Delayed Obedience Is Disobedience (Except When It Isn’t)
You’ve probably heard the phrase before. You’ve probably applied it to your children. You’ve hopefully applied it to yourself. Delayed obedience is disobedience. The phrase exhorts us that when we know the right thing to do, it is sinful to fail to do it. Or as we instruct our little ones: Do it now; do it all the way; and do it with a happy heart.
But is it invariably wrong to delay obedience? Is delayed obedience always disobedience?
My Bible reading this week took me to the closing chapters of Ezra which tells of God’s people leaving their exile and returning to Jerusalem. No sooner do they return than they become convicted that they have sinned against God by intermarrying with foreigners. Ezra records that “after these things had been done, the officials approached me and said, ‘The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands with their abominations … for they have taken some of their daughters to be wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands.”
Ezra leads the people in a powerful prayer of confession and the people are cut to the heart. They repent of their sin and make a covenant that they will separate themselves from these foreign wives and their children. “Then Ezra arose and made the leading priests and Levites and all Israel take an oath that they would do as had been said. So they took the oath.”
And then, because delayed obedience is disobedience, they immediately took action and drove away the foreign women on that very day, right? No, that wasn’t it at all.
Though Ezra called the people to act and seemed to do so right away, they pushed back, not because they wanted to delay their obedience, but because they knew the matter was complicated and that it was important to handle it with wisdom, care, and prudence. They knew that haste would lead to sloppiness and possibly compound the pain. “The people are many,” they said, “and it is a time of heavy rain; we cannot stand in the open. Nor is this a task for one day or for two, for we have greatly transgressed in this matter.” Instead they proposed that officials be appointed who would make their way from city to city to carefully examine each situation and then, on the basis of knowledge, pass the appropriate judgment.
Ezra agreed to this and the severing of Jewish men from foreign women was carried out over the period of three months rather than one day. Presumably these officials considered not only whether these wives were foreigners, but also whether they had come to fear God and accept the religion of their husbands—something that was permitted and had even been anticipated (see Ezra 6:21).
In this case, at least, delayed obedience was obedience. And this is because the delay was not due to apathy or indifference. It was not procrastination and not an attempt to continue to enjoy sin until the last possible moment. No, the delay was one of prudence to ensure that every judgment was fair and right, that every ruling was just and holy. Though the sin was dire and though they knew the right thing to do, the situation was complicated and the context unsuited to thoughtful decision-making. Thus in this case the lesser sin or the greater obedience was to move slowly.
And the lesson, perhaps, is that acting with wisdom, even in turning away from disobedience to pursue obedience, sometimes takes time—time to listen, time to examine, time to ponder, time to pray. In such situations it is better to act slowly and correctly than to risk compounding sin upon sin, pain upon pain. Delayed obedience, it seems, is sometimes not disobedience at all.
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A La Carte (February 28)
Good morning. May the Lord be with you and bless you today.
The Kindle deals continue today!
Westminster Books is offering deals on children’s books this week, including a sweet new one from Jonathan Gibson.Probably all of us have wondered this at one time or another, whether to justify our own purchases or to pass condemnation on someone else’s.
I admire pastor Leonardo De Chirico and appreciate the stand he is taking in Rome. (You may need to have a free account at CT to read this one.)
I found this a really interesting one from Matthew Westerholm. He discusses how worship education (and, specifically, training people to lead worship in churches) has changed over the years.
“Show me a big dream if you’d like, but what really impresses me is the ordinary faithfulness of hidden saints.” Amen!
“I admire people who know how to say no. More specifically, I admire people who recognize that they have limits. People who know that, as much as they might want to, they can’t do everything. Whether it’s attending social gatherings, taking on special projects, or anything else you can think of, they know their priorities, and their limitations.” And amen to this as well!
Nick explains how and why you are probably WEIRDER than you think.
“Now this is me, not the Bible.” You are making it clear that you’ve gone from an area of absolute biblical clarity to an area of wisdom and conscience. You are ensuring that both you and he acknowledge the difference.
The deepest passion of the heart of Jesus was not the saving of men, but the glory of God; and then the saving of men, because that is for the glory of God.
—G. Campbell Morgan -
New and Notable Christian Books for October 2023
October has been an excellent month when it comes to releases of Christian books. I sorted through the huge stacks that came my way this month and ended up with this list of 12 new and especially noteworthy picks. In each case I have provided the editorial description so you can have a bit of information about it. I hope there’s something here that catches your eye!
