Watch
Listen
Click here to listen to the episode on our website
Read
Understanding Balance in Scripture
Balance plays a vital role in both our physical and spiritual lives. Just as physical imbalance can create difficulties in daily activities, spiritual imbalance can hinder our walk with God and our effectiveness as believers.
The Grace and Grievance Scale
In teaching Scripture, there must be a careful balance between grace and grievance. While we must address the reality of darkness, deception, and challenging times ahead, this message needs to be balanced with the profound truth of God's grace. We are saved by grace through faith, not works. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, offering forgiveness and redemption to all who turn from their sins and are filled with the Holy Spirit.
The Great Commission's Full Scope
In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus commanded not only to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit," but also to teach them to observe all His commands. This comprehensive approach requires maintaining balance in teaching both grace and truth.
The Truth and Love Pendulum
Like a pendulum swinging between two points, effective ministry requires balance between truth and love. Some get stuck emphasizing only love, while others fixate solely on truth. The ideal position lies between these extremes, combining both elements effectively. Similarly, there must be balance between the Spirit and the Word - too much emphasis on the Word alone can lead to legalism, while overemphasis on spiritual experiences without Biblical foundation can lead to error or mysticism.
The Mystery Revealed
In Ephesians 3, Paul discusses a profound mystery (mysterion in Greek) - something that human reason could never discover on its own. This mystery was hidden from the beginning of time until it was revealed to the apostles after Christ's life. While many aspects of God's plan were known to Old Testament prophets - including the kingdom of God, salvation for Gentiles, and Christ's suffering and glory - the mystery itself was different.
The mystery was that between Christ's suffering (the cross) and His glory (the crown), God would establish a new era - the church age. During this time, God would unite Jews and Gentiles, bringing together people from all backgrounds into one body. This was something the prophets couldn't fully comprehend as they saw Christ's suffering and glory as connected events, unable to see the church age between them.
The Church's Unique Role
The church is distinct from the kingdom of God. While the kingdom spans all of history from creation to the final consummation, the church exists specifically in this period between Christ's first and second coming. Christ is the head of the church, though notably never called its king. This understanding shapes how we should function as Christ's body during this age.
Application for Today
This balance of grace and truth, Spirit and Word, must guide our ministry today. While social justice and charitable work have their place, they must be balanced with sound Biblical teaching. The church's primary mission remains making disciples and teaching all that Christ commanded, allowing proper balance in all other activities to flow from this foundation.