Christian Life, Part 2

I asked a couple posts ago these questions:

"What are hindrances to this (walking out the Christian life)? The fact is that all Christians still struggle with sins, still don't love God perfectly, and still don't live as if they were empowered by God's Spirit. This causes many to scratch their heads and wonder how we as Christians are called to live. What is the demands on our life now? Can we say "I believe" and then live as if we don't? What will change? What MUST change? Are their certain things that a Christian just DOESN'T do? Are their things a Christian shouldn't do simply because they are Christians?"

I've been thinking over these things for a LONG time. They are hard questions to answer, yet I think necessary to evaluate and come to conclusions based on the Word of God. What really is the demand on our life now that we are saved? I've been memorizing some portions of Colossians 3, and I think we can find the answer in the first 17 verses. What I memorized was this:

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

That phrase for you have died indicates that we have died the same death as Christ. The old has gone, the new has come! Later on in verse 5 it says, "Put to death, therefore, what is earthly in you" and then he lists sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, covetousness, anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk (by no means an exhaustive list.) I can read this and say "Great, now if I don't just do these things I will walk out this Christian life as I should." Haha. Good one. MUCH easier said than done. If I put away anger, for instance, and think to myself, "Self, do not be angry," is that enough to keep anger at bay? I think not. To put off anger, I must then PUT ON something in return.

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also forgive."

Put off anger: put on patience. Put off malice: put on meekness. Put off impurity: put on compassion. Put off sexual immorality: put on love. Sounds impossible, doesn't it? I can read something like this and become overwhelmed and tired. All I seem to do is fight, fight, fight! Do this, don't do that. Say this, don't say that.

Then, oh joy, I'm reminded that no matter what I do or say, God loves me not based on my performance. He doesn't love me any less when I sin than when I don't. He's not up in Heaven, impatient with me to change, wondering why I STILL struggle with pride, or bitterness, or anger. I'm the righteousness of Christ! I was reading in 2nd Corinthians 3: 12-18 and wanted to shout when I finished.

"Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."

How Deep?

My friend Kara Sherman wrote this a couple of days ago and shared it with me and a few others (she is an amazing artist, check out her website.) I was extremely touched to read it. With her permission I'm publishing it here.

How Deep?

I would normally share a note like this with my private journal only. But perhaps it will bless you to hear a piece of my story. It would bless me to read a story like this on someone else's page and it would be selfish of me to withhold a story like this because of my pride. If this little story strikes a chord with you, please write and tell me.

God has finally given me what I've prayed for years to receive... deeper understanding of my sin. It's a gift. It doesn't sound like a gift, but it's a gift.

It is said that we cannot fully appreciate the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf until we fully grasp our sinfulness.

Until now I've had a clinical knowledge of my sin nature and Christ's sacrifice. Sure, I've hurt someone's feelings and felt bad over it. Or I lied as a kid and felt remorse. But the remorse was short lived and it was easy to walk in the good of God's forgiveness. I didn't feel like a wretch or a worm as the hymns so frequently call me. I wasn't amazed that God wanted to save me. I figured that He had made me this way. I was a pretty nice creation. Why shouldn't He want me?

It should not be this way. If I truly understood God's holiness and perfection, I would be in awe of His willingness to receive me into His presence in spite of what we men call "small sins."

But I don't fully see God's holiness and perfection. I don't get it. So it required me to sin more greatly, according to the standards of Man, in order for me to feel the full weight of gratitude.

I have deeply hurt a person I can see in the flesh with my own human eyes and I am in awe of God's willingness to forgive me and continue an intimate relationship with me.
I'm also in awe of this person's willingness to do the same.

I now join the vast number of enlightened souls who do not feel worthy. For years I actually felt worthy of Christ's sacrifice. What a ghastly thing to admit. But there it is. I didn't realize it or phrase it that way. But that is the awful truth. I didn't think I was that bad and didn't totally understand the need for Christ's death.

