I hear a version of this question periodically: “Does the Bible say I can’t do ___?” The fact that the question is asked encourages me. The person is acknowledging that there is a standard of right and wrong conduct with God, and he/she does not want to violate the standard.
Reading through Leviticus (as part of our church’s reading plan) is a great reminder of this standard. Lev 23:22 commands God’s people that when they reap the harvest, they are not to reap to the edge of the field and they are not to gather the gleanings left behind on the first pass. These things are to be left for the poor and the alien among them.
Lev 22:19-20 commands that any sacrifice brought to the Lord must be an unblemished male. It cannot have a defect or it will not be accepted on behalf of the worshipper.
In these two examples, the people are told what not to do. They are even told why. While many people seek to live by similar standards today, I want to suggest that they are less than what God intends for His people.
In Mark 10:17-27, Jesus encounters the wealthy “ruler” of the people. Think of a mash-up between a religious scholar and a local government official. These guys interpreted the Law of Moses and set policy on applying it in the community. This man came to Jesus and affirmed all of the “thou shalt nots” he had abided by. I have not murdered, I have not stolen, I have not lied, etc. Jesus never chastised the man for keeping the Law. (NOTE: Some today will lecture a person who holds to a moral code. A man just yesterday dismissed the need to be part of a church when I asked him where he attended. He told me “the church was in Him.” IOW…there is no command for me to worship with a group of people on the Lord’s day. He was saying, in essence, “That’s not part of the deal for my Salvation. I asked Jesus into my heart”).
While Jesus did not chastise the ruler for keeping the Law, He also did not leave the conversation there. “One thing you lack: go and sell all your possessions and give to the poor and follow Me” (Mark 10:21). In this statement…which I would suggest is exemplary of the teachings of the New Testament, Jesus says that His followers have an AFFIRMATIVE DUTY to advance Christ’s agenda in the world. It is not enough to not steal…we must generously give. It is not enough to not lie (since we could do that by saying nothing). We must speak the truth (in love and with humility). It is not enough to not murder. We must promote abundant living.
The point is that the church (the family of Christ-followers) has the responsibility to advance the King’s agenda.
Reflect today on this:
- I know you have not murdered your neighbor, but have you helped him live an abundant life?
- I know you did not promote some wrong perspective of God, but how did you advance the right view?
- I know you did not oppress the poor, but how did you act generously to provide for him/her?
The church (that’s us) was not called to play “prevent defense” until we are taken up into heaven. We are charged to advance the ball, step by step, until we reach the other end of the field.
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