January 15, 2007
Rejected Purpose
In the book of Luke as Jesus is describing the ministry of John the Baptist, a parenthetical thought is inserted in Scripture. “(All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)” Luke 7:29-30 NIV. It’s not surprising to me that an individual might reject God’s purpose, but as a group the Pharisees and experts in the law might well have numbered 6,000. I find it frightening that these religious leaders collectively rejected God’s purpose for themselves.
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4 comments:
Gail;
----In the days of Peleg mankind had only one language. With that language they said, "Come, let us...make a name for ourselves...lest we be scattered abroad..." Whether or not they knew God wanted them scattered abroad, what stands out is that they talked with one another and determined their course of action. The Apostle John saw Baylon again in the Revelation given to him. This time Baylon has grown from the many peoples of the world into unity - some think an actual world government, others think a worldwide system of shared values. Whether this Babylon is the one or the other, one observation applies to both, it involves people comming together in agreement and moving as a unit driven by human values and human leaders, God's purpose having been rejected. Over the centuries we have seen one attempt at world domination after another. Even within the also ran governments that never attained enough reach or ambition to develop empires, one group after another forms coups, revolutions, and other forms of subversion. We see similar activity in social organizations, businesses, and even churches. It is a part of human nature to accrete into unified masses because it is useful to those who propogate such activity, and because it is secure and uncomplicated for those who enjoin such activity.
----The church as illustrated in all of the historical information, practical exhortations, and direct commands of the New Testamnet is different from any of man's contrivances involving organization. Each believer is alive in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ shaped by the operation of the Bible and the Holy Spirit upon the individual conscience. This is made plainly evident in Romans 14 and I John 2:27. It also recurs as a theme throughout the rest of the Bible.
----Yet, God gave this collection of individuals examples, teachers, exhorters, and many other gifts of abilities meant to create and maintain mutual strength and comfort. Jesus made it clear that these special servants were in the service of their brothers and sisters, not in the service of the outgrowth of their organizational efforts, ambitions, and ideas. Also, it is made clear by Paul, Peter, and James through listings of qualifications and with exhortations that those who are in the leadership roles among the gathering are to be those who are mature in the knowledge of the Word and in humility to the Spirit. With the directions of the Bible being followed, the leaders would not be heads of the church, but the directors of the followers into submission to the Head of the church. The Bible makes it clear that the product served to the brothers and sisters is training in godliness and education in the Word and truth. Therefore, although the church appears similar to the other institutions that seek centralized control, it is different in that it is directed by a Spirit Who acts upon individual hearts as they become educated in the Bible by its leaders.
----History has illustrated the sad reality that early in the life of the church organization, it was subverted by the same authoritarian attitudes of man that subverted the body of Pharisees. Even when God's law became written upon the flesh of man's heart men found a way to disseminate their personal ideas into a Babylonianish body of leader followers. I find it less surprising that that same human trait was able to surface when God's law was yet written upon stone while His Spirit was not yet enjoined within the human heart.
I am wondering how it is possible for another human being to know God's purpose for someone they hardly even know. My good friend gives me such a hard time for not doing what he senses I should do for God. What strikes me as humorous is the fact that I spend time daily in the word and in prayer and I feel that God is doing His work in me and I am following Him as best I know how, and that si through complete dependence on Him. How would one know that another person is rejecting his or her purpose for Christ. How arrogant is it for someone to assume they know the other person's heart as intimately as God. I struggle with judging other people. it's a true weakness of mine that I'm allowing God to deal with, but I dare say when you opinionate God's purpose into another human being, you, yourself are looker at much harsher judgment than that person you are trying to impact. Just a thought
Anonymous,
Well said, thanks for sharing.
Anonymous,
Just another thought...I love it that you refer to your 'judge' as a good friend.
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