Education and rules do not protect me

In September and October, my devotional guide looks at the need to be alert to spiritual danger. The human idea of how to protect ourselves is through adequate knowledge (education) and having laws and rules to guide us. However, the most educated countries in the world and those with the most sophisticated legal systems are no better off regard crime and human misery than uneducated pagans with the primitive laws.

While many people make an idol out of education, British politician Lloyd George observed, “Education without God makes clever devils.” While many insist that better laws will fix the problems of crime and rebellion in society, but Bill Gothard, founder of Basic Life Principles, says that, “Our courts are now in confusion, with two opposing legal systems. One is based on biblical principles; the other on humanistic principles. This explains why court decisions are more and more unpredictable, inconsistent and even contradictory.”

I have observed that protecting my own life from spiritual danger means recognizing my problems are not about ignorance. I almost always know the difference between right and wrong. Neither will my protection come from more rules, for rules do not changed the rebellion that pops up from my own sinful heart. I can know something is not good for me (it might be as simple as another slice of chocolate cake), but the rules of healthy eating do not prevail against that sinful and dangerous attitude of, “I want what I want when I want it.”

The Bible offers hundreds of examples of the folly of humanity and its source. We are sinners. We resist God to our peril. Education and wisdom do not help us for, “The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.” (Proverbs 14:1)

These days, common sense is not all that common, nor was it in the days of King Solomon. He observed, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief.” (Proverbs 14:12–13) We humans tend to go for what looks good up front, what will make us happy, but so often those choices lead to sorrow and even death.

This attitude is common to humanity. Scripture repeated describes those in the days of the Judges in Israel when there was no king and “everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 17:6, etc.) This “I will do my own thing” produced chaos then just as it does now.

Our daughter often says, “You can’t fix stupid” and that also is a problem. I shake my head at stories in the news, or Facebook videos of people who acted without thinking and hurt themselves or someone else, but have to admit that I can be foolish too.

So what is the solution? How can I be protected from spiritual danger, even physical danger if education, laws and rules will not do it?

The quote from Lloyd George deserves a second look. He did not say education was a bad thing, but that education without God is a bigger problem than most people realize. The Bible says we can trust all sorts of things, but can any of our idols make promises like these . . . ?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. (Proverbs 3:5–7)

Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent . . . put your trust in the Lord . . . In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:4–8)

Trusting God means that I will do what He says, not what “seems right in my own eyes.” If I really trust God, then I will be obedient, and He will be part of my decisions or actions. This never happens because of education or rules, but because God is changing my life. In grace, He has determined to love and care for me just as He promises in Psalm 91:14-16 . . .   

Because (she) holds fast to me in love, I will deliver (her); I will protect (her), because (she) knows my name. When (she) calls to me, I will answer (her); I will be with (her) in trouble; I will rescue (her) and honor (her). With long life I will satisfy (her) and show (her) my salvation.

Deception and distanciation

I learned a new word yesterday: distanciation. It is not in the dictionary yet, but is used by theologians to describe the need to distance myself so I can properly interpret Scripture. This means leaving my current needs and issues with God, confessing known sin, abandoning all presuppositions and traditions, and putting mental and emotional distance to anything else that might interfere with seeing the text with clear and unbiased eyes.

Even though 100% objectivity is impossible, by being as objective as possible, as those professors warn, can also create an opening for deception. They say that studying this way leaves out an important question: “What does this text have to do with my life, with my relationship with God?” Reading the Bible was never intended to be a purely academic exercise.

There is only one way to prevent distanciation from putting me in spiritual danger; I must apply the teaching as soon as possible. This is not easy under the pressures of assignment deadlines and the to-do lists of ordinary responsibilities, yet learning the things of God is basically useless if I don’t do what He reveals to me. Otherwise, I’m leaving myself open to deception.

Distanciation is not the only issue. Deception can come from a host of sources. One of those is the lies of Satan. Although the Word of God promises that nothing can separate me from the love of Christ (Romans 8:31-39), this evil liar can work with my situation and emotions to make me feel like God does not love me. I need to be in the Word of God and trusting what He says. I need to remember the Cross and what He has done to prove His love. Staying close to truth keeps me from deception.

Sometimes I’m impatient with God and think I must “do it myself” rather than wait for Him. So in pride, I take life into my own hands and become deceived. The cure is the same — draw near to God, this time humbly confessing my sinful attitudes . . .

“But he gives more grace . . . God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” (James 4:6–10)

Another deception is misuse of the Word of God. When the devil tempted Jesus, he brazenly used Scripture and said, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ”

If I come to the Bible filled with insecurities about my identity, or about God’s power, I might be tempted by verses like that and do something foolish to prove who I am or who God is. But Jesus wasn’t deceived; He knew who He was so didn’t even answer that accusation. Instead, He got right to the heart of what His tempter was doing and answered with Scripture, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” (Matthew 4:5–7) For me, this deception might be helped by distanciation in that I must always trust what the Bible says about me and about God, not what I want it to say.

