Brilliant shine

Early last Saturday, the morning sun brilliantly cut the cold air here as north Texas recovered from a winter storm. The light refracted through the ice coating all the dormant plants, transforming them. Stark trees on our country road became blazing sentinels lining a king’s highway. Dead scrub shone with countless jewels adorning every blade. The effect was stunning, blinding even, and brightly alive. My mind turned to Ephesians 5, particularly the verses at the top of this note.

Paul’s quote in verse 14 is based on Isaiah 26 – a promise of resurrection life for those who trust the Lord. We who believe are brought to life in the light of God the Son. And in His brightness we shine, transforming this cold world.

God bless,
Wayne

Promises, promises

Last week I received a great question:

Wayne, in a recent message I saw, you mentioned God’s unconditional promises to Christians. I am trying to read through Jeremiah right now, and in the middle of these really sad stories, God placed a series of very encouraging statements. How do I know which of those relate to me as a Christian?

The full answer to that excellent letter is too long for this format. If you wish to learn about biblical hermeneutics – the process of properly interpreting scripture – a great resource is Grasping God’s Word by Hays & Duvall. A short answer is that the best way to keep from misapplying a passage is to note the literature and context.

1) We mustn’t take a statement God makes in non-promissory literature and recast it as a promise. A common culprit is Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it. (NASB)
Here, God shows parents the way life works here between Garden and Heaven, instructing us to train. However, this is a proverb, not a promise. The language is not promissory. There is no audience granted a pledge. Rather, this is a statement of fact for instruction of all people.

2) Context guides similarly. Even when the literature is promissory, context reveals whether the intended recipients include us. Probably the most famous example is Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (CSB)
Many people have been buoyed by this promise, and greeting card companies have rendered it among the most printed verses from the Bible. However, the context shows that this is a very specific guarantee to Judah during her Babylonian exile
For this is what the Lord says: “When seventy years for Babylon are complete, I will attend to you and will confirm my promise concerning you to restore you to this place. For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (10-12 CSB)

Since Christians are neither a part of Judah in Jeremiah’s day nor have spent 70 years in Babylon, the statement of prophesy obviously isn’t intended for us. When we pretend this is our promise, we get out of step with scripture and play on the slippery slope of turning God’s Word into whatever we desire.
Now, when you are going through troubles and someone sends a card to you that quotes Jeremiah 29:11, it is not necessary to point out the mistake. They mean well, and the principle of that text certainly correlates to our own covenant. For the believer in Jesus, God’s committed love for Judah encourages us and informs our understanding of passages like Philippians 1:6.
For I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (NET)
Give thanks for the God of Judah who keeps His words according to all His covenants. Just stay off the slippery slope of bad hermeneutics.

God bless,
Wayne

Living conviction

Years ago, there was a big battle in our city over a moral issue, and I was getting rough treatment from groups that wanted to expand opportunities for unrestrained behavior, evil desires, drunkenness, carousing, and lawless idolatry. I don’t think they were pushing for orgies, but the rest of Peter’s list was their desire.

I attacked no one. I spoke against no one, nor did I tell anyone else what to do. I just spoke truth that the results of this new law would not be positive for the community. As a result, I was vilified.

I rested in the Lord and didn’t worry over it much, but it still weighed on me. My mentor at the time was Neil Ashcraft, and he said something that lightened the load. Speaking on 1 Peter 4:4, Dr. Ashcraft said this to me, “The whole reason they feel the need to slander you is that they are scared. And the reason they are scared is that you are a living conviction who won’t go away.”

Why do your old drinking buddies make fun of you, even though you still love them? Why do the people at school call you “intolerant” even though such isn’t true? Because you are a living conviction that won’t go away.
Conviction of life

Speaking of not going away, Daniel Darling wrote a great article about the enduring strength of the pro-life movement:

Pro-choice advocates understand that abortion rights are threatened in America. This would have come as a surprise to almost anyone who was around for the landmark Roe vs. Wade decision nearly 50 years ago. When Justice Harry Blackmun, joined by six of his colleagues on the Supreme Court, invented a right to abortion in January of 1973, few observers predicted that this decision would launch one of America’s most durable socio-political movements. However, nearly half a century later, the pro-life movement, led mostly by women, is an enduring cultural force. They’ve shown up in the rain, the snow, the sleet. They’ve shown up in neighborhoods where women are in crisis. They’ve shown up in the halls of Congress and state legislatures. They’ve shown up in churches and youth groups. Mocked and maligned by the mainstream press, mistreated by the denizens of popular culture, made the object of late-night comics, pro-lifers have refused to go away. And now, it seems as if the strategy of unflinching conviction and unwavering compassion is paying off.
– Daniel Darling, “We Won’t Go Away,” 21 October, 2021.

God bless,
Wayne

Thankfulness through suffering

Peter is full of gratitude, even as he leads Christians through suffering. He is grateful for temporal favor and eternal rewards granted by a benevolent Father. He gives thanks for God the Son, who makes a way for His redeemed. And Peter appreciates the blessing of God the Spirit, who is in and with Christians.

This Triune engagement makes all the difference. It turns even trials into triumph, raising the head of the downtrodden believer and focusing attention on truths present and to come. Rev. Dr. Juhana Pohjola understand this dynamic better than most. A confessing Christian, pastor Pohjola left his state Finnish church because it changed to fit society, rejecting the scripture’s authority. The small group of churches he helped start are growing mightily, something he explained in an interview with the American magazine The Federalist:

People don’t go to church for social capital now. This is a serious life, and they want to be serious with God. So churches have to build communities that stand on solid…biblical doctrine.

