The objective of this lesson: to stress the importance of God's positive emotions in the formation of Christian motives.
As this lesson begins, we need to stress some facts. The declaration of what is a "positive emotion" and a "negative emotion" can be completely reversed in our view. That often occurs when a godless community is contrasted with a godly community within a society. The more influence God has in a sector of society, the more that social group considers God's concepts as positive influences. The less influence God has on a sector of society, the more inclined that group is to consider God's concepts as a negative influence.
Stress the fact that this lesson centers in God's priorities and His concept of positive emotions, and not a human concept of positive and negative emotions. Too many factors can influence our concepts of what are positive or negative emotions if we abandon God's priorities.
There are numerous reasons for this divergence of views of what are positive and negative emotions. One reason is this: differences in definitions. For example, if by definition religion is considered to be based in superstition, applied in narrow-minded thinking, and judgmental in tone, any concept associated with God is typically regarded a negative social influence. If by definition, Christianity is seen as kind, compassionate, merciful, and helpful, a concept associated with God is typically regarded as a positive social influence. As another example, some regard Christian as another word for hypocrite. Others regard Christian as a word meaning gentle, understanding kindness.
Definitions frequently are a primary influence on our concepts and priorities. If we are Christian, we must be open to God's definitions and priorities as we form our concepts. That means we always are willing for God to redefine a concept we regarded as being settled. Such openness to God is a challenging, difficult position to accept or develop.
One's initial view of an emotion is impacted by the concepts and definitions in one's family and community of origin. Typically our basic impressions of what is a positive and negative influence is significantly impacted by the impressions and experiences of our social group. For example, in a stereotypical focus, people from the deep South are ignorant Rednecks, and people from the far North are Yankees lacking common sense. [The "luxury" of stereotyping is found in ignoring the need to deal with the individual. All southern people are not ignorant, and all northern people do not lack common sense.].
First, emotion is a genuine part of all concepts. Emotion is definitely a part of God's reactions [He expresses both love and anger, both compassion and wrath]. Second, if Christians do not exercise extreme caution, we are not open to a redirection of emotions or concepts ["You know that cannot be right," or, "That is obviously wrong," or, "That is ridiculous!"] When a person substitutes reactions for thought in determining a godly emotion, he or she is in trouble.
The issue at hand in Ephesians 4 is life in the Roman Empire. In that society, power was the admired, supreme value. In the Roman Empire's concept of power, kindness resulting in forgiveness or tenderness resulting in compassion were negative emotions threatening the ambition of being powerful. In that environment, Christian conversion required a total reversal of values. Bitterness felt for someone considered an enemy or rival could produce dread or fear (1) because of the manner in which one's wrath or anger might be expressed or (2) because of the damage done by the bitter person's clamor, slander, and malice.
Reflect on the fact that in the first century among first century gentile converts, there often had to be a complete change of concepts requiring a complete change in understandings of good and bad emotions. Reflect on the challenge and difficulty of completely changing one's definitions of good and bad or of totally changing one's emotions. That is hard!
A key to amassing power is making the opposition afraid of you. The old, pre-conversion ways of speaking and acting were useful if one's goal was amassing power. However, who will fear the person who is kind, compassionate, and forgiving? Who can hope to gain power [in Roman society's concept] if you are "too considerate" to make people afraid of you?
If you are the "stronger one," functioning on the basis of fear is simpler than functioning on the basis of communication. It is much easier to exercise control than it is to create dialogue. It is easier to intimidate than it is to reason.
Note the change in goals. In pre-conversion, society admired the person who amassed power. Thus, if one wanted to be "successful" in the eyes of peers, the goal was to gain power. However, ambitions completely changed in conversion. Now the goal was to accept Jesus Christ as the example and become Christ-like in personal character.
The godly person [man or woman] cannot continue in his or her goals developed by a godless focus.
