Romans 7: A New Heart of Flesh

 

Heart Change is the Difference 

Romans teaches us how to connect the former rules based society with one of grace. Paul’s goal is to get Jews to think differently about covenant, sin and redemption. Gentiles, who never had the law, are now included in God’s plan for humanity. The biggest change from old covenant to new is the heart change that comes with an acceptance of Christ as the fulfillment of that law.

I’ve focused on chapter 7 here

Sin and Law

There are two dynamics at work in the human condition, sin and the law. The law came through Moses and provided us with a knowledge of sin. Another way to say this is that the “do’s” and “don’ts” of the law give sin a name. Names are official. They provide legality. But with the name comes a legal understanding that by breaking the law, we subject ourselves to the punishment of it. It’s a difficult standard, next to impossible. The effect of such a rigorous standard is to create a desire for evil in our flesh that builds on itself.

We know we shouldn’t lust or hate or cheat, the law forbids it after all. Our flesh pushes us towards desire. This is a constant war in the soul.

There was no way to have a heart change on the law. We always struggled to do the Godly thing because Christ had not defeated the power it held in us. The best way to understand this is to watch how a toddler responds when you take away the thing they most want. I had friends over a few weeks ago and gave one of their kids a bag of gummies. I meant for her to have the whole bag but her dad had other plans. He gave her a handful and put the bag on my refrigerator. She wasn’t satisfied with just a handful and began searching for a stool to stand on. She would not be deterred.  

A strong “No” from her parent kept her from climbing for the gummies. But she clearly didn’t want to. Nothing but the harsh, nearly impossible law, kept her from doing the thing she really wanted to do. Her heart hadn’t changed toward the candy. At no point did she say to herself “A whole bag really is too much. I’ll probably get sick anyway”. There is only an awareness of punishment through an authority figure. When we’re kids, it’s all we have.

But before Christ we were like children in our flesh. The law only gave us a framework, a detailed one at that, for right living. It didn’t give us a heart to do the moral things of God. Paul doesn’t get into grace in this chapter but he is setting the stage for it. Grace is the difference. It changes our hearts to now seek to do good things. Sin was dead after Christ’s death and resurrection, providing us with a way to God not previously available.

Resurrection and Redemption

Sin’s power is no longer the biggest challenge to living a moral life. It’s such a radical shift in thinking that it needs to be considered again and again. How much more for those like Paul and the early church, disseminating the scriptures for a new age? Even now I think we struggle to grasp how big and how revolutionary the idea that we can want to do the right and good thing. Sin’s power is dead. We’re are still toddlers in a lot of ways. We don’t always understand the things of the Spirit and we seldom know the reasons.

But we have a new heart, one that listens and obeys the voice of Father because we want to. Our flesh will always want the gummies on the refrigerator, but our hearts are tuned to the Father’s voice. We can overcome the flesh now by subjecting our desires to His will.  

Paul describes the conflict like this

“I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who will to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (verses 21-24)

The Christian is truly a new creature in Christ. Romans helps us understand how.

Transhumanism is Anti-God

 

Transhumanism's Tentative Link to Reality

I fell down the transhumanism rabbit hole recently.

 It’s been an idea in my consciousness at least since that Johnny Depp movie in the desert (Transcendence) where they uploaded his brain to a computer. Yeah I know that’s really late. Normally I stay away from topics I barely understand. But if I do it correctly I can talk about it in an innocent ‘what does this all mean’ sort of way. Whenever someone mentions transhumanism I think of Avatar. From the collective conscious to the out of body experiences, it’s a mix of the sacred and the profane.

Humans are sacred, created in God’s image to worship. Worlds not created by God are profane, they lack the signature of the divine.

Transhumanism's attempt to step in where God where left off is centered in prideful notions about the superiority of man. The effort will fail like the Tower of Babel.

I like this definition of transhumanism the best. “The belief or theory that the human race can evolve beyond its current physical and mental limitations, especially by means of science and technology.”

