Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.
- Thomas Jefferson
There are many great reasons to believe the Bible is the word of God. Nevertheless, with over 30,000 verses containing over 800,000 words, rightly interpreting its content and context, meaning and emphasis presents a bit of challenge. All the more so with eternity literally on the line.
How to approach, much less please Omnity is of ultimate concern in regards to the question “What must I do to be saved?” Hoping to ace the final exam by drilling down to the bedrock of Scripture has led some to ask, “So what’s the bottom line? Just what exactly does God want?
It should be clear that learning to know and please God is of primary importance. A much easier task today than in ages past. After the death of the ancient patriarchs mankind dispersed, filling the globe. Venturing into parts unknown, the name of Jehovah and Yahweh all but faded from view outside the Jewish culture. Eons passed before Christianity’s debut on the world stage. The account of Paul’s visit to Athen’s Areopagus is particularly interesting:
- “So Paul, standing before them at the Mars Hill forum, addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious, for as I was out walking I saw your many altars, and one of them had this inscription on it—‘To the Unknown God.’ You have been worshiping him without knowing who he is, and now I wish to tell you about him.” Acts 17:22-23 Living Bible
- “He created all the people of the world from one man, Adam, and scattered the nations across the face of the earth. He decided beforehand which should rise and fall, and when. He determined their boundaries. His purpose in all of this is that they should seek after God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and are! As one of your own poets says it, ‘We are the sons of God.’” Acts 17:26-28 Living Bible
- “God overlooks it as long as you don’t know any better—but that time is past. The unknown is now known, and he’s calling for a radical life-change. He has set a day when the entire human race will be judged and everything set right. And he has already appointed the judge, confirming him before everyone by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:30-31 The Message
Today, such reasoning is often lightly embraced or portrayed as archaic. Yet, as previously developed in detail, faith is more reasonable than ever in light of life’s ultimate questions and amazing scientific discoveries revealing exquisite fine tuning throughout our universe and galaxy, solar system and planet. Some estimate the odds of naturalistic evolution alone producing human existence are over 1 in 1024,000,000. That’s the equivalent of winning the lottery 3 million times playing only a single ticket each drawing. In light of overwhelming evidence, conscientious research and reasoning suggest the following:
1. God exists: An objective fact which can be proven beyond any reasonable doubt by using the simplest math formula possible 0 + 0 = 0. This most elementary of equations reflects the logical assertion that for anything to exist, it must have either been created, created itself (a logical fallacy) or possess eternal Self Existence (one of the five attributes of Divinity).
2. God is as represented in the original language and intent of the Bible: A subjective theory which cannot be proven given our current limitations, but for which there is a growing mountain of compelling evidence.
Since Gutenberg's press, billions have wondered what the Bible’s all about. Today, given increasing ways to occupy our time and ever decreasing attention spans, addressing Scripture’s bottom line may be a concept who’s time has come.
Put a different way, one might ask what Omnity could possibly desire from mere mortals? A question compounded by Scripture’s more than 31,000 verses containing almost 800,000 words. The challenge of rightly interpreting it’s content and context, meaning and emphasis is daunting in and of itself. As are questions with eternal significance, such as "What must I do to be saved?" If we boiled down the Bible’s entire narrative, including thousand of commands and conditions, into a single directive, what would be the result of such a reduction? Put more succinctly, “What does God want?” The answer to this question should be inclusive enough to embrace the broader context of Scripture, while specific enough to be helpful. Such a Divine requirement would need be foundational to not just some, but all Christian virtues. And anathema to worldly vice. If not among of the “big three” listed in either the Old Testament (act justly, love mercy, walk humbly) or New Testament (faith, hope, love) it would have to be indispensable to each:
- “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8 New International Version
- “Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 New International Version
While there is much to commend godly love, for our purposes the chief virtue may be both too broad and too high. Loving God, and one’s neighbor, are indeed the two great commandments. Yet, truth be told, they may in fact be too great for our purpose. The inflated claims and misleading songs of modern Christianity not withstanding, totally and selflessly loving the invisible and inaudible, awful and awesome God is no easy task. Case in point, Peter’s 2nd great confession.
Neither is loving our neighbor as ourself, as demonstrated daily by literally billions upon billions of hurtful and harmful words, acts and inactions. This is not to say that loving both God and our fellow man is impossible. The fulfillment of both the two great commandments are within our reach. We need only follow Christ’s example and command to embrace not only His cross, but our own. Unfortunately, such self denial is set in direct opposition to the immorality and sin, entitlement and Me-ism ubiquitous within modern life. As discussed in detail, even among many dedicated believers, dualism and double-mindedness so hamper our efforts at repentance and sanctification as to make walking in genuine godly love beyond the ability of all but the most radical of disciples. For these and other reasons, let us continue our search for a more insightful and interesting virtue.
