Learning to live what we say we believe

Do you know the term, “compartmentalization?” I first heard this term describing a former public figure. This person would espouse certain moral and ethical principles in some settings, and then act in a way that was contrary to these principles in other settings. Those who tried to explain the actions of this figure in a positive way said that he could “compartmentalize.” So, this public figure justified their actions by holding different values for different settings in life.

Public figures are not the only ones who can “compartmentalize.” I have heard the same description about some believers. Have you heard anyone say of a Christian they knew, “They worship on the weekend, but during the week they live a wild life!” That is another form of compartmentalization, or living a life that is inconsistent with the values we say we believe.

In my devotions on Friday I read from Genesis 12, Hebrews 7, and John 4. The first two verses talked about Abraham and the promises of God to him. The last verse talked about the early faith of a Samaritan woman. Each of these Bible readings referred to the life of faith, and thus to worship.

Following those Bible verses I read a devotion by Oswald Chambers in his classic daily devotional book, “My Utmost for His Highest.” In his devotion Chambers wrote, “There are not three stages in spiritual life-worship, waiting, and work … God’s idea is that the three should go together.” In other words, we can’t separate worship from work or waiting, or life. They all go together.

Or, said in another way, God calls for us to act in such a way that our lives show what we confess and believe in worship. Worship is not just the words spoken and the songs sung on Sunday. Our worship services are supposed to feed and strengthen us for Christian living all week long.

Unfortunately, none of us is always consistent in living what we believe. If you’re a parent and love your children, you know that there are times you could have done a better job. If you are a teacher and care about your students, you know that even when you did your best, there are some things you might have done better. As a pastor who cares about his people, no matter how hard I try or how long I work, I know there are times I could have spoken better or acted more faithfully. Every Christian knows the frustration of confessing faith in Jesus, and then living in a way that denies that faith.

So, we need a Savior. The rest of the quote from Chambers goes like this: “There are not three stages in spiritual life-worship, waiting, and work … God’s idea is that the three should go together. They were always together in the life of our Lord.” We may be inconsistent in our lives, but Jesus is trustworthy. He lived a life of perfect obedience. Jesus died in love so that we might be saved by His dying and rising.

1 John 4:1-11 says: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” Jesus acted in selfless love to save us from our sins, our inconsistencies. When we know and live in the saving love of Jesus, then our lives become more what we confess in worship.

May God’s love so move us that our lives cause others to say, “That person really lives what they say they believe.”

Jonathan Rockey is pastor at St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer.