Expert: Marilyn - 1/3/2009

Question
I have a maybe a simple question that bothers me a little bit.

In our church we have a new pastor who graduated with 2 master degrees in Theology and now is doing his PhD. He went to Fuller Seminary in CA.

Now, I'm saying he's doesn't know what he is talking about. But, couple months ago He mention in his message that: we SHOULD NOT use/mention "Good morning Lord" or "Good evening Lord" as a greeting in our prayers because it is consider theological error.

His argument was that God doesn't see night or day, for He created the earth, and the earth rotates upon the axis of the sun. And our time and His time are VERY different. And in Him there's only light and no darkness. So somewhat he felt embarrass when the elders prayed in front of the church and we have guest pastors coming.
He's thinking that the guest pastors might be thinking that our pastor is not teaching the right theology to the congregation.

As for me, I'm left neutral.
Whats your take?

Answer
Hello Jack;

The Lord looks upon the heart, I Samuel 16:7.  Samuel had to learn this when it came time to anoint a son of Jesse as king of Israel.  Jesse had to learn it too.  He'd lined up all his sons save the youngest whom he hadn't even bothered to call in from the field. Samuel found the young men all strong and intelligent, but God rejected each one and commanded the youngest son be brought forward.  Samuel didn't get it, these young men all seemed fine to him. "The LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.  The LORD does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.""  

Jesus repeatedly brought people face to face with their intentions.  The rich man who asked Jesus how to be saved claimed to have obeyed all the Law and Jesus didn't argue with him, but when He told the fellow he had to sell all his stuff, he turned away.  Jesus saw that this good man loved his wealth too much and challenged him to give it up for God, he couldn't.  To all practical purposes this would be a man of high standing in the church.  Someone virtually faultless in everything, but his heart did not belong to God.

Jesus constantly hammered people who were technicalists.  People who wanted technical perfection even at the expense of mercy.  Legalists whom Jesus described as "white washed tombs," men who count their mustard seeds to make sure their tithe is absolutely correct, but don't have time to help their folks fix the garden gate and claim they're broke because of paying their tithe so they can't buy a new appliance for fixed income parents.  Such a man loves the feeling, the superiority, obedience to the letter of the law gives him more than anything, Matthew 23.  

Healing on the Sabbath was a huge issue for these men.  In John 5 Jesus told a lame man to pick up his bed roll and walk.  The man obeyed.  After 30 years, the man is delighted to walk, God is delighted that the man is healed, but the Pharisees were annoyed to discover this fellow "working" on the Sabbath.  Jesus constantly butted heads with these men insisting on doing miracles at the most inconvenient moments, calling Himself the "Son of God," etc. In John 10 it got to the point where these technicalists prepared to stone Jesus.  

Jesus asked in John 10:32, "For which of these miracles do you stone Me?"  "We are not stoning You for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God," verse 33.  Jesus refers them to Psalm 82 in which God explains how He's the Over-King of men and men are gods of the earth.  In this Psalm God spells out the duties of little "g" gods:  "...defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.  Rescue the weak and needy, deliver them from the hand of the wicked..."  Don't see anything there about technicalities of any type.  Nothing mentioned about sprinkling as opposed to dunking or "good morning" as opposed to something else...mercy before technicalities is a common theme of the Old Testament and one Jesus hammered constantly.  

Further, the Bible says things like "four corners of the earth," and mentions sun rising and setting.  God certainly knows that the earth is a sphere and the sun neither "rises in the east" nor "sets in the west."  Numbers 15:38, the "borders" of the earth; Ezekiel 7:2, "four corners" and again in Isaiah 11:12 "four corners;" Job 37:3 and 38:13 "ends" of the earth.  God isn't confused, but often poetic language gets the point across faster and better than a scientific pronouncement would ever manage.  

Hence, I'd say God isn't bothered by technicalities. He's not perturbed by persons opening prayer with "Good morning," or "Good evening."  He'll be looking at the man's heart.  If in the elder's world "good morning" is simply the polite way to begin a conversation, which I assume is the case, then God is delighted to be addressed with respect because that is the intention of the elder's heart.  

Often persons who've been given a revelation will become technicalists for awhile until they see they're hurting people through their legalism and learn from their mistakes.  Zeal for the Law must be tempered with mercy.  This preacher will eventually learn this, but for now he's on fire with revelation and can't see his mistakes.  Pray for the man and grant him the mercy he needs until God gets him straightened out.

Sincerely,

Marilyn