by Barry Newton

Summer is upon us and many will have enjoyed cruising across a lake or a river. If you have ever been in a high-powered speed boat, imagine the absurdity of opening wide throttle a powerful motor at night while lacking any reliable means for navigating where you are headed. The word suicide comes to my mind.

As surprising as it may seem, this may be a fitting analogy for one aspect of our American culture since the time of the late 1800's when a spiritually bankrupt philosophy called pragmatism was introduced to our country. Pragmatism (originally termed instrumentalism) replaced the value-based guiding question of "what is right" with "what works?" Denying that any normative compass exists for determining which direction a person, company or church ought to be headed, pragmatism simply affirms that value is determined by the most efficient and productive path to your goal.

The impact of pragmatism upon the thinking of society and the church has been profound. Even if different church fellowships have not always agreed what has constituted faithful doctrine, were not the members of all churches generally concerned about doctrine and truth? But as pragmatism has permeated people's outlook, is not value often attached to success and size instead of faithfulness? Has not the primary concern shifted to “results?" Accordingly, at least for some indifference appears to sum up their attitudes toward doctrinal matters.

It would be overly simplistic to assert that pragmatism is solely responsible for doctrine becoming largely lost in the wake of how people think. Some may be reacting to having experienced uncharitable discussions and blamed doctrine as the culprit. Others seem to have embraced a new concept of grace which appears to make obedience and conformity to various aspects of New Testament doctrine superfluous. Still yet another source of apathy would appear to be a particular brand of interpretation where the message and practices of Scripture are viewed as simply one of the possible ways to believe, worship and respond to God. Whatever the cause, Scripture rings out a countercultural message:

"Pay close attention to your life and to your doctrine. Persevere in them, because as you do this, you will save both yourself and your hearers." 1 Timothy 4:16

After teaching about prayer, a woman's role, those who should be considered worthy of serving in the church's structure of elders and deacons, Paul wrote "I am writing these things so that, if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in the household of God, which is the church of the living God." 1 Timothy 3:14-15

"I praise you because ... you hold to the teachings, just as I delivered them to you." 1 Corinthians 11:2

"As in all the congregations of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. ... the things which I am writing to you are the Lord's command." 1 Corinthians 14:33-34, 37

"What you have heard from me, retain as the pattern of healthy teaching in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus." 2 Timothy 1:13

"The time will come when men will not put up with healthy doctrine; but desiring to have their ears tickled, they will gather around themselves teachers in accordance with what they want to hear." 2 Timothy 4:3

Scripture underscores the importance of doctrine. To be sure, there is the need to avoid the caveat of using these texts as proof texts to buttress human doctrine by examining these statements within their contexts to learn their message. But the New Testament is clear. There are teachings and practices which should be passed on.

Pragmatism will always offer self-gratifying solutions to get where someone wants to go. But are not the real issues: "Where should we be headed?" "What is God's goal for my life?" "How does God want His church to be?" In short, where does the Lord's compass reveal that our boat should be headed?

by Barry Newton

"The race is not to the swift nor the battle to the warriors, neither is the bread to the wise, nor wealth to the discerning, nor favor to men of ability for time and chance happen to them all" (Ecclesiastes 9:11).

Anyone who has been an innocent victim in an automobile accident, lost employment because of the economic downturn, inherited a debilitating disease, or suffered the effects of a malicious unfounded rumor knows full well that none of us is truly in control of his circumstances. Our situation can change dramatically in an instant without regard to whether we have done anything wrong.

While willful sin will sow those seeds which can later produce disaster, we cannot eliminate hardship by doing what is right. We are not in control of our situation.

• In one pounding wave after another, Job received the news how various disasters had decimated his household and possessions. And then his body broke out in boils.
• Joseph found himself in prison.
• David saw king Saul hurl a javelin from across the room toward his body.
• The Jews awoke one morning to learn that by Haman's edict they were to be destroyed on a particular day.

Managing our lives through the one true power we possess is nothing new. Several decades ago, the popularization of the power of positive thinking tapped into this fundamental resource. As people resolved to think positively regardless of their circumstances, they found that they would act accordingly. This then often led them to reap great benefits.

While there can be some temporary benefits to a secular philosophy of positive thinking, ultimately, it is shortsighted, since all people die. It can also be unreliable, since it can short-circuit our natural warning signals of genuine danger. On the other hand, to choose to consistently respond to life's situational roller coaster based upon God and the positive foundation of that victory procured through Christ is the most reasonable and healthiest way to live.

• We can choose to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:17,21).
• We can choose to demonstrate love where hatred has gushed forth (Matthew 5:43,44).
• We can choose to have faith in the midst of trials (James 1:2,3).
• We can choose to serve God and righteousness regardless of our circumstances (Romans 6:11-14,18,22; 1 Corinthians 10:12).

First, through Christ, all of humanity's true foes have been conquered. Death and condemnation lie strewn in the valley of the vanquished (Romans 6:23;8:1). God and the slain Lamb are worthy of our allegiance and worship (Revelation 5:12,13).

Second, receiving eternal life is contingent upon our remaining faithful in spite of whatever situation might arise. As Paul wrote, "he has now reconciled you in his physical body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach -- if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel" (Colossians 1:22,23).

To continue in the faith describes maintaining our allegiance and service to God. God in turn beckons us to live in a manner worthy of the calling we have received (Ephesians 4:1).

As God's servants we can choose to respond to life grounded upon to Whom we belong, instead of the roller coaster of how we feel about our situation. We are responsible for what we choose to do. It is the one aspect of life which we truly do have control over.

by Barry Newton

Can the clarity of resolve become foggy in the crisis of decision? Conflicts of interest and the clash of values have always muddied the eyes of those who would otherwise see clearly.

