Archives For Charles Spurgeon

Being a Good “Hater”, Righteous Anger & The Rule of Christian Love

March 21, 2018 — Leave a comment

The provocative quote of the week goes to, Charles Spurgeon, “Be a good hater”.

Which in context means: to abhor evil: to regard it with extreme repugnance. [In Latin, “abhor” is Odium: with hostility; “repugnance”: resist, be an adversary of evil.]

Our present age has an almost absolute fear of hate, yet most would agree that “let love be genuine. Hate what is evil, cling to that which is good“, is an admirable thing. One clear example which proves this is the often irrational hatred shown towards Donald Trump.

When discussing hating evil, clinging to the good, Calvin prefers to use the term “turning away”, saying it ‘corresponds better with the opposite clause, where Paul bids us to exercise kindness’ (Commentary on Romans 12:9)

This is displayed in the actions of real social justice advocates [by which I don’t mean the average internet variety, Social Justice Warriors]. Social justice advocates lay their claims against injustice on the very premise that an evil; an injustice; something to be abhorred; something repugnant has taken place.

The problem arises when the basis for those claims are centred on the ever shifting sands of subjective relativism. Akin to the great violation in the garden, that jettisoned God and made humanity the source of knowledge about good and evil; removing the Creator from His rightful place, and putting the creature at the centre of where, what and how that creature derives its definitions and subsequent redefinition’s of what is good and what is evil.

Once fluidity of truth is proclaimed and accepted. Competing truths then seek dominance.

From there lies can hide hatred and gain power behind the facade of truth:

“whoever hates disguises himself with his lips, and harbours deceit in his heart; when he speaks graciously believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart though his hatred be covered with deception.”  (Proverbs, 26:24-26)

Under this rule, all hate is justified by personal truths among a plethos (a great number) of personal truths. Tolerance for the hatred of the Marxists, White Power Neo-Nazis or the Islamist who chooses to force faith through fear instead of charity, and well reasoned argument, must unfortunately be allowed.

The ultimate conclusion is a clash of competing untruths, long paraded as truth. The consequences being, that lies and falsehood come to rule, where truth and facts once did.

When accompanied by humility, mercy and justice, hate is not evil. Hate in this sense is restrained pathos or righteous anger. This is pathos seeking to end the cause of pathayma (suffering), which is held within the limits of both ethos and logos.

To hate evil is to cling to that which is good. The negative side to this, of course, is, that any hate which doesn’t cleave to that which is good, leads us towards that which is evil. Thus hating evil is not a sin because the act has a just cause. One grounded in the precedent, criteria and command of God.

Does this justify any and all kinds of hate? No, this doesn’t.

The statement, “be a good hater” is a challenge to resist evil (James[i]). To resist the morality of the tyrant or the ‘crowd which has no hands’ (Kierkegaard, The Crowd is Untruth [ii])

Morality drawn straight from the whims of the human heart is the subjective morality of the tyrant. Subjective morality becomes immorality the further it disconnects itself from the external Word and Spirit of God. This is because morality is held captive to the subjective truth of a tyrannical king, who acting on the mood of the moment bans all unauthorised morality from his or her kingdom. This unauthorised morality is anything other than the one he or she seeks to own, in order to grow their grip on power.

It is, as C.S Lewis wrote, true that ‘hatred obscures all distinctions.’[iii]  What I think C.S Lewis is getting at here is any hatred that exists by itself and of itself, obscures all distinctions.

One way to speak of this could be to say that we need to be open about the things we intensely dislike, otherwise we are just lying to ourselves and others. Again we take Solomon’s words and apply them, ‘the one who conceals hatred has lying lips’ (Proverbs 10:18)

For the Christian, the ultimate grounding for hating evil, isn’t hate, it is love. Love motivates the Christian to speak out and proclaim the salvation brought to both the oppressed and oppressor alike.

This means continuing to act on the gifts that God gives, such as good government, the ability to teach, discern and speak in a gracious way to world hellbent on worshiping insanity. To achieve this we need to gain a better understanding about the close relationship between hating evil and being a “hater”.

