Denomination…Abomination?

Okay, maybe abomination is too strong of a word, but I had to get your attention. There have been a few questions/thoughts on my mind for some time now regarding church disunity: How can the body of Christ be a body if it is dismembered? I suppose a person could argue that a dismembered body is still a body, but then how can it function properly if the pieces are disconnected? Interestingly, the idea of denominations (divisions) didn’t start with the Reformation. Paul discusses the same topic in 1 Corinthians; however, based on what he says, I don’t think he’d approve of where the church is today.

Before getting to the heart of the matter (1 Cor. 3:1-7), let’s briefly run through how Paul opens his letter to the Corinthians. He first identifies himself as an apostle of God (1:1), one who has been given authority within the church. Then he mentions how the church in Corinth has been sanctified by Christ (1:2) and continues to describe how they’ve been well-endowed with gifts (1:7). Verse 9 describes how they were called by God into fellowship with Jesus Christ. Paul’s message has been positive thus far towards the Corinthians. If you look at Paul’s other letters they typically open with what the church is doing well followed by exhortation. In vv. 10-15 Paul begins his exhortation: “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, ‘I am of Paul,’ and ‘I of Apollos,’ and ‘I of Cephas,’ and ‘I of Christ.’ Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” Paul continues to say that he was sent to preach the gospel, “not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void” (1:17). He explains that the gospel is foolishness to the world, but to those who have been called, this gospel is their (our) salvation. Those who boast should boast in the Lord, not man (1:31).

In chapter 2, Paul discusses the role of the Spirit in his gospel message: “I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God” (2:3-5). The Spirit also plays a significant role in the lives of all Christians, “For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual (thoughts) with spiritual (words)” (2:11-13; NASB translation adds the words in parentheses). Think about this for a minute. As Christians we have the Spirit of God, the same Spirit who searches the depths of God (2:10). We can know God’s will because we have His Spirit, and Paul affirms that we have the mind of Christ (2:16). So why are we so divided? Why do we have differing beliefs that keep us from communing with one another? Paul, Peter, John, and Luke taught the same message to the church, and I believe that the Gospels agree. Maybe what Paul says next to the Corinthians will shed some light on these questions.

“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? For when one says, ‘I am of Paul,’ and another, ‘I am of Apollos,’ are you not mere men? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth” (3:1-7). As we read earlier the Corinthians had many gifts, and 2 Cor. 8 indicates that they were financially stable. So what was the problem with this body of believers? If we look again at what Paul says, notice that he points out their spiritual condition. He uses the analogy of milk and solid food. He first gives them milk to drink, which makes sense when people start their Christian walk. The problem is that the Corinthians should be maturing and ready for spiritual food, but they aren’t. They’re still babies, so to speak. What keeps them spiritually immature? Their own flesh (3:3). They allow jealousy and strife to remain among them. Paul also points out that he and other messengers of God are simply that, messengers. GOD is the one who causes the growth. Another example of a messenger was Martin Luther. During the Reformation, he stood up against the Catholic Church because of his own convictions while studying Scripture. This was the beginning of Protestantism, but from what I’ve learned about Luther, he didn’t like the term Lutherans. It wasn’t until after his death that his followers began to identify themselves as such. Each denomination starts with the beliefs of one man or a group of men. Now, I’m not suggesting that people shouldn’t discuss or defend their beliefs. I think we’re all grateful for Luther’s boldness and willingness to search the Scriptures for himself. He followed God’s Word despite what he had been taught his whole life. I believe this is something we should do. What I am saying is that men create denominations, not God. God uses people as messengers to teach His truth, and this truth should not contradict itself if we all have the same Spirit.

