Posted on

Unequally Yoked

The Law of Moses was explicit on the care of farm animals, particularly in regard to plowing one’s field. Never yoke an ox and a donkey together (Dt. 22:10). Because the ox is so much bigger and stronger than the donkey, the smaller and weaker animal (proportionally) was at risk to being dragged by the ox. Imagine two football linemen (i.e. Jared McCray and his friend, Joe Anderson) in a tug of war against two cross country runners (think Jonathan & Matthew Partlow). The runners aren’t weak, but we know the outcome of this tug of war. The same with yoking an ox with a donkey; the donkey doesn’t have a chance.

Paul picks up on the imagery of the unequal yoking in 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1. The principle is straight forward as the apostle links two opposing positions that people mistakenly believe can be yoked: the righteous and the wicked, those in the light and those in darkness, Christ and Satan, believers and unbelievers, and finally the temple of God and the temple of idols (v. 14-16). None of these hold anything in common and all are so diametrically opposed to each other that everyone knows the outcome. It won’t end well.

The center of the passage is verse 17, “Come out from them, and be separate.” The call to come out, from Isaiah 52, is wrapped in hope as God exhorts Israel to make a clean break from Babylon in returning to Jerusalem. Paul picks up on the exhortation for the church to make a clean break from paganism, because if they don’t, the outcome won’t end well.

What Paul says is one thing. How to apply the apostle’s words is another argument completely. Traditionally, this passage has been used, and solely used, to preach against unequally yoked marriages. What happens when a believer marries an unbeliever? It’s a good question as we’ve seen the struggle, and marriage is hard enough without adding one of faith and one without. The problem is, even though these verses can be applied to dating or engaged couples, that this passage says nothing about marriage. The words “courting” or “marriage” or even a reference to Genesis 2 never surfaces in the text.

Another option is that Paul is speaking in generalities, which certainly could include couples. Maybe he has in mind business partners. Assuming that the believer has moral integrity, will the unbeliever cut corners and short change customers giving the believer a bad name? Can someone who is dedicated to a risen Savior make business decisions with a person committed to idolatry? Beyond the business partnership, what about the local guilds? Pagan temple banquet halls were rented for both weddings and guild meetings. Being a member of the guild meant eating meals dedicated to an idol.

But the context of 2 Corinthians says nothing about couples, marriages or business ventures. Paul’s second letter to Corinth was an attempt for them to reconcile with him; the apostle was offering an olive branch to the church. The background to the letter was a group of outsiders infiltrating the church in a hostile takeover of Paul’s ministry and church leadership. They exploited a weakness in the relationship between the church and Paul, creating a chasm where a rift had been present. In derogatory terms, Paul calls this group “super apostles” (2 Cor. 11:5). They prided themselves on their “giftedness” and communication skills (10:1-2,10). They bragged about visions and prophetic experience (12:1-10). They built themselves up while tearing down Paul. They even accused Paul, not only of stealing from the church (11:8-12), but being a weak leader for the church. Paul said they were false apostles, deceptive men masquerading as angels of light (11:13-14).

Paul’s plea to avoid being unequally yoked is far more concerning than simply marriage, though its application to marriage is anything but simple. Uniting two people whose faith and world-view compete instead of complement gives anyone cause to pause. When a person of faith steps into covenant with a non-believer, someone will have to compromise. Unequally yoked relationships bring danger. But the immediate context is when two peoples of faith are unequally yoked. In this instance, one is loyal to the gospel of weakness Paul preaches and the other is loyal to a gospel of strength preached by those who have infiltrated Corinth. If the church in Corinth was going to reconcile with Paul, they had to break the yoke with these false teachers.

Just because someone name drops Jesus, or says a prayer to God, does not mean a wise partnership will be realized between two Christians. If one is going to embrace the gospel preached by Paul, a gospel where strength is expressed through weakness (12:8b) and the other rejects such a gospel, then we already know the outcome. It won’t end well.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e., only God is glorified!)

