A Witness In Paradise, And My Confession

Carol and I had the blessing to spend a couple of weeks recently in the rainforest community of Nahiku on the narrow Road to Hana. Most people traveling this famed road would not even know they were in this community unless they took the dead-end Nahiku road that would take them by the historic Nahiku Church just before reaching the coast and turning back to drive the 10 miles to Hana.

The only stores or cafes in Nahiku are 3 or 4 small roadside pullovers on the Road to Hana like Coconut Glen's snack shop or a small Thai Cafe with two picnic tables situated under a huge banyan tree around mile marker 28. They are exclusively designed for tourists. Then there is the Nahiku Market Place, a tourist stop with restrooms, 4 small outdoor cafes, and an actual souvenir shop all huddled under huge trees and vines just before mile marker 29. The Marketplace has the only cafe around Nahiku that opens for the locals at times other than tourist hours. The tourists come between 10 and 3 everyday.

Every morning, rain or shine, between 6am and 9am I would hike for a few miles on some trail in the area, or briskly, and cautiously, walk the Road to Hana, stopping only to take pictures of some flower, plant, or insect, or to just admire God's amazing creation.

Being a former Coffee-holic I still struggle from time to time with the temptation to fall off the wagon and sip a steaming cup in the morning. Walking by the Marketplace one morning I saw the Cafe was open and gave into the temptation to grab a cup.

Standing around outside were a few locals, and a couple of the always present unshaven, unshowered college-age backpackers who looked like time-travelers from the 60's. When I walked up they all stopped talking and just looked at me. It was clear I was a tourist (the longhorn shirt probably gave me away), and was out of place this early in the morning. I also was the only one there whose hair wasn't in a ponytail and who didn't have a string of shells around his neck. They weren't unfriendly just... well... waiting for me to leave, so I walked inside for my coffee.

I was met inside by a young man behind the counter with bright intelligent eyes, a ponytail, and a friendly smile. With his sort of “surfer dude” persona he fit the stereotype of a twenty-something in this area. He held his hand out across the counter and said, “Welcome, I'm Benjamin!” I shook his hand and responded, “Hi, I'm Larry.” He pointed me to the coffee, I served myself and came back over to pay. I noticed, as I paid, that his t-shirt said, “Know Jesus, Know Peace, No Jesus, No Peace.” 

I consider myself to be open to the reality of God working in ways that don't fit my preconceptions, and I believe I am not inclined to prejudice or judgmentalism... but... my thought was, as I paid Benjamin, that he probably just grabbed the t-shirt in a dark room without knowing what it said. I even thought about politely asking him if he believed what his shirt said. But I just walked out and went on my way...

I happened to be walking by the Marketplace on the morning of my last day. I had only been in the Cafe that one time the week before. As I walked by I noticed the door was open, and I heard Benjamin call my name, “Larry, hey Larry, where you been?” So I walked across the road and stepped inside the small cafe.

Benjamin held his hand out again and then introduced me to one of his friends standing by the counter. He asked me where I'd been, so I told him that I had been walking some other trails and that I hated to leave, but this was my last morning to enjoy the beauty that surrounded us. As I said it a look of concern came over his face. He said, “Larry, I can't let you leave without sharing the greatest truth with you. A truth I found seven years ago when I moved to this area to get my head right. It changed my life. It is the truth of God's love for you and the sacrifice that Jesus gave on the cross because of that love...”

I deliberately listened without saying a word. He went on seeking my reconciliation with God out of sincere concern for my soul. He was finally interrupted by a friend who walked through the door. This friend wore only shorts and a string of shells around his neck. He and the girl that was with him had driven up in a beat-up old mini-van to say goodbye to Benjamin since they were leaving the area. They grabbed hands and called each other “brother”. He introduced us, and I openly explained to Benjamin that I was a believer. Then the fellowship began... a 53 year old Christian from Texas, and two young “surfer-dude” Christians from the west coast.

My soul was and still is churning with guilt, thanksgiving, and awe. Guilt for my prejudice, judgmentalism, my lack of overwhelming concern and love for the souls of others, and grief that after all these years it seems I have learned so little. Thanksgiving that someone was concerned for my soul. Thanks Benjamin. And in awe at God. He is amazing. He loves and works with people in places that are outside our own little worlds. And I am oh so glad He does. Looking at myself, and my sin in the context of this experience, it is more amazing to me that God would save a stuffed-shirt like me than a “surfer-dude” like Benjamin. “Oh wretched man that I am...”

Picture: I went back and took this shot, and wanted to take a picture of Benjamin, but he was already off and it was my last day. If you read this Benjamin, please e-mail me a picture of yourself so I can post it.

A Lesson From The Sideline

The number one political question I get these days is, “How do you put up with all the written abuse you get.” To answer that question I have to share a lesson I learned years ago.

I began playing little league tackle football in the 5^th grade. This lesson came a few years later while playing on my first school sponsored team. In those days coaches were a mix of World War II and Korean War vets, and most were country boys. They had a great influence on my life.