Let’s flip ahead to 1 Corinthians 12. In this text Paul talks about spiritual gifts. He says, “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (12:4-7). This passage is insightful because it demonstrates that all gifts, ministries, and effects from these things derive from the same place: God (note the allusion to the Trinity). This also means that if two people claim to have the same gift, but they somehow contradict each other, there needs to be a reexamination of Scripture. Because we have the same Spirit, gifts, ministries, and the effects should be consistent. Paul lists different gifts in 1 Cor. 3:8-10 and then adds some important information: “But one and the same Spirit works all these things (the gifts), distributing to each one individually just as He wills. For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many” (3:11-14). The beauty of being part of the body is that we all have our roles to fulfill. Each member of the body is important, but we have to be unified. What’s even more interesting is that one member of the body is not more important than another. We may think church leaders are more important, but consider vv. 21-26, “And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’; or again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”

What if we functioned this way? What if we cared for the WHOLE body this much? This includes all followers of God in every denomination. What if we worked out our disagreements instead of splitting? When we continue to divide, it only leads to bitterness, anger, malice, etc. It also allows room for the enemy to take root and prosper among us. Instead of having three churches right next to each other, why don’t we have one meeting place in a town and have community? Imagine if we could provide for each other’s needs by using our own talents, gifts, finances, material possessions, etc. (Note: I’m NOT referring to socialism in any way. I’m talking about believers helping other believers). There wouldn’t have to be just one or two leaders preparing a message every week (less stress), but we could learn from a group of leaders (elders and deacons; 1 Tim. 3) and from each other. Not only would the church be free from divisions, but the world would be dumbfounded to see Christians actually functioning as a unified body. I’m not sure if all Christians are interested in such a change, but what about you?

Do I think denominations are abominations? Not necessarily. Do I think they have allowed the church to be a light to the world? Yes, albeit a dim light. We are called to bring truth and be a BRIGHT light. I think each denomination holds a facet of truth, so why not bring it all together? Let us wrestle with the tough issues. Let us not be so greatly influenced by our culture that we change our theology to fit current trends. Paul writes in Eph. 4:1-6, “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance (note: “tolerance” is in the context of having patience, not simply tolerating everything people do) for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.” Notice the emphasis on unity, and how we are to act towards one another. Among other instructions, Paul adds in vv. 31-32, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ has also forgiven you.” Even though I’ve only looked at two NT churches, it seems clear that there were disunity issues even in the first century. However, they were supposed to change their hearts and attitudes towards one another. A couple of millennia later, I think the challenge is still the same.

Well I have written much, but I’ll end this post with a song I wrote almost five years ago. It begins by imploring God to help me fix myself, and then continues by asking God to forgive and help the church make a change so that we can be conquerors (spiritually) in this world.

Conquer (originally written December 2, 2009)

(Verse)

Peel back the layers.

Dig down deep,

And pull out the best of me. (Oh)

I am tired of my selfishness,

A revealing disease.

Oh God, please, discover the best of You in me.

 

(Chorus)

I can’t go on like this with such bitterness as my companion.

Change me from within.

Break my life from sin.

Give me new eyes so that I can see clearly.

 

(Verse)

Wars are raging between the Bride for whom you died.

Oh God, why? (why)

Jealousy, anger, brokenness.

We can only ask for Your forgiveness.

 

(Chorus)

We can’t go on like this with such haughtiness as our companion.

Change us from within.

Break our lives from sin.

Bring us together.

Make us whole again:

One body.

 

(Bridge)

Teach us how to love, to serve, to laugh, and dream.

Give us strength to rise when we fall.

We will conquer all.

We will conquer all.

We have conquered all because You are the power in us.

 

________________________

I hope you’ve been encouraged by the Word and challenged by my questions and thoughts. Let us keep uplifting one another in love.

© Lauren Heiligenthal

Sunday is for Series: How a Christian Should Critique Criticism http://t.co/ZkhZxYDNQu Ed Stetzer

I think this is an important topic for all of us to consider even if we aren’t in leadership positions. The church is supposed to build each other up in love and sometimes that means tough love. Criticism is hard to take (for sure), but we can definitely grow from it.

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Truth

We all have struggles. Sometimes the same struggles resurface repeatedly. We think we’ve got our minds fixed, and then it hits us all over again. Something I’ve been trying to learn these last few years is determining truth from lies. The enemy will keep coming at us where we’re weak. Our minds are a good place to start, and the world tends to reinforce those thoughts. But we must remember to have a mind like Christ, to think what God thinks of us. That’s what this next poem is about.

