New Thoughts (01/02/15-01/08/15)
The Flesh (01/03/15)
As I noted in my first pass through these verses, the passage opens with three instances of ‘in the flesh’ in almost immediate succession. My supposition, based on this observation, was that all three uses should be understood in the same way. Calvin disagrees. He says that the first clause speaks simply of the humanity of Christ; that He died in His human nature. The second case, he sets forth as indicating the whole of our sinful nature, and then he reverts the third case to being about our human lifespan. This understanding allows a greater emphasis on the humanity of Christ, but that does not appear to be fundamental to what Peter is saying. It certainly informs what he is saying, but it’s not his central thesis.
The connective tissue of his letter is the subject of suffering, particularly suffering for the sake of the Gospel. That Jesus suffered in the flesh, as a man, assuredly sets an example for us, and an example unparalleled. But, considering that these first two clauses have even more in common, it seems even more likely that they convey the same thought. In both cases, Peter writes of one who has ‘suffered in the flesh’. Barnes indicates that this is a euphemism for dying. We might, then, read that first verse as saying, “Therefore, since Christ died, arm yourself with the same purpose, because he who has died has ceased from sin.” That, in turn, renders the whole thing a very familiar point. We will recognize it from Romans 6. We will recognize that when Paul makes this point, he is also discussing baptism, which Peter had just been discussing. We do well to add to this recognition the fact that Peter is writing to s set of churches that Paul had planted, and is apparently in company of two of Paul’s close co-workers as he writes. We have seen a great deal of correlation between Peter’s and Paul’s theology as we have gone through this letter. Nothing surprising about that, certainly. It is, after all, God’s theology being propounded by God’s chosen authors. They should agree. But, Peter is, I suspect, being rather purposeful in shaping his message to concur with Paul’s.
You have died, and a dead man feels no tug of sin. You were buried with Christ in baptism so as to rise with Him in righteousness. That is a major theme of the Gospel. We could go so far as to say it is the major theme. Look at the flow of these five verses. You used to be like that, on a course whose only possible outcome was death, subject to every sin and committed to their pursuit. But, there’s a but. Something’s changed. Christ has come, suffering in the flesh, to free you from this bondage to death. You have died already – in Him. You have died, and this ends the power of sin, for sin cannot tempt a dead man. He’s gone beyond feeling. “Through Christ, I am dead to the world, and the world to me” (Gal 6:14).
You were a slave, bound by contract to the cruel taskmaster of sin. But, that contract is now null and void. You are dead, and that ends the contract. “Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Ro 6:11), “because he who has died is freed from sin” (Ro 6:7). The message is the same. Our understanding of the message ought to be the same.
There does remain a great significance in so phrasing the matter that we are pointed to the real, flesh and blood life and death of Christ. Therein lies the culminating point of all history, for all history is Redemptive History. Having worked through the book of Genesis this fall, I am particularly mindful of this. We are rather forcibly reminded that this critical point of time, when Jesus, the Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, laid aside His godly prerogatives, took on flesh and blood, being born of a woman, came and suffered and taught and lived a perfect example of holiness before us, finally dying on the cross – a Man, wholly innocent, offering His life as atonement to God for the many: That moment, those few hours of intense agony with the full wrath of God poured out upon Him, was not a patching of the plan of Creation. It was the very reason for Creation. All the awfulness of man’s fall, of that depth of depravity that called for the Flood to correct; all the horrid depravities that abound to this day, and all that will arise in future: This was known to God in advance. It was accounted for, and weighed against the glory of the Son coming to Atone for His bride, and the Godhead took council and concurred: It’s entirely worth it! This plan of salvation is so glorious that the full weight of all the sins of every man who ever shall come into being combined cannot begin to compare.
So, here we are, with Peter pointing us back to that most critical moment, and what we are shown is this: The culminating point of Redemptive History was a real, flesh and blood thing unfolding in real time amongst real people so as to evidence a real God. Two thousand years and more have passed, and countless men have sought to discredit some or all of this, in hopes of removing the last restraint upon their sinful pursuits. But, the Bible leaves us with no cause to be dismayed by their nonsense. The evidence is too strong, the witnesses too many, for us to be bothered about such foolishness. Christ suffered in the flesh. The record is clear. There was a real crucifixion of a real man named Jesus from Nazareth born to Mary, who was assuredly known in Nazareth, but also in the regions of Jerusalem. Rest assured, folks knew about Joseph, too, and knew he had not been the father, though he accounted Jesus his son. Word gets out. Indeed, some of the comments made by the Pharisees as they sought to discredit the Son suggest that they were quite aware of this point. This was real. This is real. That alone should be sufficient cause to live the rest of your time in the flesh for the will of the God Who did this thing, and did it for you.
The Problem of Sin (01/04/15-01/05/15)
It is impossible that we should hear what Peter and Paul are saying without a fair amount of trepidation. If we are dead, and sin can no longer entice us, then how is it that we still know that enticement, and succumb entirely too often? Indeed, if this deadness to sin is the expected steady state of the Christian, then don’t my failures indicate that my Christianity is suspect? Of course, we can read through Paul’s agony in Romans 7 and discover that at the very least we are not alone in this dilemma. We might take comfort in recognizing that if the likes of Paul struggled with this issue, it’s no particular surprise that we do. Or, we may feel it necessary to defend Paul from such calumnies and insist he was writing hypothetically, or about his condition before conversion or some such. Surely, Paul didn’t sin!
But, of course, by Paul’s own declaration, surely he did! We could attempt to write that off as pre-conversion, but I don’t think we’d get a great deal of support from him. The problem with the holiness movement and all other urgings that insist we should be perfect in our redeemed condition is that, were they true, they would obviate the need for Christ. Do that, and you’ve effectively demonstrated Christianity to be a false religion and the problem is solved, although in a terribly unsatisfactory way. But, one part of this faith is the simple, bedrock fact that we shall never outgrow our utter dependence on Christ. We shall never arrive at a place of righteousness which permits us to look back and say, “Look what I’ve achieved!” At bare minimum, I’ve achieved nothing! Jesus did it all, all to Him I owe. That will hold as true at the end of life as at the start.
