As Christians, we are called to live a very distinctive way. Being a Christian is a calling to the hard work of shaping the metal of our lives (our character) into a form that expresses God’s masterpiece within all of us. The whole letter focuses on Christian virtue and character and how transforming habits of our mind and heart will demonstrate the power and wisdom of Jesus Christ. A power and a wisdom that is often baffling to the rest of the world.
We opened the new series by reviewing our alternative worldview presented by Paul in the statement “we preach Christ crucified.” We ended last week with the question; does your life reflect the Christ in your heart? This week we move to a larger question, “how?” How do we (you and I) act in ways others in our society scratch their heads and go, “What? Why would you do that?”
Now make no mistake, the people who know you are already watching and judging your actions. Unfortunately, we rarely think about the impression we make. In our lack of attention lies the difference between virtue and vice. A virtue is a learned behavior. There is a conscious decision between what is best and whatever feels good. A vice is a settling for, or a falling into a pattern of, whatever is comfortable, easy and pleasing to the world we have been born into without respect for others or God.
Dr. Stephen L. Anderson, a professor in Ontario, Canada, had what he called a moment of "startling clarity" while teaching a section on ethics in his senior philosophy class. He needed an "attention-getter"—something to shock his students and force them to take an ethical stand. He hoped that this would form a "baseline" from which they could evaluate other ethical decisions. Here's how he explained what happened next: I decided to open by simply displaying, without comment, the photo of Bibi Aisha. Aisha was the Afghani teenager who was forced into an abusive marriage with a Taliban fighter, who abused her and kept her with his animals. When she attempted to flee, her family caught her, hacked off her nose and ears, and left her for dead in the mountains … She was saved by a nearby American hospital. I felt quite sure that my students, seeing the suffering of this poor girl of their own age, would have a clear ethical reaction …. The picture is horrific. Aisha's beautiful eyes stare hauntingly back at you above the mangled hole that was once her nose. Some of my students could not even raise their eyes to look at it. I could see that they were experiencing deep emotions. But I was not prepared for their reaction. I had expected strong aversion; but that's not what I got. Instead, they became confused. They seemed not to know what to think. They spoke timorously, afraid to make any moral judgment at all. They were unwilling to criticize any situation originating in a different culture. They said, "Well, we might not like it, but maybe over there it's okay." Another said, "It's just wrong to judge other cultures." I wondered, "How can kids who have been so thoroughly basted in the language of minority rights be so numb to a clear moral offense?" …. No matter how I prodded they did not leave their nonjudgmental position. I left that class shaking my head. It seemed clear to me that for some students—clearly not all—the lesson of character education initiatives is acceptance of all things at all costs. While we may hope some are capable of bridging the gap between principled morality and this ethically vacuous relativism, it is evident that a good many are not. For them, the overriding message is "never judge, never criticize, never take a position." Dr. Stephen L. Anderson, "Moments of Startling Clarity," Education Forum (Fall 2011)
When we fall into this pattern that all is acceptable depending upon the culture one lives, we fail to recognize that all humans were created to be image bearers of God and that humanity needs God’s direction to forge the beauty inside each one of us. Make no mistake, God wants each of to bear his image in the world TODAY.
Dale Carnegie is reported to have said: "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."
This is why Paul is so adamant throughout 1 Corinthians to correct behavior of those who call themselves Christian. Let’s turn to 1 Corinthians 6. While you are pulling it up on your app or finding the book which comes after Romans, let me give you a little background. The apostle Paul wrote this roughly 3 years after his extended stay with the new church plant. The letter was written during his second missionary journey and he is trying to get this band of believers to stop their infighting, misunderstanding and creating of factions to return to a church of unity.
If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers! The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. - NIV
Paul is upset because the Greek behavior being demonstrated is that of the stereotypical Greek. They would sue over everything. Does it sound familiar? America files an average of 12 million lawsuits a year. He was particularly upset because these “Christians” were supposed to be more loving and demonstrating unity in the community. However, they would bring their cases before the “bema” or judgment seat that was located in the public square. (Gordon Fee, 1 Corinthian Commentary p.248) The result was a tarnishing of the message of Jesus Christ and his message. A message he made clear in the 5th chapter of the gospel of Matthew (v. 38-39) with the words, “Turn the other cheek.”
Last week, we talk about the error of incest. This week, its lawsuits and the rest of the chapter moves into sex with prostitutes. He is bringing up each of these items because the church has succumbed to the culture instead of living as Christians attracting others to this alternative lifestyle.
Character formation takes place in the process of making thousands of smaller decisions over the course of time. The choice to deny one self, die to oneself, to let go of socially acceptable activities that Jesus Christ calls us to move beyond and above society’s expectations. Integrity is judged by our consistency of what we say and what we do. Paul is encouraging his new church plant to live out its values.
On December 2, 2012, a Spanish long-distance runner named Ivan Fernandez Anaya was competing in a cross-country race in the Spanish countryside. Anaya was running in second-place, well behind the race leader, the Kenyan runner and Olympic medalist Abel Mutai. As they entered the finishing stretch, Mutai, the certain winner of the race, suddenly stopped running. Apparently, he mistakenly thought he had already crossed the finish line. A Spanish newspaper reported what happened next: "Fernández Anaya quickly caught up with him, but instead of exploiting Mutai's mistake to speed past and claim an unlikely victory, he stayed behind and, using gestures, guided the Kenyan to the line and let him cross first." When asked what motivated this kind deed, Anaya said, "He was the rightful winner. He created a gap that I couldn't have closed if he hadn't made a mistake. As soon as I saw he was stopping, I knew I wasn't going to pass him." Surprisingly, Anaya's coach, the famous Spanish runner Martin Fiz, was disappointed with Anaya's display of sportsmanship. Fiz said, "He has wasted an occasion. Winning always makes you more of an athlete. You have to go out to win." But Anaya stood by his decision. He told reporters, Even if they had told me that winning would have earned me a place in the Spanish team for the European championships, I wouldn't have done it either … because today, with the way things are in all circles, in soccer, in society, in politics, where it seems anything goes, a gesture of honesty goes down well. Carlos Arribas, "Honesty of the long-distance runner,"El Pais (In English), (12-19-12)
This story leads me into the story of from the Special Olympics. It’s a story of an athlete who falls during the hurdles and as the other runner realize one of the competitors has fallen, the whole field stops and goes back to help the runner up. The oath is "Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt." Their attempt was more than most of our struggles to just do the right thing.
Read more at http://www.snopes.com/glurge/special.asp#d53SqhGROUFPoMIB.99
The goal of the formation of Christian character is move from learned behaviors to instinctive action. The churchy word is holiness. It is the goal of all discipleship that we are to become Christ to the world. As 1 Peter 2:9 states: to become a royal priesthood to the world outside the doors of the church. It is in this, we begin to reflect His love to the world that, in turn, lifts their praises the King, who created us, redeemed us and who sustains us.
Will you be a royal priesthood in the world this week? Will you stand for what is right? Will you let yourself lose or not even compete so others can see the beauty of Christ in your soul? After all, you have already one by Christ’s commitment to be in the Kingdom with him.
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