Worthy or Unworthy?
This week, I began my first two graduate-level classes for college. One is a ministry of teaching class, the other is an intro. to human services. I am enjoying them both a lot. But some of the concepts in my human services class have really struck me.
This week, we are studying about the history of human services, including how the ideology of the Puritans and social Darwinism have affected "our" viewpoint of poverty. Both ideologies teach that in order to be following God's (or nature's) plan, one must be financially well-to-do. The Puritan work ethic is based upon the idea that God's elect will show they are God's elect through their physical work. In short, if a person is poor, that is a sign that this person is not saved. Social Darwinism, based upon the philosophy of survival of the fittest, promotes the idea that the fittest - the one able to work and be well-off financially - is the one that nature deems worthy of survival. Therefore, poverty is a sign that the poor are not, in fact, "the fittest." These ideologies led to an idea (that is still prevalent today) of who is the "worthy poor" and who is the "unworthy poor." (Needless to say, the idea of the "worthy poor" expanded when the middle class was hit by the Great Depression. Experience has a way of making us rethink our preconceived notions).
This morning, my Bible study led me to Acts 4. In Acts 3, Peter and John, by the power of Jesus, heal a lame beggar. In Chapter 4, they are questioned by the scribes as to how they healed this man. I love Peter's response in Verses 8-10, "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, 'Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole'" (NKJV).
I added italics to the first part of Peter's statement for a reason. Did Peter really feel that he was being judged for doing a good deed? If we study the history of the scribes and Pharisees throughout the Gospels, I believe he probably did. This group was known for showing little compassion to those in need, to those who were sinners, to those who were "unworthy." We see the attitude throughout the New Testament. Anytime legalism is present, the question of who is "worthy" is there. In the Book of Romans, one group of Christians did not feel the other group of Christians was "worthy" of God's grace. In Galatians, the same idea. Later in the Book of Acts, Chapter 15, we see the Jerusalem Council (which I have blogged about regularly), which also was based upon who is or is not worthy of being called a Christian.
This study of how legalism in its various forms has shown itself throughout history should really make anyone who is a follower of Jesus question what they are questioning about others. It should make us think about our definition of who is worthy and who is unworthy; because, according to my line of thinking, all of us are pretty unworthy. That's what grace is all about.
This week, we are studying about the history of human services, including how the ideology of the Puritans and social Darwinism have affected "our" viewpoint of poverty. Both ideologies teach that in order to be following God's (or nature's) plan, one must be financially well-to-do. The Puritan work ethic is based upon the idea that God's elect will show they are God's elect through their physical work. In short, if a person is poor, that is a sign that this person is not saved. Social Darwinism, based upon the philosophy of survival of the fittest, promotes the idea that the fittest - the one able to work and be well-off financially - is the one that nature deems worthy of survival. Therefore, poverty is a sign that the poor are not, in fact, "the fittest." These ideologies led to an idea (that is still prevalent today) of who is the "worthy poor" and who is the "unworthy poor." (Needless to say, the idea of the "worthy poor" expanded when the middle class was hit by the Great Depression. Experience has a way of making us rethink our preconceived notions).
This morning, my Bible study led me to Acts 4. In Acts 3, Peter and John, by the power of Jesus, heal a lame beggar. In Chapter 4, they are questioned by the scribes as to how they healed this man. I love Peter's response in Verses 8-10, "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, 'Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole'" (NKJV).
I added italics to the first part of Peter's statement for a reason. Did Peter really feel that he was being judged for doing a good deed? If we study the history of the scribes and Pharisees throughout the Gospels, I believe he probably did. This group was known for showing little compassion to those in need, to those who were sinners, to those who were "unworthy." We see the attitude throughout the New Testament. Anytime legalism is present, the question of who is "worthy" is there. In the Book of Romans, one group of Christians did not feel the other group of Christians was "worthy" of God's grace. In Galatians, the same idea. Later in the Book of Acts, Chapter 15, we see the Jerusalem Council (which I have blogged about regularly), which also was based upon who is or is not worthy of being called a Christian.
This study of how legalism in its various forms has shown itself throughout history should really make anyone who is a follower of Jesus question what they are questioning about others. It should make us think about our definition of who is worthy and who is unworthy; because, according to my line of thinking, all of us are pretty unworthy. That's what grace is all about.
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