Turning Over Tables
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. - Proverbs 14:12
One of the consequences of this is that we can dismiss what someone says as their beliefs. They have their beliefs. We have our beliefs. Those across the road have their beliefs and that’s all fine. In conversations lately, this has come up. “Oh, is that your beliefs?” The problem is: This is the wrong question. The right question is: Is that right? Or, is that true? Once we start treating God’s truth as a belief, anything goes.
So talking about beliefs is fine all day, but it is not acceptable to talk about truth. In today’s society, no one can claim to be speaking truth. However, the prophets, Christ, and His apostles spoke of truth. They did not present their opinions to be discussed and decided upon by the individual. Christ taught narrowly, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Christ spoke truth and not beliefs. Had He spoken of beliefs in a way acceptable to today’s world, He would have said, “I am a way, a truth, and a life.” The difference is obvious.
How does this impact our mission in the world today? If we are deceived into merely advancing our beliefs, we have effectively put Christianity out on the table with all other religions and said, “Here are our ideas. Please choose us.” Our mission is rather to turn the table over, drive out the money-changers, and proclaim the absolute truth of Christ’s universal Lordship, which demands obedience and the forsaking of all other religions and ideas. We have the message of absolute truth in Jesus Christ and not merely beliefs.
Rags or Robes
Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! - Isaiah 5:21
- I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word. – Psalm 119:158
Bold statements are common in Psalm 119. You have to pay attention and understand the grounds of those statements. They seem to come dangerously close to self-righteous boasting.
Verse 158 describes how the Psalmist is grieved over transgressors. As I pondered over this verse, I thought of how easily this could be self-righteous contempt. We are likely accustomed to pious despising being described as grief over sinners. So, what makes the Psalmist’s grief here righteous and not contemptuous?
Self-righteous contempt is usually manifested in one of two ways:
- Those despised are simply ignored. They are so low, so beneath the pious that no notice is taken of them. No mental energy is expended on them. It is as if they are invisible.
- The other way is they are considered and looked upon with contempt. It may be masked as pity or grief, but they are actively despised.
We know the first is not the case because he says, “I beheld the transgressors.” The Psalmist is taking notice and considering them. The result of his consideration is grief, so we must find out if the second case is true here.
The key to understanding the difference is their center. But first we must consider some scriptural examples of self-righteous contempt to discern the difference. Luke provides us several examples in his Gospel.
Self-Righteous Contempt in the Scriptures
Jesus actually told a parable to address this contempt specifically.
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others. – Luke 18:9
This verse highlights the center I mentioned previously. Their despising of others centers around their self-righteousness: “Trusted in themselves that they were righteous.” The contempt comes from them viewing themselves as righteous and others as not as righteous as they. A few examples from Luke will illustrate and clarify.
- The Pharisee Simon invited Jesus to dinner at his house. Simon did not believe Jesus, but he wanted the chance to see and talk with Him more closely. During the dinner a woman known as a sinner came in and stood behind Jesus. That she was known as a sinner means that she had been a prostitute, an adulteress, or an otherwise openly loose woman. She was held in contempt by most in society.She had brought a box of ointment with here. She stood behind Jesus crying and she began to wash His feet with her tears. She wiped His feet off with her own hair and then anointed them with the expensive ointment.
Simon watched all this with interest and manifested the second type of contempt.
Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have know who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. – Luke 7:39
In that moment, Simon is despising this woman. He is also despising Jesus for letting her touch Him. This actually reveals the depth of his self-righteousness and contempt. The woman was washing Jesus’ feet, which was an act of humble service. The one washing was humbling herself before the one being washed. This is why Peter objected so strenuously to Jesus washing his feet (John 13:6-8). Simon thought of himself so highly and this woman so lowly compared to him, he did not think her even good enough to humbly wash his feet.
- The Pharisees despised Jesus for often receiving sinners and eating with them.
And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. – Luke 15:2
They despised those Jesus ate with. They would never lower themselves to eat with ones so obviously beneath them. Again, they projected their contempt onto Jesus for doing what they would not dare to do.
- Jesus told a parable about an elder and younger brother. In it, the elder brother manifested the second type of contempt.
But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou has killed for him the fatted calf. – Luke 15:30
The elder despised the younger because he was not as righteous as the elder brother. He resented any honor being shown the younger brother because he was not as worthy of it as the elder brother was in his own mind.
- In the parable in Luke 18, the Pharisee manifests the self-righteous contempt mentioned in verse 9.
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. – Luke 18:11
He despised the publican who was not as good as he was.