Don’t Follow Your Heart: Boldly Breaking the Ten Commandments of Self-Worship by Thaddeus Williams. “Today we are told to be true to ourselves, look within for answers, and follow our hearts. But when we put our own happiness first, we experience record-breaking levels of aimlessness, loneliness, depression, and anxiety. Self-centeredness always fails to deliver the fulfillment we’re seeking. In Don’t Follow Your Heart, Thaddeus Williams debunks the ‘ten commandments of self-worship,’ which include popular propaganda, like: #liveyourbestlife: Thou shalt always act in accord with your chief end—to glorify and enjoy yourself forever. #followyourheart: Thou shalt obey your emotions at all costs. #yolo: Thou shalt pursue the rush of boundary-free experience. Williams builds a case that this type of self-worship is not authentic, satisfying, or edgy. Instead, its rehashing what is literally humanity’s oldest lie. He calls on a new generation of mavericks and renegades, heretics who refuse to march in unison with the self-obsessed herd. With a fascinating blend of theology, philosophy, science, psychology, and pop culture, Williams points us to a life beyond self-defeating dogmas to a more meaningful life centered on Someone infinitely more interesting, satisfying, and awesome than ourselves.” (Buy it at Amazon or ChristianBook.com)
Sunday Matters: 52 Devotionals to Prepare Your Heart for Church by Paul David Tripp. “Christians understand the importance of attending church, but many find their attention being pulled away from worship because of family, schedule, work, finances, and other distractions. With so much on their minds, how can churchgoers prepare their hearts to offer God the worship he deserves? In Sunday Matters, Paul David Tripp shares 52 devotions about the beauty and significance of church, helping Christians engage in vibrant gathered worship each week. Each short, accessible meditation highlights an essential spiritual topic, including divine grace, gratitude, our identity in Christ, and dependence on the Lord. Over the course of a year, Sunday Matters will strengthen each believer’s personal relationship with God and fill churches with joyful, engaged, and passionate worshipers.” (Buy it at Amazon, ChristianBooks.com, or Westminster Books)
Remade: Embracing Your Complete Identity in Christ by Paul Tautges. “Do you know who you are? Often our self-perception, even as Christians, is fragmented or incomplete—we struggle to grasp the richly faceted identity we’ve been given in Christ. When our evaluation of ourselves, our sin, and our circumstances is misaligned with God’s view, we don’t live with the comfort and motivation Christ offers. In this Scripture-saturated devotional, pastor and biblical counselor Paul Tautges provides 90 meditations on your complete identity before God in Christ. You are a saint in good standing before God, yet you are simultaneously a sinner who must battle with your desires and a sufferer who undergoes hardship. Day by day, discover how grasping this threefold biblical reality centers your thoughts and affections on the Savior and prepares you to stay on God’s good path as you live in a broken world.” (Buy it at Amazon, ChristianBook.com, or Westminster Books)
The Lord of Psalm 23: Jesus Our Shepherd, Companion, and Host by David Gibson. “Psalm 23 is one of the most recognizable passages in the whole Bible. Though relatively short, this poetic depiction of God’s love epitomizes Christ’s goodness and provision as he leads his children. Even lifelong Christians will find fresh encouragement by closely studying these familiar words. David Gibson walks through each verse in Psalm 23, thoroughly examining its 3 depictions of the believer’s union with Christ as sheep and shepherd, traveler and companion, and guest and host. Gibson provides canonical context for the Psalm’s beautiful imagery, inspiring praise and wonder as readers reflect on the loving Shepherd who meets every need.” (Buy it at Amazon, ChristianBook.com, or Westminster Books)
Midnight Mercies: Walking with God Through Depression in Motherhood by Christine Chappell. “Are you a mother who feels stuck in depression? You’re not the only Christian woman who knows what this darkness is like. When feelings of hopelessness, weariness, sadness, anger, anxiety, shame, and loneliness feel impossible to bear, it can seem like God is nowhere to be found. But there’s more to the story than you can presently perceive. Biblical counselor Christine Chappell has walked these dark paths herself—and she wants to help you to see God’s heart for you more clearly as you endure sorrow and pain. As Christine recounts her own midnight journey through depression and explores stories of desperate sufferers who experienced God’s mercy in the Scriptures, she shows how God meets us in our despair and helps us toward his light—one step at a time. Each chapter concludes with immediate help in the form of simple next steps, a Scripture verse for contemplation and comfort, and questions for journaling.” (Buy it at Amazon, ChristianBook.com, or Westminster Books)
