New Thoughts (5/3/02-5/4/02)
Mr. Barnes tells us that we are allowed our civil rights, but I have to question that idea. He puts forth Jesus and Paul as examples, showing that they availed themselves of the laws of the land in the course of their lives. I notice though, that neither Jesus, nor Paul sought out these legal recourses, but only required that those charged with jurisprudence follow their own legal procedures.
I believe that we have, by and large, set aside all rights when we have come to Christ. Certainly with regard to our treatment of fellow believers, the instruction is clear: have nothing to do with the courts. But the reasons given for not doing so would seem to apply equally well to cases involving ourselves and those around us. We are told to do all that is within our power to be at peace with all men. We are told not to seek our own revenge, but to leave it in God's hands. How can this concord with a court case? What is the seeking of justice in lawsuit other than to seek revenge?
Clearly, if we find ourselves drawn into legal proceedings, we have a duty to bear such witness as we are called to give truthfully and completely. Where our participation is demanded by the system, we must submit, so long as that participation does not force direct violation of godly principles. But rights? What right has a slave? Ours only is to hear and to obey without question the voice of our Master.
The urge to seek revenge is no more than another face of pride. What reason do we have for seeking revenge, other than a slight upon our character, a wounding of our pride? And that pride which is so easily wounded is at a loss to see anything in ourselves that could possibly justify such an attack. Yet, we are all the quicker to attack exactly the same characteristics in others at the first opportunity. It is our own weakness that most offends us, but we cannot ever seem to see it until it is displayed for us in another's life. Oh, how we will condemn it then! Oh, how angered David was when his sin was described as being another's! Oh, how blind he was when it came to seeing himself as the perpetrator. We need to learn this lesson, and learn it well. Are we constantly offended by somebody? Do we find their behavior reprehensible? Given human nature, this is a clear call that we had best examine ourselves most carefully. Why else the warning to remove the log from our eyes, before we attempt to correct the splinter we see in our brother's eye?
Mr. Clarke brings out a good point in this regard, as well. Scripture tells us that all things are working for the good of those who serve God. We consider ourselves His servants. We claim to be believers. If we truly believe Him, when He tells us that all that we are going through is working for our good, what possible cause can we have for taking revenge on anybody? Will we indeed avenge ourselves on one whose actions are being used for our good? Indeed, we haven't even got reason to complain, never mind seek corrective action! If it is indeed all for our good, what option do we have other than thankfulness? What rights do we need to be demanding, if it's all to our good already? Who needs rights, when their welfare is already the chief concern of their Lord?
God does not need us to uphold His justice. He is perfectly capable. Do we really presume to know better than He? Are we so confident in our Lord that we cannot even allow the Just One to deal justice justly? He has been just with us, yet He has been incredibly merciful in that justice, providing both opportunity and means for our repentance and salvation. In attempting to take justice into our own hands, we never do so with such merciful usage in mind. No, our concepts of justice end at punishment, seeing no hope for a turnaround in the one who has wronged us.
But vengeance is God's. It is His to determine whether such vengeance ought be taken, and it is His to determine how and when such vengeance as is due will be taken. If it is His office, His prerogative, then it cannot be ours. God is a jealous God. He does not share His glory, nor does He suffer it to be shared. The office of Justice is His, and for His glory is it used. We dare not so much as attempt to take of His glory, except as He has freely given. This office, He has not given, but has entrusted to His Son, and to His Son alone.
If this is not yet sufficient cause to avoid attempts at avenging ourselves, consider also that to take such vengeance, being shown to be so sinful, is to take our enemy's evil character upon ourselves. We cannot promote righteousness or justice by seeking vengeance on our own. How can sinful actions promote righteousness? How can it be other than sinful to attempt such a usurping of God's rightful office? Do not be overcome by evil. Don't respond in kind. Don't respond in anything but love, for anything other than that response is a breach of God's command for us, and simply allows sin to overwhelm us once more.
This is a battle we are in. Our enemy seeks to drive us from our position by any means possible, but, being the father of lies, deception is ever in his way. Thus, though the offense seems to be the front line of the battle, the actual battle line is in our reaction. If he can distract us from our own patience, perseverance, and self-control; if he can goad us into retaliation, he has won a small victory at our expense. Cease from this! Discipline yourself, that such temptations to react will no longer have their usual effect. It takes practice. It takes a constant reminder in our minds that this is not the way for us. It takes practice to learn to drive a standard without burning out the clutch. It will require practice for us to learn to walk in Christ in the face of opposition and attack, without responding in kind, and thus giving up the field of honor.
Paul has called us to be living sacrifices, because that is the only acceptable sacrifice that remains to us. We cannot make sacrifices of atonement, for Christ is our atonement. What He has done once and for all, is done. To attempt to redo it would be no better than attempting to take God's justice in our hands. It would be an affront to His glory and honor. When, however, we make of ourselves living sacrifices; when we totally devote ourselves to Him, to His decisions and His usage, we glorify Him to whom we are so dedicated. But such a living sacrifice must subject even his emotions to God. If our emotions are not in subjection to His will, neither will our will be in subjection. Indeed, we will be no living sacrifice at all.
The role of sound doctrine is to promote this subjection to God, to promote conformance to His will, and to excite us to our utmost effort in living in such conformance to His will. There are many today who find in doctrine a bad connotation, who find in theology nothing but dead words. But they are wrong. Bad doctrine is bad. Bad theology is bad. However, we are commanded by the Scriptures themselves to study, we are called to hold to sound doctrine, to seek to know our Lord. What is this but theology, the study of God? How are we to test the spirit of the prophet, if we know not the doctrines of our Lord? How are we to subject ourselves to His will, if we will not learn what His will is?
"He that knows God best, loves and resembles Him most," writes Mr. Clarke. Is this not the goal of our lives, to grow into the fullness of the image of Christ, God's image on earth? How will we know God, if we will not take time with Him, if we will not read what He has revealed of Himself? Paul told us in recent verses to seek to excel at giving honor to others. Think of it as a race, he says, which you wish to win. So it ought to be with us when it comes to knowing and resembling God. This is the only race we will ever enter that matters. We ought to be giving it our all. We ought to be doing all that is in our power to excel at knowing our God and Father, knowing our Lord and Master, knowing what He wills for us to do, and then doing so. For what He wills from us is no less than that which best resembles His own essential character, that by which we cannot help but resemble Him.