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THE GOSPEL OBSERVER
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"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching
them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you
always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20).
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December 23, 2007
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Balanced Christianity
by Joe R. Price
Much is being said these days about a balanced approach to
Christianity. Appeals for balanced approaches to preaching and
to general Christian living are heard among us. Such
scripturally based appeals are always appropriate, needed, and
appreciated. Ecclesiastes 7:15-18 teaches we should find the
"golden mean" of life by avoiding self-righteousness, conceit,
and deliberate wickedness while pursuing reverence in all
things. Read God's description of a truly balanced life:
"All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a
righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is
a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his evil-doing. Be not
righteous overmuch; neither make thyself over wise: why
shouldest thou destroy thyself? Be not overmuch wicked, neither
be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? It is
good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that
withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth
from them all" (Eccl. 7:15-18, ASV).
God expects us to love him "with all (our) heart, and with
all (our) soul, and with all (our) mind, and with all (our)
strength" (Mark 12:30). Some say that the Christian life is not
a balanced approach to living. "Fanatical" is the description
they assign to those who live by faith in Christ. Such
characterizations notwithstanding, Christianity is indeed a
life which is balanced upon the standard of revealed truth. We
must speak clearly and without ambiguity when advising brethren
to pursue balanced lives. Since God's word is clear, we must
speak with equal clarity as we address all matters pertaining
to life and godliness (John 17:17; 2 Cor. 1:19; 11:3; 2 Tim.
3:16-17; 4:2). In our rush to be balanced we must be careful
not to lose our equilibrium. Consider some applications we can
make to ensure scriptural balance in our lives as the people of
God.
"Preach the word; be urgent in season, out of season;
reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching"
(2 Tim. 4:2). Preaching is balanced when the preacher preaches
the whole word of God "in season, out of season." Loss of
balance occurs when we are unwilling to preach what needs to be
heard when it needs to be heard (Jer. 20:7-9; Ezek. 2:1-7;
3:17-21). We are not promoting balance when we fail to address
from God's word the immediate spiritual needs of our hearers
(whether they are our brethren or those outside of Christ).
Remaining silent when error is being taught (instead of
reproving, rebuking, and exhorting the teacher of that error)
is not a balanced approach to gospel preaching. While in
Ephesus, Paul properly balanced his teaching of the gospel when
he "shrank not from declaring unto you anything that was
profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house"
(Acts 20:20).
On many occasions the apostle Paul, directed by the Spirit
of God, deliberately addressed the needs of his brethren. Was
Paul out of balance? What do you think? In 2 Corinthians 10-13
he extensively defended his apostleship. Was that balanced
Christianity? Or do you think he should have simply ignored the
false charges being spread against him and his work? If he had
so acted, he would have been like some brethren today who will
not defend their own teaching on marriage, divorce, and
remarriage or unity-in-diversity. Did Paul practice the
"balance" for which some brethren are calling today? He did
not. Where is the "balance" for which some brethren are calling
today? When Paul devoted an entire epistle to the Galatians to
defend salvation by the gospel of grace instead of the law of
works, was his equilibrium distorted and his balance lost due
to an inordinate zeal for truth? When the writer of Hebrews
repeatedly emphasized the "better" nature of Christ and his
covenant was he guilty of losing his balance? After all, he
spent most of his time exposing the error of those who would
return to the Old Testament system for their salvation. Perhaps
he should have been more loving and less direct? Would he then
have achieved greater "balance" in his presentation of the
truth? You see my dear brethren and friends, our definition of
and plea for balance can very easily result from human wisdom
and judgment instead of applying the divine standard of truth.
Some Christians are uncomfortable with exposing false
doctrines and false teachers with the light of gospel
preaching. Some who advise us to pursue balance are out of
balance when they are unwilling to publicly respond to error
which is publicly taught. When we are content to leave the
controversial subjects to others, choosing instead to remain
silent when error is taught, we have forfeited Bible-based
balance. Crying "peace, peace, when there is no peace" will not
heal the wounds of sin and error among God's people (Jer.
6:14). Silence is not golden when it comes to addressing,
exposing, and rebuking error with God's truth. Balance compels
us to speak out!
Some appear to be defining balance as "smoothness." But,
things will not always go smoothly when truth exposes error.
Not everyone will accept sound doctrine (2 Tim. 4:3-4). Why is
the one who straightforwardly speaks out against error said to
be out of balance ("his timing is off," "he is insensitive,"
"he is unkind," etc.)? Why is he viewed as not having a
balanced approach toward error and the errorist? Yet, the one
who will not speak out and answer error with the truth of God
is seen as balanced, loving, and considerate? My brethren,
whether it is doctrinal error outside the body of Christ or
doctrinal and moral impurity within the body of Christ, we must
not be deceived into softening the message of truth for the
sake of inappropriately defined balance.
