A jury of one’s peers

“You shall not follow a majority in wrongdoing; when you bear witness in a lawsuit, you shall not side with the majority so as to pervert justice.” (Exodus 23:2)

Two important tenets of our judicial system are that one is judged by a jury of one’s peers, and that the jury must be unanimous. So this verse from Exodus seems to speak against these two tenents. Unfortunately the example cited from the Anabaptist writings is not overly illuminating. Dirk Philipsen wrote a letter concerning a possible division in one congregation. He writes of this situation, “The Lord have mercy over his own in this and help us through the freedom of his Spirit that we remain in the truth, “that we do not follow the multitudes to evil and not agree with the judgment of many multitudes,” [Exod. 23:2], so that we may not depart from the truth.”

It puzzles me that Philipsen uses a verse that seems to speak to a judicial system in dealing with internal church matters. Philipsen’s scripture reference also seems puzzling because supposedly both the majority and the minority in the above situation are fellow believers. Perhaps there was something more legal and judicial in the matter than we are told.

On the other hand the justice mentioned in this verse may not be legal justice, but God’s justice that is to be assured and carried out by God’s followers. I am reminded of a fairly well-known movie called “12 Angry Men.” In the movie the 12 jurors come to the point where they all vote ‘not guilty.’ The majority of the movie is the movement of 11 jurors from voting ‘guilty’ to ‘not guilty’.

In this day and age justice is sometimes hard to come by. The justice that is said to come from the throne of God is often mediated through the hand of humanity. And the hand of humanity is easily swayed from the path of doing the right thing. If one’s peers are believing Christians there is room for hope.

May you stay the course in whatever your role is in the deciding and dispensing of justice. Selah!

Christians as Chafing Dishes and Serving Platters

“In a large house there are utensils not only of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for special use, some for ordinary. All who cleanse themselves of the things I have mentioned will become special utensils, dedicated and useful to the owner of the house, ready for every good work.”

[As rendered in “The Message] “In a well-furnished kitchen there are not only crystal goblets and silver platters, but waste cans and compost buckets—some containers used to serve fine meals, others to take out the garbage. Become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to his guests for their blessing.” (II Timothy 2:20-21)

My son Peter likes serving dishes. There are few things he likes better than when we dine formally with all sorts of serving dishes. He takes great delight in matching the serving dishes to the food that needs to be served; and each serving dish needs to have its own appropriate serving utensil. It is pretty unusual for a guy who in all other aspects of life is pretty casual and informal. But we love him and indulge him as often as possible.

And I have to admit even the most mundane of meals becomes a little more special when we use well-appointed serving dishes. Great chefs have said presentation is everything. An ordinary dish becomes special with the right kind of garnish. Bland vegetables become quite tempting when arranged and arrayed. Fruit becomes a special dessert with a bit of garnish and topping. And ice cream becomes a tasty treat when drizzled with some sauce or topping.

While these verses do not allude to garnishes and sauces, one can image the courses of the meal served up on platters and in bowls that sparkle and glisten. So who could resist putting ‘finishing touches’ on the entrees before serving them. Certainly the Lord of Hosts (yes, pun intended) would not stint on this!

May you be polished and glistened, readied to be used by the Lord of Hosts to God’s own purposes. Selah!

Remain anchored to God

“Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship is there between light and darkness? What agreement does Christ have with Beliar? Or what does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will live in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean; then I will welcome you.”
2 Corinthians. 6:14-17

There is a constant across all professions that seek to help others; you must never get so enmeshed in the problems of the other that you get trapped yourself. In order to help some one you must be on solid ground yourself, or anchored to something solidly. This in part what this verse is talking about.

In my younger days I though it simply was speaking to friends and marriage partners. But it can and should be extended to business relationships and other social interactions and connections. That is not to say we cannot relate to such people and be in relationship with them. But the idea to keep in focus is that who they are, what they are about, and what they believe should impinge or influence a Christian’s life.

There is (or at lease when I was growing up there was) the Anabaptist/Mennonite faith a sense of being in the world but not of the world. There was a distinction between those in the Mennonite Church (at the time pre-integration Old Mennonite) and the rest of the world. If not through dress and appearance then at least in customs and lifestyles. Distinct in my mind is when I ‘crossed over’ to more ‘worldly’ habits during the rebellion of my adolescence.

Hans Denck speaks to this separation in his “Protestation and Confession” of 1528. He speaks to the issue of separation, from the context of the persecution and martyrdom of his time. “Those hearts that exalt this blessed deed of God through Christ and follow in his footsteps make me rejoice, and I love them as well as I know them. However, I cannot have much fellowship with those who do not wish to hear me and yet will not keep silence in controversial matters, for I sense not the mind of Christ in them but rather a perverted one that would forcibly drive me from my faith and coerce me to theirs. . . Thus I separate myself from some, not because I consider myself better or more righteous than they, but (although in such a case much is lacking in [my relation to] them) in order that I may unhindered freely seek the precious pearl and, inasmuch as I have found it, that I might (as far as I am able) retain the same with everyone’s peace. Persecution and fear of that sort have separated me from others, but my heart is not turned from them, especially not from those who fear God. As God wills and insofar as I am cognizant, will I have no communion [2 Cor. 6:14] with error and unrighteousness, even though I am among sinners and those who go astray.”

