Anyone who has not gone on journeys of powerlessness will invariably abuse power.
A good friend sent me a recent devotional from Richard Rohr, thinking I would love it! I did! In fact I share it with Brad on tomorrow’s podcast at The God Journey, but I wanted to highlight some of it here and give you a chance to read it before. I love the whole thing and how most ancient initiation rites led men into feelings of powerlessness so that he would not abuse that power, especially in male-dominated societies.
He goes on (emphases mine):
Jesus clearly taught the twelve disciples about surrender, the necessity of suffering, humility, servant leadership, and nonviolence. They resisted him every time, and so he finally had to make the journey himself and tell them, “Follow me!” But Christians have preferred to hear something Jesus never said: “Worship me.” Worship of Jesus is rather harmless and risk-free; following Jesus changes everything.
… I have often thought that this “non-preaching” of the Gospel was like a secret social contract between clergy and laity, as we shake hands across the sanctuary. We agree not to tell you anything that would make you uncomfortable, and you will keep coming to our services. It is a nice deal, because once the Gospel is preached, I doubt if the churches would be filled. Rather, we might be out on the streets living the message. The discernment and the call to a life of service, to a life that gives itself away instead of simply protecting and procuring for itself in the name of Jesus, is what church should be about. Right now, so much church is the clergy teaching the people how to be co-dependent with them. It becomes job security instead of true spiritual empowerment. Remember, anyone—male or female—who has not gone on journeys of powerlessness will invariably abuse power.
Jesus’ Invitation: Follow Me
By Richard Rohr
Monday, October 31, 2016
Storming the Gates of Hell
Jesus said:
“I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” (Mt 16:18)
To understand Jesus’ teaching here, there are a few things you should know. First, “Hades” was the standard term for the underworld, which means that Jesus was probably referring to the whole of the Satanic kingdom. Second, the phrase “gates of Hades” is a metaphorical reference to the fortified walls of the Satanic forces. They are closed to keep opposing forces out, and therefore they need to be overcome. Third, Jesus says that these gates will not be able to “prevail against” the church. Jesus is here portraying the church as being on the offensive and Satan’s kingdom as being on the defensive.
Jesus is saying that he is going to build his church on the rock of his divinity—the confession that he is the “Son of the living God”—and the way this church is going to be built will be by bashing down the gates of Satan’s fortress. In other words, the church is to be involved in the very same warfare work that Jesus himself was involved in throughout his ministry. Ministering in his authority and his accomplished victory on the cross, the church is to storm the fortress of Hades and bash down its gates.
Jesus follows this by saying “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven” so that what the church binds and looses on earth will be bound and loosed in heaven. Whatever the church locks up when it bashes down the gates of Hades will be locked up in heaven, and whatever it unlocks and sets free will be set free in heaven. I can only read this as referring to the church’s authority to bind up demonic forces and to set people free.
This teaching provides a blueprint of what the body of Christ is to be about. It is to be about what Jesus was about: aggressively breaking down Satanic fortresses wherever we find them. In people’s lives, in families, in churches and in society at large, the church is to expand the rule of God on the authority of Christ by binding evil and setting people free. In a word, our charter is to live out a theology of revolt, throwing all we are and all we have into guerrilla warfare against the occupying army, the tyrannizing powers of darkness.
—Adapted from God at War, pages 216-217
“I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” (Mt 16:18)
To understand Jesus’ teaching here, there are a few things you should know. First, “Hades” was the standard term for the underworld, which means that Jesus was probably referring to the whole of the Satanic kingdom. Second, the phrase “gates of Hades” is a metaphorical reference to the fortified walls of the Satanic forces. They are closed to keep opposing forces out, and therefore they need to be overcome. Third, Jesus says that these gates will not be able to “prevail against” the church. Jesus is here portraying the church as being on the offensive and Satan’s kingdom as being on the defensive.
Jesus is saying that he is going to build his church on the rock of his divinity—the confession that he is the “Son of the living God”—and the way this church is going to be built will be by bashing down the gates of Satan’s fortress. In other words, the church is to be involved in the very same warfare work that Jesus himself was involved in throughout his ministry. Ministering in his authority and his accomplished victory on the cross, the church is to storm the fortress of Hades and bash down its gates.
Jesus follows this by saying “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven” so that what the church binds and looses on earth will be bound and loosed in heaven. Whatever the church locks up when it bashes down the gates of Hades will be locked up in heaven, and whatever it unlocks and sets free will be set free in heaven. I can only read this as referring to the church’s authority to bind up demonic forces and to set people free.
This teaching provides a blueprint of what the body of Christ is to be about. It is to be about what Jesus was about: aggressively breaking down Satanic fortresses wherever we find them. In people’s lives, in families, in churches and in society at large, the church is to expand the rule of God on the authority of Christ by binding evil and setting people free. In a word, our charter is to live out a theology of revolt, throwing all we are and all we have into guerrilla warfare against the occupying army, the tyrannizing powers of darkness.
—Adapted from God at War, pages 216-217
Saturday, October 29, 2016
So Easy to Love
By Anabel Gillham
Lord, help me to realize how brief my time on earth will be.
Help me to know that I am here for but a moment more.
My life is no longer than my hand!
My whole lifetime is but a moment to You.
Proud man! Frail as breath! A shadow!
Psalm 39:4-6
Teach us to number our days
and recognize how few they are;
help us to spend them as we should.
Psalm 90:12
Why do we keep such sentimental little things as a birthday card that says, “Happy Birthday and remember that I love you.” My eldest, Pres, wrote a note to me one Sunday morning in church many years ago with his first wobbly manuscript printing skills: “YOU ARE PRETTY. I LOVE YOU.” I saved that scribbled note, along with others from my little tow-headed boys (who are now grown men) expressing their love. Those notes are some of my most precious possessions.
That’s nothing out of the ordinary. God knew how important love expressed would be. Love was the passion that relentlessly drove Jesus as He carried the cross to a hill called “Calvary.” Love was the passion that would not release God until He gave His only Son: For God so loved . . .(John 3:16). All of that to say when we express our love to others we are fulfilling a very important commandment. It isn’t tithing. It isn’t singing in the choir. It isn’t perfect attendance every time the Church door is open. It isn’t a rote visit on Tuesday night visitation. It is all wrapped up in a package labeled LOVE. And according to I Corinthians 13, there is nothing that we can do (nothing, not even sacrificing our lives[1]) that impresses our Lord if it is done without that same passion, that LOVE.
When He was asked, “What is the greatest commandment,” [2] He replied, “To love God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). Then He continued, “And the second greatest commandment is this: Love others” (Matthew 22:39). I have never pursued a study of just how many times we are urged to love the people in our world and around the world, but I know it would be a very lengthy study. Why is this so vital? Why is this the “second greatest commandment?” Because love is the greatest gift we can give. “But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (I Cor. 13:13)
So what is the most important thing you can do today? Very simply, show love to someone. Have you called your mom recently? Dad, how about taking your son to supper and a movie and then later taking your daughter for breakfast? Perhaps give a prolonged embrace for a woman who has recently become a widow, or jot a note to a person just out of the hospital. Maybe you are being called to reach out to someone who’s having a rough time in her/his marriage, to a young man who just lost his job, to your pastor, to your daughter-in-law, or to a child who is struggling with rebellion. You might give someone a vase of flowers with a note that reads, “Just to let you know that I’m thinking about you and that I love you.” Or visit an invalid who never steps outside the house and leave them softly murmuring, “It is so nice to know someone is thinking about me.”
Man! Frail as breath! A shadow! Here to touch and love today – a memory tomorrow.[3] God, in His wisdom and because of His compassion tries to warn us about this desperate need that is deep within our heart and that we see in the eyes and on the faces of those we meet on the street and those we live with. He says, “Love the people in your life today.” You don’t know how many times you have left to say, “I love you,” and the greatest gift you can give is love.
Are you saying, “I can’t do that, Anabel. I have never known love. I don’t know how to love”? Or how about, “You don’t know the people in my world, Anabel.”
No, I don’t know and you are so right. You cannot love, but Christ lives IN you and He wants to love people through you, for you! Loving isn’t easy. Loving us enough to suffer and die for us is met with incredulity. Loving us enough to give His only Son is beyond our comprehension. Loving the people in your world may not be easy, but can He do it through you!
Thank You my dear Father and my precious Jesus for loving me so much and for loving others through me. I know I’m not always so easy to love!
For the whole law is fulfilled in one word,
in the statement,
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Galatians 5:14
Lord, help me to realize how brief my time on earth will be.
Help me to know that I am here for but a moment more.
My life is no longer than my hand!
My whole lifetime is but a moment to You.
Proud man! Frail as breath! A shadow!
Psalm 39:4-6
Teach us to number our days
and recognize how few they are;
help us to spend them as we should.
Psalm 90:12
Why do we keep such sentimental little things as a birthday card that says, “Happy Birthday and remember that I love you.” My eldest, Pres, wrote a note to me one Sunday morning in church many years ago with his first wobbly manuscript printing skills: “YOU ARE PRETTY. I LOVE YOU.” I saved that scribbled note, along with others from my little tow-headed boys (who are now grown men) expressing their love. Those notes are some of my most precious possessions.
That’s nothing out of the ordinary. God knew how important love expressed would be. Love was the passion that relentlessly drove Jesus as He carried the cross to a hill called “Calvary.” Love was the passion that would not release God until He gave His only Son: For God so loved . . .(John 3:16). All of that to say when we express our love to others we are fulfilling a very important commandment. It isn’t tithing. It isn’t singing in the choir. It isn’t perfect attendance every time the Church door is open. It isn’t a rote visit on Tuesday night visitation. It is all wrapped up in a package labeled LOVE. And according to I Corinthians 13, there is nothing that we can do (nothing, not even sacrificing our lives[1]) that impresses our Lord if it is done without that same passion, that LOVE.
When He was asked, “What is the greatest commandment,” [2] He replied, “To love God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). Then He continued, “And the second greatest commandment is this: Love others” (Matthew 22:39). I have never pursued a study of just how many times we are urged to love the people in our world and around the world, but I know it would be a very lengthy study. Why is this so vital? Why is this the “second greatest commandment?” Because love is the greatest gift we can give. “But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (I Cor. 13:13)
So what is the most important thing you can do today? Very simply, show love to someone. Have you called your mom recently? Dad, how about taking your son to supper and a movie and then later taking your daughter for breakfast? Perhaps give a prolonged embrace for a woman who has recently become a widow, or jot a note to a person just out of the hospital. Maybe you are being called to reach out to someone who’s having a rough time in her/his marriage, to a young man who just lost his job, to your pastor, to your daughter-in-law, or to a child who is struggling with rebellion. You might give someone a vase of flowers with a note that reads, “Just to let you know that I’m thinking about you and that I love you.” Or visit an invalid who never steps outside the house and leave them softly murmuring, “It is so nice to know someone is thinking about me.”
Man! Frail as breath! A shadow! Here to touch and love today – a memory tomorrow.[3] God, in His wisdom and because of His compassion tries to warn us about this desperate need that is deep within our heart and that we see in the eyes and on the faces of those we meet on the street and those we live with. He says, “Love the people in your life today.” You don’t know how many times you have left to say, “I love you,” and the greatest gift you can give is love.
Are you saying, “I can’t do that, Anabel. I have never known love. I don’t know how to love”? Or how about, “You don’t know the people in my world, Anabel.”
No, I don’t know and you are so right. You cannot love, but Christ lives IN you and He wants to love people through you, for you! Loving isn’t easy. Loving us enough to suffer and die for us is met with incredulity. Loving us enough to give His only Son is beyond our comprehension. Loving the people in your world may not be easy, but can He do it through you!
Thank You my dear Father and my precious Jesus for loving me so much and for loving others through me. I know I’m not always so easy to love!
For the whole law is fulfilled in one word,
in the statement,
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Galatians 5:14
Friday, October 28, 2016
Choose to be Fully Present
“After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.” I Samuel 18:1
Deep relationship requires that we be fully present to the other person. No distractions, no hidden agendas, no selfish motives. This was certainly true of the deep relationship between Jonathan, King Saul’s son, and David, the next King of Israel. Though Jonathan, the heir apparent, knew David would reign on the throne instead of him, he stayed fully present to David’s need and risked his life for his friend.
Several things can stand in the way of this kind of deep relationship. Those who are always in a hurry cannot be fully present. Because they have filled their lives with so many things, they cannot engage in one relationship or activity without thinking about what happens next. Those who are preoccupied with worry and anxiety cannot be fully present. Their minds are always distracted with what might happen or what might go wrong. Those who are emotionally shut down cannot be fully present. Fear of rejection, fear of hurt, or fear of abandonment keep them from giving their heart fully to anyone.
Since we were created for relationship, we cannot experience life to the fullest without deep relationships. Choosing life may mean dealing with the reasons we are not fully present to our relationships.
Truth: Your relationships are only as deep as you are present to them.
Choice: Today I will choose life by …
Deep relationship requires that we be fully present to the other person. No distractions, no hidden agendas, no selfish motives. This was certainly true of the deep relationship between Jonathan, King Saul’s son, and David, the next King of Israel. Though Jonathan, the heir apparent, knew David would reign on the throne instead of him, he stayed fully present to David’s need and risked his life for his friend.
Several things can stand in the way of this kind of deep relationship. Those who are always in a hurry cannot be fully present. Because they have filled their lives with so many things, they cannot engage in one relationship or activity without thinking about what happens next. Those who are preoccupied with worry and anxiety cannot be fully present. Their minds are always distracted with what might happen or what might go wrong. Those who are emotionally shut down cannot be fully present. Fear of rejection, fear of hurt, or fear of abandonment keep them from giving their heart fully to anyone.
Since we were created for relationship, we cannot experience life to the fullest without deep relationships. Choosing life may mean dealing with the reasons we are not fully present to our relationships.
Truth: Your relationships are only as deep as you are present to them.
