Trotting Out the Table Turner

For a long time, I have given thought to Christian character. I believe that how we present ourselves as Christians is as important as the truth that we proclaim. I am not the first to give thought to this question. In recent times, a term has emerged that reflects this concern: cage-stage Calvinism. R.C. Sproul describes this phenomenon as "those newly minted Reformed believers who are so aggressive and impatient that they should be locked in a cage for a little while so that they can cool down a little and mature a little in the faith." Though Reformed believers seem to have a particular proclivity toward impatience, it is certainly not exclusive to them. Often there also seems to be a lack of awareness of these traits in oneself.

A related phenomenon that I have witnessed is the tendency to "trot out the table turner" for lack of a better term. When confronted with a lack of gentleness or kindness, too many believers choose to bring up the table-turning Jesus. For reference, John 2:15 says, "And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables." Somehow, it seems like zealous Christians view this as permission to act like a jerk. Consider the meme below.

I want to offer a few thoughts. First, I am fully aware that Jesus was zealous for his Father's house and for truth. In several instances, he confronted people and even flipped their tables. Typically, his strongest words were reserved for the self-righteous, such as the Pharisees. The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18 helps us to see the difference. Second, "trotting out the table turner" ignores much of the rest of the biblical narrative about how Christ responds. In the same way that it would be inappropriate to only focus on the story of the woman at the well as who Jesus was, it is inappropriate to always trot this image out. Like us, as someone who was fully human, Jesus experienced and expressed all emotion, which brings me to the third point. Unlike us, Jesus was without sin in his anger and zeal, which allowed him to respond to circumstances perfectly. We do not. Too often, I fear, we view the image of Jesus becoming angry through our own fleshly lenses, using it as permission to treat others disrespectfully. I believe that we have to be very cautious about doing so.

1 Peter 3:15 tells us to "be prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks of us, but to do so with gentleness and respect." Too many of us are aching to give an answer with no thought for how to do so. We are more interested in being right than in being loving and that needs to change.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." -Galatians 5:22-23. Before flipping tables, ask yourself, am I being fruitful?

Uncompromising Men

I shared this at Men Who Pray tonight:
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Yesterday, I watched Braveheart, my all-time favorite movie. William Wallace was described at one point in the movie as “uncompromising.” I want to share 2 more stories about uncompromising men.

First, in Daniel 3, we read of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo--3 of the young Hebrew men brought into King Nebuchadnezzar’s palace when he seiged Israel. These 3 young men, probably in their teens or early 20s, were commanded to bow down to the golden image created by the King just like everyone else in the kingdom, but they refused. The king was furious and told them they would be tossed into a furnace if they didn’t comply. In verses 16-18, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.'” The furnace was kindled 7 times hotter. The men who carried these three to the furnace were consumed by the heat and died. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo were delivered. They were uncompromising.

Second, there was an early church father named Polycarp who fought for the truth of scripture, rejecting early church heresies. He managed to live into his 80s when he was finally apprehended by the Roman government. The Roman proconsul asked him to proclaim “Cesar is Lord”. He refused. Polycarp was subsequently burned at the stake and when his captors were going to nail him to the stake to secure him, he said, “Leave me as I am. For He who grants me to endure the fire will enable me also to remain on the pyre unmoved, without the security you desire from nails." Though he died, Polycarp was uncompromising.

There are a few differences between these stories. In the first, the men were young, in the second he was old. In the first, they lived, in the second he died. There were also similarities between them. In both cases, men were unabashedly committed to following God. In both cases, an oppressive ruler was commanding them to worship someone else. In both cases, the men were offered a final way out. In both cases, the men refused. They weren’t concerned about following the social order. They weren’t looking around to see how other guys were handling it. They didn’t care what other people thought of them. They were uncompromising.

Gentlemen, we live in a society where men who compromise are not only accepted but celebrated. We are allowed to proclaim staunch commitment (in other words worship) to football, NASCAR, or hunting, but when we say that Jesus is the only way to salvation, we are cast aside as insensitive. Relativism rules. Even American churches, we are encouraged to compromise. We are told, "You have your idea of God, I’ll have mine." Men, God calls us to step up. God calls us to follow Him wholeheartedly. We are told to lead (I cor 11). We are told to pray (I Timothy 2:8). We are called to be uncompromising.

