Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ “
Matthew 4:7 NKJV
There is a fine line between faith, foolishness, and presumption. I do not claim to know where that line is in every situation, but there is one. Some moments are easily recognized, while other moments are way more nuanced and shaded. Personally, to stand at the top of a 10-story building and jump off the ledge quoting Psalm 91, would be both an act of presumption and foolishness. There are few people who would try to make a theological case of God suspending the law of gravity upon your confession of faith. Even Jesus, in the context of the above Scripture reference, refused to be provoked into a false choice of obeying Scripture and yet ignoring a natural law of gravity. Jesus rightly reaffirms that God can do the miraculous, but we are not to be presumptuous.
Yet at the same time, God calls people into dangerous circumstances, regions, and fields to proclaim the Gospel and make known His name. He leads us into irrational situations of danger and expects us to trust Him for that miracle. I have watched scores of God’s servants march into war zones, terrorist nations, and hostile tribal areas to preach the Gospel and proclaim Christ’s name to the ends of the earth with no thought of personal safety. The notable missionary, Jim Elliot, along with four other missionaries, gave their lives for the Auca tribe to hear the Gospel comes to mind. I suspect some would consider that foolish. Others (like me) consider that courageous and normal for those whom God calls.
When are we trusting God?
When are we tempting God?
This pandemic has opened the can to just that question. What does it mean to love your neighbor? What does it mean to love God fully and without compromise? For some, love is practicing social distancing, cancelling large group meetings, and deferring to those who are high risk possibilities for infection and can see it no other way. That makes sense in light of the Gospel. Others define it by maintaining their worship gatherings in creative and safe ways, continuing to press into the culture with the Gospel referencing both Scripture and the witness of the early church as it ministered in numerous epidemics. That makes sense too, in the light of the Gospel. Both groups, have a few (not all), that throw epithets at the other calling them either cowards or uncompassionate (depending on the group you are in).
I like the discussion of two views that stand in tension with each other. It makes me dig into the Scriptures and seek the Lord for what He is saying to me. It forces me out of the laziness of parroting my favorite social media star. I am forced to think biblically and consistently. I am challenged to make sure my allegiances are appropriately directed and apportioned in the right spot. These are actually good things. I don’t want to harm my neighbor, but neither do I want to compromise my faith. I want to respond to government as it attempts to practice “good” in its biblical mandate, but I am also commanded to resist the lines of tyranny and control when it seeks to undermine the Christian faith.
Interesting times, huh?
You may ask…
“What’s the answer to that tension?’
I’m not sure I have one…
At least not a nice, neat, and tidy one at the moment…
I respect my colleagues who closed down their church and opted for online church… (I get it)
I respect my colleagues who created ingenious ways of gathering their people on site for corporate worship… (I get it)
I do believe that the Lord is asking us to sharpen our discernment in these days. To know the Scriptures competently. To hear His voice clearly. To not be moved by our fears. To make sure our wisdom is from above and not from below. To not just “go along, to get along”, but rather confident we are being obedient to the One to whom we ultimately report.
Just some Monday morning musings…
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