“Litmus test” is a process used to determine the nature of something. In the 14th century scientists discovered that litmus, a mixture of colored organic compounds obtained from lichen, turns red in acid solutions and blue in alkaline solutions and, thus, can be used as an acid-base indicator. From a social perspective litmus tests are used to determine someone’s true intentions, beliefs, and character effectively and decisively.
What is the litmus test for genuine spiritual wellbeing? To read and listen to Christian experts one easily walks away confused about their personal relationship with the Lord and their state of wellbeing. These experts have their do-don’t lists that are to serve as a litmus test.
• There are those to which I refer to as nitpicky legalistic theologians. They focus on a purely moralistic way of measuring spiritual wellbeing.
• Reformed preachers tell us that God predestined some to be saved “before the foundation of the world”—saying we do not choose the Lord. Stay with this strain of thought and the conclusion is they are saying there is no hope for some.
• There is the works theology that is popular; the belief that though salvation is by grace certain kinds of works must be seen as evidence of salvation—if they are not present it means one’s salvation is inauthentic. They want to say salvation is a gift with one side of the mouth and while saying works are necessary for eternal life from the other side of the mouth.
• Then the Charismatics champion their “charismatic gifts” theology—word of knowledge, increased faith, gifts of healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, diversity of and interpretation of tongues, etc.
• Some Christians lean toward a humanistic perspective and advocate social justice, human freedom, individual conscience, unencumbered rational inquiry, a focus on personal needs and principles, etc.
If asked by a friend, how do you respond if asked, “How do you experience spiritual well-being amid the plethora of religious experts?”
Does the Bible have a litmus test? If so, what is it? The term biblical principles are easily thrown around, more as a way of defending a particular point of view verses looking at spiritual wellbeing from an authentic point of view. 1 Corinthians helps us in the development of a genuine understanding of spiritual wellbeing.
Allow me to clarify something. There are two ways to assess spiritual wellbeing.
• The Bible provides a litmus test to determine if a person has or has not accepted God’s gift of salvation
• The Bible provides a litmus test to determine if a believer aspires for godliness or not.
1. Paul affirms individuals who make up the body of Christ. I Corinthians 1:1-3
In our text, Paul is writing to those who are believers; they have an equal standing before God. None have greater status than others, regardless of gift mix or place of service in the body of Christ—the Church. Becoming a believer assumes a belief in the effectual nature of God-Incarnate in Jesus, his death, and his resurrection—nothing more. If you have believed in Jesus for your salvation don’t let anyone suggest you have to do anything to guarantee that. Some would say you have to speak in tongues. Some say if you die before you are baptized you don’t go to heaven.
A person can accept Jesus any time or place and have the assurance of salvation. You can be a person, as a man in our church, sitting in a hotel, contemplating suicide, and pick up a Gideon Bible and become a believer and have assurance of salvation. You can be a construction worker and have a coworker-pastor share the love of Christ, accept Jesus into your heart, point to a pond, ask to be baptized, and have the assurance of salvation. Honestly, most accept Christ prior to “walking down the aisle”, which is an affirmation of their decision.
We can say that we are spiritual; however, when we hear the Word proclaimed it becomes a litmus test of our spiritual status. In Proverbs 14:12 we read, “There is a way that seems right to man, but its end is death.” Search the internet and you will find a variety of forms of spirituality.
Our first question is this, have you embraced, believed in, the love of Christ? Do you realize it is not something you work toward? Do you realize it doesn’t matter how bad others, or yourself, judge your sins? Do you understand your spiritual wellbeing is founded upon accepting Christ for salvation? That is crucial! The Bible is the only litmus test for determining if you do or do not spend eternity with Jesus. In the book of John we read,
But to all who did receive Him,
He gave them the right to be children of God,
to those who believe in His name,
who were born,
not of blood,
Or the will of the flesh,
Or the will of man,
But of God. John 1:12-13
The foundation for a right relationship with God is the way He accepts you just as you are. If a person doesn’t base their life upon the effectual nature of God’s redeeming love, they will not have assurance of where they will spend eternity.