Truth (originally written March 7, 2014)

It is hard to look in the mirror

when I see an unpainted face

full of imperfections.

I am not beautiful enough.

Lie.

 

When I sing, I compare myself to others

who amaze people with their gift,

who are not afraid to share it with the world.

God does not want my praise.

Lie.

 

I look at my body and think,

“I will never get to where I want to be,”

pushing myself to be better,

but always feeling like I am not thin enough.

Lie.

 

Working hard at school

I still lack confidence despite the results,

thinking I will never be like them,

that I cannot make a difference.

Lie.

 

One lie after another finds a corner in my mind

until the light of Christ permeates the darkness.

The Father asks, “Do you not know that I have made you?

That I created you with a purpose?”

 

My purpose is not about me,

but about Him.

The world says I need to look and sound a certain way,

but God’s kingdom is not of this world.

 

Jesus came to declare truth to all men,

to be a sacrifice of love and forgiveness.

He did not care about the outside of a person

but the heart.

Truth.

 

A Christian concerns herself with God,

not the praises of men.

She stands against heresies

and proclaims the gospel.

Truth.

 

When I look in the mirror, what do I see?

When I sing to the Lord, what do I sing?

When I work hard, what is my goal?

When I clothe myself, what do I wear?

Truth.

© Lauren Heiligenthal

Discovery

This is another poem that I wrote about five years ago. For a long time I struggled with (and sometimes still do) who I’m supposed to be. I wanted to please people and also help people. A lot of times those things turned into pain. I had quite a bit of anger and bitterness at the time. I also felt like I was supposed to share myself with others through writing and singing. Such things were scary to consider because I didn’t know what people would think. I’m still learning how not to care so much, but I’ve also grown to understand that if my heart is to please God and encourage others then how bad can it be? 🙂 Well here’s the poem that formulated with all of these thoughts.

Discovery (originally written March 9, 2009)

I halt around each corner.

Fear grips me as I tiptoe

my way to discovery.

What will I find?

Better yet, who?

 

With each step I try to gain

courage.

I know what’s coming: the mirror.

Who will it be this time?

 

The perfectionist, perhaps?

The singer?

Coward?

Servant?

Reject?

The strong one?

Not this time;

the masks have been discarded.

 

Instead, I find myself as a child

being held in the arms of Time Itself,

being carried by the only True Love that exists,

being reminded of the beauty created within me.

 

I weep staring at the image I thought was lost.

I reach desiring to grab hold of my dreams.

I want to remember this image forever

because I can see I have always been His.

 

He is my journey.

He is my discovery around every corner

of every trial

of every chapter

of my life.

 

Beyond the masks eternally lies this image:

Fearlessness in the arms of God,

Who shapes every inch,

Who mends each broken piece,

Whose love exposes truth

in pain

and joy

in tears.

 

My hope runs with His blood.

My heart beats with each new song of creation.

My soul weeps with the broken

for I am a part of Him:

His image,

my discovery.

© Lauren Heiligenthal

What’s Your Motive?

The word motive often brings to mind police-related/superhero-related TV shows where the good guys are trying to figure out why the bad guys are doing what they do. Sometimes the bad guys act out of what they perceive as good intentions, but the results are far from good.

The Bible also teaches about the importance of one’s motives. Many people separate the Old and New Testaments because they appear to be disjointed when in reality they share the same message: Mankind has sinned and fallen away from God, but God has provided a way for His people to be close to Him.

