Category: salvation

Possessed by Indifference… Worshipping Self

17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’ ” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
(Mark 10:17–22)

It’s so easy to dismiss this as a unique situation… “It certainly can’t apply to me. I’m by no means wealthy.” In comparison to most of my neighbors, perhaps not. But there are undeniably needy persons and families in my community, village, or city. Do my possessions so possess me that I’m content with passively acknowledging others in need? Has indulgence led me to indifference? What do I sacrifice for the sake of helping the needy and the lost and the broken? How does my budget (time/energy and money) for entertainment/recreation (sports, hobbies, cable, movies, shows, vacations) or dining out (nicer restaurants) compare with my charity (love/care for others)?

Yet this young man’s possessions were truly only the symptom. Jesus used his possessions as the trigger for revealing the “one thing” that was lacking. For this young man, self was ultimately his god. Even his greeting is exposed by Jesus (Who knew his heart) as posturing…a way to hopefully get this “famous rabbi” bolster his ego.

Is my love for God really just a facade…masking my need to feel good about myself? In actuality, that can make it easy to pursue good behavior…to compete and perform, even if privately (pride doesn’t always like to be too obvious). Conversely, authentic love for God will exhibit as worship of and obedience for Him and in love for my neighbor as myself…doing unto my neighbor as I would have them do unto me…indeed loving all of God’s creation as He does!

Friendship Redefined

Jesus said to him, “Friend…” (Matthew 26:50)

Just as Judas had betrayed Jesus with, of all things, a kiss…even in that moment, Jesus called him “friend”. This is both a fulfillment of prophecy (Psalm 41:9) and at the same time a simply astounding demonstration of the mercy of God the Father. It is we who chose to be His enemies! Yet how amazing is His grace that Jesus gave His very life-blood (John 15:13) to reconcile us to Himself while we were still helpless, sinful enemies of God (Romans 5:6-11)!

But what does this divine friendship look like? Much more than a social media post! Jesus invites us into an abundantly joyful life with Him. But accepting that invitation begins with belief and repentance … literally turning away from friendship with the world (James 4:4) and being born by the Spirit (John 3:5-6) into a life of obedience to Jesus (John 15:14).

Obedience? Yes. Because we have been so loved (1 John 4:19), we love in return … in this is a perfect summation of the Christian life (1 John 4:7-21). This is no fickle love that requires nothing of us … it requires absolutely everything! (Mark 12:30-31)

This is divine friendship by the power of the Spirit in the fellowship of God the Father and Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior and King eternal.

Book Review: Lies We Believe About God (by Wm. Paul Young)

In case there was any question or ambiguity arising from the narrative of The Shack, in his latest book, Lies We Believe About God, Young makes clear that he has arrived at the entirely unorthodox and un-Scriptural belief that ALL will be saved (Universalism). To be fair, in the Introduction he declares that none of this is certain or final or absolute — he’s still in transition. And to be even more generous, there are actually a number of topics about which I have more agreement than disagreement with Young. However, regardless of Young’s unwillingness or inability to stand firm upon his beliefs, the heresy (against orthodoxy) needs to be well-recognized so that all are given fair warning.

Keep in mind, that the title of each chapter is presented as a lie we believe about God. I’ll discuss briefly just a few here.

In chapter 2 — “God is good. I am not.” — Young refers to the rich young ruler who comes to Jesus and addresses Him as “good.” Jesus responds, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” (Luke 18:18, Matthew 19:17) Young’s logical progression next goes far astray. Denying the extent of the fallen human condition with a qualified “Blind, not depraved, is our condition.”, he proceeds to affirm his deception with “God cannot become anything that is evil or inherently bad . . . and God became human.”

The truth is that Jesus didn’t come to affirm our inherent goodness — He came to redeem and free us from our fallenness. Jesus, perfectly God and perfectly man, is the living example what we were created to be and what we can be in Him — a human rightly bearing His image in right relationship with Him.