I worked with a counselor who had a very pessimistic view on humanity, especially men. She was involved in a very toxic and abusive relationship. They loved each other but couldn’t live together. Their relationship was toxic, with incredible problems in their relationship. The man, her ex-husband, faced life threatening health issues for several years. In his latter days she attempted to care for him. Her grief process has been difficult. Though he died over 2 years ago, she has found no peace. While visiting with her about the death of my father-in-law who had recently died, she made a comment, “They are here one moment and gone the next. Where do they go?
While talking with an elder in a church where I was serving as an interim pastor, I made a comment about funerals. I said, “I can’t imagine going to your spouse’s funeral, a parent’s funeral, or a child’s funeral, knowing in the heart of your heart that they had never accepted Jesus for their salvation, for eternal life. Too many times people don’t think they need God or that salvation is a universal experience for all. The greatest tragedy is when no one has ever shared the Gospel with them.
Without a relationship with Jesus, one has no solid foundation upon which to develop a healthy sense of spiritual wellbeing. My heart longs for all to know God and accept his gift of love and eternal life. That is what I want for each of you.
1. Paul expresses concern related to a haughty attitude of those in church. I Corinthians 13:1-7
In chapter 12 Paul has addressed problems within the church, such as a misunderstanding about spiritual gifts. Some believed that those who were able to speak in tongues or prophesy were the most spiritual members of the church. Chapter 14 appears to pick up at the end of chapter 12 and continues to address issues within the church. Chapter 13 appears to be an insert; it is like Paul came back and said, oh, by the way. Paul detected a spirit of haughtiness within the church, a psychological relationship to the haughtiness of the Jewish leaders.
Those who appear as the spiritual elite use the same narcissistic attitude as the Jewish leaders who wrote off the Gentiles. This week a memory popped up on Facebook. It reminded me of something I posted several years ago.
Because of who I am, what I have done, what I have said, I deserve. . . The greatest disease of our society is the lingering effects of narcissism; we all think we are entitled to anything we believe we want/deserve. What happened to humility? Narcissism comes from the Greek myth of Narcissus—Narcissus, a physically attractive young man, who, upon seeing his own reflection in a pond, is so taken with himself that he withers away while staring at his own reflection in the water and made little difference. I believe this is the curse of our society.
Pride and arrogance appear to be a pathological issue with many, a desirous for prestige, position, power, wealth—ways to be recognized and feel affirmed. I call it the bantam rooster strut syndrome. I recall from childhood watching our chickens running around in the yard. We had what appeared to be huge roosters, dominique chickens. Then there were those little guys, bantam roosters. When threatened by the big guys, they would fluff their feathers and strut around as if they were as big and tuff as the huge roosters. We have a lot of strutting by too many preachers and religious leaders. There is a stark warning in Scripture for Christendom. Paul wrote,
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” Romans 12:3 NIV
Let’s do a litmus to see if the bantam rooster strut syndrome fits. Using the analogy of a litmus test, this is the acidity traits. Do you have…
? A grandiose sense of self-importance
? A preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
? A belief that you are special and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, others who special or the high-status people or institutions ? A need for excessive admiration
? A sense of entitlement
? Interpersonally exploitive behavior
? A lack of empathy
? Envy of others or a belief that others are envious of you
? A demonstration of arrogant and haughty behaviors or attitudes
There is no shortage of people with narcissistic personalities—some listed are Oprah, Madonna, Mariha Carey, Kanye West, the Kardashians, a host of politicians, and, sadly, a host of religious leaders. There is no medication for this disorder.
In chapter 12 Paul affirms the gifts given by God; however, he reminds the church the ultimate goal—strength—of the church is unity. He reminds the Church that all Christians are baptized by one spirit. That is a key point for us to remember!
I believe we find the litmus test of authentic wellbeing in 1 Corinthians. Paul says this about the attitude that should be in us, “Love is not arrogant or proud.”
