WHERE IS THE BALANCE?

 

WHERE IS THE BALANCE?

I watched a Facebook reel featuring (pastors) Andy Stanley and John MacArthur. Stanley is saying the unity in the church is more important than being theologically correct. MacArthur is saying true unity is built upon sound doctrine and right theology.

Before I go further, let me say that I think Andy Stanley is wrong just about everything he says about what the Bible teaches. And, I believe that although MacArthur is doctrinally sound, he is so ‘doctrinally sound’ that the average Christian can be soundly indoctrinated by his teaching and style, but to very little practical day-to-day good.

Stanley is freewheeling with God’s word and even standing in judgement on the plain truth of God’s Word, and Jesus gives grave warning about that.

MacArthur is so cocksure that his mannerism exudes a type of arrogance – and Jesus warned about that too.

I applaud MacArthur of the calling out of Stanley. Stanley is considered at worst a false teacher and at best a ‘religious progressive’, slanting or twisting God’s Word to fit his liberal-progressive worldview. But I have this against MacArthur: He seems to value correctness over compassion.

This ‘standoff’ can be taken as a lesson or a warning to the rest of us. Very few will care what a person knows – even if it is right – if they do not know you care (about them). If being right supplants being compassionate and loving, it is nothing more than a ‘sounding gong’. And although many are drawn to a ‘feel good gospel message’, even if it lacks the power to change lives to reflect the image and likeness of Christ, it ends in the unfruitful life of self-serving.

Which leads me to my final point. How do we find the right balance in Biblical teaching? The balance between adhering to sound doctrine while, at the same time, living a life of service to God and of loving others? Or should it be ‘balanced’?

Balance or Mo’zen (from the Hebrew) is defined as a pair of scales. Mōʾzên, translated “scales” or “balances” in moral equity, divine assessment, covenant community, prophetic accountability.

The word Mo’zen appears fifteen times across Law, Wisdom, Prophets, and Poetry. It always denotes a weighing instrument, yet each context expands the metaphor beyond commerce. The Mosaic Law requires “honest scales, honest weights” (Leviticus 19:36), establishing a benchmark for covenant ethics. Wisdom literature applies the same imagery to personal integrity: “Let God weigh me in honest scales, and He will know my integrity” (Job 31:6), while exposing social corruption: “Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD” (Proverbs 11:1). Prophets press the indictment further—Hosea, Amos, and Micah decry merchants who “cheat with dishonest scales” (Amos 8:5) and warn of divine judgment. Isaiah broadens the image cosmically: God “weighed the mountains in a balance” (Isaiah 40:12), proving that even creation rests on His precise standard. (BibleHub.com).

Jesus’ teaching never seems to be what the world calls balanced. It is ‘in your face’ truth. But it always leads a person to spiritual safety (redemption, now and forever), compassion, wholeness (purposefulness), emanating from a spirit of love and joy which leads to peace, kindness, goodness, patience, faithfulness and self-control. It is Godly balance between knowing and doing – knowing what is right and doing what is right; this is true wisdom – something that most people cannot or will not accomplish. And as I have said on numerous occasions, unused or unapplied knowledge is just idle information, good for little more than to be cast out onto the street to be trodden under foot of man.

Jesus, in what can be considered his first and most salient (and shortest) sermon, found in Matthew 4:17, calls for us to repent, for the kingdom of heaven is now at hand. Arguably the epitome and the eternal standard of balance.

There are two elements of this sermon that, when internalized, embraced and applied, will change the balance of the equation of your life: (1), repent, because (2), the kingdom of heaven is now at hand. If there ever was a ‘secret key’ or an oracle of God that throws the doors of the kingdom of heaven wide open, this is that key.

Matthew 4:17 reads, “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

“Repent, (‘metanoeo’), from the Greek, means to change one’s mind – to change one’s mind for the better.

And if it is that we are to REPENT of our sins, it is just as important to know that the word Sin, from the Greek word ‘hamartia’ – literally means to be without a share in; to miss the mark. To miss the mark both of  all that God has intended for your life and all that He has for you now, and for all of eternity.

It is commonly accepted that Jesus meant that we are to heartily amend, with abhorrence of our past sins. And it can mean that and it DOES mean that. BUT IT MEANS SO MUCH MORE.

So, when Jesus says to REPENT, the overall meaning, the connotation of this word it to CHANGE AND CONDITION YOUR MIND TO THINK LIKE JESUS, TO SEE THINGS FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE AND TO RESPOND IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCE AND SITUATIONS OF LIFE AND DEATH AS JESUS DOES.

This requires a radical redefining or our understanding. It demands that we turn our minds to what Jesus sas and what He means – even if it makes us uncomfortable.

Jesus is saying that REPENTANCE is a radical reformation and shift in our paradigms. It is a change in our attitudes, and of our mindset, our will and emotions from how we naturally see things to HOW JESUS SEES THINGS. It is a change in all the choices we make in life so WE CAN SEE THEM AS JESUS SEES THEM.

 Jesus is saying we must change how see or view and deal with our relationships with others, our families, marriage, and even our disputes. How we react to being wronged, how we give of ourselves, of our time of our resources. How we view work, money, wealth, and anxiety. How we view our community, our country and the world and how we view the lost – from how we see them to HOW HE SEES THEM. We must see the world around us and what Jesus is commanding of us AS HE SEES IT.  THAT IS TRUE AND COMPLETE REPENTANCE.

We begin to see that the Words of Jesus are life giving words. They protect us, they guide and direct us. They strengthen us and provide us with purpose and hope.

And finally, in this verse, Jesus says, for the kingdom of heaven is now at hand (The words “the Kingdom of Heaven” are so descriptive that you must take the definition of each word and consider the impact and importance. 

