2 Chronicles 7:15-16
Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.
Sometimes we get stuck in a rut where we feel like, and start to believe that, God isn’t listening anymore. These feelings can be the result of our background in church doctrine, a misquoted or misunderstood scripture, or just our own sin conscious, self-reflective attitudes. What can we do when we start feeling this way?
Well, the answer is get back to the basics. The writer of Hebrews makes reference while talking to believers (that’s us) that, though we ought to be teachers, sometimes we need someone to refresh our memory and explain to us, again, the basics of the Gospel (Hebrews 5:12). We should know these things, but sometimes we just need to be reminded. Mind you, the writer doesn’t say that we need to be reminded of what we have done wrong, but rather of the first principles of God. In our case, that is, New Testament living, these would be the foundational doctrines of Christianity. Allow me to remind you of the basics:
1-Christ came in human form.
2-He lived a perfect life.
3-Christ was scourged and beaten for our healing.
4-He was cursed and nailed to a tree for our death.
5-He rose from the grave, victorious and has forgiven us of all sin.
Now that we have gotten the basics out of the way we can move forward and recognize that nothing we have done, will do, or are doing, is causing God to not hear us. No circumstance we have fallen into, no new challenge in our lives is taken on without the loving and ALWAYS listening ear of God. Scripture backs this up!
The Bible tells us that our bodies have become the temple of the Holy Spirit (1Corinthians 3:16), wherein the name of Jesus lives! That being the case, the promise that God made regarding prayer in His temple pertains directly to us. God told Solomon that in the temple, the place where His name would reside (2 Chronicles 2:1), His ears and His eyes would be attentive to the prayers made!
Friends this is very positive news! Those of us who are Christians have the blessing of being made the house for the name of the Lord. Jesus is written within us, on our hearts, and in our minds. That being the case, we are never out of fellowship with God. No matter what you have done or think you have done God is still listening to you!
The real good news is this: Jesus’ death on the cross paid the penalty for all of your sins, long before you were born. God, being outside of time, knew exactly why, when, where, how, and what you were going to do, before you were even born! He preemptively forgave you, wrote His name on your heart, and now listens, attentively, to all the prayers that you make! But wait, there’s more. It’s not just the simple fact that God is watching you and listening to your prayers; He’s also sanctified you.
That’s right folks, God hears you and watches you because He has sanctified you by the blood sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ! Since He has done that, His name is with you forever. It can’t be removed; He put it there! Even greater still is this: His heart is with you.
Whatever your situation today, know that God is watching you and listening to you. You haven’t fallen out of fellowship with Him. He hasn’t stopped listening to your prayers. God loves you; His heart is with you. He gave you life through Jesus Christ, His only Son. So pray and KNOW that God is listening!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Righteous, regardless
Psalm 48:10
According to Your name, O God, so is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness.
I don’t like feeling condemned. It makes me feel bad, worthless, and not good enough. I think that’s why Paul wrote Romans 8:1, as a reminder to me (and you) that in Christ there is no condemnation.
Have you ever had someone come to you and tell you what you’re doing wrong? I often wonder where people who rarely chat with me otherwise find the gall to come to me only to declare my misdoings. It’s as if they need to condemn me to feel secure in their own righteousness. At times like these that I have two options. Option one: be Gary. Take up a good fighting stance, get a sight picture, and with a steady trigger pull, POW! Unload both barrels, empty all my magazines, fill that target with holes. Option two: be the new Gary (2 Corinthians 5:17). This option doesn’t involve retaliation, justification, or anger. This option only requires that I recall who Jesus is and what He has done. End of story!
This is hard for me only in the sense that by nature I am an arguer. Honestly, I love to argue; it’s the way God made me. For years I used this God-given gift to attack people, but suddenly I’m realizing that He’s given me this gift for His glory. What do I do now? I argue Jesus and my standing with Him. I’m not concerned with my standing with people. I’m certainly not concerned with how people presume to know my standing with God. All I can argue now is what I know, based on scripture, to be my status with God Almighty.
So, what is my standing with God? Well, as far as He’s concerned, I’m made perfect by the blood of Jesus Christ. He sees me as He sees His own Son: righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21). As a believer, I am in Jesus, and as He is, so am I (1 John 4:17). Scripture tells me that Christ is seated at the right hand of God (Hebrews 10:12) and this Psalm tells me that His right hand is full of righteousness. Therefore, I conclude, I am righteous, being that I am in His right hand!
Knowing that I am righteous in Christ and that I can’t lose that righteousness gives me a firm foundation on which to stand. When accusations come my way, when condemnation is thrown at me, my argument is simply this: I am righteous because Jesus has made me righteous. There is nothing that can separate me from the Father’s love (Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.).
The world and the worldly belief desires to see us condemned. But we know that the Devil, not the Christian, is the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10)! When someone feels the need to come to you with condemnation, remember who you are, an heir to the throne of God with Christ (Romans 8:17), and remind that person of Jesus’ finished work at the cross.
At the end of the day I know this truth: I am righteous regardless of what I have done, am doing, or will do, because Christ has made me that way. There is no condemnation for me because I am in Christ. Accusations and condemning speech cannot change my status with the King. His right hand is full of righteousness and that is where I am!
According to Your name, O God, so is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness.
I don’t like feeling condemned. It makes me feel bad, worthless, and not good enough. I think that’s why Paul wrote Romans 8:1, as a reminder to me (and you) that in Christ there is no condemnation.
Have you ever had someone come to you and tell you what you’re doing wrong? I often wonder where people who rarely chat with me otherwise find the gall to come to me only to declare my misdoings. It’s as if they need to condemn me to feel secure in their own righteousness. At times like these that I have two options. Option one: be Gary. Take up a good fighting stance, get a sight picture, and with a steady trigger pull, POW! Unload both barrels, empty all my magazines, fill that target with holes. Option two: be the new Gary (2 Corinthians 5:17). This option doesn’t involve retaliation, justification, or anger. This option only requires that I recall who Jesus is and what He has done. End of story!
This is hard for me only in the sense that by nature I am an arguer. Honestly, I love to argue; it’s the way God made me. For years I used this God-given gift to attack people, but suddenly I’m realizing that He’s given me this gift for His glory. What do I do now? I argue Jesus and my standing with Him. I’m not concerned with my standing with people. I’m certainly not concerned with how people presume to know my standing with God. All I can argue now is what I know, based on scripture, to be my status with God Almighty.