Hating hate, and not evil, is the great twisted and misleading double negative of our age.

Nowhere in the bible does God command His people to hate hate. What we read is the imperative to abhor evil and cling to what is good. All of this raises a few more intricate questions that I haven’t got the room here to explore here,

1. How do we hate evil in a world that hates both hate, and hates anyone who proclaims that evil exists?

2. How do we as Christians respond to those who contradict themselves as they promote love, but preach hate against hate?

3. How can we keep the imperative to ‘hate what is evil’ from being misused and abused?

When we apply being a “good hater” to the Nazis, what is meant is that we hate the ideology of Nazism, not the German people who identified as Nazis. What is hated is the evil in the ideology that rules over the person and in the person, as if it were a lord without a Lord. The distinction between the German and the Nazi, if measured by Lewis’ criteria isn’t distorted.

Therefore, Charles Spurgeon’s ‘’be a good hater’’ is someone who acts in Christian love. Since love speaks both a “yes” and a “no”, to hate evil is to cling to the good; standing with, and in, God’s “no” to what is evil.

‘When you hate the man’s sins, you are not to hate him, but to love the sinner, even as Christ loved sinners and came to seek and save them. When you hate a man’s false doctrine, you are still to love the man and hate his doctrine even out of love to his soul, with an earnest desire that he may be reclaimed from his error and brought into the way of truth.’ (Spurgeon, 1858 Righteous Hatred)

It’s right then to conclude, that any Christian who falls in with the ‘untruth of the crowd’ when it comes to Donald Trump, may find themselves falling into hate that is absent of the rule of Christian love.  The Christian in this context fails to see that ‘the sinner hasn’t stopped being God’s creature’ (Karl Barth CD 3:2, p.31)

Grace finds the distinction between the love for the sinner and hatred of the sin, and moves in love towards the sinner with this particular order in mind. Barth again brings home the point, ‘if it does not spring from grace, it does not lead to grace.’ (ibid, p.36)

Grace governs the outcome and reorders, hate the sin, love the sinner[iv]. Love for the sinner is primary. Hatred of sin is secondary[v].

Just as Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said:

“Although we are not Christ, if we want to be Christians we must participate in Christ’s own courageous heart by engaging in responsible action that seizes the hour in complete freedom, facing the danger’ (Meditations On The Cross, p.26)

None of this means being slothful in our response to injustice, what it means is letting authentic Christian love, not the untruth of the crowd, govern that response. So it is that we return to the imperative, let love be genuine. Hate what is evil, cling to that which is good.

References:

[i] James 4:7

[ii] Kierkegaard S. 1847 The Crowd is Untruth sourced from CCEL.org

[iii] C.S Lewis, 1955 On Science Fiction in Essay Collection: Literature, Philosophy & Short Stories

[iv] See Bonhoeffer, D. 1954 Life Together p.111

[v] see Barth, K. 1960  Man as a Problem of Dogmatics, CD. 3:2 p.32 Hendrickson Publishers here Barth discusses the primacy of grace and the secondary place of sin in God’s attitude towards man.

Photo Credits: ‘Love Again’ by Kayle Kaupanger & ‘Old Vandalised Building – Vietnam’ by Peter Hershey on Unsplash

In C.S Lewis, Charles Spurgeon, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Karl Barth, Political Theology , , , , , , , ,
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Ten Ways To Bring Out Your Inner Savvy Christmas Shopper

November 27, 2017 — Leave a comment

Most people in the business world are trained to know the difference between a good deal and a bad one. Wisdom that governs commercial transactions is rooted in the phrase “let the buyer beware.” In Latin, caveat emptor.

Along with “customers make pay-days possible”, caveat emptor reigns supreme in the memory of anyone conducting business with the intention to stay in business.  While these ancient rules guide those in the business world, they’re also applicable to the savvy home-maker. Particularly at a time of traditional giving and thanksgiving, such as Christmas time.

