Irrational Ethics?

Greetings All,


I hope your morning is going well. Mine has involved children, beignets, laundry and church sound systems and will soon include building a billboard frame, but amidst it all I did manage to spend a few minutes with God. That time is necessary for me to start the day off right. It helps remind me who is in control (not me for the record), whose guidance I should seek in all things, and who is the one source of endless love that will never let me down. My time this morning once again included Scripture reading, the Old & New Testaments, a Psalm and something from the Apocrypha. I never cease to be amazed at how some of the writings from the Apoc can really strike me. Here is the one that struck me this morning, 4 Maccabees 5:21-24 reading from the New Revised Standard Translation.

NRS 4 Maccabees 5:20 to transgress the law in matters either small or great is of equal seriousness, 21 for in either case the law is equally despised. 22 You scoff at our philosophy as though living by it were irrational, 23 but it teaches us self-control, so that we master all pleasures and desires, and it also trains us in courage, so that we endure any suffering willingly; 24 it instructs us in justice, so that in all our dealings we act impartially, and it teaches us piety, so that with proper reverence we worship the only living God.

Our author is recounting the story of Eleazar a man of a priestly family and Antiochus the tyrant occupying ruler of Israel who has demanded the Jews ignore the Mosaic Law and eat all foods. In the "striking" passage Eleazar has responded to Antiochus as to why he will not transgress the law by eating pork. Eleazar, who has been called a philosopher, is refuting Antiochus's belief that for the Jews to follow the Mosaic Law is irrational.

That is the thing that struck me this morning, the idea that to follow a holiness ethic that is rooted in Christ in our culture is often called irrational or simple-minded. Those that speak against it today are just like those speaking against Judaism 2200 years ago, and the reasons that Eleazar gave then are just as valid today! He comments that to follow such a code teaches us self control by which we master all pleasures and desires, note he doesn't say eliminate, but master. It is not God's desire that we experience no pleasure, just that pleasure and desire don't have control over us. That should be true for Christ followers today, we are not controlled by our desire for pleasure but by our love for God.

Secondly, he tells us that the law teaches us courage so that we may endure sufferings willingly. Teaching us courage to be able to suffer. That is not a definition of courage that ever occurred to me, but it completely fits within the Christian life. We are to place the lives of others ahead of our own and at times that will lead to suffering in our own lives. It takes courage to live for others, following Christ and inviting the Holy Spirit's power into our lives enables us to live courageously, deliberately choosing to serve others over serving ourselves, even if it means personal suffering.

Thirdly, he informs us that the law instructs us in justice so that in all of our dealings we act impartially. Again, this fits within the Christian ethic; to follow Christ is to have a heart and focus for justice, to see that the least and the lost and the less thans are never taken advantage of and are served so that they too can know the love of God. To love justice and act impartially is to share God's love equally regardless of socio-economic status, race, gender or family background. Christ reminds us that we are all equal at the foot of His cross.

Finally the author reminds us that the law teaches us piety so that we worship God with proper reverence. Which brings us full circle back to my need to start the day with God. The law, the Christian lifestyle, the hope in Christ all teaches me to keep God first in my life. Worship reminds me that He is everything and I am nothing in comparison, but equally worship assures me that even though I am small and insignificant, the creator of the universe loves and cares about me. With Him in my life I can face all things!

There is nothing irrational about following Christ. Living for others will never make our lives less, it will always fulfill us and then the day will come when we stand face to face with God and He tells us, "Well done my good and faithful servants!"

Your brother in Christ,
Faron