What makes a person mature?  When it comes to our spirituality, of course, we shouldn’t act like babies, but become adults.  In this podcast, we explore what makes a mature Christian and how we can grow up.  In this study of Hebrews 5:11-6:20, we consider the four parts of this passage:  the diagnosis, the call, the warning, and the encouragement.

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We need to be less concerned with the method (traditions) and more concerned with results.

But is that really true?

Our methods determine our results. As we know, ends do not justify the means, and our traditions guide us towards positive results & guard us from negative results. For example, our theological traditions, such as the creeds, guard us against false doctrine and false practice. The process of developing the creeds helped to ensure that we do not overlook or deny the central tenets of our faith.

Unfortunately, we all tend towards one extreme or the other: either (1) ignoring the past successes/failures of others and under-valuing God’s work in the past or (2) viewing the past as infallible and under-valuing God’s work in the present. All of us have traditions (including any meaningful activities that we intentionally repeat); those only become problematic when we see those traditions as equal to or higher than Scripture itself. Our traditions, whether religious or otherwise, should always be critiqued according to the teaching of Scripture.

Scripture is the standard that keeps us from wandering in the lonely wilderness of pragmatism, where our principles are formed in retrospect, if they are formed at all.  Although we’ve all been there, pragmatism apart from Scripture is a dangerous place to be.

Yesterday is a wrinkle on your forehead
Yesterday is a promise that you’ve broken
Don’t close your eyes, don’t close your eyes
This is your life and today is all you’ve got now
Yeah, and today is all you’ll ever have
Don’t close your eyes
Don’t close your eyes

This is your life, are you who you want to be?
This is your life, are you who you want to be?
This is your life, is it everything you dreamed that it would be?
When the world was younger and you had everything to lose

Yesterday is a kid in the corner
Yesterday is dead and over

This is your life, are you who you want to be?
This is your life, are you who you want to be?
This is your life, is it everything you dreamed that it would be?
When the world was younger and you had everything to lose

Don’t close your eyes
Don’t close your eyes
Don’t close your eyes
Don’t close your eyes

This is your life are you who you want to be?
This is your life are you who you want to be?

This is your life, are you who you want to be?
This is your life, are you who you want to be?
This is your life, is it everything you dreamed it would be
When the world was younger and you had everything to lose

And you had everything to lose

Most U.S. citizens recognize that voting on a single issue is rarely a good idea. Even still, we all can imagine scenarios that would drive us to that extreme.  If the tax rate were to increase to 75%, for instance, I dare say that most of us would become single-issue voters.  Obviously, a single issue is not the problem, but how important that single issue is.  In regards to any political issue, we must determine how significant the issue is.  (In the case of abortion, our conclusion affects over 1,000,000 lives per year.)

In regards to the second criticism, we should never shy away from voting for our beliefs.  Whether protecting women, children, minorities, or personal property, everyone votes for morality to some degree.  It is absurd to think that we can discard our morals and visit the voting booths as if we were blank slates.   Whether we vote for morality or the lack of morality, none of us can exclude morality from political discourse.

Unfortunately, when it comes to politics, Christians sometimes take dogmatic stances on moral issues without really knowing why or without being able to defend their position.  Many Christians take a position and argue it endlessly, but flawed arguments simply lead to confusion, anger, and division.  Sadly, abortion is one of these issues.

This being the case, as we journey through the political season, here are some basics why we as Christians should care about the beginning and end of life:

God is the giver of life.  (Genesis 1-2, Colossians 1)

God creates and develops life, even within a mother’s womb.  (Psalm 139:13-14; Jeremiah 1:5)

Nations do, in fact, legislate morality — for example, laws against murder.  (Exodus 20:13)

Whether we are babies, children, adults, or seniors, we depend upon God for life.  (Isaiah 42:5; 1 Timothy 6:13; John 3)

Ending life prematurely is not a permitted option.  (Deuteronomy 5:17; Amos 1:13)

God alone determines the end of life.  (Genesis 2:17, 3:19; Romans 6:23; Hebrews 9:27)

These truths should not lead us to cold, heartless, or close-minded political bickering.  (Picketing along the side of a road with hateful messages is not the way of Christ’s kingdom.)  With techniques such as this, it should not surprise us that the media mocks us and that we have had limited success over the past few decades.

Instead, we should exemplify love and engage others on these issues — sharing with them the beauty of creation, the value of human life, and the good news of God’s grace.  After all, if we devalue others in the effort of valuing life, we contradict our message.  In our efforts to protect the defenseless, then, may we communicate the importance of life with love, joy, hope, gentleness, and grace.

As believers, we have vibrant, dynamic, and active hope in Jesus Christ.  Not only did our faith begin with an empty tomb, but we toward to His return — and His beauty that will far surpass our current surroundings.  It is this hope that enables us to be joyful when everything else seems bleak.  Ultimately, our hope does not depend upon the scarce resources of this world, but in Jesus Christ and His Kingdom.

Enjoy the film, and if you haven’t in a while, it’s time to fly.

Music by Hammock.  Film directed by David Altobelli.  Official selection LA Film Festival 2010.