Different Levels of Truth

What we have is the truth which the Bible says can only be spiritually discerned. The journey towards that truth is a progressive one, both for the individual and the church collectively. The mind can relate only to those things which it can ascertain via the five senses. But spiritual truth must be spiritually discerned.

Take for instance the concept of effort-and-reward; it is hard-wired into our nature. All of our lives we are conditioned to believe that the harder we work, the more we receive.

Discerning the Truth

When it comes to discerning the truth, it is something of a sliding scale: with the absolute truth being something that the mind cannot readily comprehend. In order to get to that truth, God meets us where we are and allows us to arrive at an understanding which is based on the truth, but is perhaps not quite the truth. But at least this understanding is something we can relate to - a starting point - it gives us a "handle" on that truth, so we can get as close as we can to it.

The further we move away from the absolute truth, the more it branches-out in various directions until we reach a point whereby a single truth has become a myriad of half-truths and miscomputations. I cannot help but think this is the case.

So Many Books…

Earlier today, I was struck with the notion that there are just so many Christian, religious, self-help and New Age teachings available. If you walk into a large Christian bookshop, it can be rather daunting and confusing as you ponder the multitude of different titles available. Each one promising such wonderful things: "How to know God's Love" or "How to walk in the Power of God" or "Keys to Biblical Prosperity".

On Christian TV we hear the announcement of yet another 5-part audio CD series. It can be very confusing, frustrating, not to mention expensive, for a new Christian who is desperately searching for the truth. If more people could relate to the message of grace - I wonder how full those bookshelves would be.

Christian Motivational Speeches

Christians just love to hear "fluffy" heart-warming, motivational speeches based on the Word, promising abundance and success. We feel all pumped-up after the service, vowing to "go all out for God" and the like. But then, as soon as Monday morning comes by, all of that enthusiasm has waned and we are stuck in a traffic jam - saying things that are not-so spiritual. By this time, the travelling evangelist has already boarded his inter-continental jet and is on his way back to his mansion in California. And we wonder why our lives don't change!

The Mind Struggles with the Good News

I wonder just how much we really need to hear of the Gospel message in order to be set free. How close do we get to the core essence of the Gospel message – that place were the real power of change lives can be found? When we do hear something close to the truth, our mind struggles with it:

- "Surely it can't be that simple?"
- "But what have *I* got to do Lord to be so wonderfully blessed?"
- "What price do *I* have to pay?"

...and so on.

Attitudes and Motives

In the case of Andrew Wommack and his message on hardness of heart, for instance - I found something in that I could relate to.

- Perhaps I need to hear that so that I could get a handle on the truth, as near as I could to it?
- Perhaps it helped me to home-in on the truth, as much as I was able to comprehend?
- Perhaps it helped me to relate to the truth by showing me the "outworking" of it in my attitude and everyday life?
- Or perhaps it was just a complete misnomer?
- Perhaps there is no need for such a level of teaching, once a person comes to understand true grace?
- Or perhaps it helps a person to better understand grace by providing a contrast between legalism and grace?

I still often wonder about this level of teaching. For me, teaching on attitude and motives is important - I feel it helps me to understand something of the operation of grace in my everyday life. Joyce Meyer is very good with teaching on attitude and motives, but I find that she often reverts from grace to a message can be considered somewhat patronizing. We can assume that people need to be "motivated" in this way, through intimidation - but I beg to differ.

The Radical Grace Message

I realise the importance of focusing on a radical grace message, but I still wonder about the "Andrew-Wommack-level" or “Joyce-Meyer-level” of teaching, which also incorporates the need to “watch your heart”; I see it as being attentive to ones motives and attitudes.

I am all for the radical message of God’s grace through Christ. I am keen to see the church move away from rule-keeping and works as a means of justification, which is simply reverting back to the Law of Moses. However, I do wonder if there is something of a hint of naivety amongst such people: there seems to be an emphasis on the concept of being blessed – even when you sin; this belief asserts that “where sin abounds – grace much more abounds”. (See Rom. 5:20 and Rom. 6:1-2).

God does not bless us according to our performance and behaviour, but according to the obedience of Christ, who suffered on our behalf. However, wrong motives and attitudes are the result of wrong beliefs; will God bless you when you have wrong beliefs? I believe that is unlikely. We will study this subject in more depth in later posts.

Conclusion

The Christian realm of attitudes and motives seems to be a big, middle layer – sandwiched by rule-keeping and behaviour modification above it; with the more profound, radical, root-level grace teaching, which focuses on righteousness by faith, below it.

Personally, I understand the importance of watching motives and attitudes, but it is still a work that you yourself have to participate in. If we are not careful, this middle-layer of the mind and emotions can become a constant effort of psychoanalyzing and self-correction - it can become tiresome and frustrating; it can become another means by which Christians are yet again drawn into religious legalism.