“Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were putt and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts.
But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction
of a penny.
Calling His disciples to Him, Jesus said, ‘I tell
you the
truth, this poor
widow has put more
into the
treasury than
all the
others. They
all gave
out of
their wealth; but she, out of
her poverty, put in
everything—all she
had to
live on’”
(Mark 12:41-44).
Can you picture
re the scene described above? Most Nicolaitan
faith
communities would esteem someone who popped substantial
funds in to t he collection plate. But o r Lord commends the motive of the heart (see 2 Corinthians 9:7).
We realize t hat t he word “orthodox” is weigh ted wit h powerful emotions
in
many areas of Christendom. The word itself refers
to
sound religious doctrine. There’s nothing wrong with
a desire
to
up h old truth.
But sadly, orthodoxy
has devolved in to a mentality t hat is only concerned
with being right. For these people, right behavior is valued regardless of the condition of t he hear t. As a result orthodoxy focuses inordinately
o n right rules, right creed, right behavior.
A certain degree of orthodoxy is necessary in order to apply Scriptural
commands and principles to you r life. But, as wit h many of t he Pharisees,
people get caught up with knowing about t heir religion, and judge others based on preconceived standards of “correct
behavior”.
To truly follow Jesus, we need
to focus on the
biblical importance of
“orthopraxy.” Orthopraxy maybe defined
as
the way our love for Jesus is expressed in the enactment of our lives.
Orthopraxy causes us to regard life and people m ore and m ore from the perspective
of The Fathers loving kindness and moves us to act in accordance with His love.
Keep in
mind that the Hebrew language emphasizes the
verb or action, while English emphasizes the noun or subject. Because of
t his difference, English lends itself more to the “w hat” of orthodox y than to “why” of orthopraxy.
Co m pare Two Hebrew Farmers
The
Torah testifies to His heart’s concern for t he poor an d for t he strangers who own n o property. That loving kindness prompted
Him to present precise instructions for those
w ho were blessed with crops:
When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges
of your field or gat the gleanings
of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the YHVH your God (Leviticus 23:22).
Suppose you were
living in 200 BC and you met a Torah Observant farmer who viewed his life from an orthodoxy perspective. You notice his
harvested fields and see that he didn’t go back a second time to glean them. You
ask
him why he didn’t, and he replies,
“Because Go d commands me not to.”
Then you
go a little further down the road and meet an orthopractic farmer who hasn’t gleaned his
fields either. In
answer to
your question
he gladly responds, “My Father loves the poor and the unfortunate. Out of love for Him and for them I don’t go back over my fields.”
Can you
see the difference?
Same behavior yet an entirely different motive. And motive is everything with our Father, because it answers the “why” of an action according
to His hear t.
Two examples from James clarify t his distinction:
Religion that God our Father accepts
as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans
and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world (1:27).
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical
needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if i t is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do (2:15-18).
Is James emphasizing orthodoxy or orthopraxy?
If you’ve grown in the character
of The Messiah, you’re motivated
to love and care for others as He would.
For the very reasons He did what He did!
“And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not
left Me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.” John 8:29
Why would one ‘want to’ observe
Torah?
Because said He so? That’s orthodoxy. Living according to His Word from the outside
in? (Can you say religion? Denominationalism? Dogma?
Man-made Doctrine?
Or because you Love The
Messiah? ‘If you love me, you will keep
my commandments. (Instructions). John
14:15.
Need more Orthopractic Motivation?
“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear
much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you
keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my
Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you,
that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15 8-11
Inspiration and 99% of this
article goes to Mike & Sue Dowgiewicz, send him an e mail of encouragement,
a 3 tour of duty Viet Nam Vet and battle tested Soldier in The Creator’s Army
along with his wife sue. Mikedowg@aol.com
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