As Paul takes pains to emphasize, this in no way removes the demands of sanctification. It in no way lowers the bar. The standards of God are unchanging. So, it seems to me we still have this problem of sin. I must cease entirely. I am informed by Scripture that on the one hand I have the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit ensuring that I can resist; but on the other hand, this body of flesh remains, and I can pretty well rest assured that I won’t do so even knowing I can. There will be times. One hopes that as faith grows and this work of renewal proceeds, there will be more times that I stand firm against the rising tide of temptation. But, there will always be moments of weakness, and those moments may well stretch out to be days, weeks and even years. Depressing, but there it is.
What makes it both worse and better simultaneously is that there exists now this awareness within. Before God got hold of me I was certainly aware of sin, but had no concern about it. I lived pretty much as I pleased, although I am pleased to say that there was always that something which prevented me going further astray than I did. I can envision those moments even as I type this. But, by and large, I gave no thought to sin, only to what I was or was not willing to do or try. But, now? Those urges remain, sad to say, although they are much more in check. The tongue, rest assured, is nowhere near so tamed as it should be, and there are other matters as well which occasionally intrude with their piquing of interest. Resist we much? On a good day, or in the right company, sure. On other occasions, sadly, no.
It’s a problem. Even knowing that the final account is already settled, it’s a problem. My friend from way back who planted that thought that each sin committed increases the suffering that Jesus faced on the cross may or may not be accurate theologically. Sadly, I find it utterly powerless to combat those sinful tendencies which remain in me. Sin may no longer define us, being redeemed from its bondage, but it most assuredly still inhabits us and intrigues us.
Somehow, it doesn’t matter what we know about the truth of the matter. Consider these points made in the commentaries. Matthew Henry comments, “One sin, allowed, draws another.” Yes. We know this. It somehow fails to stop us from that first sin, but we know. Barnes points out that “The fruits of sin are always disappointment, tears, death, and despair.” True enough. As Peter is saying here, we’ve had plenty of time to prove that point. And still, we are sadly willing to give it one more go. We know that one sin leads to another, that thought leads to action, and yet we are so full of ourselves as to think we can think that ‘innocent’ thought. We know full well it isn’t innocent, so maybe we’ll try innocuous. No. We know that’s not the case, either. Jesus leaves us no choice but to face that reality. The very thought is as sinful as the acting upon it. The lustful imagination is not really any different than the fulfilling debauchery, so far as the courts of heaven are concerned. Experience would suggest that the only thing that prevented thought from becoming action (leaving God’s beneficial interference aside) was fear of repercussions.
It is painfully difficult for me, reading what Peter says here. Look at it! The message is, “You used to be like this, but now you’re not.” Those to whom he wrote were in the midst of strong temptation to go back. It wasn’t mere peer pressure or the annoyance of not fitting in. They were facing real difficulties for having made the choice to follow Jesus. There could be issues finding employment. There could be imprisonment or physical abuse with no recourse in the courts of man. This was serious stuff! And they apparently did not bend. That they were feeling the pressure is clear, else Peter would not need to write. But, they did not bend. They stood firm, and having done all, stood some more. They knew what would happen if they gave an inch.
We, too, know what will happen if we give an inch, so we give it two or three times over, just to be sure. Then, when it’s over, we’ll repent and know He is faithful to forgive. For shame! But, don’t tell me it isn’t true. The standard jokes in Christian circles make it abundantly clear that this is the norm, not the exception. We know of fellow believers in faraway lands who are made of sterner stuff, and we will berate ourselves for a moment or two about how weak we are here in Western Christian lands, but then we’ll head back to our vomit.
Peter calls to us. “Look at this! This is what keeps trying to call you back. Don’t go!” There is that admonition of Barnes: You know what results: disappointment and tears at best, death and despair at worst. Don’t go! Let’s go ahead and bring Paul in on this, as well. The deeds of the flesh are evident: Immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, angry outbursts, disputes, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing and the like. I’ve warned you about these, and do so again: Those who practice them shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal 5:19-21).
Look at that list. Yes, there are several we can probably throw a check mark against. Sorcery, I suspect we’re all pretty good with. Carousing is unlikely to be any great issue. Too likely that we’d be found out. So, too, at least a fair portion of immorality and sensuality. If word got out, we’d be ruined. Indeed, we can all recite cases where word did get out and men and women were ruined, and brought great shame upon the name of Christ in the process. But, there are others in that list that are far more likely to be problematic. Jealousy? It may be an annoyance to other parties, but deadly sin? Well, yes. That’s what the paper says. Angry outbursts? Oh, my, I am in deep trouble. Drunkenness? Where shall we set the measure? We cannot, I think, rule out all such beverages. Even Jesus was known to have some wine, and Paul practically recommends it. So, how much is too much? The very fact that we’re inclined to quibble on the matter should give us a hint that we’re in risky territory.
I feel particular need to explore this further. When I came through these verses last time, I boldly proclaimed, “Wine is not the issue. Fallen nature is the issue. The constant desire for too much is the issue.” And yet, I read Barnes, and his admonition is that we certainly cannot make any such pronunciation based on this passage. What we can say, according to him, is that we must avoid any sort of gathering in which drinking is the main object. And under this head, he would have us include any celebration which incorporates a toast. Well, there go wedding receptions, by and large. There go a fair number of business meetings, and perhaps even several family gatherings. Has he gone farther than necessary, or am I simply too inclined to justify my own particular choices?
I must be aware of my lying, cheating heart as I assess this. I can say this much, I find plenty of other issues to address in that list Paul sets forth, issues on which there is no question of a grey area. On this one, in particular, though, I find it a bit difficult to accept the conclusion that Barnes reaches. We must consider the first miracle which Jesus performs consists in providing wine to a wedding party which had clearly had a fair amount already. We must consider that even at the Last Supper, there was wine in sufficient amounts going around. If, as is generally supposed, this was a form of the Passover meal, then each of the Apostles had likely had several glasses before it was over. Are we, then, to take it that the sip, or even the glass, required for a toast to the bride and groom must lead us to forego the entire occasion? Shall we really suppose that it would even require us to somehow finesse the toast so that we don’t really partake after all?
At our wedding, we actually opted to substitute a non-alcoholic pseudo-champagne for the purpose of raising the toast. But, even then, it had more to do with knowing the weakness of certain of our relatives than with anything else. If it was a function of religious scruples at the time, I don’t recall it being so. I am certainly not averse to having a glass of wine with dinner, nor find this to cross the border into drunkenness. I am, however, inclined to keep an eye upon myself, knowing certain past propensities which could slip back in if I am not attentive. So, I remain attentive, and I have a good wife to be attentive should I neglect to do so.