So, what is my standing with God? Well, as far as He’s concerned, I’m made perfect by the blood of Jesus Christ. He sees me as He sees His own Son: righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21). As a believer, I am in Jesus, and as He is, so am I (1 John 4:17). Scripture tells me that Christ is seated at the right hand of God (Hebrews 10:12) and this Psalm tells me that His right hand is full of righteousness. Therefore, I conclude, I am righteous, being that I am in His right hand!
Knowing that I am righteous in Christ and that I can’t lose that righteousness gives me a firm foundation on which to stand. When accusations come my way, when condemnation is thrown at me, my argument is simply this: I am righteous because Jesus has made me righteous. There is nothing that can separate me from the Father’s love (Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.).
The world and the worldly belief desires to see us condemned. But we know that the Devil, not the Christian, is the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10)! When someone feels the need to come to you with condemnation, remember who you are, an heir to the throne of God with Christ (Romans 8:17), and remind that person of Jesus’ finished work at the cross.
At the end of the day I know this truth: I am righteous regardless of what I have done, am doing, or will do, because Christ has made me that way. There is no condemnation for me because I am in Christ. Accusations and condemning speech cannot change my status with the King. His right hand is full of righteousness and that is where I am!
Monday, October 24, 2011
Criss-cross
Genesis 48:14
But Israel crossed his hands and reached out. He put his right hand on Ephraim’s head, although Ephraim was the younger son. He put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was older.
Why? Why did Israel [Jacob] cross his hands to bless the children? I often wondered about this, especially growing up as the second of two children. A lot of times growing up we, the younger children, see the older get what we believe to be more or better things. They get new clothes, we get hand-me-downs. They are the first to drive, go to the prom, and get married (usually). They’re usually the first ones to bless the family with grandchildren. We’re always riding on their coattails, or so it seems. A lot of times it’s not until we’re out on our own in the world that we, the younger, really realize who we are and start to become our own person. For so long we lived under the shadow of an older sibling that our identity was simply that: a shadow.
This still doesn’t answer the question: why did Jacob cross his hands and bless the younger brother with the right hand and the older brother with his left hand? I don’t think he was picking favorites. I don’t think that he had seen Ephraim grow up in the shadows all his life and wanted him to be something new. I think Jacob saw something that God had ordained from before there was time. It was an opportunity to cleverly hide the mystery of Christ and the blessings of His grace rather than the curses of the Law.
Everything is significant in the Bible. From the placement of a comma to the names of the children, each detail is special and holds within it clues to the ultimate revelation of Jesus Christ to the world. Jacob, whose name means supplanter, is the one doing the blessing here. We know that Jacob got his name because he was born holding Esau’s heel and, later in life, managed to get Esau’s blessing for his own. But I believe that God had an even greater purpose for revealing why Jacob was so named. Even in this chapter of Genesis the translation switches back and forth, referring to him as Jacob in one sentence and Israel in the next, both names of the same person!
Jacob, the supplanter, or Israel, prince of God, is blessing two children. What are their names again? Ephraim, meaning “the famous bearer, very fruitful,” the youngest child, and Manasseh, meaning “he that is forgotten,” the older child. In essence, “he that is forgotten” is being supplanted by “the one who is very fruitful.”
What’s the significance; where’s Jesus? I’m about to let you know. Manasseh is a representation of the Law that God gave to Moses, the Ten Commandments. He was the first to come, but not the greatest. Ephraim is a representation of Jesus Christ and His grace. He is the greatest. The glory of the first is fading and being forgotten while that of the second is greater, everlasting, and bears much fruit (2 Corinthians 3:7-11).
The right hand blessing had to go to the one who would represent the Right Hand of God, Jesus Christ, in whom we have forgiveness of sins and open access to the blessings of heaven (Philippians 4:19, Hebrews 10:12). The left [over] blessing had to go to the representative of the Law, whose job is finished at the revelation of Jesus (Galatians 3:24).
There is just one more thing, the way in which the boys were presented and what Jacob did. The boys were facing Jacob and he was facing them, Manasseh in front of his right hand and Ephraim in front of his left. When Jacob reached out to bless the boys, crossing his hands, he made a sign for God to see. It was a cross, the eventual key to unlock the blessings God intended for mankind from the beginning. Just for fun, right now, stop and reach your hands out as Jacob did. Cross them and look down. That is what God saw that day. He saw the forgotten being supplanted by the very fruitful True Vine through the cross!
But Israel crossed his hands and reached out. He put his right hand on Ephraim’s head, although Ephraim was the younger son. He put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was older.
Why? Why did Israel [Jacob] cross his hands to bless the children? I often wondered about this, especially growing up as the second of two children. A lot of times growing up we, the younger children, see the older get what we believe to be more or better things. They get new clothes, we get hand-me-downs. They are the first to drive, go to the prom, and get married (usually). They’re usually the first ones to bless the family with grandchildren. We’re always riding on their coattails, or so it seems. A lot of times it’s not until we’re out on our own in the world that we, the younger, really realize who we are and start to become our own person. For so long we lived under the shadow of an older sibling that our identity was simply that: a shadow.
This still doesn’t answer the question: why did Jacob cross his hands and bless the younger brother with the right hand and the older brother with his left hand? I don’t think he was picking favorites. I don’t think that he had seen Ephraim grow up in the shadows all his life and wanted him to be something new. I think Jacob saw something that God had ordained from before there was time. It was an opportunity to cleverly hide the mystery of Christ and the blessings of His grace rather than the curses of the Law.
Everything is significant in the Bible. From the placement of a comma to the names of the children, each detail is special and holds within it clues to the ultimate revelation of Jesus Christ to the world. Jacob, whose name means supplanter, is the one doing the blessing here. We know that Jacob got his name because he was born holding Esau’s heel and, later in life, managed to get Esau’s blessing for his own. But I believe that God had an even greater purpose for revealing why Jacob was so named. Even in this chapter of Genesis the translation switches back and forth, referring to him as Jacob in one sentence and Israel in the next, both names of the same person!
Jacob, the supplanter, or Israel, prince of God, is blessing two children. What are their names again? Ephraim, meaning “the famous bearer, very fruitful,” the youngest child, and Manasseh, meaning “he that is forgotten,” the older child. In essence, “he that is forgotten” is being supplanted by “the one who is very fruitful.”