Technology's Takeover

Human’s with artificial brains connected to a supercomputer, that’s my low brow interpretation. The supercomputer is a wealth of information and knowledge that guides us through life. We connect to it, sort of like a search engine and benefit from the increased knowledge. You can see where this theory has some logic. Technology plays an increasing role in our lives. It’s almost inescapable. From voice activated personal assistants to biotechnological medicines like vaccines and genetic seeds for farmers. The leap to putting chips into our brains seems like the next step in the process.

But at a certain point you aren’t operating from your own mind, will and emotions. There is an artificial buffer that interprets and 'corrects' your own thinking. Eventually you’re nothing more than a hybrid person, or a non-person.

Limiting Principle

Why do we need to increase human mental capability? I don’t mean why should we be smarter or how can we make life easier, but why increase the brain power through artificial means? What is the possible benefit, other than escaping to an artificial place, for my life? Certainly there are conveniences like shopping and talking to friends in the metaverse. There are more we haven’t even explored yet. But those don’t markedly chance our world for the better.

It’s an upgraded version of Sims.

The Real Cost

We lose autonomy when we willingly give up freedoms in our life. I understand that modern life is far less free, in the traditional version of the word. True freedom means making your own clothes, building your own house and killing your own food. In modern societies there are precious few examples of people that live this way. Most of us are connected to a global community for basic needs. When was the last time you cut down trees, made 2x4s and constructed a house out of raw materials?

Yuval Noah Harari explains the global community concept in the transhumanism documentary, Humans, Gods and Technology. But to jump from that to a system of interconnectedness on a consciousness level is too big a leap for me.

It's always the controllers that benefit.

Controllers

Covid 19 should have been enough of a wake up for anyone who thought the controllers (elites, technocrats, globalists) knew best. They nearly ruined our economy over a flu like virus. They turned off a lot of sources for people to get jobs and force a vaccine on us. It’s a poor performing vaccine that’s causing untold damage. They either didn’t know what to do or knew exactly what to do.

 The most advanced vaccines from the most advances pharmaceuticals and what did it amount to? A way to make record profits for shareholders. That’s it.  

My problem isn’t with breakthroughs or technology. I’m sympathetic to the difficulty of making money on a drug that takes years of research and development. But it looks like profit and fear drove the narrative on a virus that was survivable for most of us. If we get nothing out of the last two and half years of Covid panic get this, don’t trust others with decisions that affect your health. Especially don’t trust anything with a fear porn quality to it. Also, reject immediate calls for intrusion into your life from ‘experts’.

Transhumanism is anti-God.

There is a lot of talk about creating life through Artificial Intelligence and becoming god-like. That’s not reading something into it either. Here is Zoltan Istvan “We must force our evolution in the present day via our reasoning, inventiveness, and especially our scientific technology. In short, we must embrace transhumanism--the radical field of science that aims to turn humans into, for lack of a better word, gods.”

I feel gross.

God's Idea

Transhumanism isn’t just about living forever; it’s about creating man in a new image. What image is that? An image that doesn’t believe in the Creator or His plan for humanity. The tower of Babel began exactly this way. The people of Mesopotamia wanted to rule over themselves, against any direction from God. God’s idea was to separate people. He told them to spread out and fill the earth, be fruitful.

The arrogance at Babel stands as a warning to anyone trying to usurp the Creator’s plan for humanity. I’m not worried that transhumanism will get far. Pride always goes before a fall and a lot of these futurists who imagine a collective mind melding of all life will be brought low. The seed of this idea is rooted in Lucifer’s pride. He doesn’t create, he only copies.

I don’t fear that we’ll all be operating in a metaverse type environment with augmented brains and soulless bodies. I fear that our hubris will bring God’s wrath and destroy countless lives that rejected His creation.

