"Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." (John 15:14)
If we look at this verse from the Come Follow Me reading this week, and examine it by itself, it might make us think we are looking at the promises of a disingenuous person. In fact, I remember when my daughter was younger, she had a "conditional" friend, who would only want to be with her if my daughter agreed to do what she wanted. I remember talking to my heartbroken child, explaining that this other little girl was not being a good friend... she was being manipulative.
Of course, when our Master Jesus Christ (a man who loves less conditionally than any other) says it, we have to think deeper about what is meant. What is a "friend"? Why is this conditional? There are several different perspectives about our relationship with Christ that can help us obtain a better understanding of what Jesus was saying.
First, consider the Milgram experiment. This experiment was a psychological test in which the subject was told to administer shocks to a "learner" by an authority figure. The participant was progressively instructed to press a button giving worse and worse electric shocks, ultimately resulting in the apparent death of the learner. In truth, no actual electric shocks were given... they were only simulated. Reactions of the person receiving the shocks were acted.
In spite of this, subjects were recorded as displaying signs of stress, and questioning the authority figure. Additionally, a large percentage of participants continued pressing the "shock" buttons after being assured by the authority figure, in spite of their discomfort.
Though there have been various interpretations of the experiment, there is an important comparison that can be drawn between this scenario and our relationship with Jesus Christ. In fact, it was the weight of our sins and misdeeds that caused him to tremble because of pain, to bleed from every pore, and to plea with our Father for some other way. (D&C 19:18)
Metaphorically speaking, Jesus is being shocked, tormented, and tortured, and we are pushing the button to make it happen.
In this context, when Jesus says "ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you," it could be taken as "I want to be your friend, but I really want you to stop pushing the button."
In other words, the condition he places on friendship is that we treat him as an actual friend... that we realize the pain that our bad choices have directly caused him to endure... and that we use every means in our power to avoid tormenting him. In this context, the very idea that he still seeks friendship with us, knowing we are responsible for his suffering, is notable.
Second, consider the context that Jesus provides in the surrounding verses. "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you."
Specifically, he is talking to his apostles, who considered themselves his servants, and the path of discipleship that they began as servants has an end in a closer relationship. In other words, if they continue on the path they started, (the "covenant path" as President Nelson has called it), the destination at the end is not something that looks like eternal servitude... but something that looks more like friendship.
Even before the end, because of his love for his apostles, he sacrificed himself so that they would escape. John records these events shortly after the heart-wrenching betrayal of Judas Iscariot:
"Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none." (John 18:7-9)
Ultimately, this relationship extends to each of us who continue on the covenant path. If we continue on it... if we do as he commanded... then the sacrifice he made when he laid down his life applies to us. In spite of our guilt, a miraculous and cleansing forgiveness can be ours, if we do our very best to follow him. In other words... we can be his friends, for whom he laid down his life, if we do what he has commanded us.
Finally, a context of humility can help us understand the passage. Jesus told a parable describing this point:
"When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." (Luke 14:8-11, emphasis added)
Many well-intentioned people, having experienced the sweetness of Christ's forgiveness, have called Jesus their friend. Of course, I don't know the full details of how Jesus feels about any other people... certainly not enough to give any sort of reprimand... but I do know something about my own relationship with Jesus.
I would never presume to call him my friend.
He is my Master. He is my King. But he is so far above me, and I have done enough idiotic things in my life that, between the two of us, I would never dare be the one to claim we are friends. My place is in the lowest room.
I do intend to live my life a bit better, every day striving to walk the covenant path, every day holding closer to the iron rod, and every day trying to do whatsoever he commands me, that perhaps one day he will call me "friend."
While it may good to be wary of most people who place strict conditions on friendship... there is no one like Jesus.
I pray each of us will increase our humility before him, will seek to better understand him and his teachings, and will stop "pressing the button" that Christ my say to us "Ye are my friends."
Showing posts with label #context. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #context. Show all posts
Saturday, June 1, 2019
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Satire: Scandal hits religious leadership, church is doomed
<Satire>
Religious leaders in the temple have been caught in a huge scandal that rocks the very foundations of their faith...
