Thursday, January 9, 2014

Our Worldly Fables...

"Have nothing to do with worldly fables…"
1 Timothy 4:7


I love the first thirty minutes to an hour of the day.  For me, it is time to pray, open God's word, read, and listen to God.  I don't hear the term used much anymore, but I love an old-fashioned quiet time.  What is it an why this name?  It is a time of quiet, of resting, and of focusing on God.

Today, I was reading through 1 Timothy chapter 3 and 4.  I often come back to the Pastoral Epistles because they were written for me.  I know they were written from Paul to Timothy, but I always felt like they were written from Paul to me because Timothy and I share a calling.  Thus, we need the same advice.

What are these "worldly fables" that Paul wrote about?

"But the Spirit explicitly says that in the later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of hypocrisy of liars seared in the their own conscience as with a branding iron." (vss. 1-2)

Wow, Paul!  Tell us how you really feel.  

This is harsh.  In the latter days, people will not follow the truth, but they will follow the teachings of falsehood that are encouraged and taught by demons.  I get the feeling that Paul would not be a "go along to get along" type of guy.  He would not affirm and say that truth is relative to culture and individual preference.  

So, what exactly are the worldly fables?

"men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods, which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth." (vs. 3)

Our culture has sought to redefine and de-emphasize marriage.  We argue and believe it is not really important.  "Just live together and get to know each other."  "Marriage is any type of living arrangement agreed to by two parties."  Our tax system is set up to penalize married couples.    At a certain middle class income, it is much cheaper to not be married than to be married.  Obamacare and its mandate with set subsidies tied to income continues this trend.

Am I lying about this?  Is it mere right-wing political propaganda?  I don't think so.  This has nothing to do with politics.  It has to do with truth.  In fact, let me give two prime examples from this week's news as illustrations.

First, a recent court ruling concluded that couples who are merely friends can adopt.  Why?  The institution of marriage between a man and a woman is too restrictive.  It is not "fair" that we define a family as a man and a woman.  It could and should be anyone who wants to adopt.

Of course, while making these cultural decisions we have also made adoption so expensive and difficult that many couples can't afford it.  Why?  For the welfare of the children?  I think not.  More likely it is because we believe the state system is really better.  In the name of "protecting the children" we harm these most vulnerable in society.

Second, the CDC just reported that 40.7% of all babies born last year were born to unmarried women.  Let that sink in.  2 out of every 5 children.  Isn't this great news!  It means that women have been set free from the shackles of life with a man!  Or so our culture claims.  I think Paul might argue that our worldly fable is "abstain from marriage" because it is not important.  There have always been children born out of wedlock and in our fallen world there always will be.  The problem is that in the last thirty years it went from an exception to the rule.  There is no longer any shame to it.  Why?  Marriage is not really important.

I have not even moved toward our cultural desire to regulate what people eat.  No sugary drinks!  No meat!  No candy!  Stop smoking now!

While this might be good advice, could it also be an indicator of our "worldly fables?"  We look down on folks who do not eat and drink what we want them to eat and drink.  It comes so naturally to us.  It is for their own good.  It is for the good of society!

All I ask today is that we think through these cultural assumptions.  According to whose idea of truth  are we believing what we do about marriage and about food?  Our entire culture might say one thing, but if God's word says another then our entire culture is wrong.

Perhaps it is time for each of us to assess the "worldly fables" that we assume to be true.  May God's true Truth abide still in His people.


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