One brother recently wrote that "the really effective
preacher is balanced in his approach to preaching." Amen! By
scripturally defining "balanced in his approach" we can exhort
every gospel preacher in this regard. However, remember that
charging a fellow-Christian with not having a balanced approach
in his preaching can also cloak an underlying disagreement with
the truth he advocates. Describing one as unbalanced in his
preaching could reveal a hesitation and unwillingness to
forthrightly condemn error. It is always easier to say a
brother is not being "balanced in his approach" than it is to
carefully and scripturally approach a sinner about his sin!
Remember, brethren who objected to the truth he preached
charged Paul's approach as being out of balance (2 Cor.
10:10-11,2). Beware brethren, lest we accuse faithful brethren
in Christ with being out of balance simply because we disagree
with the truth they preach. The crucial question we ought to be
asking is whether their preaching agrees with God's word. Have
we developed itching ears, looking for someone to scratch them?
Or do we think we are above such temptations today? The warning
of 2 Timothy 4:3-5 continues to apply.
"And the Lord's servant must not strive, but be gentle
towards all, apt to teach, forbearing, in meekness correcting
them that oppose themselves; if peradventure God may give them
repentance unto the knowledge of the truth, and they may
recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, having been
taken captive by him unto his will" (2 Tim. 2:24-26). Here is
another call for a balanced approach in our dealings with
others. Unfortunately, today's call for balance confuses the
issue and can become an excuse for inaction. The desire for
"balanced Christianity" can become an excuse for not
confronting the sinner about his sin (in an effort to convert
him, Gal. 6:1-2; Jas. 5:19-20). Have you ever known of
Christians reasoning this way when trying to decide how to help
a fellow-Christian who has fallen into sin: "We have to go
slowly here. We might run him off. Let's wait awhile and not
be so direct, and maybe he will come around. After all, his
heart is sincere."? We have become afraid of straightforward,
loving yet immediate action toward brethren in sin (Matt.
5:23-24; 18:15-17; Gal. 6:1)! We have become afraid we will not
appear balanced.
The genuinely balanced approach toward confronting sin
compels us to "reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering
and teaching." It wastes no time in snatching the sinner out of
the fire (Jude 22). What greater balance can we strive for in
our lives than to understand the serious and eternal
consequences of sin and being prompted thereby to rush to the
aid of those ensnared by it? Look at some of the Bible examples
of true balance in this area: (1) Peter did not delay in
rebuking Simon's sin (a new convert, Acts 8:18-24). Peter took
the appropriate and balanced approach toward saving a brother
from spiritual death. He shows us how to balance our knowledge
of the sinner's condition with our responsibility to help save
him (cf. Jas. 5:19-20). (2) When Paul publicly withstood Peter
in Galatians 2:11-14, was his approach out of balance? Not at
all. Upon seeing the hypocrisy of Peter's conduct as well as
its influence upon other Christians, he immediately and
publicly opposed Peter. Paul sets an example for us of
balancing the needs of the sinner and those influenced by him
with the personal discomfort of confronting the sinner. Very
few people enjoy confrontation. Paul did not (cf. 2 Cor.
2:1-4). But, he understood that unless he acted at once (where
truth and souls were at stake) both the gospel and the souls of
men would suffer (cf. Gal. 2:4-5). That, my brethren, is the
balanced approach we must instill within ourselves whenever
acting to meet our responsibility toward those held in the
clutches of sin and error. (3) Inspired with God's word,
Jeremiah was commissioned by God "to pluck up and to break down
and to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant" (Jer.
1:9-10). Was Jeremiah unbalanced? Four of the things he was
told to do were "negative," destructive (pluck up, break down,
destroy, overthrow). Only two were "positive" (build and
plant). Who told Jeremiah to do these things? God did! Since we
do not want to charge God with being out of balance, we ought
not charge his servants, who preach his word against error,
with being unbalanced.
Whose standard will we use to determine when preaching is
balanced, God's or man's? Some people see the Sermon on the
Mount in Matthew 5-7 as balanced preaching, but describe the
condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23 as
unbalanced. The fact is Jesus was balanced on both occasions
because both times he dealt with the specific needs of the
moment, addressing the very issues which would cause the
good-hearted hearer to obey the gospel, while exposing the
sinner and his sins. Why shouldn't we pattern our preaching
after that of our Master?