Excuse or reasonable assessment? I am inclined to lean towards the latter. I am also inclined to think that for many of us, the focus on the issue of wine and drink can become an excuse not to consider other, more pressing and clearly defined issues. I may be doing that myself, just now. Tomorrow, let me return to Paul’s list and face some of those more pressing concerns.
[01/05/15] I return to Paul’s list, recognizing that Peter has chosen to list the grosser violations. Paul gets us nearer the start. The first grouping would seem to focus on issues of sex and sexuality: Immorality, impurity, sensuality. I would dearly love to be able to say these present no issues for me. But, herein are listed the fundamentals of modern advertising and entertainment. How can it be hoped to live a life free of these temptations when they are presented to eye and ear at every moment? To avoid them would require a total abstinence from every form of media, and that would necessitate retiring to a monastery to achieve. It’s just not possible to avoid the input. Therefore, we can expect there will be trouble. But, we are well-armed and can resist if we will but so choose.
Idolatry and sorcery may seem more readily avoided. But, the truth is that idolatry remains our great danger because it is pretty much in our genetic makeup to create idols. There are those things about which we say, if such and such did not exist we should have to invent it. This is how we are with idols. No, we don’t generally go in for creating little statues to adore any longer. But, that does not prevent us from producing and worshiping our little idols. It only makes the practice more insidious because it is not so readily recognized. But, whatever we have elevated above God in our system of living is an idol, and we no sooner knock one down than it seems we are erecting another. Work, family, cars, sports, even particulars of religious practice can be made idols and have been.
Even so, these are matters about which we are relatively clear. They are sins. We know that. We accept that. We understand the reasons. But, move down the list: Enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions and factions. Do you see the connecting thread of these items? They are all related. Indeed, one could well argue that the connecting thread which runs through them is that of pride. Were it not for pride, we would have little cause for enmity and strife. Indeed, it is our prideful holding on to our own ways which has set us at enmity with God. Jealousy? Clearly an outworking of pride. Outbursts of anger? What brings those on? Oh, we can write it off to frustration, or to somebody who ‘knows how to push our buttons’ and does so. We can come up with endless justifications for our anger, and even convince ourselves that in our case, anger is righteous. But, even as we do so, we know it is patent nonsense. It’s pride short and simple. And so, right on down the list.
I have to say that as I look at that grouping, three thoughts occur rather immediately. First, this is something like half of Paul’s list tied up on one underlying issue. That should give us a sense of the relative importance of that issue. Second, I would have to say there are many things in this list that make me say, really? These are grounds for expulsion? Disputes and dissensions are cause for banishment from heaven? But, what if those disputes and dissensions are in defense of the fundamental Truths of religion? Not that they are, but what if? Outbursts of anger are enough to cancel my ticket? Really? Who, then, can be saved?
That brings me to my third immediate reaction, and it’s really the one that has been ongoing for a few days now. This list is where my greatest problems lie. The ones we considered previously are problems, yes, but they are relatively well under control, barring certain lapses in judgment. Those that follow after: Drunkenness and carousing, are simply unlikely to present an issue anymore. For one thing, who needs the headache next day? For another, they are so clearly beyond the pale for a righteous man as to present no particular issue, so long as they leave room for that occasional glass of wine. Barnes’ opinion to the contrary, I do not find the Scriptural mandate to be quite that stringently declared, as I have noted.
But, angry outbursts in particular have got to be a cause for concern for me. They are too frequent an event. Make whatever excuse I may, I cannot begin to pretend they don’t happen. There is far too much evidence about, much of it in the form of physical reminders of both the anger and the stupidity thereof. How terrifying, then, to read, “Those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Now, I can quibble with this a bit and insist that I do not practice. It just happens, and I generally return to my senses pretty quickly. But, there’s a flip side to that argument, which is that I also don’t practice avoiding such behavior. I have treated it as a matter of indifference, and I must accept the evidence here, that it is no such thing.
Here, too, I should be hearing Peter’s words: This is what you used to be like but you’re not like that anymore. I suppose in my case I have to modify that somewhat. You’re not supposed to be like that anymore. It’s not even a case of temptations calling me back. I don’t know how one would be tempted to angry outbursts. It stands more as evidence of having let one’s guard down, I should think. But, that is itself a response to temptation, isn’t it? Relax. Don’t sweat this stuff. Just live and let live. There’s the fundamental temptation, and Peter’s words hold: It’s trying to call you back to that past way of life. Don’t go!
Here, then, is the place where mortification of the flesh proves most necessary. The connecting thread of pride just makes it far clearer that this is my old foe resurfacing. It does not minimize the need to fight the urge, it just sheds light on where the battle lies. It is time and past time that I take this issue seriously. It is quite clear to me, simply from the trend lines I have seen in preparing for this study, that this is where God is inclined to work with me at present, and I shall do my utmost to set myself ready for that work.
Lord God, You well know how it is with me. Yes, there is indeed a fat root of pride still in me, isn’t there? It seems I’ve been aware of it forever. Have I been fighting to remove it? There was a time. But, I have to admit I have not been fighting it much at all of late. It’s time battle was rejoined. Forgive me, Father. I confess I am not entirely clear why this particular issue is in that list, but the list is Yours and is right. If this is displeasing to You, then I pray I may be freed of its presence! You have been setting this before my eyes, and I must acknowledge the problem. Thank You for the reminder. Thank You for the solution. May I find strength to resist the angry urge. May I once for all find that root of pride cut out and destroyed. But, while it remains, be Thou my strength and my patience. Come, Holy Spirit, indwell and strengthen, for while my spirit is willing, I know too well the weakness of this flesh of mine. I shall need Your help if I am ever to succeed.
Let me come back to Peter’s thoughts here. “The time already past is sufficient.” Yes, where has pursuit of pride ever gotten me? What have I, really, to be proud of? There is nothing. If I look at my grandest achievements they are none of them particularly good, are they? If I take them in sum, they still add to nothing. I confess I would not have set them at the level of depravity, but there it is. And, seeing them as depravity, I can hope that I will find that realization a goad to alter course, as Calvin has suggested. Surely, there are other things which I have seen in that light, and seen removed from my repertoire of sins. Oh! That more may be removed, and righteousness increase! Oh! That I may find this more than merely proper sentiment, and discover it a heartbeat within me!
