The Origins of Orthodoxy

This blog post is Part 2 of a series entitled, "Orthodoxy" by Pastor Jeffrey Dean Smith of Donelson First in Nashville, TN. 

Message Date: January 15, 2023

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If I were to stand before Jesus today, what one question would I ask Him?  

While Jesus was living on earth as both fully God and fully man, He was asked a variety of questions by different people, some of which are recorded in the Bible. During His 33-year life, I presume He was asked many more questions which are not recorded in the Bible.  

No question asked of Jesus was more important than the one presented just hours before He would be led to the cross to be crucified. The question was asked by Pontius Pilate.  

John 18:37-38 

Truly one of life’s most important questions: What is truth?  

Well, I can first tell you...

Truth is not simply whatever works. (Lies can work.) Truth is not what makes others feel good. (Truth is, at times, bad news.) Truth is not the majority. (A majority of people can reach a wrong conclusion.) Truth is not just a belief. (A lie believed is still a lie.)  

What is truth?  

Jesus answered this question many times over in a variety of ways: Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. John 17:17

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32  

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6  

Pontius Pilate did not realize that early morning some 2,000 years ago that he was looking squarely at the truth. How could a man, in John 14:6, say “I am the truth,” unless He was in fact more than just a man?  

Sadly, Pilate missed the truth that day.    

The Bishop of Caesarea would later record the fact that Pilate eventually committed suicide. What a reminder to us that ignoring the truth is always costly! What we will see today is that truth is not merely an aspect of Orthodoxy. Truth is Orthodoxy. 

Top Google Search Questions

How do I make French toast?

How do I get rid of bed bugs?

How do I boil eggs?

How old is Donald Trump?

When was I young?

How do I tie a tie?

What time is it?

When is Mother’s Day?

What’s the weather today?

The #1 top Google search question: Is Cinco de Mayo open today?

The #1 top Google search question: What is my IP address?  

Then I got to thinking... “I wonder what the top search questions were as it relates to faith?”  

And that is when I discovered something interesting. Actually, it is what I did not discover...  

Top Google Search Theology Questions

Who is God?

What is the Church?

What is life?

What is the Bible?

What is Creation?

What is heaven?

Is hell real?

Who is Jesus?

What is evolution?

The #1 top Google search theology question: What is love?  

Notice a question NOT present? Of course, there are many questions not present.  

I am referring to the question: What is truth?  

You probably would not know to even ponder why this question is not present on this list... unless you were to view the top lists of the three previous years.  

In 2021, the question “What is truth?” was in the top 40 of all theological Google searches. In 2020, the question “What is truth?” was in the top 20 of all theological Google searches. In 2019, the question “What is truth?” was in the top 10 of all theological Google searches. Last year, it didn’t break the top 50.  

Why is this? Why the nosedive? It’s really simple... and sad... and quite telling...  

We are a society becoming less and less interested in discovering the truth.   

Why? Why have we become a society less interested in discovering the truth? Well, there are most likely many, many contributing factors. Here are a few forces at work in our world that attempt to diminish our devotion to truth.  

Reasons for America’s disinterest in truth:

1. We are inundated with information (and disinformation).  

These days, it is apparent mostly everyone has something to say about something, and with a click and a scroll we are flooded with information. Discerning between what is truth and what is not continues to be quite the exercise. And studies show that more and more people say, “I am not sure how I am to best define truth nor believe something is, in fact, true.” We are becoming desensitized to the overwhelming amount of information we receive.    

2. We desire an escape.  

To understand humanity's journey of escapism, consider the:

Most Visited Sites of 2022: 

1. Google ...which speaks to point #1 and the inundation of information. 

2. YouTube

Now, many YouTube viewers use the site for “how-to” learning on a plethora of topics. You have probably done exactly this before. I sure have! But the other side of YouTube is one of escape. The top 2022-word search on YouTube: “Song.” The second top 2022-word YouTube search: is “Video.”

3. Facebook

And then there are the other mammoth social media platforms Instagram & Tik Tok. TikTok, by the way, generated $5B last year and experienced an average of 1.5 billion video views a day. 

4. Pornhub

Pornhub gets more visitors than Netflix. Every 60 seconds, 80,032 people visit this #4 most-visited site of 2022 totaling 42 billion visits in 2022. Additionally, 14 new amateur videos are uploaded to the site every minute.  

Listen to this: If you started watching 2022’s new videos at Pornhub.com in the year 1850, you would still be watching them today!  

Such sites and social media platforms offer an escape never before experienced by previous generations! And, where does this lead our society - - escape allows us to avoid reality... specifically the truth of our present struggles, dysfunctions, and dilemmas.  

Another force at work that speaks into the reasons for America’s disinterest in truth:    

3. We have an ever-declining biblical moral landscape.   

< 29% of Americans say, “I rely on my faith when making a moral decision.” Most Americans are just as likely to rely on other people (30%), or on their own personal beliefs, feelings, or experiences when making an important moral decision (31%).  

The consequences of a declining biblical moral landscape are playing out before our very eyes in America today.  