Again, such a finalist must encompass and promote all the afore mentioned criteria. Additionally, it should illuminate the difference between heavenly and earthly wisdom. As well as be pivotal in the implementation of the former over the later.
The answer to the great question of “What does God want?” must reflect a rational and reasonable desire by Omnity. Keeping in mind that by definition, the transcendent Trinity has need of nothing and no one.
While certainly up for debate, honesty would be a leading contender. Comprehensive, honesty plays an integral part in every act of merit and worth. Indispensable, it’s role is reflected in all six of the Old and New Testament front runners:
1. To do justly: Honesty admits we are bound together by the promise and peril of our nature and circumstance. To harm or sin against another, by commission or omission, violates Christ’s commandment while diminishing the image of God, or Imago Dei, in ourselves and others.
2. To love mercy: Honesty responds to the foibles and follies of humanity’s fallen nature, and in doing so “triumphs over judgment.” Yielding to God’s appraisal of mankind’s worth, honesty echo’s the plea of Christ on the cross “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
3. To walk humbly: Honesty is the cornerstone of brokenness and humility before God and man. Ever mindful we are but dust, honest creatures esteem and fear their Creator and Savior.
4. Faith: It’s certainly true that “without faith it’s impossible to please God.” It’s equally true that honesty acknowledges our dire need to diligently do so. Guarding the integrity of both accurate and living faith, honesty provides direction and discernment in our searching for, and service to, God.
5. Hope: Infused with honesty, genuine “hope does not disappoint.” Particularly in seeking to know the invisible and inaudible Holy Spirit. Accepting the perfecting work of patience and endurance, honesty attests that God’s nature and thoughts, actions and ways, are infinitely higher than our own.
6. Love: Honesty is the shinning garment adorning love, the greatest of virtues. A golden garland about the mind and jewel upon the heart. Honesty is the robe placed at the feet of the Suffering Servant and Conquering King who alone is the “Way and the Truth and the Life.” Conscious of the debt owed to God and man, honesty refuses to think too highly of itself or too little of others.
Should honesty fully, or even partially, express what God wants most from mankind, the question then becomes to what end? What issues, particularly within modern Christianity, are currently in need of greater honesty? While the list is long, the following may prove to be representative of the whole:
Appropriate Response: Filtering through thousands of thoughts a day, we select those upon which to dwell. A percentage of these will be discussed. Some of these will merit research and further evaluation. A fraction of thoughts will translate into actions. Depending on a variety of factors, our actions or lack thereof, will either fit or fail the test of appropriateness.
Diligence vs Apathy: Scripture explains, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." This vital verse hinges on the word diligently rather than casually. Regrettably, the commitment levels of a high school football player or Facebook mom, are nearly ten times that of the average church attending Christian.
Righteous Judgment: Jesus warned, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” Sadly, billions today take little time to adequately contemplate life’s ultimate questions. Enamored by the distractions and deceptions synonymous with modern life, these fail to set aside the necessary time and energy to seriously invest in educating their eternal souls.
To Whom Much is Given: Modern First World Nations are spoiled rotten. God's provided unprecedented social, technological and spiritual blessings, and in return we've repaid the kindness with unprecedented levels of entitlement, apathy and sin. So much so that sadly, 21st century Christianity seems to have more in common with the the Rich Man in the story of Lazarus, than 1st century Christians.
Worldliness: Dozens of indicators, including the meteoric rise of Me-ism, testify to worldliness’s bedazzling effects upon Churchianity. A indication and cause of a variety of problems, such foolish attraction is symptomatic of failing to differentiate between the wisdom from above vs. below.
Salt and Light: Rather than overcoming the world by providing society with education and example, the reverse is closer to the truth. According to Christ, a disastrous, if not deadly development. For both believers and our counterparts.
Greasy Grace: To neglect the shortlist of issues above requires a nearly wholesale substitution of presumption over living faith. Doing so necessitates doctrinal degradation, to the point of cheap and easy grace supplanting the Bible’s far more rigorous and costly variety.
Inverted Morality: In a generation or two, millennia of moral gains have been lost. Had believers spiritually gone to war, seriously prayed or even voted correctly, such a poor showing might be somewhat understandable. Sadly, when it comes to the clashes between the kingdoms of darkness and light, it’s one thing to fight and fail and quite another to fail to fight.
Abortion: Our generation has participated in and/or allowed over a billion clinical abortions. As will be addressed in subsequent chapters, apathy and worse may be aborting our prayers and worship, fellowship and even our very salvation.
Modern Heresy: While the New Testament is written in such a way to leave wiggle room for doctrinal nonessentials, clearly we've far exceeded our quota. This begs a question as to which modern doctrines, if any, represent the true Gospel “once for all delivered to the saints.”