In the Old Testament we often read about sacrifices. Offering sacrifices is a foreign concept for most of us, and we often think that Israel was commanded to offer them for God; however, they were for the people. Sacrifices were God’s way of bringing His children in right relationship with Him, but He desired them to be given with the right motive. Let’s look at King Saul. He was officially chosen to be king in 1 Samuel 10 (although He was chosen by God prior to that occasion), and he proved himself to be a worthy king (in the eyes of the people) in 1 Samuel 11 by defeating Nahash the Ammonite. Not too long after this, Saul also destroyed a Philistine garrison, which caused the Philistines to rise up against Israel. Instead of waiting for Samuel to offer sacrifices at Gilgal, Saul was impatient and offered them himself. We find out in 1 Sam. 13: 8-12 that Saul offered sacrifices because he was afraid of the Philistines and his own people were scattering from him. Saul offered out of impatience and fear, but he also blatantly disobeyed the command of the Lord (v. 13). Something that seemed to be good (offering sacrifices) had bad results because of Saul’s motives. Unfortunately, it cost him his kingdom (v. 14). Jump ahead to 1 Sam. 15, and we see a similar situation. God wants Saul to destroy the city of Amalek and destroy every person and animal in it. The instructions are clear that nothing should live. Yet Saul disobeys once again. He captures Agag the king of the Amalekites instead of killing him, and he and the people spared the best livestock and “all that was good” (v. 9). It seems like God was giving Saul a second chance, but he blew it. God relays His disappointment to Samuel who then has to confront Saul. Saul tries to explain that he made his decisions to glorify God: “Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, ‘Blessed are you of the Lord! I have carried out the command of the Lord.’ But Samuel said, ‘What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?’ Saul said, ‘They (note: notice how Saul excludes himself here) have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed (note: he includes himself again when it comes to the destruction part)'” (1 Sam. 15:13-15).

When we read this, part of us wants to agree with Saul. Saving the best for the Lord sounds great. Offering sacrifices seems like what he should have done. Saul even tries to defend himself against Samuel again in vv. 20-21 by saying that he did obey the voice of the Lord. But Samuel imparts a different message: “Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king” (v. 22). Only after this message did Saul finally relent and ask for forgiveness. He tried to make excuses for disobeying God. He may have thought his intentions were good, but God was not honored or pleased. Instead, He took away Saul’s kingship and gave it to David who would eventually become king after Saul’s death. David is described as a man after God’s own heart whereas Saul feared his own people and his enemies. Saul is just one example in the OT. Adam and Eve are the first people to act out of their own selfish motives, which gets passed on to the rest of mankind. Sacrifices were a way of drawing close to the Lord and being made right with Him, but He didn’t want these sacrifices if the person offering had the wrong motive. God desires obedience above all else. Well let’s see what the NT has to offer.

I can’t help but think of the Pharisees when discussing the topic of motive. In Matt. 5:20 Jesus tells His disciples, “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” He follows that by a number of short teachings, but then in Matt. 6:1 He expounds on the message given in 5:20, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” He gives examples about giving to the poor, prayer, and fasting. All of these things are great to do. But how are they supposed to be done? The hypocrites (I believe Jesus is alluding to the scribes and Pharisees here) make their giving obvious in the synagogues and in the streets. They toot their own horns, so to speak. Notice, these are men who know the Scriptures and believe they are following God (and the Law). In today’s terms, these are some church-goers who want to be acknowledged for their giving. Jesus says that such people have their reward in full now (Matt. 6:2). Their intentions may be good, but they only honor themselves. Jesus says that those who give in secret will be rewarded by their Father eventually.  The same is true for prayer and fasting. No true disciple of Christ should make a spectacle of himself in practicing righteousness (Matt. 6:5, 7, 16). If we practice righteousness in a way that honors God, people will see our good fruit. If we do it to be honored by men, we already have our reward. I think it’s safe to say that we’ve all done something good so that others will honor our actions. We want the praise. We probably have good intentions, but remember that the Lord should be honored in all things.

