Remember the days when you could buy a new TV, plugged it in, hit the on/off switch, turn a knob to set it to the station you wanted to watch, adjust the volume, and sit down. The only other changes you could make were the brightness and contrast. Despite my background as an engineer in TV broadcasting and two-way radio communication, today if we buy a new TV, I have to call my grandson to come set it up. The instructions are too complex using words, abbreviations, and emojis I don’t understand. I began back in the days of vacuum tubes and when electronic equipment was simple. Now with all the advancements —no tubes— everything has become complicated. History shows that after any nation was destroyed, the remnant returned to a simple basic life of food, shelter, clothing, and family. The Western world has developed into a complex and complicated system.
Complicated systems don’t stop at the church door. When I came to Christ, all I knew was the simple Gospel—Jesus died on the cross to pay for my sins; by faith, I could repent and ask Him to forgive me; and He would give me eternal life. I did this riding in my truck on the way to work. Instantly, I knew my life had changed. BUT! Then Christians began to teach me all the rules, rituals, and traditions I must follow, which began complicating my walk with Christ. By the time I finished my theological training, I had created a well-defined structure of beliefs. Somewhere in my complex system, my simple Gospel beginning got lost.
Last year a verse in Corinthians caught my attention. Paul admonished the Corinthians, But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ (2 Corin 11:3). Note what the serpent did; he led Eve away from the simplicity . . . of devotion to Christ. The Lord made serving Him in the Garden simple. But Satan convinced Adam and Eve there was more they needed to know. He complicated their simple life. By the time Jesus came the Pharisees and Sadducees had so complicated the ten commandments with an additional 613 commandments, 248 do’s and 365 do not’s, it became impossible for the common man to know how they should serve the Lord.
Jesus came to the common people and simplified serving God. He reduced all the complex rules of the Pharisees and Sadducees to two commands. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these (Mk 12: 30, 31 NIV). Jesus told His disciples, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Scriptures do have teachings that are deep and mature, which we must study and ponder to understand. “But the core tenets of Christianity are simple. Salvation, worship, the church, and daily living can be understood by even the simplest of minds” (Wes McAdams). Have we made Christianity too complicated and confusing for the common person to understand?
Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica and told them to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you (4:11). He conveys the idea of a quiet and peaceful life to Timothy. We are to pray for the authorities so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity (1Ti 2:2.) A tranquil and quiet life indicates a simple life with an uncluttered heart. It doesn’t leave us exhausted and stressed out. Rather a simple, tranquil, and quiet life brings freedom. When we face troubles, we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to lead us to scriptures that give us simple directions, and He provides comfort, peace, and strength. It is that simple.
You may think this is an odd illustration but bear with me. This life lesson has been in the back of my mind as I wrote this. It has helped me better understand my spiritual journey as a Christian. When I bought my second hunting bow, I got all the ‘bells and whistles’—recurve, sights, balance weights, silencers, etc. Over time, I began noticing people at the target range I knew that had been using a bow for years were shooting a simple straight bow. Basically, that’s a refined version of what we made as kids from a long stick and a string. I asked the owner and he said it seems that the long-time bow users always began with the most complex bow they could purchase but after a time they got tired of their complicated set-up and switched back to the simplest bow they could get. Maybe all of us need to go back to the simple Gospel.
Sustaining Word for the Week: Are you exhausted from doing too much trying to satisfy religious rules? Jesus made it simple. Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest (Mat 11:28). Simple is a lifestyle choice.