Avoiding The Greater Condemnation - part one

The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray: "Take only ONE. God is watching."

Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies. A child had written a note, "Take all you want. God is watching the apples." (Borrowed from John Michael Talbot’s Facebook page.)

That story is related to a question I am often asked, “Isn’t all sin equal?  Does the Bible really teach that?”  In a way, isn’t that like asking, “Is God more concerned about stealing apples than stealing chocolate chip cookies, or is He equally concerned with both?”  Many are shocked at my answer; you may be too, but please keep reading until I explain my belief.  No, the Bible does NOT teach all sin is equal!  Here are the verses that seem to teach that:

⁸ If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well.

 ⁹ But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

 ¹⁰ For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.

 ¹¹ For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

 (James 2:8-11 ESV)

The point of this passage is not that all sin is equal.  The primary point is that showing partiality based on income and social status violates God's law as much as adultery or murder!  The point is the law reveals God’s moral nature.  Any and every violation of the law is a violation of God’s moral nature.  Any and every violation of God’s law makes us a lawbreaker.  Any sin makes the one who sins a sinner.  The wages of sin is death – eternal separation from God’s holy and loving presence.  

This does not mean all sin is equal.  All sin violates God’s moral nature and is deserving of damnation.  Yet, some sin has greater consequence than other sin.  I will even say that some sin offends God more profoundly than other sin!  But all sin profoundly offends God.

^ESV  Luke 17:1 And he said to his disciples, "Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come!  ² It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.

 (Luke 17:1-2 ESV)

It is a very serious thing to lead the weak into sin!  I believe we can find Scriptural justification for the position that sins against the weak and helpless in general are very offensive to God – this would include all kinds of child abuse.

But there is one category of sin that Jesus singled out repeatedly.  And that is where our focus will be.  

  

Mark 12:38-40 ³⁸ And in his teaching he said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces  ³⁹ and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts,  ⁴⁰ who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation." (Mar 12:38-40 ESV)

The King James Version translates that key phrase, – “these shall receive greater damnation.”  In the Common English Bible it reads,  “They will be judged most harshly."  The English Standard Version is the most literal, “They will receive the greater condemnation." What is clear is that the sin of the scribes and Pharisees will be punished more severely than many sins.  Perhaps, even more severely than any other sin.

Matthew Henry writes, “But as iniquity, thus disguised with a show of piety, is double iniquity, so its doom will be doubly heavy; These shall receive great damnation; greater than those that live without prayer, greater than they would have received for the wrong done to the poor widows, if it had not been thus disguised. Note, The damnation of hypocrites will be of all others the greatest damnation.”

What was their sin?  Their sin was Hypocrisy, self righteousness and using religious power to harm the powerless!  Using religion to hurt people and then being smug and self righteous about it is at the core of the sin of Scribes and Pharisees!

They made a public display of how religious they were.  They wanted to be seen as special and be treated as very special.  They wanted to gain privileges through acting religious.  Their hearts were corrupt and yet they used religious standing to cheat helpless widows.

Certainly priests and youth pastors who use their positions to molest children are guilty of the same kind of sin as those Scribes and Pharisees in Jesus day – they share the greater condemnation from God!   And any TV evangelists who bilk widows out of money they cannot afford with false promises of healings and miracles stand in line with these scribes.  Not all do so, but those who do face the greater condemnation from God according to Jesus!

But what about us?  In what ways can we fall into these sins if we are not careful?   When we parade with Christian bumper stickers and tee shirts, and post pious things on Facebook we need to examine our motives!  In themselves, those things are not wrong, they can be excellent – or they can stink to high heaven!  

The important question is why do we do them?   Are we doing these things to Glorify the Lord or to look good ourselves?  We need to watch our motives, watch our heart.  Why are we doing it?  Who are we seeking to benefit?  Who are we seeking to impress?

Are we Trying to build Kingdom of Christ? – That is good.  Are we trying to witness to the lost? – Good.  Is our intent to encourage other believers? – this is good also.

Are we trying to put down liberals and sinners? – That’s not good.  Are we trying to use our Bible knowledge to look spiritual while we use that knowledge to hammer those we disagree with?  That is acting like a little Scribe and Pharisee!  Are we trying to look more religious than most people?  Man, that is really bad!