Caveat emptor implies freedom in limitation. In an economic sense, it encourages a self-disciplined approach to getting the best possible outcome for the money spent. Caveat emptor is tough self-love. It helps us to remember that individuals are responsible for what they choose to buy and how they choose to buy it.

Let the buyer beware informs all and any cost to benefit analysis. Knowing when to say yes to something and when to say no. Knowing when something is worth buying and when something isn’t. Knowing when to look past a polished exterior and the smoke and mirrors of marketeers. Knowing when to stock up and make the most of the deal and when to hold back.

In short, working hard to be well-informed and practising discernment are hard to beat. Researching what you want to buy, where you should buy it, and taking time to consider how you should buy it, usually pays well at the end of the day.

Using the pseudonym, John Ploughman, 19th Century author, and preacher, Charles Spurgeon, well-known for his sharp wit and no-nonsense commentary on Victorian era British life, compiled a list of useful advice that comfortably fits in well with the caveat emptor rule.

In an essay called Hints as to Thriving, Spurgeon gives his thoughts on managing finances. So I’ve made a list and I’ve checked it twice. Here are ten ways you can bring out your inner savvy Christmas shopper, during the Christmas shopping season:

1. Believe in travelling on step by step; don’t expect to be rich in a jump. Slow and sure is better than fast and flimsy.
2. [Remember], better a little furniture than an empty house. From bad to worse is no improvement. Don’t jump out of the frying pan into the fire. A small fire that warms you is better than a large fire that burns you.
3. Don’t burst a bag by trying to fill it too full, and ruin yourself at too much. In a great river fish are found, but take good heed lest you be drown’d.
4. Keep your weather eye open. Sleeping poultry are carried off by the fox. Who watches not catches not.
5. Never ruin your soul for the sake of money: it is like drowning yourself in a well to get a drink of water. Better walk barefoot than ride in a carriage to hell.
6. [Check product or store reviews & look for the honest salesperson]. A good article, full weight, and a fair price bring customers to the shop, but people do not recommend the shop where they are cheated.
7. Look most to your spending. No matter what comes in, if more goes out you will always be poor. The art is not making money, but keeping it.
8. [Remember], that a fool may make money, but it takes a wise man to spend it.
9. Never indulge in extravagances unless you want to make a short cut to the poorhouse. Money has wings of its own.
10. Earn all you can, save all you can, and then give all you can. Giving is true having.
John Ploughman wishes all young beginners long life and prosperity. Sufficient of wealth, and abundant health, long years of content, and when life is spent, a mansion with God in glory.
(Spurgeon, CFP 2007:119)

As you look to buy gifts for loved ones, keep in mind that one of the best birthday presents you can give Jesus Christ, is the gift you give to those who most need it. For by doing so, you have done so unto Him.

For anyone who might be stumped on how to give to those in need, along with the normal gifting of presents and food for the great December day ahead called Christmas. Here are five trusted organisations that you can donate through:

Compassion Australia

Open Doors Australia, Gifts of Hope

Mercy Ships Australia

Samaritan’s Purse Australia

Global Care

References:

Spurgeon, C.H. 2007 Hints as to Thriving in The Complete John Ploughman, Christian Focus Publications

Image: 19th Century photo of Charles Spurgeon. The modern artist who photoshopped in the Santa hat is unknown. Sourced from The Confessing Baptist

 

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Is It Fair To Equate Homeschooling With Over Parenting?

November 21, 2017 — Leave a comment

Over parenting is not the same as homeschooling. Over parenting is the parent smothering the child in too much kindness. An old term for this is ‘’babying’’. Suited for when the parent refuses to let their child grow up.

Every bump, bruise or brawl is accompanied by an excessive amount of sympathy and concern. Even if their child started the fig)ht, or caused an incident, their child is innocent and everyone else is to blame.

What usually drives this is insecurity and separation anxiety. Mum or dad projects their fears and insecurities onto their child. Out of an unhealthy fear and connection the mum or dad wraps their child in cotton wool.

