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“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” Romans 12:2
Of course these verses introduce the concept of the “transformation” process that is necessary in Christians. Christians become new people by eliminating sin and selfishness from their lives and replacing it with goodness and caring about the needs of others.
Which begs the question… are you really a Christian if you are not being “transformed”?
The greek word for transformation is “metamorphoo” which is the same word from which we get the english “metamorphosis” i.e what happens when a caterpillar turns into a butterfly.
Imagine then a dark world full of caterpillars. Teeming masses crawling on their caterpillar bellies. Not very pretty.
As Christ’s light begins to shine in the world those ugly spiritual caterpillars are transformed (metamorphosed) into beautiful spiritual Butterflies.
You might be an ugly old caterpillar crawling on your belly on the earth and you might even be a baptized caterpillar but unless you begin the transformation process you will never be a beautiful Butterfly floating on the wind.
Help your former caterpillars transform it makes you an even more beautiful Butterfly.
“…speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” Ephesians 5:19-20
These verses are used generally to affirm the idea that musical instrumentation should not be associated with Christian singing because musical instrumentation is not mentioned in the text and would be a human addition to our singing. Kind of like adding Peas and Carrots to the Lord’s Supper.
That obviously is not the primary intent of these verses. However if this text could be used to prove that instruments of music are forbidden by the scriptures then I have a few questions.
- is this verse talking about singing in the assembly or singing by individuals outside of the assembly? Or both?
- what exactly is a “Psalm, Hymn or Spiritual song?”
Let me suggest that functionally the way we define “Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs” are those songs that are contained in our song books.
Of course that begs the question… what were “Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs” before there were song books?
There are plenty of songs in our culture that contain segments of scripture, spiritual themes and that mention God that are not in our song books.
Consider the song “Turn!Turn!” by Pete Seeger which quotes directly from Ecclesiastes. It’s not in our song book and yet most Christians who hear it on the radio would enjoy listening to it and even feel comfortable singing along with it.
Consider also the song “God’s Will” by Martina McBride which I recommend and is on my play list. Every time I hear that song I cry. It tell’s the story of a handicapped boy named Will. His mother calls him God’s Will. A neighbor meets Will and the lyrics go like this…
I've been searchin', wonderin', thinkin'
Lost and lookin' all my life
I've been wounded, jaded, loved, and hated
I've wrestled wrong and right
He was a boy without a father
And his mother's miracle
I've been readin', writin', prayin', fightin'
I guess I would be still
Yeah, that was until
I knew God's will
You see she learns God’s will by meeting God’s Will.
If that’s not a spiritual song then I don’t know what is and the fact that it is accompanied by instrumental music doesn’t diminish the message and the impact (on me) that the song has.
So if we take the position that Ephesians 5:19-20 regulates both the singing of individuals and congregations in terms of being accompanied by musical instruments and yet we feel comfortable even listening (and singing) to spiritual songs on the radio then we have a problem with our hermeneutic (method of interpretation).
Now don’t get the idea that I am campaigning for the use to instrumental music in our worship services because I am not. There are other reasons not to use musical instruments in our assembly.
One test of a hermeneutic is it’s application. Like when a Pharisee forbade healing on the Sabbath but would be okay with pulling an ox out of a ditch on the Sabbath.
We must be careful that our hermeneutic doesn’t make us hypocrites. Like forbidding instrumental music accompanying “Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs” and yet singing to them on the radio.
I had a dream about my brother last night. I wanted to write it down because I know I’ll forget about it. I dreamt that I was walking to a friends house to help him with something. As I was walking down the street someone was walking towards me. As he got closer I thought… that looks like my brother Scott. And then as he got closer his eyes opened wide and he yelled Rob! It was my brother! We hugged each other and both cried and I said… how? how?
My brother then said Rob… I didn’t have any choice I had to fake my death. Which raises a lot of questions but I didn’t care… I just didn’t care, I was so glad to see him.
I don’t know for sure if we will recognize loved ones in Heaven. I mean there is that thing about the Rich man recognizing father Abraham and the Poor man. And there is that thing about the twelve Apostles surrounding the throne in Heaven. So I tend to think that we will recognize people and that is a very comforting thing to me and perhaps an extra motivation to strive to be there.
What a great day that will be when we enter the gates of Heaven and are reunited with people whom we have loved the most in the world and to get to meet the storied Apostles. And also, hopefully a dream come true when I see my brother again.
There’s a story I like to tell about my potential career path I considered when I was about to graduate from High School. Path #1 was to be an internationally famous Rock Star and Path # 2 was to be a simple country Veterinarian.
As I considered those two options I weighed the pros and cons of each.
As far as being a Rock Star goes I realized that Rock Stars traveled a lot and I am more of a homebody. Strike 1.
Also Rock Stars seem to be involved in the drug culture and make poor choices and tend to die early because of addiction. I could just see myself becoming a drug addict and seeing my mother crying at my funeral. Strike 2.