What’s the significance; where’s Jesus? I’m about to let you know. Manasseh is a representation of the Law that God gave to Moses, the Ten Commandments. He was the first to come, but not the greatest. Ephraim is a representation of Jesus Christ and His grace. He is the greatest. The glory of the first is fading and being forgotten while that of the second is greater, everlasting, and bears much fruit (2 Corinthians 3:7-11).
The right hand blessing had to go to the one who would represent the Right Hand of God, Jesus Christ, in whom we have forgiveness of sins and open access to the blessings of heaven (Philippians 4:19, Hebrews 10:12). The left [over] blessing had to go to the representative of the Law, whose job is finished at the revelation of Jesus (Galatians 3:24).
There is just one more thing, the way in which the boys were presented and what Jacob did. The boys were facing Jacob and he was facing them, Manasseh in front of his right hand and Ephraim in front of his left. When Jacob reached out to bless the boys, crossing his hands, he made a sign for God to see. It was a cross, the eventual key to unlock the blessings God intended for mankind from the beginning. Just for fun, right now, stop and reach your hands out as Jacob did. Cross them and look down. That is what God saw that day. He saw the forgotten being supplanted by the very fruitful True Vine through the cross!
Monday, October 17, 2011
Pillars
2 Chronicles 3:17
Then he set up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand and the other on the left; he called the name of the one on the right hand Jachin, and the name of the one on the left Boaz.
Have you ever heard anyone say that the Bible is God’s instruction manual for us on how to live a good and holy life? I know that I have. The Bible: Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. Come on now, I think there’s more to it than that!
If we understand the Bible as nothing more than an instruction manual for us, a list of rules, regulations, and requirements, then who the heck is Jesus? Seriously here, folks, if the Word [Jesus] (John 1:1) says little more than “do, do, do,” then how on earth is anyone going to have a relationship with that? Yet week after week in church we throw out rules and principles to live by as if to say Jesus came to do one thing, give us more rules to try and live by.
And while I’m on this subject, if the Bible is our instruction manual, then why are there chapters upon chapters of the ornate decorations of the temple? History? Do we really need history in order to follow rules? Who cares what the pillars of the temple were named by the king at the time? This is God’s rule book, right? We don’t need to know about the 100 pomegranates on the top; we only need to know how to live right before the Lord. Really, these books that just tell us about the ornate design of the temple are pointless space fillers in God’s lesson plan for being a good person.
What I’m trying to point out here is that there is more to the Bible than just the rules and regulations. In fact, I am saying that those things (rules and regulations) are secondary points that just happened to show up. The real point of the Bible is the ornateness of the temple, the pomegranates on the pillars, the very names of the pillars themselves!
And so we go, let’s look at the names of these two great pillars that stand before the temple that Solomon built for the NAME of the Lord.
To the right is Jachin, whose name means “he that strengthens and makes steadfast”. To the left, Boaz, meaning “swift and strong”. These two pillars and their names were not put in the Bible as an aside, but as a representation of the Law (Boaz) to the left, and Grace (Jachin) to the right.
During the time in which the Bible was written there were certain traditions. One was the blessing of the children. The first, the best blessing always went to the child at the right hand (typically the oldest, but as evidenced in the Bible there were some changes along the way...save that for another day).
Under the Law, the nation of Israel could not receive the fullness of God’s blessings unless they did all that He required (which they couldn’t). They received what they earned. They functioned in a society under a law that was swift and strong. It was written on stone to show its unwillingness to bend or to assist. It was (and still is) perfect in every way, but was not able to bring about the fullness of God’s blessings on the people because it required and demanded too much: perfection.
Then came grace and truth through Jesus Christ (John 1:17). He didn’t come into the world to demand more, but rather to do what people couldn’t do on their own. He is the one who strengthens and makes steadfast. He is the fullness of perfection, seated at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19) making continual intercession on our behalf (Romans 8:34) so that we can receive the best of God’s blessings.
I’m here to tell you today that the Bible is not a book of rules. It is not a “how to” manual for life before you die. It is not weapon to be used against people to show them their mistakes; it is a weapon to protect people from the Devil. But most of all, the Bible is the Word of God. It is a miracle book filled with images of Jesus Christ, God’s grace, forgiveness, protection, blessings, honor, glory, and power. It is what it is!
Then he set up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand and the other on the left; he called the name of the one on the right hand Jachin, and the name of the one on the left Boaz.
Have you ever heard anyone say that the Bible is God’s instruction manual for us on how to live a good and holy life? I know that I have. The Bible: Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. Come on now, I think there’s more to it than that!
If we understand the Bible as nothing more than an instruction manual for us, a list of rules, regulations, and requirements, then who the heck is Jesus? Seriously here, folks, if the Word [Jesus] (John 1:1) says little more than “do, do, do,” then how on earth is anyone going to have a relationship with that? Yet week after week in church we throw out rules and principles to live by as if to say Jesus came to do one thing, give us more rules to try and live by.
And while I’m on this subject, if the Bible is our instruction manual, then why are there chapters upon chapters of the ornate decorations of the temple? History? Do we really need history in order to follow rules? Who cares what the pillars of the temple were named by the king at the time? This is God’s rule book, right? We don’t need to know about the 100 pomegranates on the top; we only need to know how to live right before the Lord. Really, these books that just tell us about the ornate design of the temple are pointless space fillers in God’s lesson plan for being a good person.
What I’m trying to point out here is that there is more to the Bible than just the rules and regulations. In fact, I am saying that those things (rules and regulations) are secondary points that just happened to show up. The real point of the Bible is the ornateness of the temple, the pomegranates on the pillars, the very names of the pillars themselves!
And so we go, let’s look at the names of these two great pillars that stand before the temple that Solomon built for the NAME of the Lord.
To the right is Jachin, whose name means “he that strengthens and makes steadfast”. To the left, Boaz, meaning “swift and strong”. These two pillars and their names were not put in the Bible as an aside, but as a representation of the Law (Boaz) to the left, and Grace (Jachin) to the right.
During the time in which the Bible was written there were certain traditions. One was the blessing of the children. The first, the best blessing always went to the child at the right hand (typically the oldest, but as evidenced in the Bible there were some changes along the way...save that for another day).
