Blog All

I was listening to a sermon the other day, and part of it seemed authentically true - a fine revelation to me ... though at the time I did not know how to apply it in my life. In less than a week, I started to realize what it might mean for me in practice.

Defending what is true ... imperative or temptation?

Jesus was tempted to turn rocks into bread, but there really is no sin in that? No law says "thou shalt not make bread from stones" ... so that Jesus would not sin in doing so, right? So wherein was the temptation?

It reads, "If you really are the son of God, turn the stones into bread ..."
The temptation is in the first part ... "If you really are ..."

We are often tempted toward self-preservation or to prove to others what or who we are. Even from an early age, I don't remember specifics, but the feeling often of proving yourself worthy is a natural part of growing up ... like when a bully stands there daring you ... to cross the line. And it calls forth courage to bow-up to the threats ... etc. So we learn to react to such challenges or suffer consequences.

This is Jesus' temptation ... "if you really are ..." And so it is our temptation these days. What will we do when asked to prove ourselves to a scoffer? Will we deliver what they ask?
Or will we lean on the Lord and let Him deliver us instead?

In an age of truth-defenders ... are there any Christ-like people that would have the truth defend them rather than the other way around?

This is not a call to be silent, and let things slide. This is a call to be mindful of the ways of the enemy to draw us offsides into vain disputes. We can avoid them ... and scoffers cannot. So, unless lead by the Spirit otherwise, I would expect a spirit-filled Christian to be more about the business of turning their other cheeks than I would expect them to be given to self-preservation and self-defense.