The Cost of Truth

            Does truth have a price tag? Sometimes the Truth offends. Recorded In Acts 7 is a story of one of the first Christian martyrs. I encourage you to read in for yourself right now beginning with Acts 6:8 through to the end of Acts 7.

The story begins, “Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people” (Acts 6:8). It is clear Stephen had a following of people who greatly appreciated his ministry. This created jealousy among the high-ranking religious leaders of his day. They dragged him in before the Council to be tried and most of Acts 7 is his defense statement. His defense gives a overview of the ancient Israelite people, from the calling of Abraham up to the present. God’s people were on a journey, not unlike each God follower’s call and journey we are on as individuals today.

Stephen’s hearers seemed to track with his message until he spoke truth about Jesus as the true Messiah. Stephen boldly pointed out where his hearers were mistaken in their beliefs, and they became indignant. He reminded them of how their ancestors persecuted prophets who spoke of Messiah, and then Stephen spoke these words, “You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.  Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become;  you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it” (Acts 7:51-53).  The “Righteous One” referred to is Jesus, who is the only Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).

            The narrative goes on, “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him.  But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;  and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”  But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse.  When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him ….” (Acts 7:54-58).

            Declaring the truth sometimes has a cost to our personal preferences, comforts, and  livelihood. Even Jesus, as the very embodiment of Truth, gave up his life on earth to accomplish God’s higher purposes. Is Truth worth the cost? Ask Jesus. I think his answer is an obvious, yes.

            Truth is truth whether people believe it or not. Stephen’s hearers were okay believing the truth of their Jewish heritage, but when he declared them “stiff-necked,” their Belief turned to disbelief, which turned to anger, rage, and bitterness. In truth, Stephen’s hearers were murderers, and they proved it once again, by murdering Stephen. Their denial of truth set them up to act wickedly. In God’s eyes they were bringing condemnation upon themselves. Stephen  lost his life, but by knowing Jesus, he entered into eternal glory. Without repentance, it cost Stephen’s murderers much more dearly; eternal damnation in hell. Even if they believed they were doing the world a favor by getting rid of Stephen, God’s reality (truth) was just the opposite.

            As religious leaders, Stephen’s adversaries were leading people away from God, not towards him. Because Stephen bore witness to the Truth, regardless of the outcome, his leadership was authentic and authoritative. Truth always wins. Wisdom never shrinks back from the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.   

            The culture we live in seems to have lost its respect for truth. Although this is a display of darkness, as Christ followers we much shine the light of truth everywhere we go and with everyone we meet. The Truth of the Word is our standard, and if we do not lift the standard high, who will?

            May the Lord keep us from being “stiff-necked” in our worldly wisdom. May our hunger for truth keep us searching for more satisfying measures of truth.  May we be proclaimers of truth. May we value the truth enough to point out when someone is being untruthful (like Stephen did, even at the cost of his own life). The cost of  rebellion, denial, or silence is far greater than any imagined price tag on Truth.

 by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry

Ephesians 4 Unity

Mining the fourth chapter of the book of Ephesians in the Bible has some real treasures for living as a whole person.  

This text is part of a letter sent from a prison in the first century by the Apostle Paul.  Chapter 4 begins by  identifying some target virtuous behaviors.  He sets the bar high up front so the reader knows what to shoot for.  Then at the end of the chapter, he lists behaviors to avoid so the contrast is clear.  In the center of the chapter, Paul reveals the inner person change that is necessary for achieving the good (and godly) life.  As individuals’ hearts are surrendered to God, he casts a vision for how they work together to transform the world in which they live.  Their good deeds are not meant for the purpose of patting themselves on the back, but to offer hope for a lost world.   

Looking a little deeper, there are six paragraphs of thought in the chapter.  Let’s briefly pull out the key point of each.  

  The first 6 verses emphasize how Christians should conduct themselves in recognizing “one God and Father of all, who is overall and through all and in all”(v6).   Our perspective of God influences everything else about us.  Seeing God as the sovereign Creator he is, builds our trust in his ability to work things out even when circumstances look rather hopeless.  The evidence of yeilding control to God, and not selfishly demanding our own way, then allows us to practice the things Paul tells us here to be.  Be humble, gentle, patient, loving, unified, and peaceful.  

