Hitch Ourselves to Deuteronomy 10:12-22
Controversies come and controversies go. Sometimes the issue becomes a raging battle for years while other times a few weeks pass and we are no longer discussing it. It's been nearly a year since Andy Stanley set of a whirlwind of criticism for suggesting Christians need to "unhitch" themselves from theology steeped in the Old Testament.
Somewhere in the mess, Stanley had a point that Christians sometimes focus too much on Law and not enough on Grace--That we are obsessed with the Ten Commandments and give little attention to the Sermon on the Mount. These are fair points I agree with, but he takes it to another level where he is deservedly criticized and reprimanded.
As Moses speaks with God at the top of Mount Sinai, the people below create a golden calf to worship, kindling God's wrath. When Moses sees what they have done, he breaks the first set of stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments. Now in chapter 10, Moses receives the new set of Ten Commandments to place in the Ark of the Covenant and God instructs Moses to lead His people on a journey to "posses the land, which I swore to their fathers to give them" (Deut. 10:11). God then turns His words to address the Israelites' hearts:
In response to this, love and serve God. Who else is Creator? Who else has the Truth? Who else contains such glory? No one. All hearts and all souls ought to be laid down at His feet as tribute. Step one for His people, and step one for Christians today, is to properly place God on His throne and recognize Him as Lord.
This is not the post to fully address this rebellion, but there are segments of the Law given throughout the Old Testament that are still relevant to follow and segments that are not. Hopefully, all Christians can agree to this starting point. There is a correct way to understand which are relevant and which are no longer, and CARM has a simple primer.
That God specifically says there will be justice for the fatherless and the widow tells us he sees and cares for those society has cast aside. Same for the sojourner. God is not only for the powerful, He is for the weak and marginalized. Perhaps even more so, only because man's power often creates for himself a mirage of self-sufficiency. And if God's justice is for the orphans, the widows, and the sojourner, we must be agents for their justice as well.
We were once wanderers and rebels against God, but He has chosen us to be washed, sanctified, and justified. There should be no hint of arrogance towards those outside of Christ. It is God's grace and not our own filthy rags that have set us aright with the Lord. While we condemn sexual immorality, idolatry, theft, drunkenness, and more, we love those who sin in such ways by pointing to the one who can wash them, sanctify them, and justify them.
Recognizing His identity, he is the one we worship. There is no other name deserving of our ultimate praise.
And even before that, God fulfilled His promise to Abraham: "And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing" (Gen. 12:2). His people arrived in Egypt a small tribe of 70, but they walked out of slavery as "about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children." Since 600,000 refers only to the adult males, it's reasonable to assume that a nation that was only 70 is now well over 1 million. God is true to his word.
From just this brief passage tucked away in Deuteronomy, we learn so much of who God is and why He is worthy of our praise. Certainly text worth hitching our theology on.
Somewhere in the mess, Stanley had a point that Christians sometimes focus too much on Law and not enough on Grace--That we are obsessed with the Ten Commandments and give little attention to the Sermon on the Mount. These are fair points I agree with, but he takes it to another level where he is deservedly criticized and reprimanded.
Not all that long after this dust-up, I was reading through Deuteronomy. It's not the easiest read as it is drenched in Law, rituals, and punishments. Yet time and again since Stanley's comments, I have been overwhelmed by Deuteronomy 10:12-22. For me, it is quite an oasis: Beautiful, life-sustaining text amidst difficult and rugged terrain. It is rich, dark, fertile soil.With regard to Andy Stanley, there's only one "unhitching" that you should contemplate:— Owen Strachan (@ostrachan) May 11, 2018
The "unhitching" of Stanley's unbiblical teaching from your ministry.
As Moses speaks with God at the top of Mount Sinai, the people below create a golden calf to worship, kindling God's wrath. When Moses sees what they have done, he breaks the first set of stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments. Now in chapter 10, Moses receives the new set of Ten Commandments to place in the Ark of the Covenant and God instructs Moses to lead His people on a journey to "posses the land, which I swore to their fathers to give them" (Deut. 10:11). God then turns His words to address the Israelites' hearts:
And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul... (Deut. 10:12)First thing is first: The affection and focus of hearts should be towards the Lord God. He is Lord. Period. No other gods or idols may take His place on the throne. As Lord, He is to be feared. Not because He desires to harm His children, but because His majesty and power go beyond comprehension. And as Lord, His ways are correct--no other way can lead where He leads.
In response to this, love and serve God. Who else is Creator? Who else has the Truth? Who else contains such glory? No one. All hearts and all souls ought to be laid down at His feet as tribute. Step one for His people, and step one for Christians today, is to properly place God on His throne and recognize Him as Lord.
and to keep the commandments and statues of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good? (Deut. 10:13)God established Himself as Lord and expects fear, love, and service in response. What comes next? Obedience. Because we fear Him, because we love Him, and because we are to serve Him, we are to obey His commandments and statutes. What God says goes. Many churches and teachers have forgotten this by seeking to elude the more difficult and unpopular commands. Of course, much of this centers around sexuality. We are allegedly an enlightened people with no need of such ancient instructions regarding the use of our bodies.