This was our final practice before our first preseason game. The coach told us the starting positions depended on our performance in a scrimmage that afternoon. In this scrimmage our offense would start on the 20 yard line. They got 6 points for a touchdown, if our defense held them we got 6. The scrimmage would last for an hour.

I was a defensive linebacker and made a misread on the first or second play. When a linebacker makes a misread, and moves to correct, he is often immediately met by one or two offensive linemen. That happened and not only did they score on that play, but I was smashed to the ground by an offensive guard. I was shook up, embarrassed, and blew the next two plays because my head wasn't in the game. 

Our defensive coach came over and asked me what was up. I talked about the score and began to make excuses. He said, “You see those guys over on the sideline? Some are there because they don't know yet if they want to play football, others are there because they just don't have the physical stamina or skills, but there are a few there because of their attitude. I want you to go to the sideline, stand by Mitch and his buddies, and keep your mouth shut 'til I call you.” I can't remember ever being as embarrassed as I was while trotting off that field. In four years of football I had never been sidelined.

As soon as I got to the sideline Mitch began running down the coach. The guys around him were agreeing and adding their criticisms. He dissed the coach for a while, then he began talking about our teammates on the field, how sorry they were and that the only reason they were playing is because they were all cheaters. Then in a bitter tone he said, “When I tell my dad tonight that coach will be sorry. Dad 'ill make him wish he had never sidelined me. He'll have his job...” This went on for a whole series, and then the coach called me back onto the field. As I ran toward the coach, Mitch and his crowd called me names.

As I reached the coach he grabbed my pads and pulled my face mask about an inch away from his face. In a drill sergeant tone He said, “Son, you're going to make mistakes and you're going to get knocked down. But what you do after that is what will keep you in the game and make a man out of you. When you get knocked down get back up, take responsibility for your mistakes, and never make excuses. You're the only guy on the field who is responsible for you. Don't ever let me hear you blame someone or something else. Learn from your mistakes, then put it behind you because the next play is always coming. Guys with a bad attitude spend their lives making excuses and criticizing others and will always be standing on the sidelines of life, and there is nothing worse than living in that kind of bitterness. Is that where you want to be? It's your decision whether you want to be on the sidelines or in the game, you've got the skills, but now we need to know if you have the heart. Mitch and his buddies will never play for this coach, no matter how good they are... their attitude stinks.”

The next day during warm up I watched as Mitch and his dad walked toward the game field. Our defensive coach met them. I watched as Mitch's dad yelled and pointed his finger at coach's chest. It didn't appear as if coach said a word. Finally he waved his hand in coach's face and walked away with Mitch by his side. Coach just turned, gave a little shoulder shrug, and got back to coaching as if nothing had happened.

Since those days I've learned that Mitch's modern counterparts and friends appear in almost every human venture. They stand on the sidelines of life and do what they do: call names, run people down, criticize, and threaten. But that has nothing to do with my life. Mitch or his buddies' criticisms may even sometimes be accurate... the game is always easier to see from the sidelines. No matter how accurate his invective, I don't have time to listen, read, or pay attention to what Mitch and his buddies have to say. I heard his complaints years ago and the only things that change today are the people in the game. 

Every once in a long while though, I have no choice but to listen to Mitch's nastiness. This rare experience brings a strange sort of comfort to me because it enlivens my senses to pause, remember, and be thankful for the coaches I've had in life, and thank God once again for giving me the opportunity to make my life count. Mitch yelling at me from the sideline only proves I'm still in the game, and it is a miniscule price to pay for all the enjoyment I've had in this game of life. I've had my time on the sidelines too, just like everyone else... but I've never wanted to be there, and when I am there I try to do what coach told me to do: keep my mouth shut, get back up, watch my attitude, and learn from my mistakes... then put it behind me because the next play is always coming.

The Self-indictment of Moral Conservatism

Romans 2:1 ¶ Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

Conscience is an important Bible word which is found in the New Testament not the Old. It means, “the faculty of moral consciousness or awareness by which moral judgments relating to right and wrong are made.” BDAG

Conscience begins with self-awareness, and moves to the innate recognition that right and wrong exist. This is more than learned socialization. It is an inseparable aspect of human consciousness. It is a state of being. It is the mark of our creator obligating us to be morally like Him.

This text is not opposed to judging, it is a warning of the self-indictment contained in the act of judging. When we judge another person we prove we have a conscience, can recognize the need for right thought and behavior, and we are confident enough in this knowledge to measure the moral state of someone else.  We then, when judged by God, cannot plead that we did not know. We are, as the verse says, inexcusable.

The more detailed our knowledge of the precision of moral perfection the greater our own condemnation. This is why nearness to God never leads to arrogance... it leads to humility, and more dependence on the Gospel.

