I’ve talked about this recently and it’s someting that is still on my mind. In fact I think it’s something the Lord is even speaking to many of you as well. I want to know what you think: To you what does it mean to have sincerity with application?
7 Comments »
Dem's fightin' words...
Matthew Berry said:
I think Joel 2:13 is an excellent “diving board” into the meaning of that statement, Shawn.
Joel 2:13 (ESV)
“…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.
I think the problem that Israel had 3000 years ago still plagues the church today. It’s so easy to look sincere, cry during the worship songs, and pledge to make changes - only to forget about that pledge the next day or week. Believe me, I’ve been there.
It is the equivalent to rending your garments, but not your heart. That’s what Joel’s message was about. There were plenty of kings (Throughout 1/2 Kings) who heard the word of the Lord, tore their garments in repentance, but ended up going back to idolatry by the end of their lives.
They tried to reform themselves from the outside in.
Sincerity with application is the rending of the heart. It may be preceded or followed by the garments, but it is primarily a heart response. The grieving is primarily an internal, effectual, applicable change that comes about from the inside out.
This is what we (I) need in this day. When the word of the Lord comes to us, we need respond with a sincerity that leads to a lasting change. Application - by definition - means to take a concept and manifest it or bring it to bear on a particular issue.
Example:
Sincerity with application - God has convicted me about my prayerless lifestyle so I am going to make a conscious change today and never look back.
In all actuality, I don’t think you can have sincerity without application.
Perhaps I’ll answer your question with a question:
If someone says they’re sincere about repentance, but not willing to change their lifestyle is that person really sincere?
Sincere - open and genuine; not deceitful
From the sounds of it, perhaps we’re deceiving ourselves if we think we can be sincere without any practical application?
Love you, bro! I love your website!
Posted on March 17, 2007 at 2:40 pm
{Shawn} said:
@ Matthew: I never even thought about this in context to Joel 2. That is excellent. And I love how you said that perhaps we are deceiveing ourselves if we think we can be sincere without practical application. That is something to chew on…
And welcome to FTSA. I hope to see you around more.
Posted on March 17, 2007 at 3:16 pm
Whitney said:
First off I want to say you did excellent with the seminar @ onething sacramento… I think I filled up like half of my journal…
I have always kind of viewed sincerity with application as walking the talk. You can always go around saying that you are something but until you act on your words its nothing. I agree with Matthew in that we are probably deceiving ourselves if we think we are sincere without application.
Posted on March 19, 2007 at 12:31 am
Sincerity with Application - matthew & elisa said:
[…] newly made blogging buddy of mine, Shawn Blanc, posed an excellent question last week on his site: Fighting to Stay Awake: To you what does it mean to have sincerity with […]
Posted on March 19, 2007 at 6:54 am
Ryan Couch said:
Interesting thoughts. How about this?
What does it mean to have application without sincerity?
Posted on March 19, 2007 at 11:57 am
Matthew Berry said:
Application without sincerity? Hmm…
Will you apply something if you aren’t sincere? Is sincerity a prerequisite to demonstrate application?
From the Princeton Dictionary:
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
- earnestness: an earnest and sincere feeling
- the quality of being open and truthful; not deceitful or hypocritical; “his sincerity inspired belief”; “they demanded some proof of my sincerity”
- a quality of naturalness and simplicity; “the simple sincerity of folk songs”
- seriousness: the trait of being serious; “a lack of solemnity is not necessarily a lack of seriousness”- Robert Rice
Perhaps application without sincerity would result in a forced change that, while valid on the outside, would not be sincere internally.
In my own life, I have attempted to change my outward actions while my heart was still rebellious on the inside. To others, I appeared to be sincere in my actions; however, in all reality I was a fake.
Do you guys agree. What do you think?
Posted on March 19, 2007 at 12:50 pm
{Shawn} said:
Application without Sincerity = White Washed Tombs
Posted on March 19, 2007 at 9:09 pm