Anyone who reads this blog regularly, or who knows me personally probably knows that I have my hesitations and convictions about what we consider the large, organized, ‘corporate’ church. Not speaking, necessarily of people, but of the organization they create and maintain.

But I still I don’t think there is too much that’s more important that being a part of the natural and organic body of Christ.

In other words, having Christian friends and living life with them.

While I was reading in Ecclesiastes today, I came upon Solomon’s own argument for the same thing. I think he says it better than I do.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12:

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

I’m sure you’ve read the verses in the book of James that talk about the tongue. It is a “restless evil”, says James. He compares the tongue to many things. A tiny ‘spark’ that sets a forest on fire. A small ‘rudder’ that steers a whole ship. A ‘bridal’ in a horses mouth that can be used to guide it around.

James argues that the tongue, although it is small, is the source a great deal of trouble for man.

Every teaching I’ve ever heard on this verse gives a good deal of personal application. Congregations are to control their tongue and this is an excellent argument for that.

But I’m not sure that the congregation is really who James had in mind when he wrote this bit about the tongue.

Possibly for the first time, I noticed that another frequently quoted verse is actually a tiny piece of context that puts a whole new spin on James’ message about the tongue. The very first verses in fact. James 3:1-2:

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.

Why does James go directly from a word on teaching and teachers and the fact that every teacher make’s mistakes in his teaching into a discussion of bridling the tongue? I think it’s because the ‘body’ he talks about throughout the rest of the chapter is not one individual body who is guided by his own tongue, but the whole body of believers who is guided by the tongue of their teacher.

Not many should aspire to be teachers because all teachers make mistakes, and with many, many teachers comes many misconceptions and the church ends up ‘set on fire’.

Of course, I don’t think this is the only viable interpretation of this verse, but I think it makes perfect contextual sense. And perhaps it’s a concept churches who turn teaching authority over to small group ministries should consider.

The dissention over topics of predestination in the bible begin with the question of man’s depravity. Is man able to do ‘good’ before he is a believer? ‘Good’ like accepting Christ? Some believe that he can, other’s in the reformed tradition believe that he cannot. If man is to accept Christ, God must enable him to do it.

Although there are many verses supporting the reformed understanding of man’s condition, and indeed some apparently in support of the opposition, I came upon this one today and found it’s language compelling.

Jeremiah 13:23:

Can the Ethiopian change his skin
   or the leopard his spots?
Then also you can do good,
   who are accustomed to do evil.

Through the prophet Jeremiah, God argues that the rebellious creatures of man are no more able to do ‘good’ in their natural state than is a person able to change the color of his skin, or a big cat the pattern in his fur.

I’ve been thinking over this verse for a couple of days now. I’m not sure why, I’ve probably read it a hundred times. I guess it’s just resting on me with some fresh reflection. James 1:12:

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Although it’s phrased funny, the verse is in perfect sync with the rest of James’ message, and the whole bible for that matter.

James stresses that faith and works are not mutually exclusive elements, of which a Christian may hold one or the other. Rather, they are two ends of the same thing, which every true Christian will exhibit, if in fact they are true.

What’s so weird about this verse is that it would seem to reverse that message. Saying ‘remain steadfast so that you’ll receive the crown of life’. But James continues, explaining that the ‘crown of life’ is something that has been promised to those who love God.

How could the ‘crown of life’ be a reward for fulfilled duty and promised to those with earnest love for God? Simple, I suppose: Steadfastness is not the condition. Love is the condition for which the promise is given, while steadfastness is the symptom of that love.

Reading in Ecclesiastes earlier, I came across a few points that I found perplexing. After thinking and reflecting, I dove into some commentaries for some insight.

On the verses of Ecclesiastes 3:11-15, Matthew Henry had this to say:

Every thing is as God made it; not as it appears to us. We have the world so much in our hearts, are so taken up with thoughts and cares of worldly things, that we have neither time nor spirit to see God’s hand in them. The world has not only gained possession of the heart, but has formed thoughts against the beauty of God’s works. We mistake if we think we were born for ourselves; no, it is our business to do good in this life, which is short and uncertain; we have but little time to be doing good, therefore we should redeem time. Satisfaction with Divine Providence, is having faith that all things work together for good to them that love him.

That’s a lot to think about.

Jeremiah 6:14:

They have healed the wound of my people lightly,
    saying, ‘Peace, peace,’
    when there is no peace.

The prophets in Jeremiah’s time had stopped preaching the word of God. Instead, they said the things that would bolster their esteem. They tickled the people’s ears with things they wanted to hear. “They healed the would lightly”.

Now, I know that Jeremiah’s time was a specific time in history and that we have to tread lightly over life applications from these pages. But I couldn’t help but see the parallel as I read across this verse.

The teachers, the prophets in our western church, many of them, have stopped preaching the Word of God. Or begun preaching it only in part—leaving the difficult or offensive topics and concepts untouched. Not just the prosperity-gospel church either. I mean many of the churches we attend on a weekly basis.

In the interest of creating a welcoming environment (and securing a mortgage payment), way too many preachers only teach the parts of the bible that can be understood without too much objection. And, without too much risk of scaring people away.

I can’t help but wonder whether or not God would say these same things to our church today that he said through the prophet Jeremiah in his day.

I’ve created a website dedicated to my father’s beard in all of it’s glory. Pretty sweet, to say the least. There are 12 images which rotate randomly.