Now that Christmas is past, most of us now turn our eyes to the coming new year and…resolutions. As one of the leaders of a successful company, a phrase I often employ when I encounter any situation replete with combativeness or confrontation is the old marine interrogatory: “Is this the hill I want to die on?”
I found myself repeating that mantra often just before Christmas in response to the outcry of the multitude of voices opining about the statements made by Duck Dynasty’s patriarch, Phil Robertson and his subsequent suspension by the A&E network from their popular television show. While I am certainly no Biblical expert nor do I have any credentials as a theologian, I do consider myself a Believer and I have discovered in the pages of the Bible both a way to live a blessed and loving life and a pathway to eternal life. That being said, as a Christian, I embrace neither Mr. Robertson’s statements nor their Biblical authority. However, as a fellow American, I do defend his right to say what he said, even while disagreeing with his contentions.
Yes, I acknowledge that the Bible does contain a number of passages stating that homosexuality is sinful and an abomination to God. But, I also find that there a scores of passages wherein other transgressions are deemed as abominations or sinful. Some are hard to accept as the literal word of God, such as Leviticus 11:4-10, wherein the Lord prohibits us from consuming “unclean” animals such as pork, and any creature from the water that lacks fins or scales, i.e., oysters, crabs, shrimp, or Leviticus 12:1-5, where the Lord says that “when a woman conceives and gives birth to a boy, she shall be unclean for seven days…and shall not touch anything sacred or enter the sanctuary until the days of her purification are fulfilled” (40 days), or that every man who is afflicted with a chronic flow from his private parts is unclean (15:1-3), or in Chapter 20 verse 9 of Leviticus, where the Lord commands, “Anyone who curses his father or mother shall be put to death.” In Proverbs 10:16-19, God declares, that “There six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to him; Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood; a heart that plots wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil, the false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.”
If one were to amass a list of all of the sins mentioned throughout the Bible, it would become clear that each of us must struggle mightily and most often unsuccessfully to daily avoid committing sins, and, therein lies my point: We are all sinners and, as Christians, we should all humbly acknowledge our imperfectness before our Lord.
Lest we forget, Jesus set the bar for sins we are guilty of even higher. While preaching his sermon on the mount, He said, “You have heard it said to your ancestors, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment…” Continuing on, Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” He added, “It is also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.’ But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced person commits adultery.” Jesus also admonished against swearing any oaths, foregoing any retaliation against those that wish or do us harm and for us to love our enemies, and to pray for those who persecute us. (Mt. 5:21-48). Yes, we are all sinners and should be humbled by our being loved by a perfect Being, despite our imperfectness.
In yet another instance, when the rich young man reproached Jesus for telling him to sell all of his possessions, give them to the poor and then to come and follow him as a means of gaining perfection, Jesus said to his disciples, “Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” When his disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus’ reply was, “For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible…and everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.” (Mt. 19:16-30).
It is in Jesus’ words wherein I, as a Christian, break ground with Mr. Robertson. I believe that none of us are worthy of salvation and eternal life. The bar is set too high for all of us, and righteously so, for we would all fall short in our quest for perfection, save for Jesus. But, if we follow Him, ALL of us sinners become inheritors of true peace of mind and heart while living on this earth and we will share eternity in his presence – not because we deserve it – but because, through him, we humbly acknowledge our helplessness in our sins – not in other’s sins, but in our own ones.
Two other passages from the New Testament give me direction and pause when I find myself with the zeal to speak out in condemnation of others. The first is Luke 6:35-36, “…love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful.”
The second is also from Luke, Chapter 7, verses 37-42:
“Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you. And he told them a parable, ‘Can a blind person guide a blind person?’ Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye, when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye?’ You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.”
Judging others, including Phil Robertson, gays, or anyone else is above my pay-grade. It is something I am often tempted to do, but then, I confess that I am a humble sinner. This coming new year, in my judgment of others, I pray that I will be given the wisdom to choose judiciously, prudently, and righteously, the hill I want to die on.
Now this is the message that we have heard from him and proclaim to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth. But if we walk in the light
as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin. If we say, “We are without sin,” we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive
our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing. If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. – 1 John 1:5-10
Have an AWE-full weekend and a Happy New Year!
William J. “Bill” Bacque’