Mixing without getting mixed up

Can Christians be good mixers? It is quite clear from the gospels that our Lord mixed easily and happily in the society of his day.

He was glad to accept an invitation to the wedding in Cana, and willingly helped his host when he was embarrassed by a shortage of wine (Jn 2:1-1).

He was known as "a friend of publicans and sinners" (Mt 11:19), and accepted the devotion of a redeemed prostitute (Lk 7:38).

The picture we have of Jesus is of one who was always happy to be in the company of others, no matter who they were. He was never disdainful, contemptuous or condemnatory.

Even when faced with a woman caught in the act of adultery his concern was not for the law but for her, how he could save her life.

He did not condone her sin, but her certainly loved the sinner when he said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again" (Jn 8:3-11).

It is through his example that we can understand his word to us, "You are the salt of the earth" (Mt 5:13). For salt gives flavour and preserves from corruption, and this was exactly his function when on this earth.

But the problem is this.

How can we act as salt in our world without becoming thoroughly worldly ourselves?:

How can we be a good mixer, as Jesus was, and yet "keep ourselves unstained from the world" (Jas 1:27)?

How can we be friendly with the world, as he was, and at the same time, take heed of the warning of scripture, "Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God" (Jas 4:4)?

In a word, how can we be a good mixer in society without compromising our Christian standards?

Not a new problem

This problem, which is ours, has been a problem for Christians throughout the ages. It was, in particular, an acute problem for the Christians in Corinth.

The Corinth of Paul's day was an exceedingly wicked city. A thousand "sacred" prostitutes from the Temple of Aphrodite on the Acropolis plied the streets daily.

It was extremely hard for a man, or for a woman, to live a moral life in licentious Corinth.

We have our problems with pornographic literature, indecent films, and the increasing erosion of moral standards, but their problems were infinitely worse.

Paul's word to them was completely uncompromising. He said, "Come out from them and be separate from them," says the Lord, "and touch nothing unclean, then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters," says the Lord Almighty (2 Cor 6:17-18).

His reasons for the believer living a totally separated life from the world are given in verses 14 to 16 ­ "Do not be mismated with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols?"

The believer is "the temple of the living God" (v16), and this temple must be kept holy. It must never be defiled.

Our problem with this teaching on separation is not concerned with black and white, but it is concerned with grey areas. Christians readily agree that gross sins and gross sinners should be avoided, but what about those areas and those people who are not gross?

It was the same in Corinth.

A Christian stonemason could be given an order to make an idol. Should he, or should he not? After all, it was only a block of lifeless stone. A Christian dressmaker could be given an order to make garments for the priestesses of Aphrodite. What should she do? After all, a dress in itself is not evil.

A guild member could receive an invitation to a guild dinner. The invitation would come in this form ­ "Your guild invites you to dine at the table of the Lord Serapis in his temple." Should he go when the meat would certainly have been previously offered to idols?

There were the grey areas of life. But here, as in the black and white ares, the same rule was applied, "Come out from them, and be separate from them," says the Lord, "and touch nothing unclean."

Needless to say this was a very costly principle to abide by in Corinth, and it is a very costly principle today.It is as true now as it was true then that the Christian is to have nothing to do with anything in this world that is evil and wrong in God's sight.

In grey areas our conscience must be our guide, but it must be a conscience that is captive to the Word of God, and not one given to compromise and rationalisation.

Being a good mixer

Following the example of the Lord Jesus Christ, the separated person must, at the same time, truly love his neighbour, whether that neighbour is a Christian or not. We are to do good to all men (Mt 5:44), which surely means caring for others and helping others, no matter who they are.

The Christian should be the warmest and friendliest person alive. He should be a great lover of people, knowing each person is made "in the image and likeness of God" (Gen 1:26). As an employer he should be absolutely honest, sincere and generous. As an employee he should seek the highest welfare of his employer.

In this social life he should be a friend to all, especially to those others ignore. In his recreational life he should be known to be a sportsman and a gentleman, in the true sense of these words.

Above all he must share Christ's compassion for the hurt people, the disadvantaged people, the poor people; and he must be the first to offer practical help.

When we study the life of Christ we are amazed at the way he achieved a perfect balance between living a separated life, and, at the same time, mixing freely and happily with all manner of people.

He asked, with confidence, "which of you convicts me of sin?" (Jn 8:46), but, at the same time, he truly loved his neighbour as himself.

The Christian is called on to live both a separated life, and a loving life, just as Jesus did.

 

Tuesday

GENESIS 12:1-9

"Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred" (v1 AV).

Separation is a doctrine which is taught from one end of the Bible to the other. We learn from Joshua 24:2 that Terah, Abraham's father, and his family, "served other gods." The chief among these gods was the moon god.

Then the day came when God said to Abraham, "Come out from among them and worship and serve me."

This was a hard commandment to obey, but Abraham did obey, and became the father of all who believe in the Lord (Gal 3:6-7).

The same command was given to Lot. He was told, just before the destruction of Sodom and Gommorah, to "Get out" (Gen 19:14).

This became the pattern for the whole of Israel. They were God's people, therefore they had to separate themselves from anything that was unclean (Is 52:11). They were not to marry foreign wives (Ez 10:10. They were not to make alliances with foreign nations. Above all they were not to worship foreign gods (Ez 22:1-5).

God said to them, "You shall be my own possession among all peoples ... and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Ex 19:5-6). This is also his word to the new Israel, the Church (1 Pt 2:9).

Wednesday

1 PETER 2:1-10

"You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people" (v9).