Half a Gospel: With scores of Christian sects proclaiming a myriad of different belief systems, clearly few if any of today’s denominations present the whole Gospel. If the Bible is authentically the Word of God then might even well intended errors of omission and/or addition prove hazardous? If we believe, teach and/or obey half a gospel, does it matter which half?
Dualism: It’s no overstatement to say that dualism, along with it’s companion issue double-mindedness, are perhaps the greatest human factors limiting growth and sanctification within the community of believers.
Radical Discipleship: By definition radical discipleship implies a depth of wisdom and understanding, zeal and obedience transcending the norm. Beyond repentance and salvation. Beyond intercession and study. Beyond activism and insight, there lies the undiscovered country of full sanctification and costly commitment to the cause and person of Christ.
Our willingness and ability to be spiritually honest is largely determined by how troubled we are over the state of our own souls and those of others. So much so, comprehending the information presented thus far is completely dependent on one’s degree of care. While billions claim great concern, our actions or lack thereof reveal levels more superficial than serious. Those caring little, think and pray, study and act little. Those caring much, find themselves captured by the plight of fallen and perishing humanity. The wisest of these are deeply troubled by the humbling yet honest assessment of modern Christianity’s unwillingness to save ourselves. Much less the world we alone are commissioned and equipped to rescue. While tragic, the nearly universal lack of spiritual zeal is understandable. Human interest tends towards issues associated with the most immediate and/or greatest pleasure or pain. Foremost in regards to ourselves and then to others. Developing authentic Christian concern is largely dependent on our willingness to read and recall Scripture as it is written, rather than choosing to omit hundreds, if not thousands, of unpleasant verses challenging Churchianity's status quo. Another vital skill is the development and continual exercise of imaginative empathy. The ability to immerse oneself in the past, present and/or future human suffering or exaltation described in the Bible is a crucial component in allowing the reader to mentally and emotionally comprehend the passage. This kind of Scriptural rendering of chapter and verse allows a fuller understanding of the risk or benefit associated with various levels of rebellion or obedience. For sci-fi examples of rendering and immersive virtual reality see such TV series as “Intelligence” and “Altered Carbon.”
Sadly, few care enough to attentively read the whole of Scripture. Much less pay special attention to troubling passages and principles. While modern advancements and such recent developments as the 5 day 40 hour work week grant billions unprecedented levels of disposable time, the vast majority of believers prefer to keep their religious investments to a minimum. Given the subjective nature of spiritual sensitivity and practice, most opt out almost entirely. With eternity on the line, this would seem as foolish as it is common. Those willing to press on do well to honestly and thoroughly consider to what degree such sample issues as these warrant immediate consideration:
1. Opportunistic Darkness: The persistent and gathering spiritual darkness enveloping the world is a direct result of the lack of light emanating from Churchianity.
2. Reconciliation with God: Our actions and inactions make as strong case that our generation as a whole has “insulted the Spirit of grace.” Inaccurate sermons filled with unconditional loving acceptance and inappropriately intimate worship notwithstanding, billions of believers need the gift of repentance before we can hope to introduce our counterparts to the true and complete gospel. The only Biblical version accurately revealing the genuine Christ of Scripture.
3. Character Deficiencies: Tempted and deceived, we’ve chosen worldliness over the costly and transformative power of genuine sanctification. Like Gary Larson’s cartoon “Boneless Chicken Ranch” First World believers are the weakest, most apathetic Christians in history. And this just as history may be running out.
4. Time Is Short: The Bible declares, “ For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin first among God’s own children. And if even we who are Christians must be judged, what terrible fate awaits those who have never believed in the Lord? If the righteous are barely saved, what chance will the godless have?” It’s high time to overcome the spiritual impasses laying us waste. Particularly in light of Christ’s warning “As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.” Doing so requires embracing the rigors of radical discipleship, moving beyond the dark double-minded dualism of Roman’s chapter 7 into the light of Romans chapter 8. As reiterated in Paul’s greatest prayer.
5. Spirit of Antichrist: At work in the world since Biblical times, devilish and demonic influence are setting the stage for the appearance of the Man of Sin. A key figure from the middle to the end of the Great Tribulation, his first assignment is to “…wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world. Whoever has ears, let them hear. “If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed.” This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.”
Thankfully the Bible assures God is “not willing that any should perish” but rather that all should come to the knowledge of the truth, repentance and salvation. Nevertheless, God requires reciprocality. As St. Augustine noted, "Without God man cannot. Without man God will not.” In the end, it seems only reasonable that Omnity would seek honest human beings willing to grasp and embrace the truest nature of both earthly and eternal reality. Mindful of our being fearfully and wonderfully made, On the one hand, God fully appreciates the limits of mankind’s frail and limited free will. On the other, Scripture reveals the Creator demands our due diligence in seeking and serving Him. Particularly by acting on behalf of the least and the lost with whom Jesus so identifies.
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