Textual Criticism and Lyrical Acceptance

Why your favorite singer is preaching your sermons.

"As God has shown us by turning stone to bread, So we all must lend a helping hand." - We Are the World by Michael Jackson

By nature, we are evaluative creatures. Very few of us start eating a meal without gaining a pretty good idea of what is sitting in front of us. We want to know what we're getting ourselves into. And we want to know the truth.

So it's really no surprise that when we hear a speech or a sermon, we immediately evaluate what the speaker is saying. And woe to the speaker who misspeaks. After the lecture, the halls will be filled with people asking, "Did you hear him say that Asia is the largest country in the world? The guy doesn't know the difference between a continent and a country." or, "His comment about economics was totally wrong - I'm an accountant, and he was way off-base." Whether intentional or mistaken, any known error is likely to be evaluated and criticised. The same happens with print. For example, a promotion was just placed in front of me on the plane. Though produced by a major company, the promotion includes a logo that has the human heart located in the wrong place. Though I noticed quickly, my reaction was not to the degree that it was a few weeks ago when I saw inaccurate information presented in our newspaper regarding a case for which I was a Jury member. We are "textually critical" of words we hear spoken or see in print.

The real surprise is in the words we don't evaluate. I submit to you that words couched as lyrics are accepted without the same degree of evaluation. In fact, I would argue that they receive little evaluation at all. Why is it that songs are so readily accepted? I have heard songs with lyrics that are dumb. I have heard songs with lyrics that are untruthful. I have heard songs with lyrics that are morally bad. But consistently, if these songs are criticized, others defend them. In fact, it seems to be a social taboo to speak badly of a song. "If you don't like it, then don't listen to it," we're told.

It appears to me that our recording artists have more of a ready pulpit than our preachers. Our pop stars have a more accepting audience than our professors. And our favorite bands' words are more quickly accepted than those of the world's greatest professional.

Textual criticism. Lyrical acceptance.

The Crisis and the Process of Growing Up

Growing up is a process. Slow and gradual.

But there comes a point where everything changes. Thinking changes. From that point on, one understands that they are now a man, and no longer a boy; are now a woman, and no longer a girl.

That doesn't mean there won't be some boyish/girly behavior. But the thinking is different. The understanding and the goals are different. Today, he understands that he is a man.

Some cultures have a specific rite to commemorate or encourage this occurrence. Some hold special ceremonies, others require deeds of bravery to done at a certain age. Some have initiation, and some simply give more responsibility. But in most cultures, there is a community expectation that encourages this change.

The United States doesn't have a specific rite. The closest would probably be gaining the right to vote at age 18 and being able to drink at age 21. I wonder if our lack of emphasis on and recognition of growing up has contributed to some of our cultural concerns -- "soft men", immaturity, and children who happen to be 35. . . .

I think this change often happens naturally at key events. High School Graduation, College Graduation, Marriage, etc. Perhaps the most specific change would be at marriage. There is a community expectation that behavior will change when someone gets married, and they will act 'more grown up'. How many times have we heard the phrase "settle down and get married"?

This change is a not a point where we are suddenly "grown up". It is a point where we decide to be grown up. Something changes on the inside. Our goals change. Our focus changes. All of a sudden, at one point or crisis, life begins to revolve around "grown up" things. We understand new responsibilities. We must no longer act as children. We have had the crisis; we will be grown up.

The process does not stop; the crisis accelerates the growth.

(A life illustration of sanctification)

In so many similar ways, our spiritual life reflects our physical life. Our spiritual life has been described as both a crisis and a process. When we were saved, we began a consistent pattern of spiritual growth (I hope!). But there often comes a point where God challenges us with the question of how "grown up" we will be spiritually. Will we really commit everything to Him? Will we love and serve Him no matter what happens - good or bad? Our response to this challenge determines our spiritual maturity. Will we remain a spiritual child, or will we accept the responsibility and make the commitment?

The process does not stop; the crisis accelerates the growth.

Doubts and Distrust? -What do we do when we cannot trust God?

What do we do when we cannot believe God?

"One of the devil's favorite temptations is the kind we cannot argue out of.

We simply have to believe.

That's what we call faith."

Satan wants to make us doubt God. He wants to get us to the place where we cannot trust God.

How can we win a battle if we cannot trust God?