In some instances, over parenting is about making the parent shine. Everything done for the child is only done for sake of the parent. The world looks on and applauds. Here, vanity metrics matters.

Being seen to be a good parent, always saying “yes” to our children in order to keep them feeling happy, is of high importance. In these cases, maintaining appearances in public or on social media takes priority over the actual nurturing a child’s character.

Over parenting is not the same as homeschooling because over parenting involves doing everything for the child. Ironically, this results in the parent having done next to nothing for the adult their child turns into.

19th Century pastor Charles Spurgeon, using the pseudonym, John Ploughman wrote,

‘Happy is he who is happy in his children, and happy are the children who are happy in their father. All fathers are not wise. Some are like Eli, and spoil their children. Not to cross our children is the way to make a cross of them. Those who never discipline their children, shouldn’t complain when their undisciplined children become a burden to them.’ (2007 pp.80-81) [i]

In addition, Psychologist, Lisa Firestone notes:

‘When we assume our children need more than they do, we are undermining their abilities and hurting their confidence… as parents, we often fail to recognize how capable our children are.’ (2012) [ii]

There’s no disputing that most parents want the best for their kids. For some parents, though, the only way they think this can be achieved is by doing everything for their child. Everything they might never have had done for them. This is admirable, but it ultimately goes from one extreme to another.

The problem is that,

‘doing too much for our kids teaches them to be dependent.’ (Firestone, 2012)

It’s important children be given guidance and a reasonable amount of room for independence as they are growing up because

‘growing up, by its very nature, is a series of weaning experiences for children. From the moment a child is born, they are weaned from the comfort and safety of their mother’s womb. Learning the lessons of how to get their needs met then transitioning to meeting their own needs is not only essential to a person’s survival but to their psychological well-being.’ (Firestone, 2012)

While over parenting can be a real trap for some homeschooling parents, it’s wrong to equate over parenting solely with homeschooling.

The basic goal of homeschooling is raising children up outside the academic industrial complex. There is no conveyor belt conformity. Homeschooled kids do not become clones of the system nor are they forced to conform to any playground social order.

Homeschooling means equipping the child with the shared responsibility for their own education.  Ideally, the homeschooled child will not only have acquired academic skills from a holistic and rigorous learning environment, but the child would also have acquired a decent amount of life skills.

For instance, among other things they learn to love learning, how to manage a budget; where to shop on a budget. How to change a car tire, maintain a bike, cook, clean, and craft. Most also learn how to engage people of different ages, recognise and refute the propagandists when they come, think critically, when to show compassion and hopefully, how to live out a loving relationship with God and neighbour. In short, they learn to become independent.

Homeschoolers won’t be entering the adult world with unrealistic expectations about how society works. They won’t have had these expectations drilled into them by the social order set by the trends, likes, dislikes and moods of those who dominate the playground or schoolroom.

Over parenting is not homeschooling because the aim is to

‘help our children get a real feeling for themselves by offering them real love and affection, while equipping them with skills that help them feel competent.’ (Firestone, 2012)

Homeschooling isn’t about training up experts. That’s an untenable goal. Homeschooling is about training the child up in the way they should go. Independent of the academic industrial complex, both mum and dad, provide guidance and enough resources to empower their child to succeed in life. Homeschooling is about doing school together.

This process involves parents working alongside their children, helping them to identify and then develop their childs gifts and talents; and work towards a trade and career. Over parenting dis-empowers, whereas homeschooling channels freedom for empowerment.

It isn’t fair to equate homeschooling with over parenting:

‘The most honest proof of good parenting is seeing our child doing well, showing interest, learning skills, finding contentment, and finding him/herself. What we can offer as parents is love, safety, support, and guidance, a strong security from which our children can confidently venture out and independently experience the world.’ (Firestone, 2012)

For me, the purpose of homeschooling is best summed up by Hannah Arendt:

‘[Homeschooling] Education is the point at which we decide whether we love our children enough not to expel them from our world and leave them to their own devices, not to strike from their hands their chance of undertaking something new – but to prepare them in advance for the task of renewing a common world’
(Hannah Arendt, 1961:193 parenthesis mine) [ii]

This isn’t over parenting. Homeschooling is about funding and facilitating our children’s potential.

