Question 1

How does God model flexibility and inflexibility for us?

Accepted Answer

Numbers 23:19“God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?”1 Samuel 15:29“He who is the Glory of Israel will not lie, nor will he change his mind, for he is not human that he should change his mind!”Psalm 93:5Your royal laws cannot be changed. Your reign, O Lord, is holy forever and ever.Psalm 119:152I have known from my earliest days that your laws will last forever.Isaiah 14:27“The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has spoken—who can change his plans? When his hand is raised, who can stop him?”Isaiah 31:2In his wisdom, the Lord will send great disaster; he will not change his mind. He will rise against the wicked and against their helpers.Malachi 3:6“I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed.”Matthew 5:17-18“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.”Hebrews 6:17God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind.God’s perfect plans, promises, and laws never change. Even the sacrificial laws of the Old Testament were part of God’s plan to prepare the way for Jesus. Thanks to those laws, humanity learned the gravity of sin, the impossibility of earning salvation, and the need for a sacrifice. When Jesus came, he didn’t simply get rid of the law—he fulfilled it, becoming “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).Deuteronomy 9:20“The Lord was so angry with Aaron that he wanted to destroy him, too. But I prayed for Aaron, and the Lord spared him.”Deuteronomy 10:10“As for me, I stayed on the mountain in the Lord’s presence for forty days and nights, as I had done the first time. And once again the Lord listened to my pleas and agreed not to destroy you.”2 Chronicles 12:12Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the Lord’s anger was turned away, and he did not destroy him completely. There were still some good things in the land of Judah.Psalm 86:5O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.Ezekiel 18:21-23“If wicked people turn away from all their sins and begin to obey my decrees and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die. All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done. Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.”Hosea 11:7-10“For my people are determined to desert me. They call me the Most High, but they don’t truly honor me. Oh, how can I give you up, Israel? How can I let you go? How can I destroy you like Admah or demolish you like Zeboiim? My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows. No, I will not unleash my fierce anger. I will not completely destroy Israel, for I am God and not a mere mortal. I am the Holy One living among you, and I will not come to destroy. For someday the people will follow me. I, the Lord, will roar like a lion. And when I roar, my people will return trembling from the west.”Jonah 3:5-6, 8-10The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow. . . . When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.Jonah 4:2So he [Jonah] complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people.”2 Peter 3:9The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.God’s sovereign character is consistently loving, merciful, and just, as evidenced by his redemptive mission for all humankind. God is completely inflexible about his hatred toward sin, yet quick to transform a person’s heart and eternal future if he or she simply asks forgiveness and accepts Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

Question 2

When should I be flexible?

Accepted Answer

Ezekiel 18:31“Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O people of Israel?”Romans 12:2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.Galatians 6:15It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation.We should be flexible in asking and allowing God to give us a new heart, new spirit, new mind, and new life. Rejecting God shows a rebellious, inflexible heart.Genesis 12:1, 4The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.” . . . So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.Galatians 2:2I went there because God revealed to me that I should go.James 4:13-15Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”We should be flexible with our plans, leaving room for God’s leading. It’s not wrong to make plans, but we should hold our future plans loosely. God is ultimately in charge of our destiny.1 Corinthians 9:20-23When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. . . . Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.2 Timothy 2:10So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.We should be flexible about who we interact with and be careful not to shut off opportunities that come our way. God is regularly bringing people into our lives who need to hear the Good News. Are we aware and ready?Luke 10:30-37Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’ Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”When we see someone in need, we should be flexible and generous with our time, money, and other resources.

Question 3

When should I not be flexible?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 119:2-5, 101-102Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully. Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees! . . . I have refused to walk on any evil path, so that I may remain obedient to your word. I haven’t turned away from your regulations, for you have taught me well.We cannot choose to obey or disobey God whenever it suits us. We must consistently seek to obey God. Flexibility is not a virtue when it comes to allowing sin into our lives.Galatians 1:4-7Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. All glory to God forever and ever! Amen. I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.Ephesians 4:14-15Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.We must be completely firm toward those who claim there is another way to heaven. God has provided only one way to salvation and eternal life—that is through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord (John 14:6). “Flexibility” with God’s absolute truth leaves people trapped in Satan’s lies.

