Jacked-Up Faith

Have you ever noticed how messed up our understanding of Scripture is? I have been visiting a lot of church websites and realized that it’s found even among staff. Often, sites have brief bios for staff, sometimes even favorite Scripture verses. Let’s use one of those that seems to recur consistently, Jeremiah 29:11,

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Doesn’t that sound wonderfully encouraging? God has plans for your life and they are plans you will like a whole lot. He loves you so much that He will make you healthy and successful. Wow! You’re something special!

Maybe you know that this verse comes from a message to Judah while they are in captivity in Babylon. That’s a step in the right direction. But that should cause you to ask yourself whether or not the “promises” of 29:11 even apply to you or to your current circumstances.

Let’s pretend for a moment that they do. I don’t think they do, clearly from the context, but I believe that they reveal something of the character and will of God, so there is some relevance. Isn’t it funny that we only list v.11 as one we find important? Look at some additional Scripture from that passage,

This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." Jeremiah 29:4-7

Oh my. Did you catch v.7? Seek the peace and prosperity of the city, Babylon! Pray to the Lord concerning it. And how should you pray? That He would judge your oppressors? That He would make them Jews (or Christians)? Nope! Pray for the prosperity of the city. Because then, and only then, will you prosper.

The context of Jeremiah 29:11 is missional instruction to God’s people, how they are to behave while they are in pagan captivity. This verse should be understood in light of the covenant faithfulness of God. He is sovereignly working out a plan for the redemption of all peoples. Those who are His, He uses to expand His Kingdom influence. Even when they have gone astray and followed godless leaders, He will not destroy them, because He is faithful. Yes, they will suffer discipline for blindly, even selfishly following leaders who tickled their ears. But His sovereign plan advances, even in Babylon. And once they have been punished, He will restore them to their mission in the land, the mission which they had abandoned in favor of selfish idolatry.

So, when we are taught that Jeremiah 29:11 all about God’s guarantee of goodies and comfort, when we believe that the gospel is about us rather than about His glory, aren’t we really committing the same sin that landed Judah in Babylon? The next time you are told and tempted to believe that God wants you to be wealthy and comfortable, take another look at the life Jesus lived. See if you can find prosperity. Is there a lot of physical comfort, especially toward the climax of His story? Then, let His words resonate deep in your soul,

Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." John 20:21