Editor’s Note: This is an introduction to the topic of simplicity. Simplicity has generally been known to those of the religious left persuasion (Ron Sider, Richard Foster), since they feel that simplicity goes hand in hand with their socialist agendas. Though strongly disagreeing with the economic and social implications of Sider and Foster, yet, I have found some of their thoughts to be helpful in this area (particularly Foster’s: Freedom of Simplicity). My goal here is to reclaim simplicity as a universal Christian mandate. However, my attempt to explain simplicity may differ with various expositions of it in the past years. This is only meant as a Sunday School introduction. It was delivered at New Life Presbyterian on November 11th.
There are many simple questions to consider when thinking about the topic of simplicity in the Christian life. But what may appear to be simple, may however, turn out to be a simplistic attempt to simplify the theology of simplicity. If simplicity is as simple as some simple-minded people say it is, they why aren’t there more simple people roaming around the church. Why do people live such complicated lives? Why is the Christian life so hectic and so filled with un-simplistic answers to life’s great dilemmas?
This is what I will try to tackle in the next 30 minutes or so and then open the floor to some of your insights. As a brief observation, when I speak of simplicity of Christian living, I am not speaking about the idea of simple-mindedness which Proverbs so often rebukes. Rather, simplicity is living in the sight of God in wisdom and in understanding.
Many of you here come from backgrounds where life was summarized in three words: eat, sleep and procreate. Sure, there was work, but work was only a sub-category under one of the three. Others here come from backgrounds where your parents had to work so hard to feed you, that there was never a time when you remember sitting with your family for dinner. There was no moment to pause and think about family life; there were other priorities.
Before we continue with this brief discourse, let me give you my definition of “simplicity.”
Simplicity is the ability to work and worship without exhaustion[1] or legalism.
By work, I refer to our daily jobs as businessman, lawyers, truck drivers, home-schooling moms, etc. and by worship; I refer to Sabbath worship, weekly meditation, nurturing our children in the law of the Lord and in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I am suggesting that there is something wrong with our work ethic if it leads us to constant exhaustion or being burnt out and that there is something wrong with our worship if it leads to legalism.
First, let me try to develop a little context to the discussion of simplicity. There are some fundamental questions that need to be answered before we can venture into a proper perspective on simplicity. This is what simplicity is NOT:
a) Simplicity is not abandoning the world or embracing the doctrine of “escapism.” The world is getting worse, so why not just move to the mountains. To live a simple life does not mean that we remove ourselves from society and politics and stop paying our taxes. We still have a dominion mandate that has never been abrogated.
b) Simplicity of life does not mean opposition to capitalism. We believe that “money” is the cause of all sorts of evil and that it is not evil in and of itself. Think of the benefits of rich Christians in donating to start hospitals, churches, helping the poor, etc. So our society needs wealthy Christians to uphold it. We need hard working Christians who know their role in God’s kingdom.
c) Simplicity does not mean a rejection of technology. Technology has served to produce radio stations in third world countries where the gospel can be heard, produce transportation, help communication between friends and family, etc. Continue reading “A Theology of Simplicity, Part 1”