We recently attended a "Celebration of Life" for a friend who went to be with the Lord at a church we didn't attend. On the way out of the parking lot, I noticed a sign: "Know what you are for." You get it, right? The sense is, "We know what you are against, but what are you for?" They know we're against ... what ... drinking and dancing and fun of all kinds, homosexuals and heterosexuals and omnisexuals having sex, gay rights, abortion rights ... well, a lot of things. But what are we for? I would argue that most unbelievers and a significant number of believers aren't clear on either -- what we are against and what we are for.
We are, first and foremost, for God. In every sense. We are made for Him, live for Him, long for Him, seek for Him. We are in favor of what He is in favor. We want what He wants. That's what we're for. What does He want? He wants, in everything, to be glorified (1 Cor 10:31). He wants to be honored for who He is (Rom 1:18-21). He wants to be regarded as Holy (Lev 10:3). What are we for? We favor what God favors and want what God wants. What, then, are we against? We're against people going to hell. We're against people falling short of God's glory. We are opposed to the pain and suffering that sin brings. We don't want people, deceived by Satan, missing out on all that God wants for them.
The truth is sometimes (too often) we get sidetracked on these things. Jesus didn't come to make people more moral. He came to ransom sinners (Matt 20:28). He did address the problem of sin, but His purpose was to give abundant life (John 10:10), not correct behavior. His function wasn't to point an accusing finger at people, but at the problem that He came to overcome. We should keep that in mind. Our "righteous indignation" over "those people" isn't part of God's plan. We are to be lights in the darkness (Matt 5:16), recognized by our love (John 13:35), not our "moral superiority." We've obviously confused them and even ourselves in this. Let's keep our eye on the prize -- Jesus.
4 comments:
Good post.
I wonder, was there context in the sign as to what "for" meant? My mind immediately went to meaning purpose, not position. We are made for the magnification of the glory of God, so in a sense you went to a similar place as I did. Always good to see things from other perspectives to expand our thinking.
David, there is a song by Casting Crowns, I think, that is popular. In it, they say something to the effect, "We know what you are against, but what are you for?" So, no, not purpose, but positions.
I'm a fairly opinionated person, so I have a strong sense of what I am for and against. My main objective is always to be for what God is for--to hate what God hates and to love what God loves. I am for growing in godliness. I am for holy living. I am for forsaking sinful behavior. I am for loving my neighbors and treating others as I would wish to be treated. I am for society establishing healthy environments to raise godly children. I am for encouraging long, fruitful marriages that reflect God's love and grace (today happens to be my 46th wedding anniversary :). Indeed I am for all the good things you mention in this post. May I be a person after God's own heart.
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