Young’s belief in the inherent goodness of all serves as one of the building blocks for perhaps the most blatant error which is found in Chapter 13 — “You need to get saved.” He asks, “So what is the Good News? What is the Gospel?” then proceeds to answer:

“The Good News is not that Jesus has opened up the possibility of salvation and you have been invited to receive Jesus into your life. The Gospel is that Jesus has already included you into His life, into His relationship with God the Father, and into His anointing in the Holy Spirit. The Good News is that Jesus did this without your vote, and whether you believe it or not won’t make it any less or more true.

What or who saves me? Either God did in Jesus, or I save myself. If, in any way, I participate in the completed act of salvation accomplished in Jesus, then my part is what actually saves me. Saving faith is not our faith, but the faith of Jesus.

God does not wait for my choice and then “save me.” God has acted decisively and universally for all humankind. Now our daily choice is to either grow and participate in that reality or continue to live in the blindness of our own independence. Are you suggesting that everyone is saved? That you believe in universal salvation? That is exactly what I am saying!”

So, according to Young, it’s a lie that we need to get saved because all of humankind is already saved.

In chapter 15 — “Hell is separation from God.” — because Young cannot comprehend the wrath of God, he opts to deny it. And, since in his mind all are already saved, he proposes “the possibility that hell is not separation from Jesus but that it is the pain of resisting our salvation in Jesus while not being able to escape Him who is True Love.”

The eternal torment of separation from God depicted in both the New and Old Testaments and directly in Jesus preaching is simply not up for dismissal according to human wisdom, so called.

In whatever ways the human heart may wish to imagine away God or His self-revelation in the living and written Word, it only serves to further prove the depravity of mankind’s fallenness.

Young would do well to heed the Word in all its fullness, including 2 Peter 2:1–10.
“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority.”

Image Bearers

Current events continue to emphasize for me something that I believe will introduce this topic well. As a Christian, have you ever found yourself excoriated and attacked for speaking the Word or proclaiming the Gospel? Or, perhaps it was that you acted or spoke with malice or resentment in your heart toward someone with a particular sin that was more offensive that you could tolerate. As a sinner, did you ever find yourself ill-at-ease, uncomfortable, or just down-right seething with anger in the presence of some holier-than-thou, self-righteous, do-gooder Christian?

Consider this …

A Christian need never be condemning of a sinner — indeed, we are warned strictly against such behavior. Rather — in their unbelief and by their own words, thoughts, and deeds — sinners are already condemned. Because God has faithfully and graciously revealed Himself throughout all of creation, through His Word, and by His prophets, the convicting work of His Holy Spirit is perfectly sure and effectual.

Yet, the claim frequently made by sinners is that Christians are always condemning them — yet, strangely enough, not necessarily because a Christian in any way spoke or acted to condemn them. By a Christian teaching Scripture or proclaiming the Gospel — or, even simply by the mere presence of a Christian, the work of the Holy Spirit is made more evident. The Christian is simply being the salt and light that the Lord Jesus has called them to be. Rather, what the sinner is seeking, is for the Christian to condone their sin, Even if the whole of Christendom were to condone their sin, these poor sinners would sense no less condemnation. There is an inherent condemnation in sin — a guilt that cries out for some sort of resolution — the reconciliation of the soul knows is broken. You see, sin separates us from the only One by Whom there is forgiveness and redemption — Divine separation anxiety … it can’t get any worse than that! This is something so deeply rooted in us that it can never be humanly resolved. Sin violates the very image in which we were created — the image of God.

Let’s explore this idea here — this image we bear.

15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. 16 And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness [image] and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.
(Mt 22:15–22)

Now, as you may have noticed, our money doesn’t bear the image of Ceasar — rather, it declares “in God we trust” … while bearing the images of any number of historically or politically significant people. For decades, we have pledged allegiance to the flag of our nation “under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” But, if anything, the past century or so has proven quite thoroughly that neither the words on our money nor those proclaimed in our pledge can make this a Christian nation … we are so far removed from that. Unborn babies murdered by the millions and many sold for body parts… rampant and flagrant immorality, no longer in shame, but celebrated publicly… Our national image is horribly corrupt.