Examples:

In the garden of Eden, the devil challenged Adam and Eve with this question, "Did God really say? ..." (Gen 3:1) Then he directly contradicted God's words. As an argument, the devil probably won. The only way to win that battle would have been to stop arguing, and claim faith -- "God said it, I believe it, and I'm going to follow and obey Him!"

When Satan tempted Jesus in the desert, logically, Satan's first temptation made very good sense. "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." (Matt 4:3). Logically, it makes sense. Jesus is hungry. He understands that physically, he is near the point of starving to death. As the Son of God, he has the power to turn the stones into bread. And most importantly, what Satan has suggested is not wrong. He's not even suggesting that Jesus do anything bad at all. In fact, it would probably be the smartest thing to do.

But Jesus understood that this temptation was coming from the devil, and should be rejected, even though it made logical sense, and was not sinful. Beware my friends, for the devil may first tempt with things that are not wrong. They help his logical case, and get you used to following him.

Contrary to logic, Jesus clung to the Word of God in faith. And He won the battle.

Recently, I have faced similar temptations. Logically, the devil had a very good point. Intellectually, he had beaten me. In fact, I was inclined to agree with him. I had to tenaciously cling to faith, against my intellect and reason. And I won. Not by argument or debate, but by faith.

Discussion

We cannot win spiritual battles intellectually. "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." (2 Corinthians 10:4). There is a reason that in God's armor our DEFENSE is called the Shield of Faith. Faith is the only way to win many of these combats. The devil will mess with our mind. We can only win by faith in the Word of God (the sword). (Ephesians 6)

One of the devil's favorite temptations is the kind we cannot argue out of.

We simply have to believe.

That's what we call faith.

We're used to being able to argue to what is right. But what about when we can't? What if there is no good argument? What about when we cannot answer why?

We must believe.

I just want to highlight some words from John chapter 14:

[Jesus] Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.

[Us] Lord, we don't know ... so how can we know?

[J] I am the way. If you really know me, you will know ...

[Us] Lord, show us ...

[J] Don't you believe? ... Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

Our most important choices in life must be decisions of the will, without the benefit of the understanding.

• Salvation requires an act of the will
• Marriage is a decision of the will without the benefit of understanding. "For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health." One simply does not know what is coming, but is deciding to be committed and faithful anyway.Too many marriages end because someone starts arguing "I didn't understand what I was getting into."
• Our dedication to the Lord must also be an act of the will, even without the benefit of understanding. He has promised persecution, pain, and that the world will hate us (John 15:18-21).

We won't understand what is happening, or why. But the most important decision is this -- will we serve Him, trust Him, and love Him, even when we don't understand?

Job is a constant challenge to my faith. In the midst of the worst (and no good intellectual argument, and no one could answer why), Job makes the strongest statement of faith:

"Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him." Job 13:15

Thoughts:

"I don't understand," said the blind man.

The guide replied with a chuckle, "That is because you cannot see."

Please listen to this song:

"The Promise" by the Martins

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2Irtr3sbBM

What God Hath Promised - Hymn

Verse 1

God hath not promised skies always blue,

Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;

God hath not promised sun without rain,

Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

Chorus

But God hath promised strength for the day,

Rest for the labor, light for the way,

Grace for the trials, help from above,

Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

Verse 2

God hath not promised we shall not know

Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;

He hath not told us we shall not bear

Many a burden, many a care.

Verse 3

God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,

Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;

Never a mountain, rocky and steep,

Never a river, turbid and deep.

Car Wrecks and Culture

Today, I arrived shortly after an auto accident had occured. The car had gone off the road, through a fence, flipped, and landed in a creek. The rescue workers arrived shortly after I did, and immediately went to work. While a couple checked the driver to make sure he was stable, the others began cutting the fence apart. This struck me. No one there attemped to argue with them or stop them. That fence was installed by a farmer. He paid for it; he did all the work; he owned it. And they tore it out without the slightest consideration as to how much it might cost him to replace it. You see, here in the US, we value human life. The preservation of life is everyone's responsibility. That driver needed help. The farmer will have to pay to replace his own fence, but that is his part in helping to save human life.

In some countries, I have heard, this is not the case. Life-saving efforts may be hampered or stopped by individuals insisting on payment for damages to their property. Sometimes a badly injured driver may be chased all the way to the hospital by those insisting that he pay for the damages he just caused.

I'm happy I live in the United States.

Here in the US, we feel that the preservation of life is everyone's responsibility.