Spirituality Column #742

February 2, 2021

Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

God Already Knows

By Bob Walters

Today we are going to look at a short list of hot topics with brief Bible and Christian comments about each.  Here we go …

Purpose: “O Lord, our Lord … what is man that you are mindful of him?” – Psalm 8:4

Many folks wonder or worry about the question, “What is my purpose in life?”  Or, “Why am I here?” What if we start with “God’s purpose” instead of “my purpose?” Then, go forward with the simplest of all answers: “My purpose is to glorify God.” 

That’s why we’re here, that’s why God created us.  We want life to be about “me.”  But all life and especially humanity was created by God for His glory and delight.  

How do we accomplish that mission?  Believe Jesus is God’s son.  Then?  Seek Jesus as He seeks you.  Then? How about … be creative, love your fellow humans, be a servant to them, and develop and persevere in your talents which are gifts from God.

Don’t obsess on your own behavior or “purpose;” focus on loving others.

God sees love, because He is love.  That should be purpose enough.

Government: “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities … authorities that exist have been established by God.” Romans 13:1

We are all wondering what the heck is going on with our government, with us, with our nation, who’s leading, who’s following, who’s good, who’s evil.  I have strong opinions on all that.  But I want to present just this one thought about who, exactly, are the “governing authorities” in the United States of America.  According to the U.S. Constitution, it’s “We the People,” who, according to the Declaration of Independence, “are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights.”

I read these two lines along with Romans 13:1 and think: We the People are the God-mandated authority for this nation; not elected leaders. We are the government.  This is different from every other place on earth, and God gave it to us.  Think about it.

Lying: “The Lord detests lying lips…delights in people who are trustworthy.” Prov 12:22   

We have had some lively Sunday School discussions lately, as we study the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-6-7), about, “Is it ever OK to lie?”

The standard knee-jerk reaction is “Of course not!”  In the Ten Commandments, No. 9 (Exodus 20:16, Deuteronomy 5:20) is “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”  That’s more about loving your neighbor and honoring the good order of the community than a blanket, “Though shalt not lie.”  Are we to be “shrewd as vipers”?

Something’s out of whack.  And I know that because in Genesis there are dozens of lies and deceptions by both the wicked and the good – Satan, Cain, Abraham (more than once), Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Rebekah, Joseph’s brothers, Potiphar’s wife, even Joseph himself.  It is God who sorts out which lies He tolerates and which He punishes.

However, our joy on earth is largely dependent on who honors God, and how we honor each other.  Acting honorably in the first place, and telling the truth, helps all.

The worst part of lying may not be in the sin, but in being found out by people.

God already knows.

Judging – “Do not judge...”  Matthew 7:1 

Perhaps the most oft-quoted and most misunderstood and misapplied advice in the Bible, this verse is quoted surprisingly often by people who do not believe the Bible.

Of course humans have to judge.  We do our best to discern right from wrong, what works and what doesn’t, what and who are healthy for us and what and who are not.  Judgment is what keeps us alive. That’s part of the light God gave to humanity.

“Don’t judge” – and leaving it at that – is the same thing as saying “Don’t use your brain.”  My experience is that most people who say this mean, “Shut up and leave me alone.”  For reasons, weaknesses, or appetites of our own, we are aware when we are doing something “wrong” and resist others pointing out our flaws.  “Don’t judge.”

However, in the overall context of Matthew 7 and the instruction of Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-6-7), this makes total sense for everybody if “Don’t judge” is meant to infer “Don’t compare.”  Back up a few verses to Matthew 6:5 where the showy, praying, proud Pharisee is comparing himself with the lowly, praying, humble tax collector.  The Pharisee proclaims, “Thank you, God, that I’m not him!”

If we are simply glad for others, have compassion for others, and don’t compare our situations with theirs – good or bad or just different – relationships go best when we focus on Christ-like sacrifice, service, loving, and kindness.  Envy-feeding and class-delineating judgment hurts humanity.

Use good judgment … and apply it freely.

God is in Control – “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7

Funny thing. I can’t find a single verse in the Bible that says, “God is in control.”

I know … the whole Bible is about God being in control.  But it’s not that simple.

In the beginning God created everything, and in the end, He judges everything.  Yep, God’s in control.  He is so in control, in fact, He endowed humans with freedom so that they could freely discern to have faith, or not to have faith, in Him.  Humans also have freedom to love, or not love.  How does this “freedom” square with “control?”

There is no honor or glory for God if He forces us – controls us – to love Him.  Same as if we try to coerce another person to “love” us in this lifetime; it will end up looking like slavery, not love and freedom.  If we have “free will” and therefore choose that which we love – and I believe we do – it honors God greatly when we love Him and love others on His terms but in our own free, responsible, God-gifted will.

We also must notice all the hearts in this world that are quite obviously controlled by Satan.  Yes, God’s got the big stuff.  Satan comes after Genesis 2, and Satan goes before Revelation 21, and God is in control.  But all that stuff in between?

Some folks run toward Jesus, some toward Satan; some just run, some just sit.

We have to realize … at some point, we better find Jesus and control ourselves.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) had to get some of this off his chest.  He hears beliefs and doctrines all the time that point inward rather than outward. Some of this he has written about or alluded to before.  And as far as this nation at this moment is concerned, “We the People” need to get our act together.