What Really Counts

The winds represent theological and experiential fads or the “new things” that everyone is teaching but will soon be passed over as something else catches the fancy of the Christian world. Paul confronted the philosophers on Mar’s Hill who “spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing” (Acts 17:21b). He warned the Ephesians about such things: “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14a).

The tides represent contemporary theological and experiential trends that ebb and flow. These trends are like the tides of the oceans coming in and going out. In my mind, these represent certain good and godly issues that edify the body of Christ and will take center stage in Christian thought and activity for a period of time only to recede as another trend comes in. The tides of thought, values, and practice will ebb and flow over a period of years, a decade, or in a generations of believers. We have watched over the past half century such trends as the emphasis on certain worship styles, a changing emphasis in core issues taught by the church, and the shifting focus on different aspects of ministry.

The currents of the oceans are unceasing in their flow and in the direction of their flow. This forms the basis of navigation, fishing, and other maritime pursuits. They represent theological absolutes that have been established and are unchanging from the beginning. They do not vary and are the same today, yesterday, and forever.

The danger in Kingdom work is that we can get ensnared by the waves created by the convergence of these three powerful forces: winds, tides, and currents, and capsize or be carried away by the force of them. James spoke of this “he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed” (James 1:6).

Stability in Christian work comes as we focus on and align ourselves with the currents of teaching, practices, and ideals that are unwavering and absolutely essential to the Body of Christ. While the winds and the tides have their own roles and benefit the Church, their role is usually subject to change and thus to some extent, short lived. Currents never change and form the secure basis of unwavering truth. Paul entreated young Timothy to “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:13).

With a half century of Christian ministry under my belt, I have come to certain conclusions about essentials in the Christian faith. One of the conclusions that has long dominated my attention is the issue of forgiveness—both God’s and ours. These are “bedrock” issues that are unchangeable and are absolutely essential to the welfare of every human being. While we may vary on other issues, values, and practices, we must not flounder when it comes to these two vital questions.

The Garden failure of our early parents brought death and wrought destruction not only to them but to all mankind. Because sin became entrenched, judgment was inevitable and, by the effort of man, both were insurmountable. Man was now lost, corrupted, and helpless in his feeble efforts as he was brought face to face with a holy God.

Among the marvelous attributes of God, are His love and mercy. His love is what He is within Himself while His mercy is what He is to His creatures, i.e., man. There is no greater manifestation of these attributes nor greater personal cost to Him than in the forgiveness He makes available to His fallen creatures. In the Garden event, for the first time, the blood of the innocent was shed for the guilty when God made coats as clothing for Adam and Eve from the skins of animals. While the scripture doesn’t clearly say that the animals slain were lambs, the implication based on the teachings and patterns throughout the scripture indicate that the skins taken were from lambs. Thus we have the first type of Christ, the Lamb of God, Who shed His blood for the sins of the world (see John 1:29).

No book of religion except the Bible teaches that God completely forgives sin, but there it is frequently taught, for example, "I will heal their waywardness, I will love them freely" (Hos. 14:4 NIV); "God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you [echarisato, graciously forgiven]" (Eph. 4:32 AV); "Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more" (Heb. 10:17). (Elwells Theological Dictionary, Forgiveness)

Certainly those of us who know the forgiveness of God through the shed blood of the cross know that it was not by works of righteousness that we have done. It is because of the love and mercy of our Heavenly Father who by His initiative brought us to our knees in repentance and into His arms through grace. The hymn writer said it well when he said: “

1. Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
    Let the water and the blood
    From Thy riven side which flowed
    Be of sin the double cure,
    Cleanse me from its guilt and power.

    2. Not the labors of my hands
    Can fulfil Thy Law's demands;
    Could my zeal no respite know,
    Could my tears forever flow,
    All for sin could not atone;
    Thou must save, and Thou alone.

    3. Nothing in my hand I bring,
    Simply to Thy cross I cling;
    Naked, come to Thee for dress;
    Helplees, look to Thee for grace;
    Foul, I to the fountain fly,--
    Wash me, Savior, or I die!

    4. While I draw this fleeting breath,
    When mine eyelids close in death,
    When I soar to worlds unknown,
    See Thee on Thy judgment-throne,
    Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
    Let me hide myself in Thee!
                     "Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me"
                by Augustus Montague Toplady, 1740-1778

Jeff

• Jefferson H. and Norma R. Floyd, CO-directors • Jubilee International • P. O. Box 572 • Noblesville, IN 46061