Whose definition of balance will we apply? Who are the
preachers, papers and/or writers today who are being decried as
out of balance? For three years while in Ephesus Paul "ceased
not to admonish every one night and day with tears" (Acts
20:31). Imagine the outcry today if a gospel preacher were to
give daily warnings for three years against specific sin and
error! If Paul were alive today how often would he be charged
with not practicing balanced Christianity? (Could Paul preach
in the church of which you are a member, or would he be
unbalanced in his preaching?) Why are we eager to oppose
similar warnings today, characterizing them as unbalanced, or
even as biased hobbyism? What would you think of a magazine
that spends 17 months (or even three years) refusing to allow
legitimate, thoughtful, and Bible-based responses to the
writings of one of its editors? Would it have become unbalanced
in its approach of teaching the gospel and wobbly in its effort
to advance the cause of Christ? Would it be less than a
balanced approach for that same magazine to then remind us of
our need to practice balanced Christianity? Why then are
brethren accused of being out of balance when they warn against
this unbalanced approach to preaching?! As a dear brother of
mine would often say, "what's sauce for the goose is sauce for
the gander!" Have we lost our love for the truth and its
warnings which are designed to protect us from sin and secure
us in our faith and hope? Are we only comfortable with
preaching and writing when it is smooth, agreeable and
"positive" (but object when it must "pluck up and break down
and destroy and overthrow," Jer. 1:10)? Is that and that alone
the balanced approach? If so, then we have lost our balance!
Jude said "Beloved, while I was giving all diligence to
write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to
write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith
which was once for all delivered unto the saints (Jude 3).
Immediate situations and circumstances compelled Jude to focus
his attention and that of his audience upon contending for the
faith against ungodly men and their influence (Jude 4ff,). Was
Jude's approach out of balance because he spent his entire
epistle warning of God's certain judgment against those who
deny the Master? No, his teaching was balanced against the
deceit and danger of error and sin! We should not censure or
criticize similar gospel preaching and teaching today!
"He that loveth father and mother more than me is not
worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me
is not worthy of me. And he that doth not take his cross and
follow after me, is not worthy of me" (Matt. 10:37-38). Jesus
taught that we must have total, unwavering allegiance to him at
all times (cf. Luke 9:23-24; 14:26-33). All who have this such
loyalty to Christ and his truth can expect persecution (2 Tim.
3:12; Matt. 5:10-12). Yet, with resolve of faith we must deny
ourselves, take up the cross of suffering, and follow Jesus
(Matt. 10:38; Luke 9:23). This course of life for a follower of
Jesus will not always be smooth, but it will be the balanced
life of faith. It will not always be free of pain and
heartache. Nevertheless, it is the balanced life of genuine
discipleship.
We must not balance ourselves upon the pedestal of human
wisdom, but upon the solid rock of Christ and his truth (1 Cor.
3:10-11). If one tells you that you are not taking a balanced
approach to Christianity, acknowledge that he might be right,
but that such a characterization must be established upon the
basis of revealed truth and not that of human wisdom. Ask for
the Bible passage(s) you are violating or failing to obey,
thereby causing your alleged imbalance. You need to know the
truth in order to once more balance yourself (John 8:31-32; 1
John 1:9). If your approach to Christianity is judged to be out
of balance, it may be that earthly wisdom has dictated an
unrighteous judgment against you (Jas. 3:13-18; 4:11-12; John
5:24). Or, it may be a legitimate assessment requiring diligent
examination and correction of yourself in the light of truth (2
Cor. 13:5; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Acts 26:20). Either way, living by
faith will not produce a smooth (soft) life, but it will bring
you the reward of eternal life (Heb. 10:32-39; 1 Pet. 1:3-5).
God's people must live balanced lives of faith that put
God first, others second, and ourselves last (Mark 12:29-30;
Gal. 2:20; Rom. 12:1-3). Balanced Christianity must be
completely weighted in favor of God, his truth and his
righteousness -- not our personal convenience, comfort, or
wisdom (Matt. 6:33; Luke 9:57-62; Ps. 119:104, 128, 160; 1 Cor.
3:18-23; 2 Tim. 4:6-8).
-- Via Guardian of Truth XLI: 10 p. 10-13, May 1, 1997
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MYRTLE STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST
1022 Myrtle Street
Denham Springs, LA 70726
(225) 664-8208
Sunday: 9:15 AM, 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM
Wednesday: 7:00 PM
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520
e-mail: tedwards@onemain.com
web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go
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