So who let that elephant in here?
Paul writes in Romans 3:4 ”Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written ‘so that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge’ “
If I’m not mistaken, I was just called a liar.
You were just called a liar.
Nobody likes that.
It is true however that we’re inconsistent as people. We (all people) ARE hypocritical. We lie, we cheat, and we steal what’s not rightfully ours. We can be hurtful, selfish, and vulgar. It’s also true that we can be honest, good, sacrificial, and truthful. We can be virtuous.
Have you ever stopped to think that these virtuous traits might just be tendencies and the exception…not the rule? That by nature, these good things aren’t in us and that we have to have a reason within us to display the righteous side of ourselves?
If you question this, think about the last time someone offended you. Or you ranted about another person – a boyfriend/girlfriend (or ex), a boss, or family member. Didn’t that seem to occur by default? Isn’t it so easy to jump on the “bashing bandwagon”? OR look at our current political climate and the discussions around it. I know plenty of “nice” people who show an interesting side of themselves when they talk about current events.
What if we recognized God as really being the only “true” voice. That He is always truth. Every time. And that we, our voice, is to be delivered (and heard) with much thought and speculation. That our voice is to be the exception and not the rule. If God’s voice is always true, always proved right, and always sovereign and our default practices are to the exact opposite how do we rectify that in our lives? How can we speak anything good at all?
What if the only way to rectify this is by speaking (and living) in spirit AND in truth? Truth is God’s word and all things according to His word. Spirit – well…that’s the Holy Spirit…divine revelation. It would appear we need both. If we do…we speak with legitimacy.
It’s also interesting to me that in Romans 3:4 the “as it is written” portion references Psalm 51:4 which is David’s psalm that was written after the prophet Nathan came to him after he, David, had committed adultery with Bathsheba. Verses 3 and 4 say “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge” Even one of the greatest men to EVER walk the earth acknowledged he didn’t get it right. That only God is proved right and only He is justified in His judging – because there is no good thing in himself (David).
Does that mean that people, even ones who appear to be “good”, apart from God really are just spinning their wheels? That they go from high point to low point, success to failure, and disappointment to disappointment in a vicious cycle until they realize they need to let God take over?
Hmmm…that kind of sounds like me.
Enter stage left “grace” and the “pursuit of God”. (more to come….)