When it comes to marketing, politics, public relations, and such, it’s not surprising at all to hear the phrase, “Image is everything.” In all my years of managing risk — regardless of industry, whether healthcare, finance, manufacturing, etc. — there is a particular form of risk that organizational leaders are keenly aware of … the risk of damage to their reputation. Their image matters to them greatly. They will make decisions about where to spend their money and who is allowed to speak publicly on their behalf and what verbiage is acceptable and appropriate — all this and more … all relative to projecting and protecting their image. Image and reputation are inextricably and unavoidably linked to one another.

But how did this all get started? Where did it all begin? Well, I’m glad you asked.

In the beginning, “God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” (Ge. 1:26) Isn’t it fascinating, even shocking, that God would take the risk of allowing His image to be embedded within and projected by mere mortal beings? By our very nature, designed in the image of the Divine, we are given the ability to will — to choose for ourselves. Mankind was given the freedom even to choose wrongly and in doing so to horribly damage God’s reputation … and, unfortunately, that is exactly what happened. Ever since that time, people have looked at other people — especially other people who claim to serve and know God — and blamed God for those who have so poorly born His image.

In Matthew 22, we read of the religious leaders coming to again attempt to trick Jesus — ironically enough, to try to get Him to damage His own image and reputation. Andrew Murray, in his work “With Christ in the School of Prayer,” reflects on this passage:
`WHOSE is this image?’ It was by this question that Jesus foiled His enemies, when they thought to take Him, and settled the matter of duty in regard to the tribute. The question and the principle it involves are of universal application. Nowhere more truly than in man himself. The image he bears decides his destiny. Bearing God’s image, he belongs to God: prayer to God is what he was created for.

Take note — Image decides destiny.

Now, we’re not talking about anything quite so shallow as some contrived facade — something you can put on and take off as needed. For we know, just as God told Samuel, “the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”
(1 Sa 16:7)

In the world, we see how that concept of image is corrupted and perverted into an obsession with self and outward appearances. We see the entire human race reflecting something that, more often than not, bears very little resemblance to a God of Holy Love. We witness valiant human efforts to overcome the inherent flaws that are so readily apparent. Self-improvement spawns industry after industry … whether physical or emotional or spiritual self-improvement — from exercise programs to diet supplements to brain training to counseling and meditation. And don’t get me wrong, some of these are valid and do have their place. Some efforts are more successful than others. Some people just try harder. Some are simply gifted with upbringing or personality that is more disciplined or of better moral character. But others are discouraged, deceived, ignorant, foolish — or, as Paul said to the Thessalonians, some are even under delusion from God Himself because they’ve rejected the Truth they were given. (2 Th. 2:9-12)

In ourselves, we may perseveringly give it all our very best — or, give up entirely and live only unto ourselves. Either way, we remain desperately devoid of the one thing — the only thing — that will ever save us from ourselves … to be born again, restored to the image of God Incarnate — Jesus the God-man who gave His life’s blood on the cross, taking our sin and shame upon Himself — yes, bearing our corrupted, debased image.

Listen to how the Apostle Paul expresses this throughout his letters to the churches …

To the Ephesians:
17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness [image] of God in true righteousness and holiness.
(Eph 4:17–24.)

To the Colossians:
3 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
(Col 3:1–10)

To the Corinthians:
45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
(1 Co 15:45–49)

To the Philippians:
For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
(Php 3:18-21)

We who are in Christ have a tremendous responsibility — and that responsibility is sustained by a glorious and blessed hope! We can live abundantly today in the victory that Jesus secured by His precious blood. As we are faithful, we can know that Holy Love fills and cleanses us and overflows to the benefit of all those everyday whom God grants us the privilege of exhorting and encouraging and teaching and blessing. And we know that great and glorious day of the return of our Lord and King is drawing ever nearer when we will be restored perfectly into His image!