It is not obedience to a list of rules, but the purity of ourselves that conscience seeks. Our conscience may find temporary solace in an obeyable list of behavioral rules, but it can never by behavioral means fully free itself from the conscious weight of imperfection. That ever-present nudge of conscience that we are not as we should be is an indicator that we need something more than we have within us to be at peace with ourselves and our Creator. Jesus put the demand of conscience this way: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:48 Then... He gave us the Gospel.

Liberty Of Conscience: Do We Have The Right To Be Wrong?

Romans 14:5b Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

The answer to the question in the title is a limited yes... and an absolute no. Let me explain.

In this chapter the Apostle Paul discussed differences in belief and ritual observance among individual Christians, and how to handle those differences in a church setting. The underlying principles of liberty of conscience are applied in these verses, but these principles should also be broadly applied to all forms of government.

It could be argued, and I would argue it, that a church has no authority to make or enforce prohibitions in the differences discussed in this passage. That we, as Christians within our churches, are called upon to permit differences in belief and practice to the extent mentioned in this and other passages.

What a church, or any other government, cannot lawfully prohibit and prosecute it must allow. Not only must it allow this liberty, it also must protect this liberty by whatever means are lawfully available. By doing so it may also be acknowledging and protecting the right of God's justice which is essential to real liberty of conscience. The result is that every government with this principle of liberty will have citizens or members of varying disciplines when it comes to matters of conscience and action. Liberty of conscience is a product of God's Grace.

Clearly God may prohibit certain thoughts and behaviors, but then not give His church, individuals, or any government the right of prohibition and prosecution. This means that these "thoughts and behaviors" are allowed on this earth, so, in this limited context, people do have the right or freedom to be wrong. But this God given liberty comes at an awful price: the sacrifice of Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.

There are clearly certain rights of judgment and prosecution that God retains for Himself. So those sins that we may be free to think or do while living on this earth are still under the jurisdiction of God. So ultimately no one has the right to think or do things that are defined by God as wrong, and there is no behavior or thought that will remain unmeasured by His perfect Justice. So, before God, there is absolutely no privilege or right to be wrong. This truth is vital to the Gospel, and the recognition of God's exclusive authority or jurisdiction is essential to real liberty of conscience and limited human government.

Without God, law and human force become the only controlling authority. This means that atheism is pure human legalism with brutal controls. Atheism is naturally inclined against liberty of conscience. In atheism man must use the force of law and government to eradicate any thought or behavior considered to not be in the common good. And humanity defines the common good because there is no higher authority. There can be nothing left to God because, in the view of atheism, there is no God.

But on the other side of that humanistic coin are those religionists who seek to enforce laws which they have no right to enforce. This power mongering is, in some senses, a form of religious humanism and is anti-faith. The result is the same as atheism: God's exclusive Justice is replaced by repressive human force. Many Christians seem to be, at least in their approach to law and liberty, practical atheists. Which means they believe there is a God, but legislate and live as if He doesn't exist.

So the best human government is one which, under God, vigorously promotes and protects liberty of conscience. But... it leaves to God the judgment of the details of human thought and behavior which He has placed under His sole jurisdiction, and it also trusts Him to right the wrongs of faulty human law and justice.

One more point: essential to liberty of conscience is the right of dissent and non-participation in behaviors or beliefs that are against the conscience of the dissenters. But this right of dissent does not then give the right of judgment or prosecution to the dissenters. Romans 14:10 says, “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” Just because we disagree, and may even be right in our view, doesn't mean we also have the authority to judge those with whom we disagree.

Judging Your Brother

Romans 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

In Romans 14 the Apostle Paul warns about certain Christian weaknesses which can cause destructive conflicts. One destructive weakness is the tendency to judge each other without the right to do so. Paul plainly tells us to not judge each other.

His logic hinges on the truth that Jesus Christ has jurisdiction over each of our lives. In the verses surrounding Romans 14:12 Paul makes it clear that we are each accountable to Christ Jesus for our behavior in this world.

This right of judgment is based on three basic principles. First, we are children in the same family. Romans 14:10, 13-19 Jesus Christ is very interested in our lives, how we treat each other, and how we are treated by those outside the family. Matthew 18

Second, Jesus is our Lord. 14:4,8,9,11 Lord means “master of.” Jesus is our master.

Third, Jesus is God our creator. 14:11-12 As created beings we owe our very existence to Him. Each moment of our lives is a gift of His creative power, so we are accountable to Him for how we use His creation.

If we have problems with judging, an understanding of jurisdiction is helpful. Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted body, office, or person to interpret and apply the law. When someone has jurisdiction it means Jesus has granted them authority to judge in matters of His law.

If I am inclined to judge my fellow Christian I should simply ask myself if I hold such an office. If Jesus has not officially conveyed jurisdiction to me then I have no right to judge, and to judge without authority is to usurp the authority of the Lord Jesus. It is best to leave those matters with Jesus and His properly constituted Church authority. We should also be cautious in our judgment under that authority since New Testament church law limits jurisdictional power, and gives strict guidelines for judgment.