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Idolatry by Osmosis

Tuesday, August 16th, 2011 | Author:

but they mingled with the nations and learned their practices, Psalm 106:35  NASB

Learned – David described Israel in the 10th Century BC.  He might as well have penned this line 3000 years later.  Haven’t we mingled with the nations and learned their practices?  Aren’t we in the same place as Israel before Babylon?

What have we learned in 3000 years?  The Hebrew verb is lamad.  It means “to study, to teach, to learn, to be taught, to be learned.”  God sternly warned His people not to learn, teach, study or practice the corrupt, pagan ways of the nations.  Instead, God’s followers were to learn His ways.  Then He told them exactly what those ways were.  Let’s take a look at some of them to see if we have mingled.  Here’s a quick checklist:

“Do not entertain the idea that there is any god but YHWH” (Exodus 20:3).  How is our culture doing with that one?  How are your children doing with this in our government schools and universities?  How much mingling did it take to produce a generation that believes all spiritual paths lead to God?

“Learn Torah and teach it” (Deuteronomy 6:7).  How is the Church doing with this?  Who did the mingling here?  When did God change His mind about this?

“Do not take away from the commandments of Torah” (Deuteronomy 13:1).  Hmm?  Our religious culture certainly followed this to the letter, didn’t it?

“Recite grace after meals” (Deuteronomy 8:10).  What is the usual procedure in your house?

“Do not bear a grudge or take revenge or cherish hatred” (Leviticus 19:17-18).  How’s that working in your life?

“Rebuke a sinner” (Leviticus 19:17).  Are we ready to do this or are we hamstrung by the mingling of social and political correctness?

“Give charity according to one’s means” (Deuteronomy 15:11).  Of course, now the government takes care of this, right?  “I gave at the office.”

“Do not wrong a stranger in speech”  (Exodus 22:20).  But politicians are exempt, right?

“Do not withhold food, clothing or marriage rights from a woman” (Exodus 21:10).  How does that align with an environment of spousal abuse or with the practices of cultures?

“Do not castrate the male of any species; neither man nor beast”  (Leviticus 22:24).  I wonder if horse owners, pet breeders and the SPCA ever read this one?

“Celebrate the festivals” (Exodus 23:14).  By the way, that does not include Christmas or Easter.

“Rest on Yom Kippur” (Leviticus 23:35).  But since we don’t even celebrate Yom Kippur, especially after Jesus made it “irrelevant,” why worry about this one?

“Do not eat the flesh of unclean animals” (Leviticus 11:4)  Take a long look at the menus of your favorite restaurants.  Business in the mingled world is booming.

“Do not make a loan with interest to one of the house of Israel” (Leviticus 25:37).  As the gentleman said to me, “You must be kidding.  How can I do business if I don’t charge interest?”

“Do not delay payment of a hired man’s wages” (Leviticus 19:13).  Except, of course, when the government or the employer needs the money more.

“Do not appoint as a judge anyone who is not well-versed in Torah” (Deuteronomy 1:17).  But apparently it’s OK to elect them.

We could go on, but I don’t think it’s necessary.  There is absolutely no question that the culture and the Church are very well-mingled today.  Shaken, not stirred.  Maybe that’s why Peter Leithart calls Christianity “institutionalized worldliness.”  The only real question is this:  What about you?  How much mixing is going on it your life?

Topical Index:  lamad, learn, teach, practice, Torah, mingle, Psalm 106:35

Category: Today's Word  | Tags: , , , , , ,  | 34 Comments

To Learn

Saturday, January 02nd, 2010 | Author:

And they cast lots for their duties, all alike, the small as well as the great, the teacher as well as the pupil. 1 Chronicles 25:8

Pupil – What does it mean to learn the Scriptures?  Just stop a minute and think about your definition of learning.  What characteristics describe a learner – a pupil?  Did you include attentive study, memorization, understanding and apprehension?  Is the focus of your idea of learning cognitive or experiential?  Most of us in this Greek-based worldview think of learning in cognitive terms.  We think about gathering facts, understanding problems, drawing conclusions and developing a storehouse of information.  In other words, in our world it’s possible to learn without ever actually doing anything with the information.

