I need help!
A while ago under clear conviction from God I surrendered certain things within my life. Among these consecrated items were caffeinated coffee and football (watching not playing!)
I have no doubt whatsoever that these acts of surrender were done in obedience to God and the conviction that drove me was inescapable.
Now here's my dilemma…
Having been obedient recent events and new revelation seem to be suggesting that I can have some of these things back.
I've felt the spirit warning me against adopting a kind of puritanical self-righteousness which could turn me into - at best a kill-joy and at worst a man who rejects pleasures and joys which God intended to be part of 'life in all its fullness'.
Football is immoral for oh so many reasons – gambling, players wages, participation on a Sunday and so I could go on. However I don't think anyone is going to go to hell because they watch football – if they are then my DC (Chelsea) my Divisional Director for Evangelism (Chelsea) and our current General (Spurs) are in need of our urgent prayers.
Coffee is also dangerous on many fronts – it's an addictive drug, its production has implications for social justice (unless it's fair trade) and it is (if it comes via Starbucks) expensive.
However, refusing coffee and asking for water in itself can draw attention to one's advanced spirituality and become a source of pride. In addition, recently both coffee and the coffee house (especially for teetotallers) have become the hub of the social wheel – coffee is the oil that seems to lubricate the wheels of the contemporary church.
So where do I go from here?
Of course holiness is much more than just a tick list of things we should give up. Holiness is a balance between self denial and accepting what's 'put before you' and not calling 'unclean' what God calls clean. Christianity is also a celebration of life set free from the restraints of legalism – we are not under law but under grace!
At the end of the day doesn't a 'fasted lifestyle' have to be a reflection of Christ's presence within us rather than a puritanical legalism we force upon ourselves?
I want to do what's right and not what I think is right especially if my self denial is potentially an affront to God's generosity and a possible area for pride in my relationships with others?
What should I do?
I'm certainly not prepared to go to hell or minimise the effectiveness of my mission for the sake of a double espresso and a game of football but perhaps Christ's injunction to be 'in the world but not of it' means I have a responsibility to engage in the community in which I'm called to serve (within – of course- the confines of obvious morality).
What would Jesus do?
Probably drink coffee and watch football – he was, after all, described as a 'glutton and a drunk' – one thing is certain however, he would have refused the legalistic approach of the Pharisees and sought to reflect the love of God in every environment in which he placed himself.
Maybe football and coffee are in themselves possible avenues to effective evangelism, maybe they are both ok in moderation.
As Idols they would have to be demolished but if they are no more than aids to legitimate relaxation and socialising maybe they're OK?
I'm genuinely not simply trying to rationalise here, this is a serious dilemma. We are all on a steep learning curve and God's revelation changes direction at his will – for coffee and football read Isaac!
Maybe God is looking for unconventional Christians – Christians who drink coffee, watch football, have tattoos and piercings but only in strict accordance with the freedom he gives us – I've no desire for a a tattoo or a piercing but I can see that in certain communities having them might actually help.
Does any of this make sense or I am just looking for excuses?
Answers please…
Grace and peace, A
8 comments:
How would you respond to a salvationist using your arguments with, for example, alcohol?
To what extent, if at all, were your commitments covenantal? To what extent did God initiate and to what extent was it a personal choice?
Did you have a sense of whether this was a permanant response at the time of making the response?
Andrew - your first two points are linked. A Salvationist has signed a covenant not to drink alcohol.
My decisions were made (as stated) in obedience to God. However I think my response grew into something more human than divine. I am still confused - hence the blog and the request for advice.
I'm prepared to be whatever God wants me to be but I think that what he wants me to be first of all is someone who abides in him. I want my lifestyle to be marked by genuine fruit rather than man-made acts of righteousness.
At the time, I thought the sacrifices would be permanent.
Any regular reader of my blog will know how vacillating I have been in this area!
Grace and peace, A
Hello Andrew!
My thoughts: Just as we don't expect children to understand all the reasons why their parents do certain things, I think that we can't expect everyone to be on board with some of the lifestyle decisions we've made.
Tough questions you asked. The Ecclesiastes 3 passage comes to mind, along with Genesis 22 as you mentioned Issac: some things are seasonal, some things are tests, just so that God can show us where our hearts really are.