I want to look at one more example because I think it’s often been misunderstood. In Luke 18:18-25, Jesus is asked by a rich ruler, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” People tend to skip over v. 19, but I think it’s important. Jesus asks the ruler, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.” Some people may be confused by what Jesus says here, but in my opinion, Jesus is telling the ruler who He really is. He’s testing the man. In answer to the ruler’s original question, Jesus then mentions a few of the commandments and the ruler states that he has kept them from his youth. Now here comes the statement that many people have misunderstood in my opinion: “When Jesus heard this, He said to him, ‘One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me'” (v. 22). We read that the ruler became sad because of his great wealth (v. 23). Jesus has basically told the man that He’s God (v. 19). The man has already stated that he’s kept all of the commandments. Jesus is giving the man the opportunity to follow Him. Many people read that the man is rich, and Jesus wants to him to give his possessions away; therefore, being rich is not good, and we should all do what Jesus says here. I think these people are missing the point. Jesus is basically giving the man two choices: follow your wealth or follow Me. The ruler wanted to know what he should do to inherit eternal life. The answer is to follow God wholeheartedly. He knew God was asking him to do something, but he still couldn’t do it (In Matt. and Mark the man is described as going away grieving; Matt. 19:22, Mark 10:22). When Jesus says that the rich have a hard time entering the kingdom of God it’s because many are unwilling to follow God at all costs. The poor have little to lose, but the rich have much to lose. However, we see further in the NT how the church is made up of rich and poor Christians alike. The difference is that their motive is to serve God with whatever they have.

These are just a few examples out of many from Scripture, but I think you understand what I’m getting at. God is interested in our hearts. He desires complete obedience and repentance when we fall short. He doesn’t want excuses like Saul (I’m guilty of this). He doesn’t want outward righteousness with alternative motives. If God asks us to do something, we should do it wholeheartedly, and even cheerfully because He has chosen us for His purposes. He instituted sacrifices in the OT so that His people could be close to Him. He also gave us His final sacrifice, Jesus, not for His sake, but for ours. So that we may have eternal life with Him. Does He not deserve our obedience? Should He not take precedence in our hearts and minds? Let us serve the Lord with the right motives. May He be glorified above all else.

_____________

One last thought. Let us also pray for those in the Middle East and in other places around the world who are experiencing persecution. Some have chosen Christ instead of recanting their faith, and now they are with Him. Let’s hope that more people will come to knowledge of Christ because of their bravery and sacrifice. May we pray for them to have courage, and for the Lord’s will to be done in all things.

© Lauren Heiligenthal

His Gentle Whisper

Here is another poem/word of encouragement I wrote for a friend who was going through a hard time. I hope you will be encouraged that God knows what you’re going through. Even though life is always changing, and we change along with it, He already knows what’s coming next. He is unchanging yet knows all change.

His Gentle Whisper (originally written September 25, 2008)

Life is full of broken pieces,
pieces that connect moment to moment,
year to year,
tears to tears.

Each piece is precious,
unique,
unfolding something new within ourselves,
leading us on our journey of never-ending change.

We live to see what is beautiful,
terrifying,
life-changing;
no time to prepare.

We constantly lift our eyes to God in question,
momentarily forgetting that He is already
holding us,
sharing our tears,
laughing in our experiences of joy.

We see life as broken,
yet God reassures us of His whole picture,
meant to be embraced
in all its beauty and pain.

He has created a dance
to an ever-changing song
sung by creation,
those around us,
and in His gentle whisper.

He is saying,
“I love you always.
I protect You
as you walk through the valley.
I hold you in your
loneliness.
I see you as you are,
and the heart I have given you.
Have no fear;
instead, expect Me to do great things.
Trust that I know you completely and
understand your struggles.
You are My child,
My precious one.
Never will I bring you to a place
where you cannot get up again.
I am your Strength and
the Restorer of broken
lives and hearts.
Expect miracles for I
never change.
Believe in me to be the
God who saves.
I Am.”

© Lauren Heiligenthal

Confidence

This is a poem that I originally wrote for a friend a few years ago. It’s written from God’s perspective, and it encourages me every time I read it. I hope it will do the same for you.

Confidence

As the dawn breaks

a new day awaits

as I anticipate our time together

when I look upon you as beauty,

as Mine.

 

Purple shades of light

dance in your eyes

as you allow your creative mind

to intertwine with Mine,

unfolding a masterpiece

of all that’s divine.