Deception can also happen if I listen to others who are deceived. For this, God says, “My child, if sinners entice you, do not consent.” (Proverbs 1:10) Christians are supposed to be “nice” and “agreeable” but sometimes we must also say “no” and stand firm in our faith.

The last point is that deception will happen because “Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand.” Interpreting Scripture is not easy, but this passage goes on to say that it happens to those who are “ignorant and unstable.” They interpret Paul by twisting his writing “to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.” (2 Peter 3:15–18)

For this, the Bible says to be aware . . . “knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.”

This is the inoculation against deception: Know it can happen; beware of lawless people; remain stable in the truth; grow in grace (freely given from God) and knowledge (study) of Jesus Christ; and glorify Him all the time. God gives me these warnings so that neither distanciation or deception will keep me from knowing and trusting His great love for me.

Be strong but not feisty

Today begins a new devotional theme: being alert to spiritual danger. We know the deadly trio of the world, the flesh, and the devil. They unite in efforts to ruin the lives of Christians, not in the sense of physical destruction (although that can happen), but to stop God’s people from doing God’s will.

The threat is not imaginary. The Bible says, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:13–14)

The opposite of being alert is to be oblivious which leads to being wishy-washy, cowardly, weak, and not at all interested in the well-being of others. In this North American culture caught up in personal comfort and the pursuit of ‘what works best for me’, the people of God are supposed to be different, sharing and living out the values of Christ. Spiritual danger threatens as the world sucks us into ungodly pursuits. Also, the flesh seeks comfort and well-being above all else, and the devil feeds us lies to keep us on a self-centered track.

As Paul wrote Timothy, we are to “Flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:11–12)

The devotional writer begins this series by saying some of the greatest dangers are not from outside, but from within. He is not referring to the flesh (my inner sinful nature that must be denied) but to others who are in the church, who profess to be Christian but generally are not, or who are caught in false teaching that they push on others.

I understand this to mean people who “cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.” (Romans 16:17–18)

The Bible warns me not to get involved in anything to do with “foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.” (Titus 3:9) This covers a lot of territory. Christians can debate the most trivial matters. We can get caught up in who said what, or what media source is the most reliable, never mind church matters such as modes of baptism or how to serve communion. We can think that our tradition is vital and everyone else is wrong, even when the Bible does not offer a point-by-point description of how to do something, and just says to do it.

This does not mean to reject Christian principles or biblical doctrine, but I know I can stick to what God has taught me without fighting about it. I can let others have their opinions without any effort to force them to change so their opinions match mine.

How I live needs to line up with another charge from Paul to Timothy. He told him, “Flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.” (2 Timothy 2:22–26)

This is timely advice for me too. Yesterday someone in the church challenged me. I could go into this ‘tooth and nail’ but decided to let God do the persuading. I think that person is wrong, but who knows? I could be the one who needs to change. Either way, God will make it clear. My part is to first be kind, teachable, patient and gentle. If God wants me to teach and correct, then He will let it happen. I don’t have to force the issue. I just need to be spiritual alert and listen for His direction.

Kept safe

Spurgeon begins his devotional reading for this morning with, “In some sense the path to heaven is very safe, but in other respects there is no road so dangerous.”

Most Christians speak of their Christian walk as quiet and peaceful. Some missionaries tell about the other end of the scale. Whatever our lot may be, the Lord makes the same promises to all and keeps us.

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24–25)

Much like the traditional marriage vows, God says that through sickness or health, trials or ease, He will never leave or forsake His people. We are His and He will keep us that way.

But there are dangers. Spurgeon talks about one false step, any of which may seem a little thing, but the more I walk with Jesus, the more I realize how weak I am. As he says, a straw may throw me or a pebble wound me. The dangers on my path are not always large and obvious.

Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. (Psalm 73:1–3)

The psalmist “almost stumbled” when he saw the prosperity of sinners. Envy is an attitude of heart and often unseen unless revealed by words. We can be alert to the larger stumbling blocks like anger or hate, but fail to see those hidden attitudes that can trip us before we notice them, like resentment or annoyance. In my walk with Jesus, I often feel like that little child who trembles taking her first steps. If my heavenly Father were not holding tightly, I would soon be down.

Besides those sinful and selfish attitudes, we have an enemy who casts temptation and accusations into our minds, even when we least expect his attacks. Only God who sees the unseen can protect His people and keep us from falling.

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Father, last week someone blind-sided me. It was verbal, but bordered on physical, a danger I did not expect. Most of the time my path is safe, yet I am more than ever aware of the “road so dangerous.” I am also convinced that You alone can preserve me from whatever lies ahead. Not only that, You are totally engaged to defend and protect me and even keep me from falling. I don’t want to stumble into sin even when someone sins against me. Shine light on my path. May I not be distracted or complacent. Help me see what I need to avoid and instead embrace Your loving care. I’m so thankful that even with this sense of utter helplessness, I am a child safe in my Father’s arms.