When we have motives like that, we are engaging in the sins Jesus said would receive the greater judgment, the harsher punishment!   We are acting more like the Scribes and Pharisees than like Jesus!

The Hidden Victims - thoughts on the Denver Batman Shootings

Senseless tragedy strikes our world once again.  Early reports says 14 were murdered and 50 wounded by a gunman at a midnight showing of the new Batman movie in Denver.  Descriptions of what happened sound similar to scenes from earlier films in the franchise!

Quite appropriately people of faith are praying for the wounded, for the families who have lost loved ones, for traumatized survivors.  But in these situations we often fail to realize the parents and family of the alleged perpetrator are hidden victims.  Early this morning ABC news contacted a woman in San Diego identified as the mother of the man arrested.  How would you like to get that phone call or knock on your door?

Can you put yourself in her shoes?  Your child is accused of a horrible crime.  You are going to see him dragged through the mud of the 24 hour news cycle.  At some point some shrink may pompously bloviate on cable TV about how your parenting may have contributed to this tragedy.  You face the horror of contemplating your child doing prison time or even facing execution.  Have you ever seen a loved one in a jail jumpsuit or had to talk to them through a jail or prison glass?  It tears at your heart!

This man’s parents may have been awful parents.  But even most bad parents would be hurting right now (not all, sadly).  They may have been good or even excellent parents.  Things go wrong.  As children move through the teen age years and into early adulthood, they sometimes make tragically bad choices on their own.

When a teen or young adult child is accused and/or convicted of a crime the family is often ignored or even stigmatized.  No one brings meals to the mother whose son has been sentenced to prison time.  But she has suffered loss!  She has great pain!  She needs support and encouragement.  This is where the body of Christ can step up and act like the body of Christ!

Pray for the hidden victims in this situation as well as the obvious victims.  Every time you hear a story like this, pray for the family of the accused.  If someone near you is a hidden victim, gently reach out to them.  Let them know you care; you are praying, offer a safe listening ear.  That means keeping confidentialities and not gossiping! 

Even the perpetrator needs our prayers.  Jesus prayed for those who unjustly executed Him.  We need to pray for those who are evil, or misguided, or deranged.  If evil or misguided they need to repent and turn from their sin and foolishness.  If deranged they need healing and perhaps deliverance.

Getting to the Other Side of Loss and Grief part two

THEOLOGICAL TRUTHS TO CHEW ON WHEN YOU ARE READY. 

If you are in the midst of an excruciating period of life, you may not be able to receive some of this.  “True” is not always “helpful”.   (See my reaction to “She’s in a better place” in part one of this.)  When you are between the floods of trouble is the time it is the most helpful to consider these truths and store them up for the hard times.

Lamentations 3:31-33  ³¹ For no one is cast off by the Lord forever.

 ³² Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.

 ³³ For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone. (Lam 3:31-33 NIV)

            HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU & NEVER FORSAKE YOU – HE WILL BE WITH YOU TO THE END OF THE AGE!!

“Though HE brings grief…”  = God is Sovereign in all the circumstances of life, yet He is loving and wise!  “When God allows you to go in the furnace of affliction He keeps His hand on the thermostat and His eye on the timer.”

Romans 8:28 ²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 NIV)

            All things are NOT good.  Some are wrong, hurtful, tragic, even evil.  But God promises His children He will eventually work some good even out of this things!  If God causes it or allows it in the life of a believer, He will redeem it in some way at some time.

2 Cor. 1:4 ⁴ who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

One reason God allows us to suffer is it makes us better able to help others when they suffer!  Often when someone is suffering they can receive help best from one who has walked a similar valley.  After my first wife’s death, when I encountered believers who had lost a spouse at an early age I really listened to what they had to say!  One minister and wife who had each been widowed were especially helpful to me.  Wounded healers are usually the best healers!  Let God minister out your brokenness to other broken people.

1 Peter 5:10 ¹⁰ And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. (ESV)

Romans 8:18 ¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

This really is not our home!  The best is yet to come.  If your faith is in Christ, a new Heaven and a new Earth are being prepared for you.  There we will have no sorrow, no sickness, no death.  God will be in our midst and He will be our God and we shall be His people!

 

Amen and amen!