This is not the post to fully address this rebellion, but there are segments of the Law given throughout the Old Testament that are still relevant to follow and segments that are not. Hopefully, all Christians can agree to this starting point. There is a correct way to understand which are relevant and which are no longer, and CARM has a simple primer.
Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. Yet the Lord set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day. (Deut. 10:14-15)God reiterates His authority: Over all heaven and all earth. There is nothing outside of His dominion. Yet, the Lord, in all his majesty and glory has chosen a people to intimately love. He is lifting up a people as His people. God may be over all creation, but He has a chosen people to give special, loving attention to. Christians now, as Israelites then, ought to be on knees in humble adoration of the One who has chosen us. He has chosen us as "a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that [we] may proclaim the excellencies of him who has called [us] out of darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9). Once in darkness, now in light. Once in sin, now in Him.
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn. (Deut. 10:16)Circumcision, established through Abraham around 400 years prior to this moment, was performed on all males eight days after their birth as a sign of being part of God's covenant with Abraham. David Guzik explains, "this minor surgery was merely a symbol for the real work of cutting away the flesh that God desired; the work of taking our hearts inclined after the flesh and giving us hearts inclined after the spirit." Alluding the the centuries old physical practice, God now commands His people to metaphorically alter their hearts for Him. Stop stubbornly rebelling against God, and instead set our desire and longing for Him. We do not set hearts on flesh that dies, but on the Spirit which gives life.
For the Lord your God is God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God... (Deut. 10:17a)Remember who God is--His identity, His character. Remember His authority in making these commands.
who is not partial and takes no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. (Deut. 10:17b-18)None are incorruptible as God is incorruptible. He cannot be bought off for at least two reasons: He is perfectly good, and there is nothing He lacks. We cannot pervert the author of Law and source of righteousness. Even the best we can offer God are as dirty rags (Isaiah 64:6).
That God specifically says there will be justice for the fatherless and the widow tells us he sees and cares for those society has cast aside. Same for the sojourner. God is not only for the powerful, He is for the weak and marginalized. Perhaps even more so, only because man's power often creates for himself a mirage of self-sufficiency. And if God's justice is for the orphans, the widows, and the sojourner, we must be agents for their justice as well.
Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt" (Deut. 10:19)God reminds his people, "such as you were." The Israelites were outcasts in Egypt, but God is bringing them home. This is echoed in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. Paul warns those in the throes of sexual immorality, the idolators, the thieves, the drunkards, and more. These will not "inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Corin. 6:10). Yet, Paul also acknowledges many in the Corinthian church were once this way, but they "were washed...sanctified [and] justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."
We were once wanderers and rebels against God, but He has chosen us to be washed, sanctified, and justified. There should be no hint of arrogance towards those outside of Christ. It is God's grace and not our own filthy rags that have set us aright with the Lord. While we condemn sexual immorality, idolatry, theft, drunkenness, and more, we love those who sin in such ways by pointing to the one who can wash them, sanctify them, and justify them.
You shall fear the Lord your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear. His is your praise. (Deut. 10:20-21a)Several times in this passage God reminds His people who He is. We all seem apt to forget God's place in the universe and in our lives. He is preeminent and none are above Him, yet we often create little idols or neglect His commands. God reiterates His authority, and I suspect it is because of this.
Recognizing His identity, he is the one we worship. There is no other name deserving of our ultimate praise.
Praise the Lord!Is anyone or anything exempt in praising God?
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his hosts!
Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars!
Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!
Let them praise the name of the Lord!
For he commanded and they were created.
And he established them forever and ever;
he gave a decree and it shall not pass away.
Praise the Lord from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all deeps,
fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy wind fulfilling his word!
Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
Beasts and all livestock,
creeping things and flying birds!
Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
Young men and maidens together,
old men and children!
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his majesty is above earth and heaven.
He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his saints,
for the people of Israel who are near to him.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 148)
He is your God, who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen. Your fathers went down to Egypt seventy persons, and now the Lord your God as made you as numerous as the stars of heaven. (Deut. 10:21b-22)Finally, as if He needed verification, God cites what He has already done in their lives. They have seen the judgments against Pharaoh and the Egyptians. They were led by a pillar of fire and a pillar of cloud. They walked across the floor of a sea. They experienced and know His great and mighty works.
And even before that, God fulfilled His promise to Abraham: "And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing" (Gen. 12:2). His people arrived in Egypt a small tribe of 70, but they walked out of slavery as "about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children." Since 600,000 refers only to the adult males, it's reasonable to assume that a nation that was only 70 is now well over 1 million. God is true to his word.
From just this brief passage tucked away in Deuteronomy, we learn so much of who God is and why He is worthy of our praise. Certainly text worth hitching our theology on.
Comments
Post a Comment