Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, dear pilgrims in progress…

Hey—it’s not raining right now. That’s nice. It’s still not clear how I will lace together my day. Yesterday didn’t go entirely as planned. I headed out to do another phase of sign installation in Brooks, but by the time I got there it was pouring rain and blowing with a big lake of a puddle around that sign—so I just returned home.

We sure are living in critical times. There aren’t many certainties out there—except for God—and our need for trust in Him. So, “On Christ the Solid Rock I stand—all other ground is sinking sand.”

Blessings on your day.

Love and prayers—Ray.

It helps me greatly to keep things simple. And there is nothing more basic and simple at the core of my own theology than to personally embrace the basic and simple core of the whole Bible. I choose to do my utmost to maintain that core as MY core. This not some obscure complicated idea that I have thought up myself or, after a lot of study and careful analysis, have discovered. Not at all. To arrive at this core all I need to do is believe Jesus—believe that what the Bible says Jesus said is what Jesus really said—and that what Jesus really said is not only what He said, but is TRUE—the true will and Word of God for me. This is so simple, basic, and fundamental to the whole that I am led to believe that IF I MISS THIS, I MISS EVERYTHING.

Directing your attention now to Matthew 22 will probably be no big surprise for you. Let’s review that familiar passage once again: “Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments"” (Matt 22:34-40).

OK. Here then is the basic and simple core as I see it: LOVE GOD PASSIONATELY AND HOLISTICALLY (i.e., in a way that permeates every part of your life) while you LOVE OTHERS COMPASSIONATELY AND INTENTIONALLY. This is clearly the core of God’s entire plan for man in general, and His plan for you and me in particular, as confirmed by that last sentence.

This also brings into view our greatest warning, our greatest danger, and our greatest enemy—LUKEWARMNESS—mediocrity—anything that would cool passion toward God and compassion toward others.

To be sure, this letter to Laodicea demonstrates that casual part-time Christianity not only fails to adequately meet human need, but also nauseates God.