Sermon - Rogate 2023 - James 1:22-27

Reading the Bible, Jean-Baptiste Greuze, 1755

Theology has consequences

1. Introduction to Postmodernism.

2. A person’s beliefs shape their behaviors.

3. God’s Word shapes our minds, and therefore shapes our behaviors.

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

So many things are changing very rapidly today; it practically gives a person whiplash. It’s almost hard to believe how dramatically and quickly things are changing. Just in the past couple of decades, for example, sodomy and transgenderism went from being somewhat unheard of and unacceptable to the majority of the population, to today where if you don’t accept these perversions you’re considered a hateful bigot. A century ago, when clothing was much more expensive, when do you think men wore suits and top hats and women wore big dresses? Practically anytime they went out in public. The same was mostly true just half a century ago. Now many people don’t even own anything nicer than a pair of jeans. Half a century ago nearly everyone went to church, now only a small minority. A century ago the average household had a lot of kids, mom worked at home, and both parents remained married to each other. There have definitely been some good changes, like improved medicine, plumbing, and electricity, but there have also been a plethora of really bad changes.

The question worth asking however, is how? How have so many things changed so rapidly? I suppose the answer partly depends on: how much time do you have? This is the sort of thing that people have written books about in order to understand; it’s a huge topic. A big part of why things are changing so dramatically has to do with our underlying mindset and philosophical presuppositions; in other words, it has to do with the assumptions we make in our heads of which we’re not even normally aware.

One of these big assumptions, underlying mindsets, shared by many people today, is what’s called postmodernism, or nominalism. Simply put, this is the belief that there is no objective universal truth, but that each person determines for him or herself what is true. So if it feels good and makes you happy right now, that’s what is true, regardless of what anyone else says or thinks. Thus, each person determines their own truth, and each person determines truth based upon how it makes them feel.

I know this is a bit heady, but it’s important to know so that we can understand why things are the way that they are today. If the truth is whatever a person wants it to be, then a boy can decide he’s a girl, if that feels good to him. Since religion is all about making fundamental universal statements of objective truth, then a postmodernist isn’t going to want religion, because they just want to be affirmed in their own beliefs, they don’t want to conform to what God says.

To combat this postmodern mindset, a mid-20th century philosopher, Richard Weaver, wrote a book entitled: Ideas Have Consequences. Basically, the point of his that I’d like to highlight is that a person’s private ideas must be acted upon and will therefore have consequences in reality for other people. Thus, ideas have consequences. As a play on that, I’d like us to ponder the notion that theology has consequences. What a person believes is going to shape a person’s behaviors. Since God is the Creator of all things, this means that He defines truth and reality. Thus, theology has consequences. Our beliefs, which are shaped by God’s Word, shaped by theology, are going to impact our behaviors.

In fact, theology must have consequences in the Christian life. This is what St. James teaches us today: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”

If we are Christians in name only, and we don’t actually make any attempts to live according to God’s Word, then we’re not in reality Christians. Too often we live today like postmoderns, and we determine truth based upon how it makes us feel. So if fornication feels good, then the 6th commandment doesn’t apply; if I don’t want this unborn baby and I want to kill it, then the 5th commandment doesn’t apply; if I don’t feel like going to church, then the 3rd commandment doesn’t apply. 

 But the fact of the matter is that our beliefs, theology, must have consequences for our lives. It’s not enough that we claim to believe the Bible, or belong on paper to some church, or call ourselves Christians or Lutherans, because what ultimately matters is what we do with it. Theology has consequences, and therefore theology must shape my life and my behaviors. If my life isn’t shaped by what I claim is my theology, then in truth I don’t believe it. Someone who is a christian in name only is deceiving him or herself, because what you believe is exposed by what you do. 

Jesus explains this with the illustration of fruit. “So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” So, if you claim to be a Christian, and yet you willingly live in sin and persist in it, going against what God’s word teaches us, then the proof is in the pudding, the fruits reveal that you’re not a Christian. Do note that this only goes one way, however; a person who does good works isn’t necessarily a Christian. You can’t tape good fruit to a dead tree in order to make the tree alive.

Rather, first you get a living and healthy tree in order to produce good fruit. Jesus says: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

Jesus grafts us into Himself, the vine, so that we may be alive in Him, and we therefore bear fruit by virtue of being attached to Him. We are attached to Him through His word. God’s Word is what shapes us and makes us Christians, it changes our hearts and our minds, and fashions us after His likeness. Being made in the likeness of God, we live godly lives and prove to be His disciples. Theology has consequences!

But how does this help us confront this rapidly changing postmodern world? For one thing, remember that this world is the devil’s kingdom, and there is no such thing as an earthly utopia. That’s not going to change, but if you understand how the devil is attacking you and others, it gives you a leg up in avoiding his assaults. Since the devil is very successfully convincing many people that objective universal truth doesn’t exist, that we define our own reality, we need to root out all postmodernism from our hearts and minds. It’s incredible how pervasive and deep rooted it is. But when God’s Word abides in you, and has consequences in your life, when you are defined by Him, then you are one more soul not possessed by the devil, and that makes a difference. Maybe you can’t fix the world, or even a single other person, but if God’s Word possesses you and shapes you, that’s enough because that in and of itself is a powerful victory against the devil. Jesus died for you and redeemed you, that’s a victory, don’t forget it.

Additionally, you being a doer of God’s Word and not a hearer only, experiencing the consequences of theology in your life, does positively influence others. “Keep your conduct among the gentiles honorable… that they may see your good deeds and glorify God.” When others see that you don’t try to define your own truth, but that you conform your life to the truth that God teaches, then they will see what a good life actually looks like. Remember, God is good, so when He shapes us according to His will, our lives will be good and rightly ordered. This world is chaotic, people are miserable and lonely, so when you have something that is actually good, others will see it and want it for themselves. 

Being a doer of the Word, shaped by God, blesses both you and others. God has redeemed you for such a time as this; there’s no better time for you to be alive than today, because God put you here. Therefore rejoice! The world is looking for truth inside their depraved hearts, but you look to Jesus who is the way, the truth, and the life; you know the truth and the truth sets you free. Theology has consequences, namely, your redemption. 

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!