 “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²² Claiming to be wise, they became fools…”  Romans 1:21-22

Authority Begins Through Self Evaluation

 

Luke 10:1-20: God's plan for Cities

Two powerful events take place in the first half of Luke 10, Jesus sends out seventy disciples and warns those cities against rejecting their message.

 Modern cities reflect ancient ones. Both are often run by wicked officials; both are subject to God's judgement. Authority is given to disciples to show people a better way to live.

The Commission

Jesus gives His followers a commission for the lost. “The harvest truly is great but the laborers are few: therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”(verse 2) He then gives instructions about how to behave in a foreign city “Carry neither money, bag nor knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. But whatever house you enter say ‘Peace to this house.’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not it will return to you.” (verse 4-6)

From there He tells them to “heal the sick” in every city and proclaim the kingdom of God. This isn’t just instruction for disciples, it’s also a warning to those who choose to ignore the goodness of God.

 Jesus warns 3 cities Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum. Those cities are contrasted with 2 others, Tyre and Sidon. We don’t have details about those ancient cities except that the first 3 are coastal and Jewish and the other two are inland and Gentile. The Gentiles didn’t get the benefit of Christ’s ministry while he was alive. The Jewish leaders thought they knew better than God and rejected calls to change.

God gives cities a choice the same way he does for individuals, accept my Son or face judgement.

Authority of Leaders

We know that the Jewish cities saw signs and wonders there but refused to repent and turn away from sin. It’s also interesting that none of them is around today. Every one shows evidence of homes and vibrant life, but all disappeared leaving nothing but ruins for archeologists to find.

So what? After all cities rise and fall throughout history, what’s the big deal with these particular places?

It’s really the leadership and institutions that Jesus condemns. It’s their decisions that either permit or reject morality. Looting and theft are legally permissible in a few cities in California. Drug abuse and sex trafficking are routinely ignored, as is prostitution in countless others. Abortion is permissible in New York beyond 24 weeks. 

In a spiritual sense city officials are responsible for the judgement of an area. Cities elect (or appoint) leaders that will choose their spiritual direction. Think of all the problems modern cities have. From sanitation and taxes to crime and homelessness, these aren’t different from ancient problems. But responsible leaders either tackle problems for those who live there, or take advantage of their position and benefit themselves.

Rejection of Goodness

People are sinful. We are slaves to selfishness and our decisions lead to disease, homelessness, crime and death. But the gospel is a reprieve for a dying world, a city in throes of darkness. It’s redemption for both leaders and citizens. When it’s allowed to spread it brings justice and peace even in the darkest of places.

The entire city doesn’t need to be transformed overnight, but when it specifically rejects the work of God it brings judgement on itself. Samaritan’s Purse set up a field hospital in New York City in 2020. They responded to the spreading Corona virus that was supposed to cripple the nation. New York with its massive population did see high numbers of hospitalizations. But the city kicked them out after a month. Samaritan’s Purse, led by Franklin Graham, believes in a biblical view of marriage so they had to go. City officials that have their authority from God decided the mere presence of a Christian organization was an offence.

The scriptures talk about choices, the fool and wise, the straight and the narrow path. But choosing to honor God or reject His goodness isn’t like picking the wrong door in a game show. We don’t accidentally choose to reject the things of God as if our decision were a roll of the dice. Since God is good than everything from Him is also good. Our lives reflect the image of our maker and we produce fruit. We decide how to live with every choice we make.

Selfish leaders will permit crime and even encourage it. They’ll continue in their recklessness to ignore the voice of God and make it difficult for goodness to exist. They are slaves to sin and they care nothing for their constituents. It explains Andrew Cuomo (New York’s former governor) decision to pack the nursing homes full of Covid positive patients. It led to countless deaths he later tried to cover up. It explains why Seattle and Portland both denied worship leader Sean Feucht a permit to hold worship services outdoors. Both cities permitted Black Lives Matter marches earlier in the year.

“Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you. But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.” (verses 11-12)

Good News

Grace and forgiveness are for everyone, including those in authority who’ve acted selfishly. But continual rejection of God’s goodness for those under your authority brings a promise of judgement. It’s easy to see sin and corruption in cities and shake our heads in disgust. Real maturity forces us to evaluate our own authority and clean up our sin. The Christian should always ask “Where have I permitted callousness toward God’s judgement? Have I closed a door to forgiveness, or repentance?”

But there is good news for those who submit to the Father and become disciples. He gives us the “…authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (verse 19)

We become like the seventy sent out when we recognize that our authority is under heaven. Our responsibility is for our own lives first and then to those around us.  

 We will see a transformation in our cities when we look inward and remember the Commission. 

 

Become Complete: 2 Corinthians 13

 

2 Corinthians 13

Paul’s final letter to the Corinthians sounds to me like a frustrated coach whose players are giving half measures. There was a football player here a few years ago that died early. I can’t remember the details of his tragic death but I’m sure drugs were involved. He was typical of kids his age who’ve shown talent at an early age. Most people who knew his name, I’ll call him Tim, expected great things. His size and speed were light years ahead of others around him. Everyone knew he’d play Division I football and maybe even get to the NFL. He died his senior year of college just as his team was set to dominate the conference.

 I work with a lot of current and former coaches. One of them had Tim in a summer skills camp. This coach saw what Tim could do on the field before he was even in high school.  When asked how to describe him, the coach had the usual talent laden descriptors but added, “kinda thick”. He didn't mean heavy either. 

 I took it to mean he didn’t value his gifts. It’s easy to dismiss this as a high school kid just being a kid. Who isn’t a little slow to understand that life is precious and talent should be nurtured? Most of us never had a lot of talent so the question is moot. In chapter 13 Paul emphasizes the ‘talent’ at the heart of their salvation in Christ. “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.” (verse 5-6)

He is careful to point out that the latent might and power are found in Christ. How much more can they be found in them, the Corinthians? It helps to remember that the Corinthians were sceptics and many didn’t like Paul. His letter addresses weakness as strength because it forces us to rely on our Creator Who makes us strong. The subtest of the whole chapter seems to be “You are so much greater through Christ than you realize”.

Paul encourages a kind of new commitment in the faith. Like a star athlete needing a new purpose, Paul suggests improvement toward living in peace and dedicating even more to the gospel. “And this we also pray, that you may be made complete.” (verse 9) As Christians we should always perfect and increase, the purpose of which is to be like Christ and attract those outside the faith. But also because a Christian isn’t complete without the understanding that their efforts are rooted in victory. Our completeness is already assured if we walk it out.

Again he repeats in verse 11 “Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete.” It’s like he isn’t going to let that thing go. Every coach has a thing don’t they? A specific bugaboo that irritates them more than anything else; it’s easily recognizable to the athletes under their authority as THE ISSUE to watch out for. For some it’s effort. Many players have felt the sting of a good ass chewing if they weren’t giving 100%. I think for Paul it’s this idea of completeness. It’s not really a striving though the way it is for players on a team. It’s not a gut check, or a heart issue. It’s a recognition that our completeness is found in Christ only. It’s the understanding of this principle he wants to get across. Understand Him and be complete. Our weakness is His strength.

The comparison to sports isn’t a perfect one, but anyone who has improved over a season knows the power of a new mindset. Athletes understand that hard work and mental toughness determine success at every level. Christians need to understand that to grow we need to surrender and let the Spirit make us complete. In the end it doesn’t look much like physical or mental toughness because our strength is in Christ.

As someone whose been a follower of Jesus for almost 40 years I’ll admit, understanding this principle is a difficult thing. I’m wired for tasks and routine exercises that build on past performance. I’m a steady workhorse in the gym. I learn everything from habitual study and habitual technique. Surrender sometimes feels like failure. But Paul has a ready answer to this as well “For though He [Jesus] was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God.” (verse 4)

If Jesus, the perfect man, surrendered to His Father’s will how much more can we?