The two leaders were not only ignoring the rules of temple ceremonies, but also seduced women into sleeping with them.
The abuse of power is made worse because of the way that the head of the church has handled the situation, giving them nothing more than a verbal reprimand, possibly because of their close relationship.
The scandal has undoubtedly damaged the credibility of the church in ways that have never before been seen, and it seems unlikely that the church can recover from it. How can faithful members ever trust in church leadership after such a blatant disregard for ethics?
"If God were in charge of this church, he would never have let these men do this..." said Katie, a concerned member.
"Even if God killed the two temple workers, and the prophet who ignored their behavior, I don't think I could continue being a member of the church," said Big Mike, who has left the church over the incident. "I mean, I thought they were supposed to be called of God to begin with..."
Inexplicably, some members of the church seem to defend their leaders.
"No I don't think that the actions of Phineas and Hophni in 1 Samuel 2 are the end of the faith... it's not even the end of 1 Samuel," said one apologist.
When pressed about the favoritism shown these leaders at the highest levels, they could only offer this weak excuse: "God literally removed and replaced Eli over this... did you read 1 Samuel 4?"
"This is the kind of cherry-picking that has soured many people toward the church," said Big Mike. "They want to answer a problem in one area of scripture using the stuff around it..."
We expect fair-minded individuals to flee from the hypocrisy of faith and throw their support behind those who truly serve others... government bureaucrats.
</Satire>
Religious leaders in the temple have been caught in a huge scandal that rocks the very foundations of their faith...
The two leaders were not only ignoring the rules of temple ceremonies, but also seduced women into sleeping with them.
The abuse of power is made worse because of the way that the head of the church has handled the situation, giving them nothing more than a verbal reprimand, possibly because of their close relationship.
The scandal has undoubtedly damaged the credibility of the church in ways that have never before been seen, and it seems unlikely that the church can recover from it. How can faithful members ever trust in church leadership after such a blatant disregard for ethics?
"If God were in charge of this church, he would never have let these men do this..." said Katie, a concerned member.
"Even if God killed the two temple workers, and the prophet who ignored their behavior, I don't think I could continue being a member of the church," said Big Mike, who has left the church over the incident. "I mean, I thought they were supposed to be called of God to begin with..."
Inexplicably, some members of the church seem to defend their leaders.
"No I don't think that the actions of Phineas and Hophni in 1 Samuel 2 are the end of the faith... it's not even the end of 1 Samuel," said one apologist.
When pressed about the favoritism shown these leaders at the highest levels, they could only offer this weak excuse: "God literally removed and replaced Eli over this... did you read 1 Samuel 4?"
"This is the kind of cherry-picking that has soured many people toward the church," said Big Mike. "They want to answer a problem in one area of scripture using the stuff around it..."
We expect fair-minded individuals to flee from the hypocrisy of faith and throw their support behind those who truly serve others... government bureaucrats.
</Satire>
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
How to misinterpret the Bible
The Bible is viewed by some as the definition of Christianity. The contents of the Bible for this group defines their religion in its entirety. They believe it is more than inspired; they believe it is infallible.
For the other extreme, the Bible is viewed as a loose set of guidelines, or perhaps even suggestions for living rather than laws by which humanity will be judged.
Of course, not to be excluded is the group that feels the Bible is so flawed that it represents the best case against Christianity.
To add additional layers of complexity, arguments have ensued between people that place equal value on the word of God regarding its context, its meaning, or the wording of a particular translation.
With so many methods available to misinterpret the Bible, it becomes easy to see how there can be so much disagreement among Christians over even the most fundamental doctrines and concepts. You may even wonder (and if you are not wondering, should should wonder) whether you are misinterpreting the Bible. Here are a few ways:
1. The Bible is infallible. Even though we do not actually have original manuscripts of what Moses, Isaiah, John, or Paul wrote, there are those that think the book is perfect. This of course does not even touch on which translation should we consider to be accurate. For example, Genesis describes God as being penitent and sorrowful that he created man, as if the creation was a mistake (Genesis 6:6-7) Really? God made a mistake? Or is it possible that the Bible may have a mistake? God didn't write the Bible, so odds are, there are some flaws. That doesn't mean it's bad, just flawed... kind of like you...