Choice: Today I will choose life by …
Overcoming the Stress of Guilt and Shame
Guilt and shame are two of the greatest obstacles to the experience of life to the fullest. In the
Bible, the book of Psalms records these words from King David,
“When I kept silent my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity…” Psalm 32: 3, 5a
This verse was written at a time after David had committed adultery and murder. It wasn’t the
actual sins that plagued him, it was the cover-up. David found that life was painful and a
struggle when he kept things hidden and tried to pretend that nothing was wrong. He even
alludes to the fact that it affected him physically. Many psychosomatic illnesses can be traced
to suppressed feelings of guilt and shame over wrongs. Ulcers, heartdisease, high blood pressure, even cancer have been linked to this kind of stress.
How can we get past this kind of guilt and shame? As with any recovery program, including the well-known 12 step program of Alcoholics Anonymous, the first step is to admit that you have a problem, to choose honesty. It is more than just acknowledging that you have problems in a general way. It is about owning the specific wrongs, hurts and wounds that are affecting your life. These things are holding you in bondage. This concept is Biblical and is actually a major tenet of Christianity. The Bible says, “If we confess our sin, God is faithful and just and will forgive us for our sins and will cleanse us from all impurities” (I John 1:9). This forgiveness and cleansing is the only way to be totally released from guilt and shame. If we go back to the example of King David, later, after he confessed his sin he declares, “…and you forgave the guilt of my sin” (Ps 32: 5).
In my book, 10 Life Choices, choosing honesty is the first choice. Other choices that will lead to experiencing and celebrating life to the fullest will not be as powerful if we are living in the guilt and shame of hidden sins and wounds. Maybe it will help if you identify the things in your life that have hindered you from really experiencing and celebrating the life that God has given you.
Guilt – Is there some sin you haven’t confessed or that you continue to wallow in?
Bitterness – Are you building a grudge against someone?
Shame – Are you punishing yourself for a past mistake?
Hypocrisy – Are you pretending to be someone you are not?
Performance – Are you trying to prove something to yourself or others?
Striving – Are you trying hard to be accepted or acceptable?
Hurt – Are you covering up a deep hurt by isolation or anger?
Addiction – Are you obsessed with some form of self-medication?
The answers to these questions will reveal those hidden things that are plaguing you and keeping you from experiencing life to the fullest! Now, choose honesty. Choosing honesty involves being willing to own these things as real problems in your life; things that are standing in the way of your relationships, your success and your ability to move forward. Confess these things to God and accept His complete forgiveness and release! The truth is that the only obstacles that keep you from life are the ones that you keep hidden! Open up! Choose honesty!
- LiveNow Ministries
Bible, the book of Psalms records these words from King David,
“When I kept silent my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity…” Psalm 32: 3, 5a
This verse was written at a time after David had committed adultery and murder. It wasn’t the
actual sins that plagued him, it was the cover-up. David found that life was painful and a
struggle when he kept things hidden and tried to pretend that nothing was wrong. He even
alludes to the fact that it affected him physically. Many psychosomatic illnesses can be traced
to suppressed feelings of guilt and shame over wrongs. Ulcers, heartdisease, high blood pressure, even cancer have been linked to this kind of stress.
How can we get past this kind of guilt and shame? As with any recovery program, including the well-known 12 step program of Alcoholics Anonymous, the first step is to admit that you have a problem, to choose honesty. It is more than just acknowledging that you have problems in a general way. It is about owning the specific wrongs, hurts and wounds that are affecting your life. These things are holding you in bondage. This concept is Biblical and is actually a major tenet of Christianity. The Bible says, “If we confess our sin, God is faithful and just and will forgive us for our sins and will cleanse us from all impurities” (I John 1:9). This forgiveness and cleansing is the only way to be totally released from guilt and shame. If we go back to the example of King David, later, after he confessed his sin he declares, “…and you forgave the guilt of my sin” (Ps 32: 5).
In my book, 10 Life Choices, choosing honesty is the first choice. Other choices that will lead to experiencing and celebrating life to the fullest will not be as powerful if we are living in the guilt and shame of hidden sins and wounds. Maybe it will help if you identify the things in your life that have hindered you from really experiencing and celebrating the life that God has given you.
Guilt – Is there some sin you haven’t confessed or that you continue to wallow in?
Bitterness – Are you building a grudge against someone?
Shame – Are you punishing yourself for a past mistake?
Hypocrisy – Are you pretending to be someone you are not?
Performance – Are you trying to prove something to yourself or others?
Striving – Are you trying hard to be accepted or acceptable?
Hurt – Are you covering up a deep hurt by isolation or anger?
Addiction – Are you obsessed with some form of self-medication?
The answers to these questions will reveal those hidden things that are plaguing you and keeping you from experiencing life to the fullest! Now, choose honesty. Choosing honesty involves being willing to own these things as real problems in your life; things that are standing in the way of your relationships, your success and your ability to move forward. Confess these things to God and accept His complete forgiveness and release! The truth is that the only obstacles that keep you from life are the ones that you keep hidden! Open up! Choose honesty!
- LiveNow Ministries
I Lift Up My Soul
t is amazing how God can open a portion of scripture
and it is exactly what you need to hear for that day.
May you find Him to be your 'only' today.
To Thee, O Lord, I lift up my soul
O my God, in Thee I trust
Do not let me be ashamed;
Make me know Thy ways, O Lord
Teach me Thy paths
Lead me in Thy truth and teach me.
For thou art the God of my salvation;
For Thee I wait all the day...
According to Thy lovingkindness
remember Thou me.
For Thy goodness sake, O Lord...
Guard my soul, and deliver me;
Do not let me be ashamed
For I take refuge in Thee. (Ps 25)
Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will
sustain you. He will never allow the righteous
to be shaken.
and it is exactly what you need to hear for that day.
May you find Him to be your 'only' today.
To Thee, O Lord, I lift up my soul
O my God, in Thee I trust
Do not let me be ashamed;
Make me know Thy ways, O Lord
Teach me Thy paths
Lead me in Thy truth and teach me.
For thou art the God of my salvation;
For Thee I wait all the day...
According to Thy lovingkindness
remember Thou me.
For Thy goodness sake, O Lord...
Guard my soul, and deliver me;
Do not let me be ashamed
For I take refuge in Thee. (Ps 25)
Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will
sustain you. He will never allow the righteous
to be shaken.
Thursday, October 27, 2016
He Is the Glue
For by Him all things were created, {both} in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. --Colossians 1:16, 17
I have often looked at world economies and wondered what was holding them together; they should not work. I look at governments and wonder at their existence. What is keeping them going? Familiesthat are cold and dysfunctional; how do they keep running? Individual lives that are empty, hopeless, shallow echoes of the flesh; how do they manage to carry on? All things visible are held together by something presently invisible, Jesus. It is not true that man needs to be dependent on God. Why? Because he is dependent already, and whether or not that truth is acknowledged makes very little difference to the fact of the matter.
Jesus Christ is holding together the dictator, as well as those who persecute. He is holding together the criminal, the politician, the unethical businessman, and anyone else who would oppress. For many, such a realization would give cause to blame God. “Who could worship a God that holds together the wicked, self-centered, and abusive people?” But for me, the recognition has brought a great peace and rest. I know that if He holds them together, then He is ultimately in charge and can cause all things to work toward His end. The One who is the Glue is Love, and love will not harm me. I do not have to panic or invite in fear of the future as I look to the government. My life is not in the hands of the visible, but in the hands of the Glue that holds together my world, my family, my emotions, my will, and my deepest life. I can leave it to others to plot and plan how their own efforts can best control their visible world; they will try to find security in vocation, in assets, in family, and in others; my world is held together by the Divine Glue of love. Amazing! Amazing love! I have no worries!
Carnal man is blind; he builds but neglects to recognize the Glue that has His own mind, will, divine plan, and goal. Carnal man lives in pride and independence but has not succeeded in running and hiding from God, for Jesus is right there in the midst of all that has been created, a "Holy Spy" in all the secret places of man’s heart and accomplishments. The Divine Glue will determine the end of all things, even of those who think they hold themselves together. When He mandates the end, He can simply remove Himself from the visible governmental powers, and they will be no more. When the Glue withdraws, all will crumble.
I believe that Christians can be quiet and let the years speak against the minutes, willing to wait as they watch God’s plan revealed. We must have the faith to see Him as the invisible Glue in charge, in ultimate control, working all things to His end; and then we must rest and watch with joy the unfolding of the glorious days ahead. Our God is doing all things perfectly.
I have often looked at world economies and wondered what was holding them together; they should not work. I look at governments and wonder at their existence. What is keeping them going? Familiesthat are cold and dysfunctional; how do they keep running? Individual lives that are empty, hopeless, shallow echoes of the flesh; how do they manage to carry on? All things visible are held together by something presently invisible, Jesus. It is not true that man needs to be dependent on God. Why? Because he is dependent already, and whether or not that truth is acknowledged makes very little difference to the fact of the matter.
Jesus Christ is holding together the dictator, as well as those who persecute. He is holding together the criminal, the politician, the unethical businessman, and anyone else who would oppress. For many, such a realization would give cause to blame God. “Who could worship a God that holds together the wicked, self-centered, and abusive people?” But for me, the recognition has brought a great peace and rest. I know that if He holds them together, then He is ultimately in charge and can cause all things to work toward His end. The One who is the Glue is Love, and love will not harm me. I do not have to panic or invite in fear of the future as I look to the government. My life is not in the hands of the visible, but in the hands of the Glue that holds together my world, my family, my emotions, my will, and my deepest life. I can leave it to others to plot and plan how their own efforts can best control their visible world; they will try to find security in vocation, in assets, in family, and in others; my world is held together by the Divine Glue of love. Amazing! Amazing love! I have no worries!
Carnal man is blind; he builds but neglects to recognize the Glue that has His own mind, will, divine plan, and goal. Carnal man lives in pride and independence but has not succeeded in running and hiding from God, for Jesus is right there in the midst of all that has been created, a "Holy Spy" in all the secret places of man’s heart and accomplishments. The Divine Glue will determine the end of all things, even of those who think they hold themselves together. When He mandates the end, He can simply remove Himself from the visible governmental powers, and they will be no more. When the Glue withdraws, all will crumble.
I believe that Christians can be quiet and let the years speak against the minutes, willing to wait as they watch God’s plan revealed. We must have the faith to see Him as the invisible Glue in charge, in ultimate control, working all things to His end; and then we must rest and watch with joy the unfolding of the glorious days ahead. Our God is doing all things perfectly.
The Holy Alternative
God is holy because he’s utterly “other” and distinct from anything in the created world. Certain objects are called holy because they’re set apart from common objects, having been consecrated to God for a special purpose. And God’s people are called to be holy by virtue of the radically different kind of life we live. The church is to be first fruits, which means that we stand in contrast with fruit that has not yet ripened. As such, God’s people are God’s holy alternative to the world that at this point remains under the oppression of evil.
Another way of making this same point is to say that we’re called to be like Jesus. We are to be holy, like he is holy. The way Jesus lived was unique, to say the least, for everything about his life put on display God’s loving character. He was the quintessential “first fruit” of the coming creation and the prototype we are to passionately imitate.
This is why the New Testament emphasizes the necessity of following Jesus’ example in all that we do. “Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did,” John says (1 John 2:6). Our profession of faith in Jesus lacks content except insofar as our lives look like his.
So too, Paul teaches us to “[f]ollow God’s example” (Eph 5:1). The Greek word translated “example” (mimetai) literally means to mimic. We’re to do exactly what we see God doing, which was manifest in Jesus. This is why Paul immediately goes on to flesh out what he means by commanding us to “walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us” (Eph 5:2, emphasis added).
This is what it looks to mimic God. We’re to sacrificially love others the way Christ sacrificially loved us when he gave his life for us.
Peter makes the same point when he tells his congregation that they’re to respond to persecution not with anger and violence, but by graciously enduring it. “To this you were called,” Peter says, “ because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Pet 2:20-21).
Jesus himself drove home the necessity of following his example a number of times. For example, after washing the feet of his disciples (whom he knew would in a short while abandon him and betray him), he said, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (Jn 13:15). The goal of Christian discipleship is to mimic our master.
Several years ago, it was common to talk about “Red Letter Christians” to refer to Christians who believe they’re supposed to obey Jesus’ teaching and live like he lived. How sad that it would occur to anyone that there’s a special class of Christians who think obeying Jesus’ teachings and living as he lived is important! Aspiring to be Christ-like is simply what the term “Christian” means.
We’ve been saved from the evil powers and freed to participate in the life of God as revealed in Christ, and when we surrender ourselves wholly to this salvation, we reflect God’s character in contrast with the world, just as Jesus did. We are God’s holy people set apart to display a radical alternative way of living in this world.
Another way of making this same point is to say that we’re called to be like Jesus. We are to be holy, like he is holy. The way Jesus lived was unique, to say the least, for everything about his life put on display God’s loving character. He was the quintessential “first fruit” of the coming creation and the prototype we are to passionately imitate.
This is why the New Testament emphasizes the necessity of following Jesus’ example in all that we do. “Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did,” John says (1 John 2:6). Our profession of faith in Jesus lacks content except insofar as our lives look like his.
So too, Paul teaches us to “[f]ollow God’s example” (Eph 5:1). The Greek word translated “example” (mimetai) literally means to mimic. We’re to do exactly what we see God doing, which was manifest in Jesus. This is why Paul immediately goes on to flesh out what he means by commanding us to “walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us” (Eph 5:2, emphasis added).
This is what it looks to mimic God. We’re to sacrificially love others the way Christ sacrificially loved us when he gave his life for us.
Peter makes the same point when he tells his congregation that they’re to respond to persecution not with anger and violence, but by graciously enduring it. “To this you were called,” Peter says, “ because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Pet 2:20-21).
Jesus himself drove home the necessity of following his example a number of times. For example, after washing the feet of his disciples (whom he knew would in a short while abandon him and betray him), he said, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (Jn 13:15). The goal of Christian discipleship is to mimic our master.
Several years ago, it was common to talk about “Red Letter Christians” to refer to Christians who believe they’re supposed to obey Jesus’ teaching and live like he lived. How sad that it would occur to anyone that there’s a special class of Christians who think obeying Jesus’ teachings and living as he lived is important! Aspiring to be Christ-like is simply what the term “Christian” means.
