Being interested in knowing how I've changed through the way I try to communicate with other people, I recalled that I had previously visited a church in Ranch Bernardo. I had many disagreements with their theology and discussion about the Lord's "favor." The Lord brought into remembrance that I had actually written them a letter after attending. When I wrote it I did not try to make it full of mercy and grace. I trusted that my forceful words would change hearts rather than the Spirit of God, alone. The Lord has definitely worked in my heart to make the delivery of His word more loving and useful. In the meantime, I'm looking for a third letter I wrote to a church that sponsored the gay and lesbian parade here in San Diego in 2007. I'll blog about that one in my next post. Here's the letter to that church:_______________________________
Dear Pastor,
I was excited to hear about how you would unwrap the Scriptures and reveal the love of Jesus and His favor last weekend. I was startled that you made the claim that "He [Christ] wants to get you into favor" through meeting in the temple and breaking bread in homes. I have to disagree with you. If saved, we are already in favor and the true place of unity is in Christ. Are not God's children already favored through the gift of salvation in Him?
The word for favor that you drew from Acts 2:47 is "Charis" in Greek and its Strong's number is 5485. Its definition is, in part, "a kindness granted or desired. A favor done without expectation of return; absolute freeness of the loving-kindness of God to men, finding its only motive in the bounty and freeheartedness of the Giver; unearned and unmerited favor." None of God's favor is merited by our works as you made it seem by going to church and community groups.
Your concept of favor did not include the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. Christ was crucified so that His children would have peace with God as well as the peace of God in their hearts. That is favor and I was very troubled that you did not preach this. You spoke of favor as living according to the "pattern" revealed in Scripture. You did not mention Christ's desire for a broken and contrite heart in that pattern but instead spoke at length on a concept of "unity." The only pattern you gave was "go to church and join community groups." Did not the Pharisees do the same thing and more (Luke 11:42) and were they not cursed? We are the church and Christ is our head. As the Church, we don't enter into the presence of God by going to church or community groups. He has made our heart His tabernacle and we enter into His presence because He has tabernacled within our hearts already.
You spoke of receiving better finances, family life, etc. but did not speak of how having faith in Christ may not lead to such things. In James, we read that we are to, "...count it all joy when [we] fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of [our] faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." Can we graduate to higher levels of unmerited favor when we are already lacking nothing in Christ? If we have everything the world can give us but have not Christ we have nothing. If we have Christ and nothing that the world can offer we have everything. Christ Himself states in John 15:20 that, "No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also." What of God's favor that comes through suffering? These truths did not resonate with the sermon on favor you gave yet they are the key to a life of hope in God.
You gave the quote to, "Set your hope on the divine favor that's coming to you." How is it coming? Through church and community groups? Our hope is founded on nothing less than Christ and His sacrifice, resurrection and ascension and it came to us already in the form of an innocent baby! Why could you not proclaim that we are favored simply because that baby was stricken, afflicted and judged in our place? We cannot gain favor with God which is why He sent Jesus.
Lastly, you were speaking of those who have "been there, done that" with community groups and how they were considering a "detour to get to favor" rather than attend. You said that there "Ain't one." Yet, favor does not flow out of community groups but from the wounds of Christ, alone. You are adding to Scripture and placing burdens on your flock by enshrining the attendance of church and community groups in law! We don't live by law but by grace and the perfect life that Christ already lived! Jesus is God's favor that was given to us. Do not make your congregation one of white washed tombs, for Christ looks at the heart of man and not His actions.
Isaiah 53 states:
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
...it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
Please consider these words that the Spirit of God has given to me, Pastor, for Paul's warning states, "...even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!"
Truth in Christ,
Evan Bryan
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