I wanted to put the title this way:
BALANCED – – – LIKE JESUS ?

But I thought I would first mention some common applications of balance from Jesus in our day.

— Psychologists write books and get on programs to promote their insights and new prescriptions for peace, love, and happiness.
They emphasize balance, and demonstrate with humor how they have found it in their own lives.
And they point to Jesus as the example for showing a balanced approach and level-headed response to all kinds of people and situations and problems.
To be honest, I often react with some skepticism—they seem to be too good to be true, too ‘got it together’ to be real, too much for me to follow their formulas, in my world.

— Educator professionals point to Jesus for always having the perfect story, the perfect question, the perfect illustration for every situation.
Totally true, because He was God and had it all intellectually to respond the best way.
But then Jesus’ ‘balance’ of emotions is often overlooked or minimized.
In our zeal to present Jesus’ manner as even keel, without bluster or rants or threats, or raising His voice, we miss the real balance Jesus showed as God and man.
Jesus was God, “sent from God”, to do the work only God could do.
But why was He a man ?
So we could relate to Him in all kinds of ways:
-tired
-hungry
-angry
-tempted
-celebrating
-drinking
-hurting
-weak
-crying

— Preachers sometimes think their messages should be smooth and not make waves, to maintain balance.
Avoid controversial topics and controversial texts.
The last thing—what you don’t want—is to get a negative label, like a ‘hellfire and brimstone’ preacher.
So, many preachers end up focused on making people comfortable—happiness over righteousness.
Many preachers have to skip a lot of the things Jesus said, because they might (they will) be taken the wrong way.

– – –

Now the alternate title:
BALANCED – – – LIKE JESUS ?

Was Jesus ‘balanced’ as we like to think ?
If you consider all the wide range of Jesus’ recorded interactions, words, emotions, judgments, combined, you could say Jesus was balanced.
But if you choose only the smooth, peaceful, loving, and forgiving parts of Jesus’ life that you are comfortable with, that does not make Jesus balanced.

I’m glad the Bible records the real reactions of Jesus when He was confronted with tough stuff and bad people.

— Before Jesus started His ministry, He went to the wilderness (desert) “to be tempted by the devil”.
He fasted forty days, and then He was hungry, and then the devil showed up.
It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t easy, it wasn’t nice and smooth—it really tested Jesus.
Remember, a test is not a test unless it tests you.
Meek and mild, gentle Jesus never would have survived satan’s onslaught under those conditions.
He got tough with the devil and used the sword of the Word of God over and over until He won, and the devil left—for a while.

— If Jesus was not also tough as nails, He would not have survived the popularity when multitudes flocked to Him everywhere.
In fact, at that very time, Jesus said hard things that thinned the crowds to nothing except His disciples.

— Jesus cried over cities that rejected Him, and then pronounced scathing judgments on them.

— Jesus blasted the religious leaders of the day with verbal barrages that went on and on.
He raked them over the coals with descriptions and choice words and name-calling that most preachers today wouldn’t read from the pulpit.

— Jesus got physically violent when He found His Father’s House, the Temple, used as a market place.
He ran everybody (and the animals) out with a whip that He made Himself, and yelled (to be heard above the noise and mayhem He created), “My Father’s House shall be called a House of Prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.”

— Jesus kicked out a lot of demons, with firm authority, not sweet and soft.
He also warned about the disaster if someone has his ‘house’ cleaned from demons and leaves it empty.

— Would you believe Jesus once asked His disciples if they had any weapons (swords).
When they said, “Two”, Jesus said that was enough.

— When the mob of soldiers came to arrest Jesus at night, He asked who they were looking for.
When they said, “Jesus of Nazareth”, and He said, “I am He”, they all fell backward on the ground.
So He asked them again.
Truthfully, I get personal, human satisfaction out of that.

– – –

Sometimes, many times, Jesus came on strong, put people in their place, in no uncertain terms.
And—I thank Him for showing mercy, so I could be saved.
But don’t ever trifle with His justice and His wrath.
Remember, Jesus seriously held back His power while He was here the first time.
He will show no restraint the second time.
Get ready, now.
Ask Him to forgive your sins and write your name in His Book.

As I listened to the opening of Voice of the Martyrs radio, Todd Nettleton said anything worthwhile will include suffering and hardship.

SUFFERING FROM SIN
I suffer a lot from my sin (also after forgiveness).
As I read and listen to Voice of the Martyrs, I wonder if I have any suffering because of Jesus—maybe I don’t see it—maybe just as well ?

Todd Nettleton said suffering from persecution makes life harder in the short run.
This is also true when God takes us to His ‘woodshed’ for correction.
“No chastening for the present seems joyous, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them who are exercised thereby.”

For most of us the following verse applies, so far:
“You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood, striving against sin.”
What if our suffering from sin changed to striving against sin, like those who are suffering persecution ?

REPERCUSSIONS FROM REPENTANCE
When you get specific—identify sin and call it SIN, in your heart and in conversation, and not refer to it as ‘mistakes’, it may not be smooth sailing to get past it, like you thought when you got into it.

Call it SIN in your heart—
There will be internal wrestling, to see the seriousness of sin, of your sin.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Call it SIN in conversation—
There will be impact from others who are unsupportive, who disagree, who are uncomfortable with you talking, confessing your sin—because it may be convicting in their own lives.
Nobody wants to admit SIN.
“Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.”

– – –

Now, going farther, getting beyond the consequences of our sins—SUFFERING FROM OUR SINS,

and

beyond the impact of resisting and turning from our sins—REPERCUSSIONS FROM REPENTANCE,

to

a “higher plane” of “pressing on the upward way” . . .

What most Christians never get straight (because we never hear about it)—
—If we really seek a closer walk with Jesus, to live totally sold out to Him, life will not get easier (easier in ways people around us expect)—life will likely get harder.

Jesus said a lot of hard things.
Jesus promised, guaranteed, His followers a lot of hard things—
– trouble
– self-denial
– hatred
– persecution
– chastening (correction along the way)
– hard life
– warfare (spiritual, that sometimes spills over into . . .)

“In this world you will have tribulation (trouble), but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.”
“If anyone comes after Me (follows by choice*), let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.”
“You will be hated by all people because of Me.”
“All who live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
“He whom the Lord loves, He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.”
“Endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”

How far do I really want to follow Jesus ?
How far do I want to follow everything He said ?

“I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining every day.
But still I’ll pray till heaven I’ve found,
‘Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.’

‘Lord, lift me up and let me stand
By faith on heaven’s table land.
A higher plane than I have found;
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.'”

– – –

*Choice—
What do the following have in common ?
– Punishment
– Persecution
– Sacrifice
All three involve suffering.
– With Punishment, you suffer, and it’s your fault.
– With Persecution, you suffer, and it’s not your fault.
– With Sacrifice, you suffer, and it’s your choice.

What have I sacrificed lately for Jesus ?

Rules that say, “NEVER”—so I don’t have to make a decision.

Rules that say, “NEVER”—so I don’t have to wrestle with uncomfortable dilemmas.

Rules that say, “NEVER”—so I can do what someone else says and not think about it (and not think?).

Rules that say, “NEVER”—so I can exempt myself from involvement in someone’s yucky problems.

Rules that say, “NEVER”——“EXCEPT”—“BUT”—“WHAT IF”—“NOW I HAVE TO”

– – –

Don’t expect me to clear everything up for you and make things simple.
I just get weary of blanket rules, blanket doctrines, blanket policies, that come up short when real life throws a curve for you or someone you know or a country you love.

– – –

NEVER raise your voice (don’t ever yell) with your children or your spouse.
– – – Don’t try to be so perfect that you never have to say, “I’m sorry.”
– – – Be real about your faults, don’t hide them.

NEVER get involved in something that’s none of your business.
– – – Many, many marriages and families would not fail if we cared enough to get in their trenches.
– – – There are not enough professionals who know what people really need—a friend with time for them.

NEVER dispute theologians and established church doctrines.
– – – Worship God, not any church.
– – – Read the Bible, Trust the Bible, not anyone who claims superior understanding.

NEVER break the laws you don’t like—change the laws.
– – – Sometimes a law has to be broken to change it.
– – – Sometimes a law will never be changed—don’t let it break your conscience.

NEVER cross the line in Christian activism—limits—no force, no damage, no violence.
– – – Sometimes bad guys with violence can only be stopped by good guys with violence.
– – – Good guys were part of the Boston Tea Party—the catalyst for our Revolutionary War.
– – – The Black Robed Regiment inspired the patriots with their sermons and their guns—and were the most feared by King George.

Many people who made a difference for good, for freedom, went through changes from watching to warring.
Passive
Peaceful
Active
Verbal
Physical
Violent

The Second Amendment—
When did the ‘gun part’ become off limits to stop a wayward government ?

Ending with a quote from a speech by Winston Churchill:
“Never, Never, Never, Never, Never, Never, Never Give Up.”

Every time ‘the trinity’ rolls off the tongue of a preacher, does anybody stop to consider what the listener thinks when he hears ‘the trinity’?

I can guarantee what the average person thinks about ‘the trinity’—NOTHING !

People can’t ever think anything about ‘the trinity’ unless some theologian ‘explains’ it, or tries to.

No lay person can understand ‘the trinity’ at all by reading his Bible.

Fact is, nobody—layman or educated professional—can understand ‘the trinity’.

If anyone who is supposed to know, paused to explain ‘the trinity’ every time he used this foreign term, he would immediately get on a merry-go-round and go around in circles without going anywhere, either spiritually or intellectually—and then he would never get to finish his message or teaching.
So they all just use the word routinely, over and over without thinking.
Just plug the words in, as though it counts for something, adds something.
And what would that be ? ? ?

What continues to amaze me is how EVERYBODY continues to go along with ‘the trinity’ without understanding it or questioning it.

They somehow sense how embarrassing are the the classic configurations used to explain ‘the trinity’—all thirty million of them.
And so ‘the trinity’ keeps getting used in nearly every sermon, without a pause, without a clue, without a comprehension—by speaker or listener.

Why ?
Because ‘the trinity’ is an end in itself, man-made, invented—not to make the Bible and God more clear—to give ‘theologians’ something to write hundreds of books about, that only entrenched theological students could possibly be interested in.
And most get read because they are required, to keep the merry-go-round turning for another generation.

I would like for someone to see how silly this whole system is, and dare to challenge it.
That’s why I’m compelled to write when I hear ‘the trinity’, knowing it is meaningless.

– – –

Skip ‘the trinity’, and everything created with it.
Read the Bible—about God, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit.