As If
Isaiah 58:1-12; Matthew 5:13-20[1]
If you’re familiar with the twelve-step movement, you’ll know
that one of the principles for recovering a healthy pattern of living is called
“acting as if.” In many cases, the way we feel or even our own thoughts are
unreliable guides to healthy living. How many of us have skipped exercising
because we just didn’t “feel” like it? Or how many of us have rationalized
getting a second plate of food? The recovery movement recognizes that sometimes
we have to take the actions we know to be right, establishing habits that are
healthy, whether we “feel” like it or not. And when you “act as if” in this
way, often your feelings and thoughts will follow your actions.
By contrast, “acting as if” is not a healthy way to approach
spirituality. In fact, I would say that some of the worst atrocities committed
in the name of God throughout history have been perpetrated by those who were
“acting as if” they were devout believers. I think of the Salem witch trials in
the early days of this country. Or the crusades, where the motto “God wills it”
referred to the slaughter of Muslim men, women and children. And those simply
seeking to wield power over communities and even nations have not hesitated to
“act as if” they were motivated solely by their devotion to God. “Acting as if”
has no place in the life of faith.
In our lesson from Isaiah for today, the prophet rebukes the
people for “acting as if” they were sincerely devoted to God. They went through
all the right “motions” of seeking God, but their actions betrayed their true
motives: it was all about themselves and their own interests (Isa. 58:3). In
fact, the prophet scolds them for thinking their “worship” of God was
consistent with things like abusing their workers (very likely by withholding
their rightful pay), quarreling and violence, and treating others with contempt
and vicious gossip (Isa. 58:3-4, 9). This kind of “worship” of God was only a
tragic form of “acting as if.”
But the prophet warned them that kind of spirituality is worse
than a sham. Not only were they fooling themselves, more than that they were
taking the Lord’s name in vain! In fact, when the prophets speak about the
people blaspheming God’s name, it had nothing whatsoever to do with uttering
any curse phrases. Rather, it was the fact that they claimed to be a people
devoted to God, but their actions contradicted God’s explicit truth. They were
“taking the Lord’s name in vain” because others would judge the character of
God by the character of those who claimed to be his people. When we “talk the
talk” but don’t “walk the walk,” we not only fool ourselves, we dishonor God.
The kind of spirituality that God has always sought is one that
originates with our hearts being aligned with God’s ways. And it takes shape in
actions that relieve human suffering in the real world. In our lesson from
Isaiah, the prophet defines what this looks like in specific terms: they were
to restore justice to the powerless, they were to feed the hungry, they were to
show mercy to the destitute, they were to provide clothing for the naked, and
they were to break every chain that kept the “outcasts” bound in misery and
remove every burden that crushed the poor. In many ways and through many voices
the Bible insists that those who truly know God will love others by practicing
this kind of justice and mercy toward all, most especially the least and the
last and the left out.
There’s another important word in our scripture readings for
today: “unless.” Jesus said “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the
scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 5:20).
I like the way the Good News Bible puts it: “you will be able to enter the
Kingdom of heaven only if you are more faithful … in doing what God requires” (TEV). In other words, a true relationship
with God will show itself in consistently living according to God’s character,
God’s truth, and God’s ways. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus goes on to speak
about what that looks like in a way similar to the prophet. He doesn’t just
warn against harmful actions, but also harmful attitudes. For Jesus as well,
merely acting “as if” doesn’t cut it!
In fact, the Bible reserves its harshest warnings of judgment
for those who merely put on a show of being faithful to God. There has always
been a temptation to wrap oneself in the external appearance of being
spiritual. And the temptation has been to judge one’s relationship with God
based on these outward trappings of religion. But merely going through the
motions without a heart that is truly devoted to God and God’s ways is not only
dishonest, it also dishonors God. Throughout history, leaders of all stripes
have engaged in this kind of mockery of what is truly right in God’s sight. And
throughout history, God’s prophets have consistently called them out for their
hypocrisy.
There is no room for “acting as if” in the Christian life. In
truth, however, we all do it to some extent. But one of the hard lessons of
Isaiah is that when the worship of God does not lead us to respect and restore
the dignity and well-being of our brothers and sisters in the human family, it
is not the worship of God! Sharing the love we have received from God is the
only criterion for evaluating the genuineness of our faith according to
Scripture. If our faith is real, we will continue to work at loving God enough
to love others—even our “enemies.” If it’s real, we will not be content with
“acting as if,” we will take practical steps to put love into action.
[1] ©
Alan Brehm. A sermon delivered by Rev. Dr. Alan Brehm on 2/9/2020 at Hickman
Presbyterian Church, Hickman, NE.
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