We’ve been saved from the evil powers and freed to participate in the life of God as revealed in Christ, and when we surrender ourselves wholly to this salvation, we reflect God’s character in contrast with the world, just as Jesus did. We are God’s holy people set apart to display a radical alternative way of living in this world.
FOREWORD for How ‘New’ Is the New Covenant?
It is safe to say that the root of most errors in believers’ minds is a failure to appreciate the reality and finality of Christ in the New Covenant. Too many are trying to function with a mixture of law and grace, letter and Spirit and type/shadow versus substance. So much practice in the history of the visible church has taken its cue from the Old Covenant and not the New.
Take tithing as a glaring example. For centuries the mainstream church has relied on the members giving their tithe in order to finance the institution’s needs. The proof-texts for enforcing tithing were primarily drawn from the Old Testament. There were many instances of and statements about giving in the New Testament, but tithing was never mentioned as a benchmark. In fact, here a whole new way of looking at giving is found — a way that has nothing to do with percentage points, a way that has to do with Christ’s example of self-sacrifice, and a way that simply says, “Give, each according to their ability.” But most church peoples’ consciences are weighed down with a percentage-driven method of giving that has nothing to do with the revelation found in the New Covenant.
Hence, there is a crying need for Christ’s people to see that they are living in Christ, not under Moses; that they are to walk in the Spirit, not follow the letter of the law; that they are married to Jesus, not the Torah. They must understand that the better New Covenant is in force, not the obsolete Old Covenant. Stephen Crosby’s How ‘New’ Is the New Covenant? Provides a deep breath of Christ-centered air in our law-choked religious atmosphere.
The author’s chapters and appendices on the New Covenant and the Torah are must reading for today’s believers. They cut through eons of misunderstandings, and shed needed light on why the New Covenant sealed and inaugurated by Christ’s blood is so vital for understanding where we stand as the New Creation and the New Humanity. Those who read How ‘New’ Is the New Covenant? should see law-rooted scales fall from their eyes, resulting in a clearer view of Jesus’ glory.
Take tithing as a glaring example. For centuries the mainstream church has relied on the members giving their tithe in order to finance the institution’s needs. The proof-texts for enforcing tithing were primarily drawn from the Old Testament. There were many instances of and statements about giving in the New Testament, but tithing was never mentioned as a benchmark. In fact, here a whole new way of looking at giving is found — a way that has nothing to do with percentage points, a way that has to do with Christ’s example of self-sacrifice, and a way that simply says, “Give, each according to their ability.” But most church peoples’ consciences are weighed down with a percentage-driven method of giving that has nothing to do with the revelation found in the New Covenant.
Hence, there is a crying need for Christ’s people to see that they are living in Christ, not under Moses; that they are to walk in the Spirit, not follow the letter of the law; that they are married to Jesus, not the Torah. They must understand that the better New Covenant is in force, not the obsolete Old Covenant. Stephen Crosby’s How ‘New’ Is the New Covenant? Provides a deep breath of Christ-centered air in our law-choked religious atmosphere.
The author’s chapters and appendices on the New Covenant and the Torah are must reading for today’s believers. They cut through eons of misunderstandings, and shed needed light on why the New Covenant sealed and inaugurated by Christ’s blood is so vital for understanding where we stand as the New Creation and the New Humanity. Those who read How ‘New’ Is the New Covenant? should see law-rooted scales fall from their eyes, resulting in a clearer view of Jesus’ glory.
What is Important?
If we do not understand what is of prime importance
we will set our priorities incorrectly. Life here is but
a breath compared with all eternity. And, yes, there is
a real heaven; there is a real hell--separation from
God for all eternity, or living in pure love and delight
for all eternity. The choice is ours.
The Westminster Catechism asks a key question?
What is the chief end of man? The correct answer is:
'The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy
Him forever.'
What is the purpose of the Church?
It is first of all, 'to make Christ known,' and then to
make disciples.
Jesus says this to his disciples before he leaves:
'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given
to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe
all that I have commanded you. And, behold, I am
with you always even to the end of the age.'
(Matt 28:18-20)
Paul says this in Galatians 4:
I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ be
formed in you.'
Other things such as doing good works, and
loving each other are important but if the church is
not primarily 'making Christ known, it is failing in its
purpose. These other things are spin-offs to a vibrant
relationship with Christ, where one cannot be silent
about their Lord!
we will set our priorities incorrectly. Life here is but
a breath compared with all eternity. And, yes, there is
a real heaven; there is a real hell--separation from
God for all eternity, or living in pure love and delight
for all eternity. The choice is ours.
The Westminster Catechism asks a key question?
What is the chief end of man? The correct answer is:
'The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy
Him forever.'
What is the purpose of the Church?
It is first of all, 'to make Christ known,' and then to
make disciples.
Jesus says this to his disciples before he leaves:
'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given
to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe
all that I have commanded you. And, behold, I am
with you always even to the end of the age.'
(Matt 28:18-20)
Paul says this in Galatians 4:
I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ be
formed in you.'
Other things such as doing good works, and
loving each other are important but if the church is
not primarily 'making Christ known, it is failing in its
purpose. These other things are spin-offs to a vibrant
relationship with Christ, where one cannot be silent
about their Lord!
It is Finished
I have come across a poem, hymn that was written in
the eighteenth century. May it be a blessing to you
this day!
'It is finished'
John 19:30
Hark! the voice of love and mercy
Sounds aloud from Calvary;
See! It rends the rocks asunder,
Shakes the earth, and veils the sky:
'It is finished!'
Hear the dying Savior cry.
'It is finished!' What assurance
Do the wondrous words afford!
Heavenly blessings without measure
Flow to us from Christ the Lord:
'It is finished!'
Saints the dying words record!
Finished all the types and shadows
Of the ceremonial law,
Finished all that God had promised;
Death and hell no more shall awe:
'It is finished!'
Saints, from hence your comfort draw.
Saints and angels shout His praises,
His great finished work proclaim;
All on earth and all in heaven
Join to bless Immanuel's name:
Hallelujah!
Endless glory to the Lamb!
Jonathan Evans (1748-1809)
the eighteenth century. May it be a blessing to you
this day!
'It is finished'
John 19:30
Hark! the voice of love and mercy
Sounds aloud from Calvary;
See! It rends the rocks asunder,
Shakes the earth, and veils the sky:
'It is finished!'
Hear the dying Savior cry.
'It is finished!' What assurance
Do the wondrous words afford!
Heavenly blessings without measure
Flow to us from Christ the Lord:
'It is finished!'
Saints the dying words record!
Finished all the types and shadows
Of the ceremonial law,
Finished all that God had promised;
Death and hell no more shall awe:
'It is finished!'
Saints, from hence your comfort draw.
Saints and angels shout His praises,
His great finished work proclaim;
All on earth and all in heaven
Join to bless Immanuel's name:
Hallelujah!
Endless glory to the Lamb!
Jonathan Evans (1748-1809)
My beloved is mine and I am His
He is mine by connection in the same body; He is the head and I am part of His body.
He is mine by affectionate relationship; He has given me His love.
He is mine by the connection of birth; I am born again of Him.
He is mine by choice; He gave Himself for me.
He is mine by indwelling; He has decided to live inside me.
He is mine personally, He is mine eternally.
“It certainly does seem a great thing to call him mine; to think that he should ever be mine, and that all he is, and all he has, and all he says, and all he does, and all he ever will be, is all mine. When a wife takes a husband to be hers, he becomes all hers, and she reckons that she has no divided possession in him; and it certainly is so with thee, dear heart, if Christ be thine.”
Ways of knowing that I belong to Jesus; ways that ‘I am my beloved’s’:
I am His by the gift of His Father.
I am His by purchase, paid for by His own life.
I am His by conquest, He fought for me and won me.
I am His by surrender, because I gave myself to Him.
He is mine by affectionate relationship; He has given me His love.
He is mine by the connection of birth; I am born again of Him.
He is mine by choice; He gave Himself for me.
He is mine by indwelling; He has decided to live inside me.
He is mine personally, He is mine eternally.
“It certainly does seem a great thing to call him mine; to think that he should ever be mine, and that all he is, and all he has, and all he says, and all he does, and all he ever will be, is all mine. When a wife takes a husband to be hers, he becomes all hers, and she reckons that she has no divided possession in him; and it certainly is so with thee, dear heart, if Christ be thine.”
Ways of knowing that I belong to Jesus; ways that ‘I am my beloved’s’:
I am His by the gift of His Father.
I am His by purchase, paid for by His own life.
I am His by conquest, He fought for me and won me.
I am His by surrender, because I gave myself to Him.
The Lord Draws Near
'Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I
will also keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which
is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who
dwell upon the earth. I am coming quickly; hold fast what
you have, in order that no one take your crown.
(Rev 3:10,11)
'The Lord draws near to him into the understanding that He
works all worldly things according to His purpose, and
invites us to abide in the presence of His gracious, loving
Spirit ruling our personal lives as well.
At times I struggle with fear including fear of the unknown,
rejection at large and by Him eventually, trickling down to
the well-being of my children and fate of (as yet unsaved)
loved ones, and friends, and often seek the Lord for
re(assurance), for deliverance from fear induced fight, flight
and freeze, and letting go of the need to be in control and
pray to come into proper alignment.
Nearing Him in spirit, knowing how near He actually is
and cares for every detail in our lives, eases, settles and heals.
Our time is not in our hands, nor in the enemy's. We are not to
fear men's judgements, but may enjoy great expectations of
what the Lord has and will undertake for us and our loved
ones in these end times especially.
He, through His Word, Spirit and diligent servants, gives us
ample insight into events unfolding and offers us security in
both knowing and understanding times and our responsiveness,
yet invites us also to be grateful and content with what is all
ready established, revealed and matters sealed. His future
promises and blessings are rock solid, kept by his unchanging,
loving nature extending toward us. Whatever we yield and
whomever we lay in His hands, knowing our time on earth is
nearly ending as well.'
Sabine Vlaming, The Netherlands, 2016
will also keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which
is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who
dwell upon the earth. I am coming quickly; hold fast what
you have, in order that no one take your crown.
(Rev 3:10,11)
'The Lord draws near to him into the understanding that He
works all worldly things according to His purpose, and
invites us to abide in the presence of His gracious, loving
Spirit ruling our personal lives as well.
At times I struggle with fear including fear of the unknown,
rejection at large and by Him eventually, trickling down to
the well-being of my children and fate of (as yet unsaved)
loved ones, and friends, and often seek the Lord for
re(assurance), for deliverance from fear induced fight, flight
and freeze, and letting go of the need to be in control and
pray to come into proper alignment.
Nearing Him in spirit, knowing how near He actually is
and cares for every detail in our lives, eases, settles and heals.
Our time is not in our hands, nor in the enemy's. We are not to
fear men's judgements, but may enjoy great expectations of
what the Lord has and will undertake for us and our loved
ones in these end times especially.
He, through His Word, Spirit and diligent servants, gives us
ample insight into events unfolding and offers us security in
both knowing and understanding times and our responsiveness,
yet invites us also to be grateful and content with what is all
ready established, revealed and matters sealed. His future
promises and blessings are rock solid, kept by his unchanging,
loving nature extending toward us. Whatever we yield and
whomever we lay in His hands, knowing our time on earth is
nearly ending as well.'
Sabine Vlaming, The Netherlands, 2016
The Immensity of Redemption
I recently picked up a small book entitled In Christ by
T Austin-Sparks, who lived in the 19th century. First of all,
I hardly recognize his teachings because they are foreign
to what is taught in most churches today; secondly,
he speaks truth.
There is no phrase or formula which occur with greater
frequency than this, "in Christ." In all the 200 times of its
occurrence the principle is the same. In Ephesians 1:10
we are told that God has purposed to sum up all things in
Christ and that outside of Him there is nothing which has
any place in the eternal purpose and intention of God. The
plan, the method, the resources, the times, the eternities,
are all Christopheric--centered in Christ.
In Eternity past we were chosen and elected together in
Christ. Eph 1:4; 1Peter 5:13
Planted together in the likeness of His death. Rom 6:5
Quickened...together in christ Eph 2:15
Raised...up together in Christ Eph 2:6
Made...to sit together in Christ Eph 2:6
Perfected together 1Cor 2:2
Knit together Col 2:2
Live together with him 1Thes 5:10
Working Together with him 2 Cor 5:1
Then comes the climax at the end of time, when all things
will be accomplished and we are 'Together...caught up,"
Phil 1:27 and then "Glorified together with him." Rom 8:17.
Have you ever pondered the immensity of what it
means that Christ redeemed us from our sins and made us
a New Creation, centered in Him alone? I have not done
this very much, myself!
T Austin-Sparks, who lived in the 19th century. First of all,
I hardly recognize his teachings because they are foreign
to what is taught in most churches today; secondly,
he speaks truth.
There is no phrase or formula which occur with greater
frequency than this, "in Christ." In all the 200 times of its
occurrence the principle is the same. In Ephesians 1:10
we are told that God has purposed to sum up all things in
Christ and that outside of Him there is nothing which has
any place in the eternal purpose and intention of God. The
plan, the method, the resources, the times, the eternities,
are all Christopheric--centered in Christ.
In Eternity past we were chosen and elected together in
Christ. Eph 1:4; 1Peter 5:13
Planted together in the likeness of His death. Rom 6:5
Quickened...together in christ Eph 2:15
Raised...up together in Christ Eph 2:6
Made...to sit together in Christ Eph 2:6
Perfected together 1Cor 2:2
Knit together Col 2:2
Live together with him 1Thes 5:10
Working Together with him 2 Cor 5:1
Then comes the climax at the end of time, when all things
will be accomplished and we are 'Together...caught up,"
Phil 1:27 and then "Glorified together with him." Rom 8:17.
Have you ever pondered the immensity of what it
means that Christ redeemed us from our sins and made us
a New Creation, centered in Him alone? I have not done
this very much, myself!
A Preposterous Statement
Everything in our culture screams out, 'I am the one. I can do
anything. If I can get my life together I will soar. I must soar!'
The motto in my home growing up was, 'Busyness is next to
godliness.'
