TRUE WORKS AND HUMAN PRIDE, JOHN 3:20-21

Back-to-back opposite statements in John 3:20-21 speak to me about the nature of truly good “works.”  Verse 20 states:

For those who practice base [common, worthless] things hate the light and do not come into the light, so that their works might not be exposed.

Comments:  1) The word for “practice” (prasso) tends to emphasize something that is repeated as opposed to a specific act.  2) Several translations call the practices “evil,” when the term here (phaula) is not the word for “evil” (poneros) as in v 19.  Since v 20 picks up on that thought about evil deeds and light, the author could be using phaula as a synonym for “evil;” however, my guess is that the author has broadened the category.  Something that is phaula is rather base, common, worthless.  “Evil” would be a subset.  4) The word “exposed” (elencho) has the sense of being exposed in a negative way for reproof.

The way verse 21 starts, the reader expects it to give a parallel but opposite balance about those come into the light:

But the one who does the truth, comes to the light, so that that one’s works might be revealed…

However, the parallel balance does not stop there.  “Works” is qualified by the clause, “that in/by God they are produced.”  Verse 21 might awkwardly be translated:

But the one who does the truth, comes to the light, so that that one’s works (because they are produced by God) might be revealed.

Comments: 1) “Does” (poieo) may be used generally, but in distinction from “practice” (prasso)  in v 20, it can speak of something new, specific.  2) “Does the truth” is an interesting idiom.  Truth (aletheia), in John’s gospel is something that comes to be in Christ (1:14, 17; 14:6) and characterizes the Spirit (14:17; 15:26; 16:13).  It is of the divine realm.  It is absolute.  3) The word for “produced” (ergazomai) emphasizes effort and indicates here where the locus of the effort or labor is, "in/by God."

Main point: The qualification of one’s works/deeds in v 21 by “that in/by God they are produced,” places the credit for acts of truth in the hands of God.  When the contrast is fully made between these two lines, the reader sees that our base, worthless, deeds are our own doing (v 20); however, the deeds “we” do in the truth are actually produced by God (v 21).  God gets the credit, not us.  If we were to apply this to our concepts of success in life, the lesson would be: Worldly “success” is a product of our efforts.  Moreover, when it is brought into divine Light, it is exposed as worthless.  To the contrary, success that matters eternally – perhaps a gracious word or an act of righteousness – is done by God through us.  There is no room for pride.  In fact, we might not even see it as divine “success.”

My following thought is not said in this text, but I think that although there is no room for pride, there is room for joy – joy that God condescended to use us for eternal purposes.  That is amazing!  Perhaps one could read this thought into John 15:1-17.  There we learn that abiding in Jesus and his love allows Jesus’ joy to be in us.  When we participate in what Jesus is doing, we participate in Jesus’ joy.

Lord, shine your Light on my prideful heart that likes to give me credit for doing “good.”  Help me to see that all that is of eternal value is wrought in/by You.  It would be an honor to be used by You for Your glory and Your joy.  May it be so.  Amen.

LENT: THE SHAME OF THE CROSS: WOUNDED PRIDE, THE GOOD WOUND

Lent is a good time for wounded pride.  There is a theme in the Book of Ezekiel, a rather overlooked theme, that ties in with Lent. 

Background:  The people of Judah, in a prideful and nationalistic way, had believed that they somehow had a hold on God, much like our slogans, “One nation under God,” and “In God we trust.”  [I am not suggesting that the US is a godly nation or a theocracy.  It is neither.  The Kingdom of God is never subordinate to or contained in human government.  The rule of God is in this world but not of this world.]  The people of Judah believed God would always bless and protect them.  But the reality was that they had abandoned God and profaned His temple, the place that symbolized God was in their midst.   As a result, God removed His glory, His presence, from the temple and from them (Ezek 10:18 – 19, the reversal of 1Kings 8:10 – 11).  Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed by the Babylonians, and the survivors became exiles in Babylonia. 

Overlooked Theme:  The often-overlooked theme is wounded pride.  Despite the failure of the people of God, the prophet Ezekiel tells them that for the sake of God’s holy name God would save a remnant of people, would bring them back, and would allow them to rebuild the temple to which His glory would return.  Not only that, God would also remove their hard, stone-like heart and give them a new soft, flesh-like heart, putting a new spirit in them (Ezek 36:22 – 30).  However, when this happens, the people would respond in humility.  Such a gracious restoration would always remind them how they had failed to walk faithfully with the Holy God of Israel.  They would recognize their wickedness that had led to such consequences, and the recognition of the the magnitude of God’s goodness would wound their pride (36:31 – 32; 16:62 – 63). 

Point:  All the more, the season of Lent ought to bring me to a sense of wounded pride.  I am not talking about self-pity, but about a healthy, penetrating realization.  It is a good wound, like the wound of a needed surgery.  God loves me so much that God humiliates God-self to take the form of a human, live a life of service, and die for the sake of the ultimate offer of forgiveness and restoration -- for me, for a created one who thinks he can live in prideful waywardness from my Creator.  I am going to rejoice on Easter Sunday over the triumph of Jesus’ resurrection and the new life that has become mine in Him.  But that resurrection was preceded by the Cross, and the cause of the Cross was me.  The Cross that was meant as shameful death for Jesus, is a symbol of my shame.

Lord, I need my pride wounded.  May I always remember that I did not get a hold of you; rather, you restored me to your Presence despite my unworthiness.  May I never take for granted that you are holy and that you have called me into a new life that befits your holy character.  May I never lose the shame of the Cross that fatally wounds my pride and self-sufficiency.  Amen.

WHO I AM IN CHRIST VS THE FALSE SELF

Yesterday’s devotion from Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditations is still in my mind.  He said, “The false self is all the things we pretend to be and think we are.  It is the pride, arrogance, title, costume, role, and degree we take to be ourselves.  It’s almost entirely created by our minds, our cultures, and our families…. We have to undercut the illusion right at the beginning, and when we do that, we discover the True Self ‘hidden with Christ in God’ (Colossians 3:3).”  I love Paul’s key theological theme of participatory theology in Colossians, and Rohr has it right.

The new Christian Colossians, mainly Gentiles, had been infiltrated by false teachers who challenged the sufficiency of Jesus.  [Note: Much false teaching appeals to our failure to accept the sufficiency of Christ for us.  Rather than humbly and thankfully surrendering to the grace of God, it is my “natural” tendency to think that I need to prove my worthiness, self-worth.  That never works.]  The false teaching at Colossae advocated special times and types of worship, some which involved asceticism (see 2:8-23).  Such practices may look wise and humble, but have no value (2:23); that is, such practices do not transform a person spiritually, which is what Paul wants for them (see his prayer, 1:9-12).  He wants them to be “empowered in all power according to the might of his [God’s] glory” (1:11).  How?  By recognizing that when they are reconciled to Christ by faith, they are “in Christ” and Christ participates in them.

Paul’s first premise is that in Christ dwells the fullness of God so that Christ has supremacy over all things, including all spiritual and earthly powers and principalities (1:15-20).  Paul’s second premise is that those who have received Jesus as Lord have Christ in them (1:27; 2:6).  These images abound; believers are: reconciled to Christ, rooted in, are his body, circumcised in, baptized with, died with, alive with, raised with, hidden with, etc.  Participatory theology!

If Christians actualized their true self in Christ, that in Christ we are seated above all the “powers and principalities” that pull us down, then we will be empowered to “put to death” our false selves and all that is unclean in us, put on our true selves, and live godly lives (3:1-14).

Lord, may I truly recognize, imbibe, and live out who I am in You.  Amen.