Members of the non-state churches gather on July 31, 2021 in Loimaa, Finland. (Erik M. Lunsford)

Gratitude makes us undaunted

“But, Pastor Wayne,” you are wondering in your internal Finnish accent, “I see the reasons for gratitude. It’s a very happy story. But, where is the suffering? You titled this note ‘gratitude makes us undaunted.’ What is daunting for these Finnish brethren?”

Great question! Thank you for asking. In 2004, Dr. Päivi Räsänen, a medical doctor and longstanding member of the Finnish parliament, wrote a booklet titled As Man and Woman He Created Them: Homosexuality and the Challenge to the Christian Concept of Man. Pastor Pohjola endorsed the pamphlet as “biblically accurate regarding both the dangers of sin and the divinely given dignity, value, and human rights of all, including all who identify with the LGBTQ community.”

Seven years later, Finland added LGBTQ to the list of protected citizens under the country’s hate speech law. Räsänen and Pohjola were investigated then, but no charges were brought. Now, in late 2021, they are under a new investigation for thinking and saying things that are biblical. This time, the police have publicly stated that “our understanding of Finland’s Law would make publishing the Bible itself a hate crime.”

Now, do you see the suffering?

Yet, our brethren are full of joy and gratitude, as was Peter. They delight in the Triune God and His abundant blessings. And this thanksgiving helps give them the strength to stand.

   
Dr. Räsänen at the July 2021 gathering (Erik M. Lunsford)/Dr. Pohjola addressing Missouri Synod Luthern pastors in the US (The Federalist)

Juhana Pohjola spoke to this last week, writing:

We have to learn from the past, Christians who have suffered under persecution, and be prepared. But it’s not something to be worried about, because Christ remains faithful to His church and wherever he is leading us, He will come with us. He will provide everything that is needed for the future of His Christians and His church.

Amen. May we give thanks and stand strong.

God bless,
Wayne

Gossip
It’s always intriguing when a minor piece of a lesson becomes the main point of discussion. For example, I was recently teaching in 1 Peter, developing a part of chapter 2 where the big idea is to be honorable. As an illustration of how we sink into dishonor, I made a comment regarding gossip. Afterwards, almost all the mail I received had to do with gossip. Something that comprised 2% of the message sparked 95% of the conversations afterwards.

A High School student spoke succinctly to the issue plaguing all. She wrote, “Hi, Pastor Wayne! I would like to know your thoughts on when information becomes gossip. I don’t want to be a part of gossip but am unsure how to differentiate between the two.”

My response
It’s a great question! There seem to be 3 factors that push something over the fine line from helpful information to gossip:

1. Intent. If I am trying to warn someone of a potential problem (like a manager with a predatory reputation), I should value the potential victim enough to share the information. Likewise, if a teacher uses a famous person as a negative example, they are not gossiping…unless they have animus toward the celebrity. If your intent is to humbly help others, you are on the information side of the line.
2. Factuality. Whether true or not, if I share hearsay as fact, I am gossiping. In the case of the possibly predatory boss, I must declare my lack of personal knowledge and honestly admit this is hearsay.
3. Focus. If the focus is on you, you are certainly gossiping. When I have gossiped, I found (sadly after the fact) that I was excited to share salacious information because it made me appear well-informed. If the focus is on you, it’s nearly impossible to stay on the information side of the line.

God bless,
Wayne

How does it work?
On a day that many pray for persecuted churches around the world, I received this insightful letter:
How do secret Christians get access to scripture? How do they study the Bible without being discovered? Do they use a tor browser, encrypted emails? Are they more likely to read the bible physically or digitally (as in an onion browser)?

Great questions! I replied:
From my times around various Iron and Silk curtains, I have seen that the most effective means appear to be:

1. Print materials. These are easily burned/stashed in emergencies.
2. Satellite feeds. Such are very hard to track, and persecutors are unable to stop the broadcasts that originate in free countries.
3. Radio. Without sophisticated tracing systems, radio listeners can’t be easily located.
4. Social media. As you imply, this is very risky. However, it’s ease and spread make it useful, especially for sharing secret codes re: gatherings.
5. Encrypted communication. Ironically, sophisticated encryptions prove to be more dangerous than simple secret codes on regular media. There are some who use encrypted communication systems, but they live in continual dread of government decryption.

How can I help?
And that conversation led to real issue on our brother’s heart:
How can someone help these people on a more personal level? I just wish I knew how I could give my all to help the most oppressed.

Amen! Here’s the response I believe God wants from him and each of us:

1. Stand undaunted. Don’t be ashamed of Christ or the persecuted brethren. (2 Tim. 1:8)
2. Walk worthy. While you are still free from shackles, live in such a way that evil persecutors would find plenty of evidence that you follow Jesus. (Eph. 4:1)
3. Pray. There is nothing more important one can do for any person than pray for him, and the persecuted should especially be remembered in prayer. (Eph. 6:18-20)

Meet needs. Through your local church and trustworthy mission agencies, give so that needed supplies to get to those under pressure. (This includes scripture, thus the “scrolls” in 2 Tim. 4:13)

God bless,
Wayne