We know this to be true. Those who accept a bribe will discover their heart twisted toward corruption. Ecclesiastes 7:7; Proverbs 17:23 Similarly if the lure of wealth gains a foothold, it can derail faithfulness since it is not possible to serve two masters. 1 Timothy 6:10; Matthew 6:24

When Abram told Sarai, “tell them you are my sister,” at the crossroads he chose self-preservation. Genesis 12:11-13 The cost of that shrewdness involved the weight of sin.

Ananias and Sapphira encountered an intersection when they sold some property. When they agreed to lie about the sale price of their property, presumably to gain favor and recognition as generous givers, they chose the wrong path.Acts 5:1-9 The price they paid was their lives.

King Jereboam’s decision inviting Israel to worship at Dan and Bethel involved him crumbling under the pressure to maintain his kingship by human means. 1 Kings 12:26-29 He could have chosen to trust in God and His promises. Instead his kingship sank into sinfulness.

We need to be acutely aware of the values which can tug at our heart strings so that we will recognize the crisis of decision for what it is - a challenge to our ultimate allegiance. Questions can reveal the clash of competing allegiances.

“Should I lie in order to avoid trouble?”

“Should I hide what I know is true in order to get along?”

“What should I do about the unethical practices I have discovered at work?”

“Should we go to this sporting event instead of worship?”

Such questions often boil down to trusting in God and doing what is right or capitulating to the pressure of pursuing self-advancement, acceptance by peers, greed, living for pleasure or some other value. If we are naively unaware of the crossroads of decision, we could wake up one day to “how did I get here?”

The more goals we entertain, the greater are the possibilities that we will find our service to God encountering conflict. The more important other goals might be to us, the stronger will be the temptation to make poor decisions.

Clarity of resolve involves starting with the conviction of who God is and His place in our lives. It is maintained by preventing the erection of competing allegiances in our hearts.

by Barry Newton

With a bit of unconcealable pride, his rugged time-worn face lit up with a smile as his resonant voice announced, "I did not have anything when I started. Today, I have all this. I’m a self-made man!" While such a sentiment exudes a certain upbeat positiveness, it is nonetheless a prisoner of the unwarranted belief, "everything depends upon me."

To be sure, Scripture encourages a strong work ethic and pursuit of our work as though it is for the Lord himself. Colossians 3:23 But what Scripture does not support is the arrogant attitude which can falsely arise from perceiving ourselves as being responsible for all we've received. Deuteronomy 8:10-14

There are more pitfalls to the bootstrap mentality than just arrogance. When situations beyond our control impact our lives and limit our options, if we have embraced a bootstrap mentality, this can lead us toward depression and be a source of self-flagellation. "If only I were better, then I would have foreseen this and ...." Noble efforts do not always pay off. Ecclesiastes 9:11 God seeks to release us from both delusional ends of the bootstrap mentality spectrum.

In 2 Corinthians 1:8-11, Paul's confession is quite revealing about how God wants us to live. Having faced tremendous burdens which led him to even despair of life, the apostle discovered that this was "so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead." That period of difficulty, as undesirable as it was, further galvanized Paul’s realization of his dependence upon God. As he thought about his future, he understood it as anchored upon God, not upon his own power and intelligence.

Evaluating Our Attitude by Our Prayers

While most people like to think of themselves in a positive light, sometimes an objective means for self-evaluation can be helpful. Our prayer life can be just such a tool.

• Do your prayers acknowledge your dependence upon God when situations are going well, or only when there is crisis?

• How often do you go to God in prayer, casting your cares upon Him knowing that He will sustain you? Ps. 55:22; 1 Peter 5:6-7

May each of us experience the freedom which comes from being released from the weight of thinking that "everything depends upon me." As a servant of God, work hard and do what you know to do as you continually depend upon His mighty hand to strengthen, sustain, and bless.

by Barry Newton

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, ABC television network recently plowed through a mountain of video clips. Among those unearthed from their vaults were some scenes from the old “Laverne and Shirley” show. In one of these the character of Shirley contrasted herself with her roommate Laverne. While Laverne was content to embrace a lifestyle of feasting upon junk food, Shirley proudly proclaimed that her body was a temple and no junk food was ever permitted to enter the temple! Viewing her body as a temple controlled her eating habits.

Although her comments were embedded within a situation comedy, nevertheless Shirley’s words capture purpose and direction. Instead of living life with the directionless boundaries of doing whatever might feel right at the moment, imagine the purpose and the responsibility of caring for the sacred.

If you were entrusted with caring for a portable temple for God, where would you take it? What TV programs, internet sites or movies would you expose the sacred to? What would you say in its presence? Would you ever want to hide it under some cloth so that your words or actions might be hidden from it? What would you do as a custodian and manager of God’s temple?

I know that you are already ahead of me. But hang with me a moment longer as we turn to scripture. In writing about the seriousness of sexual immorality, Paul argued, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God, and you are not your own? For you have been purchased with a price; glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Having been made to become a temple of the Holy Spirit should influence and control what we do!

Similarly, when writing about the awesome responsibility involved in teaching God’s people, Paul wrote to the saints at Corinth that, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in you? Whoever might destroy the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy and that is what you are.” 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Since God's people have been made to become the temple of God, this holds strong repercussions for anyone who would teach falsely thus leading to the destruction of God’s people.

Each child of God is a keeper of God’s temple. He or she is never alone but always in the presence of the sacred. These are sobering as well as humbling thoughts. God has entrusted us to care for His temple! Of course God is everywhere, but as a steward of His temple where would you take it? How might this empower you to live for God and achieve His purposes through your life? How would God’s people live if these thoughts soaked deeply into their awareness?