But this is impossible in Hebrew.  The word “pupil” is talmiyd (singular).  You will recognize the similarity with the word Talmud, the collection of oral instruction in Judaism.  The word for pupil comes from the verb lamad.  This verb appears sixteen times in Deuteronomy, usually translated at “teach” or “learn.”  Are the instructions in Deuteronomy intended to be cognitive collections of facts?  Are we supposed to learn God’s commandments (Torah) so that we can recite them during a scholarship contest?  The same verb shows up in Proverbs 5:13, a verse that gives us a very good picture of the opposite of lamad.  You’ll notice that the emphasis of the verse is about obedience, not information.  In fact, the etymological background of lamad is to chastise, to discipline even with the rod.  Believe me, this is not about beating the facts into you.

A pupil of Scripture is one who bends his will toward God’s instruction.  Without obedience, nothing is learned.  No matter how many times I tell my horse to move to the left when I pull on the reins, if the horse does not obey, no instruction has occurred.  This is why it isn’t possible to deepen my relationship with God until I learn – and obey – the lesson He has for me today.

One more Scripture example cements the concept (a mental activity).  Jeremiah 12:16 says, “And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people.”  The phrase “diligently learn” is really the verb lamad repeated twice (eemlamod yilmedoo).  It is to “learn learn.”  The Hebrew motto for learning is “Just do it!”

Are you a talmiyd?  Yeshua called twelve men to be his talmiydim.  They could not be pupils without being disciples and they could not be disciples without copying his life.  “By this they will know that you are my disciples; that you love one another as I have loved you.”  Making it real, that’s what it means to learn.

Topical Index:  learn, pupil, talmiyd, disciple, 1 Chronicles 25:8, Jeremiah 12:16, Proverbs 5:13

Category: Today's Word  | Tags: , , , , , ,  | 8 Comments

Pound for Pound

Thursday, May 14th, 2009 | Author:

And let our people also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, that they may not be unfruitful. Titus 3:14

Unfruitful – Soon it will be good fruit season in Georgia. Peaches will be ripe and plentiful. We will be blessed once more by God’s goodness as He provides for our bodies. If we’re fortunate, we might even find a roadside stand where we can get an exceptionally good price on these wonderful creations. Pound for pound there is nothing better than a great Georgia peach.

In Christian living, pound for pound there is nothing better than good deeds that meet pressing needs. Just like biting into a Georgia peach, delivering a good deed to someone in need is a most satisfying experience. And just like a Georgia peach, the fruit of the tree of my life is not intended for me. It is intended to provide nourishment to someone who is hungry. That is the principle of karpon (fruit).

However, Paul provides a little horticultural advice in this verse that we need to apply to our fruit production. First, we have to learn to engage in the process. The verb is manthanetiosan (let them learn). It comes from the stem manthano. It’s not about just knowing the facts. Reading a book about Georgia peaches will not put fruit in your basket. This verb implies instruction that includes a moral responsibility. In other words, learning requires action. It’s absolutely no good to teach about good works, learn about good works, budget for good works but never actually do the good works. Even more importantly, good works are not whatever we happen to consider noble efforts. They are actions that meet pressing needs. If you want the best Georgia peaches, you have to find a roadside stand with direct access to the orchard. You have to avoid the processor. The same is true of good works. Avoid the middleman. Proxy Christianity is a sure formula for unfruitfulness. It’s a great way to pass the responsibility to someone else, but you won’t learn anything about the immediate moral responsibility of good works. You won’t experience the first-person joy of being a vehicle of God’s grace in the life of someone in need. You’ll just be a processor. You’ll give your money to someone else who will witness the enjoyment of a hungry person eating the fruit.

By the way, the verb here is the first word in the sentence. That means it is in the place of emphasis. Learning the moral responsibility that comes with fruitfulness is first-place importance. Actions taken at a distance remove you from the real impact of fruit production. You see, even though your fruit is for another’s consumption, experiencing the grace that comes with providing for someone in need is for you. You are blessed in giving it away. If you just pass it along the food chain, you miss out on the intended experience of seeing God’s grace transferred from your hands. Proxy Christianity is ultimately effort without fruit.

Topical Index: fruit, unfruitful, akarpoi, learn, manthano, Titus 3:14

Category: Today's Word  | Tags: , , , , ,  | 8 Comments