62. What distinguishes Wise Counsel?... (John 6:41-44)
Posted by:
SeLahGirl on
April 8, 2008 at
10:46AM EST
What distinguishes Wise Counsel?...
(John 6:41-44)
41At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am
the bread that came down from heaven." 42They said, "Is this not Jesus,
the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say,
'I came down from heaven'?"
43"Stop grumbling among yourselves,"
Jesus answered. 44"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me
draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
At
first glance, it makes it sound like God has predestined who will be
drawn to him and who will be saved... and who will not. But I don't
believe that. I don't have a theological degree and I have ZERO desire
to debate doctrines. But just for me... reading the Bible, seeking to
understand what he is saying in this passage to whoever reads it... I
think it is saying something very different.
Jesus said that if he is lifted up on the cross, all men would be drawn to him (John 12)...
27"Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me
from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.
28Father, glorify your name!"
Then a voice came from heaven, "I
have glorified it, and will glorify it again." 29The crowd that was
there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had
spoken to him.
30Jesus said, "This voice was for your benefit,
not mine. 31Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince
of this world will be driven out. 32But I, when I am lifted up from the
earth, will draw all men to myself." 33He said this to show the kind of
death he was going to die.
so it's not that only
certain ones have the chance for salvation or that God predestined only
certain ones, it simply means that if anyone is following Christ they
were led there by God the Father. Whether they remain faithful or not,
whether they later fall away, isn't the issue... the bigger issue is
that the Father has led them to this place so that they may have a
chance at salvation thru Christ.
The Jews are offended at
Christ claiming to be so closely linked to the Father. They are
reminding everyone that he is just as human as they are, that he grew
up with them from a child. They were trying to reason away the
possibility that Jesus was the Christ. Jesus in the opening of this
passage was simply saying that none of these people, this vast crowd,
would follow him, unless God the Father had led them to do it.
Basically, he was saying for them to stop grumbling about the people
that believed in him as Messiah, and to leave it for God to judge or
determine. As is said by a man of God later in the Gospels, if Jesus
was not of God, the crowds would eventually fall away. But if God is
moving thru him, than there is nothing they could do about it. The Jews
that were grumbling should have sought God and let him reveal the true
heart of what Jesus was claiming. If they had, God would have revealed
the Truth to them. But instead, they were consumed with arrogance and
traditions and putting God in a box as to who he would choose to work
thru and how he would manifest himself as Christ upon the earth.
We can learn much from this passage.
How often we look at something new and we measure it to traditions
rather than asking God about it. How often we hear no immediate answer
from the Lord and so we rush to judgments that were never ours to make.
When that person rises to a place of prominence that isn't really
violating the word of God but we feel is undeserving or awkward or not
respectable enough to represent the current climate of the church... we
grumble against them in our heart or to our neighbor in the pew. God
have mercy on us all.
We cannot judge the Jews or the
disciples or the people in Scripture whose sin is so blatantly laid out
for all to see. We should be more concerned about learning from the
sins of one another rather than casting blame and judgment or looking
down our nose at people as though we are above them in some way. We are
just as guilty of sin as they were and are. But... we can be just as
forgiven if we would only seek God in all things rather than rushing to
judgment and leading other blind sheep into the ditch with us. We,
blind guides that we are, had better open our eyes before our own
arrogance lands us face down in the dirt again.
If
something new or strange or different is happening around us, whether
in the church or at work or in the neighborhood or even at home... we
need to talk to God about it as it manifests itself. We need to be
asking God to judge it and to reveal the true spirit behind it. We
should watch and pray, until God gives us discernment that it is
clearly his will or not. Sometimes that happens in an instant,
sometimes it happens over a substantial measure of time. Watch and
Pray.. until God gives direction to act.
And even then... Watch and Pray and Act.
We must not judge the younger generation, nor should they judge the
older one. We should not judge the new guy in town, nor should he judge
us in our quirkiness. That is what it means to not judge... seek God
first for the Truth of every situation and motive, whether your own or
a stranger or a friend or a pastor. Let God judge it. Seek him to give
you discernment in the matter. Discuss it with wise counsel, be patient
and full of love toward all involved, even those who may need
discipline in the matter, and then act on what God reveals to be his
judgment of the issue.
In seeking wise counsel... how can you distinguish it from gossip?
Wise counsel always uses the word of God as it's foundation and ties it
with common sense and truth. Wise counsel loves as I Corinthians 13
describes what it is to love. Wise Counsel is dominated by a spirit
that is willing to sacrifice all to protect the well-being of everyone
involved -- including anyone who has sinned or is an offense to the
will of God. Wise counsel is unafraid to bring discipline in order to
maintain the prominence of the will of God, but it refuses to set aside
love or justice or mercy (because such is the heart of the will of
God). It does not use one of those to justify neglecting the other two.
There are no favorites, there is only the will of God. Because it is
that will that ensures all three of the above for everyone involved.
Gossip is almost always masked with one of two things... righteous
indignation or false humility. But the end result and hidden agenda is
to tear someone down and murder something about them... either their
reputation, their ministry, their relationship with someone. Gossip is
the choice weapon of those that murder in the church. Gossip always
wears a mask and hides it's true intent so well. It loves to appear as
wisdom and mercy... but operates in direct opposition to both.
13 An evil man is trapped by his sinful talk,
but a righteous man escapes trouble.
14 From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things
as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.
15 The way of a fool seems right to him,
but a wise man listens to advice.
16 A fool shows his annoyance at once,
but a prudent man overlooks an insult.
17 A truthful witness gives honest testimony,
but a false witness tells lies.
18 Reckless words pierce like a sword,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
19 Truthful lips endure forever,
but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.
20 There is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil,
but joy for those who promote peace.
21 No harm befalls the righteous,
but the wicked have their fill of trouble.
22 The LORD detests lying lips,
but he delights in men who are truthful.
23 A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself,
but the heart of fools blurts out folly. (Proverbs 12)
Wise Counsel is to Love
1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all
knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not
love, I am nothing.
3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (I Corinthians)
