Kindled Thoughts / DECEMBER 23, 2018
On a dark night, driving away from the summit of our long hike and toward a night of rest, the buses’ headlights and the city lights down below provided the soft, persistent glow we needed to make it down the windy roads of Guatemala. We had spent hours climbing to witness the aftermath of centuries of molten destruction and to look in awe at the famous “volcan” Pacaya.
As we rounded another curve down the mountain, what would confront our senses next was unexpected. The crackling. The yellow light. Many of my peers could close their eyes and reminisce back to the recent holiday season and sitting around the fireplace with their families or their times at sleepaway camp singing songs with their friends around a campfire. But, eyes wide open, all heartwarming memories were forsaken. Ablaze was a school bus, just like the one we sat in. Abandoned was what we hoped it was. Though we wanted to take in the brilliance of the flame, the object of our gaze triggered us to think on all the “what ifs?”. Minds were confused and disquieted. Had there been people in the vehicle, had they been saved?
It has been a while since that moment from my college choirs’ time in Mesoamerica, but I found myself reflecting these past few weeks. When fire is strange, out of place - what should be my response?
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Continuing to study the Word of God to grow in a true knowledge of Jesus Christ, thoughts of “strange fire” brings the names of Nabad and Abihu to mind. These sons of Aaron, priests, “offered strange fire before the Lord, which He has not commanded them” (Leviticus 10:1). In the Old Testament, Levitical priests offered sacrifices by way of fire as an act of worship, per God’s explicit commandments, on behalf of the people set apart for God, the Israelites. Yet, Nabau and Abihu defied the commandments of God in the profane sacrifices that they offered to God. What was God’s response?
And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. (Leviticus 10:2)
Falsehood or deception instructs people to present such “strange fire”, or uncommanded acts of worship to God. Though He is merciful to withhold the full extent of judgment from these false teachers in our day and age, God gives us believers instructions on how to ensure that “by those who come near [Him] [He] will be treated as holy, and before all the people [He] will be honored.” (Leviticus 10:3)
While on a real podcast kick a few months ago, I was able to listen to Costi Hinn in his seminars at my home church. After talking through the history of the movements that have popularized and packaged deadly deception as health/wealth or Word of Faith “gospel”, he landed in Jude, a brief book of the Bible (of only 25 verses) chock full of exhortation to “earnest contention of the faith” (Jude 1) and words like this:
But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. (Jude 20-23)
As I continue to let the Lord renew my mind (Romans 12:1-2), I must also work out my salvation with fear and trembling and discern the truth through the study of the Word of God (Philippians 2:12-13). This means continuing to orient my thoughts on church and falsehood to what Scripture says. This will of course take some time. But as with all things, I will continue to examine my heart and my actions. What I do know is that false (or even slightly incorrect) teaching could be instructing many I love to worship God with a strange fire. What’s my response?
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I know that as I used to pass by places that proclaimed falsehood, my first instinct early in my walk with God was to turn up my nose and turn my back, counting them hopeless white-washed tombs, dead on arrival. But in meditating on Jude 20-23 these past few weeks, may I be taken away from this pride and instead be brought back to the kindled thoughts of that unsettling evening.
With strange fire rampant leading others to another fire, a fire of judgment for all eternity, let me be compelled to proclaim the gospel as a rescue to those whose paths lead to the opposite of eternal life. With this truth that governs my life, may I strive to learn and apply what it means to have mercy on the doubting, to save others and snatch them out of the fire, and to have mercy on some with fear. ---
References:
Strange Fire (RC Sproul): https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/strange-fire/
Defining Deception (Costi Hinn): https://www.gracechurch.org/sermons/14804
Reaching Those Caught in Deception (Costi Hinn): https://www.gracechurch.org/sermons/14810