I have called you.

 

The rivers of your compassionate heart

flow into the paint as you color

life into another,

creating a picture she could not see

for herself.

Prophetic.

 

I have given you new eyes to see My Majesty,

and ears to hear My voice.

Listen!

I am speaking to you.

 

Embrace my blessings.

Find your rest in Me.

Throw off all insecurity

and be brave to let others see who

I have created you to be.

 

Let your voice

sing into your fingertips

as you play

your music

painted on a naked

canvas.

 

Laugh until your tears

collide with an aching heart

crying out for freedom.

Bring healing.

 

Chase after Me,

and I will unfold

glorious dreams

of joy and deliverance

wrapped in My magnificence.

 

Trust that I hold you

and cover you with peace

as you sleep

with a tear rolling down your cheek.

I have never left you.

 

You are My precious,

My daughter,

My everything.

Because I love you I call you to be you,

exposed and humble,

so that others will see Me:

your Strength and Confidence.

© Lauren Heiligenthal

Faith Like a Child

If something or someone is described as being childish, it’s usually not a good thing. Childish behavior often connotes immaturity. However, Christians are encouraged to have childlike faith. It sounds simple enough, but all too often worry supersedes faith. This has been a constant challenge in my life. My faith begins to falter whenever I think about bills, student loans, getting a job, etc. I then start to worry about what other people think, and before I know it, I’m on a downward spiral, losing my trust in the Lord. Children, on the other hand, are quite different.

Children are amazing creatures. Anyone who has had children or been around them long enough can attest to this. I’ve spent the last 18 months helping to take care of wonderful (and sometimes crazy) twin boys. There are many times when they’ve tried my patience, but they’ve taught me so much about God the Father’s relationship to His children. At birth, these boys were helpless on their own. They needed their parents and me to do everything for them. They had no choice in the matter. As they’ve grown up they’ve learned that we will take care of their needs. In the early stages, their cries signaled hunger and wet diapers. When they were learning how to walk they knew we would be right there to help them. Nowadays, when they play they throw themselves backwards with complete trust that we will catch them (even though it scares me sometimes!). They hold out their hands when they need help getting off their manually-pushed vehicles, and when they fall they know we’ll be waiting with open arms. They also learn by being disciplined even though it’s hard to do sometimes. All in all, children have no worries. They know their parents will take care of them for their every need. This is how we are supposed to be too. After all, we are called the children of God.

Many of us are familiar with the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. All too often it’s cut up into pieces for the sake of a brief sermon, or we focus on a bunch of different themes within the text and take them one at a time. Most (if not all) translations break this text up into different sections with their own headings. While there are different topics within these chapters, it is important to read the text altogether to grasp the overarching message. For instance, it is significant to note in Matt. 5:1-2 that Jesus is speaking to His disciples; however, I believe this is referring to all of those who were following Christ (not just the 12) because not all of the twelve have been chosen yet. He is teaching them how disciples are supposed to think and act, being distinguished from the unbelieving Gentile and the hypocritical scribes and Pharisees (Matt. 5). As a disciple, one’s righteousness should not be put on display for all to see, but rather one should honor the Father rather than himself/herself. The discussion on prayer in Matt. 6:5-14 is interesting because it focuses on having faith in the Father. In vv. 5-6, Jesus’ disciples are commanded not to be like the Pharisees because they only draw attention to themselves in prayer. In v. 7, disciples ought not to be like Gentiles who use many words in order to be heard by their gods. Rather, v. 8 explains that our Father already knows what we need before we even ask Him. How amazing is that! All we have to do is ask with the right intent, which is not to be glorified by men or to persuade God with all of our wonderful words, but simply to trust that He knows and provides. Notice in v. 12 (part of the Lord’s Prayer) that asking God for our needs to be met involves repenting of our sins. How can we expect God to do anything in our lives if we’re unwilling to be right with Him? However, that’s a topic for another day. Verses 16-24 seem to convey the same instructions. Disciples ought to focus on the Lord and not get caught up in the world. As v. 24 says, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” Ouch! In the American culture, this is a difficult pill to swallow. Working and being successful in one’s occupation has become a top priority for many Americans, and a number of Christians are among them. Now don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with providing for one’s family. However, when the job becomes more important than God and family, then we have a problem. So far in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus makes it clear that the Lord should be one’s focus.