“If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.” 1 Corinthians 13:3-7
While working at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, I got a call one morning informing me that one of our students was involved in a horrible wreck. A 13-year-old boy driving a stolen car, clocked over 100 miles per hour, rear ended our friend, sandwiching him between a stopped car. I went into the emergency room as they pronounced him dead, spent time with his wife, brother, and their families, and drove back to the seminary. I met with the President and Vice President; Joel Gregory, pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas, was also present. Joel was there to speak in chapel that week. The news was shared with our students, faculty, and staff. Joel had a message that could have connected with our seminary family in a loving and caring way. He stood to preach and never made one comment about the pain that we were facing as a seminary family. I fear his ego was larger than his heart.
Paul uses a noun for the word love. This means it is engrained into your mind and heart. Our brains are preprogramed to react to pain. When we become a new person through the transforming power of God, love is engrained in our DNA. This means in all situations it is our nature to respond in actions of love. Unless you are actively engaged in loving people, listening, caring, sharing, you will be a very lonely person—isolated from the very essence of who God intended you to be. God created us as social people. The brain is a social organ by which its development depends upon healthy relationships.
3. Paul’s litmus test determines the essence of how well we love people and get along with people. I Corinthians 13:8-13
In chapter 13 Paul’s focus is on the lived experience—what it looks like when we have surrendered out lives to the service of God. We must remember, he is writing to those who have already received salvation through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. They now are in the sanctification process and are having difficulty with what that meant.
The first thing, from a human perspective, that Holy Spirit does after we decide to follow Jesus is to present us with our greatest challenge. It has a relational dimension. Allow me to illustrate:
In the movie "Making Mr. Right" there is a robot that looks like his creator, a scientist afraid to love and be loved. A woman is hired to teach the robot human characteristics to gain public attention and financial support. The robot falls in love with his teacher and the creator is upset because she has ruined his creation. It is a story of romance and heart break. The robot was scheduled to go into space. A news conference was held, and a reporter asked the robot, "Aren't you afraid to go up alone for 7 years?"
Mr. Right responded, "That's easy, it’s people who are frightening. They walk around hurt and confused and more alone than I'll ever be in space. People can build an incredibly sophisticated space program and yet they can't solve their most basic problem: How to love and care for those who love them . . . Someday, when people have figured that out, they might be more than just machines."
The cure is an application of Scripture, such as 1 Corinthians 13. Paul basically says you can do and be everything, but if you don’t see love in action it little more than a sonic boom. Let’s suppose the egotistical qualities Paul has highlighted the acid side of the litmus test. Juxtaposed, to that is the soil in which wellbeing accelerates and the Gospel flourishes, love.
I believe love is the prerequisite for humble people. If that is true, let’s put ourselves to the test—looking at each item as a quality that characterizes your life: Using the analogy of a litmus test, these are the opposite of acidity traits. Do these reflect the love DNA?
? Love never gives up.
? Love cares more for others than for self.
? Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
? Love doesn’t strut,
? Doesn’t have a swelled head,
? Doesn’t force itself on others,
? Isn’t always “me first,”
? Doesn’t fly off the handle,
? Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
? Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
? Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
? Puts up with anything,
? Trusts God always,
? Always looks for the best,
? Never looks back,
? But keeps going to the end.
How did you do on this side of litmus test? Which items do you need to need to address to thrive in humility? When I think of my wife’s parents, I give them both a very high score. Her mother was more outgoing than her father; however, both quietly and lovingly had charitable hearts. What about your heroes? Christian teachers and leaders you follow? Does their preaching and teaching emanate the love of God as the overarching message they preach?
Humble people driven by love don’t need accolades and to be elevated to the center stage. Their gratification is found in doing what God places on their heart. In 1 Peter we learn a key lesson. Too many people aspire to be leaders without understanding the concept of servant-leadership. Jesus’ model of leadership was the practice of a self-giving lifestyle. Peter, along with Paul, wants us to understand the importance of building communities of love. He is not saying you are to puff up leaders by elevating their status. He encourages Christians to respect their leaders so they will be able to serve people in love.
1 Peter 5:1-3 I have a special concern for you church leaders. I know what it’s like to be a leader, in on Christ’s sufferings as well as the coming glory. Here’s my concern: that you care for God’s flock with all the diligence of a shepherd. Not because you have to, but because you want to please God. Not calculating what you can get out of it, but acting spontaneously. Not bossily telling others what to do, but tenderly showing them the way.