Posted on

Abandoning “Three Strike & Out,” while Embracing “One & Done”

Combining images from two different sports is a difficult. Baseball’s “three strikes and out” derives from the pitcher staring down the batter. The options are simple. After four balls (or hit by a pitch), the batter takes first base. If the batter puts the ball in play, he may safely reach base or be thrown out. Or, after three strikes, the batter is out and exits the batter’s box to return to the dugout. The batter is awarded two strikes and as many foul balls as needed. Once the third strike is called, his bat is over, at least for the moment.

On the other hand basketball’s “one and done” is a recent development. Since the NBA has age regulations, potential NBA players must spend at least one year developing their skills at the college level. Under the old rules players had to play three years in college before moving on to the pros, allowing college teams to build a cohesive dynasty. Today, numerous college teams recruit blue-chip players who only want to go pro. They play one year in college before declaring for the draft, thus for a college career, they’re “one and done.”

Finding a connection between “three strikes and out” with “one and done” will not be found in the sporting arena but in the biblical world. No doubt, it will be found in a most unlikely place.

As Moses was delivering the second of three speeches/sermons, as the Israelites were standing in the corridor of the Promised Land. The majority of the Israelites were not part of the Exodus and did not remember receiving the Law at Sinai. The three speeches of Deuteronomy were Moses’ farewell address. He not only reviewed the Law for them but also reinterpreted the Law for a new generation of Israelites embarking on conquering Canaan.

In the middle of the second speech (Dt. 18:14-22) Moses begins talking about prophets. He references a coming prophet who will be like him (Dt. 18:15a), with the call to “listen to him” echoing through the ages (18:15b), making the Christian reader think of Jesus’ transfiguration (Mt. 17:5; Mk. 9:7; Lk. 9:35).   

Then Moses pivots and gives a warning about the false prophets who will rise up in Israel. He knows they’re coming and he wants safeguards in place to protect his flock from being led astray. The simple distinction between a true prophet and a false prophet is the outcome of their prophecy. If the prophet predicts destruction and it fails to happen, he/she is a liar. If the prophet foresees success only to find devastation, he/she is a charlatan (Dt. 18:21-22). The severity of falsely predicting events is swift and sure. Instead of entertaining the prophet, Moses is intolerant of their fear-mongering. No “three strikes and out,” they’re given a “one and done” opportunity. One lie is the limit. The reaction is simple. In an attempt to keep them from leading Israel astray, put that false prophets to death (Dt. 18:20b).

Jesus assures us that false prophets are part of the system in a fallen world (see Mk. 13:5-8). They’ve been here before and they’ll be here again. They’re ongoing presence, though, does not mean we have to listen to them. We listen to Jesus. The key is not that they’re simply wrong in their prediction, but that they evoke God’s name in the process, claiming that God has revealed the future to them. So when we find their God-given prediction wrong, we cut the relationship strings. We silence their voices.

In my adult life these “prophets” have been plenty. In the summer of 1987 a group of people, invoking God’s name, claimed that Jesus was returning that year. He didn’t. They moved the goal posts to a future date only for that day to come and go like any other day. Yet the group seemingly lost no credibility. Or, on the threshold of the turn of the century, the rage was the Y2K scare. Granted, the question about computers being able to calculate the year “2000” was a good question to ask. However, some religious leaders exploited the fear, and representing God to the world, foresaw a world-wide financial crisis and meltdown. When life went on as usual, those religious leaders lost no credibility as people continued listening to them. Or, a televangelist blows the “Spirit of God” on the camera, like he’s blowing on you through the TV screen, claiming COVID is over and defeated only for it to claim over 300,000 more American lives, should raise serious credibility questions, but it doesn’t. Such behavior reeks of an opportunist seeking fame and fortune as people still tune in like they were sheep without a shepherd.

The list of blatant false prophets is far longer than a single scroll containing the words of Scripture, for as the Hebrews’ writer says, “I do not have the time to tell about . . . “ (Heb. 11:32b). We don’t have the time.

