“Biblical orthodoxy without
compassion is surely the ugliest thing in the world.”
—Francis Schaeffer
—Francis Schaeffer
When Jesus “saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like
sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things” (Mark
6:34). Just as easily, Jesus could have condemned
the crowd for their sins and preached judgment due to that sin. He would have been correct, or as Schaeffer says,
within “Biblical orthodoxy.”
But, Jesus “began teaching them many things.”
No doubt, He taught things about heaven, things about salvation, things about grace, and things about eternity with God. Christ’s compassion, I’m sure, included teaching things that would keep one eternally lost and without the Shepherd. It is compassion for the lost that lets you see great things as God’s Spirit enables your witness and words to teach things with Biblical orthodoxy—in a way that isn’t “the ugliest thing in the world.”
No doubt, He taught things about heaven, things about salvation, things about grace, and things about eternity with God. Christ’s compassion, I’m sure, included teaching things that would keep one eternally lost and without the Shepherd. It is compassion for the lost that lets you see great things as God’s Spirit enables your witness and words to teach things with Biblical orthodoxy—in a way that isn’t “the ugliest thing in the world.”
Teaching many things—for your
eternity,
Owen <><
Compassion
for someone to live in the eternal presence of God is the basis of Jesus’
desire (Luke 19:10) and the task He has given you and me (Mt 28:18-20, Acts
1:8).
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