Balancing the Person and Principles of Christ

By Dale M Sides

It seems that Christianity struggles between extremes. Some believers magnify the importance of the Spirit above the Word while others exalt the Word above the Spirit. Some groups mandate strict adherence to laws and regulations while others float along with little or no care for guidelines—whether right or wrong. Some dogmatically swear by the organization of their ecclesiastical body and then others have no structure at all. It seems the one place where Christianity has become unified is that we are all divided.

Some of these issues may be inconsequential, but in balancing the person and principles of Christ, it is absolutely necessary that we have these values defined and weighed out in exact proportion. Look at the potential calamity of missing either of these issues.

What happens when someone misses knowing the person of Jesus Christ?

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7:22,23

Likewise, missing the principles can result in some serious consequences too.

He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. John 12:48

Nowhere is this unbalance more evident than in the two covenant promises of God to His children who walk with Him: health and wealth. There are godly men and women walking in righteousness and true holiness, knowing the person of Jesus, but they are poverty stricken and proverbially sick. On the other hand, there are godless people who laugh at Christians. They know the principles of God and they walk in prosperity and health, but they do not know the person of Jesus Christ.

I have personally witnessed this tragedy in the recent days of my ministry. In India, I have met some of the most godly men and women of my entire life and yet they struggle for their existence. (I mean for their existence—not to make two car payments, but to afford one bicycle.) On the other hand, in Wilmington, North Carolina, I walked down a boat slip where if I could have one of those luxury toys sold and the proceeds donated, it would be enough to finance our ministry in India for the rest of my life.

On the health issue, why can’t Jack Lalane or Billy Blanks carry a Bible and preach Jesus? Why do preachers carry the stigma of being overweight more than physically fit? (The fact that I have been studying healing in Communion lately makes this unbalance even more apparent.) Is there a charismatic Christian that knows what Leviticus 11 teaches?

As badly as the scales are tipped, it gets worse when the “extremists” begin to criticize the other side and look down their noses at others. Wealthy businessmen disdain clergy and vice versa; people who exercise (and even other Christians) laugh at believers who believe in divine health. Do you think it is possible that there is an unseen force trying to divide us? Maybe his name is Satan, the accuser of the brethren.

Enough! We have a problem. Granted, coming from a Biblical perspective, we would rather have the person of Jesus Christ than the principles, but being children of God means we do not have to choose which one we get because we can have them both. So, how do we get this nebulous balance?

First of all, we cannot deny that there are two sides of the issue of the person and principles of Christ, and we must give both of them attention. The common approach has been to radically move from one side to the other. We focus on one side with all the fervor and zeal we can find, and then, when we see the other side of the balance beam dipping, we run back to the other side to “beef-up” that end. For those trying to balance the person/principle “thang,” we study, study, study and as our intellectual side rises, our spiritual-mindedness drops. Then we pray, pray, pray but we can’t find our Bible.

Then in our frustration we say, “I’ve had it with the ‘beef-up and slide to the other side’ approach.” We say, “Okay, I’ll never be spiritually minded, so I’ll be a Bible Head.” Or we say, “I’m not the studious kind, so I’ll do the praying and let someone else tell me what to believe.” Both are bad choices, and we are running out of options.

In our final attempt of being balanced Christians, we say, “I know what I must do. I must cut back on my extremism and not be so radical on either the person or the principle side.” We say, “The answer must be to water down and minimize each side of the scale and then sit in the middle with no real effort to either be strong in person or in principle.” Wrong again. This leads to being lukewarm (Revelation 3:16).

The solution to the dilemma is not to excuse radicalism but to be radically balanced. We must approach each side of the scale with equal fervor and zeal. We must pray, fellowship with the Lord, journal our conversations with Him, write Him letters, stay on our face before Him and whatever else we can do to know Him as the Person.

Likewise, we must approach the principle side with the same excitement. We must read the Bible, do word studies, digest Christian books and magazines, listen to tapes, engage in stimulating conversations with other “principle zealots,” and practice and teach what we learn.

We must with equal commitment be as radical on one side as the other. We must build strength on both sides of the scale at the same time. Otherwise, our options are limited to fanaticism where we run to one side and forget the other, or being lukewarm where we minimize the importance of both facets and cease to be committed to either.

Is it too much to hope for that Christians could be both godly and prosperous, as well as healthy and spiritual? Regardless of those issues, we need to focus on both sides of our walk with the Lord: the person of Jesus Christ and His principles. We do not need to be “religious” and choose one or the other. We must be radical on both sides of the scale and build both of them simultaneously and faithfully if we are going to be balanced.