Scylla or Charybdis - Mike Chipman
A dear friend and fellow pastor preached my ordination service. In his sermon, he used the illustration of Scylla and Charybdis I write about below. It has stuck with me all these years and has shaped my preaching and my overall ministry.
As Odysseus returned home from the Trojan War, he faced many perils. During his 10-year voyage home, one dilemma he was faced with was how to navigate the Strait of Messina - the narrow passage between Italy and Sicily. On one side was Scylla, a six-headed sea monster with a hunger for sailors. On the other side was Charybdis, another monster who created a giant whirlpool when she swallowed large amounts of water. Homer describes them as being “an arrow-shot apart.” For Odysseus to sail safely away from one, he would have to get dangerously close to the other.
Do you ever feel like that when you’re preaching? (This applies to preaching, but could also apply to living the Christian life in general.) The Scriptures are clear: God demands obedience. Our Lord Jesus didn’t mince words when he said, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word…” (John 14:23) His brother, James, also exhorts, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22). In our preaching, if we aren’t preaching obedience, we aren’t preaching the full counsel of God’s Word. The Scriptures are also clear about the mercy of God: He is faithful to forgive our sins and has removed them “as far as the east is from the west.” Jesus came to save his people from their sins. Over and over in Scripture, we can read about sinful people finding mercy from God when they repent and turn to him. In our preaching, if we aren’t preaching the grace of God for his sinful people, we aren’t preaching the full counsel of God’s Word. We are commanded to obey. We are told that when we don’t, God is faithful to forgive because of the work of Jesus. Both are true, and for that, we are eternally grateful!
Yet, on one side there is Legalism. Legalism is a beast that convinces us that by being a better person, we can receive a better Christ. It allows us to measure ourselves against others so that we can see our righteousness as superior. This beast takes many forms. It can be a pet doctrine like music preference or holiday celebrations. It can be a life practice like school choice or vaccination stance. It can even be a political affiliation or lack thereof. Whatever form it takes, Legalism is the beast that tells us, “The gospel is great and all, but look how much better you are now that you're doing <work>.”
To keep a safe distance from Legalism, one may drift into the maw of Licentiousness. Equally dangerous, this beast convinces us that by pushing the moral boundaries of God’s Word, we can receive a better Christ. For some, it can take the form of outright debauchery. For most, however, it is often categorized as a “better understanding of my liberty in Christ.” It allows us to measure ourselves against others because we are the “stronger brother” and others just “don’t understand the gospel.” This beast takes many forms. It can be drunkenness or drug use. It can be extramarital relationships where we say, “Don’t worry, I can handle it.” It can be the pursuit of wealth where we say, “I plan to use it for good.”
The pastor has always had the dilemma of sailing safely between Legalism and Licentiousness. A difference in our age is that as people live their lives out on social media, it is increasingly difficult for believers to understand where the boundaries are. Many celebrity pastors don’t preach about obedience, feeding Licentiousness. The news media paints Christians as unforgiving, feeding Legalism. Christians can easily find themselves adrift between the two beasts, being battered by one into the maw of the other. It’s a cycle that is as prevalent in youth groups as it is in senior groups. Ephesians 4 reminds us that unless we attain to the “measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” we will be “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine.” No one is safe unless they navigate according to the full gospel of Christ.
Pastors, do you feel this tension in your preaching? You should. Not only should you preach that Jesus grants us victory over sin and death through his death and resurrection, but you should also preach that Jesus commands that we obey his commandments. The Scripture put both forth as true. A pastor who leans more on one or the other will soon have a congregation that follows suit. A legalistic pastor will have a legalistic congregation. A licentious pastor can expect to have the same kind of congregation. A pastor who is faithfully preaching the whole counsel of God’s Word can expect to see people who are seeking to obey Jesus, and comforted by Jesus when they fail. It’s not easy. The journey will take you the rest of your ministry, but it’s worth it.