Seven Thoughts to My Brethren Regarding Death of George Floyd and Events Which Followed

In such circumstances as have been experienced in our country, and continue into this day June 8, how can one carefully address it. In one way there seem to be no words good enough to start writing, while there also seems to be a dozen different places to start.

The seven thoughts below flow from the musings and conversations I have engaged in over the past several days. My goal is to encourage peace and love among brethren, while also weeping with those who weep, and having an open ear to the experiences of brethren who have different stories then yours.

Finally, with all of the misplaced mud slinging that has occurred in videos, articles, and over meals, this is not going to present in this post. I am writing from the heart with concern for the Church of Jesus Christ. This is to any person who affirms the truth and trusts it with his or her soul as conveyed in 1 Corinthians 15

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.”

1 Corinthians 15:3-5

If we can shake hands in fellowship based on these truths then together let us consider seven thoughts.

Seven Thoughts to My Brethren

1) Life Under the Full Weight of the Gospel

I mentioned above that I have engaged in conversations with brethren from different perspectives on this issue. One of the first conversations I was confronted with a lack of “Life Under the Full Weight of the Gospel” in me. What does that phrase communicate? Here is how my friend and I articulated it in a nut shell.

Consider Paul’s letter to the Romans. It is written in two distinct parts: Romans 1-11 & Romans 12-16. In the first eleven chapters Paul goes to great lengths to give us one of the heights and clearest explanations of the work of the Father to redeem and reconcile his people by the bloody sacrifice of the Son. Paul goes on to explain the benefits of this work. Then in chapter twelve and on we have the implications of the truths of the first eleven chapters, what is commonly called the application. We could say that within Paul’s gospel message as read in Romans Paul teaches us in Romans 12-16 how the truth ought to impact us. In other words: “Life Under the Full Weight of the Gospel” does not stop with: I believe in Jesus, therefore I am forgiven. The full weight begins and continues with the person trusting Jesus for eternal life, but what doe that life look like? There is a weightiness, not of guilt or shame, but a weightiness of joy and healthy conviction as regards righteousness (John 16:8-10) that motivates them to obedience (1 John 5:3). Romans 1-11 explains how we are forgiven and receive life; Romans 12-16 explains what the forgiven life looks like. To neglect Romans 12-16 is to neglect the gospel. Let me ask:

• How much attention and study do you give to chapters like Romans 12-16, or similar passages such as Ephesians 4-6?
• Is there an imbalance of attention to nitty-gritty doctrines to the neglect of putting feet on our faith (cough cough…my reformed brothers)? Reformed theology/calvinisms biggest vice is that we swim and marinate in Romans 1-11 and then run the 100-yard-dash through the last chapters of Paul’s explanation of the gospel.
• In your week is there equal attention in remaindering yourself of the grace shown you at Calvary as well as intentionally living out the good works that God prepared you for (Ephesians 2:10)
• Are you living under the FULL WEIGHT of the Gospel?

2) The Situations We Speak of are Messy

In the age of the internet and with emotions high and statistics readily available from all perspectives we find a mess. You post this “fact” on social media which someone follows with a comment containing a link to a counter argument. Later a comment is left by the all-knowing, infallible uncle (the weird one from Thanksgiving) who hasn’t read anything yet has the solution.

But not only so, but various experiences and backgrounds. Statistics are helpful and informative, but they aren’t the end all answer…no matter your position. One of the reasons that stats fly and at times seem to contradict while coming from two reputable sources is because the background or experiences of those people providing credible stats are different. Out of the dozens of perspectives that we, the every day joe, have to navigate through by-in-large each have truth to bring to the table. Again the situation is messy. There is no quick fix. No simple explanation. It is messy. Let us come to terms with that. We cannot let that settle us into a passage mindset and give up. We move forward for progress and reform, yet knowing we are in a mess.

3) Stop Posting. Starting Talking.

In a formal, moderated debate seldom is the opponent ever persuaded by the others perspective, neither is that really the goal. Generally a formal debate is to inform the minds of the audience and persuade them. Now we think about the productive and beneficial debates of social media (sarcasm). We have all seen “those two” going back and forth for hours and days only to end in offensive insults. No one following, nor the two engaging benefited from that exchange.

Brethren, we need to use extreme caution when posting in general, and especially in such times as these. Yet, which is more productive: a) throwing up a 280 character post about seen my hundreds maybe thousands? or b) calling that friend who sees the current circumstances differently than you and hearing them out? Conversations need to be happening. Conversations that are guided by the command found in the books of James

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger…”

James 1:19

Who will you call or Zoom or meet for a coffee? Information on the web helps to inform us, with caution, but conversations help us understand the stories, the people, the backgrounds behind the various circumstances.

4) Engage in Peaceful and Loving Dialogue

“With [the tongue] we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.”

