Doing Good When It Looks Bad

As one of his requirements in the Cub Scouts, our son Christopher needed to pick up trash in our neighborhood. It was a part of the requirement dealing with learning to care for creation.

Yesterday, I told our son that it was time to meet this requirement. However, he absolutely did not want to pick up trash. When I asked why he didn't want to do it, he replied, "Everyone will think I'm in jail!"

In our community, inmates pick up the trash on the streets as a form of community service. Christopher did not want to be mistaken for an inmate.

His reaction made sense, but he picked up the trash anyway.

Later, I explained that we need to have the courage to do the right thing even when it looks like we're doing something wrong. After all, Mary, the mother of Jesus, looked like she had done something wrong when she was carrying the baby Jesus even though she was not married. In addition, Jesus often looked like he was doing something wrong when he healed someone on the Sabbath or associated with sinful people at a meal. However, in the cases of both Mary and Jesus, they were doing good. And God was pleased, even though others misunderstood.

It's okay to look like you've done something wrong. Just make sure that you've done something good.

"Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil" (1 Peter 3:13-17).

Some Secrets Can't Be Kept

Matt Hurley is one of our ministers in the Contact Church. Among his duties, he coordinates activities for youth groups from other congregations that come to help us in the urban ministry. Last night, he told us about the efforts of one youth group from a small town.

The group had been coming to Tulsa for a few years, and Matt felt that the members were ready for something new and challenging. He approached the leader and told him that he felt the group was ready to minister in one of the apartment complexes with a fairly bad reputation. He assured the leader that it would be safe. In response, the leader said, "Okay, but don't let the other parents know about its reputation. They will freak out." Matt agreed to keep it silent.

The next day, Matt addressed the youth group. Several of the Contact Church's kids were intermingled with the other church's youth group. Matt announced, "Today, we're going to Mohawk." Suddenly the Contact kids erupted with: "WE'RE GOING TO GET SHOT! WE'RE GOING TO DIE!"

So much for keeping secrets.

Confessions of a Fundamentalist

I liked Bob Lepine's blog entry on May 20 (http://redeemerlr.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=8&Itemid=50). Here is a portion of his post:

"I have a shocking revelation to share with you this week. A confession of sorts.

"I hope you won't think less of me or hold it against me.

"I am a fundamentalist.

"There. I said it.

"I remember several years ago when my parents were attending a Sunday school class at the mainline denominational church they attended. The subject of the class was Understanding the Fundamentalists. During a phone conversation one afternoon, my mom told me about the class and I asked what they had learned in the class.

"'They're just explaining the things fundamentalists believe.' she told me.

"I answered, 'You mean things like the inerrancy of scripture, the virgin birth, the deity of Christ, His substitutionary atonement, His bodily resurrection, and His literal, physical coming again?'

"There was silence on the phone. Finally my mom stammered with horror in her voice, 'Are you a...a...fundamentalist?'

"Guilty as charged.

"The term fundamentalist was first used about 100 years ago. That's when liberal Bible scholars were beginning to undermine some of the things that the Bible teaches and that Christians throughout the centuries have always believed and affirmed. Things like the list I recited for my mom in our phone conversation...

"Flash forward 100 years, and the term fundamentalist has come to mean something very different than it did when the term was coined. Today a fundamentalist is used to refer to legalists who have added their list of theological preferences to the essential doctrines of the faith. These hyper-fundamentalists or neo-fundamentalists are angry, intolerant, lacking in grace or kindness or gentleness or love. In their minds, the only 'pure' church is the one where 'biblical absolutes' include things like reading only the King James version of the Bible, not going to movies, not drinking alcohol, the appropriate length of a woman's hemline and the appropriate length of a man's hair...

"The danger posed by the neo-fundamentalists and their legalism, rebuking, separating and arrogance is that they are giving those of us who stand firm on the fundamentals of the faith that were articulated a century ago by the original 'fundamentalists' and continue to be articulated by theological conservatives a bad name.

"I want my name back. I want to be able to call myself a fundamentalist without my mom thinking I've joined the dark side.

