Hi Sisters,
This will begin a mini-series, which sort of began with the last post. There I mentioned a quiet time which reminded me to keep a grasp on helping the vulnerable AND pursuing godliness individually. God cares about both as seen through all of Scripture.
But this leads into a much bigger discussion. In a book I’m writing, I actually give an entire chapter to analyzing how we can operate in extremes, focusing on one Biblical truth so much so that we neglect another. We come upon this honestly because each extreme can be backed up by Scripture. Yet, we must recalibrate when we find ourselves operating in extremes.
For example, there is a tension between faith and works. To over-emphasize one and neglect the other leads to either cheap grace or legalism, respectively.
Let me give an excerpt from my book.This is the opening to discussing extremes we find in Scripture and how this is impacting us Christian women specifically.
[Start book excerpt]
It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes. ~Ecclesiastes 7:18
When I first enter a new place, whether that is a new job, new geographical location, or new Bible study, I tend to stand back and observe. I want to take in my surroundings and examine the culture. I have been convinced of this method by this wise Proverb, “A wise man scales the city of the mighty and brings down the stronghold in which they trust” (Proverbs 21:22). There are spiritual strongholds everywhere, individually and collectively. A wise woman will prayerfully ask the Lord to know what these strongholds are and how to tear them down. This is the idea behind Paul saying in Corinthians to take every thought captive and bring it into obedience to Christ.
In our Christian women culture, we have found ourselves in extremes. There might be understandable reasons for this, such as women trying to correct a past wrong and mistakenly overcorrecting. Nonetheless, we have to go back to the Word of God and take a hard look at what we are doing. I was reading in II Kings 22. In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s rule over the kingdom of Judah, the Book of the Law was found in the temple. When it was read to Josiah, he was humbled and penitent. He makes reforms all over Judah. What is striking about this scenario is that in order for the Law to be found it had at one time been lost! As women of God’s Word, we must be careful never to let the Word be “lost” in our circles because one clear piece of evidence of it being “lost” is our complacency to live in extremes.
If you read the Bible, not devotionals, but the actual Bible, you may come to find that there are seemingly contradictory statements in it. This might be troubling to you if you have never heard this before, but it is not a reason for your faith to be shaken. There is a dichotomy to God and we must come to terms with the fact that the “secret things of God belong to God” (Deuteronomy 29:29).
What do I mean by contradictions? Here is my favorite example, “Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes” (Proverbs 26:4-5). So which is it? Do I rebuke fools or do I not rebuke fools? The answer is of course, both. How do we know what to do then when we come across a fool? It will probably depend on the situation, the severity of foolishness, etc. The fact is, the answer is both. If you never rebuke a fool because you claim verse four, you need to take grasp of verse five. You might be grasping verse four because you do not like confrontation; therefore it is comfortable for you to always apply verse four in every situation with someone acting foolish. The opposite is true if you feel the need to rebuke someone each time you know she is wrong, because you believe you must be the keeper of all things right. You need to grasp hold of verse four and understand that the wisest thing to do in some cases is keep your mouth closed!
That is a light hearted example, but I want to dive into more serious extremes. Too many times churches and denominations have split over extremes when in fact both sides were right! Unfortunately, we prefer a formula, which finds its root in the consumer gospel. We want spirituality to be a four step program to salvation, to growth, how to live, etc. The Bible gives no such advice. It is more dynamic and complex than our simple formulas. Its wisdom holds the wisdom of God and His wisdom is unsearchable!
The book of Job is a profound book of wisdom literature. Though Job and his friends desperately want to frame God into boxes, God will not have it. When God finally answers Job, He actually does not answer his questions in the way we would think. God answers Job with a lengthy list of His own questions such as, “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? . . . Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” (Job 38:2, 4 NLT). These questions span four chapters of text. God teaches Job humility and shatters his initial understanding of God Almighty. As we go through these extremes, I challenge you to approach them with humility. Ask yourself if you have been living in an extreme. If so, hold your grasp the side you have while taking hold of the other side.
[End excerpt]
Hope this mini-series is activating!
By the River Together 