GLORY DAYS
“Do not say, ‘Why were the old days better than these?’ For it is not wise to ask such questions.” – Ecclesiastes 7:10
Nostalgia has a way of sneaking up on me, sometimes it comes in the words of a favorite book, the lyrics of a song “I haven’t heard since high school,” or in a faded photo of a time when my younger self lived in a world full of possibilities and experiences.
Though I fondly recall the good old days, as a man firmly in the middle season of his life, I’ve gained enough wisdom to know that the good old days weren’t really as good or as carefree as I remember them. Perhaps Doug Larson said it best when he wrote “nostalgia is a file that smoothes away the rough edges from the good old days.”
We often romanticize the generations past as a time of great nobility when men stood boldly for the truth on important issues. We speak about a time when people really knew their Bibles and members of the church were bold in their faith. And while there may be some truth to that, these were not perfect men preaching for perfect congregations, in a perfect age. What seemed to be bold stands for truth sometimes devolved into doctrinal overreach characterized by evil speaking, dangerous judgments, petty disputes, and complete disregard for congregational autonomy.
As strong and well intentioned as we might have been, it was also a time when men became so fixated on winning debates over the issues of the day that the hearts of the people became untrained and unmoved by the core messages of scripture. Given the state of Christians today, it makes me wonder if something important wasn’t left on the battlefield.
This is to say nothing of the motives. While doubtless many if not most were responding to what they believed and understood to be the most urgent needs of the church, some courted fame and recognition, while others were marked as deserving of skepticism, public scrutiny, and derision.
Men who called for peace or appealed for the issues to be addressed locally were sometimes labeled “soft” or even marked as false teachers. We formed lists of congregations that were sound and regarded others as churches whose lampstand the Lord had surely removed. Maybe the worst offense of all was that many in the church felt unable to talk passionately and truthfully about things like grace, the Spirit, or fellowship without long expositions on what those things did not mean lest they risk being labeled as liberal or weak.
Brethren, it is never liberal nor weak to say what the bible says.
The truth is, even in the good old days Christians struggled with matters of immorality, conscience, and faith just as they do today. As another author said, nostalgia is like picking up the past and painting over the ugly parts, and then selling it for more than it’s worth. And in many ways, when we delve into and defend the church of sixty years ago that’s exactly what we’re doing.
We assume a clear black and white in a battle of good vs evil, truth vs error, right vs wrong where anything went and behaviors could be excused. But did the perception of urgency blind us to something much more dangerous. I’ve often wondered if Satan wasn’t behind the whole thing.
I am not saying that these issues of previous generations were unimportant, or that men should have been silent on the topics of doctrinal error, but it’s also true that some left little room to teach and prepare Christians for what are arguably the weightier matters.
I hear much more today about preachers who stood valiantly for the truth rather than those who taught quietly in their own congregations the whole counsel of God. One wonders if perhaps it is not time to put down the books and debates and fill up the measure of guilt?
Three Great Commandments and a Warning About Righteousness
This reflection on the past brings us to a crucial pivot point — the teachings of Christ Himself. He distilled the essence of the Law into three powerful commands. The first two, as cited in Luke 10:27, call us to love God wholeheartedly and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Yet, it is the third commandment, found in John 15:12, that cements the character of the Christian walk: “Love each other as I have loved you.” This is a love that is active, sacrificial, and unconditional, mirroring the love Christ has for us.
But Christ’s teachings did not stop at commandments; they included stark warnings against hollow righteousness. In Matthew 5:20, He warns of a righteousness that is only superficial, akin to the Pharisees’, who sought the letter of the law without grasping its spirit. Matthew 23 extends this warning, critiquing an obsession with legalistic purity that eclipsed the more profound moral imperatives of justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These Pharisees, so fixated on their own interpretations and traditions, neglected the true heart of the law and, in doing so, neglected God.
This warning resonates with poignant relevance today. Like the Pharisees, we risk becoming preoccupied with the correctness of the past, potentially leading to a rigid faith that fails to embody the love and grace central to Christ’s message. It is a cautionary tale for us, reminding us that our quest for purity must be tempered by compassion and humility — qualities that should define the church across all ages.
Every Generation Has its Battle
Whether it was in his farewell address to the Elders at Ephesus in Acts 20 or the epistles to Timothy, notably 1 Timothy 6 and 2 Timothy 3-4, Paul consistently warns of battles to be fought. These are not mere references to current struggles but foreshadowing conflicts that would arise long after he was gone.
Similarly, our generation faces battles unforeseen by our forefathers, perhaps exacerbated by previous neglect or by teachings that did not fully equip the church for the cultural and moral challenges of today. Yet, the core of our response remains unchanged. Teach!
If the gospel is still the power of God to salvation, and the scripture is still able to equip us for every work, then within its pages is the answer we need. It will not be found in defending and studying the battles of the past but in addressing the needs of the present.
Among the greatest necessities are the need to help younger generations authentically connect with Jesus, the need of every Christian to see the grace of God as an active part of their daily life, the need to engage in practical evangelism, and the need to embrace fellowship that makes all of us active participants in the lives and struggles of our brethren.
For us to win these battles we need men not who opine the nobility of a bygone era, but those who are willing to suit up in the authentic armor of God. We need men who will wage spiritual warfare not by calling out the names of those whom they fear might be false teachers but first and always through self-discipline, truth and love.
Paul’s instructions to Timothy were clear: an evangelist must conduct himself properly so that the church can fulfill its mission and live up to the calling of holding forth the message of Christ (1 Timothy 3:14).
The Best Is Yet
As we glean wisdom from both the glories and follies of our predecessors, let us forge a renewed path. Our charge is not merely to defend doctrines or to nostalgically cling to the ‘good old days,’ but to actively engage in the spiritual battles of today with love and truth as our banner.
The Church must rise to the occasion, not by entrenching itself in bygone victories or by casting a skeptical eye on the present, but by embracing the fullness of Christ’s teachings. It is time to embody the greatest commandments in our communities and interactions. In doing so, we fulfill the law in a manner that breathes life into our faith and radiates the transformative power of the gospel.
Let the battle we fight not be against the echoes of what once was, but for the hearts and souls of today’s world. Let us teach and live in such a way that the truth of Christ’s message is undeniable and irresistible. Let us extend grace as freely as we seek it, understanding that our mission is not to glorify ourselves or our interpretations but to cultivate a deep, abiding relationship with God and His creation.
In conclusion, our glory days are not behind us; they are unfolding now as we respond to Christ’s call with obedience and fervor. It is through our present struggles that we can truly demonstrate the timeless power of the gospel. Let our legacy be one of love, wisdom, and a faith that is as authentic and compelling as it is humble and inclusive. In this, we will not only honor the legacy of the apostles and the early church but also lay a foundation for future generations to build upon.