Heart Tracks - Living In The Gray

"Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it." John 1:5....."Maladjusted eyes don't distinguish light from dark but perceive everything as some shade of gray. They benefit from the light but don't recognize its source. The kingdom of darkness has blinded them to the Light of the world." Chris Tiegreen

Over the last few months I've come across statements and utterances that grieve my heart. One professing believer on Facebook called the Bible "An important book." Another called it "An ancient book." An important book? Like "War And Peace" is an important book? An ancient book? Do they mean like Homer's Odyssey? Has the Word of God become so compromised, so watered down as to be seen by a growing segment of those who call themselves His people, as just another writing of importance? Just another ancient text to be placed alongside other ancient writings? The Bible is not only His revealed Word to humankind, it's a Word that is constantly unfolding its mystery to those whose hearts are seeking the fullness of its truth. Through it, the Father speaks, and continues to speak. It is not "black and white" only according to our limited understanding, but we need to know that never, under any circumstance, is it gray. If we think it is, than we become those who seek to live in the half-light of the gray, rather than in the fullness of He who is the Light of Life.

Tiegreen talks about having "maladjusted eyes." Eyes that can't really tell the difference between light and dark. Such eyes can't discern between what is real, and what isn't. What is true, and what isn't. What is of Him, and what isn't. Everything is gray, which is a mixture of the light and darkness. In such a place, what you think you see is not what is actually there. The way is open for mass deception and delusion. That will always be the case for those who walk and live in the gray.

Everywhere we are hearing the question, first asked by satan in the Garden, "Did God really say that?" Human sexuality, heaven and hell, salvation, holiness, grace, judgement, sexual purity, sin, and so much more. He has spoken specifically and clearly in all of it, but the devil's question keeps getting asked. Not long ago I explored the website of a church that has embraced a very progressive view of God's Word, especially on the hot-button topic of human sexuality. There was an article by the pastor on that subject, and as I looked at the comments section below I saw that a lot of people pointed to books written on this, one of which had the title, "Why The Church Must Change If It Is To Survive." All the emphasis was on what was being said by men. Nowhere was it stated, "This is what the Lord has said." "Thus says the Lord," is a fading refrain through much of the Church today. As for the Church surviving, well, as Isaiah says, "The Word of the Lord stands forever." So too will His Church that continues to stand upon His Word, and live and walk in His Light. The white Light of His Word and Life. Not the twilight gray of half-truth and fallen human understanding.

I'm not saying that we all need to march in lock-step about everything. We can see differently as concerns the means and timing of Christ's return, gifts of the Spirit, how God speaks to us, and more. John Wesley said that we're to have "Unity in the essentials, charity in all else." It is not the "all else" that is being assaulted both within and outside the Church. It is that which has been "essential" since the beginning of His relating to the human race He created. On these there can be no gray. There is only either darkness.....or Light.

The Word of God is alive. The Bible is His Living Word. We will always be growing and deepening in our understanding of that Word, but its truth will never be compromised. If we walk in the Light as He is in the Light, there will be no gray places. When Jesus asked Peter and the others if they would leave Him as had so many others, he replied, "Lord, to whom would we go? You alone have the Words of Life." Peter, who couldn't see all, could see that. There was no gray before Him, just Christ and His Light. Can we see the same? Yes, there is yet so much to learn, but Light is Light, and Truth is Truth. Can we discern the difference between they and darkness and deception? Or do we try to go on living in the gray?

Blessings,
Pastor O