If you are not in Christ, you know just how deeply and greatly you need to be born again. I pray the Holy Spirit of God will move with mighty convicting power to draw you unto Himself and that you will humbly confess and repent and be restored. Don’t let Divine separation-anxiety be the ruination of your brief time here on earth and lead you to eternal death.

So, let me ask you: Whose image do you bear?

Remember, the image you bear decides your destiny!

The Unnatural Lifestyle — Naturally Reasoned

That which is most natural — in its purest, originally created sense — is precisely that which honors and worships the Creator as God alone. As the Apostle Paul began his theological treatise to the Church in Rome, isn’t it interesting that the Old Testament is not his initial or explicit point of reference? Rather, he argues from the natural revelation of God — declaring that mankind had always had all that was necessary to honor and worship its Creator. But humanity rejected God as He had revealed Himself to them in nature — choosing their own foolish wisdom, denying the glory of the Creator and worshipping mere creatures, denying the truth about God in favor of a lie. Because they rejected the naturally clear revelation of God, in His wrath He gave them up to the unnatural … “to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.” (Ro. 1:26-27) And not only this, but all manner of ungodliness and wickedness.

Here we stand, thousands of years hence — the benefactors of the manifold revelation of God, not only in nature, but in Scripture and the incarnate, crucified, and resurrected Christ and His Church and the Holy Spirit … and the rejection of God as He reveals Himself continues and increases ever more pervasively and perversely. The world has fallen so far away from the goodness and glory in which it was created that the plague of deception can no longer even be recognized by many if not most. That which is truly and rightly natural, as God intended, is so far from where creation is today. This is clearly evidenced by behavior that is against or contrary to nature, including sexual perversion such as homosexuality. Not only is such behavior prevalent, the efforts to celebrate and normalize such seem to prevail increasingly.

If the unnatural lifestyle is what you have chosen, repent and confess your sins to God Who is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you — making you His own in Christ and filling you with His Spirit of Love.

Christian brothers and sisters, the call remains today as it was to the early Church — stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught (2 Th. 2:15); stand fast through faith (Ro. 11:20); stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God (Co. 4:12); hold firm to the trustworthy Word (Ti. 1:9); hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory (Ja. 2:1); hold fast to the hope set before us (He. 6:18); hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He Who promised is faithful (He. 10:23).

God’s promise to Joshua is ours today — “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (He. 13:5). Jesus assurance stands eternal — “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Sola Sancta Caritas | Only Holy Love

When I received notice of this eBook release recently, it particularly caught my attention — Sola Sancta Caritas (Only Holy Love), by Joseph Dongell.  It is but a sketch; and yet, this is perhaps one of the most critical statements on Holiness for the church today. I won’t do the injustice of summarizing this rich material — suffice it to say, this message resonates profoundly with the conversation in which God has been leading me. Dongell has put into words an understanding of Holiness that is entirely and beautifully Scriptural and one that the Wesley brothers articulated with great richness and depth in sermon and song. Herein you will find the words perhaps for the first time to rightly describe sanctification as the perfect and perfecting work of Holy Love.

My upbringing in the Holiness Movement was much like that of the author; but my Christian walk languished for many years — distracted theologically and defeated by sin. it was only a few short years ago that I came to recognize an overwhelming demonstration of God’s Love as He pursued and brought me to repentance — therein I began living anew in His blessed peace and joy. Very specifically, the emphasis of the Spirit on me and in me has been that the Love of God is the most essential element — yes, the very essence of the Christian life and of God Himself. The divine mystery is this thing we call love … yet mere mortal words in any language can never capture all that means. It is nothing that we could ever conjure up or exert ourselves to effect even were we to harness all the energies of the universe. We must look to Jesus, the incarnation of the Divine, to see and hear and know and be filled. The greatest commandments are Love. (Mark 12:30-31) The new command that is the oldest command is Love. (John 13:34) And we love because we have been so loved. (1 John 4:19) But it is in no way of ourselves — it is only in the fullness and anointing and cleansing of the Spirit of Love that we are enabled to obey the law of Love. Love is the Progenitor of all that is good — upon us, in us, through us, and from us.

