"The Real Issue"
Several years ago, in one of many summers traveling with groups from the school, I stayed in the home of man in a certain midwestern state. After the service, we settled into his home and we began to strike up a conversation. He asked me question after question dealing with issue after issue. I was amazed at all of the issues that he had seriously considered. He then proceeded to tell me how he had searched the Scripture with the express purpose of finding the right position on many of the issues that he had named to me. I went to bed that night heavy of heart for this reason: as far as I could tell, my host studied the Bible just to find out what it said about certain issues.
To be sure, issues are important to modern Christians, and have been important to Christians ever since the first century. Through the years, the issues have changed, but the matter of issues has remained constant. The Apostle Paul addressed the subject of issues in the Book of Romans. In fact, Romans 14 is perhaps the classic passage on how the child of God is to handle issues. In this passage, Paul asserts that it is possible for two Christians to take opposite sides of the same issue and both be right. One Christian takes a more conservative position while another takes a more liberal position. As long as both realize their personal accountability to God and both have a clear conscience, they can both be right with God, even though their position on the issue is completely opposite. The exhortation is that stronger, more liberal brother is not to despise the weaker, more conservative brother. Likewise, the more stringent is not to judge the more lenient. The bottom line is this: do not let issues destroy any relationship with a Christian brother. The reason is clear: “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink [one of the very hot issues of Paul’s day], but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” In other words, one’s relationship with God is far more important than any issue, and no issue should destroy the work of God.
In the United States, probably no one separates from anyone else because one eats meat offered to idols and the other does not. The issues are far different today, but the principles of handling the issues are timeless. Even more important is the fact that relationship with God is more important than any issue. Today, one of the easiest places to become issue oriented is in a Bible college, but sometimes the issue focus of a Bible college can translate into a ministry that majors on issues.
To be sure, if there is ever a time to deal with issues, it is in Bible college. The very important issues that have the potential to destroy future full-time workers ought to be addressed during training in Bible college. The great temptation, however, is to allow the issues to begin to dominate. It is entirely possible to go from issue to issue reading book after periodical after website after expose’ and ignore the more important aspect of walking with God. Without a diligent effort on the student’s part, the Bible can become another source for answers in the ongoing barrage of issues. The Apostle Paul’s warning is clear: keep the main thing the main thing. Issues are important, but they are not everything. The issues of today will fade into oblivion as did the issues of the first century. No Christian should allow any issue to take his focus away from walking with God.
But three things comprise the essence of the Christian life: righteousness, peace, and joy. Righteousness cannot be divorced from salvation. When a man is saved, God imputes the righteousness of Christ to his account. It is righteousness that forms the basis for the right standing with God. Afterwards, a man is to be in an ongoing relationship with God. The more he knows God, the more he understands righteousness because God is the source and standard of righteousness.
The second aspect of real Christianity is peace. If righteousness deals with standing, then peace deals with fellowship. The peace of God comes in prayer, in obedience, in trusting God, in studying His Word; in a word, in maintaining fellowship with God. It includes the regular confession of sin and resting in the wonderful forgiveness of God. When any man is at peace vertically, then he will be more likely to be at peace horizontally. That is, peace with God leads to peace with man. Solomon said it best: “When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” Walking with God also is the key to peace for the child of God, both in his vertical relationship and his horizontal relationships.
The final ingredient is joy in the Holy Ghost. In observing issue oriented Christians, it is remarkable to see how they are devoid of joy. Everything is a controversy and they must be right and thoroughly Biblical. They may constantly search the Scriptures, but because their motive is not right, they do not enjoy their study. There is always the danger that they may miss some key detail in their study and thus come down on the wrong side of the issue. The Bible becomes a battleground where opposing armies fight, a racetrack where opponents compete. They must be the best at the original languages, finest at thinking everything through, and keenest in answering potential objections. After all, the issues are at stake.