 

 

 

King David's Heart of Desperation

 

Psalm 103

King David’s desperation for God is seen throughout the Psalms. We can learn from his complete reliance on the scripture for truth about Who God is and why our relationship grows in dependence on Him.

“Bless the Lord Oh my soul, and forget not all His benefits; Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies” (verse 2-4)

 It goes on because David relies solely on God as His strength. He doesn’t have a lot of people around him teaching him how to hear from God. There are certainly some like Nathan who correct him during his affair and subsequent murder, but nothing close to a group of intercessors exist. It’s why so often he calls God his “rock”, “shelter” and “strong tower”. These are words of dependence and consistency. Any ruler will carry a heavy burden of pressure and responsibility-doubly so when that ruler turns to heaven for answers.

 The Psalms are full of the king begging for justice from his oppressors, safety in storms, comfort from betrayal. We are fortunate today to have such rich teaching in the Word that we’ve probably lost a little of the David-esque dependence on the heavenly Father.

No question I’d rather have a rich tradition of worship and teaching and support. It fills the gap for those outside the faith. The simple gospel is a bridge to life and freedom. But we do rely on the external “benefits” of God's goodness to the point of weakness. We’ve forgotten how to hear from the Heavenly Father in a one on one relationship. We aren’t desperate the way the psalmist is. We aren’t needy for God’s immediate protection.

 I recently had the Corona virus and had to take a few weeks off. I spent a lot of that time in prayer for healing. But I won’t pretend I was desperate in the way that a dying man is desperate. I was a lot sicker than I imagined I’d be too. But even then I knew that I’d recover. The statistics for nearly everyone are around 98% or better to live, higher for the young.

I put my faith in the extreme unlikelihood that I’d need to go to the hospital or even need a ventilator. I’m not saying we need to be dying of a terrible illness to be desperate for God. Modern medicine is a gift. But few of us are in a position of deep reliance on God the way that David was. He lived there. He went to his Father for everything. It’s why he could list the benefits the way we list our family members and their kids. It was a source of strength and pride because he fought for it. He saw God’s mercy in his trials.  

“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. (verse 12-14)

We don’t fear the Lord and so aren’t dependent on Him for strength, comfort, justice, healing. The fear of the Lord is a profound reverence and not a “fear” in the way a young child is afraid of the dark. It’s a core understanding that a just creator designed the world around us with boundaries. We are created in His image. That image comes with a built in recognition of who and what we are. Our software (if you will) contains code from our designer, Whose imprint is recognized by all living creatures. Our purpose is to reflect the design of our creator in what we accomplish and how we behave. If we ignore the design or try to replace it we tell lies to the next generation. We throw off restraint so much easier when we ignore what nature screams at us about Creation. 

We put up with the destructive notion that boys can be girls and girls can be boys. Just flip a switch, change the code. A wicked attempt to undermine God’s creation has hardly been conceived. It’s a direct threat to our kids and it needs to be resisted with boldness, not genteel discussions and compromises. It’s one example in a culture of many.

We need to find our desperation again. We need to seek the Lord and reset the imbalance in our lives. Let’s become like King David and beg justice for the innocent, comfort for the broken and restoration for the lost.  

“For as the heavens are high above the earth so great is His mercy towards those who fear Him…”( verse 11)

Moses and Remembrance

Deuteronomy 9

Why do we remember anything? Or if asked a little differently, why do we remember some events and not others? Meetings with old friends can bring to mind stories long forgotten? It happens that way because our minds are prone to push some things to the front and others to the back. We can only focus on so many events/stories/memories at a time. Moses understands how pivotal the 40 years in the wilderness was to the children of Israel and insists they remember, or lose the collective importance.