Now that we’ve briefly covered part of the Sermon, let’s take a look at Matt. 6:25-34. Remember that v. 24 talks about how a person cannot serve both God and wealth. Verse 25 then comments, “For this reason (note: refers back to what Jesus just said earlier in the Sermon) I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” This sounds a lot like instructions on how to have childlike faith. As I wrote above, children know their needs will be met somehow. We should also not be worried about having our needs met. What’s also encouraging is that Jesus paints a picture in vv. 26-29 of how God takes care of things that seem insignificant: the birds of the air and lilies of the field. He then asks a pointed question to His disciples in v. 30, “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!” If God takes care of perishable, temporary things, will He not also take care of us who will spend eternity with Him? Something to ponder. Verse 32 repeats the same message in v. 8: the heavenly Father knows our needs. But here’s the kicker, the whole point to Jesus’ message so far: “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (v. 33). We’ve heard this preached many times, but do we understand it? What if God asked you to quit your job? What if He told you to move and leave everyone you know behind? What if He asked you to go to school knowing that you would be in debt for a time (I’m experiencing this one)? Even if you don’t understand the full picture of why God asks you to do something, will you do it anyway? When we ask children to stay back from the oven or to hold our hands when crossing the street, they don’t understand why, but we know the dangers. When they listen to us, we save them from potential disaster. When they don’t obey, they might get a burned hand or worse, get hit by a car. Part of having childlike faith is doing what the world thinks is crazy (Consider 1 Cor. 3:18-19a, “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God.”) But we shouldn’t worry because worry leads to that downward spiral away from God.

Going back to the Sermon on the Mount, Matt. 7:7-11 reiterates the same teaching about the Father that we read in Matt. 6:25-34. Jesus tells his disciples to ask, knock, and seek, and they will receive what they seek. He then gives an everyday example in vv. 9-11, “Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!” We can relate to what Jesus is saying here. People who love their children only want to give the best they can. Our Father is the same way.

Also something to note, this is NOT a health and wellness teaching or prosperity gospel because such doctrines only focus on ourselves and what WE want. This is a “put God first” teaching, and He will bless you for your faith. Will you be tried and tested? Yes! Part of being a Christian is standing firm when the world comes against you. Your family may even come against you for following God (even Christian families). But Jesus encourages His disciples in Matt. 7:13-14 to “Enter the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Notice, there are only two choices. There’s the way of the world, or God’s way, despite what some people teach nowadays. Jesus also encourages His disciples to have discernment regarding people who claim to be godly. Such people either produce good or bad fruit despite their outward appearance (vv. 15-23). Lastly, in the Sermon, Jesus teaches His disciples that they should act on what they’ve heard. To trust the Father and not worry is a command to be enacted. We don’t want to be like the foolish man who built his house on the sand, but like the wise man who built his house on the rock (vv. 24-27).

Is it easy to have childlike faith? No, I don’t think so. But we MUST try. The narrow road is hard. That’s why only a few find it. I don’t think Jesus was being hyperbolic in making this statement. Our focus must be on the eternal instead of the temporary. Money and possessions tend to be dear to us, and in themselves they are not bad. I repeat, having wealth is NOT bad (despite what some preachers may say). Wealth becomes bad when we clutch it so tight that we’re unwilling to let it go when God asks us to (i.e., rich young ruler in Luke 18:18-28). When we put God first, trust Him to take care of our needs, and maintain right-standing before Him, He will provide. I preach to myself when I exhort you, my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, to stand firm, trust the Lord, and encourage each other in the faith. We are the body of Christ. Let us walk the narrow road together.

© Lauren Heiligenthal