So it was that I read Sola Sancta Caritas this morning — I found I could do little else but cry out in worship of my Lord and God.

My God, the anguish of my sin;
I plead, save me from this burden.
The wretch within torments me so;
‘Tis only You can make me whole.

Oh, Holy Love, come fill me now;
Make new in me this fervent vow.
I will not cease my all to give,
Till in my soul I know You live.

Power over the innate urge;
Tis You alone my soul can purge.
Power to serve both friend and foe;
Such perfect will I long to know.

Oh, Holy Love, come fill me now;
Make new in me this fervent vow.
I will not cease my all to give,
Till in my soul I know You live.

God’s wrath perfectly satisfied;
In Love let me be sanctified.
The crushing weight of longing need;
I taste and know I may be freed.

Oh, Holy Love, You fill me now;
Making sure this fervent vow.
I will not cease my all to give,
Now in my soul I know You live!

Sweet Spirit of Love that in me dwells;
Of this Good News I must all tell!
Be saved and cleansed by perfect Love
From earth below to Heaven above!

Innately Desiring Sin

Such a cacophony of voices crowds the world theater — all vying for the mind and heart and soul of mankind — espousing innumerable versions of every possible rationale for redefining sin as anything but sin — excusing, practicing, normalizing, and even celebrating it (Rom. 1:26-32) — often in the name of diversity and inclusion. This is not new (Isa. 5:20-21); yet the selfish demands of scoffers (2 Pet. 3:2-3; Jude 17-18) are increasingly brazen and amplified by manifold media.

Innate attraction or desire is germane to a discussion of Holy living only from the perspective of that which may need to be overcome by the power of the indwelling Spirit of God. So a man or woman is born with innate desires that God has declared to be sinful — innateness in no way alters or diminishes sinfulness; if anything, it’s to be expected (Jer. 17:9-10). Unequivocally, sin is to be repented of and its desires put to death, not entertained and practiced (John 8:11; Rom. 6; 8:13; Gal. 6:7-8).

Whether an LGBTQ individual appears to be living a happy, peaceful life or perhaps even what appears to be a Christian lifestyle, as some claim, by whatever standard may be chosen, is entirely irrelevant. Any individual choosing to willfully continue in sinful behavior is tragically deceived, woefully ignorant, and/or arrogantly rebellious. Quite literally, this is pandemonium — the oppression of many demons seeking the utter destruction of all that God created good and all that Jesus came to redeem. Sickeningly, far too many who bear the name of Christ are among the deceived and some willingly so. Yes, this is spiritual warfare (Eph. 6:12).

If you do not know Jesus, the Son of God, as your Lord and Almighty God as your Father, repent — confess your sins — receive forgiveness — be made clean and whole by the Spirit and the Word.

Christian brothers and sisters — pray without ceasing! Stand courageously and contend for the faith! Love not the world, but do the will of God!

Father God, have mercy!
Lord Jesus, have mercy!
Holy Spirit, convict with power!
Come quickly, Lord Jesus, come! 

A Brief Testimony

So, how would you put into words a concise, yet comprehensive statement of who you were in sin, who you are in Christ, who you are becoming by His grace, and the glorious hope of who you will be? I’ve been rather verbose about it on numerous occasions 🙂 although I’ve never taken the time to compose a synopsis. The pastoral residency I’m in calls us to respond to every facet of the Gospel and evangelism is perhaps the most essential call of every Christian. And that makes this effort rich for me in both substance and purpose.

Here’s what I would say if I had just a couple minutes of your time…

From the earliest age, I recall always being in church, seeing as I was raised as a pastor’s kid. I don’t remember not being a Christian — my faith as a child was strong and my heart was tender; but I do remember becoming increasingly and intolerably rebellious as I entered and began through my teenage years. A crisis of faith developed toward the end of high school when I knew I could no longer allow self-will to harden my heart and destroy the faith God had given me. I knew Jesus died in my place for my sin. I knew I could only live in Him. This was the beginning of a long journey back to God.

