Covenant Church

"Welcome to Covenant," I greeted a couple. "We are delighted you are here."

"We have been here before, Pastor Bare. However, we live quite distant and coming regularly is a challenge," the lady responded. "We take care of my dad. We moved to be near him because of his health."

"How very kind of you. I admire you for what you are doing. Do you live with your dad?" I continued.

"Oh, no. Dad is a heavy smoker, even though he is 90 years old. He has been smoking for 80 years. We built next door, because we cannot live with cigarette smoke," she said.

"Well," I replied, "I suppose we should not use your dad for a poster picture of the dangers of smoking."

They chuckled.

There are two kinds of laws: God's and man's. Law by its nature is inflexible.

Man's law is developed by man, for man, in the interest of man, supposedly to sustain an orderly and safe communal environment for the larger whole. Mercy bends the law, or in the words of a recent ruling of the Supreme Court of the United States: "There is always a little knee room in the law."

Those who execute the law have power to administer mercy and grace, if they so choose. Without mercy the law is cold, hard, brutal, insensitive, without personality, no exceptions, no considerations...ugly.

Man develops law, but in its worst form law makes a slave of man who formed law. Law without mercy becomes a living thing destroying the very society which it was created to sustain. When Jesus was born in Bethlethem, "Honor the Sabbath and keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8) had evolved into about 1500 laws of what could and could not be done on the Sabbath. It was so complicated that the miracle of Jesus' healing of a man was all but lost in the accusation of breaking the law of the Sabbath. Original intent was lost in a maze of legalities.

This brings us to the discussion of principles. Proverbs teaches that if persons will honor their father and mother they will live to grow old. However, I have known godly men and women who died young, though they greatly honored their earthly parents.

What is the difference? The difference is law versus principle. Law has no exceptions. Principle is a guide. Many of the Proverbs are observations of what can be expected in a fallen world, given probability and circumstances. Statistically the probability of a chain-smoker living to be 90 years old is very unlikely. Statistically a rebellious person who disrespects parents has a high probability of meeting disaster and dying younger than necessary before God planned for them to die (Ecclesiastes 7:17). Thus, a principle is proposed: Live healthy and live longer. And, be respectful to authority and live longer.

Many of Solomon's observations are not intended as doctrinal statements of salvation or eternal consequences. Many proverbs are about practical living: "Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion" (11:22); "A generous man will prosper" (11:25); "A wise son brings joy to his father" (15:20); "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" (27:17).

Solomon observes there is a time for all things (Ecclesiastes 3). Because we live in a fallen world, cursed by sin, good and bad things happen to good and bad people (Matthews 5:45). We must carefully discern between principles of living and God's laws. Solomon notes that if a man lives two thousand years (Ecclesiastes 6:6) it is vanity without God.

What shall we then say: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10). "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man" (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

My prayer is that you will be wise, My Friend. Do not look to the right nor to the left. Keep your eyes upon Jesus. Bear your cross with dignity. When you are home you will not regret any sacrifice made to serve Our Lord Jesus and His Church.

Prayerfully,

Pastor Bare

"Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before trouble comes..."  Ecclesiastes 12:1a