What’s Wrong With This Picture?

By Mark Chatfield

Among the words that mystify, we must include the term “conservative” when used for people who take liberties with the scriptures by piling on burdens that folks can’t bear.

There are congregations whose leaders and members have come up with all sorts of strange and wonderful notions in the name of being on the “safe side” of interpretation.  For example, one church I know about had come to the conclusion that it is a sin to go to a football game.  How had they reached that conclusion?  Very simply -- they read Gal. 5:21 “Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”  From that, they looked around to see what could be called “revellings,” and concluded that all the yelling for and against the sports teams fit their definition of the word.  I’m not sure what they did with “and such like.”  But it seems that anyone who giggled must have been in jeopardy.  Lest you plan to “go forward” because you shouted at the last high school basketball tournament, check the meaning of the word that is translated “revellings,” and you will find that it is associated with drunkenness and rioting.  That is not likely a problem remotely related to Christians rooting for their favorite team.

How can we get so carried away with our attempts at holiness?  The answer may be in our approach and attitude.

Do you catch yourself talking to the television when the golf commentator says something inane such as, “Mickelson would really like to make this putt.”  (As though he, in some other circumstance, would rather enjoy missing it!)  Do you find yourself scowling at some inattentive driver because they did not bother to use their turn signal and that caused you to wait a nanosecond before you entered the intersection?  Do you hang on the preacher’s or Bible teacher’s every word in order to find something wrong with what was said?

Yes, I know that we are to be watchful and to avoid sin.  Nonetheless, if we see our role as constant critic; if we go out of our way to find wrong in what others are doing; if we live in fear of everyone because they might cause us to stumble  . . . then clearly we are not being Christ-like. 

If you spend your time silently asking, “What’s wrong with this picture?” it won’t be difficult to find answers.  Any adult (with the possible exception of some politicians I know) can provide an arms-length list of patently wrong things they have said and done and thought.  If you don’t get your fill of hearing what is wrong, you can always listen to the first fifteen minutes of network television news.  Christians really don’t need to do that.  Christians can be watchful without scowling at everything we encounter.

There is no profit in the business of constant fault finding.  Consider a couple of scriptures:

Php 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

Heb 10:24 "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:"

The term “conservative,” although not a Bible term, more appropriately would be applied to those who can use the scriptures as written without looking around to find all imaginable things that might fit a particular prohibition of scripture.  We could better use that energy to give full consideration to all that is good and then go on to give that message to our friends, neighbors, and fellow Christians.

What’s wrong with this picture?  Plenty  . . . but that is not the point.  The point is that regardless of all that was, is, and will be wrong, God is winning and Christians share in the ultimate victory over wrong.