I realized as I thought on this passage the one thing that is not spoken of is love; God’s love those who do not know and follow the Lord, and the love we are supposed to show the unbeliever. Loving the unbeliever does not mean joining him or her in their beliefs and practices. Remember the credo of those in the helping profession; do not become so enmeshed with the ones you are helping that you lose yourself. The same is true when dealing with the unbeliever. Your acts of love and compassion are not to condone the unChristian practices they do, but to show them that there is a better to live; one that gains peace in this life and eternal life in the world to come. We do not want to lose that, but nor do we want to negate that possibility for the other.

You may be welcomed by God, coming out from the unbelieving world; and may you bring others with you. Selah!

Joining and separating

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral persons—not at all meaning the immoral of this world, or the greedy and robbers, or idolaters, since you would then need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother or sister who is sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber. Do not even eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging those outside? Is it not those who are inside that you are to judge? God will judge those outside. Drive out the wicked person from among you. (1 Cor. 5:9-13)

It is worth pairing this passage with another’s of Paul’s:

If someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load. (Gal 6:1-5)

We are affected by one another; we are social creatures.  When we are in the company of good singers, we become better singers. When we are in the company of intelligent people, we become a little more intelligent. When we are in the company of the holy saints, we become a bit more holy. When we are in the company of the deliberately bad, we become a little more likely to choose bad ourselves. The church is–among other things–a group that bands together to be God’s holy family. When that purpose is controverted again and again, it becomes time to clean out God’s house. Some say the North American church has largely lost her will to not be greedy, to align herself with the powers that rob others of their justly own goods. Some say the North American church has largely lost her will to be sexually pure and mature.

But let’s put it another way: what kind of person do you wish to be? Look for a church that has a number of people who are like that, and join that church. Associate with sexual moral persons, with the generous, with those who honor God’s name, and are sober and just. Eat, worship, play, pray with such people. Ultimately each one will carry his or her own load, and we need to find that church’s fatal weakness (see my words of two days ago) and avoid it, but we also carry one another’s burdens–and joys, and hopes, and style of life.

(Note: there seems to be a bit of problem with the Sip of Scripture site today.)

Smart Sheep

“When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” (John 10:4-5)

There has been several times in recent months that I have mistaken my oldest son’s voice for my husband’s. Both are familiar, and it is not hard to confuse one for the other. The same thing has happened with my two sons, confusing one voice for the other. And some people have said my daughter and I sound alike.

When a voice is familiar it is easy to trust it, taking what the voice says at face value, and saying things to a voice that is known and trusted. But an unfamiliar or strange voice, or a voice one does not expect to hear sends up warnings and alarms. One thinks, “Beware”, “Caution”, “Proceed carefully”, “Danger, danger.” One of the times we are most aware of this is when we answer the phone and see on caller ID that the phone number is unfamiliar. We do answer, but wait for the person to identify themselves and state their purpose.

What then when God calls us? Would you recognize God’s voice? Would it be familiar to you? These verse from John sort of take it for granted that the sheep recognize his voice; smart sheep.

May you recognize the voice of God, and may you follow the Divine trusting and finding that trust fulfilled. Selah!

We have fled from Babylon to Babylon

Flee from Babylon! Run for your lives! Do not be destroyed because of her sins. It is time for the LORD’s vengeance; he will pay her what she deserves. (Jeremiah 51:6)

Menno Simmons wrote:

We are constrained by the Spirit and Word of God … to gather together to the praise of Christ Jesus, and to the service and salvation of our neighbors, not unto ourselves, but unto the Lord, a pious and penitent congregation or church out of all impure and deceiving sects of the whole world … according to the Spirit, doctrine and example of Jesus Christ (since He has manifested to us his Word and truth).

I’m wondering if we are willing and able to admit that the “impure and deceiving sects of the whole world” will, unfortunately, include whatever “pious and penitent congregation” we ourselves set up. And, once admitting this, how that will affect our lives as individuals, as a church, as a church among many churches, as a church among many religions, and as a church in the world. We flee from Babylon to Babylon. We have met Babylon, and she is ourselves.

Of course our first reaction will be one of humility and non-judgement, knowing when we judge others, we judge ourselves; when we condemn others, we condemn ourselves (as Paul writes, Romans 2:1).

A second reaction will be to hold our practices and devotions lightly, not making them badges of righteousness but tools for the journey.

A third reaction will be to learn from others, different from us, from their practices and devotions for they may aid us on our journey as well.

A fourth reaction will be to continually cry out in the Spirit for God’s mercy and grace; and to accept the gift God’s mercy and grace.

A fifth reaction will be to “turn our eyes on Jesus,” to “gather together to the praise of Christ Jesus, and to the service and salvation of our neighbors, not unto ourselves, but unto the Lord.”

A sixth truth: we will still end up in Babylonian captivity.

