This blog will, most likely, go over like a lead balloon. As the Star Wars character, Yoda, might say, “Not popular, these thoughts.” But, I sense this needs to be written.
Over the last several years there has been much talk, at least within Christians circles, about unconditional love. This concept is relatively new in Christian thought and theology. It is another of our “American” values, much like “Family comes first,” that sounds nice but is basically unbiblical.
That “family first” myth is unsubstantiated in the words of Jesus. Like this conversation with Peter. “Peter said, ‘Remember, we left everything to be your followers!’ Jesus answered, ‘You can be sure that anyone who gives up home or wife or brothers or family or children because of God's kingdom will be given much more in this life. And in the future world they will have eternal life.’" (Luke 18:28-30 (CEV)) That doesn’t sound all that family friendly to me. How about this one? “Still another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.’ Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.’" (Luke 9:61-62 (NIV)) Or this: If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his [own] father and mother [in the sense of indifference to or relative disregard for them in comparison with his attitude toward God] and [likewise] his wife and children and brothers and sisters—[yes] and even his own life also—he cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:26 (AMP))
I wonder how many believers have missed God’s calling and direction because they just could not believe God was calling them to do something that wasn’t family comfortable or family oriented?
Here are some strong words about idol worship. “Soon you will cross the Jordan River and settle down in the land. Then in the years to come, you will have children, and they will give you grandchildren. After many years, you might lose your sense of right and wrong and make idols, even though the LORD your God hates them. So I am giving you fair warning today, and I call the earth and the sky as witnesses. If you ever make idols, the LORD will be angry, and you won't have long to live, because the LORD will let you be wiped out.” (Deuteronomy 4:25 (CEV))
Don’t we all, in some form or another, worship idols? Haven’t we basically created a god in our own image that is just like us, only bigger and better - idols? It seems obvious to me that we have lost our sense of right and wrong. Is this a warning for us? Probably so.
We worship success, athleticism, money, consumerism, materialism, our children, our hobbies, our jobs and careers. We can easily discover what is an idol in our lives by looking at our credit card bill and our calendar. Where we spend our money and where we spend our time is what is most important in our lives; our idol. Look and see if I am not right. Beware of rationalization during this eye-opening exercise. We love to call our idols by other names.
We have generally forgotten what we learned in Theology 101. There is a God and you aren’t Him. Instead of worshiping and following the God of the Bible, we worship a god that has our attributes -one made in our image. A god who believes just what we believe. A god who approves of everything we do and just happens to tolerate whatever our particular sins are. A god who wants us to put our needs, families, desires, plans and schedules ahead of Him. A god who, no matter how poorly we act and how blatantly we break His commandments, turns a blind eye and continues to love us. Perhaps the god we worship is not the God of the Bible. Maybe that is why many of us don’t particularly care for the Bible and generally fail to read it. The Biblical God is not nearly as loving and tolerant as the god we have imagined. God doesn’t tolerate sin, He forgives it. If we continually live as if God has no place in our lives, there is a good chance the Lord God Almighty really doesn’t like you.
We have become comfortable with an ever-loving, amazingly tolerant god. Our god will put up with anything. We are comfortable but possibly wrong. There some things God hates. Take a look at this: “The LORD God All-Powerful of Israel hates anyone who is cruel enough to divorce his wife. So, take care never to be unfaithful!” (Malachi 2:16 (CEV)) Wow, that leaves a bruise. I am divorced. Nobody pointed that particular scripture out to me prior to my divorce. Maybe they should have.
Somehow, commonly held theology says that God’s love for us trumps everything else. God will tolerate any behavior. Maybe not. “The LORD was angry with Israel because they had worshiped the god Baal Peor.” (Numbers 25:3 (CEV)) God preceded to do some butt kicking and name taking. Things got ugly. We like to ignore information like this. We say, “That was the God of the Old Testament.” Different Testament, same God.
Somehow, we have come to think it is alright to dislike people in and of the church. We leave churches to get away from people we can’t stand to be around. We can hold grudges against, have hatred for, gossip about and put down others and no one says anything to us about our ungodly behavior. Sometimes they even encourage us in such behavior. But, the God of the Bible says this: “Whoever says he is in the Light and [yet] hates his brother [Christian, born-again child of God his Father] is in darkness even until now.” (1 John 2:9 (AMP)) How many of we “Christians” are still in the darkness? It should give us pause to think. Perhaps we are not basking in the love of God.
When it comes to keeping, what we call, the Ten Commandments, we often treat them as if they are the Ten Suggestions – totally optional. God seems to have some very strong feelings and expectations of our adherence to these commandments. If you look at the Ten Commandments without religious overtones, but just empirically, following them would just about guarantee our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being would be improved. Following them is just, simply, a good idea.
But when we hear God’s take on obeying them, there are many more positives to be experienced in our obedience. It is a given that if there is a positive for following them, there is a negative for not. Here is what He has to say about it:
“You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary. I am the Lord. If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments and do them, I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase and the trees of the field yield their fruit. And your threshing [time] shall reach to the vintage and the vintage [time] shall reach to the sowing time, and you shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in your land securely. I will give peace in the land; you shall lie down and none shall fill you with dread or make you afraid; and I will clear ferocious (wild) beasts out of the land, and no sword shall go through your land. And you shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight; your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. For I will be leaning toward you with favor and regard for you, rendering you fruitful, multiplying you, and establishing and ratifying My covenant with you. And you shall eat the [abundant] old store of produce long kept and clear out the old [to make room] for the new. I will set My dwelling in and among you, and My soul shall not despise or reject or separate itself from you.” (Leviticus 26:2-11 (AMP))
It makes keeping the commandments sound like a positive exercise.
I don’t know about you, but the idea of God not liking me is more than just a little discomforting. I’m thinking this is an excellent time to take a hard look at myself, my life and my lifestyle. Hopefully we both have the courage to do that.
Copyright © 2018, William T. McConnell, All Rights Reserved
Bill McConnell is the Interim Minister at Norwood Christian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, and is a Church Transformation consultant and a Christian Leadership Coach. He is a frequent speaker at Church Transformation events. His latest book on church transformation is DEVELOPING A SIGNIFICANT CHURCH and is available at Westbow Press.
He can be contacted @ bill45053@gmail.com. Connect with him on Facebook @ William T. McConnell or on Twitter @billmc45053 or visit his Amazon Author Page @ Amazon
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