Perhaps most troubling, the findings regarding the moral views of 18-29’s, which indicate this downward moral trajectory:  

< 15% of Americans ages 18 to 29 say, “I turn to the Bible for moral guidance in my life.” Here is a profoundly eerie surmise about the moral decline of America: The historic foundation of biblical truth and its impacts on family, faith, education, arts and entertainment, and public policy is mostly a distant memory. Unless Christian churches return to the basics to restore the foundations of the Christian faith, there is little reason to believe that the coming quarter-century in America will prove to be hopeful for the Church.” Barna Research Group, US Moral Freefall    

4. We, the Church, have failed.

Now, as I say “we,” I do not mean everyone in the Church. And I do not mean this specific church, nor do I mean every church. However, in the eyes of the world, and sadly, in the halls of many churches, failure is the only word to describe what has happened. There has been an incessant amount of sex scandals, mishandling of monies, leadership collapses, and patterns of arrogance and an “untouchable and above the law” attitude among many denominations. As a result...

5. We, as Christians, are viewed as suspicious.  

Christianity is no longer the trusted voice of humanity. Fewer people are identifying with a religion. And Christians are now considered by many to be outside the mainstream, and many view Christians as extreme in both ideals and practices.  

Here’s a word you need to know and be able to articulate its meaning. You are going to hear this term more and more in the months and years to come:  

Nonverts: One converting from religion to no religion.  

People identifying as Nonverts once considered themselves religious. And, for a variety of reasons, some of which I am sharing today, is now identifying as non-religious.  

This spiritual mass exodus speaks to society’s retreat from trusting mostly any religion and any religious person. 

 44% of 19-29’s cite “no religion” as their personal religious preference.  

1 in 4 American adults (59 million) has converted from religious to non-religious (Nonverts). This rate has tripled since 1994.    

Let’s take a breath for a moment... Staggering information, I know, upon which we begin our time today. My heart has been heavy this week knowing I would be sharing this present reality with you as to the heart and character and spiritual temperature of our world, specifically, our nation... and many within leadership positions in the Church. So... what do we do about this? What is our response?  

Well, we have several options before us as the Church...  

How the Church can respond to the ever-shifting world:

1. Ignore.

We can turn a deaf ear to the downward trajectory of how the Church and Christians are being perceived, double down on the way and traditions in which we have always done “church” - - and snub our noses in the faces of those who have turned from the church and just ignore the rest.    

2. Shift.

Many in the Church have embraced a shift to accommodate the ever-changing moral landscape in the modern era- - a shift or an update with the mantra: “Everyone wins in the end!” This “shift” has been what I call:

Selective Spirituality = to embrace the preferable, positive + peaceful parts of Scripture and ignore the parts that are hard, appear intolerant, and call sin what it is – “disobedience to God.”  

For example... such verses as these are easily digestible for us:

How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 36:7

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 1 John 4:9

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Of course, each of these passages is true about God. But too are each of these:

However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you: You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country. Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed. Deuteronomy 28:15-17  

I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless. Isaiah 13:11  

But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God will repay each person according to what they have done. Romans 2:5-6

The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. Luke 3:9

There is no doubt about it that “Selective Spirituality” appears more appealing, more accepting, and more tolerant to the world. But it ignores the Orthodoxy of Scripture and God’s expectation for the Church’s obedience and holiness.  

So, the Church can respond to the ever-shifting world by ignoring the reality of how the world perceives us, the Church can shift and be selective in those parts of Scripture she presents, or the Church can:

3. Return  

A return to what? One word: Orthodoxy. Now, I will say this - - the third option is by far the hardest. Because the third option will not be popular, easy, or enjoyable.  

Orthodoxy will appear closed-minded, judgmental, and harsh to an extremely spiritually volatile world that is becoming increasingly less religious and increasingly more intolerant of those who are religious.  

It may seem much easier to ignore the challenges facing the Church. Initially, it may even be easier to just shift, to change the way we do things, and only teach and study and embrace those parts of Scripture that leave us all feeling “good” about ourselves.  

However,

Ignoring the world’s problems does not meet the world’s needs.  

Shifting to accommodate the world’s desires inevitably leads to more shifting. Returning to orthodoxy is the one path to ultimate freedom.    

As I shared last Sunday with you, when I speak of Orthodoxy, I am referring to:

orthodoxy = The foundational truths that define the Christian faith.

In the weeks to come, I am going to define these foundational truths for you.  But, for our time remaining today, I want to briefly speak to the origin of Orthodoxy.  

Deuteronomy 6:1-9

A few thoughts about Orthodoxy:

1. Orthodoxy is the foundation that defines my Christian faith.

The nation of Israel has been led out of 400 years of Egyptian captivity. They are now establishing a new nation. In the previous chapter, Moses presents the law to the nation of Israel handing down the 10 Commandments.  

And now, Moses is articulating the expectation God has for His people to follow the laws outlined in these commandments.   The words of Moses in chapter 6 could be considered as a thesis statement for a paper entitled: “The Foundational Truths that Define the Christian Faith.”  

The 10 Commandments are the supporting evidence for the thesis. The 10 Commandments are the “how to” expectations of living out the life of Orthodoxy that Moses calls us to in chapter 6 of Deuteronomy.  