2. The Bible is complete. This is convenient for those that want to do something that is not specified in the Bible. There is even a scripture in the Bible that seems to back it up, and it decries the adding or subtracting of the prophecy of this book. (Revelation 22:18-19) Of course, God said something almost identical in Deuteronomy 4:2, and yet a lot of prophecies were added after that. Additionally, there was no such thing as the Bible in the days of Moses or of John. It was compiled hundreds of years later. There are lots of references in the Bible to books that did not make it in. (book of the Wars of the Lord (Num. 21:14); book of Jasher (Josh. 10:13; 2 Sam. 1:18); book of the acts of Solomon (1 Kgs. 11:41); book of Samuel the seer (1 Chr. 29:29); book of Gad the seer (1 Chr. 29:29); book of Nathan the prophet (1 Chr. 29:29; 2 Chr. 9:29); prophecy of Ahijah (2 Chr. 9:29); visions of Iddo the seer (2 Chr. 9:29; 12:15; 13:22); book of Shemaiah (2 Chr. 12:15); book of Jehu (2 Chr. 20:34); sayings of the seers (2 Chr. 33:19); an epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, earlier than our present 1 Corinthians (1 Cor. 5:9); possibly an earlier epistle to the Ephesians (Eph. 3:3); an epistle to the Church at Laodicea (Col. 4:16); and some prophecies of Enoch, known to Jude (Jude 1:14).)
The conclusion? The Bible has a lot of good stuff... but complete? Not so much...
3. The Old Testament has been fulfilled; it's not important anymore. Of course there are elements of the Old Testament that are no longer required. Christians no longer perform animal sacrifices, observe the Passover, and are even able to eat pork and shellfish. That does not mean anything that came before Christ was rendered unimportant. Christ was very concerned about the law and the prophets. (Matthew 5:17-20) In fact, an examination of Matthew 5 indicates that Christ wanted people to live by a higher law than they had previously known. No longer was it sufficient to say "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth," but instead, "love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you." (Matthew 5:44) Isaiah gave many prophecies about Christ's second coming, which are obviously yet to be fulfilled. (Isaiah 2) The Old Testament may contain references to things that are no longer used in terms of "Law of Moses" specifics, but there were many important events that help us understand who God is, how he deals with his children, and what life's purpose is. Saying the Old Testament doesn't matter anymore is like saying arithmetic isn't important anymore because you're learning algebra. Guess what, you still need it!
4. As long as you believe in God, it doesn't matter what the Bible says. Certainly there were times before the Bible. There were even times before the oldest book in our Bible was written. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all lived before Moses wrote Genesis and told their story, so no amount of the Bible played a role in how they made decisions and recognized God. That having been said, the Bible is important today. Does a person need to be baptized to enter the Kingdom of Heaven? or is believing God exists all that is important? The Bible contains Jesus's answers to these important questions. (John 3:5) For a Christian, the importance of learning what Christ did and taught should be obvious...
5. Everything in the Bible is symbolic. Stories in the Bible that describe events such as the flood in the days of Noah, or a time when men lived hundreds of years before dying, or even when Elijah called down fire from heaven may seem fantastic. Some people feel more comfortable if they dismiss such events as metaphors for something. It must be more believable to say that God "figuratively" plagued Egypt, or that he "figuratively" raised Lazarus from the dead. Unfortunately, people that subscribe to this thinking are "figuratively" full of crap.
6. Everything in the Bible is literal. On the other side of the coin are those that embrace every parable and analogy as the literal truth. These kinds of people were like the ones weirded out when Jesus told them they needed to eat his flesh. (John 6:51-60) There are many things that were done symbolically. The details of animal sacrifice and ordinances all had meaning beyond the literal actions. The many parables that Jesus taught were to help certain people learn specific things. People who failed to understand symbolism then are much like those that fail to understand it today... they "literally" don't know what the Bible is saying.
