It’s apparent from perusing Facebook today that some of us spend a lot of our time doing what some would call discerning, but what looks an awful lot like judging whether someone else is a son of God.
For some reason, it seems really important to know the eternal destiny of him, or her, or that guy on TV… (point your fingers whichever way you like) but the important question is not about him, it’s about me (point your finger at yourself).
So how do we know if we’re sons of God?
Romans 8:14 says, “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” It does not say some. It does not say many. This is the definitive, all-encompassing everyone. It’s not everyone without condition; it is everyone who is led by the Spirit of God.
Have you ever tried pushing a rope? It just gets all tangled up and doesn’t go anywhere. In the same way, a shepherd does not lead from behind with a prod and a whip. A shepherd goes out ahead, and his sheep follow because they know his voice and they know he cares.
If you travel to Ireland (I guess), where there are still sheep and real shepherds (I assume there are), and green hills (I’ve seen the pictures)… and stand up high on a hill and watch, you might see two shepherds on hills either side of a valley. They might be brothers who haven’t seen each other for a while.
They’d like to say, “Hello.” But there’s a problem: wherever the shepherd goes, his sheep follow. So one brother heads down off his hill to the valley below and the other meets him there. It’s chaos for the sheep when the two flocks mingle in the valley.
From a distance they all look the same. Like little puffs of black and white wool. And, as the brothers catch up, the sheep mix. And now, what were two flocks, just look like one. But the brothers aren’t worried. There is no concern for how to divide the sheep again, for the same truth that caused the problem will eventually solve it.
Wherever the shepherd goes, his sheep will follow.
So, as the brothers say goodbye and head again in opposite directions, the sheep follow, again separating themselves into two flocks.
The text says that all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Notice, it does not say that all are sons of God… but all those who submit to the Spirit’s leading.
When God goes one way and the world another, in which flock do you find yourself? This is the most important question: not Which flock is he in? (point at someone else) but Which flock am I in? (point at yourself) Because, in the end, some of us will follow the Shepherd, and some will prefer to go their own way and make their own path.
God does invite us into a relationship with Him, not to give us keener insight into the faults and failures of those around us, but keener insight into the breadth and depth of His love for all who would follow Him and become sons of God. He invites us to follow Him, to seek Him, and to know Him. And this is the most important thing.
I was happy to hear from a friend today who reads my blog, and I wanted to share a clarification: I’m not suggesting we forgo discernment. Let me, instead, suggest that the focus not be discerning the salvation of another, but, rather, the truth and application of Scripture.
Let us, for sure, call one another to righteous living. Let us challenge one another to godliness. Let us consider how we might spur one another on towards love and good deeds. But let’s not spend so much time with name-calling and suggesting we know whether or not someone else is a Christian.