I also think I was over reacting to the many folks who do understand their sin, but do not pick themselves up and move on from there. There are those who lean on their own understanding and refuse to accept Christ's forgiveness. They wallow in guilt and shame and this is not a virtue. I was repulsed by those who want to immerse themselves in Christ's death and suffering. I don't think He wants us to spend much time there. Spend only enough time to get the full impact, but then move on. Would you want pictures of your child's brutal murder to be hung everywhere and gawked at? No. He experienced suffering and death and conquered it so that we would not have to. So that we would be spared. So that we could sing of Beauty and Love and Faith and Peace and Joy and Holiness and much more. So that we could sing of the glorious Creation. So that we could reach out and touch those that are hurt. Touch them with His Glory.

His Glory!!! That's another thing I didn't understand. It sounded like a term synonymous with "his selfishness." NO!!! WE, the creation, are the expression of His Glory.

I am now among the hundreds of souls around me who are caught up in worship and understanding when we sing such songs as "How Deep the Father's Love for Us," or "Amazing Grace."
I've always loved songs like this. It was as though I was looking in on a great mystery that was not yet revealed to me. I felt left out. It will remain a bit of a beautiful mystery. But I've been lead a bit deeper.

The nature of my specific sin is not significant. To look at the type of sin is to miss the point.
For those of you who believe it's wisdom not to associate with murders and adulterers, no, it wasn't one of these, not according to Old Covenant standards. But according to Jesus' standards, it was.

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

-How Deep The Father's Love For Us lyrics by
Stuart Townendhttp://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2701396&op=1&view=all&subj=146663538787&aid=-1&auser=0&oid=146663538787&id=524212992

If you find yourself in the position I was in for years, don't stress over it, as I occasionally did. We are exactly where we are for a reason. Full understanding of our sin and God's holiness is not what gives us eternal life. Christ's death and resurrection took care of that. I still don't fully grasp my sin and God's holiness. We accept the Truth by faith, not by sight. To whatever degree partial sight is given, be blessed. But faith is also a gift.

What is the Christian Life, part 1

The Journey has been a Bible study I've had at my house, studying the book of Mark. About half of us were Christians, half of us weren't. The last meeting was last night, and I've begun to marvel at God's grace and goodness for allowing us to study with unbelievers the truths of the Gospel. It seems that two of them at least have confessed Christ as their Lord and turned from their sin. Praise God!

One thing a couple of us talked about after the meeting was over is how unbelievable the cross actually was, and how the resurrection sealed the deal...God, in essence, accepted Christ's sacrifice, defeated death, and raised Him as proof that His death was, in fact, THE moment that all history was leading up to and looks back on. Words like propitiation, expiated, justification and so on all lend another facet to that moment in history.

Not only did Jesus "die for my sin", though that itself is incredible. He was a wrath bearing sacrifice. He took away our guilt and condemnation. We stand before God as if we were Christ. We are transformed into His image. We have the Holy Spirit dwelling IN us. The temple curtain was torn in two, we can now actively seek God's face and presence. The temple resides in us, now.

The longer I am a Christian, the more amazing the cross becomes. It should never cease to amaze me. The fact that Christ was forsaken so I would never have to be should cause me to want to love and serve God with ALL that I am, fighting every temptation to sin, and always seeking God's Spirit.

What are hindrances to this? The fact is that all Christians still struggle with sins, still don't love God perfectly, and still don't live as if they were empowered by God's Spirit. This causes many to scratch their heads and wonder how we as Christians are called to live. What is the demands on our life now? Can we say "I believe" and then live as if we don't? What will change? What MUST change? Are their certain things that a Christian just DOESN'T do? Are their things a Christian shouldn't do simply because they are Christians?

I've thought about this a lot. In essence, what is the Christian life?

President's School Speech

I finally read the President's speech to our public school kids, after hearing so much about it. There's been such a controversial reaction, I expected him to say something...well...controversial. He didn't. In fact, the speech was amazingly good.

The actions of his administration afterward was interesting, as far as the letter writing goes. But that had nothing to do with the speech itself. If our kids listen to him, and apply themselves to their studies, and seek to get a good education, this next generation could change the course of our nation. Abandon drugs for a math test. Stay out of gangs and go to college. What parent, or citizen of this nation, would disagree with THAT!?

In fact, everything he said would be echoed by a conservative President making that same speech. There was a lack of liberal ideology in the speech at all. Makes me wonder if he WAS conservative what the liberal reaction would have been. They probably would have hated it!

Mark 9; Applicable Today?

