Who Would Be a Father?

Behold the stereotypical modern American father -- flabby body planted firmly in the LazyBoy, nose buried in the newspaper; the sum total of his communication with his family consisting of an occasional grunt without not so much as a glance away from the sports page, showing signs of life only during the Super Bowl and the World Series.  Intellectually, he is unaware of all that goes on around him. culturally, he is a barbarian. Socially, he is a couch potato. Morally, he is comatose. Others are rearing his children, and his glad to have it so. 

"My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments; for length of days, and long life, and peace shall they add to thee." Proverbs 3:1-2

The words of the wise man are strange to us for they picture a godly father who actually talks to his children. Furthermore, his conversation is not frivolous; but serious, profound, pholosophical, peaceful, and life-giving.  This wise father talks with his children of laws, of commandments , which will give them length of days, and long life, and peace with God and man. The words of this wise father are health and strength and knowlege to his children. Seems so strange.

Samuel Miller writes:  "The man who becomes, by any means, instrumental in guiding a single youth to knowledge, virtue, piety, and true happiness, is a rich public benefactor; for the training of evry such youth is a precious blessing conferred on is generation....Not only are his contemporaries rendered much his debtors; but future generations also will have reason to rise up and call him blessed."

Such words sound strange to us today, when the manly art of theological and philosophical discussion has all but vanished, when the patriarchal duty of tenderly and wisely counselling the younger generation has passed. Perhaps it is time that we set aside the newspaper, turn off the tube, and gather the family around the dining room table and see if we can revive the old tradition of family conversation. After a little bit of practice, we might even be able to give a bit of good advice.  

"Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also and said unto me, Let ting heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom and understanding; forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdomis the principal thing; therfore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many."  Proverbs 4:1-10

I think these are the issues that differentiate between a father and a sperm donor. No answers out loud please, which are you?

Shall We Again Reverence the Word of God?

I was reading tonight and was struck by a powerful moment in the Scriptural record- I hardly know what words to use to describe it. However, I have a deep rooted conviction that in the brief passage I read is the key to an earth shattering and a church shaking move of God. As I read the passage something physical happened to me. I did not fall down on the floor, nor go into a trance; I did not shake, but I might (and I emphasize might) have had a vision, a vision of a day I long to see in the Body of Christ and for a moment, it took my breath away:

(Nehemiah 8:1 ff) - And all the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the Lord had given to Israel."  A large multitude - a gathering of over 40,000 persons -- assembled at the square in front of the Water Gate, a site near the rebuilt temple, and asked Ezra to bring out "the book of the law of Moses." He stepped forward before the people with the Scriptures in hand, mounted a wooden platform, and unrolled the scroll. And as he did with reverential awe, the people instinctively stood to their feet.........................they recognized the divine authorship and sovereign authority. They knew that what they would be hearing was not the idea of a man, but the VERY WORD OF GOD. 

I will not add further commentary here for it is not required. Those who have ears to hear will hear and those whose ears are filled with wax will continue in their apathy. But I will retire to my bed tonight with a profound vision in my mind; of a mighty nation of saints who stand in breathless awe before the Word of God......

A Message to Fathers

A long time ago, there was a pernicious fellow named Arius who troubled the church. He taught that our Lord Jesus Christ was not the eternal God, the Second Person of the Trinity, but rather a created being, not of the same essence with the Father. Arius wrote, "The Unbegun made the Son a beginning of things originated; and advanced Him as a Son to Himself by adoption."  Needless to say, the foul heresy, if accepted by the church, would have destroyed Christianity.  

     The Council of Nicea met in 325 A.D. to resolve the challenges put forth by Arius.  Over 100 leaders of the church gathered; some were followers of the hertic Arius, others held to the orthodox doctrine. Arius and his disciples were eloquent in their defense of their blasphemies - so eloquent that some of those who believed the orthodox doctrine were intimidated into silence. Who would defend the deity of Christ?

     A relatively young man, small of stature and great in faith and intellect, was in attendance. Athanasius by name. Technically, he attended as a scribe, not as a leader of the church.  When others were silent, Athanasius arose and delivered a powerful, irrefutable defense of the orthodox doctrine. This great champion of the faith won the day, and the Nicene Creed proclaimed, "We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten of the Father, that is, of the essence of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father."

    During this tremendous challenge to the faith Athanasius virtually stood alone. Others believed as he did, but none fought as he fought. At one point, a friend said to him, "Athanasius, the world is against you."  This warrior replied, "So be it. Then Athansius is against the world!"  Athanasius contra mundum --Athanasius against the world.

     Athanasius seems strange to us today because he believed in something. He believed in something, and believed it to the point of personal inconvenience. He almost single-handedly defended the orthodox doctrine at Nicene. He boldly challenged the ambivalent Emperor Constantine, who wanted Arius re-instated to the church. Athanasius was falsely accused of sabotage, witchcraft, graft, murder, was attacked in his church several times, and was banished from the realm on at least five separate occasions. Athanasius no doubt could have lived a quiet, peaceful, comforatble life, except for one little problem - he believed something. 

     Athanasius believed something, and thus was willing to defend that which he believed. Athanasius believed something, and thus there was no thought given to his own personal comfort when that which he believed came under attack.  Athanasius believed something, and that something was the Truth of God, and thus he received the grace to stand against the world in defense of God's Truth. Athanasius believed something, and that made a difference. 

    The 21st Century, no less than the fourth, has heresies which would supplant the Truth of God. Idols which would receive  the worship which is due to God alone; pagan philosophies which would deform and destroy the people of God. In the 4th century one man prepared himself to stand for God, and the purity of the church's doctrine was preserved. Today there are innumerable abominations which would seek to capture the minds of God's people. And who will arise to defend God's Truth?  Perhaps we will not have our names written n the history books as did Athanasius, but every father can stand before his family as God's representative, and proclaim and defend God's Truth.  Perhaps our efforts will not influence the entire church, as did Athanasius, but our efforts can bless and prosper our family.

     Perhaps we will not turn back the forces of darkness from every corner of the world, but we can say, "In this my house, God's Truth will be established, and honored, and praised.  The blasphemies of the world will not breech the sanctity of my home.  When pagan philosophies of our age seek to capture my family, I will stand against them, and by the grace of God, defeat them, and destroy them.  

     Athanasius went to the Council of Nicea as a scribe, and a helper. He left as the Champion of God's Truth. He was prepared, and his preparation was rewarded.  Every father has a little flock to guard, and nurture, and cherish. Fathers must be prepared, must study God's Truth, because the enemy will seek to snatch the lambs from the the little flock. Little lambs can't fight this fight; they need a shepherd, a guardian, a champion, a warrior to protect them.  They need someone to stand, if need be, against the world.  Father contra mundum -- Father against the world!