7. Some verses in the Bible aren't politically correct, so the whole book must be false. Some people seem to know only those verses in the Bible that discuss dealing with suspected adulterers under the Mosaic law and government, or the verses in which Paul talks about women being silent in churches. (Deuteronomy 22, 1 Timothy 2:11-12) Since there are verses in both the Old and New Testaments, I guess you can just dismiss both of them, right? I mean, it's not possible for some parts of a book to be more important than other parts, right? If you don't have a problem with say... homosexuality, adultery, or fornication... then you can just dismiss what the Bible says about it because of the politically incorrect verses, right? And because you only read a handful of controversial verses, you have a good idea about the themes and principles in the rest of it, right? On the other hand, could it be that you have no idea what the Bible is about, or that your assumptions about what is good or bad that come from your cultural traditions may have as many flaws as (or perhaps even more than) those cultures described in Biblical times against whom you are eager to pass judgement? Do you honestly think that being politically correct is more important than learning the true purposes of mankind and life itself?
8. The Bible is too difficult to understand, so I'm better off without it. So said the 40-year-old McDonald's employee about high school math.
9. The Bible is the highest authoritative source. Don't get me wrong. I love the Bible. I believe the word of God is contained in beauty, power, and authority within it. The problem with viewing the law as authoritative was the same issue that the Pharisees had. They were so consumed with ensuring they knew the law that they missed out on recognizing the law-giver when he came among them. God is the highest authoritative source; the Bible is not. If you think that God is not capable of communicating with mankind except by means of a flawed book (See #1 and #2) then why call him God? If he sent prophets and angels in times past to augment or clarify the meaning of his word, why should our time be so different. Hint: it's not.
10. The Bible has a code that can be used to calculate the exact date of when Jesus will come again and everything else that will happen in the future. How can I put this?.... It's a book... just try reading the words... Counting characters is missing the point...
Ultimately, there are innumerable ways to misunderstand the Bible. People have used it to justify hunting down so-called heretics, and also used it to excuse those guilty of terrible crimes. People have used it to condemn and to justify the same acts. I assert that very few in either group have actually read the entire Bible... let alone qualified themselves to interpret it.
Of course the Bible can be difficult to read and to understand, but the effort required to do so is well worth it. The Bible may not contain the answer to every question, but with eloquence and power it can shine light on the truth. There are few things in the English language as powerful as the declaration of Jesus Christ in John 11: "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die." (John 11:25-26)
Additionally, the Bible points us to God for additional wisdom. The Prophet Joseph Smith was confused by the heated debates between various sects that all seemed to use the same Bible to endorse themselves and condemn one another. He writes:
"While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know; for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible." (Joseph Smith - History 1:11-12)
Here is the wisdom of the Bible... it directs us, as it did Joseph Smith, to God himself.
In the end, any other persuasion derived from the Bible is erroneous. Why call it the word of God if it does not lead us back to him? I assert that it can and does for all those that diligently search its pages.
For the other extreme, the Bible is viewed as a loose set of guidelines, or perhaps even suggestions for living rather than laws by which humanity will be judged.
Of course, not to be excluded is the group that feels the Bible is so flawed that it represents the best case against Christianity.
To add additional layers of complexity, arguments have ensued between people that place equal value on the word of God regarding its context, its meaning, or the wording of a particular translation.
With so many methods available to misinterpret the Bible, it becomes easy to see how there can be so much disagreement among Christians over even the most fundamental doctrines and concepts. You may even wonder (and if you are not wondering, should should wonder) whether you are misinterpreting the Bible. Here are a few ways:
1. The Bible is infallible. Even though we do not actually have original manuscripts of what Moses, Isaiah, John, or Paul wrote, there are those that think the book is perfect. This of course does not even touch on which translation should we consider to be accurate. For example, Genesis describes God as being penitent and sorrowful that he created man, as if the creation was a mistake (Genesis 6:6-7) Really? God made a mistake? Or is it possible that the Bible may have a mistake? God didn't write the Bible, so odds are, there are some flaws. That doesn't mean it's bad, just flawed... kind of like you...
