Neutral Morality

"I'm a middle-of-the road kinda guy,"  Chuck said to his friend Steve as they walked the narrow stretch of road just outside of town.  It was their custom to cool down on the sidewalks of this street after their runs.  "It doesn't take much to please me, and I try to get along with everybody."  

"Don't you think it is beneficial to feel strongly about something?"  Steve asked.  "I mean, we humans are kind of made to be passionate about things--do you ever feel like your life lacks purpose?"

"Nope," Chuck said as he walked out into the middle of the street to make a point.  Looking back at Steve and lifting up his arms with a wide grin on his face, he said, "Here, I am free!"

Then the semi truck came.

It seems that a lot of people share Chuck's mindset.  One aspect of it is that "If what I am doing doesn't hurt anybody then it is fine.  I even help people sometimes.  I'm a good person, right?"

The Bible paints quite a different picture.  In Romans, it says "For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.  For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God"  (Rom. 8:5-8). 

Here, the Apostle Paul, the author of Romans, makes it clear that every single person thinks one of two ways:  either they have their mind set on the "flesh" or have their mind set on the "Spirit."  One (the flesh) is hostile towards God and leads to death, and the other (the Spirit) makes peace with God and leads to life.  We can see then the problem with Chuck's reasoning in light of this Scripture--he has to be thinking with one influence or the other.  There is no middle of the road.  The idea of somehow being both moral and neutral to spiritual matters does not line up with at least this Scripture in Romans.

In Romans 6:16, Paul says, "Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?"  Paul makes the point here that everyone is a slave to something.  Being a slave to sin means being a slave to disobedience to God--this also means that I am free from being obedient to God, or free from righteousness.

In The United States of America, we are raised to enjoy, if not demand our freedom, so whenever freedom is talked about, naturally I have a tendency to think that it is good.  But in this case, being free from obedience to God is not a good thing because this freedom leads to death--not just my physical death but an eternal death.  Thankfully, I have the opportunity then to be freed from sin, leading to death, and present myself as a slave to obedience to God, leading to life.  It is one or the other.  Either I am a slave to death or a slave to life, ultimately.

Paul makes a similar point in his letter to the Galatians, "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.  For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please"  (Galatians 5:16-17, emphasis added).  If I am doing what God pleases, I will not be doing what naturally pleases me.  It is one or the other. 

So back to our friend Chuck.  He had time to realize that the middle of the road was not a safe place to be.  Like Chuck, in order to live, we must pick a side.  God is calling us on His side to be with Him. 

How will you respond?

"Do not love the world nor the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not form the Father, but is from the world.  The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever."  ~1 John 2:15-17

A Praiseworthy Wife

This post will have a little more personal flavor, but it is about something (someone) whom I love to talk about.  My wife. 

As of today, we have been married for 1 year.  Praise the Lord!  It has gone by so fast, yet it feels like we have been married for years.  We continue to learn about one another, and what we told each other during our year-long engagement, that each day would get more and more glorious as time goes on, continues to come true. 

I would definitely say that I have not only been learning about Allison but learning from her.  I truly admire her faith and her desire to know the Lord more deeply.  I also admire her work ethic and organizational skills (which challenge me--especially the latter...)  and her love for her family.  I have learned a lot about myself as a result. 

I am realizing  how important the role of a husband and a father is in the life of a family.  The husband is the one responsible for supporting the wife, not merely financially, but in providing a safe place for her  to live physically, emotionally, and spiritually by always making time for her and providing warmth and love.  Allison told me something very stirring the other day.  She said, "Tyler, I am realizing that you are like Christ on earth to me."  She wasn't saying that she is by any means worshipping me or that I'm perfectly like Christ, but she is recognizing God working through me in the authority He has given me as her husband.  (See Ephesians 5 22:-33)

I have also been seeing God working through her in how she submits to me.  **Just a side note, her submitting to me by no means that she is inferior (see 1 Peter 3)...just that our roles are different**  Seeing this has been challenging me to fulfill my role as her husband.  It is my desire to love her and give everything for her and our family.  It has also been reminding me of how I am part of the Bride of Christ.  I am to be submitting to the Lord, along with all of my brothers and sisters in the faith, so that we can be in perfect unity with Jesus Christ.  So the description of the "The Wife of Noble Character" in Proverbs 31 is how Christ wants to find His bride when He returns.  And I can Praise the Lord that I have such a lovely model of that character in my Allison.

"^[b]A wife of noble character who can find?
    She is worth far more than rubies.
¹¹ Her husband has full confidence in her
    and lacks nothing of value.
¹² She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life.
¹³ She selects wool and flax
    and works with eager hands.
¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
    bringing her food from afar.
¹⁵ She gets up while it is still night;
    she provides food for her family
    and portions for her female servants.
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
    out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously;
    her arms are strong for her tasks.
¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable,
    and her lamp does not go out at night.
¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff
    and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor
    and extends her hands to the needy.
²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
    for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
²² She makes coverings for her bed;
    she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
²³ Her husband is respected at the city gate,
    where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
    and supplies the merchants with sashes.
²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity;
    she can laugh at the days to come.
²⁶ She speaks with wisdom,
    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸ Her children arise and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹ “Many women do noble things,
    but you surpass them all.”
³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
³¹ Honor her for all that her hands have done,
    and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."  ~Proverbs 31:10-31