The scripture laid out in the last blog serves to emphasize the
truth that no one can live the Christian Life. This is what
T Austin-Sparks says:
'No man can live the Christian life; there is only One Who
can live the Christian life, and that is Christ Himself. He
lives His Life through us as members of His own Body,
so that:
'For me to live is Christ'
'It is no longer I...but Christ.'
Reader, it was about a decade ago that I learned that only
through Him can I live the Christian life. Up until then my
days were full of 'oughts' and 'should.' I measured my quiet
time, serving time, praying time and it wore me out. Then,
I got sick and was helpless to live the Christian life and
discovered that He leads moment by moment and when He
is my Life, my life is effortless and full of peace.
anything. If I can get my life together I will soar. I must soar!'
The motto in my home growing up was, 'Busyness is next to
godliness.'
The scripture laid out in the last blog serves to emphasize the
truth that no one can live the Christian Life. This is what
T Austin-Sparks says:
'No man can live the Christian life; there is only One Who
can live the Christian life, and that is Christ Himself. He
lives His Life through us as members of His own Body,
so that:
'For me to live is Christ'
'It is no longer I...but Christ.'
Reader, it was about a decade ago that I learned that only
through Him can I live the Christian life. Up until then my
days were full of 'oughts' and 'should.' I measured my quiet
time, serving time, praying time and it wore me out. Then,
I got sick and was helpless to live the Christian life and
discovered that He leads moment by moment and when He
is my Life, my life is effortless and full of peace.
Work for God
"We cannot take up work for Christ--plan, scheme,
devise, organize or enter upon Christian service--
and so command God's blessing. We cannot pray as
we desire, even though these prayers contain passion
and tears, in order to secure the Divine response.
Failure to recognize this is bringing multitudes into
despair because of no blessing upon their ardent
labor and no answers to their prayers."
'We must know in our spirit just what Christ is
doing, how He is doing it. Moreover, our prayers
must be the prayers of Christ Himself prayed in us
and through us by the Holy Spirit."
From where came Christ's power?
"I came out from God." Jn 7:29
"What he seeth the Father doing...
these the son also doeth.' Jn 15:19)
"The works of my Father" Jn 5:36
"I speak not of myself."
"The first believers knew what it meant to be
baptized 'in one spirit"...into one Body of which
Christ is the head...They had no independent
action, no self laid plans, no schemes or
undertakings which were the product of their
own thought, reasoning, devising--even though
it were "for Christ" or "for the kingdom or in
His Name." T Austin-Sparks from In Christ
Well, reader, in this 21st century of nonstop
busyness, we may be missing something. We
relax in front of the TV, but when do we set
time aside to read and listen to what God is
saying?
devise, organize or enter upon Christian service--
and so command God's blessing. We cannot pray as
we desire, even though these prayers contain passion
and tears, in order to secure the Divine response.
Failure to recognize this is bringing multitudes into
despair because of no blessing upon their ardent
labor and no answers to their prayers."
'We must know in our spirit just what Christ is
doing, how He is doing it. Moreover, our prayers
must be the prayers of Christ Himself prayed in us
and through us by the Holy Spirit."
From where came Christ's power?
"I came out from God." Jn 7:29
"What he seeth the Father doing...
these the son also doeth.' Jn 15:19)
"The works of my Father" Jn 5:36
"I speak not of myself."
"The first believers knew what it meant to be
baptized 'in one spirit"...into one Body of which
Christ is the head...They had no independent
action, no self laid plans, no schemes or
undertakings which were the product of their
own thought, reasoning, devising--even though
it were "for Christ" or "for the kingdom or in
His Name." T Austin-Sparks from In Christ
Well, reader, in this 21st century of nonstop
busyness, we may be missing something. We
relax in front of the TV, but when do we set
time aside to read and listen to what God is
saying?
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
The Journey
by Diane Naus, Arizona
• Who are we In Christ?
• We are purchased
• We belong to Him
• We are brand new
• We are adopted into the King's family
• We
are children of the living God
• We
are royalty
• We
are forgiven
• We
are saints
• We
please Him
• We
are holy—set apart for sacred use
• We
are cared for
• We
are protected
• We
are comforted
• We
are dearly loved, adored and cherished
• Beyond
measure
• Beyond
comprehension
But . . . we are not God!
I have always known that in my head, but
not in my heart. I had to go on a journey to learn it, to move it from my head
to my heart.
We all go on a journey. God paints us a
picture of our journey using the Jewish people, His chosen ones of old. They
are taken captive in Egypt just as we are taken captive by the enemy and made
slaves. Then God, at the perfect time, frees the Jews in a mighty way to show
His incomparable great power. Each family kills a lamb and sprinkles its blood
over their doorposts and the Death Angel passes by them. God takes the "Perfect
Lamb" and sprinkles His blood over our hearts and death passes by us. The
Jews cross the Red Sea (the color is no accident) into freedom for the first
time in 400 years! We cross over as they did into complete freedom. Oh, how we
rejoice. But like our spiritual ancestors of old, we have crossed into the
wilderness. Soon after crossing, God gave them the law.
Deut.
8:2, "Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert
these forty years, to humble you and to test you, in order to know what was in
your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands."
So
this test in the wilderness was put there by God. He tests us to see whether or
not we will keep His commands. Does God need the test for Himself? Absolutely
not. He knows we cannot keep the commands. The test is for us! He needs to
prove to us we cannot. Just like the Jews could not keep the law, we cannot
live the Christian life. God has to prove it to us using our own failures. We
try and we fail and we try and we fail again and again. We complain and we
build golden calves. We have to die in the desert. That is its purpose. But oh,
how we hang on to our own efforts. Somehow we think it is our responsibility,
our job, our assignment to live the Christian life. We spend hours, days,
weeks, months and years trying to get it right, to please God. After all, we
have great motives. We are so very grateful for our salvation. Somehow,
eventually we think we are going to get it right. We always add "with
God's help." But it is our own effort (my friend calls it
"efforting"). We never arrive. We have to die in the desert.
My
journey was pretty easy for a long time. I grew up in a believing, loving
family. I loved being a good girl. I loved Jesus and I knew He loved me. In
retrospect I realize that I wanted from my peers the same sense of security I
felt at home. I wanted to be popular, to be wanted, desired, and adored. Ultimately
I wanted to be worshiped. I cannot help but think we all do. We just cannot
admit it.
Then
I met Prince Charming. I transferred all that desire for love and acceptance to
him. The first 30 years we did life, our "efforting" looked pretty good:
four kids, a business, Church, and friends. We were a family, partners, lovers.
But flesh is flesh and after 30 years of marriage we lived a year from hell. It
did not happen overnight; it had been years in the making. I was trying so hard
to get it right. That treadmill is exhausting. I needed to die in the desert.
I heard recently a wonderful quote that
rang true for me: "God permits what He hates in order to accomplish what
He loves." That is exactly what He did in our lives. God permitted what He
could have prevented in order to save us from ourselves. He had saved us from
Satan and slavery to sin, and now He would save us from our own
"efforting."
God woke me up one morning and told me that
I didn't have to be God in my life any longer—now it was His turn.
It was time to cross the Jordan!
There is a Promised Land this side of
Heaven. We need only to die to ourselves to cross over. God parts the waters
and we cross. So what is this Promised Land this side of Heaven? It is Christ
in us, the hope of glory. It is no longer our glory we seek. It is His glory
within us to be revealed by Him. Gal 2:20 states: "I have been crucified
with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in
the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for
me." In the Promised Land I no longer live my life. He lives His life in
me and through me. In becoming Christ-like I am not becoming a little Jesus. I
begin to look like Him so that He can express Himself through me. Oh, what a
glorious thought. I rest and He lives. The battles are His, and therefore, the
victories are His. I take no credit for it all belongs to Him. Jesus said in
Matthew that the Kingdom is now.
So what does this Kingdom look like?
• A kingdom where God is God and we are
not.
• A place of total dependence on Him.
• A
place of total abandonment to His will and His will becomes ours.
• A place where we don't have to be seen
or heard or understood because our
Savior sees and hears and
understands us.
• A place where even when we can't see
Him or feel His presence, we know He is there.
• A
place where all responsibility is His.
• A place where all the law of
Scripture becomes insight into His heart and teaches us to know Him better.
• A
place where the lists of rules fade and His very life, His Spirit, leads us in
His
ways,
in His truth, in His life.
• A
place where God uses even our mistakes and mess-ups to accomplish His will.
• A
place where we begin to know who we are in Christ.
• A
place of Sabbath rest every day.
• A
place to sleep in the boat during the storms or even to walk on the waves.
• A
place of revelation that everything comes through His permission.
• A
place where He wants to tell us we are loved and secure and accepted.
• A
place where He will love people through us when we don't love them at all.
• A
place where we can pray, "Father, forgive them because they don't know
what
they
are doing," instead of, "Father, help me to forgive." Then He
changes our
unforgiveness
into His forgiveness.
• A
place where when someone is rude, hurtful, irritating, or even inconvenient,
you
can
say, "Thank You, Jesus, for this appointment. Please love them through
me."
• A
place where when you are tired, grouchy, sarcastic, and downright ugly from all
your
"efforting," you can say to God with great confidence, "Here,
take it all. I'm too
weak and tired
even to give it to you, but I know You want to carry it all." And finally,
you know He takes
it and you keep moving by faith. You don't feel Him take it, but
you know.
Eventually the feelings catch up and you thank Him for all of it.
• Are
there Battles in the Promised Land? Yes.
• He
may ask us to hold our tongues or shout for joy so that He tears down the walls
around
our hearts we have been building for years.
• He
may ask us to give up the devoted thing we hide, and if we refuse we lose and
if
we
surrender it to Him we win.
• He
will ask us to give Him our idols. If we try to give them up with our own
"efforting"
they will grow stronger. If we give them to Him, He will demolish them.
• Every
time we take matters back into our own hands it ends in sin.
• Every
time we give our life to Him to manage it ends in victory.
After God woke me on Friday, February 6, 2004,
and told me I no longer needed to be God, He spoke Gal. 3:3 to me: "Diane,
are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to
attain your goal by human effort?"
I
knew!
• For
the last 11 and a 1/2 years He has been showing me the devoted things I hold
onto
and gently releases my grip and takes them.
• He
has been showing me how intensely He loves me.
• In
the process I have learned Col 3:3, "For you died, and your life is now
hidden
with
Christ in God."
• I
am not my own, I was purchased.
• By
the power of the Spirit, Christ lives in me, and He lives out of me.
• As
I learn how much He loves me and know this love that surpasses knowledge, I
can
be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (Eph. 3:14 & 21)
instead of
the
fullness of me.
• I
don't have to live in regret of yesterday or fear of tomorrow because I have
Jesus
today,
and He wants to express Himself through me in this moment and every
moment
thereafter.
What a journey. My desert experience was
mine and yours is yours. They look different but in so many ways they are the
same. Nothing is ever wasted in God's economy. He used it all in my life to
reveal Himself to me and He will use it all in your life as well. He uses
EVERYTHING. I must have been so stubborn for it to have taken so long, so full
of pride and my own "efforting." Every painful moment of my death to
self was worth it. To get a glimpse of Him is worth everything. Now I can live
in the Kingdom of God and bask in His love and thank Him for everything in my
life, because my goal is no longer to be comfortable or even to please Him,
because in Christ I do. My goal this side of Heaven is to know Him. I want to
know everything that is humanly possible to know. I want to KNOW JESUS! What a
journey.
A New Identity
John really enjoyed his two pets, a bird and a cat. He loved to let the bird out of the cage while he was at home but inevitably the cat would move toward the bird and the bird would fly through the house to get away from the cat, knocking over things and flying into walls. John decided to teach the bird to run away from the cat rather than fly away. He bought the bird some books on running and he found the bird an accountability partner to help him make the choice to run instead of the choice to fly. He devised various rewards and punishments to shame and guilt the bird when he flew and to praise and reward the bird when he walked. Surprisingly John did see progress and a modicum of success but overall the bird would still fly away from the cat more often than not.
I know that is a silly story but it reminds me of some people I know who have spent years trying to change their behavior or the behavior of someone they love. The bird flies because it is a bird. In order to change the behavior, you would need to change the identity. No amount of study, accountability, shame, punishment, reward or coaxing is going to keep a bird from flying and the same is true for trying to keep a sinner from sinning. A change of identity is what is needed.
And that is what God has done. He has given us a whole new identity. The message of the new covenant is that “anyone who is in Christ is a new creation” (II Corinthians 5:17). Jesus said it this way, “that which is born of the flesh is flesh, but that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit” (John 3:6). We must be born again, we must receive a new identity. The new birth is a spiritual birth. Because of the death of Christ which fully paid for sin, the Spirit of God can now come and reside in us, regenerating our dead spirit and bringing it to life. We are no longer identified by our flesh but now by the Spirit that lives within us so that we are called “the children of God” (I John 3:1).
Through this new spiritual identity, we have been given “everything we need for life and godliness” and have the privilege to “participate in the divine nature” (II Peter 1:3-4). The behaviors that we could not overcome in our flesh can be overcome as we choose to accept our new identity by faith and live out of that identity, adding to our faith goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love (II Peter 1:5-7). This puts a whole new perspective on the many commands of the New Testament. These are not strategies to change our behavior but examples of what it looks like to live out of our new spiritual identity by faith!
So the transformation of our lives begins when we receive this gift of a new identity (grace) and then believe it is who we really are (faith), choosing to live it out in our actions, attitudes and words (works). This is choosing life!
I know that is a silly story but it reminds me of some people I know who have spent years trying to change their behavior or the behavior of someone they love. The bird flies because it is a bird. In order to change the behavior, you would need to change the identity. No amount of study, accountability, shame, punishment, reward or coaxing is going to keep a bird from flying and the same is true for trying to keep a sinner from sinning. A change of identity is what is needed.
