Smoodock's Blog

Preaching Christ comes out of a heart that has been awakened by God. Its results cannot be measured with worldly means. Too often we look at the success of the world and seek to imitate the methods of the world to accomplish the work of God. The Lord says that his Temple will not be built through force or great ability (Zechariah 4:6) but through his Spirit. If this is so, how spiritual would it be to use worldly methods in our service to God. For instance, a good marketing executive knows that, if his advertisement is seen by x number of people, he could reasonably assume that a known percentage of that number, y, would respond favorably and buy his product. My point is that this is the wisdom of this world. Yet, this same wisdom is practiced today among those who preach the Gospel. Does this wisdom depend upon the grace of God or upon a formula derived from the experience of men dealing with the probability of statistics? If they preach to x number of people they can reasonably expect y to respond favorably. Is this a proper way to build the House of God? Should this knowledge be used to serve him?

Tyche (Greek for “fortune” – tuche) was the goddess or governess of chance and was a patron throughout the Gentile world. She was especially worshiped at Antioch where Paul had set up his headquarters for awhile. Also called “Lady Luck,” she was worshiped by those who believed that every detail of life was governed by fortune. We practice this same belief today but we refer to it by a more scientific name – “the law of statistics.” If God’s works are new in the morning (Lamentations 3:23), should I seek the will of God for today in what he had done yesterday (cp. 1Kings 13:9-10)? Is walking by statistics the same as walking by sight or by faith? Does knowledge of statistical information limit what I hope God will do?

I ponder these things and then think of Scriptures concerning the wisdom of this world’s ways. The Scriptures say if I am wise in this world (its ways and methods of doing things), I am to become as a fool, as far as the world is concerned, that I may be wise in the things of God (faith, mercy, kindness, patience, etc. cp. 1Corinthians 3:18-19). This world has a compelling pull that competes with our Father’s drawing us to Christ. Its wisdom works in this world’s system, but this world’s system is not of God (1John 2:15-16). Therefore, it cannot help us to know what God will or will not do, because it does not bear his character. He did not create this world’s system. It cannot reveal him, because his ways are different from our ways (Isaiah 55:8). This world is passing away (1John 2:17), and although I may appear to be a fool (Luke 24:11; cp. 1Corinthians 1:21), I am called to act by faith and not by sight. Some will laugh and make light of what I do (Luke 24:11; 1Corinthians 1:18, 23; 2:14). However, just as God’s word cannot but be unfruitful (Isaiah 55:11), so the foolish work of God in me will cause men to wonder (1Corinthians 1:25; Luke 24:12)!

Technorati Tags: Jesus, Gospel, Tyche, goddess of fortune, Lady Luck, law of statistics, Gospel , preaching, God,