Under the Law, the nation of Israel could not receive the fullness of God’s blessings unless they did all that He required (which they couldn’t). They received what they earned. They functioned in a society under a law that was swift and strong. It was written on stone to show its unwillingness to bend or to assist. It was (and still is) perfect in every way, but was not able to bring about the fullness of God’s blessings on the people because it required and demanded too much: perfection.
Then came grace and truth through Jesus Christ (John 1:17). He didn’t come into the world to demand more, but rather to do what people couldn’t do on their own. He is the one who strengthens and makes steadfast. He is the fullness of perfection, seated at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19) making continual intercession on our behalf (Romans 8:34) so that we can receive the best of God’s blessings.
I’m here to tell you today that the Bible is not a book of rules. It is not a “how to” manual for life before you die. It is not weapon to be used against people to show them their mistakes; it is a weapon to protect people from the Devil. But most of all, the Bible is the Word of God. It is a miracle book filled with images of Jesus Christ, God’s grace, forgiveness, protection, blessings, honor, glory, and power. It is what it is!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Chillin' with a dead man.
John 12:2
There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.
Our personal understanding of our spiritual standing with God is made manifest in our day to day activity. How we believe and what we believe are directly related to how we act and how we live our lives. Are we workers like Martha, or are we partakers like Lazarus? This is the question.
What you are about to read may come as a surprise; it may even rattle your sails a bit, but that’s a good thing. It is time to flip the world upside down. It is time to turn our theology inside out and reexamine how we interpret scripture. It is time for us to read the Bible through a Jesus filter and begin to truly understand what the Good Book teaches. So I’ll ask: are you ready?
Martha is a worker. Martha is always doing something. Most of the time she’s preparing a meal. Have you ever asked yourself the question why? I’m sure you’ve heard it said (as have I) that Martha is an example of a good working servant for the Kingdom of heaven. “If the church had more Marthas it would be a better place.” But I don’t believe that’s the correct way to interpret scripture. (Guilt and obligation come from this kind of interpretation.)
While it is a fact that Martha served Jesus and had a Kingdom mindset, we have to examine her motives, the reason behind her service. A look at Luke 10 shows us that Martha’s service, though extremely helpful, was done to gain approval from the Lord out of a legalistic sense of duty. (Luke 10:40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”) That kind of service is not what God wants from people. I call it “me-centered service”, and though it goes to benefit the Kingdom, it’s all about the server and not truly about the King.
Then there’s Lazarus, the man who was dead and is now living, sitting at the table with Jesus. Why isn’t he making dinner? He was, after all, just given a second chance at life! Lazarus is a picture of the grace-led Christian. I’m sure that He did wonderful things for the Kingdom as time went on, but he also recognized the fact that nothing he did for Jesus would make Jesus love, respect, or honor him any more than He already did.
Lazarus realized that the work had been done; his life had been made new. He realized that there was nothing left for him to do in this world except commune with Jesus, receive the fullness of His love, and live. That’s an awesome realization: there is nothing left for us to do in this world except commune with Jesus, receive His love, and live!
Martha, though helpful, was consumed with her works. Do you think she ever enjoyed a meal with Jesus? I don’t. I’ve been a chef and understand all the hard work that goes into preparing a meal. I understand how that hard work takes away from the wonder of the meal when it’s finally time to sit and eat. Poor Martha, she missed out! She never understood that Jesus came to give her rest, not require more service from her. Jesus didn’t need her food in order to enjoy dinner; He was the food. Lazarus understood that Jesus was the way, the truth, the life, and the resurrection. He had firsthand knowledge of death under law and resurrection to a new life under grace.
Friends, we need to be Lazarus Christians. The Bible tells us that we are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). We need to accept His rest, His provision, and His unmerited favor in our lives and stop trying to earn what has been freely given.
**Service in the church is necessary, but can’t be done out of compulsion or guilt. That is the point. Serving Jesus should never feel laborious, difficult, or annoying. True Kingdom service can only begin after you realize that you have the right to sit down with Jesus and simply enjoy His company and fellowship.**
There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.
Our personal understanding of our spiritual standing with God is made manifest in our day to day activity. How we believe and what we believe are directly related to how we act and how we live our lives. Are we workers like Martha, or are we partakers like Lazarus? This is the question.
What you are about to read may come as a surprise; it may even rattle your sails a bit, but that’s a good thing. It is time to flip the world upside down. It is time to turn our theology inside out and reexamine how we interpret scripture. It is time for us to read the Bible through a Jesus filter and begin to truly understand what the Good Book teaches. So I’ll ask: are you ready?
Martha is a worker. Martha is always doing something. Most of the time she’s preparing a meal. Have you ever asked yourself the question why? I’m sure you’ve heard it said (as have I) that Martha is an example of a good working servant for the Kingdom of heaven. “If the church had more Marthas it would be a better place.” But I don’t believe that’s the correct way to interpret scripture. (Guilt and obligation come from this kind of interpretation.)
While it is a fact that Martha served Jesus and had a Kingdom mindset, we have to examine her motives, the reason behind her service. A look at Luke 10 shows us that Martha’s service, though extremely helpful, was done to gain approval from the Lord out of a legalistic sense of duty. (Luke 10:40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”) That kind of service is not what God wants from people. I call it “me-centered service”, and though it goes to benefit the Kingdom, it’s all about the server and not truly about the King.
Then there’s Lazarus, the man who was dead and is now living, sitting at the table with Jesus. Why isn’t he making dinner? He was, after all, just given a second chance at life! Lazarus is a picture of the grace-led Christian. I’m sure that He did wonderful things for the Kingdom as time went on, but he also recognized the fact that nothing he did for Jesus would make Jesus love, respect, or honor him any more than He already did.
Lazarus realized that the work had been done; his life had been made new. He realized that there was nothing left for him to do in this world except commune with Jesus, receive the fullness of His love, and live. That’s an awesome realization: there is nothing left for us to do in this world except commune with Jesus, receive His love, and live!
Martha, though helpful, was consumed with her works. Do you think she ever enjoyed a meal with Jesus? I don’t. I’ve been a chef and understand all the hard work that goes into preparing a meal. I understand how that hard work takes away from the wonder of the meal when it’s finally time to sit and eat. Poor Martha, she missed out! She never understood that Jesus came to give her rest, not require more service from her. Jesus didn’t need her food in order to enjoy dinner; He was the food. Lazarus understood that Jesus was the way, the truth, the life, and the resurrection. He had firsthand knowledge of death under law and resurrection to a new life under grace.