In the second paragraph (verses 7-13) Paul emphasizes the central role of Jesus Christ.  Paul quotes a Psalm written about one thousand years before this time, to show how God keeps his promises and extends his grace to the whole human race.  The Good News of Christ’s saving grace is the most unifying message known to mankind.  Paul uses the illustration of a human body with many body parts working together, to describe how people work together in the Church to function as the “Body of Christ.”  No Christian is an “island” unto himself.  Our behavior is part of the image of the entire Body.  

Then the third section (verses 14-16) gives a strong encouragement to “no longer be infants” in our manner of maturity.  Christ is the Head of the Body.  We are all to work together with Christ Jesus as the Head.  Christ is who we follow.  We must guard against fads, factions, and falsehoods.  The imagery of a growing body speaks of process.  The body grows as its parts grow.  As each part (individual) is submitted to the Head, the whole body (unified Christ followers) is submitted to the Head.  The process of personal growth as a Christ follower is called sanctification.  This brings us to the core theme of Paul’s message.  

Verses 17-19 state, “So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.  They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.  Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.” This paragraph literally gets to the heart of the matter.  Paul addresses changing thinking patterns, belief systems, and holding Truth in high value.  The reason for all brokenness and pain in our human condition is summed up in these words,  “separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.”  Stinking thinking comes from “hardness of heart.”   A transformed heart (inner being) renews the mind, and a renewed mind restores behaviors to line up with Truth.  Softness to God and his ways is the foundation for growth. We must examine our inner attitudes and motivations as a first step to any positive change.     

This reminds me of the contrite heart spoken of in Psalm 51.  Calling out to God it  says, “You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom” (Psalm 51:6; NASB).  Repentance (turning around) begins with recognizing that only God can change the heart, which changes the mind, which together changes the behaviors.  Surrendering more and more of our heart to God each day is the core of the process.   This sanctifying work is necessary for becoming a whole person.  As each individual changes more into who God created them to be, the whole Body changes to reflect more of God’s glory.   Inner heart change of the individuals fuel the inner heart change of the Body.  The degree to which the Body is unified is dependant on the degree of inner heart change of each disciple.  Unity of the Body should not be measured merely by how well Chrisitans are doing things together, but by how well their being is surrendered to Jesus.  

The next 5 verses further define what it looks like for us to allow our hearts to be softened by God.  It says, “put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;  to be made new in the attitude of your minds”(Ephesians 4:22b-23). Again, becoming a more devoted follower of Christ (new self) is a process to nurture daily.  Without God’s intervention we are often not even able to recognize the depth to which we deceive ourselves into thinking our current patterns are left well enough alone.  Our minds and hearts are like the software of a computer.  Constant upgrades are necessary to make applications function optimally, and also to prevent the hacker of our soul to plant a virus that destroys everything.  

Finally, the last 9 verses of this chapter are preceded with the word “therefore,” which is there for a reason.  What is said to this point is now expected to create the following results.   Read the text in the Bible since space doesn’t allow me to mention them all here.  They all have to do with how we treat other people.  Relating well with others depends on the “heart work” of preparing your personal inner being.  Anger is discussed as a means for recognizing the impact of bitterness and resentment.  An embittered heart is always at the root of broken relationships.  The very last words of the chapter are, “forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”  Forgiveness is the foundation for healing.  Understanding and practicing forgiveness is the substance of the inner person change explained above.  Properly understanding and regularly practicing forgiveness is essential for growing in followership of Jesus. As part of my seminary studies, I devoted about 3 years to reading just about everything I could find on the topic of forgiveness.   My research on the topic of forgiveness is recorded in a book called Escaping the Pain of Offense: Empowered to Forgive from the Heart.  I continue to learn and apply forgiveness in new ways.  The topic is inexhaustable.  

I discovered that very few Christians actually understand and practice forgiveness that Christ Jesus (the Head) teaches them to follow. Forgiveness is the foundation for salvation and deliverance. God is the author and finisher of forgiveness.  As long as there is breath in our body, we have need to allow God to finish His work of forgiveness in us (which requires our ongoing intentional cooperation).  In some ways, I think the last phrase (forgiving each other, just as God in Christ forgave you) sums up the entire chapter.  Forgiving is the fruit of an inner being softened by, and surrendered to, God.  Forgiving hinges on first recognizing when an offense creates hardness of heart (see Hebrews f12:15).  When we fail to own our offenses, we fail to give forgineness opportunity to work the inner change God desires for us to experience.  Unresolved offenses are the most common virus the hacker of our soul uses to keep us from the unity described as the focus of this chapter.  