Instead of dying full of self, the life Jesus modeled for us is kenosis (from the Greek ????s??, the 'self-emptying' of one's own will and becoming entirely receptive to God's divine will—to serve instead of edification of self. Paul described the role model he sought to imitate and challenges us to do the same, “Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!” Philippians 2:5-8
Paul esteems the status of love at the top of spiritual gifts and attributes. Peter encourages us, as families of faith and communities of faith, to support each other, encourage one another, and develop a strong sense of solidarity. Jesus encouraged us to love, to include our enemies—a love in action love. Peter draws our attention to a profound spiritual principle; he says we are to love one another— “Greet one another with a kiss of love.” (:14)
There are approximately 7 Greek words for love.
• Eros: romantic, passionate love. ...
• Philia: intimate, authentic friendship. ...
• Ludus: playful, flirtatious love. ...
• Storge: unconditional, familial love. ...
• Philautia: self-love. ...
• Pragma: committed, companionate love. ...
• Agápe: empathetic, universal love.
Which of these does Paul use? He uses ???p?, agape. What is this love? Agape love transcends all human attempts to love. In the New Testament it is the fatherly love of God for us and our reciprocal love for God. It is the highest form of love. Each time Paul uses the word love in I Corinthians 13, he uses the word agape. The same kind of love God has for us and the love we have for him is the kind of love we are to have for each other.
I John 4:7-10 My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you don’t love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God.
11-12 My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love!
God wants to equip us, as individuals and as a church, to share God’s love for everyone.
If we love one another, God will promote us at the right time to the right place as a church. As we love people as God has instructed, people will listen to the Good News. That is our role! Paul says, let this attitude be in you.
Let’s suppose that over the past year a significant number of people have visited our church. In a survey we ask them what they like about pastor, they will often make a comment about the pastor’s preaching. But if you go just one more level in the conversation, these church guests will also talk about the favorable personality traits of the pastor.
Most of these traits fall under the category of “relational skills.” Here are some of the most common personality traits noted in exit interviews with church guests. Each of the traits is followed with a representative guest comment:
Love rejoices in the truth,
Bears all things,
Believes all things,
Hopes all things,
Endures all things I Corinthians 13:6-7
Application: The “litmus test” is used in a variety of ways. To illustrate they are used by politicians to see whether they will vote for a nominee. We use them to test our soil to determine whether its acidity vs alkaline. Application of the Love Litmus Test is a key to spiritual wellbeing. Too many attempt to set certain things in concrete. We need to listen to what Paul says at the end of what we call the love Chapter:
I Corinthians 13:13 “Now these 3 remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
• Personal relationship with God. Paul starts 1 Corinthians with a greeting to the church; however, he draws attention to individuals having a personal relationship with Christ Jesus— “Those in every place who call on the name of Jesus Christ as our Lord.” Have you sensed the agape, love, of God and his call to salvation? If not, today is a good day to accept him into your heart.
• Spiritual development and maturity in Christ: In chapter 4 of 1 Corinthians Paul encourages those at the Church of Corinth to see how he has “fathered you in Christ Jesus” and to imitate him.” That is a sign of maturity! God knows we are not perfect; however, he wants us to grow toward maturity. The first step is to surrender our will to his. This means we may need to swallow our pride, repent/turn away from certain things, and let the love of God flow through our lives.
Jesus’ attitude toward people was a threat to the Jewish leader—he often confounded them. An expert in Jewish law asked him—as a way of setting him up,
Matthew 22:36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Dan Rockwall developed the following dichotomy:
• Humility learns; arrogance knows
• Humility listens; arrogance talks.
• Humble leaders serve others; arrogant leaders serve themselves
• Humility opens hearts; arrogance builds walls.
• Humility joins; arrogance stands aloof.
• Humble leaders connect; arrogant leaders disconnect.
• On mission churches: God wants to equip us, as individuals and as a church, to share God’s love for everyone. If we love one another, God will promote us at the right time to the right place as a church. Do people in the community see our church as one that radiates the love of God? Will you commit yourself to the growth and development of the church? Link arms with others in this fellowship to serve—not just have your name on the rolls.