Also Rock Stars are pursued by groupies… primarily women… seductive women. That could potentially be a weakness for me. I mean you could say “no” a thousand times but the one time you don’t could have disastrous consequences. Strike 3 to becoming an Internationally Famous Rock Star and hello to becoming a simple country Veterinarian.
Of course that whole story is one big joke and yet it illustrates a concept.
There is not anything inherently wrong with being a Rock Star and yet it is an occupation that provides several opportunities for sin.
The child of God shouldn’t naively go down a path that has great potential for sin. I could name you several occupations that are not family friendly and have a high percentage of marriage failures.
The child of God should be smart and wise and make good choices.
Of course I did become a simple country Veterinarian and am still with the wife of my youth and we are surrounded by our children and grandchildren.
Far, far better than being in some strange town, drowning in drugs with some wild and wicked woman.
Choose wisely grasshopper.
“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.” Titus 3.
There are two types of people contrasted in the above verses. Those people who have accepted Jesus Christ and have conformed themselves to his teaching and those who have not.
- The behavior of those who have not are…
- insubordination to authority… government and otherwise.
- not caring about doing good.
- Slanderous speech against others
- troublemakers and being inconsiderate
- treating others harshly
- lives characterized by following after passions and pleasures
- maliciousness and envy
- hating others and receiving hatred
The text says we all used to be like that but then something happened… God saved us by his mercy and that’s the only way it could happen. We couldn’t find salvation because we deserved it because we were totally undeserving of it.
Some have the idea that all we have to do to be saved is just to be good… sorry… goodness does not deserve mercy. Goodness does not earn mercy.
Mercy is conditional, he saved us through…
- the washing of rebirth.
- the renewal by the Holy Spirit who comes through Jesus Christ.
- we are then justified by his grace and become heirs and then (and only then) have the hope of eternal life.
Remember and cause others to remember to behave in a manner worthy of this wonderful, merciful gift.
Here are three or four cases on greetings and my observations on them.
I think the worst kind of greetings are the ones I have experienced at local convenience stores. You walk in and the cashier has been trained by corporate policy to say “hello” they don’t look up, no eye contact and they don’t really mean it… they’re just following corporate policy.
I thought that was the worst until I walked into a store recently and they had an electronic greeting.
The second worst kind is what I experience at the local athletic facility. There’s always 2-3 people at the front desk. You scan your member card… they make eye contact and smile and say hello. They do that when you leave too. It’s certainly better than the convenience store but for crying out loud they have your information on their computer screens right in front of them. They could at least greet you by your name and pretend that they know you.
My third example is the front desk at our office. They have been trained to recognize not only our clients but the names of their pets. Most of our clients make appointments so our receptionists have all the clues they need to make a personal greeting. When the client walks in they say “hello Mrs. Brimerlee… how is Barney today?” (for example). As they are checking out our receptionists ask about the visit and thank them.
Greeters and greetings are very important in congregations. Of course what happens in between the Howdies and the Adios' are also important but greeters at the beginning are the first impression and greeters at the end are the last impression. So… like really important.
The reality in congregations is that everyone is a greeter. Greeting is layered and somewhat continuous from the time the visitor walks through the front door, as they run the gauntlet through the foyer and finally when they find their seats.
I was told by a practice consultant that at the front desk you hire for personality and then teach front desk skills.
The skill of greeting can be taught and learned and as we engage in greetings and observe other greeters our skills are honed.
“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was previously a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor.
Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. It is a trustworthy statement… that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost.
Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost sinner Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life… ” 1 Timothy 1:12-17.
Paul was the worst of sinners… the very worst of sinners. He was guilty of Blasphemy because he insulted Jesus Christ by saying he was not God that Jesus was just a pretender and Paul treated with great violence those who disagreed with him.
Paul should have been punished with death but Jesus had other plans for Paul so he extended mercy to Paul and he was patient in doing so. Jesus let Paul continue to blaspheme and violate with violence true believers for some period of time.
You see when the world views a sin like “Blasphemy” it instantly judges and condemns the guilty and the verdict is as good as carried out. We treat them like they are dead. Predictable, Logical and Biblical.
But Jesus is not all that predictable (as illustrated by these verses.) He unpredictably extended mercy because he could do something we can’t… he could look into a heart and see faith and what the seed of faith can become.
Lesson #1… Jesus is patient. Probably much more patient than we are. Jesus doesn’t give up on people… even the worst.
Lesson #2… it doesn’t matter how bad you have been or how long you have been bad. If, like Paul, he “considers you to be faithful” he can extend mercy and erase all of those bad things.
Jesus extended mercy to Paul to demonstrate these concepts to the world so that the world might be encouraged that if God could extend mercy to the worst of sinners… then he could also extend mercy to those who are not the worst… people like you and me. Super encouraging.