Each of us understands such expectations.

We have them established for us in the workplace. Students have such standards clearly articulated for them in the classroom. And, we have been working like mad for 2 weeks now in the Smith household to do exactly this with our new beast! 

The Orthodoxy of Scripture: A clear articulation of the spiritual standard God has for my life.  

This is exactly what Moses did in Deuteronomy 6 with the nation of Israel.  

In Orthodox Judaism, Jews were expected, and still are, to recite a prayer three times daily.  

This is known as the shema (she-ma). The Shema, in the simplest form, means: “to hear.”

shema (Hebrew) = To hear God is to obey God. To obey God is to hear God.  

The shema consists of three passages: Deuteronomy 6:4-9 Deuteronomy 11:18-21 Numbers 15:40-41  

As you see, these 3 passages all carry the common orthodox, or “right way” of how we are to live fully devoted to God.  

2. Orthodoxy is timeless from generation to generation.  

Deuteronomy 6:7-9  

After establishing that we are to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength, Moses commands us to teach this truth to our children, thus implying this Orthodox to be continued from generation to generation.  

Deuteronomy 6:7  

impress (Hebrew) = repeat   

The idea here is obvious: Repeat these truths often.  

This too illustrates the enduring nature of Orthodoxy from generation to generation.  

At the beginning of the year, this is the perfect time for families to strategize a plan of action for getting into the Word together as a family. Whether children live in your home, you’ve never had kids, or you live alone, now is the time to set into place a plan of action for you and your family to grow in God. 

I have a responsibility to ensure Orthodoxy endures for future generations.    

3. Orthodoxy proves beneficial to my life and legacy.  

Do you know that research proves there are 5 things you can do to live a longer and more satisfying life:

5. Laughter  

I was gonna tell you a bunch of good jokes about umbrellas, but they usually go over people’s heads.  

I had a happy childhood. My dad used to put me in tires and roll me down hills. Those were Goodyears.  

A turtle is crossing the road when he’s mugged by two snails. When the police ask him what happened, the shaken turtle replies, “I don’t know. It all happened so fast.”  

Did you hear about the guy who froze to death at the drive-in? He went to see Closed for the Winter.  

You know a joke becomes a “dad joke” when it becomes apparent.  

It is proven that laughter lowers blood pressure levels, reduces bad cholesterol, enhances the immune system, and helps blood vessels to function better.

4. Meeting friends at Cinco de Mayo for lunch... or dinner! ... Okay, really any restaurant!

Research suggests that making regular plans with your friends can help you to live longer by reducing feelings of depression, stress, and risky behavior, and encouraging you to look after your health. A study by Brigham Young University found that having a healthy social life rather than staying home often boosts your life span by as much as 12 years! Interestingly, staying home more than socializing is like the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day. So... it’s Cinco time y’all!  

Another way research suggests you may live a longer and more satisfying life:  

3. Believing in God

Research results published in the Journal of Medical Sciences showed that people who attend regular religious services increase their ability to cope with stress by 46% and live longer and less stressful lives!  

2. Having Positive Initials

A surprising study by researchers at the University of California has revealed that having initials that spell out positive words, such as ACE, WOW or VIP, just might add years on to your life.   

The study found that men with positive initials lived 4.5 years longer than men who did not!  

1. Smiling in Photographs

This one is interesting! Researchers at Wayne State University studied photos of former professional baseball players and found that the bigger their smiles, the longer they lived. In fact, those players with the biggest smiles amassed an average of 7 more years than those with none.  

Okay, regardless of what you think of these facts, here are some facts backed up by God Himself that should get your attention:  

God’s promise to those who follow Orthodoxy:

The promise of a long life. - Deuteronomy 6:2

The promise that life will go well for me. - Deuteronomy 6:3

The promise that I will increase greatly in life.  - Deuteronomy 6:3  

Who doesn’t want a long life, for life to go well, and for life to be one full of blessings?  

Orthodoxy proves beneficial to my life and legacy.    

4. Orthodoxy is confirmed by Jesus as the most important commandment of the Christian faith.  

In Mark 12, Jesus is asked, “Which commandment is the most important?” He could have answered with any number of commandments. How does Jesus answer? He quotes Deuteronomy 6:  

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”   “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Mark 12:28-30

You know... the staggering statistics with which we began this morning reveal to us this reality: Many people today care more about what works than what is true.  

Even when Pontius Pilate is staring truth in the eye and asks, “What is truth?”, He really was not interested in finding out what is true. He only wanted what worked for him at the moment. He didn’t want blood on his hands. He didn’t want to incite a revolt. He wanted to please others. This ultimately cost him everything... even his life. And just like Pilate, there are many who are less interested in knowing the truth and merely want to find what works...  

What works for a career. What works for a status. What works for pleasures, happiness, and ecstasies.  

This is why Orthodoxy is so important for us as followers of Jesus.  

In an ever-shifting and an ever-thrill-seeking world, we must continue to seek the:  

aletheia = the right way  

In our pursuit to answer the question, “What is truth?”, we must remain both truth seekers and truth protectors.  

This is what it means to embrace Orthodoxy.