It’s another way of selling all that we have and giving it to the poor. (Matthew 19)

References:

[i] Spurgeon, C.H. 2007 The Complete John Ploughman: Combined Edition Christian Focus Publications

[ii] Firestone, Ph.D, L. 2012 The Abuse of Over Parenting Sourced 20th November, 2017 from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/compassion-matters/201204/the-abuse-overparenting

[iii] Arendt, H1961 Between Past & Future, Penguin Classics p.193

In Charles Spurgeon, Homeschool, Homeschool Notes , , ,
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That Wished Forgotten (Soliloquy In The Key of E): Stay In Your Own lane

May 7, 2017 — Leave a comment

In a world of “noise” it can be difficult to step up and say something unique. That act risks rejection. It involves vulnerability, humility, courage and honesty.

The key to interaction, we’re told, is more interaction. We’re encouraged not to limit ourselves to just one media arena. Build followers, “friends” and establish a “market presence”, in a market overloaded with sell, sell, sell.

Twitter is a fast-paced, here one minute, gone the next platform and Instagram isn’t much different. Blogs are in the plenty and are always a step away from losing what little readers they do attract to the next biggest thing that can hold the already dwindling internet attention span of the masses.

Facebook has it’s usefulness, but as someone said to me in a conversation last night, it’s a two-edged sword. It should be wielded wisely.Pick your fights, sheath the thought. This is juxtaposed with its algorithms, which by default, push new posts to the bottom of the pile, only displaying those with the most responses. Social media is largely a popularity game that few will ever really win.

This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t attempt to make our own contribution. We can’t just wish away the responsibility to speak into that overloaded arena. As the aptly named axiom goes: “don’t compare yourself to others, just stay in your own lane”.

Or as Spurgeon stated:

‘If you, my Brother and Sister, have a little company of about a hundred people to deal with, be perfectly satisfied. Or if, my Sister, you have a class of ten or a dozen girls to teach, be content with that number and do the best you can to glorify God in your own proper place. Depend upon it, if you exchanged your burden for mine, you would not be able to bear it– and if I had yours, I dare say it would not fit my back so well as my own does!’
(Lowly Service, circa 1870s) [i]

Stay in your own lane. Speak with your own voice. Make your own contribution.

Yes, think before sharing. We should ask ourselves if whether or not what is being shared further pads the “noise”; pads our own egos or irresponsibly invites strife. We shouldn’t give up or give in there. Refine thought, argument and lofty opinion, “taking them captive to obey Christ” (2. Cor. 10:4-5). Then under conviction or consolation, either jettison it or seek a way to speak it.

For Christians, what guides this process is God’s eternal redemptive spiritual and physical presence; His voice spoken through Spirit and Son. One that pierces darkness and sheds light onto an otherwise difficult to see front line.

It’s His authority that we rest on. It’s His voice that will linger because in the end that which is wished forgotten, doesn’t serve the downtrodden.

‘Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it in many days. Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth […] He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.’
(Ecclesiastes 11:1-4, ESV)

Therefore brothers and sisters:

‘The altar must never lose the glow and heat of its holy fire and the lamp of the sanctuary must never be permitted to go out, so these sufferers, as they lie, night after night, watching the long and weary hours, keep the lamp of prayer brightly burning and the incense of intercession perpetually ascending to the Most High. And so the earth is never without the sweetening influence of saintly supplication.’
(Spurgeon, ibid) [ii]

The poem featured below is a little on the heavy side, but it isn’t without redemption.

[For those interested in the creative process:  It takes about 3-5 hrs to put these tunes together; just me, God, my guitars, an amp and audacity. Another 2-3 for mixing and then creating the video.My most liked part of this weeks art project is the high-end lead parts and the bass. The lead for this was all done on a semi-acoustic.]