James 3:9

Brethren, in this I am on my knees pleading for peaceful and loving interaction with one another, especially those who also are redeemed (Galatians 6:10). If you and another person affirm the truth referenced above from 1 Corinthians 15 then know this: You two are of the same faith, same hope, and same body of Christ, called into that one body by one God (Ephesians 4:4-6). Do not “curse” he who is not only “made in the likeness of God” but is also being made new by God.

Have dialogue which is saturated in love and peace. Remember dialogue is two ways. Do not make that call or coffee date to enlighten your weaker brother. Meet up with him or her so as to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

5) Get Out of the Echo Chamber

Incase you are unfamiliar with the term ‘echo chamber’ it is the conversation you have with those who are likeminded and never challenge your perspective or conclusions. If in the various conversations you have had about recent events there has not been a challenge or critique toward you in any of those talks…You are in an echo chamber. GET OUT!

I did not say get away. I said get out. There is no need to break ties with the friends you have been talking too…but you need to acquire perspective. If you do not know someone well enough that is different from you to have such a conversation, then at least be listening to voice and sources on the internet that are not supporting your perspective. Search out the “other side” and humbly listen to what they are saying.

Ideally you need to be having conversations with others who have a different approach to the matter. Come to the table with the sentiment made known that you are there to hear them out and understand their experience or views.

In closing: If the people you are talking to always agree with you, sound like you, reason like you, and applaud your brilliant insights, you are in an echo chamber and need to widen your experience.

6) Humbly Embrace Challenge and Change

When you humbly and lovingly reach out the man or woman who is coming at this with different views and values, and you are quick to listen, expect changes to arise in you. You need to expect it, be open to it, and prepare for it. It is a beneficial and beautiful thing to get fresh perspective, but it can be unpleasant. This is good because it is what scripture teaches us:

• “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17
• “We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” Colossians 1:28

Obviously this is a mere sample of the verses which address change and reformation in us. However, in these two we also see the role of the brethren. God gave us brothers and sisters in the church to be used in our lives to correct us when needed.

“semper reformanda” – This is a phrase born out of the Protestant Reformation: always reforming. The time called the Protestant Reformation was more than doctrinal debates. It was a reclaiming of “Life Under the Full Weight of the Gospel”. We as believers must always be reforming our convictions and life style.

Once again to those who for whatever reason have a pretty likeminded friend group with little or no contact with other views (on a personal level). You should praise God for the age you live in with a myriad of books and blog, articles and sermons given by brethren from differing backgrounds, cultures, and times. Find brother or sister who is presenting views and values which speak to the current times and carefully think over what is said or written.

Brethren, we must humbly embrace the reforming and reshaping of our ideas, and even theology where it has gone astray.

Semper Reformanda

7) The Place for Other’s Experiences in Your Life

1. It is an opportunity to sympathize with the person in the moment. When hurt, frustration, and fears are being experienced and verbalized is the time to show sympathy. As a friend of mine put it as we had this conversation: When someone is expressing their pain as a black american under police brutality, don’t text them all the stats of black-on-black crime. That is cruel and unfeeling. Hear their experience, and listen with sincerity. As you do that another reality amy very likely arise in your own thinking…
2. “Oh, now I understand why they think this or acted in this way.” A few years ago I was invited to join a local gathering of millennial men and women from the baptist association I belong to. We were there to discuss our understandings of what ministry in the church should look like. Now, in this room a large spectrum of ideologies were represented. We preceded to spend the first afternoon simply sharing our stories. Some people took 20 minutes while others were well beyond 45 minutes. I did not understand the purpose of this until the next day when we started discussing key issues about how church should function. Now with the wide spectrum of ministers in the room there were many varying convictions. There were many points of tension, but what I remember was in those moments when an individual said something I disagreed with I was able to say: “Oh, now I understand why they think this way…because of that certain detail in their past that they shared in their story.” The experience of others who share different views and values is true invaluable. Avail yourself of them.

Two Applications

1. The James Challenge: This challenge is to give time to the book of James. Why? James is one of the most active books in the Bible. It has the most action verbs (aka go do this; don’t do this) of any book in the Bible when compared to the number of words in the book. We need to put feet on our faith and there is no better way than reading a book that over and over again tells us how we are to live “Life Under the Full Weight of the Gospel”. Here is the challenge: Read chapter 1 once a day for five days. The following week read chapter 2 once a day for five days, and so on through the whole book. Each day write down how you will obey what you have read. On day one or two of your reading of a new chapter make note of your thoughts and questions. Then on your last day of that chapter write down your thoughts after having read it fives times over.
2. Get out of your echo chamber by humbly starting peaceful dialogue with brethren who hold a different view than yourself. Prayerfully embrace the change that God might be preparing to bring in you. He placed you in the church that he might use brethren from every language, tribe, people group, and ethnicity to bring about the work of always reforming you (semper reformanda).