2. The Bible is complete. This is convenient for those that want to do something that is not specified in the Bible. There is even a scripture in the Bible that seems to back it up, and it decries the adding or subtracting of the prophecy of this book. (Revelation 22:18-19) Of course, God said something almost identical in Deuteronomy 4:2, and yet a lot of prophecies were added after that. Additionally, there was no such thing as the Bible in the days of Moses or of John. It was compiled hundreds of years later. There are lots of references in the Bible to books that did not make it in. (book of the Wars of the Lord (Num. 21:14); book of Jasher (Josh. 10:13; 2 Sam. 1:18); book of the acts of Solomon (1 Kgs. 11:41); book of Samuel the seer (1 Chr. 29:29); book of Gad the seer (1 Chr. 29:29); book of Nathan the prophet (1 Chr. 29:29; 2 Chr. 9:29); prophecy of Ahijah (2 Chr. 9:29); visions of Iddo the seer (2 Chr. 9:29; 12:15; 13:22); book of Shemaiah (2 Chr. 12:15); book of Jehu (2 Chr. 20:34); sayings of the seers (2 Chr. 33:19); an epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, earlier than our present 1 Corinthians (1 Cor. 5:9); possibly an earlier epistle to the Ephesians (Eph. 3:3); an epistle to the Church at Laodicea (Col. 4:16); and some prophecies of Enoch, known to Jude (Jude 1:14).)
The conclusion? The Bible has a lot of good stuff... but complete? Not so much...
3. The Old Testament has been fulfilled; it's not important anymore. Of course there are elements of the Old Testament that are no longer required. Christians no longer perform animal sacrifices, observe the Passover, and are even able to eat pork and shellfish. That does not mean anything that came before Christ was rendered unimportant. Christ was very concerned about the law and the prophets. (Matthew 5:17-20) In fact, an examination of Matthew 5 indicates that Christ wanted people to live by a higher law than they had previously known. No longer was it sufficient to say "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth," but instead, "love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you." (Matthew 5:44) Isaiah gave many prophecies about Christ's second coming, which are obviously yet to be fulfilled. (Isaiah 2) The Old Testament may contain references to things that are no longer used in terms of "Law of Moses" specifics, but there were many important events that help us understand who God is, how he deals with his children, and what life's purpose is. Saying the Old Testament doesn't matter anymore is like saying arithmetic isn't important anymore because you're learning algebra. Guess what, you still need it!
4. As long as you believe in God, it doesn't matter what the Bible says. Certainly there were times before the Bible. There were even times before the oldest book in our Bible was written. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all lived before Moses wrote Genesis and told their story, so no amount of the Bible played a role in how they made decisions and recognized God. That having been said, the Bible is important today. Does a person need to be baptized to enter the Kingdom of Heaven? or is believing God exists all that is important? The Bible contains Jesus's answers to these important questions. (John 3:5) For a Christian, the importance of learning what Christ did and taught should be obvious...
5. Everything in the Bible is symbolic. Stories in the Bible that describe events such as the flood in the days of Noah, or a time when men lived hundreds of years before dying, or even when Elijah called down fire from heaven may seem fantastic. Some people feel more comfortable if they dismiss such events as metaphors for something. It must be more believable to say that God "figuratively" plagued Egypt, or that he "figuratively" raised Lazarus from the dead. Unfortunately, people that subscribe to this thinking are "figuratively" full of crap.
6. Everything in the Bible is literal. On the other side of the coin are those that embrace every parable and analogy as the literal truth. These kinds of people were like the ones weirded out when Jesus told them they needed to eat his flesh. (John 6:51-60) There are many things that were done symbolically. The details of animal sacrifice and ordinances all had meaning beyond the literal actions. The many parables that Jesus taught were to help certain people learn specific things. People who failed to understand symbolism then are much like those that fail to understand it today... they "literally" don't know what the Bible is saying.
7. Some verses in the Bible aren't politically correct, so the whole book must be false. Some people seem to know only those verses in the Bible that discuss dealing with suspected adulterers under the Mosaic law and government, or the verses in which Paul talks about women being silent in churches. (Deuteronomy 22, 1 Timothy 2:11-12) Since there are verses in both the Old and New Testaments, I guess you can just dismiss both of them, right? I mean, it's not possible for some parts of a book to be more important than other parts, right? If you don't have a problem with say... homosexuality, adultery, or fornication... then you can just dismiss what the Bible says about it because of the politically incorrect verses, right? And because you only read a handful of controversial verses, you have a good idea about the themes and principles in the rest of it, right? On the other hand, could it be that you have no idea what the Bible is about, or that your assumptions about what is good or bad that come from your cultural traditions may have as many flaws as (or perhaps even more than) those cultures described in Biblical times against whom you are eager to pass judgement? Do you honestly think that being politically correct is more important than learning the true purposes of mankind and life itself?