Dan Bowen wrote a post titled "Are We Just Stupid!?" on his blog. It was phenomenal, and this is a response to it, so go read his post before you go any further in this one.

Read it? Okay, now you can read this one.

Essentially, I agree with what he said. I especially liked it when he wrote, "But the only, only, only, ONLY acceptable answer to the demands of the Law in this verse could and were met 2,000 years ago at Calvary on a hill called Golgotha. It's done already! So the radical demands of the Law have already been met! God's wrath is satisfied! And He does not want, demand or require the mutilation of our body parts to try and "stop" sinning! Because even if we did perform those drastic actions then it still would not stop sinning! And even if we did perform those drastic actions then the Law is STILL not satisfied."

How encouraging, that the Law's requirements have fully been met in the person of Christ. I liked how he pointed out that even if we were to cut off our bodies parts, we would STILL sin. Because ultimately sin is done in the heart, and most often carried out by our bodies.

We discussed on his comments section whether or not we can apply this verse to counsel people to stop sinning, to which he says an emphatic "no" and I said "I think maybe I believe that the answer is yes." :-) I love it when fellow Christians sharpen each other and cause us to turn to Scripture to find out what we believe and how we interpret something! So I turned to the passage in Mark and the subsequent passages before it to really dive in and see what Jesus was saying. Here are the conclusions I have come to.

1. Jesus was not talking to the Pharisees, he was talking to his disciples. Earlier in the chapter we see that Jesus casts out a demon from a boy, they go to Galilee and Jesus, "did not want anyone to know for he was teaching his disciples" (vs 30). He tells them that he will die and be resurrected; the disciples don't understand. Then, they go to Capernaum and argue about who is the greatest, to which Jesus says "the last shall be first" and that whoever receives a child receives him (also noted he is only with his disciples at this point as well; vs. 35). At this same time, John speaks of someone else casting out a demon in Jesus' name, and the disciples tried to stop him. Jesus says not to stop them because someone who does a great work in the name of Christ will not soon speak evil of him. This transitions into Jesus speaking of causing little ones to sin, and subsequently being cast into the sea, and then our present discussion about hewing off body parts. Nowhere are there teachers of the law, Pharisees or scribes. In fact, Mark wants us to know that because he said earlier that Jesus specifically didn't want anyone to know he was there, so he could teach his disciples. So, in short Jesus was talking to common Jewish men.

2. Because they were Jewish, Jesus would have known they would initially interpret this literally. And I think that is why Jesus was so graphic...he was talking about how radically he views sin, and that it would be better to cut off your hand than suffer eternal torment. As Jews they would understand rules and regulations, and yet here Jesus is saying to pluck out your eye instead of suffer in hell. The obvious point here is that hell is AWFUL, not that we should all walk around with no eyes or hands. Jesus is using hyperbole, and it would have been understood as such. Therefore, why try to make it something its not? When a preacher teaches this text, it would be extremely odd for someone to interpret it literally. No preacher I know has ever preached it that way.

3. This teaching is to everyone, Jewish or not, because everyone has sinned and therefore everyone merits hell. Please, don't read that and say "Christians aren't going to hell so the teaching is not for them!" In what other area of Scripture do we say that? No, the Bible is for everyone, believer and unbeliever. For the believer it is to lead and draw us closer to Christ, for the unbeliever to lead them and point them to Christ. Either way, this teaching isn't only for legalists, its for the unbeliever so that they can see the severity of their sin and run to Christ. For the believer, its so that they can be reminded of how severe sin is and therefore flee from it.

Here are some scenarios where I think it "works" so to speak. For instance, Dan used an example of a woman telling her son that it would be better for him to cut out his eyes than look at pornography. In this instance, if the son isn't a Christian, she is saying, "Repent and trust in Christ because it would be better for you to have no eyes than to burn in hell." (Which would be a perfectly fine way to view the passage as well.) She is saying, if he is in fact a Christian "You're sin is serious. Christ died for it, and without him, you would go to hell for it." So she is not applying it in an evangelistic way, she is applying it in a sanctifying way, or a mortifying (biblically speaking) way. "Pluck out your eye" is used metaphorically, and should be understood so since that was Jesus' assumption. In essence, "Put away that which is evil. Fight your sin, because you can in fact so "no" through the Holy Spirit when you are tempted to lust." Notice Jesus didn't say, "Now, guys, don't interpret me legalistically. I'm only using this as an example to illustrate how severe sin is and how bad hell is. Don't actually go around chopping off your hands and stuff."

