To Do and Be Undone

One of the most difficult things about understanding Christian doctrine is the many paradoxes that exist. These are things that are at tension with one another, yet somehow (often quite logically) coexist. Some examples of this would be life coming from death, the tension between sovereignty and free-will or sovereignty and prayer, grace and works, the incarnation (Jesus' God/man-ness), the flesh and the spirit, joy in suffering, etc. Many of the tensions that arise from these "paradoxes" can be relieved to some extent as has been evidenced through the work of the various theologians in the Church's history. Others have existed with the same amount of tension since the inception of the Church.

A series of messages at our church recently brought to mind (unintentionally it seems) perhaps another tension, or paradox, in the Christian life.

Obedience is the result of a choice to comply with the directions of another. Obedience requires decision, a conscious determination to do what has been commanded or requested by another rather than doing the opposite of that command or request. To obey is to choose to comply with a directive, to dis-obey is to display the absence of obedience, to choose non-compliance. In the New Testament, u(pakoh/ ‎is the noun typically used to indicate obedience. It means to make a religious decision or perform a religious act which springs from, or is the outworking of, faith. It is the opposite of a(marti/a ‎ (i.e. sin) and parakoh/ ‎ (i.e. disobedience, unwillingness to hear). The word is actually derived etymologically from the preposition u(po ("under") and the verb (in noun form here) a)kouvw ("to hear"). It is to "under-hear," to "hearken to," to "hear and do." It is exemplified in the person and work of Christ‎ (Rom. 5:19).

The Old Testament presents a contrast of the "hear and ignore" v. "hear and do" principle. The Israelites in the Exodus demonstrate this quite well in Ex. 32 in comparison with Ex. 40. In Ex. 32, after Moses delayed from coming down from the mountain, the people grew impatient and decided to form a god for themselves to worship, attributing the deeds of YHWH to this idol. They began to worship this idol and "rose up to play," which may indicate that they were either engaging in joyful feasting and mocking (perhaps of Moses or YHWH), or that they were participating in some type of cultic orgy. Regardless, it is clear that they were quite pleased with their decision to worship this idol.

In contrast, Ex. 39-40 paints the picture of Israel's obedience (hearing and doing) to YHWH in the raising of the tabernacle. The people of Israel did all the work that YHWH had commanded to the exact specifications that he had given them. Because of this YHWH blessed the people of Israel and his presence was in their midst.

These two passages evidence the contrast between "hear and ignore" and "hear and do." The first results in pain and disappointment, the second in joy and blessing. The first came from a choice to hear a command and ignore it (dis-obedience), while the second was the result of hearing and doing (obedience).

So wherein lies the tension or the paradox?

Along with the command for the God-follower to obey his standards (to hear and do), we are also instructed to submit to God (his will, Word, and Spirit). Jam. 4:7 tells us we are to "submit therefore to God" (u(pota/ghte ou@n tw=| qew=|). The word for submission (u(pota/ghte) means a renunciation of initiative or acquiescencance. It is to subordinate one's self.

Herein lies the tension (and a healthy one at that):

Obedience is hearing and doing, "under-hearing," making a choice to do what is requested.
Submitting is a renunciation of initiative, relinquishing one's rights, abiding in or under another.

The first requires activity, the second demands passivity. They are at tension, but a healthy and cooperative one.

After a reflection upon these two concepts, it struck me that a full and faithful Christian life fails without both of these activities being present. To live in Christ is to both actively choose good and passively submit to it. It requires obedience and self-discipline on our part - training if you will- to be ready in season and out, fully equipped for the work of God, but it also requires self-surrender, not the lack of discipline, but rather the relinquishing of our initiative. It requires that we both do and undo... or rather that we do and be undone. We must both actively train and exercise spiritually, building up our spiritual ability and stamina, while releasing all of our ability knowing that we are nothing, have nothing, and can do nothing (good at least) apart from the in-working and through-working of God.

The tension is unresolvable, one cannot properly function without the other. We cannot train ourselves and choose what is right if we are not submitted to God. We cannot do without simultaneously being undone. We cannot work without relinquishing our will to the Master.

We also cannot, however, submit and relinquish without taking any initiative on our own to do what God requires. We must be ready and choose good as we simultaneously relinquish our will to God.

So... why the tension? If I had to give a one-word answer, I suppose it would be humility.... but thankfully I don't!

Perhaps the best picture of this comes to us again from the Pentateuch.

God chose to bring his people Israel into the land of Canaan, the Promised Land. It was a good land, full of good things. But it was also a fragile land. It was a natural land bridge, an area of high traffic that was essentially the only good and safe way of travel between Egypt and Mesopotamia. It was thus also a strategically desirable land, one that any kingdom would wish to have for itself in order to control the commerce of the area. In addition, it was also a land heavily dependant upon rain for its survival. So why would God place them here, in a place that inherently favors instability? Deut. 28 gives us some insight. In the passage on the blessings and cursings, Deut. 28:12 tells us that a blessing for obedience (hear and do) is that "The LORD will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand," while 28:24 states that a curse for disobedience (hear and ignore) is that "The LORD will make the rain of your land powder and dust; from heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed."

So why would YHWH place his people in such a fragile land? Was it merely to torture them when they did something he did not approve of?

Not likely. The reason that Israel was brought into this particular land with all its potential for instability was so they would be dependent upon YHWH and not upon themselves. It was to create an environment where they could both do and be undone, obey and submit, comply and relinquish. It was in this way that the conditions were right for them to thrive spiritually, and if they rejected YHWH, the instability of the land (drought and invasion) would be their corrective to call them back to YHWH.

Thus the reason for the tension between doing and being undone is for our good. We must be ready at all times, tending to our vessel so it can be used by God, but we must also submit to him in order for him to use us. We must do and be undone.