"It's probably not going to happen in my lifetime. So instead, I'll just call myself a theologically orthodox Christian. And if someone asks 'what does that mean?' then I'll have an opportunity to tell them. :)"

I was reminded of an incident from several years ago. Janet and I visited Tulsa Bible Church one Wednesday evening because the noted conservative Bible scholar John MacArthur was speaking. He explained that he used to be called a fundamentalist, but he had to change. He found that the term fundamentalist did not accurately describe him or the people with whom he was associated, because others saw fundamentalists as having too little fun, being too quick to damn, and being mentally deficient. So he started calling himself an evangelical instead.

I must admit that I fit the classic definition of a fundamentalist since I believe in the inerrancy of Scripture, Christ's virgin birth, his deity, his substitutionary atonement, his bodily resurrection, and his literal physical coming again. If someone wants to call me a fundamentalist, I won't get too upset. I have been called much worse. I don't mind being called an evangelical or theologically orthodox Christian, either. However, I prefer to be called a Christian. It may be a little generic, but I still like it.

The Blessings of a God-Glorifying Reputation

"Now the LORD said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing'" (Genesis 12:1-2, English Standard Version).

While the builders of the tower of Babel (Genesis 11) sought to make a name for themselves, Abram was simply living an ordinary life.

Apparently driven by pride and insecurity, they sought recognition in their achievements. Abram was not looking for recognition.

The builders achieved notoriety. God gave Abram a great name, a great reputation.

God did not give Abram a great name just to bless Abram. He gave Abram a great name so that he would be a blessing to others. God wanted other people to see his smile on Abram's life. He wanted them to see his work in the life of a man of faith. He wanted people to notice the difference he had made in Abram's life. He wanted them to share in Abram's faith so that they could be blessed, too.

"Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham...So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith" (Galatians 3:7, 9, ESV).

Whose Reputation is More Important?

"Then they said, 'Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth'" (Genesis 11:4).

During our Bible study at the Normandy Apartments on Sunday evening, we were discussing the account of the tower of Babel. In the historical narrative, the people were driven by their concern about their reputation in the world. They wanted to make a name for themselves. They were obsessed with their reputation. They were driven by their pride.

When considering our reputations, at least two important questions must be asked:

1. What do we want our reputations to be?
2. More importantly, why do we want such reputations? What are our motives?

John Piper offers this insightful analysis:

"Our aim is that people would 'glorify God', not us (Matthew 5:16). On the one hand, we know that reputation matters: 'A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches' (Proverbs 22:1). On the other hand, we know that people-pleasing reveals idolatry: '...not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord' (Colossians 3:22)." (See www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2008/2740_Acclaim_for_Christ_vs_Craving_Praise/ for more of the article.)

Trying to make myself look good corrupts my heart. Trying to make God look as good and holy and just and merciful and gracious as he truly is protects my heart. If that is my goal, I'm not sure that I should be very concerned about my own reputation unless it detracts from an accurate view of my Savior.

Reputation is Important, But Not Most Important

"He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap" (1 Timothy 3:7, NIV).

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness" (Matthew 23:27-28, NIV).

Christians should be known for godly attitudes and actions. We should be known for kindness, compassion, courage, humility, love, joy, and many other positive qualities.

However, whether we are known for such qualities or not, we should live them. Our reputations may suffer for teaching the biblical truth about hot potato issues (like abortion, hell, homosexuality, etc.), but we must have the courage to teach the truth anyway. Our reputations may suffer for trying to help a friend caught in a sex scandal or abusing drugs, but we must show kindness and compassion anyway. Our reputations may suffer for confessing the sin of gossip and asking the victim for forgiveness, but we must live humbly anyway.

A few years ago, the Roman Catholic Church attempted to cover-up the widespread sexual abuse of children by its clergy. Concerned for its own reputation, the church slandered victims who spoke out against the abuse and denied all wrongdoing. In trying to save its reputation, it nearly destroyed its credibility.

What happened in the Roman Catholic Church a few years ago happens among denominations, congregations, and individuals constantly. Everyone is vulnerable to the temptation to place reputation above righteousness, but Jesus Christ calls his followers to a higher standard. The man with a reputation as a friend of sinners would rather see us risk our reputations to be good, rather than to merely look good.