So when church leaders rise and begin invoking God’s name to predict what never unfolds, it’s time for the church to step up. In order to avoid being manipulated, let’s stop playing by the baseball rules and start embracing basketball rule. For it’s not our tolerance at stake, it’s God’s credibility.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e., only God is glorified!)

Posted on

The Righteous Will Live By Faith

Two words come together like a perfect marriage: Righteousness and Faith. Because both are a running motif through Scripture, they’re the basis for a relationship with God. One could argue that they’re crucial for a relationship with each other.

In regards to righteousness the Old Testament views it as twins to Justice; they’re often seen together. One might say the role of righteousness is to bring justice or to make the wrong right. In the New Testament, Righteousness and Justice are born out of the same Greek word. Anytime you’re reading the New Testament and come across “righteousness,” you can substitute it for “justice” and you won’t be wrong. In regards to faith, it may be the foundation of our relationship with God (Heb. 11:6). The unseen God calls us to see him which forces us to view him and this world through an invisible prism or reality. Thus, we read, “the righteous will live by faith.”

Surfacing four times in Scripture, first in the Old Testament and three times in the New Testament, God beckons his righteous ones to live their lives out in faith. Let’s take a look at each time “the righteous will live by faith” appears in Scripture.

● Habakkuk 2:4 When the prophet Habakkuk steps onto the stage, King Josiah has been killed in battle and his evil son, Jehoiakim, begins an eleven year policy of reversing all the reforms of his father. The gains under Josiah are quickly lost. In Habakkuk’s complaint to God, “justice never prevails (while) the wicked hem in the righteous” (1:4). Essentially, Habakkuk asks God, “What are you going to do about the injustice in Judah?” God’s answer was beyond belief (1:5-6), as he was cultivating the Babylonians, raising them up to punish Judah for their sins. Such a move even surprised the prophet as he stood before the Lord in disbelief. Then came God’s comfort, “the righteous will live by his faith.” When the political forces, even fueled by God’s will, bring destruction and death on your own nation so that the temple is razed and citizens are taken away in captivity, those who continue to trust God are the righteous and their faith will be rewarded. As Peter might say, “Where will we go? God has the words of eternal life” (Jn. 6:68).

● Galatians 3:11 In one of his first written epistles, if not the very first one, Paul combats the false teaching that circumcision is necessary for salvation, or that law-keeping is a prerequisite for Kingdom entrance. Not only does Paul question their legalistic logic as it misaligns with their experience (3:1-5), but he also points to Scripture: Abraham’s faith made him righteous (Gen. 15:6; Gal. 3:6-7), not his law-keeping or his circumcision. To drive his point home, Paul goes to Deuteronomy where those who live under law are under a curse (27:26) because the law is about performance where, when properly graded, we’re deemed a failure. Instead, quoting from Habakkuk, righteousness is about faith. For the Galatians once they embraced circumcision and rule-keeping as a mandate to justify themselves before God, they stopped living by faith.

● Romans 1:17 Underscoring the saving power of the Gospel (1:16), as God reveals his righteousness, Paul links righteousness and faith together in the Habakkuk verse. If Romans was written to a church struggling to keep the Jewish and Gentiles Christians together and unified, then the focus of the gospel’s power is about ethnic diversity in the church. Salvation is for everyone who believes and the Christian life is one rooted in faith from beginning to end. So Paul’s concern is not about how righteous people live, which is Habakkuk’s concern, but on how sinful people become righteous regardless of ethnic background.

● Hebrews 10:38 For fear of the faithful shrinking back from their faith, the Hebrews writer offers a homily of encouragment (13:22) to keep them on track. As the writer nears the end of a section by recalling earlier days when this community of believers stood their ground in faith, he worries they will throw it all away (10:32-36). So to build a bridge that leads to a discussion of faith for those who endured (11:1-4), the writer quotes from Isaiah and Habakkuk. Isaiah 26:20-21 has messianic overtones and quoting it here may reference the Second Coming. Attaching Habakkuk 2:4 to Isaiah means that the righteous ones continue to persevere, patiently waiting for God to act for the good of his people. Specifically, believing Jesus will return one day, even if he delays or difficult days lie ahead, they continue to live, act and walk in faith.

