, “From each

 according to his ability, to each according to his need.” The underlying

 premise is that capital or wealth should not be concentrated in the hands of a

 few, and that it should be redistributed by some central authority whenever

 it does begin to concentrate. However, it should be obvious to Christians that

 mankind has individually and collectively proven his inability to administer

 any system fairly or impartially. Who, then, is to decide how wealth is to be

 distributed? Even so, the principles of equality before the law and fair

 treatment for all people are also clearly established throughout Scripture

 (Leviticus 19:15, James 2:1–6).

 God’s system is different from both of these systems existing in various

 forms and degrees throughout the present world. God’s system is based on love

 and outgoing concern for God and each other (1 John 4:7–21). It is not based

 on greed and self-interest. God’s way includes fair wages, impartiality, loaning

 without usury (interest), and helping and giving to the poor. Everyone is

 expected to contribute.

 For those of us who might think that God is strictly a capitalist, or that He

 favors that system, we would do well to remember what God has to say about

 the fate of a society built on the backs of the poor with greed and profit as the

 principal motivators of their actions (Amos 4:1; 8:4–8). We should also

 remember what God has to say about not paying your workers a fair wage

 (Leviticus 19:13, Jeremiah 22:13, Malachi 3:5). See what God has said about

 charging interest on money, and how that applies to modern banking and

 lending practices (Exodus 22:25, Leviticus 25:35–36, Deuteronomy 23:19,

 Proverbs 28:8, Ezekiel 22:12). Proponents of capitalism should read God’s

 instructions to the farmers of ancient Israel about not harvesting all of their

 crops, but leaving some for the poor (Leviticus 19:9–10, 23:22). Moreover,

 God has clearly instructed His people to help the poor in both the Old and New

 Testaments (Deuteronomy 15:7–11 and 1 John 3:17). Yes, we are our brother’s

 keeper. However, unlike many of the “socialist” persuasion, God does expect

 everyone to work and contribute—laziness is not tolerated as part of God’s

 system (2 Thessalonians 3:10)!

 What is the end of the matter?  This world and its systems are NOT God’s

 world or systems (Revelation 18:4). We should be among those who confess

 that we are “strangers and pilgrims on the earth” and that we clearly seek

 another country (Hebrews 11:13–14). That is precisely why Christ instructed

 us to pray, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven”

 (Matthew 6:10). Brethren, in spite of any patriotic or sentimental attachments

 we might have to a particular system, we should all remember that God is not

 a capitalist, socialist, Republican, or Democrat.

Looking back at what I wrote in 2009, I am pleased with my own consistency on this issue. Nevertheless, it saddens me to see just how much the group with which I formerly affiliated has changed since 2009.

Is God Champing at the Bit to Condemn and Punish Sinners?

Over the years, I've written several articles about the way that some folks view God as a harsh and angry entity who standing at the ready to ZAP sinners into oblivion. A classic example of this king of thinking is the famous sermon delivered by Jonathan Edwards back in the 18th Century entitled "Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God." Nevertheless, we have to ask: Is this a legitimate view of God? Is this view of God consistent with what is revealed in Scripture?

Let's consider just a few of the passages of Scripture which point to another view of God:

But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. (Psalm 86:15)

The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. (Psalm 145:8)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John 3:16-17)

I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. (John 12:47)

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-39)

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (II Peter 3:9)

I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound like someone who is champing at the bit to condemn sinners! Indeed, it sounds to me like "he" is ready and willing to forgive and forget! What do you think?

The Rituals of the Old and New Covenants Compared

Unfortunately, Christians often confuse or blend the rituals of the Old Covenant with those of the New Covenant in Christ. Moreover, all too often, ritual takes precedence over the reality to which they point. In other words, Christians sometimes lose sight of the significance and purpose of the ritual - Why they are performing them (the Hebrews did the same thing).

Before delving into the rituals of Scripture, we should define our terms to avoid some of the confusion which will be inherent to this topic. When I type "ritual" into my search engine, it is defined as "a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order." Merriam-Webster defines it as "the established form for a ceremony." Interestingly, the English word "ritual" does not appear in the King James Version of the Bible. However, it does appear six times in the New Living Translation. The Hebrew word "aboda" is translated into English as "service" or "work" in the King James Version. Moreover, this is very consistent with the way that the Hebrew Scriptures view the rituals associated with the Old Covenant - as works or labors on behalf of God, the Tabernacle, etc. Like the other laws of Torah, these rituals were seen as things to do or to perform.

In the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament to Christians), Torah outlines a rich tapestry of rituals related to the priesthood, sacrifices, offerings, clean and unclean, festivals, and everyday life. From the Christian perspective, it is important to understand that ALL of those rituals of Torah pointed to Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said that he came to this earth to fulfill them! Paul described them as shadows of the reality found in Jesus Christ. But how exactly did Christ embody those rituals? Well, the New Testament reveals that Jesus is the Lamb of God. He is the one who actually carries away our sins. He sacrificed/offered himself to God on our behalf. Jesus provided his own blood so that we would have access to the true Holy of Holies in Heaven. He is the first of the firstfruits presented to God in Heaven. He is our Sabbath rest from our own works. He is the one for whom the Trumpet sounds. He is the one who tabernacled in the flesh for us. Jesus is the one who washed away our filth and made us clean before God! He is our High Priest, and the One who made it possible for us to receive the Holy Spirit to circumcise our hearts and make us a part of God's people!

