The Danger of the Blessing of God

I have always believed that truth is not truth unless it is held in tension. For example, we know that scripture teaches that God is love. (1 John 4:16) Yet we also can read that He will judge all mankind, sending some to the lake of fire which was reserved for the devil and his minions.(Rev. 20:11-15)
If we embrace the love of God without understanding that He is also The Judge, we end up with a philosophy of life that is essentially wimpy and tolerant of sin, i.e. "alternative lifestyles"(sodomy, adultery, promiscuity),"pro-choice" (abortion, euthanasia).

If we latch on to God as Judge without recognizing His mercy and grace, we become bound up in works and legalism, condemning everyone and everything in sight that does not measure up to our definition of righteousness which too often amounts to "whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. Matt 23:27-28 (from New International Version)

So it is with the blessing of God.

Yesterday, I wrote of the need to expect more of the miraculous in our daily lives and in the life of the church. I believe that this should be the norm, not the exception. However, there is a danger inherent in this flow of glory and grace.

We can assume that God is satisfied with our lives because He is working through us. As a teacher and mentor, Costa Deir, once said, "The blessing of God is never the indicator that God is pleased with your life."

Two examples from the Old Testament

1. Saul
Saul had been made king over Israel. He was their first king. However, he chose to disobey God and Samuel. We read in 1 Samuel 15,

Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned. I violated the LORD's command and your instructions. I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them. Now I beg you, forgive my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD."

But Samuel said to him, "I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel!"

As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore. Samuel said to him, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors-to one better than you. He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind." 1 Sam 15:24-29 NIV

Even after this disaster, Saul remained king for a number of years, even though his successor, David, son of Jesse had already been chosen and anointed. Saul's years on the throne following his disobedience were not an indication that God was pleased. In fact, he was already doomed, he just didn't have enough sense to fall down - kind of like a fight who has been knocked out but is still standing. His brain knows the truth but his body hasn't gotten the message yet.

2. David
In 2 Samuel 11, we read of David's fall from grace with Bath-sheba. His armies were winning, his kingdom was expanding but he was lusting. This led to lies, betrayal and eventually the murder of Bath-sheba's husband, Uriah, a man loyal to David.

David's arrogance resulted in the death of the child conceived by this affair, rebellion and death with his own house, among his other sons and leaders. 2 Samuel 12

This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.' 2 Sam 12:7-10 NIV

He remained king during all this time. The ark of the covenant was still in the Holy of Holies. All seemed fine - on the outside!

For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. Eccl 12:14 NIV

For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Luke 8:17 NIV

Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God. 1 Cor. 4:55 NIV

Paul writes to the church at Rome,

"...for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable." Romans 11:29

This means that once He gives a gift- salvation, tongues, etc., or calling - teacher, administrator, server, etc. (Romans 12) or an office - pastor, prophet, etc. (Ephesians 4), He will not revoke it as a result of a person's disobedience. (That is until reaching the point of reprobation- Rom. 1:28 - but that is for another time!)

Jesus made this statement.

Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' Matt 7:21-23 NIV

It is clear from this that many can and will do many wondrous things in the name of the Lord, but it is equally true that, after having done all that with the gifts and callings given, they will be lost.

Here in lies the danger!

As we walk in obedience and holiness before God and as He begins to move in and through our lives for His glory and His names' sake, our "old nature" raises its ugly head and we begin to think that we are something. The trouble comes when our arrogance leads us into self-deception, the most potentially fatal of all the deceptions we face. We begin to assume that the blessings are flowing because of who we are rather than who He is. Then, if we sin and the gift still operates, if the office still functions, or the calling still manifests, we, again, assume that God is either turning a blind eye or is pragmatic - the end justifies the means.

How wrong and how tragic! How many people have lost faith and walked away from churches because the pastor was revealed as an adulterer? How many faithful have walked away because the revelations of the abuses of those in the Catholic Church clergy? How many have returned to drugs and life in the street because their mentor was discovered still using?

therefore , we have this hunger to see the glory and power of the One True God manifested in our world and yet we must be good stewards of these precious gifts and callings.

Paul gives us this encouragement,

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on a cross! Phil 2:3-8 NIV

Jesus' confidence was in His Father, therefore He was not worried over His status. We must walk in this same way - humble before God, careful to give Him the glory for each touch of the Divine into our humanity.