My approach has been to practice fastings and abstentions while remaining open to adjustments: there are rare occasions, such as when I'm at a wedding where the bride has paid $65 per plate, and in order not to create a financial & social offense I've gone off fast at the celebration and back on fast the next morning. But at other events where I've paid my own way, I've chosen to take the criticism of my peers rather than break a fast prematurely or submit to things that God has clearly told me to stay away from.
There is this question of temporal versus permanent, and I think that's the core of your struggle. You use the word "consecrations" and I'm not sure if you mean "deep solemnity" or whether you mean "irrevocable decision". The answer to that might indicate whether caffeinated coffee and football are now in the same category as alcohol, and therefore off-limits to you. (Not sins, but off-limits nonetheless.)
Hope I haven't made things worse! Blessings and continued prayers for you & Tracey & family from "across the pond",
Genise
Hi Andrew,
One word comes to mind in repsonse to your dilemna
Others
1 Corinthians 8
I have for sometime been going to do a study on vows in the Bible. Haven't got round to it yet but your blog has spurred me on to get going. I'll let you know what I come up with.
Talk soon
God bless
Carol
Andrew, give up worrying. Give it up, seriously. Not worrying leads to a better perspective altogether, it's good for your health!
(Man Utd in the days before I gave up television....)
I have just re-read your blog and I think you have answered some of your questioning yourself. There are times in our lives when God asks certain things of us as testing points. If we are obedient to that test He often allows us to go back and do some of those things because we have learnt the lesson of listening to Him and obeying. The things of themselves are often not wrong (or sinful) it is how much of a grip they have on our lives that needs to be tested. There will be an awful lot of us in hell if those small things are what send us there. I find that often it is over a cup of coffee that people with problems will open up and talk and allow you to them pray with them. I am doing a lot of this at the moment with a lady whom I work with. Without that coffee break the door would not be open to talk with her. Our work is fairly demanding on our time and that small break gives us an opportunity for her to talk and she has asked for prayer as well as come to our Officers for counselling even although she is not yet a Christian. She values our standards - it is usually over a coffee that she is counselled. May God continue to use you. You are challenging us to do our best to live the holy life and we would want to encourage you as you endeavour to work out God's will for you. May God continue to bless you and us through your honest searching after the holy life.
Just off to make a large pot of fairtrade coffee - then I'll get back to you.
:-)
Right, back with my skinny, fair-trade, Latin-American, organic, decaffeinated coffee. (Has to be de-caf after 9pm).
Andrew
Coffee in our house is always a treat - so we buy the best value fair-trade we can. At the moment I’m happy to recommend Asda Extra Special fair-trade beans for grinding at home. Two bags for £4.
Anyway, back to your questions - which I think you’ve answered yourself. I was never very comfortable when you mentioned what you’d given up. I often thought about commenting but couldn’t put my finger on what it was I wanted to say - or why? In fact these thoughts are a bit muddled too.
I do feel there is value in doing things we don’t enjoy (such as collecting for annual appeal). And value in not doing things we do enjoy (eating too much).
But I think there is a risk that we rely too much on the ‘gesture’ when other aspects of our life are not right.
I also wonder God would prefer us to ‘do’ something rather than give up something - in certain circumstances anyway.
I also think there is value in doing without nice things - but then that in it's self will not necessarily help those who have few of the material comforts we have in the UK.
I know that the fair-trade model isn’t perfect - but for me, when I buy fair-trade I’m making a statement to the retailers and manufacturers that I want to make choices that don’t exploit other people.
But I know that many of my other purchases fail to meet that standard. It’s complicated isn’t it? Maybe I should make more changes to my shopping priorities. Maybe I could write to Cadbury again about their chocolate?
Football’s a great bridge - particularly for men. I observe some of the guys I know, talking to men from outside of our Church family. Sometimes they have little in common with each other - but when I hear them say “did you see the game?” I wonder if they are also saying “I’m just like you, you know!” Football gives them a common language.
I don’t think there is a “tick list” of holiness. I’m not sure we can claim to be holy because we have done or not done certain things. Nor do I think that failing at these things necessarily stops us from being holy. I think God is more gracious and probably less simplistic than that. (1 Corinthians 13 comes to mind).
I don’t know, but maybe God is challenging you to more complex choices.
Hope that’s some help - if not, please ignore.
PS look out for Liverpool Walton Band (supported by Everton and Chelsea) Live on Setanta Sports 1 at 8:00pm 22 Dec 08.
http://www.wheresthematch.com/fixtures/Football.asp?gameid=1914&channelid=12
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