In Luke 9:62, Jesus says “no one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” These men above, did not look back. They kept their focus right.

One of my favorite quotes comes from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor who was also killed by the Nazis. He said, “Besides Jesus, nothing has any significance. He alone matters.” Men, be uncompromising about the only thing that matters, Jesus Christ.

New Year's Introspection

The dawn of a new year inevitably brings about self-reflection. For me, this year is no different. My introspection has meandered through a range of topics, but seems to have taken a rather extended break with regard to authentic Christianity and one's my calling.

A recent interaction with a young man I count as a brother has again brought to a head these thoughts. He is passionate about Jesus and about faith lived out. He has a particular heart for the poor and working with those less fortunate. He is concerned about the complacency of American Christianity toward poverty and he is passionate to live Christ in all.

So, what does this have to do with me? I believe in Jesus Christ with all of my heart. Lately, it seems I think about Him non-stop. I read stories of the apostles giving all for Christ. I read about martyrs, both ancient and contemporary, giving their lives in service to Jesus. I listen to sermons by men like Francis Chan, John Piper, and more recently Paul Washer who passionately call attention to the discrepancy between the gospel and American Christianity.

Then, I look around. I live in a beautiful home in a safe neighborhood. I have an amazing job that pays well. I own 2 cars. I own 3 TVs. I own more than 1 pair of shoes, which on a global scope, marks me as exceedingly wealthy.

I could enumerate the ways in which I feel as though I give of myself, but I am always left with the question, am I giving enough? Am I giving all? Thoughts intrude.

student loans
mortgage
family
breast cancer
responsibilities

How do I reconcile my internal struggle to leave all for the sake of the gospel (Mark 10:29) with my sense of duty to care for the responsibilities that I feel God has entrusted to me (I Timothy 5:8)? How do I deal with the understanding that a well-paying job may be God's way of allowing me to minister to others? If all Christians go to Samaria (e.g., the inner city) or the ends of the earth (e.g., Honduras), who will stay in Judea (e.g., Eau Claire)? If everyone is a missionary, who supports the missionaries?

Where I stop at the end of the day is the same place I always do. Praying for forgiveness for my worldliness. Praying for God's will. Praying for effective witness for those who stay and those who go. Praying that in all things, Christ would be made much of, not in my American or protestant or white worldview, but as the glorified savior of all who would come to Him. Tomorrow, I will again read God's word, praying that this sinful man who wants to know Him desperately can discern His still, small voice amidst the cacophony of my life.

What is zeal for God?

I found this quote as I was reading J.I. Packer's Knowing God today.

"Zeal in religion is a burning desire to please God, to do His will, and to advance His glory in the world in every possible way. It is a desire which no man feels by nature--which the Spirit puts in the heart of every believer when he is converted--but which some believers feel so much more strongly than others that they alone deserve to be called 'zealous' men...

"A zealous man in religion is pre-eminently a man of one thing. It is not enough to say that he is earnest, hearty, uncompromising, thorough-going, whole-hearted, fervent in spirit. He only sees one thing, he cares for one thing, he lives for one thing, he is swallowed up in one thing; and that one thing is to please God. Whether he lives, or whether he dies--whether he has health, or whether he has sickness--whether he is rich, or whether he is poor--whether he pleases man, or whether he gives offense--whether he is thought wise, or whether he is thought foolish--whether he gets blame, or whether he gets praise--whether he gets honor, or whether he gets shame--for all this the zealous man cares nothing at all. He burns for one thing; and that one thing is to please God, and to advance God's glory. If he is consumed in the very burning, he cares not for it--he is content. He feels that, like a lamp, he is made to burn; and if consumed in burning, he has but done the work for which God appointed him. Such a one will always find a sphere for his zeal. If he cannot preach, work, and give money, he will cry, and sigh, and pray...If he cannot fight in the valley with Joshua, he will do the work of Moses, Aaron, and Hur, on the hill (Exodus 17:9-13). If he is cut off from working himself, he will give the Lord no rest till help is raised up from another quarter, and the work is done. This is what I mean when I speak of 'zeal' in religion" (J.C. Ryle, Practical Religion, 1959 ed., p. 130).

I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.--Revelation 3:15-17,19

God, grant us a zeal for you!