Social Holiness

 Jacob’s Ladder’ is a weekly Sunday post, and the blog history is at dreliatjacobsladder.blogpost.com

This is a Fellowship of the Spirit. It is not a church construct and incurs neither mission, fund raising, nor religious participation. God desires our participation in all of life, and not via the false gospel of corporate and culture formatted selectiveness. This effort pursues Christian growth as human growth. It completes Social Holiness and moves into Personal Holiness. God wills community for all of us. And Jacob’s Ladder will keep on growing.

Dearly beloved,

What is social holiness?

Too often we have jumped into social holiness without resolving the necessary primary characteristic of personal holiness. How so? Because the church is an institution and has always held that Christian community shapes individual Christian character. But it has not been able to substantiate this, and its history is fraught with division and subdivision and continues to be so. Differences of belief, doctrine, community perspectives continue to lead either into or away from various aspects of social activism. This has always been the historical position, hence the individual weaknesses that continue! Christian community with its diversity of views and its judgmental distinctions has not been able to draw clear biblical lines in the sand. There are social lines and there are political lines, but the lines drawn by the Spirit have not emerged clearly.

We shall start with social holiness as is, touch on personal holiness, then return to social holiness as it should be, possibly carrying on into next week’s post as well.  With a bit of grace, we will be that much clearer. Right through the end of this year we are still operating on an overview, with the exception of the first chapters on the Blog – those are complete. Most of what I share is not all there is to share by a long shot. We are just beginning, and the challenging days lie ahead.

First off, social activity does not connect with social holiness. Social activity is any activity that is social. A group of friends gather for a meal. It’s a social event. A bunch of Christian friends gather for a meal. It’s also a social event. Is it really different? If it is, how so? Because we gave thanks before we ate?

Social holiness, however, is connected to only one word, from the early Old Testament, right through to the days of the New in Jesus time – justice. In it are elements of human dignity, equality, equity, fair treatment. To me one of the saddest realities of the human condition is the ongoing occurrence of single mothers; where are the fathers? nowhere to be seen? They had nothing to do with it? Someone else did? Nothing much there than hypocrisy and irresponsibility. Probably persuasive lust as well. And after that? So long, farewell, aufweidersehn, goodbye…And a young girl’s life becomes a long struggle as a single mother. Thus, half the human race continues to be unfairly treated. The other half basically could not care less. Their main argument would be it takes two to tango, I guess. But if men could get pregnant, do you really think this would be the situation?

Move out from there, and you find our world full of indignities; of people being treated wrongly and unfairly, and there is no end in sight. Social holiness aims to make a difference here and now. Not through violence, but by pointing out the wickedness that continues and  saying that it is unacceptable. When we get to Walter Brueggemann, we will see how the academic tradition has not been able to lead. When we get to Jim Wallis, we will see how a dominant culture has also not been able to lead. Biblical faith is and creates its own culture. That one has not emerged clearly yet. It falls to us to struggle through following Jesus step by step.

Let my people go, said Moses. You cannot make slaves of them. But many if not most of us are corporate slaves. Governments have the cheek to talk about TFR, but who is giving real long term support to mothers and families? That part of the economic equation seems not to have been figured out yet? Social holiness might find some strength in a social movement of sorts, but it will not endure unless its participants have the personal integrity that enables them to see right from wrong. This has often been touted as a thing of opinion,  with no clear sense of right and wrong in the end. That is not possible. So why is it that so many are unable to see a thing for what it is? Has it always been like this, and are we only now realizing it?  

Right is easily defined, for it improves the well-being of everyone, not just some, in any community. There is no need for theology, religion, philosophy or all of that man-made stuff, because God given conscience is a human trait that we have but can choose to ignore. And we all know this. We are quick to speak when we have been wronged, and we have a clear sense of what hurts us. Why are we slow to speak when someone else is wronged? We just choose not to, the way we choose to disagree. It means that we are not willing to admit that we can be or are wrong. We lie about our position; it may be wrong, but if I can get away with it, why not? And so the issues perpetuate. There is enough evil amongst us to keep them going.

This is why unless there is integrity of character and insight that enables us to call a spade a spade, nothing will ever change, and human beings will continue to remain immature and powerless, always dependent on wickedly obtained clout they have managed to accumulate for themselves.

And how is this personal holiness of character - of insight and integrity, obtained? This is not about the ‘means of grace’ as has been traditionally understood. Is it really life changing? You attend and support church, participate, give money, attend prayer meetings and Bible study sessions, and share in the food and the fellowship. You can stretch the ‘means of grace’ some, I guess.

No. Insight and integrity = a certain power of the Spirit in your individual life, not any sort of social activity. Goes back to John 14 and the I am the Vine you are the branches teaching Jesus gives. Still. Remember Romans 14:17 that the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. It didn’t take me long to realize that a lot of so-called pastoral work is nothing more than emotional support and affirmation. And the rest is persuasive speaking. May not have much to do with the Spirit of God at all. Meaningful social work, for sure.

But Jesus made it so very clear for all persons. Love the Lord thy God – with heart and soul and mind and strength. And? And God will permeate your very being and all of your  peripherals when you do this. You are never alone, you are never helpless, you are always able to rise above whatever it is and go forward. The light leads you. The peace that the world cannot give dwells within you. Then, go and love thy neighbor as thyself. And in these two, the holiness that is both personal and social shines forth.

We choose otherwise. If Lent is about anything, it is about choosing wisely, so that the consequences of good choice will bless you as you go forward! We make choices, and then we employ our God given will to support our choices. So we do not grow. Sure, there is physical growth, but as we all know, that one comes to an end soon enough! Righteousness  is not an inward characteristic – it shines in action; as Jesus says, your light should shine out on all around you, so that they can see and will know of its origin! It is God leading you down ‘paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake’ so that what He is doing in your life can be seen by all.  

Our Christmases are nothing much beyond singing carols and eating good stuff and giving presents. The world took it over a long time ago and we lost that one. Part of the problem has always been the fusing of traditions like the Yule Log etc and when it all rolls together it’s good seasonal fun. And everybody romanticizes little babies and mangers and miracles. Sigh. To celebrate God amongst us implies much more.

Joy is kindred to peace. Stuff the world can’t take away nor provide. Mood the world cannot give. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Not for funerals, but for living, now! As Jesus says, your Father knows your needs. We all know of the joy we feel when there is someone special in our lives who cares for us. It keeps us warm within. This is the same with God’s love for each one of us.

Righteousness, love, joy, peace = dimensions of grace in this world, now.  The fruit of what transpires in a loving 2-way relationship. In that sense, yes, gifts. Grace is not cheap. It’s asking price is that we discard the evils of this world. This is the offer. We have a loving Father who watches and waits over each one of us. Grace and peace, G.