Friends, we need to be Lazarus Christians. The Bible tells us that we are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). We need to accept His rest, His provision, and His unmerited favor in our lives and stop trying to earn what has been freely given.
**Service in the church is necessary, but can’t be done out of compulsion or guilt. That is the point. Serving Jesus should never feel laborious, difficult, or annoying. True Kingdom service can only begin after you realize that you have the right to sit down with Jesus and simply enjoy His company and fellowship.**
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Mystery Babylon
Revelation 18:4
Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “‘Come out of her, my people,’ so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues;”
These are the words of Jesus Christ, King of kings, and Lord of lords: “Come up out of her, my people...” These are commonly used words when preachers go down the rapture trail. They are foundation words for such doctrines. But I think there is more to what Jesus said than an allusion to the rapture of the church.
Jesus is calling out to His people, commonly thought of as the church, but not necessarily so. You see, there are those who live the church lifestyle, following the church doctrines, who are not actually Christians (Matthew 7:21-23). There are genuinely “good” people who hear the word, follow the rules, and live the life, who aren’t truly saved. This missed salvation isn’t a result of their unbelief in who Jesus is, but is a product of their lack of faith in what He truly did.
So much of our time is spent teaching “Christians” how to be good people that Jesus has become a footnote to Christian theology. The veil that was torn in two at His crucifixion has been sewn back together by the doctrine of the church (2 Corinthians 3:15). In sanctuaries around the world it is the resurrection of the veil of the Law that is being preached rather than the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Well-intended teaching has unintentionally caused many of Christ’s followers to fall from grace. By subjecting Christians to a legalistic view of the Bible and its meaning, many preachers have inadvertently placed the body of Christ back under law. They have re-subjected His body (the church) to the sickness, death, and suffering that He Himself already suffered on our behalf.
Why is there divorce in the church? Why is there sickness in the church? Why is there death in the church? Because she hasn’t accepted the fullness of Christ’s sacrifice. She is still trying to be justified by her ability to do the very things that Christ came to do for her, for us all. (Galatians 5:4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.)
The Bible truth is this: the law gives strength to sin (1 Corinthians 15:56) and the price of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Jesus is calling us all to come up out of her, Babylon, the land of confusion. He’s calling us away from the confusing doctrine of saved by grace, justified by law. He is calling us to be set apart from what the world sees as normal, that is, “do good get good/do bad get bad”; He wants us to live entirely under His grace.
He’s telling us to rise above it all: the rules, the expectations, the unreachable goals. He’s telling us that by living under His grace we won’t sin anymore (1 John 3:9) and that by living in His grace we will not receive any of the plagues. Sickness, disease, depression, fear, and anxiety can’t touch you when you’re under the umbrella of Christ’s grace. Come up out of the confusing mixture of law and grace, the ministry of death (2 Corinthians 3:7), onto the level of the superior covenant of grace and grace alone.
Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “‘Come out of her, my people,’ so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues;”
These are the words of Jesus Christ, King of kings, and Lord of lords: “Come up out of her, my people...” These are commonly used words when preachers go down the rapture trail. They are foundation words for such doctrines. But I think there is more to what Jesus said than an allusion to the rapture of the church.
Jesus is calling out to His people, commonly thought of as the church, but not necessarily so. You see, there are those who live the church lifestyle, following the church doctrines, who are not actually Christians (Matthew 7:21-23). There are genuinely “good” people who hear the word, follow the rules, and live the life, who aren’t truly saved. This missed salvation isn’t a result of their unbelief in who Jesus is, but is a product of their lack of faith in what He truly did.
So much of our time is spent teaching “Christians” how to be good people that Jesus has become a footnote to Christian theology. The veil that was torn in two at His crucifixion has been sewn back together by the doctrine of the church (2 Corinthians 3:15). In sanctuaries around the world it is the resurrection of the veil of the Law that is being preached rather than the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Well-intended teaching has unintentionally caused many of Christ’s followers to fall from grace. By subjecting Christians to a legalistic view of the Bible and its meaning, many preachers have inadvertently placed the body of Christ back under law. They have re-subjected His body (the church) to the sickness, death, and suffering that He Himself already suffered on our behalf.
Why is there divorce in the church? Why is there sickness in the church? Why is there death in the church? Because she hasn’t accepted the fullness of Christ’s sacrifice. She is still trying to be justified by her ability to do the very things that Christ came to do for her, for us all. (Galatians 5:4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.)
The Bible truth is this: the law gives strength to sin (1 Corinthians 15:56) and the price of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Jesus is calling us all to come up out of her, Babylon, the land of confusion. He’s calling us away from the confusing doctrine of saved by grace, justified by law. He is calling us to be set apart from what the world sees as normal, that is, “do good get good/do bad get bad”; He wants us to live entirely under His grace.
He’s telling us to rise above it all: the rules, the expectations, the unreachable goals. He’s telling us that by living under His grace we won’t sin anymore (1 John 3:9) and that by living in His grace we will not receive any of the plagues. Sickness, disease, depression, fear, and anxiety can’t touch you when you’re under the umbrella of Christ’s grace. Come up out of the confusing mixture of law and grace, the ministry of death (2 Corinthians 3:7), onto the level of the superior covenant of grace and grace alone.
Monday, October 10, 2011
All of 'em.
Psalm 34:15
The Lord’s eyes are on righteous people. His ears hear their cry for help.
Psalm 34:17
Righteous people cry out. The Lord hears and rescues them from all their troubles.
Do we really believe the Bible? Honestly, truly, without question, do we believe that what the Word of God says is true and accurate? I’m not too sure. It seems to me that, in a lot of Christian circles, there is a disconnect between the brain and the heart when it comes to full belief in the Word of God. My assumption is that this flaw in believing is due to centuries of inaccurate teaching and unintentional misrepresentations of the Bible.
Power, freedom, peace, and rest are found in the Psalms. They were written for our edification, our learning, and our spiritual growth as followers of Christ (2 Timothy 3:16). They contain within them the strength to endure and the power to overcome. They hold secrets that God, through David’s writing, intended for us to discover. They provide us unique insight into who our Creator, our Savior, and our God really is. They are a blessing for the blessed ones (that’s us, those who have placed our faith in Christ Jesus)!