There is no more beautiful and exciting description of the Church of Christ in the New Testament than this one. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Peter, himself a Jew, boldly states that the glorious status that once belonged to the old Israel now belongs to the new Israel.

We are "a chosen race" elected to salvation by our gracious God. We are "a royal priesthood". "Royal" because we belong to Christ ­ the "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" (Rev 19:16), and therefore have a place in his kingdom (see Rev 1:5).

We are a "priesthood" because Christ, through his death on the cross, has won for us the right of access to the throne of God. We now "have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way which he opened for us" (Heb 10:20).

The Church of Christ is now "a holy nation". God once said of ancient Israel that they were "the people whom I formed for myself" (Is 43:21); then Christ came "who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity, and to purify for himself a people of his own" (Titus 2:14).

Thursday

MATTHEW 23:23-27

"Blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel" (v24).

When the Jews were taken captive to Babylon (597 BC) they lost everything except their rolls of scripture. So it was that the study of the Scriptures became their chief occupation, and the sect of the Scribes arose who were experts in this field.

The Pharisees, a name which means "separated ones", had their origin in the opposition to the Hellenisation of their land under Antiochus Ephiphanies of Syria in 175 BC.

In the time of Jesus both the Scribes and the Pharisees were greatly venerated by the people because of their origin, and because of their devotion to the Law, both written and oral.

But both groups were attacked in these scathing terms by Jesus for neglecting "the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith" (v23).

To our shame there are Pharisees in our churches who merit a similar condemnation. Men who are "separated" from common people, men who pretend to be "holy" yet in their lives are loveless, greedy and ruthless. Men so blind to reality that they strain out gnats and swallow camels.

Those of us who claim to be separated need to pray daily, "May God save me from becoming a Pharisee!"

Friday

PROVERBS 20:1-7

"Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler; and whoever is led astray by its is not wise" (v1).

It has been well said that if alcoholic drink had been discovered in our time it would have been banned as an addictive drug of similar danger to our well-being as heroin or cocaine.

But, alas, it was discovered at the dawn of civilisation (Gen 9:20), and has been destroying men and nations ever since.

It is true the Psalmist wrote that "wine gladdens the heart of man" (Ps 104:15), but, in general, the Bible warns us of the tragic consequences of over indulgence. See Lev 10:9; Deut 29:6; Pro 31:4; Is 5:11,22,23; Jer 25:15,16.

The cost of over-indulgence is beyond all calculation. It is the chief cause of road fatalities, industrial accidents, absenteeism, crime and broken marriages.

In the kind of society in which we live, and the kind of fast lifestyle we must adopt if we are to survive, surely the Christian should separate himself from all alcoholic beverages, both for his own good, and as an example to "the weaker brother" (Ro 14:13).

Total abstinence and strong support for the prohibition movement is the proper answer for today.

Saturday

HEBREWS 13:1-6

"Keep your life free from love of money" (v5).

In modern life a Christian should be seen to be "separated" in the whole range of social, recreational and business life.

It is shameful that a rugby match between church teams can sometimes be marked by just as much bad temper and brawling as any other.

It is also a shameful fact that when under pressure, or when in a situation where he does not think he will be found out, a "Christian" can sometimes use the same foul language that is such a disgraceful feature of modern life.

There is a saying that "business is business", and a "Christian" can so divorce his business life from his Sunday life that he can be just as guilty as anyone else of defrauding others.

Far too many "Christians" worship Mammon, despite Jesus telling us that we cannot worship God and Mammon (Mt 6:24). The ostentatious lifestyle of many is a disgrace to the name of Christ.

We must, with the utmost strictness, separate ourselves from all such evils in case what we do completely drowns out what we are trying to say.

In every aspect of our daily living we must "adorn the doctrine of God" (Titus 2:10).

Sunday

ROMANS 16:17-27

"Take note of those who create dissensions and difficulties, in opposition to the doctrine which you have been taught, avoid them" (v17).

The early Church was gravely affected by false teachers of various kinds. Paul warned the elders of Ephesus of some who were active in their area, saying "after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock" (Acts 20:29).

He wrote in similar terms to the Colossians (Col 2:8), and to Timothy 91Tim 4:1-3). These men, he said, "live as enemies of Christ" (Phil 3:18).

It seems there were some in Rome who were teaching a form of Gnosticism, a deadly heresy which developed into the greatest possible danger to the Christian Church.

These men were using Christian terms such as "redemption", "salvation", "the Gospel", "resurrection"; but they were giving these words an entirely different meaning.

There are men in the Church doing exactly the same today. They teach a Christianity which is foreign to the New Testament.

We are told to "avoid them". Does this mean separating ourselves physically from them in the sense of "breaking away" and forming a new church?

Or does it mean "staying on", opposing their teaching and trying to win them back to the truth? (Gal 2:11-21).

In such a tragic situation everyone must act as conscience dictates.

 

Monday

GALATIANS 2:11-21

"I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed (v11 AV).

This clash between Peter and Paul was over an issue of great importance. A circumcision party within the Christian Church was determined to enforce Jewish practices on non-Jewish Christians. This party had its centre in Jerusalem, where James was in charge (v12). They had won over Peter and Barnabas to their cause.

Paul was equally determined to defend the central doctrine of justification by faith (v16) which, he maintained, meant Gentiles were not bound by Jewish law.

Here was a split of grave proportions in the early Church, a split that was never healed. The Jerusalem Church continued with its teaching only to disappear with the Ebionites in the second Century. Gentile Christianity has continued to this present day.

However, this split did not lead to the formation of separate churches. Paul and his friends remained in fellowship with James, Peter and Barnabas.

 
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