It’s Not Just That We Hear, But How We Hear

Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, 

more will be given, and from the one who has not, 

even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.

—Luke 8:18—

God seeks our loving obedience, but He’s not a taskmaster who simply barks out orders demanding that we’re then expected to mindlessly follow. If anything, Christianity is a thinking person’s religion because “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17; and also read Romans 1:5 / 16:26 concerning the obedience of faith).

“Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:19–22).

As Jesus said, when asked about his family wanting his attention:

“Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:48–50).

Jesus Is Not a Manageable Deity

Babies are cute. No one would ever deny that. And the earth-shattering, mind-blowing truth is that God, the One who created everything, became human—the Creator willingly became a part of his creation—in the form of a defenseless (and probably cute) baby. For how little is written in the New Testament about Jesus being a baby, there’s so much that people believe.

The New Testament’s focus is not on the birth of Jesus, but on his purpose for being born: his death on the cross. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’—so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:13–14).

“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. . . . Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:14–15, 17).

“And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him” (Colossians 1:21–22). “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6 NASB).

Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16 / 1 Timothy 6:15). “For it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.’ So then each of us will give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:11–12).

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9–11).

I pray our fascination with the baby Jesus doesn’t remain infantile (see 1Corinthians 3:1–4 / Ephesians 4:11–16). I pray our faith grows through our love for him and his word (John 15:4, 7–8 / Romans 10:17 / Colossians 3:16).

Rooting for Opposing Sides?

No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one 

and love the other; or else he will be devoted to one and 

despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Mammon. 

—Matthew 6:24—

Ashley and I recently went to a hockey game. The Florida Panthers were playing the Boston Bruins in Sunrise. By the way, the Panthers shutout the Bruins 5–0 (this detail is not really pertinent to the story, but it’s a nice thing to share). It was a great game for Panthers fans! The odd thing was that the fan sitting behind us was rooting for both teams!

I’m not kidding! He’d get all worked up when the Panthers had a great play, and then when the Bruins had a great play, he’d get just as excited. So, all he did through the course of the game was excitedly yell at everything. It was confusing.

I’d think it rare to find people like that: who root for opposing teams at the same time. I’ve known people like him with other sports. I knew a man in North Florida who said he liked both Florida State and Florida?! He added that he liked all the “Florida” teams, including . . . UM. Yeah, I don’t get it either.

Here’s the thing—in sports it may seem simply weird that someone would be rooting for both teams to win (and lose?) simultaneously. Maybe they believe this way they go from the game (whatever game) winners. Again, I don’t understand it so I’m not sure what the reason would be to do something—crazy—like this.

Spiritually, and here’s our point, we can’t do this at all. As the passage above states: “No one can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). With God, it’s either/or. For example, there were those who accused Jesus of being on the same side as Satan as he performed miracles. In his defense, Jesus said, “And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?” (Matthew 12:26). His conclusion was this: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” (Matthew 12:30).

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God (James 4:4). 

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:15–17).

God seeks our soul’s eternal salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:9 / Titus 3:4–7). And he’s done everything he can to secure it for us through his one and only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ (John 3:16–21 / Romans 8:31–39 / Titus 2:11–14 / Jude 24–25).

Some of what this means is that we can’t be duplicitous—a fancy word which means we can’t love two different masters. We can’t head in two opposing directions at the same time. If we’re heading toward heaven, then we’re heading away from hell, and vice versa. “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:8–10).

Remember (and live by) Joshua’s words to Israel: “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

Or, remember the challenging words of Elijah: “How long will you falter between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him” (1 Kings 18:21).

Consider what Jesus said to the church in Laodicea: “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15–16). Again, Jesus said, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” (Matthew 12:30).

“But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. . . . For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification” (Romans 6:17–19).

When we’re alone, or in traffic, or at work, or at home—whose side are we on? We can’t be heading in opposing directions at the same time. What are we meditating on to get closer to heaven? What are we doing to show we’re on God’s side? (see Titus 1:15–16)