8. The Bible is too difficult to understand, so I'm better off without it. So said the 40-year-old McDonald's employee about high school math.
9. The Bible is the highest authoritative source. Don't get me wrong. I love the Bible. I believe the word of God is contained in beauty, power, and authority within it. The problem with viewing the law as authoritative was the same issue that the Pharisees had. They were so consumed with ensuring they knew the law that they missed out on recognizing the law-giver when he came among them. God is the highest authoritative source; the Bible is not. If you think that God is not capable of communicating with mankind except by means of a flawed book (See #1 and #2) then why call him God? If he sent prophets and angels in times past to augment or clarify the meaning of his word, why should our time be so different. Hint: it's not.
10. The Bible has a code that can be used to calculate the exact date of when Jesus will come again and everything else that will happen in the future. How can I put this?.... It's a book... just try reading the words... Counting characters is missing the point...
Ultimately, there are innumerable ways to misunderstand the Bible. People have used it to justify hunting down so-called heretics, and also used it to excuse those guilty of terrible crimes. People have used it to condemn and to justify the same acts. I assert that very few in either group have actually read the entire Bible... let alone qualified themselves to interpret it.
Of course the Bible can be difficult to read and to understand, but the effort required to do so is well worth it. The Bible may not contain the answer to every question, but with eloquence and power it can shine light on the truth. There are few things in the English language as powerful as the declaration of Jesus Christ in John 11: "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die." (John 11:25-26)
Additionally, the Bible points us to God for additional wisdom. The Prophet Joseph Smith was confused by the heated debates between various sects that all seemed to use the same Bible to endorse themselves and condemn one another. He writes:
"While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know; for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible." (Joseph Smith - History 1:11-12)
Here is the wisdom of the Bible... it directs us, as it did Joseph Smith, to God himself.
In the end, any other persuasion derived from the Bible is erroneous. Why call it the word of God if it does not lead us back to him? I assert that it can and does for all those that diligently search its pages.
Monday, August 13, 2012
God Actually Has Given Us the Spirit of Fear
I have heard and read in several places recently a suggestion or pet-peeve of many Christians both within and without the LDS church regarding the fear of God. Almost every time I have heard "fear of God" or "God-fearing" or some other similar phrase, it has been accompanied by a recommendation of avoidance. Frequently it is also used in connection with a passage in the New Testament: "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7)
When I sit down and try to think of the last time I have actually heard the phrase sincerely used by anyone other than myself, I am unable to recollect any examples in the past ten years. I have not heard people compliment the piety of others by describing them as God-fearing except as examples of 'what not to say' in lessons. I do not recall an instructor or speaker recommending that their audience ought to fear God, excepting that the immediately clarify and say they mean to 'respect' God.
Perhaps my experience is not completely representative, but it seems that a lot of effort is expended in getting people to avoid a phrase that no one uses.
The ironic element of the fear of the fear of God is that it is partly based on a misunderstanding of the passage in 2 Timothy. Paul continues in verse 8: "Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God." (2 Timothy 1:8) Paul was talking about the fear of affliction in the passage, or feeling shame because of Christ; he was not at all talking about the fear of God.
People have used the passage 2 Timothy to discourage discussion of topics that might lead us to believe that God might ever do something besides make people feel warm and fuzzy. While it is true that the emphasis of prophets and apostles in the LDS church seems to highlight the love, mercy, and forgiveness of God, ignoring the wrath and power of God leaves Christians lacking context and understanding.