And that is what God has done. He has given us a whole new identity. The message of the new covenant is that “anyone who is in Christ is a new creation” (II Corinthians 5:17). Jesus said it this way, “that which is born of the flesh is flesh, but that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit” (John 3:6). We must be born again, we must receive a new identity. The new birth is a spiritual birth. Because of the death of Christ which fully paid for sin, the Spirit of God can now come and reside in us, regenerating our dead spirit and bringing it to life. We are no longer identified by our flesh but now by the Spirit that lives within us so that we are called “the children of God” (I John 3:1).
Through this new spiritual identity, we have been given “everything we need for life and godliness” and have the privilege to “participate in the divine nature” (II Peter 1:3-4). The behaviors that we could not overcome in our flesh can be overcome as we choose to accept our new identity by faith and live out of that identity, adding to our faith goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love (II Peter 1:5-7). This puts a whole new perspective on the many commands of the New Testament. These are not strategies to change our behavior but examples of what it looks like to live out of our new spiritual identity by faith!
So the transformation of our lives begins when we receive this gift of a new identity (grace) and then believe it is who we really are (faith), choosing to live it out in our actions, attitudes and words (works). This is choosing life!
The Best Blessing!
“I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” Genesis 32:26
After tricking his dad into the blessing that belonged to his brother and spending over 20 years running from the consequences, Jacob, the grandson of Abraham finds himself returning to his homeland to face his past and his brother. On the journey home, he gets attacked in the night, not by an angry brother but by a loving God. Wrestling with the angel of the Lord cannot be an easy task, but Jacob holds his own until daybreak when his worthy opponent touches his hip and it comes out of joint - ouch! Now, Jacob is exhausted, hurting and desperate. Instead of continuing to fight, he puts a bear hold on the angel and refuses to let go without a blessing. He deceives for the first blessing, he pleads for the second.
This event marks the turning point in Jacob’s life. He finally lets go of self and clings to the power of God to run his life. God changes his name to Israel and establishes him as the father of a mighty nation. Jacob’s deceitful ways had worked from a human perspective. He had family, possessions and respect. What he didn’t have was the blessing of God. He was hanging on to his own ability to make life work and missing the connection that hanging on to God brings. God blessed him but he walked with a limp the rest of his life. Every time he put weight on that leg he remembered, I am weak but He is strong!
Many of us, like Jacob, struggle with the poor choices of our past. We often allow them to control us and define us. It is God’s desire that we experience the same thing that Jacob did, the reality of a new identity. The good news for us is that Jesus did the wrestling for us. His agonizing death on the cross paid the price for our deceitful past and gave us a new righteous identity which we can chose to live out of every day. We are not waiting around for God to bless us, He has already blessed us. We just have to choose to walk in the truth of that blessing!
After tricking his dad into the blessing that belonged to his brother and spending over 20 years running from the consequences, Jacob, the grandson of Abraham finds himself returning to his homeland to face his past and his brother. On the journey home, he gets attacked in the night, not by an angry brother but by a loving God. Wrestling with the angel of the Lord cannot be an easy task, but Jacob holds his own until daybreak when his worthy opponent touches his hip and it comes out of joint - ouch! Now, Jacob is exhausted, hurting and desperate. Instead of continuing to fight, he puts a bear hold on the angel and refuses to let go without a blessing. He deceives for the first blessing, he pleads for the second.
This event marks the turning point in Jacob’s life. He finally lets go of self and clings to the power of God to run his life. God changes his name to Israel and establishes him as the father of a mighty nation. Jacob’s deceitful ways had worked from a human perspective. He had family, possessions and respect. What he didn’t have was the blessing of God. He was hanging on to his own ability to make life work and missing the connection that hanging on to God brings. God blessed him but he walked with a limp the rest of his life. Every time he put weight on that leg he remembered, I am weak but He is strong!
Many of us, like Jacob, struggle with the poor choices of our past. We often allow them to control us and define us. It is God’s desire that we experience the same thing that Jacob did, the reality of a new identity. The good news for us is that Jesus did the wrestling for us. His agonizing death on the cross paid the price for our deceitful past and gave us a new righteous identity which we can chose to live out of every day. We are not waiting around for God to bless us, He has already blessed us. We just have to choose to walk in the truth of that blessing!
Ten Thousand Times Ten Thousand
Here we are still on earth two thousand years after
Jesus left and the disciples were told to watch for
His return. But the midnight call has gone forth
and the ten virgins are trimming their lamps.
Ten thousand time ten thousand,
In sparkling raiment bright,
The armies of the ransomed saints
Throng up the steeps of light;
'Tis finished, all is finished,
Their fight with death and sin;
Fling open wide the golden gates,
And let the victors in.
What rush of hallelujahs
fills all the earth and sky!
What ringing of a thousand harps
Bespeaks the triumph nigh!
O day for which creation
And all its tribes were made!
O joy, for all its former woes
A thousandfold repaid!
O then what raptured greetings
On Canaan's happy shore,
What knitting severed friendships up,
Where partings are no more!
Then eyes with joy shall sparkle
That brimmed with tears of late;
Orphans no longer fatherless,
Nor widows desolate.
Bring near Thy great salvation,
Thou Lamb for sinners slain;
Fill up the roll of Thine elect,
Then take Thy power and reign;
Appear, Desire of nations,
Thine exiles long for home;
Show in the heavens Thy promised sign;
Thous Prince and Savior, come.
Henry Alford (1810-71)
Reader, the night is far spent, the day is at hand.
There were ten virgins but only five went into the
wedding feast. What made the difference? Open
to the first three chapters of Revelation and ask
the Lord to show you which church you represent.
Truly, He is at the door! Are you Rapture ready?
Jesus left and the disciples were told to watch for
His return. But the midnight call has gone forth
and the ten virgins are trimming their lamps.
Ten thousand time ten thousand,
In sparkling raiment bright,
The armies of the ransomed saints
Throng up the steeps of light;
'Tis finished, all is finished,
Their fight with death and sin;
Fling open wide the golden gates,
And let the victors in.
What rush of hallelujahs
fills all the earth and sky!
What ringing of a thousand harps
Bespeaks the triumph nigh!
O day for which creation
And all its tribes were made!
O joy, for all its former woes
A thousandfold repaid!
O then what raptured greetings
On Canaan's happy shore,
What knitting severed friendships up,
Where partings are no more!
Then eyes with joy shall sparkle
That brimmed with tears of late;
Orphans no longer fatherless,
Nor widows desolate.
Bring near Thy great salvation,
Thou Lamb for sinners slain;
Fill up the roll of Thine elect,
Then take Thy power and reign;
Appear, Desire of nations,
Thine exiles long for home;
Show in the heavens Thy promised sign;
Thous Prince and Savior, come.
Henry Alford (1810-71)
Reader, the night is far spent, the day is at hand.
There were ten virgins but only five went into the
wedding feast. What made the difference? Open
to the first three chapters of Revelation and ask
the Lord to show you which church you represent.
Truly, He is at the door! Are you Rapture ready?
Reconciliation
As I type this word, reconciliation, I ponder what it means--
truly. We are currently preparing a Christmas Cantata and
the theme of Christmas is that God became flesh that we
might be reconciled to the living God.
Reconciliation from Webster's 1825 dictionary:
Reconcile: To conciliate anew; to call back into union
and friendship the affections which have been alienated;
to restore to friendship or favor after estrangement.
In scripture, the means by which sinners are reconciled
and brought into a state of favor with God.
'God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself...'
1Cor. 5:18
'For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin,
so that we might become the righteousness of God.'
1Cor 5:21
"Jesus Christ reconciled the human race, putting it back
to where God designed it to be. And now anyone can
experience that reconciliation, being brought into oneness
with God, on the basis of what our Lord has done on the
cross. (OC)
Reader, you are a mystery to me. I have no idea where
you are on this journey of reconciliation with God. I so
pray that you would consider what I have written, not
for the words but for the heart of God and how much He
loves you--even as you are now. Bow before Him and
let Him know your greatest need. He stands before you
to fill you with Himself.
truly. We are currently preparing a Christmas Cantata and
the theme of Christmas is that God became flesh that we
might be reconciled to the living God.
Reconciliation from Webster's 1825 dictionary:
Reconcile: To conciliate anew; to call back into union
and friendship the affections which have been alienated;
to restore to friendship or favor after estrangement.
In scripture, the means by which sinners are reconciled
and brought into a state of favor with God.
'God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself...'
1Cor. 5:18
'For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin,
so that we might become the righteousness of God.'
1Cor 5:21
"Jesus Christ reconciled the human race, putting it back
to where God designed it to be. And now anyone can
experience that reconciliation, being brought into oneness
with God, on the basis of what our Lord has done on the
cross. (OC)
Reader, you are a mystery to me. I have no idea where
you are on this journey of reconciliation with God. I so
pray that you would consider what I have written, not
for the words but for the heart of God and how much He
loves you--even as you are now. Bow before Him and
let Him know your greatest need. He stands before you
to fill you with Himself.
Revealed
How can I know what the Father is saying?
"Jesus answered and said, 'I thank You, Father,..
that You have hidden these things from the wise
and prudent and have revealed them to babes.'"
(Matt 11:25)
'All of God's revealed truths are sealed until they
are opened to us through obedience. Even the
smallest bit of obedience opens the heaven, and
the deepest truths of God immediately become
ours.' (OC)
Reader, we must pause long enough to hear that
quiet voice...
"Jesus answered and said, 'I thank You, Father,..
that You have hidden these things from the wise
and prudent and have revealed them to babes.'"
(Matt 11:25)
'All of God's revealed truths are sealed until they
are opened to us through obedience. Even the
smallest bit of obedience opens the heaven, and
the deepest truths of God immediately become
ours.' (OC)
Reader, we must pause long enough to hear that
quiet voice...
Silence
Lewis once said that when you need God the most is
the time that the door slams shut, the bolt is dropped
and then, silence. (I am paraphrasing)
"When He heard that he was sick, He stayed
two more days in the place where He was."
John 11:6
'If Jesus Christ is bringing you into the under-
standing that prayer is for the glorifying of His
Father, then He will give you the first sign of
His intimacy--silence.' (OC)
the time that the door slams shut, the bolt is dropped
and then, silence. (I am paraphrasing)
"When He heard that he was sick, He stayed
two more days in the place where He was."
John 11:6
'If Jesus Christ is bringing you into the under-
standing that prayer is for the glorifying of His
Father, then He will give you the first sign of
His intimacy--silence.' (OC)
Enoch - A NOT
"And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for
God took him." Gen 5:20
OR, 'Enoch walked with God and he was a 'not.'
The message we hear today is how to be somebody
for God. It is all about excelling in the works of
God; to be great in the kingdom of God. I have sat
under this kind of teaching for most of my life.
Consider Enoch. What did he accomplish for God in
his 365 years? NOThing is recorded. Did he feel like
a 'not?' However, no one else in scripture suddenly
vanished like Enoch, without fanfare, without notice.
Did Enoch change dimensions because of a unique
relationship with his Creator?
Reader, the greatest of us can't live the Christian life.
We are all on the same playing field. Everyone of us
is helpless to live the Christian life out of our own
gifts, resources. Each of us has far more than Enoch
could have dreamed of. Every born again Christian
contains the Creator of the Universe--Jesus Christ!
Paul says: "Whatever things were gain to me, these
things I have counted loss for the sake of Christ."
(Philippians 3:7)
Jesus says: "I am the vine, you are the branches; he
who abides in Me, and I in Him, he bears much fruit;
for apart from me, you can do NOThing. (John 15:5)
God took him." Gen 5:20
OR, 'Enoch walked with God and he was a 'not.'
The message we hear today is how to be somebody
for God. It is all about excelling in the works of
God; to be great in the kingdom of God. I have sat
under this kind of teaching for most of my life.
Consider Enoch. What did he accomplish for God in
his 365 years? NOThing is recorded. Did he feel like
a 'not?' However, no one else in scripture suddenly
vanished like Enoch, without fanfare, without notice.
Did Enoch change dimensions because of a unique
relationship with his Creator?
Reader, the greatest of us can't live the Christian life.
We are all on the same playing field. Everyone of us
is helpless to live the Christian life out of our own
gifts, resources. Each of us has far more than Enoch
could have dreamed of. Every born again Christian
contains the Creator of the Universe--Jesus Christ!
Paul says: "Whatever things were gain to me, these
things I have counted loss for the sake of Christ."
(Philippians 3:7)
Jesus says: "I am the vine, you are the branches; he
who abides in Me, and I in Him, he bears much fruit;
for apart from me, you can do NOThing. (John 15:5)
A Prayer for Perilous Times
"The prayer of the upright is his delight." Pro 15:8
" Men ought always to pray and not faint." Luke 18:1
If you are watching the news at all regularly, it may cause
your heart to faint. Jesus said that at the end of the age,
"men's hearts would fail them for fear"
So, dear reader, what is a good prayer for these days?
You may be surprised by the petition of Andrew Murray
"Make known to me and take from me every form, and
degree and type of pride whether it be from evil spirits
or my own corrupt flesh, and awaken in me the deepest
depth and truth of that humility which will make me
capable of His light and Holy Spirit. "
" Men ought always to pray and not faint." Luke 18:1
If you are watching the news at all regularly, it may cause
your heart to faint. Jesus said that at the end of the age,
"men's hearts would fail them for fear"
So, dear reader, what is a good prayer for these days?
You may be surprised by the petition of Andrew Murray
"Make known to me and take from me every form, and
degree and type of pride whether it be from evil spirits
or my own corrupt flesh, and awaken in me the deepest
depth and truth of that humility which will make me
capable of His light and Holy Spirit. "
The Sinless Life (1 John 3:6)
When the Holy Spirit came into your life the change in you was like night and day. It’s like you were given a heart transplant. Your old heart, which was captive to desires of the flesh and enslaved to sin, was replaced with a new heart with new desires and appetites. Your new heart beats with new passions and they are the passions of the Holy Spirit. This is why John can say outlandish things like this:
No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. (1 John 3:6)
Before I understood what was new about me, I used to look at verses like this sideways. “No one keeps on sinning?! John, have you lost touch with reality?”
In a manner of speaking I think this is exactly what happened. John understood that there is no comparison between the life we had in Adam and the new life we have in Christ. Sinning is characteristic of Adam’s nature, not Christ’s. For us, sinning is a part of that old reality that died with Christ on the cross. It does not describe our new reality in Christ.