Here, I must take some comfort from another point raised by Calvin, actually a point raised by Jesus. “Apart from Me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). The application here lies in this: In the previous verses, Peter has set Jesus before us as our example. Now, we are transitioning to a larger point. We must needs mortify the flesh, and we are unable to do so except His Spirit indwell and empower and aid us in truly being conformable to his death. Efforts to mortify the flesh on our own are wholly ineffectual. That’s where the Pharisees fell short, and it’s where every attempt to work our way into righteousness must falter. How often have I played this one out? I am working on the issue I find compelling and in need of immediate address. But, God is not working there. That’s not the issue He finds most concerning in me. His work is happening on some other front, and in reality, though I pat myself on the back for seeking to be righteous, what’s really happening is that I’m fighting God on two fronts in the name of following Him! It’s not a case of ‘let go and let God’, but it must become a case of, ‘let me see where He is at work and join Him’. That’s the call I’m hearing these last few days.
Pride has been running rampant again. It is this which has bred those outbursts of anger. It is this which has been producing a degree of envy, jealousy and all these other bitter fruits of pride. And, I have to say, if there is one sin which needs removing in an elder, pride is it. So be it, then!
Lord, if this is where You are at work, let us be about it! Show me what I must do to be rid of this sin, and strengthen me that I may do it. It has festered too long and then some. Do what You must and grant that I may do what I must.
Armed and Ready (01/05/15)
Honestly, I could probably just stop right there and consider this study satisfactorily completed. But, there is more, and I am convinced that what remains will be discovered to present me with tools for addressing what has been covered. To begin with, I should return to verse 1. “Arm yourselves!” That’s half the problem right there. We don’t arm ourselves. We’re perfectly happy to get comfortable with our particular sins once again. Oh, we can be pretty sharp about convicting others of their sins, even when their sins are the same ones we battle – particularly then. And the call comes again: Arm yourselves!
But, it’s not sufficient to procure those arms and then stow them away somewhere. We are being invaded by sinful temptation every day, every moment. We are being called not merely to procure arms, but to take them up and employ them skillfully in defense of our homeland. In my earlier notes on this passage, I addressed the connection of Peter’s wording with the hoplite soldiers of Greece: Local farmers and shepherds who had purchased armament for themselves, trained up in the use thereof, and would take up those arms to resist those who would invade. Homeland defense! But, that defense would be pretty worthless if those arms just hung on the wall of the house. They would be pretty worthless if they didn’t know how to use them. A sword might be particularly beneficial in a fight, but not if one doesn’t know how to wield it, or how to defend against the opponent’s moves. Bow and arrow will avail you naught if you know not how to draw and aim.
And, if the muscles have not been kept in tone, I don’t suppose there’s a weapon out there that will be of any great use. Indeed, the mere donning of armor will probably suffice to wear you out entirely. So we must hear more in those two words, “Arm yourselves.” That call includes maintaining those arms. It includes training with those arms. It includes gaining knowledge of not only how to use those arms, but when. It includes the call to be ready at all times, and it includes the call to have the courage required to stand firm and repel those invaders.
Now, all of that is described in terms of ancient modes of physical warfare. But, the application is both spiritual and internal. The resistance of temptation is not a matter of going out to campaign for an end to this practice and that. We do not defeat the idols by legislating them away. It won’t work. That’ll just drive them underground, assuming you can succeed in passing the legislation in the first place. And, frankly, those temptations will just find another avenue to come back at you. No. The battleground is internal. It lies in resisting the temptation. That is not to say we ought to go looking for temptation so that we can better exercise our resistance. But, to the degree our efforts are aimed outwardly at squelching the temptation rather than inwardly at resistance, we are wasting energy.
The hoplite soldier wouldn’t get very far by issuing decrees or by sending complaints to the king of that invading nation to register strongly worded displeasure. Telling the invader’s ruler to knock it off with that invading business will lead to nothing more than mockery and ridicule, and likely an increased rate of invasion. Rather, the focus is on the hard work of repelling. That’s where the effort must go and that’s where the effort will bear fruit. If that invader finds your defense too lively, this will do far more to dissuade him of his efforts. If the cost is too high, he’ll look for easier conquests elsewhere. So, arm yourselves. Do not be passive to the temptation, but resist in the evil day.
Indeed, we need to remain keenly aware that battle rages all around us. Every morning, we will need to put on our armor. We will need that armor in place to face whatever arises. It may seem cruel to suggest it, but quite honestly, we will need that armor in place to face our own household. And they will need their own armor in place to face us. For, though we would hardly wish it to be that way, we are quite likely to present temptations to sin to our loved ones, even as we are trying to do anything but. Then, there’s whatever morning rituals one might have, whether catching up the news, cruising the web, or what have you. Perhaps even the shower presents a battleground. Be ready! Recognize that the battle rages, and stand against the temptations.
By the time you’ve hit your morning commute, or logged into work, whatever the case may be, it’s too late to be scrounging about for your armor. Nor, as the battle ceased when you get there. By noontime, chances are you will have forgotten the battle again. But, the battle has not forgotten you. Take up arms! Defend yourself. Pray. Seek the Word to remind yourself of what’s really going on all around you. No, you do not battle against flesh and blood. You do not battle against ignorant, pagan coworkers or ogre-like bosses. We’ve been over that already. They aren’t the problem, and annoying though they may be, your call is to persist in righteousness. Turn in a good day’s work regardless. But, recognize that there are spiritual battles taking place all about you, and stand firm.
It won’t stop at day’s end, either. The commute home remains, a persistent thorn to every man of faith, and one to which we are most inclined to succumb. Then, there’s returning to the home, dealing with whatever trials have arisen there in our absence. Oh, we didn’t need that. It’s been an awful day, and now you’re just piling more garbage on my back. It’s so unfair. But, the call is not to carp. The call is to arm yourselves. Defend yourself and your household. Stand firm! The battle hasn’t stopped, and those spiritual forces have not receded. And know, as you go to bed tonight, that tomorrow, it starts again. Welcome to the army. Welcome to the perpetual war.
Mortification is a Battle (01/06/15)
Looking at the struggle we face, Adam Clarke makes this comment. “This was the general state of the Gentile world; and with this monstrous wickedness Christianity had everywhere to struggle.” He is considering the sins Peter catalogs in verse 3, and noting how well they describe the scene in Rome, Greece and Asia Minor at that time. The truth is, they do a fine job of describing our own time. They do a fine job of describing what could be construed as the constant which connects every age. Sensuality and lusts may be overt or go undercover, but they don’t go away. Drunken revels continue to be a much-loved feature of life for many. Think about tailgate parties, office parties, wedding parties, or pretty much any sort of party. What is the primary feature? There’s alcohol to be had in abundance. It’s almost as though the average human cannot abide the company of other humans without it.
Idolatry is, if anything, the defining feature of fallen man. It may consist in overt displays of worship. It may consist in less obvious forms. But, the underlying reality remains the same. What idols have we got today? We don’t even really need to look outside the Church for them, for we’ve invited most of them in. There’s the idolizing of technology, of musical forms, of entertainment in most any form. How about the idol of the smart phone, or the not-so-smart phone, for that matter? How about the idol of wealth? Oh, yes. That’s still alive and kicking, isn’t it? And, of course, given the battle with pride, we must acknowledge the idol of self. That’s really the main idol today, I think. It’s all about me.
We see entire church movements rise up with the prime directive being to serve that very mentality. Church isn’t about what God desires. It’s about what I need. Church isn’t about saving the lost, it’s about satisfying my tastes. The Gospel has been replaced with self-help books, and the whole enterprise devolves to a simple numbers game. Who’s bringing in more people? For many, it doesn’t matter that they’re just coming in from other churches. We win. There’s little to nothing left of kingdom mentality in this, only self.
“This wasthe general state of the Gentile world”? No. This is the general state of fallen humanity, now and always. “And with this monstrous wickedness Christianity had,” has, and will have “everywhere to struggle.” But, let’s be clear about this. The battle does not lie in trying to make the fallen behave according to our tenets. The battle lies within. It is our own, fleshly, sinful nature, which still yearns to join them, which we must fight.
Here, the point that Matthew Henry raises is of great value to keep at the forefront of our thinking: Mortification of the flesh begins with the mind, not with physical penance. If this is the battleground, this fallen flesh of ours, then it is precisely here that we must first apply Paul’s admonition. It’s not flesh and blood we struggle against, but spiritual forces of wickedness (Eph 6:12). Yes, the goal is to subdue the flesh, mortify it. But, note well: We are also, “destroying speculations”. We are also, “taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2Co 10:5). Matthew Henry is just helping us get the sequence right. We will never subdue the flesh except the mind be subdued first. If our every thought remains lustful, then nothing we might do to discourage a fleshly response is going to work for long, if it works at all. If our thoughts are on the bank account, then pursuit of wealth will drive our fleshly behaviors. If our eyes are not on the kingdom, our feet are unlikely to be carrying us nearer to it.
Suffering may very well be coming as an aid in this effort. Clarke suggests that suffering gets us thinking about our death, which is ever drawing nearer. It gives us good cause to loathe our past, as we see past sins producing present suffering. Now, Peter’s primarily concerned with that suffering which is not the result of past sins. But, the point remains. Nothing is better suited to convince our minds to be done with a particular sin than to experience the fallout.
We can debate whether smoking is a sin or merely stupidity, but let me take that example to serve my purpose here. So long as we experience no particular physical evidence that smoking is doing us harm, we have little incentive to be done with it. Government may try various means to dissuade us from the habit. They make it sufficiently expensive that we might take notice of the impact to our bottom line and allow a profit motive to drive us to quit. But, how effective will the results be should a means be found to avoid the cost? They do what they can to make the habit socially unacceptable, even moving to restrict where and when one may partake of the substance they happily continue to sell. Never mind the cognitive dissonance. Perhaps peer pressure can prevail where financial pressure doesn’t. But, no. We can just find some new peers with habits more like our own and feel accepted. Indeed, we may even find perverse pleasure in bucking the system that seeks to oppress us. What shall we do? What’s going to convince us to set this self-destructive behavior aside? While it’s not guaranteed to work by any stretch, evidence of that self-destructive result is a better goad than any other. We start to notice the shortness of breath, or the particularly annoying persistent cough. We begin to feel life being shortened. Maybe it will take more severe symptoms for some than for others. It may not suffice until the throat tissue is unalterably affected by long exposure. It may not suffice until cancer makes its appearance. And, for some, even a need for an oxygen machine isn’t going to do the job. For some, nothing short of death is ever going to change things. But, this doesn’t alter the principle. Suffering, where we have sufficient sensibility to acknowledge the cause, is the best means for convincing us to loathe our sins so as to cease from them.
Some, facing the battle of mortification, will make the past an excuse for the present. I’m already a sinner. I’m already as guilty before God as I can ever expect to be, so why change now? Why should I stress myself out over it, if the end result has already been determined? Even where we understand salvation and understand forgiveness, this mentality can persist. It just alters terminology a bit. If I’m already saved – and particularly if salvation is assured apart from works – why should I be bothered to change? God loves me just the way I am! To be sure, such a mindset is roundly condemned by Scripture and a true understanding of God’s Word permits of no such perspective. But, even knowing this to be the case, our sinful, fleshly hearts and minds will whisper that very thing to us, and we’ll swallow it hook, line and sinker. Yes, that’s the general principle, to be sure, but my case is different. It’s not really a sin. And even if it is, what am I supposed to do about it? If God doesn’t like it, He’ll have to fix it. Oh, He will. But, far better we be found working with Him than resisting Him. His patience is not forever, and it would be an awful thing indeed to find His patience run out and our belief that we are saved proven false.
We dare not allow the past to be made excuse for the present. Neither, though, can we afford to allow the past to be cause for despair. It is one thing to be anguished by our sins so as to find the drive to subdue them. It is quite another to grant subdued sins the power to beat us down in retrospect. There is a very simple point of fact to be considered: The past cannot be changed. We do not have a temporal eraser that we can run over our history. It’s there. It’s reality. If that past is no longer our present circumstance, then praise God! One more sin subdued. Don’t let it continue to be brought up as cause for condemnation. It is finished. What we can and should be about doing is addressing the present so as to promote a future that has less to regret. As the JFB puts it, “At least lay out the future to better account.”
That’s pretty much the definition of repentance, really. And, I am constantly reminded that when Jesus ministered, His message started with, “Repent, for the kingdom is at hand.” We get into this mindset – again reflecting the spirit of the age – that He came with a message that primarily consisted in, “Here, let Me make it all better.” There’s some truth to that. He has made it all better, and He shall make it entirely perfect when He returns. But, that’s not the message we need to be focused on, except so far as it empowers the primary mission: Repent. Set a new course. There’s been time and enough to see what comes of pursuing the ways of the flesh. Set those ways aside and pursue the Way of Christ. Your past set up a miserable present, and to be sure, Christ came to give you a better present, but it was given so that you could lay out the future to better account. It was given with an eye to eternity. Jesus did it all, and all to Him I owe. Yes, the song is right. But, notice that last bit: I owe. The debt is paid in obedience, in taking up arms in this battle of mortifying the flesh. The debt is paid by discerning where God is at work in us and joining Him gladly in that work.
In this battle of mortification, as we are made ever more mindful of the persistent problem of sin in our own lives, there is a point worth keeping before us. It is a point that will help us cope with the fact of our persistent sin without falling into the trap of simply giving in to sin. I have the JFB to thank for this bit of insight, and it truly is quite helpful in resolving that internal conflict. You see, when Scripture declares us to be free from sin that is fundamentally a judiciary statement. The Court of heaven has already proclaimed its judgment. You are free. Judicially, you have no more to do with sin. Christ having been offered once to bear those sins shall appear a second time, and when He does, it shall be for a salvation without reference to sin for those who eagerly await Him (Heb 9:28). That is done with. In the meantime, knowing we have no more to do with sin judicially, we know also that we ought to have nothing more to do with sin period. The fact that we do simply tells us we have more work to do, more battles to fight. The fact that we do gives us cause to once more take up arms and join battle with our sinful nature, but ever and always we join that battle under the command of our Mighty Warrior King.
That is absolutely key to victory. The soldier who enters battle under his own direction, ignoring any sort of command structure is not really a soldier at all. He’s just a guy with a gun, a vigilante at best, a deadly liability at worst. Battles are not going to be won by that sort of warrior. We have a general of infinite wisdom and skill. He knows every one of His soldiers as to their capabilities and their weaknesses. He has full situational awareness. He has full knowledge of the entire battlefield, and also has full knowledge of every scheme of the enemy. Imagine that! Imagine how much better the battle will go if your general knows every last detail of the enemies plan. Your general does know! In what possible way can it make sense, knowing this, to just go off and join battle on your own, according to your own, painfully restricted knowledge of the real situation? No! Get your commands and follow them. Go where the General is directing and do what He is commanding. That way lies victory, and each victory provides you with strength for the next struggle. By contrast, each defeat you let yourself in for by setting your own course saps your strength, leaves you half defeated before you even begin the next battle, even if you come to your senses and start to listen to your Leader. Oh, He’ll see you through, but the fight has become that much harder. Why do that to yourself?
We are judicially free. We ought to be doing our part to be experientially free. Primary to that task is obedience. That obedience is most assuredly guided by the Scriptures our Commander in Chief has given us as instruction. But, it is further guided by His more immediate direction. By the aid of our Advocate, we are kept mindful of the current situation, of the present battle, and we shall avoid expending wasted energies fighting the wrong war. Oh, every sin must be dealt with. But, each in its time as God Himself sets the schedule.
Covenant Reminder (01/07/15)
As we face this battle with our sinful ways, heeding the call to arms might lead us to questions of just what those arms should be. Peter does not leave us without answer. He points us back to Christ Jesus, who suffered in the flesh. As we saw, that is to say, He died. Therein lies our chiefest armament. He died, and He did so for us, that we might live. This leads us to connect back to the end of the previous chapter, with its mention of baptism as saving us (1Pe 3:21).
Recall that image, and join Paul’s perspective to what Peter has been saying (for they speak of one Gospel). That death to which Peter points us, with which we confess ourselves connected in baptism, was undertaken so as to redeem us. Redemption, we must remember, is something much more important than simply paying our court fees. This goes beyond the atonement for sin. That redemption is a price paid, and that price was paid for us to become His possession. He has bought us. We are His. The symbolism of baptism, as we were reminded, incorporates a covenantal tone. It is not merely a celebration of what He has done for us. It is a commitment to what we shall do for Him. Honestly, if we are amongst the redeemed, whether we have undertaken to be baptized or not, we are entered into a covenantal relationship with our God and Savior. He has assuredly made very certain promises on His part, promises upon which we can stake our future, our very being. But, we also make certain promises. Chief amongst those promises is this one: That we shall henceforth serve this Christ Jesus throughout what remains of this life.
That is the solemn declaration of baptism. I am dead to the sins which once held me. I am alive to Christ Who now owns me. I am committing myself to be a faithful servant to Him now and forever. Like Abraham before me, I am entering into this commitment with great fear and trepidation, knowing myself weak and untrustworthy. But, I am entering into it with gladness, knowing that He with Whom I contract is faithful to complete the work in me, that I may be accounted faithful to these terms.
This is armament, my friends! We tend to think of contracts as keeping the other guy honest, as assurances that right will be done by us. But, a contract is also a tool for encouraging ourselves to uphold our end. It should be, at any rate. If we have any regard for our own character and reputation, then knowing we have signed on to perform a certain task will tend to prod us to act when otherwise we might slack off. Mind, that this concern for good character and reputation is itself the product of the Spirit working upon our conscience, even as was discussed in the talk of baptism. And, if our covenanted relationship to God is armament, knowing He Himself indwells us, speaks to us, calls us back to duty; this is armament indeed!
We have devoted ourselves to Him, and He has devoted Himself to us, though these be said with different significance. He has called us the apple of His eye. His devotion is that of a Father for His child. It does not, to be sure, mean that He has committed Himself to do whatever we may ask of Him. No! But, He has committed Himself to do whatever is needful for our thriving survival. We, though sons in His household, are also, by our own choosing as well as His, lifelong bondservants to this One Who is our King. We have sworn fealty, set ourselves at His beck and call. We are armed and ready to serve. And the battle He calls us to fight is right here, right now, within our own flesh, that we might join in that war He has already won to subdue this flesh and live in righteousness.