If you had an event in your family where a member almost died because of a heart condition, you would remember that. You’d remember a scary night at the hospital when their life seemed to hang by a thread. And if they lived…you’d remember how they changed their diet, started walking and losing weight. You’d remember what made the difference and make changes in your own life to avoid a similar scare. Moses needs the Children of Israel to remember the scary night in the wilderness when God nearly destroyed them because of their wickedness.

One way to remember is by routine or ceremony. In America we have ceremonies for Veterans Day and Memorial Day, and important people like Martin Luther King and Abraham Lincoln. The Jews celebrate Passover by ‘remembering’ in a collective sense, the exodus from slavery to freedom and a land of their own. It's a reminder of how God kept His promise and rescued them from the Egyptians and took care of them through the wilderness. Most of Deuteronomy is Moses imploring the next generation of Israelites to never forget how the Lord kept them from harm, and kept His Word.  

Near the end of chapter 9 Moses reminds them that God was full of wrath at how they had rejected Him and made a golden calf to worship like the Canaanites. He (Moses) pleaded with God not to destroy them in His anger. Moses is also thinking about what would be said about God if the Jewish people were ultimately destroyed.

 “…O Lord God, do not destroy Your people and Your inheritance whom You have redeemed through Your greatness, whom You have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; do not look on the stubbornness of this people, or on their wickedness or their sin, lest the land from which You brought us should say, “Because the Lord was not able to bring them, and because He hated them, He has brought them out to kill them in the wilderness.” (26-28).

Moses was thinking about the promise and reminding God about it. How awesome is that? We can remind God about His promises to us. He is also thinking about the future of God’s name and reputation among people if the children of Israel die in the desert. Usually God is holding us back from making a regrettable decision. Here, it looks like Moses is doing the same to God. But in using the promise of Jehovah’s Word, it has the uniqueness of being reliable.

The wilderness experience for the Israelites was so formidable in the exodus story that Moses won’t let them forget it. The same is true for us in personal matters too. We remember when something is important enough. But add a few generations and without rigorous attention to ceremony, it gets lost in the ‘importance’ of the now. The Jewish people get this better than most. They also show us that it’s possible to live a modern (Western) lifestyle and still honor the past by adhering to ceremony where necessary. I don’t think the actual rites or rituals are as important as making time for them. In Christianity we celebrate the resurrection of Christ by attending church for a celebration of victory over death, for all time. But other ceremonies exist around the world, I’m sure Eastern Orthodox Christians have a different tradition.

When we don’t honor seminal events we lose them, and the importance of God in our lives. We also lose generations of people to nihilism or apathy. Moses won’t let them forget.  

 

James 3: Taming the Tongue

James 3 is all about the tongue and the unseen power of words over our lives.

At first I thought it strange that James opened with a message about being a teacher.

 “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.” (verse 1) 

Teaching is something others need for guidance and mentoring. Why does he then launch into a chapter on the tongue, or the importance of the things we say? I think the short answer is that words are more central to our behavior than we realize. Our words direct our actions even when we don’t mean to. When you see yourself as a teacher to others it forces a rethink in how you speak to others, or at least it should.

James goes on to say that ships are turned by a small rudder. In the same way the tongue directs our actions. 

“The tongue is so set among our members it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; it is set on fire by hell.” (verse 6)

 This doesn’t just apply to the way we speak to others. That’s what really jumps out at first here, a warning to be nice to others and talk them up. For sure, we need to build up and not tear down but James is also talking about the negative words we say about ourselves, which is far more useful to me. I’m more careful about ripping others than I used to be. But it’s taken a while to speak positive, biblical truths about MY future and MY self-worth.

When I don’t see any movement on areas I’ve prayed over for years I get very disheartened and want to quit. A sense of ‘what’s the point’ can set in quickly as negativity forms bitter words. James isn’t impartial on the tongue. It’s clear to him that “No one can tame” it. Wisdom is key to controlling the words we use. Look to the Heavenly Father for direction and it will come out in the speech we use. It will bless others when we might want to curse them. It will build up where our instinct says to put down. It will renew our minds so our speech follows the direction we point it in. 

