Assimilation

Does the Old Testament matter? What are we supposed to be like as Christians? Are there things I have to do? Or things I should do? How do we know what a Christian is supposed to look like and act like?

I found a warning in 1 Samuel 31. It comes from a seemingly minor point in the story. My focus was not on Saul’s death, which is usually what I’ve seen focused on in this chapter. My focus was caught by a note by one of the commentators (Bradford) regarding the way Saul’s body was handled after his death. First, his body was abused by the Philistines (vs. 9 and 10). This is not the usual practice for conquered kings, who were generally treated with respect and presented to the conquering king.

Then the Israelites of Jabesh-gilead heard about the body of Saul being displayed on the walls of a prominent Philistine city. This city, Beth-shan, was important because it was on the main trade route. The Philistines were advertising that Israel was finished and conquered and so was their God. The people in Jabesh-gilead were indebted to Saul (it’s a long story found in Judges 19), so they went to rescue Saul’s body from Beth-shan.

When the warriors of Jabesh-gilead returned with Saul’s body they burned it and took the bones and buried them in Jabesh. The comment Bradford made referred to these acts of burial. He indicated that it was totally uncustomary for a Hebrew burial to be handled this way. He also concluded that it seemed to be the practice of the people of Jabesh-gilead (who were basically Hebrews). Where had this practice come from?

This is just another sign that Israel was losing touch with the true God and His commandments. They were slowly assimilating the practices of the pagan cultures around them (that God had originally instructed them to wipe off the face of the earth). It’s hard to tell from this one passage, but we’ve seen it elsewhere in 1 Samuel as well, that Israel was losing its distinctness among the nations. Slowly but surely over time, things that seemed okay became the way things were done.

I am in danger of doing the same thing! Over time, it’s become acceptable to do many of the things the culture around me says is okay. It’s become okay to believe some of the things the culture (including Christian culture!) around me, believe. I have to ask myself what am I – what are WE – allowing into our beliefs that are not exactly what the Scriptures teach?

Satan is distorting the basic truths of Scripture and we are incorporating them into our habits, beliefs, and practices. My friend, Kris, who spent 20 years in Indonesia, discovered many of these partial truths being celebrated in our American local churches when she returned to the States. She had been away from the American culture long enough that many of these partial truths/distortions were obvious to her. For instance, “God loves you, God accepts you” is a major tenant in American Christian-based churches. There are few questions asked about these statements. Yes, it’s Scriptural, but the gospel doesn’t end there. There’s the life example of Christ, His suffering, His death, His resurrection, and our decision to believe He rose from the grave and paid for our sins that makes us acceptable to God.

I talked today about another example with a friend, Cassie, and that is “I am enough.” God does love us for being us; however, we are NOT enough. Only God and His love is enough. And not everything I do or think or say is correct because it’s based on my thoughts, and “I am enough” to decide what is right and wrong. We succumb to the idea that it doesn’t matter what I do, God will forgive me because I’m enough.

We need to be careful we are not assimilating the perspectives and beliefs of the world around us into our worship of Christ. We need to be sure we are not short-changing what God has done for us and what He would like us to do for Him.

Just a caution. I’m guilty of this, too.