Will the son take this to heart? I don't know. Do we judge if something "works" by the immediate result? Not necessarily. Will he remember what she said next time he looks at pornography? Probably. If someone told you to rip out your tongue whenever you blasphemed, I'm sure you would remember it whenever you took the Lord's name in vain. This isn't saying to do it literally, its saying to remember the cost and price of sin, so therefore don't do it in an effort to please God.

Thoughts on Haiti

This has been my second medical missions trip to Jacmel, Haiti. I was blessed to go two years ago, and for some reason God saw fit to allow me to go back and continue what we had started.

Going on a missions trip often times is life altering. I remember returning from the trip two years ago and thinking, "Why are we so affected my trips like this?" And I yet again find myself pondering this question. Why indeed? Is it the comfort that we live in, the food that we enjoy, the roof over our heads? Do things suddenly look different, as if our perspective has changed, when we enter a third world country?

Is it the fatherless children, the dedicated orphanage workers, the seemingly endless masses of unemployed, starving human beings, the tireless pastors, or the mounds of trash that you realize is someone's home? You cannot be unaffected by this if you see pictures of it, let alone experience it. So why the impact? It's not as if we didn't know this was going on already. We hear the reports, see the pictures, read the headlines, and yet it takes actually going to impact us.

Is action the answer? Is standing up, getting on a plane, seeing it, and then leaving the way that we remain un-aloof? Is seeing believing? Or is seeing a spur for action?

A little boy walked up to me at the clinic, shaking he was so scared. He had probably not seen many white people before, let alone a nurse or doctor. I listened to his racing heart, checked his ears, had him open his mouth so I could look in it too, all the while he was shaking like a leaf. I attempted to listen to his lungs, but he didn't understand the concept of breathing in and out so I could hear them. It affected me deeply, because if when I have a kid and he gets sick I take him to the doctor down the street, get an antibiotic, pick it up at Walgreens two minutes from my house and then everything is all better. This boy was probably about eight and was scared of me because he had never experience medical care before. He was healthy as can be, thank God, but what happens when he gets sick? What happens when he breaks a leg? What happens when he gets a skin infection?

This line of thought can quickly lead to despair. I found myself being filled with joy, instead. You see, God has already supplied everything this child needs. The sparrow falls from the sky and God knows it. How much more for a beautiful boy, breathing, heart beating, seeing, and made in His own image?

So I propose this. Simply getting up and going is not the answer for a changed perspective on suffering. Seeing is not believing. Hearing stories does not bring about heart-change. For our perspective can only be given by God, because He carries us and the little boy in Haiti in His hand. We all have been supplied with everything we need for life and godliness. That little boy saw a nurse. Woohoo. But has he seen God? Were my actions indicative of my heart, or more importantly, God's heart?

If they weren't, I failed. If they were, God gets the glory alone. I might not suffer to the extent that my Haitian brothers and sisters do, often not eating even a meal a day. I'm about to go eat dinner...my third meal of the day. Do I then despair because they do not have what I have? No, not at all. I bless and thank God for His providence, pray that He supplies their needs, and trust Him. It's not flippant, it's not ignoring their suffering, it's not forgetting what I saw and observed. It's trusting a faithful God who truly supplies His children with everything, down to the last detail.

Untitled Song

Like a ship lost in the sea, like a bird with no nest
My life seems all in shambles, my soul filled with unrest
My God, am I forsaken? Your hand taken away?
Where is Your truth and mercy? What is Your sovereign plan?

When all around me crumbles, my heart and mind give way
I look upwards and declare, "You're the Potter, I'm the clay."
My sins all there before me, are now drenched in Your grace
They are cast aside forever, they all are now erased

Nothing can separate me, no trial, pain or loss
No devil can stand against the power of Your cross
I stand now by Your Spirit awaiting sweet relief
Fighting with faith and valor against the Devil's grief

When with my eyes I see You, Your glorious face behold
Your nail scarred hands remind me the price of my won soul
No more death or suffering, my body made anew
Transformed into Your likeness, Your Throne now in my view

Any ideas for a title?