Implying that ideas that might provoke fear are never from God leaves Christians with a consistency and credibility problem. Under the assumption that anything that inspires fear must not be from God, consider the following conclusions:
For those that are surprised that God uses fear, threats, and destruction to accomplish his purposes, know that you are not alone. Even prophets of God have experienced similar shock. Consider the burden of Habakkuk in the Old Testament. When he learned that God was using the wicked Chaldeans to destroy Israel, he was shocked that God might use something he felt was evil. (Habakkuk 1)
I believe that many people have become too cavalier in their view of God, or in assessing their relationship to him. Some of my own pet peeves include the following (commentary not italicized):
Fear in the sense of humility is what Jesus taught when he told the following parable:
"And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." (Luke 14:7-11)
God actually has given us the spirit of fear. He wants us to be worried about our thoughts, our words, and our deeds. (Mosiah 4:30) He has made no secret of his intention to annihilate the wicked when he returns. (D&C 45:47-50) He has openly declared that he will reign over the earth. (Revelation 19:11-16) He is also clear that we ought not feel secure about our current position. (2 Nephi 28:21) The facts imply that we should be a bit fearful.
What he does not want is a paralyzing fear that makes people want to avoid him. This is where the emphasis of modern prophets and apostles becomes important. An understanding that he could wipe us all out should add something to the fact his prophets are pleading with us to "be a little better." (http://www.lds.org/ensign/1999/09/the-quest-for-excellence?lang=eng)
Ultimately, the context of fear and humility gives power to everything else we receive from him. When we fear him, his love means more. When prophets beg us to repent, it represents not just a good life strategy, but the request of the Most High God that we accept the very thing for which we should be begging him.
When I sit down and try to think of the last time I have actually heard the phrase sincerely used by anyone other than myself, I am unable to recollect any examples in the past ten years. I have not heard people compliment the piety of others by describing them as God-fearing except as examples of 'what not to say' in lessons. I do not recall an instructor or speaker recommending that their audience ought to fear God, excepting that the immediately clarify and say they mean to 'respect' God.
Perhaps my experience is not completely representative, but it seems that a lot of effort is expended in getting people to avoid a phrase that no one uses.
The ironic element of the fear of the fear of God is that it is partly based on a misunderstanding of the passage in 2 Timothy. Paul continues in verse 8: "Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God." (2 Timothy 1:8) Paul was talking about the fear of affliction in the passage, or feeling shame because of Christ; he was not at all talking about the fear of God.
People have used the passage 2 Timothy to discourage discussion of topics that might lead us to believe that God might ever do something besides make people feel warm and fuzzy. While it is true that the emphasis of prophets and apostles in the LDS church seems to highlight the love, mercy, and forgiveness of God, ignoring the wrath and power of God leaves Christians lacking context and understanding.
Implying that ideas that might provoke fear are never from God leaves Christians with a consistency and credibility problem. Under the assumption that anything that inspires fear must not be from God, consider the following conclusions:
- Noah's ark is not true since God would never threaten to destroy all but eight human beings (Genesis 6-7)
- The ten plagues with which God cursed Egypt must not have been real, since God would never threaten his children (Exodus 7-12)
- Elijah was not a real prophet since he took people of another religion to a river and slaughtered them (1 Kings 18:40)
- Jeremiah was not a real prophet of God, since he threatened the people of God with utter destruction (Jeremiah 16:1-15)
- Zephaniah (and almost all of the other minor prophets in the Old Testament) were not real prophets because they foretold God sending great destruction and death (Zephaniah 1:14-18)
- Jesus was probably just kidding about the signs of destruction and sorrow that would appear before his second coming (Matthew 24)
- Paul was probably just kidding when he foretold the wrath of God and the times of peril that would appear in the last days (2 Thessalonians 1-2)
- John was using artistic symbolism when he described the son of God returning in glory and slaying all the wicked (Revelation 19)
- Lehi in the Book of Mormon was definitely not a prophet because he told the people of Jerusalem that if they did not repent, they would be destroyed (1 Nephi 1)
- When King Benjamin was just a fear-monger because he embellished the punishments that God places on the wicked to manipulate his people (Mosiah 2:37-39)
- Captain Moroni was an unholy angry man, because God would never threaten to kill people (Alma 44)