              Praying and working for unity is a good thing.  But for better results maybe we have some adjustments to make in our hearts.  Should we first be praying like David in Psalms,  “Search me, God, and know my heart;  test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me,  and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24)?  Are we genuinely seeking the answer to this prayer?  We need to let God show us where we have been an offense to other people. But often, the more difficult thing is to stop harboring anger and bitterness we think we are entitled to because of the hurt someone inflicted on us.  When we hold an offense (real of perceived) that someone commits against us, we in turn offend God by not yielding to Christ’s work of forgiveness to wash away the sin.  Is there a strained relationship in your life right now where your condemning judgment may have taken root in your heart?  Are you willing to take the steps necessary to root out, and remain clean from, the frustrations, annoyances, irritations, aggrevations, or vexations hiding behind anger and an embittered heart?  It is for this freedom that Christ has set us free.  Freedom comes at the price of our willingness to submit to inner person change.  Our Father God provides it.   Christ’s work through the Cross and Resurrection accomplishes it (and deserves worshipful surrender).  The Holy Spirit empowers it.  And unity of believers commands it    

by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry

The Unoffendable Heart

I explained in the previous article how self-honesty and humility are keys to building our mental and emotional health.  I discussed unrecognized offense as a barrier to experiencing the true benefits of forgiveness.  Since forgiveness is at the core of the Christian faith, I will explore this further specifically for the Christ-followers.  

I hear Christians use the expression “unoffendable heart,” but often what is being communicated is not healthy and not Christ-centered. I think the unoffendable heart is a myth.  I can say “yes” to refusing to allow offense to take root and wreck relationships.  I can say “yes” to not allowing offense to steal inner peace.  But denying the existence of offense can destroy inner peace and authenticity in relationships.

First, let’s explore the definition of offense.  The word offense has multiple meanings in the English language making it sometimes difficult to communicate about the topic.  The Webster’s 1828 dictionary list six definitions using the following words and phrases; displeasure, anger, scandal, cause of stumbling, transgression of law, crime, sin, act of wickedness or omission of duty, injury, attack, assault, or impediment.  The same word “offense” can be used to describe both the offending behavior, and the inner response on the part of the person offended.  The offense may be real or just perceived by an offended person.  It may be genuine or imagined.  It may be intentional or unintentional on the part of the offender.  The word, by itself, does not make these distinctions.  

Because of the broken world we live in, offense is part of life.  Sometimes we are on the offended side of the coin, but sometimes we are an offender.  We crave justice when we are the one offended, and we crave mercy when we are the offender.  Taking offense in our heart  is sometimes unavoidable.  Accidents happen.   Losses occur. Changes, criticisms, conflicts etc. are part of common human experience.  Feelings are hurt.  The greater the loss caused by offense, generally the deeper it effects our heart condition.  To deny or minimize the emotional impact of loss created by offense can be very destructive to our physical and mental condition.   While we cannot control many of the things (and certainly not the people) around us,  we CAN control our responses to them.  Though our heart can not always be shielded from offense, we can choose to respond in an unoffendable manner. Inner heart condition must be distinguished from outward actions and reactions, however, the inner life determines these actions.      

Jesus himself teaches about a requirement for heart transformation as part of discipleship.  He says, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him or her.  For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder,  adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.  All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” (Mark 7:20-23).  In the book of Matthew Jesus also taught that actions (offenses) like murder and adultery have bitter root offenses at their origin. The outward action is not the only offense, but also the inner life that created these actions.    “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’  But I say, if you are even angry with someone,  you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot,  you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone,  you are in danger of the fires of hell” (Matthew 5:21-23; NLT).  Thinking of a person with condemnation is both an offense, and the origin of offensive actions. As a person who has been offended, you become an offender yourself when you cross the line from judging their actions as wrong, to critically judging them for who they are as a person (calling them an idiot as Jesus is quoted above).   

Condemning judgments are also addressed in other parts of the Bible.  A strong warning says, “See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Hebrews 12:15).  