References:

[i] Spurgeon, C.H. 1870s,  Lowly Service [online version available here]

[ii] ibid, Lowly Service

In Charles Spurgeon, My Music, Socal Media
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Flint & Steel

April 8, 2016 — 4 Comments

Our old church had a hall, which would have had to have been built in the 70’s. It had wooden floors and an old style wooden stage with an unmistakable wooden smell. It’s the hall my wife’s parents generously hosted our wedding reception in. The look of it gave out a charm difficult to put into words.

Our church’s worship practice sessions would begin at 3pm and lead up until the 5pm service started. Led by Pastor Beel, with his acoustic guitar, a list of original tunes and a bunch of young musicians, brought together not just by talent, but by a love for God and an affection for music.

It’s with this in mind that I took to layering the song to the hilt. The sound is part reminiscence, part tribute to the Jesus Music of the ‘70’s. An era that church hall has always reminded me of.

My aim was to create an “atmospheric” jam: try to imagine a bunch of musicians rocking up at an old Church hall; all slowly finding their spot, and then settling in to jam out a “Jesus Music” tune.

The atmosphere would be electric; the whole scene powered by joy and the eclectic.

The title comes from the Rev. Charles Spurgeon.

It’s located in his small book, ‘Flowers From a Puritan’s Garden.’ I’m slowly moving my way through it and this week’s read was about prayer and perseverance.

To me, the music reflected the lyrics, which wasn’t planned. So, I figured that I’d include part of the text that grabbed me in the video and post the text in its entirety here:

 “God’s seasons are not at your beck. If the first stroke of the flint doth not bring forth the fire, you must strike again.”
That is to say, God will hear prayer, but he may not answer it at the time which we in our own minds have appointed; he will reveal himself to our seeking hearts, but not just when and where we have settled in our own expectations.
Hence the need of perseverance and importunity in supplication. In the days of flint and steel and brimstone matches we had to strike and strike again, dozens of times, before we could get a spark to live in the tinder; and we were thankful enough if we succeeded at last. Shall we not be as persevering and hopeful as to heavenly things?
We have more certainty of success in this business than we had with our flint and steel, for we have God’s promise at our back.
Never let us despair. God’s time for mercy will come; yea, it has come, if our time for believing his arrived.
Ask in faith, nothing wavering; but never cease from petitioning because the king delays to reply. Strike the steel again. Make the sparks fly and have your tinder ready: you will get a light before long.[1]

 

The things I’m particularly happy with, is how the title fits the music; being able to draw a connection between the song and Spurgeon tops the “too cool” list.  Next would be the bass riff, the piano and the wah.

Jesus music lives.

 

*Side note: this is the first song I’ve added piano. It also happens to be the first time I’ve ever played piano on a track.

Music and images are mine. (RL2016)

Source:

[1] Spurgeon, C. H. (1883). Flowers from a Puritan’s garden, distilled and dispensed (pp. 181–182). New York: Funk & Wagnalls.

In Charles Spurgeon, Devotions, My Music , , , , ,
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Dear Frankenstein’s Valentine

February 15, 2016 — Leave a comment

Selling Out Header

If looked at hard enough Spurgeon can be seen to be correcting some of the more over-the-top Valentine’s day perspectives:

“The story goes, that the Roman Senate, hearing of the miracles in Judea, decreed divine worship to Christ; but Tiberius the emperor crossed it, when he heard that He would be worshipped alone.”
There is the edge of the controversy between Christ and the world.
The Christian religion interferes with no man’s liberty, but leaves every conscience free and accountable only to God; and yet it has no tolerance for false doctrine, and enters upon no compact or truce with error. It does not claim to be one form of truth which exists side by side with a dozen others, but it reveals Christ as “the truth.”
We do not believe in many ways to heaven, for we know that there is only one way, and we do not acknowledge two foundations for faith, for we know Christ to be the one and only foundation, and we dare not say otherwise.
Christ is not one among many Saviours, he is the only Redeeemer of humanity. The popular fiction of “comparative religions” is a delusion; there is but one truth, and that which does not agree with it is a lie.
In my heart, great Lord, many lords have had dominion aforetime, but now thy name alone shall bear rule over my nature. Let me never insult thee by enduring a rival; let me never ruin myself by dividing my allegiance.[i]

If listened to carefully enough, Cooper’s lyrics are a warning:

If applied, Jesus’ words call for a revolution that is informed by both :

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
– (Jesus, Matthew 6:24, ESV)

Source:

[i] Spurgeon, C. H. 1883 Flowers from a Puritan’s garden, distilled and dispensed: The Roman Senate and Christ. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.  (pp.176–177).

In Art and Theology, Charles Spurgeon, Notes & Quotes ,
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Called To Shine Bright, Even If It Offends

November 28, 2015 — Leave a comment

IMG_5720Jesus’ stated, ‘…you will be hated by all for my name’s sake.’ (Matthew.10:22; Mark 13:13).

Not hated because we reflect the light, but because, although, we were ‘at one time darkness, we are now, light in the Lord.’ (Paul, to the Church in Ephesus, 5:8). Therefore, we ‘walk as children of the light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.’ (Eph.5:11).

It’s where this:

‘A summer’s sun, even when beclouded, yields more comfort and warmth to the earth than a winter’s sun that shines brightest.’
(Charles Spurgeon, FPG)

Reminds me of G.K Chesterton’s,

“the moon gives off light, but not life. It is a cold, morbid light. It is light without heat ; a secondary light, only a dim reflection from a dead world.” (Orthodoxy, p.18 paraphrased)

From there, Plato’s cave (The Republic, 360 BC) comes to mind. Three men. Prisoners, shackled in darkness since birth. Their only knowledge of life is obtained from flickers of light, reflecting shadows on the wall. Each image mesmerises them. Birthed into deception, they are stopped from noticing the bright light beaming in from the cave’s entrance. Until the chains are removed from one of the men, who then proceeds to move outside.  Believing shadows to be more real than the things he now sees, at first he is disoriented and confused – ‘looking straight at the light, brings pain to his eyes.’ (ibid, p.131). After some time passes the freed man begins to see the shadows for what they are, a counterfeit reality – only ‘the shadows of true existence; false notions’.

He returns to the cave to spread this news and free the others. Instead, he is met with violence, ridicule and aggression, because:

 ‘it was better not even to think of ascending [out of the cave]; and if any one tried to loose another and lead him up to the light, let them only catch the offender, and they would put him to death.’ (ibid, p.132)
Any one who has common sense will remember that the bewilderment of the eyes are of two kinds, and arise from two causes, either from coming out of the light or from going into the light, which is true of the mind’s eye, quite as much as of the bodily eye.’ (ibid, p.133)

The pre-“Christendom” Christians, namely the disciple, John, point to a dichotomy between a spirit of truth and the spirit of error (deception); of combating this by ‘walking in love and truth’ (2 John.4), of ‘speaking truth in love’ (Paul, Eph.4:6).

In Christ, we are called [and called to be, what and who we already are in Christ] children of the light, not a morbid, ineffective, static, dim and cold, secondary light. When a light offends our eyes, we don’t turn the light off. We wait for our eyes to adjust and navigate from there.

Let Christ shine bright; walk the talk – ‘let us love not in word or talk but in deed and in truth’ (1 John.3:18), – taking into account prayer, wisdom and discernment – even if it means people are offended; or like the prisoners of Plato’s cave, in their state of happy ignorance, act out of their offended-ness accuse falsely, and ‘hate us without cause’ (John 15:18 –  16:1-3).

 

Sources:

Chesterton, G.K. 1901 Orthodoxy Relevant Books

Plato, The Republic

Spurgeon, C. 1883 Flowers From a Puritan’s Garden Funk & Wagnalls Publishers

In Charles Spurgeon, G.K Chesterton, Theology , , , ,
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