But Paul, are you saying we won’t ever sin? Now you’re starting to sound like you’ve lost touch with reality.” Maybe I have. Maybe I have traded the flawed and false reality of my old life for the better and truer reality of his.
A promise, not a threat
So what is John talking about when he says no one who lives in him keeps on sinning? There are two ways to read this. Someone schooled in the sticks and carrots of the old covenant will interpret these words as a threat. “If you want to remain in him and stay saved, you had better stop sinning. Don’t be deceived. God is holy and intolerant of sin. Slip up and you’re outta here!”
What an awful distortion of God’s unconditional love! Can you imagine being married to someone who threatened to kick you out every time you made a mistake? You would be an emotional wreck. You would walk on eggshells for fear of upsetting your hyper-sensitive and ungracious partner.
Come to think of it, this is exactly how many Christians live. Since they don’t know what makes the new covenant new, they are filled with performance anxiety. They are ever fearful of enraging a temperamental God.
Look to the cross! If God loved you enough to die for you when you were a sinner, he surely loves you now. He didn’t stop loving you after you got saved and he will never kick you out. Your union with the Lord is not conditional on your behavior. In case we had forgotten this, John gives us a reminder:
Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. (1 John 4:15, NKJV)
God abides, he dwells, he stays. The moment you acknowledged Jesus as Lord, he moved into your life and he will never leave.
John’s remarks about not sinning should not be read as a threat but promise. He is describing the new life that we have in Christ. Jesus didn’t sin and he never will. If you let him live his life through you, then without any conscious effort on your part you’re going to start talking and walking just like sinless Jesus. It’s inevitable. Live with someone long enough and you begin to resemble that person in manner and thought.
Sonful, not sinful
I am not saying your behavior will attain a level of sinless perfection this side of eternity. I am saying that living in fellowship with the sinless Son produces desires in us that are informed by his righteous nature. You are Sonful not sinful. This is how John explains it:
No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. (1 John 3:9)
This is not about your performance but your pedigree. Look at the verse again. Three times John refers to your parentage; born of God, God’s seed, born of God. John is trying to tell us that while Adam breeds sinners, God does not. This comes out clearly in the Message Bible:
People conceived and brought into life by God don’t make a practice of sin. How could they? God’s seed is deep within them, making them who they are. It’s not in the nature of the God-begotten to practice and parade sin. (1 John 3:9, MSG)
Origin determines destination. In your old life you followed in the faithless footsteps of your father Adam. You walked after the desires of the flesh because they were the only desires you had.
But you have been taken out of Adam and placed into Christ. You have become a partaker of his divine nature. The evidence of this is the new desires and new ambitions you now have. As far as sinning goes, you are just not that interested anymore. Sure, you still have the capacity to sin. But you don’t enjoy it like you used to. Sinning makes you miserable because you know who your Father is, and when you know who your Father is (not a sinner), then you know who you are (not a sinner).
In the next verse John adds, “This is how we know who the children of God are” (1 John 3:10).
GITW_sideWho are the children of God?
It is those who practice righteousness, not because they have to, but because they carry the righteous DNA of their righteous Father. You don’t practice righteousness to become righteous but because you are righteous. You are a righteous branch on a righteous vine doing what comes naturally.
- Paul Ellis
No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. (1 John 3:6)
Before I understood what was new about me, I used to look at verses like this sideways. “No one keeps on sinning?! John, have you lost touch with reality?”
In a manner of speaking I think this is exactly what happened. John understood that there is no comparison between the life we had in Adam and the new life we have in Christ. Sinning is characteristic of Adam’s nature, not Christ’s. For us, sinning is a part of that old reality that died with Christ on the cross. It does not describe our new reality in Christ.
But Paul, are you saying we won’t ever sin? Now you’re starting to sound like you’ve lost touch with reality.” Maybe I have. Maybe I have traded the flawed and false reality of my old life for the better and truer reality of his.
A promise, not a threat
So what is John talking about when he says no one who lives in him keeps on sinning? There are two ways to read this. Someone schooled in the sticks and carrots of the old covenant will interpret these words as a threat. “If you want to remain in him and stay saved, you had better stop sinning. Don’t be deceived. God is holy and intolerant of sin. Slip up and you’re outta here!”
What an awful distortion of God’s unconditional love! Can you imagine being married to someone who threatened to kick you out every time you made a mistake? You would be an emotional wreck. You would walk on eggshells for fear of upsetting your hyper-sensitive and ungracious partner.
Come to think of it, this is exactly how many Christians live. Since they don’t know what makes the new covenant new, they are filled with performance anxiety. They are ever fearful of enraging a temperamental God.
Look to the cross! If God loved you enough to die for you when you were a sinner, he surely loves you now. He didn’t stop loving you after you got saved and he will never kick you out. Your union with the Lord is not conditional on your behavior. In case we had forgotten this, John gives us a reminder:
Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. (1 John 4:15, NKJV)
God abides, he dwells, he stays. The moment you acknowledged Jesus as Lord, he moved into your life and he will never leave.
John’s remarks about not sinning should not be read as a threat but promise. He is describing the new life that we have in Christ. Jesus didn’t sin and he never will. If you let him live his life through you, then without any conscious effort on your part you’re going to start talking and walking just like sinless Jesus. It’s inevitable. Live with someone long enough and you begin to resemble that person in manner and thought.
Sonful, not sinful
I am not saying your behavior will attain a level of sinless perfection this side of eternity. I am saying that living in fellowship with the sinless Son produces desires in us that are informed by his righteous nature. You are Sonful not sinful. This is how John explains it:
No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. (1 John 3:9)
This is not about your performance but your pedigree. Look at the verse again. Three times John refers to your parentage; born of God, God’s seed, born of God. John is trying to tell us that while Adam breeds sinners, God does not. This comes out clearly in the Message Bible:
People conceived and brought into life by God don’t make a practice of sin. How could they? God’s seed is deep within them, making them who they are. It’s not in the nature of the God-begotten to practice and parade sin. (1 John 3:9, MSG)
Origin determines destination. In your old life you followed in the faithless footsteps of your father Adam. You walked after the desires of the flesh because they were the only desires you had.
But you have been taken out of Adam and placed into Christ. You have become a partaker of his divine nature. The evidence of this is the new desires and new ambitions you now have. As far as sinning goes, you are just not that interested anymore. Sure, you still have the capacity to sin. But you don’t enjoy it like you used to. Sinning makes you miserable because you know who your Father is, and when you know who your Father is (not a sinner), then you know who you are (not a sinner).
In the next verse John adds, “This is how we know who the children of God are” (1 John 3:10).
GITW_sideWho are the children of God?
It is those who practice righteousness, not because they have to, but because they carry the righteous DNA of their righteous Father. You don’t practice righteousness to become righteous but because you are righteous. You are a righteous branch on a righteous vine doing what comes naturally.
- Paul Ellis
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
A Misleading Gospel
Let me share a few phrases which you might have heard from pulpits, read in books, or even taught to others.
Jesus gave His life for you; you need to give your life to Him.
Salvation is by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone.
It’s not enough just to believe. After all, even the demons believe.
While salvation is by faith alone, true faith is not just a mental assent to a bunch of facts. True faith will result in a life of obedience to God.
To truly be a Christian, it’s not enough to just believe in your heart, you need to confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.
To really be saved, you need to repent of your sin and submit your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Unless you commit your life to Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ will not commit His life to you.
And on, and on, and on it goes.
These are the sorts of ideas and gospel messages that you often hear in many popular versions of Christianity.
Are Good Works Required for Eternal Life?
If you look over each of those statements, you see that all of them have something in common. Each one mentions or implies that there is more to receiving eternal life than just faith. Each one teaches that faith alone in Jesus Christ alone is not enough, but some form of good works or additional commitment to God is needed above and beyond simple faith alone in Jesus.
Isn’t it strange that while most Christians talk about how eternal life is by faith alone, when it actually comes down to what they believe and how they present the gospel, they somehow incorporate good works into the mix?
Most gospel messages today include works and commitment as part of the requirement for becoming a Christian, staying a Christian, or proving that you really are a Christian.
In my course on the Gospel, I present the exact opposite idea. I present the idea that good works are not required to earn, keep, or prove a person’s eternal life.
Let me state it more clearly: I believe that not even a commitment to obedience and faithful living is required.
Eternal life is by God’s grace from first to last, and God does not require a person to earn eternal life, keep eternal life, or prove that they have eternal life by obedience, commitment, or dedication.
If you look at all those statements in that list above (and the myriad of others that I did not list), they all require some sort of obedience, commitment, or faithful living in order to earn, keep, or prove your eternal life. I believe the Bible teaches the opposite. I believe the Bible teaches that while there is a place for good works in the life of the believer, good works have no place in earning, keeping, or proving our eternal life.
Jesus gave His life for you; you need to give your life to Him.
Salvation is by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone.
It’s not enough just to believe. After all, even the demons believe.
While salvation is by faith alone, true faith is not just a mental assent to a bunch of facts. True faith will result in a life of obedience to God.
To truly be a Christian, it’s not enough to just believe in your heart, you need to confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.
To really be saved, you need to repent of your sin and submit your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Unless you commit your life to Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ will not commit His life to you.
And on, and on, and on it goes.
These are the sorts of ideas and gospel messages that you often hear in many popular versions of Christianity.
Are Good Works Required for Eternal Life?
If you look over each of those statements, you see that all of them have something in common. Each one mentions or implies that there is more to receiving eternal life than just faith. Each one teaches that faith alone in Jesus Christ alone is not enough, but some form of good works or additional commitment to God is needed above and beyond simple faith alone in Jesus.
Isn’t it strange that while most Christians talk about how eternal life is by faith alone, when it actually comes down to what they believe and how they present the gospel, they somehow incorporate good works into the mix?
Most gospel messages today include works and commitment as part of the requirement for becoming a Christian, staying a Christian, or proving that you really are a Christian.
In my course on the Gospel, I present the exact opposite idea. I present the idea that good works are not required to earn, keep, or prove a person’s eternal life.
Let me state it more clearly: I believe that not even a commitment to obedience and faithful living is required.
Eternal life is by God’s grace from first to last, and God does not require a person to earn eternal life, keep eternal life, or prove that they have eternal life by obedience, commitment, or dedication.
If you look at all those statements in that list above (and the myriad of others that I did not list), they all require some sort of obedience, commitment, or faithful living in order to earn, keep, or prove your eternal life. I believe the Bible teaches the opposite. I believe the Bible teaches that while there is a place for good works in the life of the believer, good works have no place in earning, keeping, or proving our eternal life.
Saturday, October 22, 2016
Why the Local Church Really Matters
As we prepare to worship God tomorrow, it may do us good to pause for just a few moments to consider the local church. What is the church? Why has God called us into these little communities? Does the local church really matter? It does! The local church is foundational to God’s plan for his people. In their book Church in Hard Places, Mez McConnell and Mike McKinley offer 6 reasons that the local church matters.
The local church is the way God intends to accomplish his mission in the world. “It is primarily though the local church that God wants to make himself known.” Of all the evangelism strategies in the world, of all the ministries in the world, none is more central than the local church. It’s interesting to note that Paul considered his ministry in an area fulfilled not when every person was reached, but when churches had been planted (see Romans 15:19-20). “Paul knew that the churches there were how the gospel would spread into all of the individual neighborhoods. Local churches do local evangelism.” The church is God’s plan, it is God’s mission.
The local church should matter to us because it matters to God. The church is Jesus’ body on earth (see Ephesians 1:22-23) and it is made up of all kinds of people from all walks of life. “Together we represent Christ here on earth through our local body of believers. Therefore, the church is central to the purposes of God and is of benefit to the world around us—even today in our increasingly hostile culture.” The church exists for God’s glory and showcases it in a unique way. “The church is built for Jesus, by Jesus, and on Jesus. It is simply unthinkable then to separate Jesus from the local church. If the gospel is the diamond in the great salvific plan of God, then the church is the clasp that supports it, holds it up, and shows it in its greatest light for the world to see.” If it matters so much to God, it needs to matter to us just as much.
The local church is where the believer grows. It is primarily in the local church that Christians learn doctrine, receive reproof, and train in righteousness (see Ephesians 4:11-13). The local church provides opportunities for growth that are available nowhere else. McConnell says, “In a scheme [a neighborhood] like Niddrie, people need the concerted time and effort that only a local church can provide. Very often people will turn up on our doorstep having heard the gospel through some parachurch ministry. Yet they almost always have large gaps in their biblical knowledge and Christian behavior. Without a local church committed to patiently teaching and training them, these people will flounder indefinitely.” We all need a local church if we are to become like Christ.
The local church is the place where believers must submit themselves to spiritual authority. Many people from many walks of life struggle with issues of authority, though this problem is especially prevalent in the schemes of Scotland. Mez says, “they will not accept criticism or input from anybody they regard as an authority figure.” This attitude needs to be dealt with immediately. God calls Christians to submit to spiritual authority within the local church (see Hebrews 13:17). All believers are called by God to put themselves under the care and oversight of elders. “A culture that despises any kind of authority needs to see healthy models of leadership and submission. And the place for people to see this modeled is in the local church.”
The local church is the best place for spiritual accountability. We have probably all encountered people who believed they were called to ministry or who even carried out some kind of ministry even though their lives were a mess. This happens where people do not have proper spiritual accountability. “All Christians need the spiritual accountability and discipline that being a member of the local church brings. It stops us from drifting. It offers a context for encouragement and rebuke. It provides a community to stir one another on to love and good deeds.”
The local church is the place from which discipline is biblically administered. The task of disciplining disobedient or unruly Christians belongs to the local church. This is a difficult task but one given specifically to the church as a means to show the deepest love and concern for the spiritual care of believers (Matthew 18:15-17). Discipline belongs to the church as one of its important functions.
As you prepare to worship God tomorrow, consider his mercy and his grace in giving us the local church.