- Zacchaeus was one who had become rich through dishonesty, extortion, and theft. He was a tax collector—a chief of tax collectors. He was known and despised and Jesus went into his house.
And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. – Luke 19:7
They despised Zacchaeus and would never have gone to his house. Therefore, they despised Jesus for going to his house.
The Center
Now we come back to the center and the difference between righteous grief and self-righteous contempt. In the examples from Luke, we saw that self-righteousness was central to the manifest contempt. A high esteem of one’s own righteousness and a comparison of others to it where they fail to measure up, is at the center of contempt.
On the other hand, the center of righteous grief is very different. Central to this grief is the honor and glory of God. The grief expressed by the Psalmist is not with respect to himself and where the transgressors are in relation to him. His grief revolves around the dishonoring of God.
Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law. – Psalm 119:53
Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law. – Psalm 119:136
I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word. – Psalm 119:158
This sort of grief reveals a holy zeal and jealousy of God’s glorious honor. No doubt his grief over his own sin is much the same as it is over the sins of others. Whether we manifest grief or contempt reveals our attitude about righteousness and sin. It reveals whether we want to be clothed in rags or robes.
- But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags – Isaiah 64:6
- And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. – Revelation 7:13-14
Falling in One Foot at a Time
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. ~ 1 Corinthians 10:12
-
Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
~ Matthew 26:74-75
Peter denied the Lord Jesus Christ, not once, but three times. This happened even after Jesus told him it would happen and Peter vehemently objected that it would happen. But it did.
If we look closely, we realize Peter’s failure was not an isolated act that happened suddenly in a moment. His denial was the culmination of a chain of events that were leading him to this point. Let’s follow the links of this chain.
- At the Mount of Olives, Jesus prophesied that all His disciples would be offended that night and flee. Peter was boasting and self-confident.
But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. ~ Mark 14:29
But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. ~ Mark 14:31
- In the garden, when he was supposed to be watching, he was sleeping.
And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? Couldest not thou watch one hour? ~ Mark 14:37
- When Jesus was taken to Caiaphas, Peter followed them at a distance so to see what would happen but not be associated with Him.
But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end. ~ Matthew 26:58
- At the high priest’s palace, Peter chose to hide in plain sight and sat down with the enemies of Jesus at the fire.
And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself. ~ John 18:18
- Among these evil associates, Peter denied the Lord three times.
And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest: And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew. And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto. But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept. ~ Mark 14:66-72
This is often the way it is with sin. A great failure is the capstone of a building of many small blocks of failure. Jesus taught that outward acts of sin start with inward sins in the heart.
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. ~ Matthew 5:27-28
O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. ~ Matthew 12:34-35
This is why we are to mortify the deeds of the flesh. This is why we are to war against sin, even the sins that seem small and of little significance. Little gains and little victories will help keep us from the big failures.
We are often like the little boy whose mother tells him not to get wet. He starts by walking up to the edge of the water. He tosses a couple of rocks in. He tests it with his toes. He stirs it with a stick. He drops the stick in and, of course, he must retrieve it. His mother returns to find him splashing and wet from head to toe. The look on her face is enough accusation and he pleads, “But Mommy, I just fell in.” And so he did—he fell in one foot at a time.
The Moment of Preaching
Preach the word ~ 2 Timothy 4:2
Preaching is a momentary act with eternal consequences. Someone more astute than I probably said that before. The point seems to be that we cannot overstate the seriousness of the preaching moment.
There are several competing desires within me when I enter the pulpit. On the one hand, I have strong desires that Christ will be exalted and His Word honored in such a way that the people will leave impressed with Him. I have strong desires that the Word will be burned on the people’s hearts and though they might forget my name, they will not forget His Word.
On the other hand, strong desires reside in my flesh. I am tempted to relish the attention, to want to be liked and thought of highly. I am tempted to seek approval and congratulation. These are the desires that must be put to death. I walk in Romans 7 every time I enter the pulpit.
I enter into the pulpit with fear and trembling. The most dangerous place to stand in the assembly is in the pulpit. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for seeking the praise of men in their works.
But all their works they do for to be seen of men ~ Matthew 23:5
Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. ~ Matthew 6:2
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. ~ Matthew 6:5
Because you are physically seen of men in the pulpit, the temptation is strong to perform. The way seems so open and so easy to thieve God’s glory.
My prayer and heart-cry for that moment is that God will save me from myself and bind my heart fast to Him. My aim and my hope in that moment is to preach a perfect sermon. What is a perfect sermon? A perfect sermon is one where the only obvious and memorable element is Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:5).