 The Kingdom of God is now at hand, describes the long awaited arrival of the Messiah who is now to establish His Kingdom on earth. As the “Lord’s Prayer” even says, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”.  A Kingdom of forgiveness, of grace, mercy, justice and eternal salvation.  A Kingdom conquering death, disease, sin and darkness.

 His Kingdom is a royal power, a kingship, dominion, rule and the right or authority to rule over a kingdom; the royal power of Jesus as the triumphant Messiah and the royal power and dignity conferred on Christians in the Messiah’s kingdom.” This is our calling and our role as Christians, Disciples of Jesus,

And finally, the phrase, the kingdom is now “At hand.”  (“At hand” comes from a Greek word of with a meaning like the ‘crook of your arm’ and with the action like a mounting wave which has the power to knock you off your feet and roll you over and over; indicating a distance which is as close as your hand is to your wrist, AND as Luke 17:21 puts it, “the kingdom of God is now within you”. Romans 10:8 ALSO tells us, that “THE WORD (OF GOD) IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART”.

Jesus is saying, we are to “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is now at hand”.

Now, FINALLY – Here is a Mystery: 

Believe it or not, and as strange as it may seem, the One who spoke these prophetic words, possesses the power which is able to transform your life, so radically, so completely, so thoroughly, that those who knew you beforehand, would hardly recognize you afterwards.  In fact, if and when you embrace and absorbed His Words into your heart, mind and soul as His devoted follower you would hardly be able to recognize yourself when the process is complete.

You might even have to ask yourself, “Can I really be that man or that woman who went about under my name before?”

You are, in one sense the same person, but in another sense, you will have become someone utterly different. Made new. Reborn. A new creation.

This can be most easily accepted by a new believer, as the rest of us may think, “yes, I have already done this”. But when Jesus, speaking to Nicodemus, said, “you must be born again”, He spoke those words in the Aorist tense which means this is a continuing action. The Aorist tense has no regard for the past, present or the future. In this tense they are one-in-the-same. In other words, “In Christ Jesus, you are born anew, each and every day”. He is not saying you must be saved over and over. He is saying our repentance and rebirth in Him is made new and refreshed each and every day. This sanctifying process of perfecting us into the image and likeness of Jesus continues until we are, one day, home with Him, at last!

Please understand that what I am about to say, does not negate the trials, tribulations and troubles we will face in this life. They are part of our being sanctified. Nonetheless, this intensely real power to which I am referring, can pick you up today – right now – from the midst of loneliness, failure, ruin, misery, despair or any difficulty, and in the twinkling of an eye, as Paul said, IN THE MIDST OF THE PROBLEMS YOU FACE IN LIFE, He can begin to solve those problems, smooth out the difficulties, cut you free from entanglements and place you clear, safe and happy upon the highroad of freedom and opportunity – IF YOU CAN UNDERSTAND HIS PLAN AND PURPOSES, AND ARE WILLING AND ABLE TO ENDURE THIS PROCESS.

Does this mean your will always be physically well or mentally strong or rich by the world’s standards or famous? No. No. A thousand times no.
But it does mean that you can find purpose and meaning and usefulness in even the worst of life’s circumstances.

He can free you to go and shape your life as God would have it – a life full with purpose and of promises met.

He can throw open the MANY prison doors that hold you captive, and liberate you.

He is the healing balm for the bruised and broken heart.

He can inspire you with new thoughts and ideas, so that your life’s work may be truly original, meaningful and lasting.

He can impart new and wonderful kinds of knowledge, as soon as you really want such knowledge – glorious knowledge – strange things not taught in schools or written in ordinary books.

He can find your true place in life, and put you into it, too.

He can find the right friends for you, kindred spirits who are interested in the same ideas and want the same things that you do.

He can provide you the type of prosperity that means freedom.  Not as the world knows prosperity.  But the type of prosperity that means true Freedom.  Free to be and to do and to go as God has called you to be and to do.

This Power of God can teach you all things you need to know, if only you are receptive and teachable.

But Jesus said, “You must first repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand”.

So, if your life is lacking the continuous flow of the fruit of the Spirit, the love, the joy, the peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, Now, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is now at hand.

If your life is missing out on the works that Jesus did, and even greater works of teaching and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom which can heal all kinds of sickness and diseases, Jesus says today is the day of your salvation – repent, for the kingdom of heaven is now at hand.

If you are living in loneliness, fear, doubt lack and want, Jesus says today is the day of your salvation – repent, for the kingdom of heaven is now at hand.

If you and your behaviors are “friendly” with the world but at odds with the Words and Teachings of Jesus, Jesus says today is the day of your salvation – repent for the kingdom of heaven is now at hand.

You know, from the day we are born until the day we die, the twenty-third Psalm tells us that we will walk through the valley of the shadow of death in this lifetime. And that God has set at table  before us in the presence of our enemies, and that He has anointed our heads with His Oil and that our cup overflows. And His goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives. And our dwelling place will be in the house of the Lord, forever.

The day of our salvation is now at hand. You can experience the richness of being saved. You can feast at the table He has set before you, even in the presence of your enemies of lack, want, sickness, poverty disease, loneliness and the like. You no longer need to miss the mark or to be left out of the things He has prepared for your life to Bless you and to prosper your soul.

You are made safe, and rescued from eternal harm. You will have found a rich and fulfilling purpose in and for your life, now. You can be made secure in all your relationships and in all the matters of your life. You can be assured of an eternal life with Him. THIS IS THE TABLE HE HAS SET BEFORE YOU.

For the kingdom of heaven is now at hand!

Let’s be wise. Let’s be Berean. Let’s apply what we now know.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young