Unfortunately, some of us have been taught incorrectly about the cross of Jesus Christ and what it has done for mankind. We have been (correctly) led to believe that Christ died to get us into heaven, but also (incorrectly) that our righteousness is dependent on our ability to live rightly as a Christian. This kind of believing actually takes away from the awesome power of Jesus’ finished work here on earth. When we have an insecure base for the foundation of our beliefs, we inadvertently limit the restorative power of the cross in our lives.
There is no work or deed that can be done by any man, woman, or child that is capable of bringing us into a right standing with God. The whole “get right with God” concept is inaccurate and false doctrine. The truth is that we were made right with God by the perfect and finished work of Jesus Christ. It is only through His blood that we have forgiveness of sins. It is by His stripes we have healing for our bodies. It is by His perfection that we have been made perfect. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something.
All who have placed faith in Jesus, who have found peace in knowing that He has perfected us, are righteous, regardless of any wrongdoing done or to be done. That means that wherever the Bible makes a promise to the righteous, we can claim it. Here that promise is this: the Lord hears the cries of the righteous and He rescues them from all their troubles.
When we believe right we will live righteously, knowing that we are righteous through the grace of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). It is because of His righteousness, which has been imparted to us, that God rescues us from all our troubles. Stand up, cry out, be rescued!
The Lord’s eyes are on righteous people. His ears hear their cry for help.
Psalm 34:17
Righteous people cry out. The Lord hears and rescues them from all their troubles.
Do we really believe the Bible? Honestly, truly, without question, do we believe that what the Word of God says is true and accurate? I’m not too sure. It seems to me that, in a lot of Christian circles, there is a disconnect between the brain and the heart when it comes to full belief in the Word of God. My assumption is that this flaw in believing is due to centuries of inaccurate teaching and unintentional misrepresentations of the Bible.
Power, freedom, peace, and rest are found in the Psalms. They were written for our edification, our learning, and our spiritual growth as followers of Christ (2 Timothy 3:16). They contain within them the strength to endure and the power to overcome. They hold secrets that God, through David’s writing, intended for us to discover. They provide us unique insight into who our Creator, our Savior, and our God really is. They are a blessing for the blessed ones (that’s us, those who have placed our faith in Christ Jesus)!
Unfortunately, some of us have been taught incorrectly about the cross of Jesus Christ and what it has done for mankind. We have been (correctly) led to believe that Christ died to get us into heaven, but also (incorrectly) that our righteousness is dependent on our ability to live rightly as a Christian. This kind of believing actually takes away from the awesome power of Jesus’ finished work here on earth. When we have an insecure base for the foundation of our beliefs, we inadvertently limit the restorative power of the cross in our lives.
There is no work or deed that can be done by any man, woman, or child that is capable of bringing us into a right standing with God. The whole “get right with God” concept is inaccurate and false doctrine. The truth is that we were made right with God by the perfect and finished work of Jesus Christ. It is only through His blood that we have forgiveness of sins. It is by His stripes we have healing for our bodies. It is by His perfection that we have been made perfect. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something.
All who have placed faith in Jesus, who have found peace in knowing that He has perfected us, are righteous, regardless of any wrongdoing done or to be done. That means that wherever the Bible makes a promise to the righteous, we can claim it. Here that promise is this: the Lord hears the cries of the righteous and He rescues them from all their troubles.
When we believe right we will live righteously, knowing that we are righteous through the grace of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). It is because of His righteousness, which has been imparted to us, that God rescues us from all our troubles. Stand up, cry out, be rescued!
Friday, October 7, 2011
You: righteous!
Psalm 32:11
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Sounds like a direct order to me. What about you? There are a lot of Christians and churches today that still believe that living by the letter of the law is what makes you a good person in the eyes of God. It’s not enough, their teaching implies, that Jesus Christ went to the cross for you and took your punishment; you must also live into the law that He came to fulfill. It’s a theological conundrum: we’re saved by grace, but works give us status with God.
But that’s not what I’m writing about today. No, I’m going to appeal to the church, to the Christian who enjoys being given rules and regulations to try and live into. I’m going to appeal to the Christian who desires to prove his or her worth to God through their own ability to “live right”. Today I want to appeal to the Christian who has been saved by grace but still wants to be justified by works.
Here in Psalm 32 you have been given a direct order by God: be glad in the LORD and rejoice. So I’ll ask the question, are you doing that? Most likely no, because in order to fulfill the commandment you must possess a certain quality that you, the ones justified through working out your salvation, can’t possess: righteousness. It’s out there now, I said it: if you are choosing to be saved by grace but attempt to be justified by your works, you do not have the righteousness of Christ. (Galatians 5:4 “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.”) You are not righteous!
This may be tough to swallow, but if you’re a doer of the word, that is, a law-fulfiller, you cannot fulfill this commandment. The Bible tells us straight up, our righteous works are but filthy rags before a holy God (Isaiah 64:6). That being the case, how can you, the doer of laws, be righteous? The short answer is you can’t.
In order to be able to live into this command, you must first be willing to submit to the fact that you can’t. It’s not really that confusing; it’s quite simple. You have to go back to grace and stop right there. Christ gave us His righteousness and took our sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). In so doing, we became instantly righteous. That means no works, deeds, sins, or shortcomings can change the fact that we are righteous. The moment we submitted to the authority of Jesus’ words on the cross, “It is finished!” we became righteous. The moment we accepted His sacrifice for our sins we became upright in heart by the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Belief that we are seen by God as He sees Jesus is crucial to understanding the grace that He has given. (1 John 4:17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.) We are righteous, as the Bible says, in this world because Jesus is righteous at the right hand of the Father!
With that said, now it is easy to rejoice, knowing that you are righteous. No matter what you have done, Christ has made you righteous. No matter what you do, or will do, Christ has already made you righteous. Knowing that: shout for joy! You are redeemed, forgiven, sanctified, justified, clean, healed, blessed, loved, highly favored, a child of the King, heir to the throne; you are saved! The One who made you righteous is with you and loves you. Let your heart overflow with joy and happiness!
