“Yet even now,” declares the LORD,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and he relents over disaster.
In Joel’s day (and even still today) a sign of great mourning and grief was to tear your garments. It wasn’t that they’d bust out into Hulk Hogan’s 
“I’m a Real American Hero” and rip up their camel-haired cloaks to shreds. It was usually a slit from bottom to top that indicated deep grief.
Over the years, however, the practice itself became more cathartic than symbolic. In other words whenever they would begin feeling guilt or grief they wouldn’t actually experience deep heart anguish. Instead they’d very quickly go to their garments and start tearing. They had developed what Michael Horton rightly calls a therapeutic worldview, where:
there is no sin and guilt to be forgiven by God but only burdens and feelings of guilt for failing to live up to the expectations of oneself or other human being. (Horton,Christless Christianity, 43)
I often wonder if things like Facebook and blogging aren’t similar to rending our garments instead of our hearts. How often do we see Facebook statuses that are merely a means to “get something off my chest”? It’s the modern day rending of the garment.
And just as it was in the day of the Joel rending a garment is a way to communicate to others that junk is going on in your life. Usually a good number of people will leave comments and condolences. And if you aren’t susceptible of your own heart you can become a pity junkie. You can find solace and camaraderie around elements of the Fall instead of finding hope and joy in light of our ever increasing Redemption.
If there is real sin and guilt in your life then you need to deal with by taking it to the Cross and not to your Facebook or Twitter account. No matter if it’s real or false guilt you need to know that a pity party and encouragement from all of your Facebook peeps isn’t going to help you in the end. The shame you feel is too deep of a wound to be healed by a “like” button, a pithy statement, or a couple of shares. You need realredemption from a real God that is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and saves you from a very real hell.
Therefore, rend your hearts and not your Facebook status. The temporary catharsis of getting something off your chest won’t cut it. The Lord is actively engaged in rescuing your entire heart and not just those little follies and foibles that you are comfortable enough to make public. Jesus intends to conquer every sin that He died for. Now, that is something worth blogging and tweeting about.
And we still need a “Like” button……
There’s a “Like” button on the left sidebar.
AHA!!!
There is so much about Facebook that I love – getting in contact with old friends and such.
But there is also so much that is annoying about it.
Good thoughts, Mike.
Facebook is like a firearm, an edged weapon, or skills with open hands. It is as good or as bad as the man or woman using it.
Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl between UCF vs. Ball St. is another FOOTBALL where the Bowl has holes in it ’cause. . . . no SEC NATION is involved.
But, I have discovered something to take the place of holiday TV boredom ’til 12-30-12 when VANDY cranks up a real Bowl game when they beat up on NC STATE.
It is Duck Dynasty. It is about Louisiana Rednecks who have advanced academic degrees and made a lot of money making Duck Calls. These guys eat frogs and squirrels and blow up beaver dams. I love these guys.
Just goes to prove that even though DUCKS can’t play FOOTBALL they can make funny TV shows.
You should hear them preach. Check them out on youtube.
Duckman Dale,
I took you up on checking out the preaching of the Duck Dynasty guys. A very pleasant surprise. Thanks.
Something to consider:
http://deliveredbygrace.com/?p=3292
Mike Leake,
I picked up on that myself. However the guy (Phil) did preach the gospel.
He did preach that one must repent and believe the gospel of Christ. He actually preached the gospel better and more accurately than many Southern Baptist guys I have heard, especially in the last few years.
He is also bold enough to share the faith openly and in a confrontational manner. That is also something lacking in many Southern Baptist preachers in recent years.
I agree, it is regretful that he does adhere to a theological predisposition that baptism is of a necessity to complete one’s salvation experience. But, at least he does not preach that a guy can just wake up saved without repentance and faith in the biblical gospel like a lot of Southern Baptist guys do today.
Let me also say that through the years, I have run into some Church of Christ guys who preach the gospel and I tend to believe they are brothers.
On the other hand, I must say I have run into a lot of Southern Baptist guys who did not preach the gospel. They would fit well with the liberal Disciples of Christ easily. Some of them taught in Southern Baptist seminaries, some were Southern baptist missionaries, some were employes of Southern Baptist entities, such as LifeWay and other agencies.
However, I do agree. I wish the Duck Dynasty guys would get away from the baptismal regeneration idea. But one thing is sure. I doubt they would stand before a seminary class and deny the inerrancy of Scripture or say repentance was not necessary for salvation.
I figured you guys would pick up on the CofC stuff. One of my best friends in ministry is a CofC preacher. Some attitudes are changing, though we still disagree on baptism. And I consider him and those who preach the Gospel to be brothers in Christ.
And considering the absolute garbage of reality TV, they’re a welcome respite. When’s the last time you watched a show where there wasn’t constant bleeping of profanity?
Duckman Dale,
I tend to agree with you here. Years ago when I would have dealings with Church of Christ guys , the encounter was kinda like wrestling with an alligator. In recent years, I have noticed a change in some Church of Christ leaders. (Not all and especially not the hardcore Campbellite types. They remind me of hardcore, redneck, KJV Only, Baptist guys and true Landmarkers.)
I cannot prove what I am about to state here, but I think some of the change (positive) in some Church of Christ pastors has occurred since the CR in the SBC and the entry of Barry McCarty into SBC life as Chief Parliamentarian from the time Charles Stanley was President of the SBC.
I realize that is just a theory on my part, but I tend to believe that the CR not only saved the SBC from total destruction at the hands of theological dwarves and liberals, but helped other denominations to move toward a biblical theology as well.
Anyway (and I realize that this is a long comment), I agree with you that the Duck Dynasty is a decent show that I can even let my daughters watch (can’t let them watch much these days) and I think Phil, Willie, and Jase all preached the gospel in the videos I watched.
Maybe someday they will do a Wild Game Dinner with Dr. Patterson and he can get them completely straight on baptism and ecclesiology.
I’m with you. I don’t know McCarty, but I believe there are those of his like along with the Max Lucado types who’ve helped bring about some change. In our community, it is somewhat generational. the old folks still say the rest of us are going to hell. Those who are younger, say in their 60’s and under, tend to be much less staunch. We even have some CofC churches around here who allow music to be played on instruments. There also seems to be a change in their view of baptism. I’m not really sure what it is, but there’s a move away from the old Campbellite doctrines.
Duckman Dale,
I think you have hit upon a tangible indicator of positive change in your mention of some CoC churches allowing the use of musical instruments in worship. I remember some conversations I had in years past when the use of musical instruments in worship to a CoC guy seemed to be a sin similar to blasphemy, adultery or, murder.
For some reason I can’t post from my computer. A good analysis is found at grace centered.com. The article is “What is Happening to Churches of Christ.”
Thanks. I will check it out.
Duckman Dale,
I read the article. It is interesting. Obviously, change is occurring in places other than the SBC.