Test the Spirits (Part II)

But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.”

The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” Luke 13:14-16

People have a tendency to shape spiritual terms in the form and image they desire and expect others to conform to it. The Pharisees had taken God’s Sabbath and had a made a long list of prohibitions out of it. Instead of people resting and worshipping God on the Sabbath, they had to be stressed and fearful of not breaking any of the man-made rules. The critical eyes of the Pharisees completely sabotaged what God had intended for the Sabbath.

Similarly, we have to consider the spiritual terms we use and pay attention when the definitions gradually change and not buy-in to the humanistic version of those terms. For example, the word “justice” and “compassion” are used readily nowadays. People demand justice and compassion, and they claim that those opposing immoral or illegal activities in our society are unjust. At the same time, they call others judgmental. 

The problem is that those who demand justice have no desire to know the true definition of justice based on God’s standard. Instead, they form their own morality, define their own right and wrong, and demand others to acquiesce to their assessment of a situation. 

God’s justice is based on Biblical truth that describes every man as a sinner in need of salvation. Therefore, we all deserved the justice and the wrath of God, but God allowed Jesus to become the one sacrificed for our sins. When we see justice from this angle, we realize that we should always begin with our own sin before we point fingers at others. This does not mean that we don’t fight for justice. It only means that we don’t jump into conclusion before we consider the entire situation and determine the responsibility of each side. 

For instance, if we are engaged in something that is against the law, we can’t demand compassion or expect the law to look the other way. We have a responsibility to pay the price and make it right. If our boss acts unfairly towards us, we don’t have to  jump the conclusion that he/she doesn’t like us or is prejudiced towards us. Instead, we can consider our attitude towards them and whether we have been a diligent employee. 

In the current cultural climate, many words including Justice and compassion have been diluted to fit people’s needs. We cannot be intimidated by false definitions, but we can test the spirits. Any spirit that tries to create its own right and wrong apart from God’s Word is not from God and should not be tolerated. False spirits cannot be quenched by acquiescing to them, for they will continue to demand more and more until they destroy a church or a community! This doesn’t mean we reject individuals, but we reject the false definitions and propaganda that derails people.