Naturally I’m a slow reader, often going at a mental cadence akin to a pony ride. When I read the Bible this is usually the case as well. Sometimes, though, I listen to an audio recording of Scripture and that experience is as if I am suddenly galloping on a horse and experiencing a familiar landscape in a whole new way.
One day not too long ago, I was listening to an audio reading of the Gospel according to Luke. In chapters nine and ten in particular, the quicker paced reading helped me to see more clearly an alternating seesaw effect going on—a pendulum swinging between rebuke and affirmation.
Twice in these two chapters, Jesus sends His disciples out, to share the good news of the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Both missions are successful and upon each return there is first some affirmation for a job well done, then shortly thereafter some form of rebuke. The first time, the disciples are reminded that their faith is still too flimsy and the second time they are told that they are too cocky. Woven between these two missionary assignments, there is also a constant tick-tock between affirmation and rebuke, as the disciples respond to their circumstances and Jesus corrects their understandings.
There is a message here about humanity at large: We are greatly flawed and often needing rebuke; at the same time, we can do mighty good things. And sometimes, like the disciples in Scripture, we can totter between deserving criticism and deserving accolades quickly within one week, one day, or one hour.
We can apply this lesson to the topics of this blog and this current series of reflections.
When it comes to the Reformation (for which yesterday marked the 503rd Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation), we can easily criticize the movement for its shortcomings or for the giant splinter it caused in the Christian church. In fact, it’s a severance which Jesus agonized over and pleaded us to avoid just before His darkest time of trial. (John 17:20-26) At the same time, we can also appreciate and affirm the eternal truths that the reformers helped Christ followers re-discover.
When we think upon the intersection of faith and politics, we can and should see many things that need to be rebuked, criticized, and rejected. We should also see that there are many things that are good, just, and worthy of affirmation. As we consider our political leaders and society’s heroes, they too are most likely deserving of both rebuke and affirmation. No one person, policy, or perspective is fully pure or sacred. This is part of the dueling realities we are wedged between, where the Kingdom of God is now and the Kingdom of God is also not yet realized.
We are left with clear marching orders. We must consider what needs to rebuked and what needs to be affirmed, and then take appropriate action.
Now, let us not forget about the component of grace. Without grace there would be no salvation, as the reformers reminded us. And without grace, it would be impossible for us to ever find any promise in politics and society, as human nature reminds us daily. We must be people overflowing with grace. After all, who are we to not show grace to others, when so much grace has been shown towards us?
And, if we do not show grace, why should we expect grace? Looking once more at Luke 9-10, did the disciples expect the rebukes they received? Nope. Nor do we often expect the correction we deserve. We must listen closely for the reprimands of the Holy Spirit, so we can become better followers of Christ and better doers of the Gospel. At the same time, we must lean wholly and endlessly on grace.
Side note: I am currently feeling a sense of rebuke for not following through fully on this current series of reflections as I had originally hoped. I had wanted to write roughly 10 reflections on “faith and politics” over the last ten weeks, leading up to Reformation Day (yesterday). That did not happen. Since there are still some reflections in the hopper, I am going to lean on grace and continue this series…perhaps completing it by the end of 2020.
Relevant Reformation 