Matthew Henry offers another thought which might serve to give us a bit of backbone in this battle. He gives it to us as a question. If we refuse to be done with sin, what is this but a demonstration that we do not in fact love Christ or care that He suffered? This takes me back to that thought my old friend put to me so many years ago. Every sin that I commit adds to the suffering He underwent. How, then, can I even contemplate sinning once more? What anguish must I feel when I fail Him yet again, when I add once more to His pain? As a preventative measure, this sort of thinking is of great benefit, and I would even go so far as to say that our biggest challenge lies in the fact that we tend to lose sight of this idea. Our foolish hearts bring us back to a point of thinking our particular sins are no big deal. We’re not hurting anybody, with the possible exception of ourselves. And, as to that, we’ve got ourselves convinced even that harm is just scare tactics trying to corral us into more acceptable patterns of behavior.
But, it’s just behavior, right? Who cares? Who’s hurt if I look at this, drink that, smoke these? I’m not making you look or drink or smoke. I’m not even doing these things in your presence, so what’s the big deal? Looking around today, that is the general mindset of society. We can read it in infinite variety on the web. We will find those who, like Peter’s imagery here, celebrate these very pursuits, cannot comprehend why anybody would do otherwise, and will berate, belittle and besmirch you for the crime of making them even think that perhaps there might be something wrong with their choices. The thing is, that thinking is highly contagious, especially when it’s so pervasive. We, for all that we will hold forth our faith and trust in God, will yet simultaneously take that exact perspective regarding our own persistent sins.
I’ve covered the major ones, right God? This stuff – if it really mattered to You, You would have erased my interest in it, so it must be ok, right? No. No, it’s not. We know that. Mentally, as a matter of intelligence, it’s patently obvious that this is not ok. We can cite chapter and verse, if called upon, to make the point – although we’d prefer to do so on somebody else’s behalf, thank you very much. But, somewhere, knowledge and wisdom have parted ways in us, and we go ahead and do what we oughtn’t, knowing we oughtn’t, offering our weakness as defense as if that was going to hold any weight.
It’s time to take arms. It’s time to refuse the urge. It’s time to remember that there is no such thing as a sin that hurts nobody. There is nothing I do by sinning that does not cause harm to myself. There is nothing I do by sinning that does not cause material harm to another. That’s the reminder. That’s what my friend was driving at. Every sin I commit, however carefully hidden from view, is seen by my Savior, known by my Savior, felt by my Savior. Only, when He feels it, there is nothing in the least bit gratifying about it. Every pretense of pleasure has been stripped away and there is only the painful reality, the deadly agony that He took upon Himself. There is only the deep wound done to fellowship, and the crushing sorrow that we have failed Him yet again.
Don’t lose hope, soldier of Christ! Yes, you are weak, but He is your armament! You are right to feel so great a sorrow for having thus offended your Savior, your Redeemer. Yes, you should be driven to your knees in despair for what you have done. But, you are not required to stay there. There is forgiveness! He who called you is faithful and just to forgive you. He upholds His covenant, not you. He has defeated that enemy which yet plagues you. He is at work in you, and will make this right in you. He will deal with even this sin in His chosen time. You will stand before Him one day, and when you do, you will be able to stand for He will uphold you. He will clothe you in righteousness after He has washed away every last stain of your sin, and you will find yourself whole, utterly untroubled by temptations, utterly freed from your past, and with an eternity to look forward to in which remains nothing to cause regret, only the joy of perfect fellowship with your perfect Husband, Jesus the Christ of God.
The Offense of Holiness (01/08/15)
If it is difficult to persist in this battle against sin, it is not made easier by the reaction of those who do not. God, in His wisdom, has chosen to leave us in the world though we are no longer of the world. Those who remain of the world do not react well to this. Peter notes the response. They are surprised that you’re not doing as they do. Surprised is the word the NASB chooses. The sense is much stronger, though. For them, it is as though an alien has dropped out of the sky into their midst. You do not compute. Your language is incomprehensible, your habits and actions so foreign to them as to be offensive. And so they malign you.
This is going to be particularly the case for those you knew before God found you. It is, in its small way, your experience of “A prophet is not without honor except in his home town” (Mk 6:4). In some limited sense, we are all made prophets by this work of God in us. What does a prophet do, after all, but proclaim God’s standards, prosecute His case? This is the thing: Our very presence in the world, assuming we are striving to live as we ought, is an offense to the world. It forces them to recognize certain things about themselves they would as soon not recognize. It reminds the fallen that they are just that: fallen. It insists that they recognize the filth in which they wallow, if only for a moment. Worst of all, it requires them to see that judgment lies ahead, the penalty will be paid.
In the meantime, we will become that much more frustrated if we do not recognize that fallen man is going to act in fallen fashion. We can pray all we like for this world or this nation to start pursuing a course of life more in keeping with Christ, but it’s not going to happen unless they are actually called by Christ. I am bringing myself up a bit short with this line of thought. I tend to pray that our governors would be surrounded by godly counsel, that good and wise policy would be whispered in their ears by their advisers. But, that’s not the right focus. If the spirit within is not inclined towards such decisions already, the outside voice is unlikely to gain a hearing no matter how often it speaks. The proper focus for our prayers on their behalf consists of praying for their salvation. It should be obvious, I suppose, but somehow it is not. Perhaps it seems too much to ask. But, it is precisely what I should ask.
So long as the man remains in his fallen condition, his every action will reflect his fallen condition. It is patently obvious that this must be the case, and yet we go about convinced it shouldn’t be, and we are therefore surprised by every act of depravity. We should be dismayed by those acts, but surprised? No. We might just as reasonably be shocked to discover our dog still chases squirrels. Of course he does. He’s a dog!
So, they are fallen and still inclined toward fallen pursuits. Is it, then, any wonder that they react to us as they do? They want nothing so much as to see us act as they do. At minimum, it would give them grounds to discount our message. But, more, it would remove the thorn. Make no mistake. The righteous man is a thorn in the side of the unrighteous man. He forces the unrighteous man to give thought to what he does, and having done so, those thoughts can only conclude that yes, there is something quite odious about these pursuits. But, there is also that strong urge of the flesh to keep going with them anyway. It may be the pleasure centers demanding satisfaction. It may be the conscience, starved as it is, looking out in defeat, recognizing that the way things are going is fatal, but feeling its powerlessness when it comes to affecting any sort of change. Nobody wants to be brought into a state of despair. Nobody wants to hear their condemnation. Certainly, nobody is going to be made happy by hearing about the certain judgment to come.