The first casualty in such a Christian’s life is joy. He does not see a holy God reaching down to vile, sinful man when he reads the Scripture. He misses the wonder of forgiveness, the joy of service, the grandeur of heaven, the blessed hope of Christ’s return, and a whole host of other truths that were given, in part, to thrill the believer and increase his joy. The next victim of issue oriented Christianity is peace. Whenever one discovers that there is actually a child of God who may even claim the name independent, fundamental Baptist who takes a different side of the issue - this is a time for a modern Crusade. Armies must be enlisted, lines drawn, weapons organized, and strategies formulated. No wonder many have accused our movement of shooting their own wounded or improperly identifying the enemy. Make no mistake, there are appropriate battles to be fought, stands to be taken, and lines to be drawn. I personally am an independent Baptist who believes in a holy, separated life that reflects a profound difference between the child of God and the child of the world. I repudiate compromise with Christ-denying wolves in their backwards collars and their sheep’s clothing. I stand for the old paths of soul-winning and fervent preaching against sin. I also have taken a long hard look at what the Savior said to His disciples: “He that is not against us is on our part.” (Mark 9:40) I have personally found that I do not agree with myself all of the time. Why then, should I expect others to agree with me in every jot and title? When any man seeks to garner this agreement to the minutest detail, he is destroying the foundation of peace. Paul made it quite clear: “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.” (Romans 14:19) What do I care if another brother who stands for God and is uncompro- misingly winning others to Christ uses a multi-media screen in his church service? Why should I fight a brother who has his midweek service on Thursday? How does it edify others by blasting a man with an afternoon instead of an evening Sunday service? All these are just some of the issues that can divide instead of edify. One man says, “I would never have a multi-media screen in my church because it reminds me of New Evangelicalism.” Biblically, any man can say that and take that position binding his own sphere of influence. He cannot, however, judge any man that has a screen. When he does so, he is in sin, violating direct commands in Romans 14. Likewise, the man with the screen is his church should not despise the man who does not have one. To do so would be sin in light of Romans 14. In such a situation, joy departs immediately and peace soon disentegrates. Eventually, though the man can never lose his salvation, his behavior masks the fact that he is clothed in Christ’s righteousness. The focus on issues has destroyed the work of God.
By contrast, when the believer lives to know his God, the issues fall into place one by one as he focuses on living day by day in fellowship with God. Christ becomes all, and pleasing Him towers above any earthly controversy and over any possible issue. Fellowship with God does not necessarily mean weakness on any issue. It does, however, mean that the Christian will pick his fights and be sweet in his disposition. He will not live his life for issues, but for God.
One of the most potentially wonderful, potentially terrible things in the world is a modern American wedding. The bride must busy herself for weeks or even months dealing with issues. Invitations, decorations, apparel, music, refreshments, ceremony, and host of other details crowd the bride’s thinking. Many a groom, at least once during the process, longs for the wedding to be over so that they can enjoy a relationship once again. The girl that became his friend during courtship is now too preoccupied with other things to give him much attention. As discussion after discussion dominates the time the two have together, the groom asks himself, “Are these things really all that important?” Live flowers or fake, this or that invitation, this dress or that for the bride’s maids, light refreshments or full meal at the reception– all these things seem so fleeting in the overall picture. To him, the companion- ship of marriage and the relationship that they will enjoy is a far more important item than the wedding itself. Most grooms know that the wed- ding will soon pass and he and his bride can resume their relationship as friends and companions. Following the actual wedding, there comes a time when bride and groom shut everyone else out and spend time completely to themselves. We call this honeymoon. During the honeymoon, the issues that surrounded the wedding seldom come to mind: the couple is focused solely upon relationship. To be sure, their marriage will bring with it a barrage of issues, some important, some insignificant. The test of the couple’s marriage, however, will ultimately be their relationship with each other, not where they stand or stood on various issues. God is looking for honeymoon Christ- ianity, the kind that puts issues on the back burner and focuses solely upon knowing and enjoying fellowship with Him.
"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."
