“I HAVE CONFIDENCE in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine” (Gal. 5:10). This is one of those passages that has an invitation and a warning in it. It contains an invitation to be so identified with the Lord that our views are His views. Paul apparently felt that, and in this matter he was right, profoundly right. We see that the requirement of circumcision along with the Christian faith would have been a tragic blunder. It would have crippled the Christian faith through the ages.
This statement also has a warning in it, however, a warning not to assume that our views are necessarily in the Lord. Our views may be reflected customs or a manifestation of our egoism turned religious. They may be leftover prejudices from the years; they may be not in the Lord, but “in my class,” “in my denomination,” “in me.” We may project our subconscious desires into views which we then believe are in the Lord. Or our views may be rooted in ignorance, and we may believe them to be in the Lord.
For instance, in my morning mail I found a letter from a disturbed pastor taking me to task for my reply to the question, “What do you think of the idea of the assumption of the Virgin Mary?” I had replied, “It is an assumption.” This pastor asked, “Does this mean that you do not believe in the Virgin Birth?” He was sure he was in the Lord when he asked that question, but he was only in a misconception, for the assumption of Mary refers to her being taken up to heaven without death!
This is flagrant, but many of our assumptions of being in the Lord may be subtle and hidden, and therefore more dangerous. Even identification with Him in full surrender may not mean that all our views are in the Lord. Our views are made up of information plus judgment, and both may be wrong and yet we are still in the Lord.
Dear God, cleanse me from the secret fault of assuming I’m right in my views when only my heart is right in Thee. May the Spirit of Truth constantly correct my views and may I be humble enough to heed. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: Today I shall distinguish where necessary between my views and the good news.