The local church is the way God intends to accomplish his mission in the world. “It is primarily though the local church that God wants to make himself known.” Of all the evangelism strategies in the world, of all the ministries in the world, none is more central than the local church. It’s interesting to note that Paul considered his ministry in an area fulfilled not when every person was reached, but when churches had been planted (see Romans 15:19-20). “Paul knew that the churches there were how the gospel would spread into all of the individual neighborhoods. Local churches do local evangelism.” The church is God’s plan, it is God’s mission.
The local church should matter to us because it matters to God. The church is Jesus’ body on earth (see Ephesians 1:22-23) and it is made up of all kinds of people from all walks of life. “Together we represent Christ here on earth through our local body of believers. Therefore, the church is central to the purposes of God and is of benefit to the world around us—even today in our increasingly hostile culture.” The church exists for God’s glory and showcases it in a unique way. “The church is built for Jesus, by Jesus, and on Jesus. It is simply unthinkable then to separate Jesus from the local church. If the gospel is the diamond in the great salvific plan of God, then the church is the clasp that supports it, holds it up, and shows it in its greatest light for the world to see.” If it matters so much to God, it needs to matter to us just as much.
The local church is where the believer grows. It is primarily in the local church that Christians learn doctrine, receive reproof, and train in righteousness (see Ephesians 4:11-13). The local church provides opportunities for growth that are available nowhere else. McConnell says, “In a scheme [a neighborhood] like Niddrie, people need the concerted time and effort that only a local church can provide. Very often people will turn up on our doorstep having heard the gospel through some parachurch ministry. Yet they almost always have large gaps in their biblical knowledge and Christian behavior. Without a local church committed to patiently teaching and training them, these people will flounder indefinitely.” We all need a local church if we are to become like Christ.
The local church is the place where believers must submit themselves to spiritual authority. Many people from many walks of life struggle with issues of authority, though this problem is especially prevalent in the schemes of Scotland. Mez says, “they will not accept criticism or input from anybody they regard as an authority figure.” This attitude needs to be dealt with immediately. God calls Christians to submit to spiritual authority within the local church (see Hebrews 13:17). All believers are called by God to put themselves under the care and oversight of elders. “A culture that despises any kind of authority needs to see healthy models of leadership and submission. And the place for people to see this modeled is in the local church.”
The local church is the best place for spiritual accountability. We have probably all encountered people who believed they were called to ministry or who even carried out some kind of ministry even though their lives were a mess. This happens where people do not have proper spiritual accountability. “All Christians need the spiritual accountability and discipline that being a member of the local church brings. It stops us from drifting. It offers a context for encouragement and rebuke. It provides a community to stir one another on to love and good deeds.”
The local church is the place from which discipline is biblically administered. The task of disciplining disobedient or unruly Christians belongs to the local church. This is a difficult task but one given specifically to the church as a means to show the deepest love and concern for the spiritual care of believers (Matthew 18:15-17). Discipline belongs to the church as one of its important functions.
As you prepare to worship God tomorrow, consider his mercy and his grace in giving us the local church.
Thursday, October 20, 2016
Gospel Weariness
Gospel weariness. It’s a little phrase I picked up from a friend when he preached at our church not too long ago. His text was James 1, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds…” As he began to preach he told of some of the difficulties his church had encountered in recent days. Most recently and most painfully, dear friends who had only one opportunity to have a child had experienced stillbirth at eight and a half months, just two weeks from delivery. What tragedy. What sorrow.
He and his friends are Christians so they know that suffering is not empty, it is not purposeless, it is not meaningless. But that doesn’t make it any less painful.
Why? Why do we experience such suffering? Why does God allow it? Just from these early verses in James we see something unexpected—trials do us good. Trials do us good by developing spiritual maturity, by developing the most precious character traits. “Trials don’t come about because of what you’ve done but because of who God wants you to be.” Trials generate humility, leveling the field as small and great alike experience pain, miscarriage, death. Trials develop compassion and dependence, teaching us to sympathize with others and be dependent upon God. Trials give us courage in forcing us to handle what we were sure we could never deal with. The couple that lost their child displayed all of this when they said, “We have nowhere to go. All we have is God and his character to lean on.” At the funeral they declared, “Though the fog will not lift and the pain will not go, we hold on.” That’s faith.
Trials do us good in at least one more way: Trials develop a gospel weariness, a weariness with this world. Reflecting on all he had seen and experienced my friend said, “I hate this world right now. All it has done is break my heart.” It had broken his heart and the hearts of the people he loves. “None of us want to stay here. We want to rise in the resurrection and be done with the pain. All this world does is fool you and fail you. It over-promises and under-delivers.”
All of this pain, all of this suffering, all of these trials had made him, had made them, weary. They were tired of suffering, tired of groaning under the weight of this world. “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed…” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). Rising up within them was an increased desire for a time, for a place, when all trials will be over.
This is a gospel weariness, a weariness I’ve heard described by others, a weariness I’ve begun to feel within. Gospel weariness elevates our perspective from our feet to the horizon, from the trials of this world to the hope of the world to come. It stirs within us a holy longing to be done with this life and to enter into the life to come. It fixates on God’s promises, promises of deliverance, of restitution, of eternal peace. It is a weariness that rests on the promises of the gospel, that finds its hope in the God of the gospel. It does not wallow in despair but gazes with confidence to the future. It is a weariness that cries with the saints of all the ages, “Come, Lord Jesus!”
He and his friends are Christians so they know that suffering is not empty, it is not purposeless, it is not meaningless. But that doesn’t make it any less painful.
Why? Why do we experience such suffering? Why does God allow it? Just from these early verses in James we see something unexpected—trials do us good. Trials do us good by developing spiritual maturity, by developing the most precious character traits. “Trials don’t come about because of what you’ve done but because of who God wants you to be.” Trials generate humility, leveling the field as small and great alike experience pain, miscarriage, death. Trials develop compassion and dependence, teaching us to sympathize with others and be dependent upon God. Trials give us courage in forcing us to handle what we were sure we could never deal with. The couple that lost their child displayed all of this when they said, “We have nowhere to go. All we have is God and his character to lean on.” At the funeral they declared, “Though the fog will not lift and the pain will not go, we hold on.” That’s faith.
Trials do us good in at least one more way: Trials develop a gospel weariness, a weariness with this world. Reflecting on all he had seen and experienced my friend said, “I hate this world right now. All it has done is break my heart.” It had broken his heart and the hearts of the people he loves. “None of us want to stay here. We want to rise in the resurrection and be done with the pain. All this world does is fool you and fail you. It over-promises and under-delivers.”
All of this pain, all of this suffering, all of these trials had made him, had made them, weary. They were tired of suffering, tired of groaning under the weight of this world. “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed…” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). Rising up within them was an increased desire for a time, for a place, when all trials will be over.
This is a gospel weariness, a weariness I’ve heard described by others, a weariness I’ve begun to feel within. Gospel weariness elevates our perspective from our feet to the horizon, from the trials of this world to the hope of the world to come. It stirs within us a holy longing to be done with this life and to enter into the life to come. It fixates on God’s promises, promises of deliverance, of restitution, of eternal peace. It is a weariness that rests on the promises of the gospel, that finds its hope in the God of the gospel. It does not wallow in despair but gazes with confidence to the future. It is a weariness that cries with the saints of all the ages, “Come, Lord Jesus!”
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
How Are People Branding You?
One of the exercises I give when I hold a connecting event is ask, “If someone made a movie about your life, what would the title be and which actor/actress would play you?”
This exercise gets people in touch with their calling.
Sometimes the emphasis of your calling will change over time, but the central thrust will always be the same.
For instance (speaking personally), back in 2008, people branded me as the “organic church” guy or the “Pagan Christianity” guy. Mainly because of two best-selling books I wrote back then.
Over the last five years, however, that’s all changed. I’m now known as the “Deeper Christian Life” guy or the “Eternal Purpose” guy or the “Christ is All” guy. Mainly because of the books, blogs, and podcasts I’ve released from 2009 to the present.
The central thrust of my calling has always been to unveil the fullness of Jesus Christ — Head and Body (in practical ways) — which includes both deconstruction and construction. Therefore, all those “brandings” are connected. They just emphasize different aspects of the call.
Now let’s talk about you. People brand you on the basis of three things.
1.what you speak about the most.
2.what you teach on the most.
3.what you practice the most.
As I detail in my PROLIFIC program, if you haven’t yet discovered your calling, it’s not terribly difficult. But it does take time and reflection. And some guidance is valuable.
To simply the process, you find your calling in the intersection of four ingredients: (1) Your passion, (2) your talents/gifts, (3) what you see wrong with the world (that needs to be corrected), and (4) what you would do if no one paid you, yet you can still earn income from.
If your calling and the way people brand you are aligned, it’s one sign that you’re being faithful to your mission.
So consider: How are people branding you?
This exercise gets people in touch with their calling.
Sometimes the emphasis of your calling will change over time, but the central thrust will always be the same.
For instance (speaking personally), back in 2008, people branded me as the “organic church” guy or the “Pagan Christianity” guy. Mainly because of two best-selling books I wrote back then.
Over the last five years, however, that’s all changed. I’m now known as the “Deeper Christian Life” guy or the “Eternal Purpose” guy or the “Christ is All” guy. Mainly because of the books, blogs, and podcasts I’ve released from 2009 to the present.
The central thrust of my calling has always been to unveil the fullness of Jesus Christ — Head and Body (in practical ways) — which includes both deconstruction and construction. Therefore, all those “brandings” are connected. They just emphasize different aspects of the call.
Now let’s talk about you. People brand you on the basis of three things.
1.what you speak about the most.
2.what you teach on the most.
3.what you practice the most.
As I detail in my PROLIFIC program, if you haven’t yet discovered your calling, it’s not terribly difficult. But it does take time and reflection. And some guidance is valuable.
To simply the process, you find your calling in the intersection of four ingredients: (1) Your passion, (2) your talents/gifts, (3) what you see wrong with the world (that needs to be corrected), and (4) what you would do if no one paid you, yet you can still earn income from.
If your calling and the way people brand you are aligned, it’s one sign that you’re being faithful to your mission.
So consider: How are people branding you?
- Frank Viola
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Sin Stuck, or Sin Freed
Not long ago I was involved in a Facebook thread in which people were discussing sin. One person became increasingly indignant with me—she was pretty much yelling via text—and insisted that, as a Christian, she would always be an “incurable sinner,” whose best hope was “sin in remission.” “Don’t you know that?!” she demanded.
Well, I answered, only if you think of yourself as the unchanged, old creation, the former creation, and as what you do rather than who you truly are in Christ, a new creation. Then you can you say that you are “a sinner.” You will be wrong, but you can say it. Essentially, you will be in error concerning what Jesus did for you and to you through the cross and resurrection. This error hurts you because, not knowing the cure of Christ, you will misdiagnose yourself and treat yourself as though you are sick. This will become a twisted and sickly caricature of Christianity; while perfectly cured, you will deny your health. You will frustrate yourself by looking for health—freedom from sin—based upon what you do, rather than upon what Jesus did. That won’t work. Never has. What He did is your cure and health, not what you do.
To the error-prone Christians in Rome, the apostle Paul wrote: “knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin (Romans 6:6-7).
So the big question is: “Did God’s cure work for you?” Through Jesus’ crucifixion, was your old self crucified with Him? Was your body of sin “done away with” so that you would no longer be a slave to sin? Since, in God’s thinking, you died with Christ, are you freed from sin? Is what He did your cure, or do you have another diagnosis and prescription? Who is the better Physician—you or God?
If you continue to believe that you are an unchanged, old creation and an old sinner-self, and that salvation “only” rescued you from sins and guaranteed you for heaven, your diagnosis will be wrong, because you will not believe the gospel and enjoy the perfect health benefits of the cross and the resurrection for you. One was for your sins, and the other was for your new life. Those in Christ are no longer “sinners” by nature, since through the crucifixion and being included in that, they’ve had a change of nature in Christ and now share in the Father’s. They are saints by nature, holy sons in fact, and already citizens of heaven—free from sin, as is everyone in heaven.
You cannot have dual citizenship. You are either born of this world and are of it, or you are born of heaven and are of it—alien to this world, and representative of heaven. Which one are you?
I love my citizenship and how I got there through the cross and resurrection with Jesus. I’ve never felt better about sin than after I knew the truth about the cross and resurrection and my being included with Christ. In Christ, I have died already, and sin has no power over me. In Christ, I have been healed and raised, and my nature is righteous—through and through. How about yours?
I hope this helps.
- Ralph Harris
Well, I answered, only if you think of yourself as the unchanged, old creation, the former creation, and as what you do rather than who you truly are in Christ, a new creation. Then you can you say that you are “a sinner.” You will be wrong, but you can say it. Essentially, you will be in error concerning what Jesus did for you and to you through the cross and resurrection. This error hurts you because, not knowing the cure of Christ, you will misdiagnose yourself and treat yourself as though you are sick. This will become a twisted and sickly caricature of Christianity; while perfectly cured, you will deny your health. You will frustrate yourself by looking for health—freedom from sin—based upon what you do, rather than upon what Jesus did. That won’t work. Never has. What He did is your cure and health, not what you do.
To the error-prone Christians in Rome, the apostle Paul wrote: “knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin (Romans 6:6-7).
So the big question is: “Did God’s cure work for you?” Through Jesus’ crucifixion, was your old self crucified with Him? Was your body of sin “done away with” so that you would no longer be a slave to sin? Since, in God’s thinking, you died with Christ, are you freed from sin? Is what He did your cure, or do you have another diagnosis and prescription? Who is the better Physician—you or God?
If you continue to believe that you are an unchanged, old creation and an old sinner-self, and that salvation “only” rescued you from sins and guaranteed you for heaven, your diagnosis will be wrong, because you will not believe the gospel and enjoy the perfect health benefits of the cross and the resurrection for you. One was for your sins, and the other was for your new life. Those in Christ are no longer “sinners” by nature, since through the crucifixion and being included in that, they’ve had a change of nature in Christ and now share in the Father’s. They are saints by nature, holy sons in fact, and already citizens of heaven—free from sin, as is everyone in heaven.
You cannot have dual citizenship. You are either born of this world and are of it, or you are born of heaven and are of it—alien to this world, and representative of heaven. Which one are you?
