Loyalty Tested, part 3

THE STORY



THE CORRUPTION OF THE GOSPEL STORY

Just how loyal are we to 'the truths of the faith' in the face of so many things that try to encroach upon them or add to them? Just how determined are we in making sure the Gospel message is not corrupted by addition or dilution today? Have we become enamored with mixing other things in with The Gospel? Are we perverting by dilution, in the guise of 'holistic' ministry, The Gospel that alone has the power to save?

At the heart of James' argument is a picture of what loyalty to The Gospel looks like. His core thesis is The Gospel itself: No anger (no drive, no impetus) of man's can attain to the Righteousness of God. But, by the humble and simple reception of the Word (The Gospel) which is implanted by God into our very lives, His righteousness IS attained (1:20-21). (Without question, this receiving necessarily includes a turning away from all (internal) 'moral filth' and from all (external) 'prevalent evil.' However, the turning away from evil is not what ultimately 'merits' the work of God or the righteousness of God - what is clearly seen in the humble act of freely receiving what God alone provides is that the 'merit' is Christ's alone!)

The picture that James uses to illustrate his thesis is particularly applicable today. It is especially so for us, in light of what is so prevalent in our society today. There is no doubting the popularity (even among Christians) of self-help programs of every kind. We live in a 'how-to' world. A myriad of cable channels, books, and seminars are happy to teach you how to decorate the house, how to design a dinner setting or a backyard garden or a dining room carpet, how to fix the plumbing or the computer, how to make and spend your money, how to fix your marriage or your spouse or your children, how to 'manage' your stress, how to attain your 'next level' of spirituality, how to fix your emotions, how to find your god, how to achieve his favor -- good grief, it's endless! And God's people are leading the way in beating a path to this stuff! If we're having to ask, "How do I do [fill-in-the-blank] ?" then James asks us if we're looking into the right 'mirror!'

James makes it clear to us that we must choose which 'mirror' we will look into for the help we need. One is the 'mirror' of our introspective self-help effort. It is the 'mirror' of the knowledge of good and evil. It is the effort to effect in ourselves the changes required to achieve the blessings of God. The result is that we walk away frustrated at our utter inability to change anything, much less remember what it was we'd glimpsed, in that moment of introspection, that needed changing!

ENDURING LOYALTY TO THE GOSPEL STORY ALONE

In stark contrast, James strongly commends to us a different 'mirror.' The other 'mirror' is the 'completed law that gives us liberty.' It is The Gospel alone, The Gospel of the finished righteousness, The Story of the completed work of Christ in fulfilling God's law, that has the power to free us from the endless, introspective, self-help cycle of forgetfulness, frustration, and fruitlessness that is found looking in the other 'mirror.'

It reminds me of Brad's (not his real name) story. Brad came forward in response to the message one morning. The message was very typical of those prevalent today, full of the how-you-can-be-what-you're-not and how-you-can-get-to-where-you're-not kind of stuff. As Brad began to divulge his heart's desires, he soon began asking the predictable series of "how" questions, each "how" leading to the next. "How do I do that?" followed by, "and then, how do I do THAT?" Fortunately for Brad, his prayer partner interrupted by telling him that "how" might be the wrong question to ask. He showed Brad this scripture from James and pointed out that "how" is the 'mirror' of our own powerlessness and frustration. As he began to show Brad the other 'mirror,' the Tree of Life, the perfected work of Christ, the 'completed law which gives us liberty,' suddenly the lights started coming on in Brad's heart and mind. He began to get his focus off of himself, and began to look outside of himself for the help he was longing for. He began to look upon the One lifted up on a cross; He began to see Him who had already accomplished what all the "how" questions in Brad's mind could not. It was a glance that effected so much more than Brad could have ever hoped or dreamed that morning! Suddenly the heaviness of "how?" was gone, and in its place was a newly implanted seed of peace of mind given from above!

We are called by James, and by Paul, and by Jesus' Spirit still today, to reignite our passion for, and our single-minded loyalty to, The Gospel alone. The Gospel alone, not mixed with the latest self-help therapy, has the power to save! For the Christian, loyalty to the truths (dare I say doctrines) of The Gospel is THE defining moral issue of the ages! Our loyalty to our Savior is measured in, as Paul instructs Timothy, our "closely watching ourself and The Teaching!" (1Tim 4:16) The Gospel Story alone must have our single-minded and enduring loyalty!

[ I'd like to make a final recommendation: a series on First Timothy by Joshua Harris entitled, "Entrusted With The Gospel." He brilliantly develops the theme of enduring loyalty to the Gospel. I highly recommend that you visit this site and download a copy for yourself. Here is the link:

http://www.covlife.org/tools/sermons.php

It is a worthwhile listen! ]

Royce Douglas