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Sounds like a direct order to me. What about you? There are a lot of Christians and churches today that still believe that living by the letter of the law is what makes you a good person in the eyes of God. It’s not enough, their teaching implies, that Jesus Christ went to the cross for you and took your punishment; you must also live into the law that He came to fulfill. It’s a theological conundrum: we’re saved by grace, but works give us status with God.
But that’s not what I’m writing about today. No, I’m going to appeal to the church, to the Christian who enjoys being given rules and regulations to try and live into. I’m going to appeal to the Christian who desires to prove his or her worth to God through their own ability to “live right”. Today I want to appeal to the Christian who has been saved by grace but still wants to be justified by works.
Here in Psalm 32 you have been given a direct order by God: be glad in the LORD and rejoice. So I’ll ask the question, are you doing that? Most likely no, because in order to fulfill the commandment you must possess a certain quality that you, the ones justified through working out your salvation, can’t possess: righteousness. It’s out there now, I said it: if you are choosing to be saved by grace but attempt to be justified by your works, you do not have the righteousness of Christ. (Galatians 5:4 “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.”) You are not righteous!
This may be tough to swallow, but if you’re a doer of the word, that is, a law-fulfiller, you cannot fulfill this commandment. The Bible tells us straight up, our righteous works are but filthy rags before a holy God (Isaiah 64:6). That being the case, how can you, the doer of laws, be righteous? The short answer is you can’t.
In order to be able to live into this command, you must first be willing to submit to the fact that you can’t. It’s not really that confusing; it’s quite simple. You have to go back to grace and stop right there. Christ gave us His righteousness and took our sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). In so doing, we became instantly righteous. That means no works, deeds, sins, or shortcomings can change the fact that we are righteous. The moment we submitted to the authority of Jesus’ words on the cross, “It is finished!” we became righteous. The moment we accepted His sacrifice for our sins we became upright in heart by the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Belief that we are seen by God as He sees Jesus is crucial to understanding the grace that He has given. (1 John 4:17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.) We are righteous, as the Bible says, in this world because Jesus is righteous at the right hand of the Father!
With that said, now it is easy to rejoice, knowing that you are righteous. No matter what you have done, Christ has made you righteous. No matter what you do, or will do, Christ has already made you righteous. Knowing that: shout for joy! You are redeemed, forgiven, sanctified, justified, clean, healed, blessed, loved, highly favored, a child of the King, heir to the throne; you are saved! The One who made you righteous is with you and loves you. Let your heart overflow with joy and happiness!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
A dark and stormy night.
John 6:21
Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.
Four miles, that is how far the disciples had rowed their boat in the storm. Four long, labor-intensive, sweat-filled, treacherous miles on open water with the wind and the waves crashing down on them. Four miles filled with screams, fright, pain, and fatigue as wave after wave, with the aid of the relentless wind, pushed against them. All I can say is this: I’m glad I wasn’t in the boat.
According to this passage of scripture the disciples decided that they were going to go across the water without Jesus. It was already dark (never a good time to start a journey) when they made this obviously bad decision to leave; they were through waiting for Jesus. So, they left Him alone, up on the mountain where He had gone to pray, and they set off across the sea to Capernaum.
Surely I could go off on a tangent here about how it is our responsibility to wait on Christ before we act in our lives. Oh, there’s the lesson that doing things without Jesus isn’t the best way to go. And, of course, there is the lesson that when you do things your way, they never work out. But that’s not what I intend to elaborate upon. No, I think Christ’s grace and forgiveness would be a better topic here.
Back to our story. The disciples are having a heck of a time at sea. They’re fighting waves and pushing against the wind. I’m willing to bet that there is some arguing going on and most likely some finger pointing as well. Put yourself on the boat for a minute. “Whose bright idea was it to leave now?!” “Oh, don’t worry about it, guys; the weather looks fine...LIAR!!!” (Those aren’t really quotes from the disciples; I’m just imagining what they’d be saying.)
Then, all of a sudden, Jesus is coming. He’s walking out to meet them, on top of the water. Let me remind you that His buddies, His twelve closest friends, just left Him on a mountain by Himself. They never even told Him they were going; they didn’t even give so much as a yell up the hillside. (“Yo, Jesus, we’re fixin’ to go here!”) They just abandoned Him! But He wasn’t about to abandon them.
Jesus came to them in their storm. His words were not condemning or rebuking; He didn’t mention how they had left without Him. He simply said, “It is I, do not be afraid.” This is the M.O. of God; this is the heart of the Creator: do not be afraid. The disciples, feeling no guilt for leaving, no condemnation for leaving their Teacher behind, willingly received Him into the boat. Immediately they were on the other side. Their work, their toil, their strife, their blaming, and their fears all gone, in an instant, because Jesus got them there immediately!
Friends, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. This is the Jesus we need to tell the world about. The Jesus who comes to you where you are, even if you have abandoned Him. The Jesus who does not speak words of condemnation, who is not mad at you, but simply says “It is I; do not be afraid.” Jesus, who gets in the boat with you and immediately brings you to shore. This is the Jesus of the Bible. This is the Christ of Grace, the Redeemer of His people. This is who God is, was, and is to come!
Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.
Four miles, that is how far the disciples had rowed their boat in the storm. Four long, labor-intensive, sweat-filled, treacherous miles on open water with the wind and the waves crashing down on them. Four miles filled with screams, fright, pain, and fatigue as wave after wave, with the aid of the relentless wind, pushed against them. All I can say is this: I’m glad I wasn’t in the boat.
According to this passage of scripture the disciples decided that they were going to go across the water without Jesus. It was already dark (never a good time to start a journey) when they made this obviously bad decision to leave; they were through waiting for Jesus. So, they left Him alone, up on the mountain where He had gone to pray, and they set off across the sea to Capernaum.
Surely I could go off on a tangent here about how it is our responsibility to wait on Christ before we act in our lives. Oh, there’s the lesson that doing things without Jesus isn’t the best way to go. And, of course, there is the lesson that when you do things your way, they never work out. But that’s not what I intend to elaborate upon. No, I think Christ’s grace and forgiveness would be a better topic here.
Back to our story. The disciples are having a heck of a time at sea. They’re fighting waves and pushing against the wind. I’m willing to bet that there is some arguing going on and most likely some finger pointing as well. Put yourself on the boat for a minute. “Whose bright idea was it to leave now?!” “Oh, don’t worry about it, guys; the weather looks fine...LIAR!!!” (Those aren’t really quotes from the disciples; I’m just imagining what they’d be saying.)