A seventh reaction: Come, Lord Jesus, come! Bring the refining fire (1 Peter 1:7); bring Babylon down (Rev 18:2).

What other implications are there?

Straw like Grain

“Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the LORD . “Is not my word like fire,” declares the LORD , “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:28-29 )

Hats, baskets, mats, roughage, thatching, paper; straw has a lot of uses. But it is not as beneficial to life as grain. And dreams have their place too, but are harder to interpret than the clearly spoken word. So I can see where one would be preferable from the other, and that separating straw from grain and dreams from truth were be an important thing. But grain comes from the tops of straw, and truth can be discerned from dreams. It is the wise person who discerns what is most important in life, and separates the important from the unimportant.

The Anabaptists separated themselves from those churches, congregations, and church leaders that did not emphasis and cling to the important aspects of the Christian life. Or did not flee from that which was sin. Paul Glock reports on one of the conversations he had with his accuser in prison,

“The first priest began to complain against us, again, asking why we did not go to their preaching, teaching, churches and to their assemblies, and why we so despised them.
Answer: Your teaching, preaching church and assembly is a mob and an assembly of fornicators, adulterers, liars, blasphemers, drunkards, proud, usurers, and all unclean spirits in whom the devil has and does his work, Eph. 2:2; Acts 18:2. There is no true and proper divine service among you, but rather blasphemy and shame before the face of the Almighty. Because of this we are moved to flee and avoid this godless assembly of yours, Jer. 23:29.”

To be quite honest, I think I would be a little put out if someone described my church and faith like Paul did when talking to the priest. One the other hand, if I knew of a church like Paul described, I would probably flee from it also.

May you assign the straw and the grain, the dreams and the truth, to their proper place in your life. Selah!

The Christian pursuit of happyness

“Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night.” (Psalm 1:1-2 )

Twenty years ago if you would have told me I was going to be mediating on the Lord’s law day and night I would have said you were daft. But here it is late at night and I am thinking and pondering on scripture, and I will be again tomorrow. Furthermore, if you were to have told me that I would be looking up the word ‘meditate’ in the Hebrew to find out that it indeed did mean ‘to ponder’, I would have considered you more than slightly loony. But that just happened.

So the next logical thing is to wonder I my life and habits follow the rest of the verse. I do not follow “the advice of the wicked,” or at least I strive not to. And if I “take the path that sinners tread” I backtrack and go the proper Godly direction as soon as I realize that I have misstepped. And as for “the seat of the scoffers,” well I scoff at the scoffers! But am I happy? Or as other translation have it, do I feel blessed? And do I find delight in the law of the Lord?

My answer is this. May you, gentle reader, discover for yourself the full measure of happiness, blessed, and delight that comes from pondering the word of God day and night. Selah!

Who’s the enemy?

“Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” (James 4:4 )

This verse almost makes it sound too simple; be an enemy with the world and you will be a friend of God. But as often happens when you pluck out one verse from the Bible you get the message only from the perspective of that one verse. Verses one through three of this chapter from James set the context of the verse in a different way.

“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. “ (verses 1-3)

The problem then is not the world ‘out there’ but the conflicting impulses inside. If you give in to the impulses and desires that are not of God and not motivated by the fruits of the Spirit, you will be an enemy of God. But if you are ruled by God’s laws of love, compassion, mercy and grace, and live your life according to the fruits of the Spirit, you will never have to worry about God being your enemy. Nor will you have to worry about ‘the world’ tempting you into sin because you will have a strong defense against such ‘worldly’ things, Christ our Lord and God Almighty.

Verse 5 of this passage says “Or do you suppose that it is for nothing that the scriptures says ‘God yearns jealously for the spirit that he has made to dwell in us?’” God has set within each one of us the power and authority to defeat ‘the world’. Please note that it is IN each of us. Verse 4 makes it sound like the battle ground is outside of us; it is not. It is inside of us where our sinful nature is battling with our Godly nature; and the enemy, the true enemy, is inside of us. We are, to our potential downfall, our own worse enemy.

May the Lord who showed us what it means to live righteous lives and the Spirit who dwells within you win all the battles. Selah!

People Pleasing

“Am I now seeking human approval, or God’s approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10 )

There is a concept that cuts across all types and forms of training and raising; the object of the training (that is, who or what is to be trained) needs to instilled with the desire to please the trainer. This principle holds for childrearing, training dogs, cats (if you can believe and it is true, cats can be trained), horses, lions, and just about any other living creature that is capable of having its behavior influenced. As to how to instill that desire, well, there the methods vary.

So if one were to set out to ‘train’ Christians, who would be the trainer that needed to be pleased? That is the question that this scripture poses. Jacques Dosie (D’Auchy), at the age of 15, was imprisoned and then, according to Reading from the Anabaptist Bible , summoned before an assembly of nobles consisting of at least one Lady. The theory was I guess that a woman might have more luck convincing a youth to recant his faith; it did not work. He cited as his reason the spirit and intention of this verse from Galatians.

May you, gentle reader, be trained by the Lord God through those faithful to the Divine’s will. And may you please the Lord God in full measure. Selah!