A God Who Shouts

God has gone up with a shout,

the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.

Psalm 47:5

O God Who shouts,

You do not hide 

Your deliverance.

You make Yourself known

shouting as You do so

so Your creation will know

You have gone up with a shout!

O God Who declares

Your power and might

when saving,

the world can clearly see

salvation’s history

when You died upon that tree

and rose again in victory!

You silenced the grave with a shout!

O God Who returns

in glory and strength

to judge,

the clouds will break away

as You arrive on that day

all justice to display

arriving with a shout!

gospel flex

I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.

1 Corinthians 9:22b

Flexibility. Webster’s dictionary gives these synonyms:

PLAINT: capable of being flexed.

TRACTABLE: yielding to influence.

The dictionary also gives this definition: characterized by a ready capability to adapt to a new, different, or changing requirements.

It is this definition that appears to best describe Paul’s attitudes toward ministering the gospel in his culture. He sought points of identity with people without compromising the gospel. Paul flexed into the gospel to find ways to befriend people. This allowed him to win and to make disciples of both Jews and Gentiles, those weak in conscience and those strong of conviction, men or women… it did not matter because the gospel taught Paul to flex.

And we see that as he planted churches. He met women at a river for prayer and study of the scriptures. He argued with philosophers on the Areopagus. He reasoned through the Old Testament in synagogues with Jews. He defended the gospel before magistrates and politicians. He made friends with slaves and with wealthy entrepreneurs. He evangelized as a prisoner, as a castaway, and Paul preached to sailors and to Caesar. Paul could flex and left us an example to do the same wherever we can.

I noticed while reading up on flexibility that Merriam-Webster.com has named “polarization” the Word of the Year for 2024. We live in a sad time where people easily polarize and attack other sides that are not like “their tribe”. So it is vital that Christians learn and practice what Paul knew over 2000 years ago: The gospel flexes. Jesus ends polarization. The gospel flexes and breaks down barriers so let’s learn to become “all things to all people”. “Gospel flexing” may be the Christian term for 2025!

grace, love, and deference

This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up.

1 Corinthians 8:1b

This observation leads Paul into instructions on issues of Christian liberty in the Body of Christ. The Corinthian church already had been taken to task for their arrogant divisiveness (1 Corinthians 3:21; 4:6-8; 4:18-19). The issue of food, a portion of which had been part of a pagan idol sacrifice while the rest of the meat was butchered and sold at market, is another example where divisive arrogance had damaged the church. Some, proudly claiming superior knowledge, bragged about eating such meat. Others, who were sensitive to the pagan origins at the butcher shop, would not eat it. Paul advocates for understanding for both sides, and demands an end to the arrogance.

Those who were arrogant about the issue needed humility and respect for the viewpoint of the “weaker brother”. Love, not “knowledge”, needed to guide those who felt free to eat. In love, even though a “stronger” believer knew the idols were not gods and the meat was just consumable protein, deference would guide the church to respond to the conscience of one who was unable to eat that same meat. Love would thus build up an experience of unity in the church by respecting all viewpoints in a matter of conscience. To not do so was to sin against another or to call another to violate a personal conviction. This was arrogant and wrong.

Paul ultimately sources love for the conscience of another in the love of God (1 Corintians 8:3). And the reward of respecting the conscience of a fellow believer is that we are “known by God”. When I learn to love my brother, God loves me, draws close to me, and blesses me. It isn’t about “my rights” or “I know better that you do”. It is about growing close in knowing one another and respecting our consciences in the church so that together we might know the love of God in Christ.

Lord,

I embrace the gift of a New Year. I ask You to help me know You in this year. I ask You to help me know and respect my brothers and sisters. In issues of conscience where Your Word gives a range of understandings, may grace, love, and deference unify me and Your Church, O Lord!

Amen