So we find ourselves as the “righteous living by faith,” and wherever our journey is taking us at the time depends on how we view faith. If our national, political infrastructure falls apart, or we fear it’s falling apart, then we trust God to hold us together (Hab. 2:4). If we reject the tallying of rule-keeping as a means for salvation and accept righteousness on faith, then we trust God to save us, not ourselves (Gal. 3:11). If we give our sinful life over to God then he’ll make us righteous (Rom 1:17). If we continue to endure hardship in faith while awaiting his return then we live in faith (Heb. 10:38).

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e., only God is glorified!)

Posted on

The Show Must Go On

Since Sunshine Church implemented COVID protocol safety measures, worship services have had a production feel to it. A need was created and we filled that need, but it still feels “produced.” Jamie and I sit on stools staring into a camera with an empty auditorium to speak to people sitting at home (more than one person has joked about us stepping into a televangelist role). The music we hear is overlaid with the high quality sound from Acappella Praise & Harmony with emphasis on the word, harmony. Jacob Miller has managed the “performance” from behind the scenes to help produce the best visual product possible. All because, when the pandemic hit, the show must go on.

James gives a stern warning for those who want to teach, for those who do will be held to a higher standard than others (Jas. 3:1). He is not decrying teaching, but he is reminding those of us who do teach that practicing what we preach is crucial to teaching. He’s not calling for fewer teachers, but for more teachers to model faith. But herein lies the difficulty. Not only do Sunday sermons come every seven days, but so does the Sunday evening and Wednesday evening bible classes. A lot of content and instruction funnels through the church, and that’s not counting the numerous other bible class instructions. While the pandemic streamlined the teaching, generally the church is begging and pleading with members to step into roles of teaching so that students have their teacher, leaving James’ concern far behind.

“It just seems like there’s something I’m leaving behind, but the show must go on.”*

Following the events of Elijah’s confrontation with the priests of Baal, we find him on the run. Did he believe that his moment on Mt. Carmel would ignite a great awakening and revival in Israel? Did he convince himself that a place of honor and status awaited him in Samaria? Was he that surprised that Ahab and Jezebel sought to have him executed? Did it ever occur to him that Mt. Carmel was too much about him and not enough about God? Regardless, he found himself spiritually and emotionally depleted and alone. Not wanting to go on any further, he was through with preaching and living.

“I just keep pretending to live for the game, so the show must go on.”*

When Paul wrote to the Corinthians for the second time, he included three sections known as “Affliction Lists” (4:8-10; 6:3-10; 11:23-29). In these passsages, Paul underscores the amount of pain he has endured for the sake of Christ (we’re probably more familiar with clay jar section of 4:8-10 and his final list of “boasting” in 11:23-29, than we are with chapter six). While he writes with hope, he refuses to gloss over his experiences, even admitting he felt like Elijah where he despaired even of life (1:8). But God holds Paul together, fueling his strength, passion and joy. And while he’s endured difficult days where he wants to give up, something inside of him wouldn’t quit.

“I just keep on bending the rules to fit the pain so the show must go on.”*

So here we endure while we wade through the floods from COVID. We settle for the online presence and worship, because it’s available with modern technology. But like every other social media platform, it cannot replace togetherness as it causes separation anxiety. We long to gather as a church. We ache to assemble in person so that we can look into each other’s eyes while praising God and encouraging one another. But even when the date is set for in-person worship, COVID will still hover like dark rain clouds. Even though vaccinations are rolling out, questions remain. How long will we have to wear masks? Will my hands ever heal from being chapped from all the handwashing? How long till social distancing is lifted? What will the result of the new virus strains be?  I don’t know the answer to these burning questions; I don’t believe anyone really does. But this I do know. Whether online or in-person, whether the auditorium is empty, partially filled or filled, whether COVID hovers or dissipates, we will continue offering a platform for worship. Because the show must go on. 

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e., only God is glorified!)

* Words by Bill Chaplin & Bruce Gaitsch