Behavior Gap

Many denominations within The Church are racked with confusion and division right now.  We think we know why, but most of us act on the assumption that the surface explanation is valid. It is not. The division in the post-modern congregation is not racism, gender misunderstandings or views on sexual preferences. Our primary problem is the gap between what we think we believe and what we (functionally) show that we believe.

The fissure is developing along the line of scriptural authority, but it is not a clean line. Why not? One does well to believe that the Holy Bible is inspired and authoritative, but that makes virtually no difference in the individual adherent’s life if the one who believes scripture has full authority has no personal grasp of the content of scripture. In that case, the Bible is reduced to a magical book in the hands of the wizard the adherent follows. Those adherents are not disciples of Jesus, filtering the content of each passage through the Lord’s teaching, but are dancing along behind the wizard, swallowing whatever is poured out to them and going where they are led.

What do we say that we believe? If we look to Scripture to self-define, we believe the words of Paul in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NASB)

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

But sometimes what we say is fully eclipsed by what we do. If we believe that the Holy Bible is authoritative, we will read and study it. If we do not read and study scripture, I would argue that we do not really believe what we say we believe. If we believed that our souls depended on obedience to our calling into grace (discipleship) we would be actively learning the will of God and actively applying what we learn to our behavior.

How can a young man keep his way pure?
By keeping it according to Your word.

Psalm 119:9 (NASB)

If that is not what we are doing, it does not matter what we are saying. We will dance along behind whatever wizard leads us. Willing ignorance disembowels our belief-set. 

Jesus led a handful of disciples who would become shepherds of the sheep. The crowd followed, but not as disciples. Sheep are far more easily swayed than are disciples. We who are called to grace through faith in Jesus must choose whether to be sheep or disciples. If we are sheep, we hope we have the right wizard to interpret our magical book. If we are disciples, we will crack the Book and do the work of following faithfully. Then we will lead with compassion those sheep who follow us, turning as many as we can into disciples along the way.

Psalm 1 addresses the issue for us:

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.

The wicked are not so,
But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked will perish.

Crack the book. Do the work. Live what you believe.