Inner bitterness and resentment are created by critical judgments which end in  “defiling” a person’s actions and relationships.  The anger we feel when we are offended contains the roots for bitterness and resentment to form.    It says in Ephesians, “In your anger do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26).  It is not a sin to feel anger, but it is wrong to allow anger to create an inner condition of things like bitterness, resentment, and condemnation.   

So, as I see it, to claim an “unoffendable” heart is to ignore feelings God gives us as warnings of danger.  The enemy of our soul uses bitter roots to steal our peace and joy as well as causing the defilement mentioned above.  The truth is, without Jesus, our heart is “offensive” to God.  Being born into a broken world means we are born with a broken heart.  Our broken condition is not correctable without Christ Jesus.  We can try in our own strength to forgive an offense, or avoid being an offender on the other side of the coin, but those efforts are limited by our frail human condition.  It is the offended heart that points us to Jesus.  As a disciple of Jesus, the solution to offense is forgiveness (see John 20:21-23).   

Forgiveness is a Gift given by God.  The work of forgiveness has been accomplished by God’s Son Jesus.  We esteem Jesus (and the work he did in dying on the cross), by allowing Him to be the guilty one for our offenses (see Isaiah 53:3).  If we claim not to be offendable, we bypass what Jesus did, and take on the work that was done for us, through Jesus.  Decisions made solely based on our own human strength and will power amount to self-righteousness.  Our righteousness comes through faith is Christ alone (see Philippians 3:7-11).  Our faith is demonstrated by surrendering our offended heart to Jesus.  If we claim an unoffendable status of heart, we nullify any need for faith in Jesus.  

Too often the "unoffendable heart" becomes an excuse for not being willing to confront a critiical judgments.  Our default human nature prefers to deny offenses and pretend they don't exist.  So the “unoffendable heart” becomes a code word for saying, "I'm not going to let myself consider the possibility that I might be bitter, holding a grudge, casting blame, or feeling hurt in my heart.”   That is not a good place to be!   

I hear people say, “I don’t get offended easily.”  That is a another myth.  All people become offended easily.  When a person believes they do not offend easily, they must spend a huge amount of energy to tightly control (sometimes unknowingly) situations and people around them.  I know because I used to be one of those people who thought I did not offend easily.  I learned that the ability to control eventually runs out.  Reality also tells us that very little (outside of our inner life) is in our control.  

Our broken, offendable heart offends easily and often.  Offenses are like weeds in a garden.  New weeds keep coming back even after the weeds are pulled from the garden.  Old weeds will return as well if they are not pulled by the roots. If left go, weeds will overtake the good plants growing in the garden.  Keeping the garden soil of our heart free of offense (weeds) requires surrendering our heart to God.   Pulling the weeds allows us to produce the good fruit of accomplishing our divinely created purpose for being.  

If there is an unoffendable heart in our universe, it is the heart of God.  The ancient King David wrote,

“You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
    abounding in love to all who call to you.
Hear my prayer, Lord;
    listen to my cry for mercy.
When I am in distress, I call to you,
    because you answer me.

Among the gods there is none like you, Lord;
    no deeds can compare with yours.
All the nations you have made
    will come and worship before you, Lord;
    they will bring glory to your name.
For you are great and do marvelous deeds;
    you alone are God.

Teach me your way, Lord,
    that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
    that I may fear your name.”  (Psalm 86:5-11)

God’s forgiveness takes care of ALL offenses (those of our own and others).  God’s solution (Son Jesus dying as a substitute) satisfies both mercy and justice at the same time.   We can come to God (offenses and all) and receive His Gift of forgiveness.  We then have the status of son or daughter (Ephesians 1:3-5), and can be taught to rely on His Father faithfulness.  We can join David in asking for an “undivided heart” (fully devoted) that comes through the transformational process of turning more and more of our offended heart over to Jesus.  What offenses might be in your heart to turn over today?   Let me encourage you to take the next step toward God today.  God’s heart is for you to know Him, and for Him to be known by you.  

Note:   A book I authored Escaping the Pain of Offense: Empowered to Forgive from the Heart discusses truth for dealing with disappointments, offense and finding freedom through forgiveness (from a Christian perspective).  See more about the book by going to this site: http://bluerockbnb.com/healing/book_main.htm .

by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry