Simple Truth

The people of Judah were exiled to Babylon because they were unfaithful to the Lord. [1 Chronicles 9.1b]

I love this statement. I don't love it for what it says, but how it says it. What it says is tragic. How it says it is quite candid.

If only everything pertaining to following the LORD were so easy today. We see tragic events in the lives of people today and frankly have no idea whether God or the devil brought their tragedy upon them! Denominations (aka "divisions") are firmly polarized over their understanding of dilemmas like this one. The Body of Christ - the Church - contains within itself much disunity, distrust, and even disdain about what it believes. But there is a larger problem...

How can the Church be divided? By the very definition of the Church being the Body of Christ, how can it not be united? When I arise from my bed each morning, my whole body does so. When I brush my teeth, my whole body, although maybe not every part actively involved, is in fact present and participating to some degree. My feet cannot go ahead and take a shower while my hands brush my teeth. I know it sounds silly, but the point is accurate! By very definition, a body is one unit and can only function as one unit in concert with itself at all times!

So, it would make sense that the Church reach some unified estimation of God and the Bible! It should probably start with a candid look at sin! The Bible teaches over and again that good comes to those who obey God and bad comes to those who do not. Blessings and curses hinge upon obedience. 

Even at the risk of over-simplifying, believers should seek unity with one another. I feel like a lot of schism within the Church would fade away if we simplified our estimation of 'good' and 'bad' and adjusted our lives accordingly. In other words, when we encounter 'bad' things, perhaps we should simply repent and seek forgiveness instead of justifying whatever actions or attitudes that led up to the 'bad' result. More times than not, when 'bad' things come our way, we feel some 'right' to complain to God as if we are innocent.

Now, I do not discount the blood of Jesus Christ nor His redemptive work on my behalf! However, when I encounter 'bad' things, I think it remains necessary to evaluate my situation according to the simple 'good-or-bad' principles of the Bible and assume my own guilt first. Certainly, assuming my own guilt, by default, keeps me repentant and humble. And, it saves a whole lot of confusion and effort wasted in trying to figure out what may never be understood...

Israel could have explained their captivity to Babylon with a lot of explanations about political science and world power swings. However, the writer of 1 Chronicles simply declared that Israel's state of affairs (complicated as it was) was simply the result of unfaithfulness to the LORD. It was the simple Truth. May the Church today be so candid!

Father, forgive me for my role in part and whole in the bad things I behold all about me. Help me to embrace Your forgiveness in Christ for myself, my family, my city and my nation. Help me as well to promote unity in the Body of Christ in simple Truth.