Therefore be careful to observe (the Lord’s commandments); for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ (Deuteronomy 4:6) I am of the (debatable) thinking that about a third of Church criticism could be scrapped and simply replaced with a simple statement suggesting such “we must seek Biblical authority”. I imagine that most Christian thinkers get this and attempt to make this statement by painting the corners and making suggestion. And it is understandable, Biblical authority ushers in a host of challenges to the way we go about things in the church, home, and person. In this I pose a question, is our obedience to His words, as presented to us in the Bible, a following of orders or a reflection of His Justice, His Goodness, and His Glory in His creation? Consider for a moment the call of men to leadership in the church and in the family. Perhaps Saint Paul, in establishing order in the Church, did not cling to an ideal of a patriarchal culture. Perhaps men have always struggled with the demands and burdens of leadership beyond simply being a good man. Perhaps Jehovah knowing how quickly a man’s heart can turn to vice and ambition breathed out clear and direct expectations lest they fall away. Perhaps all this demonstrates His glory, as good men of faith who heed His word do walk among us.In this same mindset, we might recognize that the Bible can be quite firm and in some instances seem harsh. And we need not simply consider the Old Testament, our Savior Himself didn’t pull many punches about sin. Nor did St. Paul hide from calling out sin as it presented itself in the early churches. The Word might seem to contradict our calling to the broken and sinful world. Perhaps this is God’s justice shining through. Perhaps those buried in sin need to know that there is an Ideal and there is a God who wants to draw them to it? Maybe our doors should be open and our message should be undiluted and in the affirmative “yes, the anger, the drugs, and the sex are wrong; but His purpose is not to damn, it is to get those things out of you”. In this we should take care and remember that we are not yet obedient, we only have the opportunity to become such…
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