In the New Testament, however, Christians are only given a handful of rituals. They are the Eucharist, baptism, the laying on of hands, and the model prayer (the one some folks refer to as "The Lord's Prayer). "What about marriage?" some of my friends will ask. Interestingly, you will NOT find any ritual related to marriage in either the Old or New Testaments. Scripturally speaking, marriage is viewed as a special covenant between two people. Hence, it is NOT regarded as a ritual in Scripture. Now, admittedly, humans have developed their own ceremonies and rituals associated with this covenant; but there are NOT any Scriptural rituals mandated for it. Unlike the Old Covenant ritual which pointed to Christ, we should also note that the four New Covenant rituals all point to what Christ has done for us! The Eucharist is symbolic of us accepting the body and blood of Christ. Likewise, baptism is symbolic of the death of our former sinful self and our rebirth to a new life in Jesus. The Laying on of Hands is symbolic of the transference of the Holy Spirit to each of us, the ordination of the different offices of the ekklesia, and the healing which we can receive through Christ. Finally, the model or "Lord's Prayer" relates to how Christ expects us to pray to our Father in Heaven. That's it! There simply aren't any Scriptural formulas for how religious services, marriages, or funerals are to be performed.

Interestingly, in all of the rituals related to both the Old and New Covenants, we must understand that they were given to remind us (the participants) of spiritual truths/realities. Again, their ONLY purpose was to remind us about what God will do or has done for all of us! In other words, they are symbolic of spiritual realities, they are NOT the reality! God gave them to "his" people to help us, NOT to give us more to do! Under normal circumstances we should follow them, but we must NOT lose sight of the fact that Christ actually died for us and shed his blood to enable us to stand before God free of our sins. Likewise, Christ washed away our sins and gave us the Holy Spirit. In other words, the rituals do NOT accomplish these things for us. They are a means to an end, they are NOT the end!

God LOVED Them!

When I hear the hateful rhetoric of "Christian" people against LGBTQ folks, it makes me think about what happened to a young Wyoming man named Matthew Shepard almost 26 years ago now. Matthew was a kind, gentle-natured young man who had attended college and was majoring in Political Science and had a minor in Languages. Even so, he had previously been beaten and bullied because of his sexual orientation and had suffered from depression and severe anxiety as a consequence of those assaults on him.

At the time of his death, he was just a few weeks shy of his twenty-second birthday. He was beaten, tortured, tied to a split rail fence, and left to die in the cold. Matthew died a few days after he was found as a consequence of the pistol-whipping he had received from the homophobes who had so viciously and mercilessly attacked him. Later, at his funeral, the pastor and congregants of the infamous Westboro Baptist Church treated those who mourned him to signs that suggested that God hates "fags", and that Matt was in HELL!

More recently, another beautiful young gay and Jewish man named Blaze Bernstein was stabbed to death by a neo-Nazi homophobe in California. He had previously graduated from the Orange County School of the Arts and was enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania at the time of his murder. He was stabbed twenty-eight times simply because his homosexuality and Jewish heritage enraged a young man with a pocketknife. Blaze's parents loved and accepted him, and most of us cannot even imagine the pain and suffering that his loss has engendered in them. Not to mention that the heartless murderer and his attorneys put on a defense that attributed Blaze's death to his own sexual aggressiveness. Try to imagine what sitting through that trial was like for the parents who loved him!

I don't know about you, but the God that I worship IS LOVE. Moreover, he commands everyone, everywhere, to love one another as we love ourselves! My Savior, Jesus of Nazareth, said to treat others in the same way that you would like to be treated by them! The man who authored many of the New Testament writings which I revere, the Apostle Paul, defined love as being patient, kind, forgiving, hopeful, and persistent. He also said that love does NOT dishonor others, and that it is NOT easily angered. Hence, I have to conclude that GOD LOVED Matt and Blaze. All of this prompts me to ask a couple of questions: Why didn't the men who murdered them love them? What possible justification could they have had for hating them? What do you think?

YES, Our Need for A Rest Is Even Greater Today Than It Was in the Past!

The following comment was made in response to an article by COG Catholic posted over at Banned by HWA:

Anonymous said...

Usually just one or two scriptures answer these type of discussions. e.g. the Sabbath was made FOR man - and not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). And Christ is Lord of the Sabbath, and we should 'Call the Sabbath a delight'' (Isaiah 58:13). If it was given to the human race as a 'delight' and a rest day in the past - do we not today need even more of a rest from this crazy world? Tell me if you think my reasoning is wrong.

Saturday, September 14, 2024 at 11:06:00 AM PDT

My answer to this anonymous commentator's question is contained in the title of this post. Yes, we need even more of a rest from this crazy world today than folks in the past did, and that rest is found in the ONE whom the physical seventh day Sabbath pointed to: Jesus Christ! Indeed, he once said: "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28-29, NLT) And another anonymous commentator once said: "For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest." (Hebrews 4:10-11, NLT) We have this invitation to accept the true rest and peace of God. It is found in accepting and obeying Jesus Christ, our Savior!