The personal, spiritual battles that continued into adulthood were often lost due to my preoccupation with self — achievement, satisfaction, fulfillment — all things that were sometimes merely secular, but for entirely the wrong motives, or even more often, blatantly sinful. I could never quite satisfy my desires — I was always left incomplete. Although guilt repeatedly led to what was often private confession, the secret shame and lack of true repentance left me a slave to the insatiable.

God allowed me much success in my career — perhaps in part to prove to me just how hollow it could be. Yet as I found myself being crushed by guilt and emptiness, the evidence of God’s love and mercy began to overwhelm me. I found that He was ever so patiently drawing me to Himself. I was filled with deep longing for true repentance and freedom — God wonderfully granted me that repentance and I found such freedom in the love of Jesus like I had never known! My guilt and emptiness were replaced with such joy and contentment.

The gracious gift of Jesus’ righteousness has begun a work in me that continues as I grow and am transformed by the Spirit and the Word of God. The Spirit of God living in me guides and directs me, convicts me of sin and righteousness, and makes me Holy, reminding me I am His own. As I confess my sin, He faithfully and justly forgives me as His child. God continues to strengthen me when temptations to lust and covet confront me — giving me perfect peace in His complete fulfillment of my every need.

As I continue to obediently seek and honor God and His kingdom, and to faithfully respond to God’s call on my life to minister the Gospel, no matter the sacrifice, He proves that His providential grace is perfectly sufficient. All my hope is in Jesus, my Lord—because He arose from the dead in the power of His Holiness, whether today or tomorrow I live or die, in Jesus I have life eternal.

How about you?

Seeking?

Everyone is seeking something.  It’s what we do.  Let’s think of this perhaps in synonymous terms: seeking, pursuing, desiring, longing, hungering, chasing, wanting.  These all require an investment of who we are—our resources—our time and money—our energy—even our very breath.  Whether in the material/physical or emotional sense, these efforts can range from the bare essentials of life to the most extravagant expenditures.  Yet, we all have a need for something that is much, much deeper—much more essential than any physical or emotional need—that of the spirit.  Ever since Adam and Eve broke the perfect relationship, fellowship, and communion that they had in worshiping and enjoying the Creator, the human race has been plagued with what A.W. Tozer terms “spiritual amnesia”.  We don’t know the who or what or why or how or where or when of our existence.  Unless and until this need is recognized and responded to, we are nothing more than the living dead.  In Matt 6:25-34, we see Jesus present in simple terms the anxiety that arises from being misguided in that which we seek.  We are not to be anxious about what we’ll eat or drink or wear.  Rather, we must “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” … but, what does that mean?  What does that look like in real life?

First of all, Jesus identifies the audience herein whom He knows can receive this truth—“your heavenly Father knows”.  If you’re still among the living dead, this teaching won’t resonate with you.  Remember Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, who came to learn from Jesus in secret.  Nicodemus seems to speak to Jesus with a sort of consternation—recognizing Jesus mighty works, yet unable to understand Who Jesus is.

3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
(John 3:3–7)

In the new birth, the re-birth of our spirit, we enter back into a right relationship with the Divine—the relationship Adam and Eve broke.  Paul describes this to the Romans:
you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
(Rom 8:15-16)

If you have not been born-again …  If your heart doesn’t cry out, “Abba! Father!” … please, don’t hesitate to confess and repent of your sin and be born-again into the life of Jesus today.

And that is only the beginning!  Now, “seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness” is personal.  It begins to make sense in the light of Who my Father is.  Yet, within me there is often a lingering conflict.  The Spirit of God within me that bears witness to my adoption can feel like a foreign invader.  The ambassador of kingdom of God is within me.  He is Holy!  Yet everything within me is so much less than Holy and so much a part of my very nature.  Paul cries out, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Rom 7:24)  The agony of knowing that Love Who has found us, redeemed us, and begun a good work in us, at the same time—by His presence indwelling us—reveals everything in us that is not of love.