Question 4

What are the dangers of being too flexible?

Accepted Answer

Exodus 23:2“You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you are called to testify in a dispute, do not be swayed by the crowd to twist justice.”Proverbs 25:26If the godly give in to the wicked, it’s like polluting a fountain or muddying a spring.Matthew 6:13“And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.”Romans 6:12-13Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.Our flexibility should never be an excuse to sin or compromise our godly convictions—whether we are in the majority or the minority.

Question 5

How can I be more flexible in responding to God?

Accepted Answer

2 Timothy 3:16-17All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.We are to use the tools of Scripture, prayer, and Christian counsel to prepare us for what God has in store for us. These resources also help us adapt to life’s changes when trials and crises come our way.Matthew 26:39, 42, 44He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” . . . Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.” . . . So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again.We can always tell God our Father what we want, but we must always be willing to do as he pleases. We can pray like Jesus, “I want your will to be done, not mine.”Isaiah 6:8Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.”Luke 1:38Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.We are to listen for, recognize, and willingly respond to God’s direction for our lives. This may lead to great changes in our lives—as it did for Isaiah and Mary. But just as God worked through Isaiah and Mary, God can do great things through any who are willing servants.Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. . . . Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.Hebrews 11:8It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.James 2:21-23Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God.God has a plan, but we can’t always see where all the pieces fit together. Often, God calls us to follow before explaining where we are going. Faith is essential to godly flexibility.Jonah 3:1-3Then the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.” This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all.James 4:11Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.1 Peter 1:14So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then.Obeying God completely allows us to be more flexible. Obeying God means following his call, wherever he might lead us.

Question 6

How can I be more flexible in my relationships?

Accepted Answer

Romans 14:1-4Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.Sometimes, we and other believers have different convictions about how to best live out our faith. Some have personal rules they follow to help resist temptation or honor God in a specific way. Some minor theological issues are full of uncertainty, and orthodox Christians hold different understandings. As long as no one is denying Scripture or following false teachings, we are called to be respectful of one another’s convictions. Ultimately, we will all be held accountable to the Lord.James 3:17The wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.With the wisdom God provides, we can learn to see others through God’s eyes. This prevents us from judging people by our own standards.2 Corinthians 13:11Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.We can reach out to others to encourage them.Genesis 13:7-9So disputes broke out between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot. (At that time Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land.) Finally Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not allow this conflict to come between us or our herdsmen. After all, we are close relatives! The whole countryside is open to you. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and we will separate. If you want the land to the left, then I’ll take the land on the right. If you prefer the land on the right, then I’ll go to the left.”Genesis 29:28So Jacob agreed to work seven more years. A week after Jacob had married Leah, Laban gave him Rachel, too.1 Kings 3:26Then the woman who was the real mother of the living child, and who loved him very much, cried out, “Oh no, my lord! Give her the child—please do not kill him!” But the other woman said, “All right, he will be neither yours nor mine; divide him between us!”We can give up something we value in order to accommodate the interests of others, even when they don’t deserve it. This offer of peace can calm the tension in a relationship and demonstrate our love for others.Ruth 1:16Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.”We can commit ourselves to another person in some special way. Commitment requires a great deal of flexibility, as we must be willing to treat the desires and needs of others above our own.1 Samuel 14:6-7“Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer. “Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!” “Do what you think is best,” the armor bearer replied. “I’m with you completely, whatever you decide.”We can serve others, even sacrificially.John 13:3-6, 12-17Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. . . . When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.”1 Timothy 5:10She must be well respected by everyone because of the good she has done. Has she brought up her children well? Has she been kind to strangers and served other believers humbly? Has she helped those who are in trouble? Has she always been ready to do good?We can be a role model of flexibility and service. Jesus washing the disciples’ feet was the ultimate example of flexibility and service: the God of the universe bending down to scrub dust and manure from travel-worn feet. Only the lowest servant was required to do such a task, but, apparently, no servant was available. Jesus saw that need and left his position of honor in order to meet it. Then he called his disciples to do the same.