Friday, November 2, 2007

IS THERE NOT A CAUSE?


When David's older brothers berated him and questioned his motives for coming out to the battlefield, the shepherd boy, having been sent by his father, defended himself by asking, "Is there not a cause?" Or in other words, "Is there not a good reason for me being here?" Though taken out of context many times, that little phrase has been the subject of many a sermon. I myself have preached them. Whether in context or out of context however, that phrase is indeed quite thought provoking. I readily admit that the direction of my thoughts on the subject today are radically different than the context in which we find these Biblical words, but I assure you that the content of these thoughts are anything but out of context to the general teachings of God’s Word.

According to the dictionary, there are at least three meanings, or ways in which the word cause is used: 1 A person or thing that produces an effect. 2 reasonable grounds for a belief or action: cause for concern. 3 a principle or movement which one is prepared to support or advocate. While the shepherd boy used the second definition of the word, I would like to consider the subject using the first and the third definitions, and use them rather interchangeably. The question upon which I would like for us to reflect is: what is our cause, what motivates us, and what fuels our inner spirit?

Make no mistake: none of us live in an intellectual vacuum. We are spiritual, emotional and rational beings. Although there be many causes, each of us has a specific one which, above all others, inspires our lives. Every man has a cause that motivates his very existence. One man’s cause might be as simple as to live a tranquil life. Though it be a little selfish, it is his cause–his reason for living. Another man’s cause could be as vile as to see the triumph of communism. Everything he does revolves around that final goal. Some men have noble causes while others have selfish and less-than-noble ones, but every man must have something that motivates his life--yea even his very existence. Were it otherwise, he would pine away and die for lack of purpose to live.

Paul clearly stated the cause for which he lived when he said: For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain, and that testimony was clearly validated by the way Paul lived his life. There was one central theme in his life: Jesus Christ and the furtherance of His kingdom. Paul at one point also said, "follow me as I follow Christ" indicating that this was to be the Christian standard. Unfortunately there is not to be found in Christianity today that uniformity to Paul’s teaching that one might expect. In other words, not all Christians are motivated by the same cause.

In an article entitled IS THE SEVENTH DAY OUR GOSPEL? a Seventh Day Adventist minister objectively criticized his movement by describing what took place at one of their camp meetings. Sitting in an audience of a couple thousand fellow ministers and layman he listened as an evangelist, who had recently been saved, gave his testimony of saving grace. He was thrilled and blessed to hear the story of this life transformed through divine grace and expressed himself with praise to God. However, his enthusiasm quickly ebbed as the evangelist moved on to praise the day that he received the "light"on the keeping of the seventh day. At this point the audience, that had been relatively silent during the afore-mentioned report of God’s saving grace, became alive with shouts of praise and approval. The evangelist had finally touched upon their cause, and the people responded accordingly. Does this not sound strangely familiar?

Besides the Biblical cause of which the Apostle spoke of in Philipians 1:21, there are many causes in organized religion today. For some it is to add members to their ranks, for others it is to spread a particular teaching around the world, and for still others it is to stamp out as much diversity as possible amongst those whom they consider to be true Christians. If you doubt the accuracy of that statement, just study the actions of some people and the things that drive them. They do not so much concern themselves with the salvation of the lost as they do the walk of the saved. They are much more concerned that a fellow pilgrim believe and live as do they, than that he simply know that his sins are forgiven, his conscience is kept clear and that his name is written down in heaven. Rather than rejoicing with him over his salvation, they would prefer to contend with him over some personal opinion. In order to make their position heard and felt they might even put teeth in it by treating him as a secondary Christian, or in some cases by excluding him from fellowship altogether.

Let there be no doubt about it, there are some things that, as New Testament Christians, we should avoid and others that we should include in our lifestyle, but we must understand that "these things," whatever "these things" might be, in themselves are not "The Cause." Again, it is not that in most cases these things should be considered inconsequential, but they certainly should not be the banner under which we march. They are altogether secondary to that cause. Satan is not exactly the loser if he can spoil our effectiveness by enticing us to take up any cause other than that of Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

So, is there not a single authentic cause in New Testament Christianity today? There certainly is, but it is obviously not the same as that of that Seventh Day Adventist camp meeting crowd, or of those who go from camp to camp carrying tracts promoting or condemning their favorite little issue, or of those who are willing to divide their entire denomination in order to be able to proudly march under the banner of some extra-biblical mandate, or of those who interrogate potential evangelists with questions concerning personal matters that neither affect their ministry nor violate Scripture.

No, these sideline obsessions are not our common cause. In fact, our Cause, Jesus Christ, is so much greater than the small debatable issues that absorb the minds and souls of some of us that these things look microscopic in comparison. But, though they be microscopic in comparison, when these lesser issues take a forefront position both in our thinking and in our priorities, they create an enormous obstruction to the fulfilment of the Great Commission and the propagation of the common Cause, Jesus Christ Himself. You see, it is impossible to give ourselves equally to two causes at the same time. It is too easy to become sidetracked with personal convictions which we arrogantly interpret as some sort of "exclusive revelation," or at least as something revealed only to us and a few other select saints. That "exclusive revelation," more often than not, becomes our reason to live, and we take up the cause of propagating it wherever we go, thus laying aside the common cause of New Testament Christianity.

In conclusion, can we imagine an army ever winning a war being as diversely motivated as are we? Let us lay aside our private issues, and raise the biblical banner of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. After all, it is under that Banner that we find the foundation for everything that really matters anyway. Let us identify our common Cause and fashion our lives accordingly. Then we will have the right to honestly say with the Apostle Paul, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

–Philip Burch

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