The writer of Hebrews exhorts us to “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” (Heb 12:14)  Can we ever be free or are we left to live out our days on earth in this awkward bondage with an ever increasing knowledge of Holiness that increasingly exposes our unholiness?

Mildred Wynkoop [a theologian and evangelist to Japan in the 1960’s] has illustrated this by asking [us] to imagine [ourselves] as suffering from defective kidneys and the only hope of surviving is to go to kidney dialysis several times a week. If your kidneys don’t work, there is no hope in yourself; your blood supply is self-polluting. The only hope lies outside yourself. You must be attached periodically to a machine to cleanse your blood. But suppose you could avoid the tiresome trip several times a week for dialysis. Suppose you could be attached somehow to a healthy friend, so that your friend’s kidneys could cleanse your own self-polluting blood. Suppose that this friend was willing to be connected to you. As long as you stayed connected to this friend and walked step by step, your friend would insure a continuing perfection of your blood supply. Would you do this if it were your only hope in living? If you did, you’d have to develop an entirely different lifestyle wouldn’t you? You’d have to go everywhere your friend went.
(Drury, Keith (2009-05-01). Holiness for Ordinary People 25th Anniversary Edition (Kindle Locations 1815-1823). Wesleyan Publishing House. Kindle Edition.)

You see the picture that begins to appear.  We have an active role to take in decisively choosing holiness and purity of heart.  Paul exhorts the Corinthians to consider that they, as temples of the living God, must seek purity.  “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.” (2 Cor 7:1)  You ask, but how am I to cleanse myself?

The sanctification of God’s people, the Body of Christ, is imperative–and essential to that process is God’s Word.  In Paul’s instruction to the Ephesians on marriage (5:25-27)  he draws the parallel of the profound mystery of our marriage to Christ.  Just as a bride would go through a prenuptial ritual of washing which became known in Judaism as her sanctification, so we, as the Bride of Christ, are “cleansed … with the washing of water by the word” as Jesus, by His Spirit, makes us ready for His great wedding feast!

We must immerse ourselves continually in the living Word.  We must read and search and study and meditate upon the written Word.  Not only did we receive the Holy Spirit at our new birth, we must seek and receive the Holy Spirit of the living Word again and again in new and fresh fullness and anointing.  “When asked why he constantly spoke about being filled with the Spirit, Dwight L. Moody responded succinctly, “I leak.” We all leak.”
(Drury, Keith (2009-05-01). Holiness for Ordinary People 25th Anniversary Edition (Kindle Locations 1800-1801). Wesleyan Publishing House. Kindle Edition.)

But my brothers and sisters, be assured and comforted—we are not abandoned to our own feeble resources.  The same Spirit Who indwells, empowers.  For He is the Spirit of the living God Who seeks and desires that we be restored to that for which we were created.  Jesus said, “the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” (John 4:23)  If we doubt in any way our Father’s willingness and desire, hear the words of Paul to the Thessalonians.  23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thess. 5:23-24)

Take Possession and Clean House

“55 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell. 56 And I will do to you as I thought to do to them.” (Num 33:55–56)

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” (Heb 12:1)

In considering these two Texts, I find myself both exhorted and encouraged.  The “inhabitants of the land” are analogous to “every weight, and sin“.  Just as the Israelites were not to be satisfied with possessing the land, we must not be satisfied merely to take possession of this great Salvation afforded us by the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  In humble obedience to the Holy Spirit, we must endure the cleansing and purification of our souls.  Whatever weight we won’t lay aside … Whatever sin we won’t confess and repent of … these will fester and spread like a cancer just as the “inhabitants of the land” perverted and polluted the Israelites from within.  The writer of Hebrews not only gave the examples of all the great “cloud of witnesses“, but he went on … “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb 12:2)  Because He did, we too can endure our cross for the hope, the joy that is set before us … our eternal glorification and dwelling in perfect communion with our Creator and Father, the Almighty God.