If the tongue is a rudder than we can control, only wisdom from above will provide the direction. Only God knows our course. We should point toward Him.

I’ve never thought of the tongue as something contrary to the Word of God. But negativity breeds negativity in speech. The opposite is also true with positive speech. James is saying is our thoughts aren’t as important as what we say. We can have evil foreboding thoughts but if we close them off before they reach the tongue it won’t have any effect. In other words control the thoughts before they turn into words. Steer them in the right direction.

How many times have I been frustrated with an employee over poor work habits or lazy behavior? When I allow those frustrations to stew I take it out on them, blast them for their worthlessness. How many times have a run myself down over silly mistakes? Reacting suddenly comes with baggage. Better to seek wisdom and take a few breaths. I guess that’s what being a teacher is about.

The Leadership Framework: I Peter 5

I’ve been thinking about leadership as defined from Washington DC, politicians. Some Americans resent calling them “leaders” because they’re just elected to serve ‘We the People’. “We shouldn’t call them leaders” they say. I disagree. The responsibility for national security and economic freedom are voted on regularly. Not to mention the countless bills going through Congress amount to significant authority over our lives. We can debate about how much of that authority is legitimate, but it’s hard to argue that they wield significant power to direct cultural, spiritual and economic influence.

In Chapter 5 Peter lays out a framework for leaders and followers focused on growth benefiting everyone. We all have responsibility.

 “Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;” (verse 2)

The words “willingly” and “eagerly” suggest genuine interest in the well-being of the “flock”. Peter doesn’t say it here but the impression is that anyone who doesn’t share these characteristics has no business in the role of leadership (shepherding). Sadly we have too many examples of politicians who have enriched themselves and made deals at the expense of the public. But where a lot of Americans point to Washington and say “See, those are the bastards!” it’s only partly true.

The rest of us have a role here too.

 “Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (Verse 5)

When you replace “younger people” with citizens, or those being looked out for, it fits into our model a little better. We have a role to make sure those we elect have some understanding of Godly morality and fiscal responsibility. This is tougher than it sounds. We can’t throw all responsibility for morality, spending and security on to some faceless crowd that resides in the ‘swamp’. Peter is clear that “leaders” have a larger responsibility under God, but those being led aren’t given a pass either.  

It’s easy to dismiss this as an elder in the faith writing to future believers and suggesting a kind of ‘best practices’ for getting along. True, this is written for believers (disciples) but the framework is ideal for any kind of business or non-profit. It’s an ordered way to live the most effective and efficient life. Another thing that isn’t stated but is understood is that when these principles aren’t followed life gets out of order. Greed takes over at the top or rebellion bubbles up from the bottom.

At a certain point we forget what the flash point was and ‘We the People’ stop listening to the leaders. The leaders become entrenched in personal deal making, dishonest gain and selfish pursuits. After a number of years the system perpetuates until it’s hard to remember who the real culprits are.

The spending is truly out of control and debt is a massive time bomb. But how many of us can say we’ve made perfect financial choices? Is the debt problem really just a federal issue? How about cultural and moral issues? Can we really hang all of it on politicians?

There are rewards for all of us when we follow this plan, both for leaders and followers. For leaders: “…when the chief Shepherd [Christ] appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.”  (Verse 4)

So there is a larger goal to seek then momentary riches and short term perks. 

For followers: “Therefore humble yourselves under the hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” (verse 6-7)

The theme here for both is to be submissive to a larger cause, a more meaningful approach to life that pays out in influence. There is a purpose in whatever short-term suffering we go through. The difficulty is in submitting to leaders, both political and non-political, who act frivolous and immoral. But behavior is ultimately judged by God.

Peter encourages growth in understanding and responsibility. “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.” (verse 10)

In other words, there is an end to current frustrations and a larger picture will emerge, when we settle our hearts and trust in the framework.