- When Jesus said that the gates of hell stand open to receive those that do not accept his doctrine, he probably meant the gates of a bureau of guidance counsellors that will lovingly help people understand what is right since he is God and God is love (3 Nephi 11:38-40)
- The Book of Ether was probably just made up since it depicts God using wars to wipe people off of his promised land, which a loving God would never do (Ether 15)
- Joseph Smith was probably just having a bad day when he had the revelation on marriage recorded. After all, God wouldn't actually say "For whatsoever things remain are by me; and whatsoever things are not by me shall be shaken and destroyed." (D&C 132:14)
For those that are surprised that God uses fear, threats, and destruction to accomplish his purposes, know that you are not alone. Even prophets of God have experienced similar shock. Consider the burden of Habakkuk in the Old Testament. When he learned that God was using the wicked Chaldeans to destroy Israel, he was shocked that God might use something he felt was evil. (Habakkuk 1)
I believe that many people have become too cavalier in their view of God, or in assessing their relationship to him. Some of my own pet peeves include the following (commentary not italicized):
- Jesus is my elder brother - The concept may be true. He is the Son of God, and we are children of God, ergo he is our elder brother... but that relationship really does not earn any points. After all, his 'brothers' mocked him, spit on him, beat him, betrayed him, and murdered him. Jesus declared that "whosever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother." (Mark 3:35) In claiming brotherhood with Christ, is it the intention of an individual to announce "I'm doing the will of God!" Maybe they are, but it seems arrogant.
- God is love - The famous scripture in 1 John 4:8 was not given to say that God is a human emotion, it was given to teach people that we ought to show love and kindness for one another. Do not be fooled into reducing God into an emotion. He is a person. While Jesus Christ truly showed love, he was not afraid to identify and condemn hypocrisy, sin, and irreverence. Perhaps it was love of his father and the Temple that motivated him to make a whip and drive the thieves and money changers out, but it is obvious that God is more complicated than a single human emotion.
- The spirit makes me feel happy - This could also be God makes me feel happy or some other phrase that ties God to happiness. Unless you worship Prozac, God is not depression medication. You don't 'take God' and then 'feel better.' Does this mean that a person who is not feeling happy must not have the spirit or must not be close to God? Or could it mean that God isn't doing his job, which is apparently to make you happy. This again seems arrogant.
- Jesus Christ is my personal savior - I've already addressed my dislike of the overuse of the term 'savior'. The addition of the terms 'my personal' makes this even more annoying because it implies ownership. While most people that use it probably do not intend to claim that they 'own' Jesus, I would try very hard to make sure I was not implying any entitlement to the power produced in the infinite and incomprehensible sacrifice of Christ. If Jesus feels like I have truly accepted him, he will at his own discretion and judgement offer forgiveness for my sins.
- When I pray, I talk to God like he is my friend - That's right up their with claiming Jesus is your brother. Maybe other people are better than I am, but I do not want to claim to be chums with God. I don't envision approaching his throne and offering a fist-bump. I am not expecting him to offer me a cold beverage and talk about old times. I expect to be on my knees... and my head will probably be lowered. Maybe that's old fashioned, but that's how I would approach a being that is all-powerful, and knows every weakness I have and every mistake I have made. We ought to think of God less like a chum or a pal and more like... a God.
Fear in the sense of humility is what Jesus taught when he told the following parable:
"And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." (Luke 14:7-11)
God actually has given us the spirit of fear. He wants us to be worried about our thoughts, our words, and our deeds. (Mosiah 4:30) He has made no secret of his intention to annihilate the wicked when he returns. (D&C 45:47-50) He has openly declared that he will reign over the earth. (Revelation 19:11-16) He is also clear that we ought not feel secure about our current position. (2 Nephi 28:21) The facts imply that we should be a bit fearful.
What he does not want is a paralyzing fear that makes people want to avoid him. This is where the emphasis of modern prophets and apostles becomes important. An understanding that he could wipe us all out should add something to the fact his prophets are pleading with us to "be a little better." (http://www.lds.org/ensign/1999/09/the-quest-for-excellence?lang=eng)
Ultimately, the context of fear and humility gives power to everything else we receive from him. When we fear him, his love means more. When prophets beg us to repent, it represents not just a good life strategy, but the request of the Most High God that we accept the very thing for which we should be begging him.
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