I love my citizenship and how I got there through the cross and resurrection with Jesus. I’ve never felt better about sin than after I knew the truth about the cross and resurrection and my being included with Christ. In Christ, I have died already, and sin has no power over me. In Christ, I have been healed and raised, and my nature is righteous—through and through. How about yours?
I hope this helps.
- Ralph Harris
In Him, Move On
If God is constantly leading us successfully and perfectly in Christ—no slowing, no detours, no stopping—then maybe it’s important that we see ourselves IN Christ as He does, always together, instead of following Christ, trying to catch up.
2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.
During how much of each day do we try in our mind to get somewhere or to become something when, IN Christ, we have already arrived? And He is always doing something in and through us. Always. Thinking about that might do you some good.
2 Corinthians 2:15 For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?
2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.
During how much of each day do we try in our mind to get somewhere or to become something when, IN Christ, we have already arrived? And He is always doing something in and through us. Always. Thinking about that might do you some good.
2 Corinthians 2:15 For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?
Don't Change
God doesn’t want you getting confused about the change He has made to you when your behavior fails to match up with the change he has made. He doesn’t want you focusing upon your behavior in order to change, but He helps you to believe in the change He has made. That’s how you live by faith. This requires a healthy focus upon the truth so you can discover and grow in the change He has made. Stay the way you are. Stay the way He thinks you are—a born from above, spot-on perfect son or daughter of His. Get comfortable with that change.
A Clean Slate on Judgment Day
There is a day coming when the world will be judged. Every human being will stand before God. Believers will do so with peace and courage from the Holy Spirit knowing that it is their Abba who judges them tenderly and lovingly, while unbelievers will stand in fear as they are condemned. Revelation 20 paints the picture vividly.
“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11-15
This judgment is synonymous with the Judgment of the Sheep and Goats in Matthew 25:32, and the Judgment Seat of Christ in 2 Corinthians 5:10. All of these descriptions are simply different perspectives on the same judgment. God gathers everyone together once and takes care of judgment for all eternity.
You may be thinking, “This all sounds great, but what about our bad works that get burned up? Won’t God be upset at us for those?” Most people base this question, and questions like it, on 1 Corinthians 3:10-15:
“According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
While the passage is often taken to mean that our bad works are burned up, it is actually talking about doctrinal foundations. Paul is making the case in this section, and the preceding verses, that any doctrinal foundation not founded on Jesus Christ will be destroyed. This passage is for teachers of the gospel more than anyone. If we lay a foundation in our ministry other than the New Covenant, it will be burnt up. This means that all of our fleshly teaching, teaching that focuses on performance before God in all of its manifestations, will not survive into eternity. What good news this is! I don’t want a single fleshly teaching of mine to follow me into eternity. I only want the amazing gospel of grace with me there. Nothing else will do.
It is also important to see that even in this situation there is no disapproving God. Remember, our sins are gone. There is no condemnation in Christ! Period! This is a description of something that happens naturally as we pass into heaven. Believers truly are free from condemnation before God. He accepts us as we are and where we are because of Jesus. Now, that is good news.
- Andy Nelson
“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11-15
This judgment is synonymous with the Judgment of the Sheep and Goats in Matthew 25:32, and the Judgment Seat of Christ in 2 Corinthians 5:10. All of these descriptions are simply different perspectives on the same judgment. God gathers everyone together once and takes care of judgment for all eternity.
You may be thinking, “This all sounds great, but what about our bad works that get burned up? Won’t God be upset at us for those?” Most people base this question, and questions like it, on 1 Corinthians 3:10-15:
“According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
While the passage is often taken to mean that our bad works are burned up, it is actually talking about doctrinal foundations. Paul is making the case in this section, and the preceding verses, that any doctrinal foundation not founded on Jesus Christ will be destroyed. This passage is for teachers of the gospel more than anyone. If we lay a foundation in our ministry other than the New Covenant, it will be burnt up. This means that all of our fleshly teaching, teaching that focuses on performance before God in all of its manifestations, will not survive into eternity. What good news this is! I don’t want a single fleshly teaching of mine to follow me into eternity. I only want the amazing gospel of grace with me there. Nothing else will do.
It is also important to see that even in this situation there is no disapproving God. Remember, our sins are gone. There is no condemnation in Christ! Period! This is a description of something that happens naturally as we pass into heaven. Believers truly are free from condemnation before God. He accepts us as we are and where we are because of Jesus. Now, that is good news.
- Andy Nelson
The Real “Problem
Volumes have been written on what is supposedly wrong with the church. Many believe that the solution is harder work, decreased apathy, and more surrender to God. Yet, Paul seemed to have a different solution in mind:
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.” Titus 2:11-14
What does grace teach us to do? Deny ungodliness and live righteously. I’m convinced that the real problem with the church is that we do not understand how good we have it in Christ. We are not good at letting grace be grace. Bible teachers who use anything other than grace to encourage their congregations to live righteously actually set them up for failure! It’s grace that is the answer. Everything else is second rate.
- Andy Nelson
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.” Titus 2:11-14
What does grace teach us to do? Deny ungodliness and live righteously. I’m convinced that the real problem with the church is that we do not understand how good we have it in Christ. We are not good at letting grace be grace. Bible teachers who use anything other than grace to encourage their congregations to live righteously actually set them up for failure! It’s grace that is the answer. Everything else is second rate.
- Andy Nelson
The Old is Gone
I once gave a sermon called “The Crucifixion of Andy Nelson.” When the title screen came up for the PowerPoint people laughed because of the oddity of the title. During the message I focused on the astounding reality that the old Andy Nelson, the one who existed before Christ, was gone. He had been crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20). What does this mean practically? It means that the young boy who had lived life under slavery of sin no longer existed. In fact it was as if he had never existed to begin with. Not only were my poor decisions erased, I was also erased and reconstructed spiritually. I was given a brand new spiritual core. The Old was gone.
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
I think Christians can spend too much time reflecting on the life they had before Christ. A little introspection is fine of course and can lend perspective, but too much can create problems. There are some sins that I committed before Christ that haunt me if I focus on them. I often think, “Wow, how could I have been so vile? How could I have had such thoughts?” I find that the longer I focus on these past events, the more prone I am to forget my crucifixion with Christ.
When we are raised with Christ we are given a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26). In the biblical context the heart is the innermost core of the person. It is the very foundation of who we are. When we believe in Jesus, God performs a spiritual heart transplant. We don’t see it, and likely don’t even feel it, but it happens. Christ describes the work of the Spirit in this way:
“The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8
In other words we cannot see the Spirit’s work, but we can see the result of the Spirit’s work. When He changes us, we may not see it right away but we will see evidence of this change. It may not look exactly the same way it does for someone else. Some people may show immediate signs of change, such as quitting some sinful habits cold turkey. Others may take time to escape, in practice, the habits of sin. This is why we must be patient with one another as we all figure out exactly what it means to have a new heart.
- Andy Nelson
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
I think Christians can spend too much time reflecting on the life they had before Christ. A little introspection is fine of course and can lend perspective, but too much can create problems. There are some sins that I committed before Christ that haunt me if I focus on them. I often think, “Wow, how could I have been so vile? How could I have had such thoughts?” I find that the longer I focus on these past events, the more prone I am to forget my crucifixion with Christ.
When we are raised with Christ we are given a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26). In the biblical context the heart is the innermost core of the person. It is the very foundation of who we are. When we believe in Jesus, God performs a spiritual heart transplant. We don’t see it, and likely don’t even feel it, but it happens. Christ describes the work of the Spirit in this way:
“The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8
In other words we cannot see the Spirit’s work, but we can see the result of the Spirit’s work. When He changes us, we may not see it right away but we will see evidence of this change. It may not look exactly the same way it does for someone else. Some people may show immediate signs of change, such as quitting some sinful habits cold turkey. Others may take time to escape, in practice, the habits of sin. This is why we must be patient with one another as we all figure out exactly what it means to have a new heart.
- Andy Nelson
Thursday, October 6, 2016
You are Made For Love.
Do you know why you are here? Why did your Creator bring you into existence? To serve Him? To do something important? No, it was simply to be loved. It was to be brought into the Circle of Love that has always existed in eternity. The quality of love shared among the members of the Trinity has always been perfect. There was no way it could be enhanced, but it could be expanded. That’s why you’re here; so that you can belong to Perfect Love.
Divine love can be nothing less than perfect love.
In the beauty of the eternal plan, this love finds greater expression in quantity, not quality. The quality of love was impossible to enhance, but our wise God knew that the dance could be extended to include others, thus making it a shared experience beyond the Father, Son, and Spirit. That’s where you come into the picture. Humanity was created to participate in the great dance. We did nothing to deserve to be included, but the fact that He has included us has beautifully expanded the dance of God into a dance of grace.
Only a God who is pure love would do such a thing as that!
The Father, Son, and Spirit already knew and enjoyed a perfect relationship, so why else would He purpose to create a species with which He might share this love? What could possibly motivate Him to want to expand the circle? Love—that is the only possible reason. Our God is a selfless, generous, other-centered, giving God. He didn’t need you. He wanted you!
My friend Francois DuToit puts it well in his rendering of Ephesians 1:4-6 in the Mirror Bible.
“He associated us in Christ before the fall of the world! Jesus is God’s mind made up about us! He always knew in his love that he would present us again face-to-face before him in blameless innocence. He is the architect of our design; his heart dream realized our coming of age in Christ. His grace-plan is to be celebrated: he greatly endeared us and highly favored us in Christ. His love for his Son is his love for us.”
You aren’t simply a cog in the cosmic wheel. You are your Father’s dream come true!
The apostle Paul described us as God’s masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10 nlt). You have been embraced and bound up in Jesus Christ and are now His very offspring (see Acts 17:28). You have been set in the place of a child who is loved and accepted by the Father just as surely as Jesus Himself knows that love and acceptance.
The Word for You
If the news that God has always intended to include you in the circle of His Trinitarian life seems too good to be true, consider this biblical witness: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). The New Living Translation renders the verse, “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Why is Jesus called the Word? The answer to that, we must first define the meaning of the term itself. What is the meaning of word? It is the expressed embodiment of a concept conveyed from one person to another. In other words, it’s the way something in one person’s mind makes its way to the other person.
We know that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all share the same essence. They live in complete openness and transparency among themselves. None has to inform the others about things they don’t know because they already all know.
So for Jesus to be identified as the Word who already existed at the beginning is very significant. A word exists for the purpose of communicating to another—but each person in the Godhead already fully knows everything the other persons know, so why did this Word exist in the beginning?
If Jesus, as the Word, didn’t need to communicate anything to the Father or the Spirit, to whom did He have something to communicate?
The answer is thrilling. The intended recipient of the Word is you. God had something He wanted to tell you before the first proton and neutron began to vibrate. What was this important news He arranged to tell you long before you were even here to tell?
It is that He loves you, that He always has and always will.
The fact that the Word was there from the very beginning, and the fact that there certainly was nothing He needed to communicate in Himself among the persons of the Trinity, is the basis of this great gospel of love that has the power to transform the whole cosmos. Look back into the place before time began, and you’ll find a loving God whose heart rejoiced at the thought of bringing you into existence so He could share His love with you.
- Steve McVey
Divine love can be nothing less than perfect love.
In the beauty of the eternal plan, this love finds greater expression in quantity, not quality. The quality of love was impossible to enhance, but our wise God knew that the dance could be extended to include others, thus making it a shared experience beyond the Father, Son, and Spirit. That’s where you come into the picture. Humanity was created to participate in the great dance. We did nothing to deserve to be included, but the fact that He has included us has beautifully expanded the dance of God into a dance of grace.
Only a God who is pure love would do such a thing as that!
The Father, Son, and Spirit already knew and enjoyed a perfect relationship, so why else would He purpose to create a species with which He might share this love? What could possibly motivate Him to want to expand the circle? Love—that is the only possible reason. Our God is a selfless, generous, other-centered, giving God. He didn’t need you. He wanted you!
My friend Francois DuToit puts it well in his rendering of Ephesians 1:4-6 in the Mirror Bible.
“He associated us in Christ before the fall of the world! Jesus is God’s mind made up about us! He always knew in his love that he would present us again face-to-face before him in blameless innocence. He is the architect of our design; his heart dream realized our coming of age in Christ. His grace-plan is to be celebrated: he greatly endeared us and highly favored us in Christ. His love for his Son is his love for us.”
You aren’t simply a cog in the cosmic wheel. You are your Father’s dream come true!
The apostle Paul described us as God’s masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10 nlt). You have been embraced and bound up in Jesus Christ and are now His very offspring (see Acts 17:28). You have been set in the place of a child who is loved and accepted by the Father just as surely as Jesus Himself knows that love and acceptance.
The Word for You
If the news that God has always intended to include you in the circle of His Trinitarian life seems too good to be true, consider this biblical witness: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). The New Living Translation renders the verse, “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Why is Jesus called the Word? The answer to that, we must first define the meaning of the term itself. What is the meaning of word? It is the expressed embodiment of a concept conveyed from one person to another. In other words, it’s the way something in one person’s mind makes its way to the other person.
We know that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all share the same essence. They live in complete openness and transparency among themselves. None has to inform the others about things they don’t know because they already all know.
So for Jesus to be identified as the Word who already existed at the beginning is very significant. A word exists for the purpose of communicating to another—but each person in the Godhead already fully knows everything the other persons know, so why did this Word exist in the beginning?
If Jesus, as the Word, didn’t need to communicate anything to the Father or the Spirit, to whom did He have something to communicate?
The answer is thrilling. The intended recipient of the Word is you. God had something He wanted to tell you before the first proton and neutron began to vibrate. What was this important news He arranged to tell you long before you were even here to tell?
It is that He loves you, that He always has and always will.
The fact that the Word was there from the very beginning, and the fact that there certainly was nothing He needed to communicate in Himself among the persons of the Trinity, is the basis of this great gospel of love that has the power to transform the whole cosmos. Look back into the place before time began, and you’ll find a loving God whose heart rejoiced at the thought of bringing you into existence so He could share His love with you.
- Steve McVey
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