“IF” — “Both/And”

Blog #46 – “If” … “Both / And”

John 14:16-17: “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you.”

In studying this passage, I asked the Lord, “why can’t the world see Him (the Spirit of Truth) or know Him? Why are they blind to Him?”

The image that emerged inside of me was from my junior year in high school, when we were first learning about computers. They taught us that the foundational construct of computer function is based upon the binary numbering system.

As I sat down to write this morning, I looked up the definition of “Binary” in computing terms:

“Binary describes a numbering scheme in which there are only two possible values for each digit — 0 or 1 — and is the basis for all binary code used in computing systems. … These systems use this code to understand operational instructions….

The binary numbering system was refined in the 17th century by Gottfried Leibniz. In mathematics and in computing systems, a binary digit, or bit, is the smallest unit of data. Each bit has a single value of either 1 or 0, which means it can’t take on any other value.” (by: Rahul Awati)

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As I pondered this type of processing, I saw that — in binary thinking — a person is constrained to drawing only an “either / or” conclusion. Either you are dead OR alive. Either you give OR receive. Either you gain OR you lose.

Holy Spirit then brought me several passages:

Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Romans 6:8-11: “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has dominion over Him. The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God. So you too must count yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

Luke 6:38: “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure pressed down, shaken together, running over will they put into your lap. For with that measure you measure, it will be measured again to you.”

Matthew 16:25: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”

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What I saw in these verses (and in a multitude of other scriptures and life experiences moving forward through the years) is that the Kingdom of Heaven is NOT binary. It is NOT “either/or.”

Kingdom of Heaven truth is “both/and.” I have died AND I live in Christ. I am dead to sin AND alive to God. I am to give so that I can receive; sowing and reaping.

In Matthew chapter five, Jesus is speaking to the crowd that has gathered. He shares what we call “The Beatitudes.” In these statements, the both/and construct emerges …..

In verse 17, He declares, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.”

(Galatians 3:19: “Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the seed to whom the promise referred. … (v 24-25) So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.”)

Beginning in Matthew 5:21 and through the end of the chapter, Jesus leads with “You have heard that it was said…,” and then references teachings in the law regarding anger, adultery, divorce, and oaths; each with binary instructions. (I encourage you to read Matthew 5, slowly and in its entirety, considering the either/or vs both/and constructs of thinking.)

Jesus answers each one of the law statements with, “But I tell you….” He follows the binary construct of the law with His both/and instructions in the Kingdom of Heaven.

….. When I asked the question of why the world cannot see / receive the Holy Spirit and Jesus answered me with the binary computing system; He revealed that those governed with binary thinking “cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him.” (John 14:17)

Fundamentally, a mindset constructed upon / processing with an either/or paradigm has no slot for the both/and level of processing.

This is (one of many reasons) why Paul exhorts us: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)

Being baptized into the Body of Christ, the old self and its ways of thinking dies. We are new creations – behold all things have been made new (2 Corinthians 5:17). We now have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:14-16) And with this new mind comes a new way of processing, defining, and drawing conclusions as we “run with endurance the race set out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1)

I will leave you with a poem from Rudyard Kipling, “If.” When I was in college, a teammate of mine gave me this poem on a small scroll. To this day, it hangs on my wall. Reading it once again this morning, I recognize that Mr. Kipling eloquently captures the essence of the both/and approach to life, that of a renewed mind: (Written in 1895)

IF

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;

If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster