Diluting the message of the Gospel is not something I had considered until this week.
I spend a bit of time each morning studying the Bible. It is my way of remaining grounded and thoughtful. It also gives me such a strong feeling of comfort and clearness of mind to go on about the rest of my day. I actually find myself waking before the alarm sounds many days because I cannot wait to get up to study and read.
This morning I read Philemon.
This is a book of the Bible that I often overlook and it is the first time that I have ready through this book using the John MacArthur study bible.
According to John MacArthur, one of the messages in John’s letter to Philemon as it relates to the forgiveness of his returned slave, , is that we must let Christianity undermine the evils of slavery by changing the hearts of slaves and master. Not by forcing an edict upon them. The New Testament does not attack slavery directly. If it had done so, MacArthur says, the message of the gospel would have been hopelessly confused with that of social reform.
Wow! I really never thought of it that way.
But it makes so much sense. God acts on people’s hearts. He allows us to choose good or bad, but gives us the heart to know the difference and the empathy to feel for the plight of others. Social reform is the opposite as it demands that people change how they think and act instead of showing the way and guiding their hearts and allowing them to make the choice themselves.
My son often wonders why there is so much evil allowed to exist in the world.
I think this concept of showing instead of telling is exactly why. God acts to give choice and free will to all. As a result there will be those who are good and those who are evil.
