April 14, 2014

“Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”   Luke 12:1

To my Christian family: I was very burdened today, and had to put my thoughts on paper. Warning: This is long and kind of “preachy”. It may even be a little controversial.

Last Saturday morning my Bible study was on Luke 12. Although I read the entire chapter, my mind was drawn back to the first verse.  I meditated on this warning, why it is a threat, and how to guard against it. Sunday morning this point was driven home dramatically with news of a fallen brother in the Lord. I know nothing of his personal circumstances, but people are falling all around us. We all fall. I feel that we desperately need to consider this.
The battle against hypocrisy rages for every Christian. We are constantly called to “be an example”, “let our light shine”, etc. The more responsibility we carry, or the more vocal we are about our faith, the greater the pressure to “live above reproach”. As a result we tend to attempt to deal with our personal battles with temptation in private. We often feel that we cannot afford to be open because our “fitness for ministry” may come into question. As a result, we have no accountability to one another. We set up a cycle of failure with disastrous effects. In our private pursuit of holiness, we become Pharisees, worried about the outside – hiding the inside. The battle is harder on our spiritual leaders, especially those whose livelihood can be directly dependent on the respect of a congregation. Pastors are often expected to be above the struggle with depression, marital troubles, and temptations of any kind. To fail in one of these areas is not only to fail a congregation, but also to threaten the stability of a family.
We have to learn that this is not what the church is intended to be! Galatians 6:2 tells us 

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

We cannot help each other if we hide our struggles; and we will not share our burdens if we have not fostered an environment of love, free from judgment. If we fail to create this environment, we unintentionally create one in which the yeast of hypocrisy can grow in the most sincere of individuals. If we are not there for one another during our weakest moments, Satan surely will “stand in the gap”. We are warned

“Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion,  looking for someone to devour.   
( 1 Peter 5:8)

Nature teaches us that predators will pick off the straggler; the one left alone and defenseless. It is the reason the shepherd will leave the ninety nine, and seek the one. It is why the military call is to “Never leave a man behind,” and why we teach our children about “safety in numbers.” It is why many dangerous jobs require people to work in teams, because if one is injured, the other can call for help. Solomon spoke of this in Ecclesiastes:

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12)

The challenge for us is to very intentionally create this environment. A soldier from a cohesive unit is confident that he will not be abandoned should he fall in action. This confidence is built through verbal and practical drills long before it is tested on the battlefield. Loyalty becomes ingrained in the very core of the unit. It is not assumed; it is not accidental; it is not optional. Ideally, it is at the very core of a soldier’s identity. We need to have this same confidence within the body of Christ. We all need to be absolutely certain that when we are at our weakest point, we can count on our brothers and sisters to carry us. This can only be accomplished through relentless, repetitive, intentional love. It begins in the mind. We must have a strategy. We must speak it, drill it, and in-grain it in our thinking. It will, without a doubt, be tested. Only when it is tested on the battlefield will it be proved genuine.
Of course, sin has consequences, and we cannot and should not attempt to shield people from moral or judicial consequences. However, we can and should be alongside them with the Living Word and unwavering love of Jesus, regardless of the gravity of the offense. According to Jesus, the defining characteristic of his followers is love (John 13:35).
I am so grateful to be warned with passionate tears that I can not privatize my struggle with temptation. I am grateful for a group of individuals that foster what I view to be a safe, loving environment for growth. I am confident that if I find myself in a downward spiral, there are many hands that will take hold of me until I re-gain my footing. However, I can not let my guard down – no one can. The “yeast of the Pharisees” is an ever-present danger for all Christians, but we have a savior who forgives all sin. We must always be ready to remind one another of that fact. 

“The Lord your God is with you,

the Mighty Warrior who saves.

He will take great delight in you;

in his love he will no longer rebuke you,

but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Zephaniah 3:17