Yet, this is a mandatory part of the message we bear. We have had to face it ourselves. If you don’t know about the judgment, wherefore would you seek out the means of your rescue? Who will lay hold of the hand pulling them to safety if they only perceive it as hauling them away from their pleasures?
You see, it’s not simply that our choices, our actions render us foreigners and aliens to them. It’s that these things are truly irksome to them, giving them pause to consider their own activities in a light they would rather not. If, as the commentators pointed out, our suffering leads us to consider the approaching end of our days and thereby gives us incentive to work more at our sanctification, imagine what those reminders are like for one who knows no hope of forgiveness and sanctification. If your very presence is a bold billboard proclaiming, “You’re going to hell!” that’s just not the sort of thing that’s going to endear us to people. And that’s exactly what it is to be a lamp on a lampstand. Of course, we don’t stop there, or we’re not intended to. It is the truth, but the truth does not end on that message. There’s a, “But”. There is a way, friend. It doesn’t have to end there for you. God has made a way if you will but take it.
For those intent on not taking that way, though, the message did end there, and they can hardly be blamed for not wanting to hear it. These are the ones, particularly in our day, who are set on the belief that all religion is nonsense. They’ve rather made a religion of that view, though they’d never see it thus. They are so dead set against religion in general, and Christianity in particular, that no argument, however cogent, can gain a hearing with them. You could set them in a room with ten of the greatest apologists, insist they remain for an entire year of instruction under these fine tutors, and find them utterly untouched by it all. Oh, it may be fine for you, I suppose, if you feel the need for such nonsense, but no thank you. At best, they will conclude that you suffer from some ‘amiable weakness’ as Barnes phrases it. You poor, benighted man; still stuck in superstition are you? Well, it’s your folly, your weakness. Don’t expect me to sign on. I’ve evolved beyond all that! So their reasoning, such as it is, goes. And, that’s the best you can expect, to be written off as a harmless fool. The more aware amongst them will go further, though. Recognizing that as much as they reject your message your conclusions are valid, they must condemn you out of simple self-defense.
Fallen man will act in fallen fashion. Fallen man wants to act in fallen fashion. He can conceive of no other pursuit. You are presenting an alternative, an alternative which demands to be recognized as superior. He prefers to stay his course of destruction. His sanity will require that he convince himself that you are the evil one.
We see this play out in the less critical realm of politics today. The left must vilify the right else they must recognize the flaws in their thinking. The right must discredit the left, lest they discover certain points of agreement. Indeed, there are those making the point that this pretty well describes every point of debate in the country today. There is no discussion of ideas, only decrying and condemning the opposition, whatever the cause du jour. If you don’t agree with me, you are filth, and probably a hater. That’s the debating style of our day and age. It only gets more vehement when we bring in the spiritual context of faith. It is, at base, an act of self-defense. It may be self-destructive in its result, but that’s the impetus. We don’t want to face the consequences of being wrong, and therefore we will shout down whoever points out our error. If I don’t hear about my error, if I don’t have to look at it, then it doesn’t exist. We’re like little kids with fingers in ears, singing loudly to drown out the voice of reason.
And, yes, I include in that number those of us who are being saved. We’re not any much more inclined toward hearing about our failings. God has to speak pretty firmly to get us to take notice. He has to act pretty sternly to move us to do something about it. The good news is that He does so, and He so works within that we are able to respond not as fallen men, but as children of the Most High. Yes, Dad, I see. I’ve made a mess of it again, haven’t I? Help me do better? Oh, yes, and He will. He desires nothing else.
The Final Balance (01/08/15)
As I have been saying, our presence has a way of forcing those around us to take notice of the end game. Our preaching should. The Gospel cannot be good news until the hearer has come to realization of the bad news. Notice how Paul starts out his exposition of doctrine in Romans. It begins with utter, universal condemnation. There is none righteous! All of us have gone astray, and are under heavenly penalty of eternal damnation. That’s our starting point. If you haven’t grasped that fundamental, then whatever religious pursuits you may take up are vain and empty. The declaration of Hebrews 9:27 holds: It is appointed for men once to die. Then comes judgment.
For the unbeliever, that conclusion, that certainty of judgment, is most unwelcome. You can see it in the several responses they take to avoid thinking about it. For some, there is the escapism of reincarnation. You just keep getting do-overs until you get it right. That, I have to say, sounds rather like a hell in itself, given the impossibility of ever getting it right. Life is painful enough once. Going through it repeatedly with no real hope for improvement? No thank you. More popular in Western culture is the theory of oblivion. Life being an accident of chemical reactions, all the meaning with which we invest our days is really pretty nonsensical, and death is the end of it. We can strive to leave the world a little better for our time here, but really, what’s the point? It certainly won’t matter to me. I’ll be dead.
This thinking, I hate to say, infects much of the church. Many a Christian is as fearful of death as the atheist ought to be. Where is that Pauline mindset: To live is Christ, but to die is gain (Php 1:21)? Look! The recognition that judgment lies ahead should not give us pause, who have come to Christ. It should be cause for greatest comfort. Indeed, amidst the trials and suffering of life, this very thought is a great bolster, an anchor when faith is shaken by events.
This morning’s Table Talk devotional pointed me off to Jeremiah 12:1-4, which is to the point here. It is a common enough plaint for the believer. Why do the wicked prosper? How is it, Lord, that you let these evil men be at ease? They’re doing fine, by all worldly measures, and here we are, Your people, suffering. What’s up with that? Well, hear the truth at the end of those verses. Jeremiah notes how these wicked men say to themselves, “He will not see our latter ending.” But, He – if you take the referent to be God – has already seen it and seen to it. And, if you take the referent to be the righteous man who is suffering in the present? Oh! He will see it to, as he stands vindicated before his accusers, and as the wicked men, who did so well in life, are delivered to their final reward.
This is the message of God: Justice will come, and you cannot escape it, even in death. That is the inescapable truth. It matters not whether you believe it. It matters not whether you go to the grave denying it. Reality doesn’t much care about your opinions. It is, all opinions to the contrary notwithstanding. Justice will come and you cannot escape it. That is the great dread of every unbeliever. It is simultaneously the great hope and joy of every believer. There, too, is armament as we join the battle once more today. Whatever the injustices of this life, Justice will be served. Stand fast.