Then, all of a sudden, Jesus is coming. He’s walking out to meet them, on top of the water. Let me remind you that His buddies, His twelve closest friends, just left Him on a mountain by Himself. They never even told Him they were going; they didn’t even give so much as a yell up the hillside. (“Yo, Jesus, we’re fixin’ to go here!”) They just abandoned Him! But He wasn’t about to abandon them.
Jesus came to them in their storm. His words were not condemning or rebuking; He didn’t mention how they had left without Him. He simply said, “It is I, do not be afraid.” This is the M.O. of God; this is the heart of the Creator: do not be afraid. The disciples, feeling no guilt for leaving, no condemnation for leaving their Teacher behind, willingly received Him into the boat. Immediately they were on the other side. Their work, their toil, their strife, their blaming, and their fears all gone, in an instant, because Jesus got them there immediately!
Friends, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. This is the Jesus we need to tell the world about. The Jesus who comes to you where you are, even if you have abandoned Him. The Jesus who does not speak words of condemnation, who is not mad at you, but simply says “It is I; do not be afraid.” Jesus, who gets in the boat with you and immediately brings you to shore. This is the Jesus of the Bible. This is the Christ of Grace, the Redeemer of His people. This is who God is, was, and is to come!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
It is what it is.
Psalm 31:1
In You, O LORD, I put my trust; let me never be ashamed; deliver me in Your righteousness.
Have you ever left church feeling like you just got slapped in the face by the preacher? I have; it’s not all that much fun. The scary thought that I have on days like that is this: how does the “seeker” feel leaving church today? If I, being a Christian and already saved, feel put down, kicked, stomped, and worthless, how does that person who doesn’t know Christ feel when they leave? Going even further, how can making Christians feel guilty and worthless possibly be Godly teaching?
We’re called to preach the Gospel, that is, the Good News of Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross. Nothing more, nothing less. We have not been called to preach anything other than that. When condemning messages are vocalized from the pulpits on Sunday mornings, Jesus isn’t being preached; Moses is! By Moses I mean the law and “religiosity” of Christianity.
It is presumptuous, prideful, and arrogant of any preacher to assume that he can speak on behalf of God in declaring your unrighteousness, or more appropriately, your lack of right-doing. It is not the responsibility of ministers to point out the flaws in our lives, wrongs in our thinking, or sins we are committing; it is their responsibility to continually focus our attention on Jesus Christ and what He did for us. It is their calling to point us to the cross, to direct our thinking to the righteousness found in Christ, not to dwell on any unrighteousness found within us.
If you’re thinking that I’m wrong, I invite you to check out these scriptures, quotes from Jesus Himself: John 3:17, John 5:45, John 8:11. Still not convinced? Try these: 2 Corinthians 3:6, Galatians 5:4, Ephesians 2:8, 1 Corinthians 15:16, Galatians 3:24.
So where am I going with this? Right back to Jesus Christ and the fact that He has sanctified me, justified me, saved me, and cleansed me from all unrighteousness. He has given me His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21) and made me a new creation. My trust is in Him, not in whether or not I’ll stop making mistakes. My trust is in Him, not in my own ability to stop making mistakes. My trust is in Him, not in the principles and steps to becoming a good person. My trust is in HIM!
Every single person with whom Jesus Christ came in contact was given healing and forgiveness. Not one person was guilted into a confession or made to feel unworthy. Everyone who met Jesus walked away unashamed, having been given His grace and the confidence that they were forgiven! It is through His righteousness that we are delivered from our sins and our misdeeds. It is in Christ, and Christ alone, that we are able to walk upright and not feel condemned (Romans 8:1).
In You, O Lord, I have put my trust. Let me never be ashamed because I have been delivered by Your Righteousness, Jesus Christ!
In You, O LORD, I put my trust; let me never be ashamed; deliver me in Your righteousness.
Have you ever left church feeling like you just got slapped in the face by the preacher? I have; it’s not all that much fun. The scary thought that I have on days like that is this: how does the “seeker” feel leaving church today? If I, being a Christian and already saved, feel put down, kicked, stomped, and worthless, how does that person who doesn’t know Christ feel when they leave? Going even further, how can making Christians feel guilty and worthless possibly be Godly teaching?
We’re called to preach the Gospel, that is, the Good News of Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross. Nothing more, nothing less. We have not been called to preach anything other than that. When condemning messages are vocalized from the pulpits on Sunday mornings, Jesus isn’t being preached; Moses is! By Moses I mean the law and “religiosity” of Christianity.
It is presumptuous, prideful, and arrogant of any preacher to assume that he can speak on behalf of God in declaring your unrighteousness, or more appropriately, your lack of right-doing. It is not the responsibility of ministers to point out the flaws in our lives, wrongs in our thinking, or sins we are committing; it is their responsibility to continually focus our attention on Jesus Christ and what He did for us. It is their calling to point us to the cross, to direct our thinking to the righteousness found in Christ, not to dwell on any unrighteousness found within us.
If you’re thinking that I’m wrong, I invite you to check out these scriptures, quotes from Jesus Himself: John 3:17, John 5:45, John 8:11. Still not convinced? Try these: 2 Corinthians 3:6, Galatians 5:4, Ephesians 2:8, 1 Corinthians 15:16, Galatians 3:24.
So where am I going with this? Right back to Jesus Christ and the fact that He has sanctified me, justified me, saved me, and cleansed me from all unrighteousness. He has given me His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21) and made me a new creation. My trust is in Him, not in whether or not I’ll stop making mistakes. My trust is in Him, not in my own ability to stop making mistakes. My trust is in Him, not in the principles and steps to becoming a good person. My trust is in HIM!
Every single person with whom Jesus Christ came in contact was given healing and forgiveness. Not one person was guilted into a confession or made to feel unworthy. Everyone who met Jesus walked away unashamed, having been given His grace and the confidence that they were forgiven! It is through His righteousness that we are delivered from our sins and our misdeeds. It is in Christ, and Christ alone, that we are able to walk upright and not feel condemned (Romans 8:1).
In You, O Lord, I have put my trust. Let me never be ashamed because I have been delivered by Your Righteousness, Jesus Christ!
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