Christ stressed the opposite values of those admired in Roman society. Christ stressed the humility of kindness rather than the indifference [arrogance] of power. Christ stressed the servitude of concern instead of the fear of reprisal. He stressed compassionate forgiveness rather than domination. In Christ, you gave the dead life. In Roman society's concept of power, you counted the dead.
Christ commonly stresses values and priorities that conflict with an ungodly society's values and priorities.
In conversion, it was essential that the convert learn a new way to think. Transformation in Christian conversion involved learning a new way to think, or in Paul's language "a renewing of the mind" (Ephesians 4:23; Romans 12:2). Why will a Christian learn to think in new ways? He or she will do so because he or she has changed goals. No longer does he or she exist to win the approval of a society that does not care about the living creator God. He or she exists to let Jesus Christ, the suffering servant, be his or her example.
If a Christian is to change the values that guide his or her daily life, he or she must change the way he or she thinks. Different values and priorities require a different thought process.
Conversion changes the criteria used to determine the success or worth of one's life. While it seemed perfectly normal to accept Roman society's standards to fashion personal standards, that was no longer the case for one converted to Christ. No longer were standards formed on the anvil of bitterness. After conversion, standards were formed by the example of self-sacrifice. Standards that declared defeat in a pre-converted existence spelled success if the person used Christ as an example.
To place God in charge of my understanding of good and bad (evil), I must seek God's priorities and not society's ambitions.
The cross that was Jesus' instrument of death shouted "weakness." Roman society regarded that dehumanizing form of execution as the absolute proof of weakness. However, that same despised cross shouted "victory" to Christians because it was proof of total surrender to God. The values switched! Bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice were defeated by kindness, compassion, and forgiveness.
One of the best illustrations of this change in concepts, values, and priorities is the cross on which Jesus died. To the Roman world and Jewish society, the cross was a symbol of weakness and disgrace. To God in Jesus' death, the cross was a symbol of victory. It is what God did in the crucifixion of Jesus that allowed kindness, compassion, and forgiveness to defeat bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice.
The Christian endorsing "new self" existence allowed God to create him or her. He or she used God's acts in Jesus as a blueprint for personal behavior. Just as God in Christ was kind to him or her while he or she was still God's enemy, he or she was kind to others. Just as God in Christ was compassionate to him or her when he or she did not even understand, "I need compassion," he or she was compassionate to others. Just as God in Christ forgave him or her of offenses that deserved punishment, he or she forgave others.
To adopt a Christian existence in Christ requires--literally--that the person allow God to remake him or her. The Christian consciously imitates God. See Jesus' statement in Matthew 5:43-48.
Would their society acknowledge their victory as Christians? No! Their society probably considered them stupid! Would God acknowledge the victory of the "new self"? Yes! He would declare them wise!
When we exist for God's purposes, we understand that people [in or out of the church] who do not exist for God will not understand us.
Do not expect people who do not know God or who hate God to admire what you become in Christ. If one cannot value the concept of God expressed by Jesus Christ, he or she will not value the Christian. Perhaps it is the eloquence of your "new self" behavior that says more to them than your words ever will!
If devotion to God is dependent on the appreciation of others, we are creating an opportunity for Satan to tempt and trouble us.
For Thought and Discussion
At the core of this discussion, there needs to be the awareness that there is a huge contrast between a godly community and a godless community within a society.
At the core of this discussion, there needs to be the awareness that one's concept of religion being a positive or negative social influence powerfully influences one's concept of God being a positive or negative social influence.
His or her family environment when young and his or her community's view of religious influences impacts a person's initial view of an emotion.
Power [in the sense of the ability to control or intimidate others] was admired as the supreme value.
At the core of the discussion should be the contrast between appeasing peers and making Jesus Christ the example.
In conversion, it is necessary to learn a new way to think.
At the core of this discussion must be an understanding that Roman society considered death on a cross the symbol of weakness, but Christians considered it a symbol of divine victory.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 12