Critical Dilemma: The Rise of Critical Theories and Social Justice Ideology-Implications for the Church and Society by Neil Shenvi & Pat Sawyer. “Critical theory and its expression in fields such as critical race theory, critical pedagogy, and queer theory are having a profound impact on our culture. Contemporary critical theory’s ideas about race, class, gender, identity, and justice have dramatically shaped how people think, act, and view one another—in Christian and secular spheres alike. In Critical Dilemma, authors Neil Shenvi and Pat Sawyer illuminate the origins and influences of contemporary critical theory, considering it in the light of clear reason and biblical orthodoxy. While acknowledging that it can provide some legitimate insights regarding race, class, and gender, Critical Dilemma exposes the false assumptions at the heart of critical theory, arguing that it poses a serious threat to both the church and society at large. Drawing on exhaustive research and careful analysis, Shenvi and Sawyer condemn racism, urge Christians to seek justice, and offer a path forward for racial healing and unity while also opposing critical theory’s manifold errors.” (Buy it at Amazon or ChristianBook.com)
Christianity and New Religious Movements: An Introduction to the World’s Newest Faiths by Derek Cooper. “Every major religion has produced hundreds of offshoots. Although sometimes disparaged as cults or sects, these new religious movements are often culturally accepted and claim to promote a healthy and happy lifestyle. We may have heard of them, but many of us know little about them. For Christians, this makes it difficult for us to engage with their adherents wisely and well. Derek Cooper, a professor of global Christianity, delves into ten of the most historic, most prominent, and most recognizable new religious movements, focusing on ones with members whom people have a higher chance of meeting. Writing from a confessional yet compassionate Christian perspective, he provides an overview of religions such as Jainism, Nation of Islam, Mormonism, and Scientology―their origins, religious writings, beliefs, practices―and describes effective points of contact for Christians. Includes discussion questions and suggestions for further reading.” (Buy it at Amazon, ChristianBook.com, or Westminster Books)
The Surprising Genius of Jesus: What the Gospels Reveal about the Greatest Teacher by Peter J. Williams. “When someone thinks of Jesus, “genius” is not likely the first word that comes to mind. But when studied in detail, Jesus’s teachings and interactions with others combined high levels of knowledge and insight, verbal skill, and simplicity—showing his genius. In The Surprising Genius of Jesus, Peter J. Williams examines the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15 to show the genius, creativity, and wisdom of Jesus’s teachings. He used simple but powerful stories to confront the Pharisees and scribes of the day, drawing on his knowledge of the Jewish Scriptures to teach his audience through complex layers and themes. Williams challenges those who question whether Jesus really was the source of the parables recorded in the Gospels, pointing readers to the truth of who Jesus is and why that matters for them today.” (Buy it at Amazon, ChristianBook.com, or Westminster Books)
A Day’s Journey: Stories of Hope and Death-Defying Joy by Tim Keesee. “Tim Keesee spent years crisscrossing the globe, documenting the gospel’s advance in regions of war and persecution through his writing and films. But double blows from terminal cancer diagnoses in 2019 and 2021 brought his travels to a halt. In A Day’s Journey, Tim takes up his pen to write dispatches from a smaller, more intimate world. He writes of Christian brothers and sisters who have taught him so much about a day well spent: the way they work and worship, the way they pray and sing, the way they love their neighbors and their enemies, even when beaten black and blue for the sake of Christ. In this book you’ll have the privilege to walk with Tim through days of pain and hard questions, but also days of grace, wonder, and death-defying joy. Poignant, inspiring, and beautifully written, these stories model the courage we need, the joy we have, the gospel we love, the cross we bear, and the hope we embrace until faith becomes sight.” (Buy it at Amazon, ChristianBook.com, or Westminster Books)
Genesis by Richard Phillips (Reformed Expository Commentary), 2-Volumes. “The book of Genesis lays the essential foundations of the Christian faith. In its first few chapters, we meet God the Creator and witness his first covenant with man. When Adam sins and God responds with a gospel promise, the stage is set for the grand narrative of redemptive history. Through his devotional commentary, Richard Phillips guides readers to better understand God, themselves, their world, and the redemptive, Christ-directed trajectory of history. In the upheaval of the flood and of Babel, and in the stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, God does not forsake his creation or his plan for its redemption through the incarnate Son. As he delves deep into the wonders of Genesis, Phillips invites you first and foremost to worship the God who keeps his covenant promises—both to those in past generations who longed for Christ’s coming and to you who now wait for his return. As are all Reformed Expository Commentaries, this book is accessible to both pastors and lay readers. Each volume in the series gives careful attention to the biblical text, is doctrinally Reformed, focuses on Christ through the lens of redemptive history, and applies the Bible to our contemporary setting.” (Buy it at Amazon, ChristianBook.com, or Westminster Books)
Expository Outlines and Observations on Romans: Hints and Helps for Preachers and Teachers by Rob Ventura. “The book of Romans is rich in doctrinal truth. In Expository Outlines and Observations on Romans Rob Ventura mines these truths and offers quick, accessible, expository nuggets for preachers and teachers. With a thoroughly Reformed view, Ventura has taken each passage of Romans and helps pastors prepare sermons that will help congregations dig deep into this excellent book. The exegesis of the original Greek is beneficial without being highly technical, and readers are aided on their journey by some of church history’s finest, including Luther, Calvin, Spurgeon, and Lloyd Jones. For each passage Ventura highlights: A central theme; A homiletical outline; Exegetical and practical insights; Applications for the church; Applications for non–believers. An excellent addition to any preacher’s bookshelf, this book will not only enrich your preaching, but also cause your own heart to marvel anew at the grace of God.” (Buy it at Amazon, ChristianBook.com, or Westminster Books)
The Truth About Lies: Why Jesus Is More Relevant than You Think by Mack Stiles. “Society tells us all sorts of lies: ‘I’ve got my truth, you’ve got yours’; ‘Death is the end’; ‘I can’t ever change’; ‘Jesus isn’t relevant.’ By approaching these common-held beliefs, author and evangelist J. Mack Stiles comes alongside readers to explain the flaw in society’s thinking and shows how Jesus responds to these untruths. Each lie is held alongside an encounter that Jesus had in the Gospels and takes the reader directly to Jesus words and actions. Aimed at the questioning inquirer, this book will help readers understand the relevance of Jesus in today’s culture.” (Buy it at Amazon, ChristianBook.com, or Westminster Books) -
Burke Care: Two ways we can help your Counseling Ministry
This sponsored post was provided by Burke Care which invites you to schedule care today with a certified biblical counselor.
During the middle of COVID, Burke Counseling was launched with the simple goal of partnering with remote churches to provide online Biblical Counseling services for individuals and couples. Due to the pandemic, more people needed intentional care but couldn’t leave their homes. With a quick pivot to a home office business model we were able to continue to meet the increased demand. It has been a blessing to care for those who have been impacted by some of the toughest years many of us have experienced. Due to current cultural trends, we felt led to re-emphasize biblical language though a renewed vision as Burke Care.
Two ways Burke Care can help your ministry.
Provide Biblical Discipleship to your church members, staff, or community. Being able to disciple the Word and equipping others to disciple the Word has been a humbling and rich experience for us. Burke Care does not pretend to be “the” Biblical Discipleship and Equipping solution, but we may be “a” solution at this time and for a season. Ultimately, we want to bring glory to God which we know is for our ultimate good. Our desire has been to have an eternal impact on the Biblical Counseling movement while utilizing the unique gifts that God has given us. At Burke Care, we have a desire to disciple others in the midst of their struggles and to meet with them where they are.
The value of Burke Care is rooted in the generosity of God, our hope in Jesus in community with one another.
Equip certified biblical counselors within your church and community. The Association of Biblical Counselors (ABC) asked to partner with Burke Care to shepherd their online, self-paced students through Level 1 Certification training. This move reinforced the mission of Burke Care and increased our ability to bring biblical discipleship to remote parts of the English-speaking world. ABC certification can be done through an online regional cohort or through an online, self-paced course. Burke Care is prepared to work with you to discuss available options to get the best training solution in front of you. The ABC Level 1 Certification training, “Equipped to Counsel” authored by Dr. John Henderson, is designed to allow the counselor in training (CIT) to develop a biblical philosophy in the work of discipleship, gain an understanding of biblical counseling and acquire a basic understanding of the general and specific methods.
ABC exists to enlist, equip, enrich, and encourage people everywhere to live and disciple the Word, applying the Gospel to the whole experience of life.ENLIST believers with a heart to grow in their knowledge of Scripture as it practically applies to the myriad of issues related to discipleship.
EQUIP the church and community by providing training and certification in the work of biblical discipleship.
ENRICH members by offering ongoing resources with a robust biblical worldview of people and their problems while promoting Scripture as the supreme source wherein healing truth may be found.
ENCOURAGE followers of Jesus Christ to know, cherish, and honor Him as they minister His Word to one another while supporting each other.
Virtual Training. The ABC Called to Counsel Conference will be held in Texas but is also now offering livestream. We are so excited to have Tim Challies as one of the keynote speakers and leading out on the grief track. The 2023 dates are Thursday, 4/27 through Saturday, 4/29. Attending this conference is another way to learn more about the role of Biblical Discipleship in the local church and how your church might benefit from this type of ministry.
To sign-up for the Called to Counsel Conference, you can go on-line and register at www.calledtocounsel.com.
Please consider how Burke Care and ABC can assist you and those around you with your Biblical Discipleship and Equipping needs. Email me at [email protected]
