Wednesday, July 23, 2014

A HIDDEN GEM

                For my devotions, I have been using the NIV Quiet Time Bible. I have been working my way through the smaller books at the end of the New Testament. Today, I found myself in the book of Jude. I confess that Jude is not a book I have spent much time in. It tends to get lost, tucked away at the end of the New Testament, and overshadowed  by Revelation. As I read this short book today, (only 25 verses) I was surprised to discover how relevant it is to our times.

                Jude was one of Jesus’ brothers. During Jesus’ earthly ministry, Jude was skeptical about his eldest brother. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, Jude came to faith in Jesus and became part of the early church. We do not have much information about Jude, but we get some insights into him through this one letter of his, which has been preserved for our benefit.

                Jude identified himself as the brother of James, and was probably involved with the church in Jerusalem. He was concerned about the health of the church. Specifically, he was concerned about false teachers who had infiltrated the church and perverted the Gospel. These false teachers had turned their liberty into license and their boldness into arrogance. They were leading the people away from the truth of Jesus, and promoting a selfish, self-centered, indulgent life-style.

                The things that Jude alludes to are evident in the church today. There are those who are seeking to use the Gospel for their own ends; political, social, and personal. Their words are smooth and convincing, but they led people away from Christ. The last few verses of this small book are sound instruction for those of us living in these challenging times.

                 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires." These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
                But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
                Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. Jude 17-23

- We need to keep our eyes open and not be enticed into false pathways. The best way to do this is to test everything against the truth of the Bible.
                Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1

- We need to seek the Lord with all of our heart. Like the author of Hebrews says, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.

- We need to stand up for one another. Like soldiers in the heat of battle, we need the support of other believers. When doubts arise, we need to assure one another. When one of us slips and falls, we need to pick him up. When someone strays, we need to respond with mercy, tempered by holy fear.
                Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Galatians 6:1

                Jude ends his short letter with a powerful benediction of hope and praise.
                To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy-- to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. Jude 24-25


                We would do well to pay attention to this hidden gem, tucked away at the end of the New Testament. Jude’s words are timely, powerful and relevant to where we live today. 

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

RUNNING BLIND: TRUSTING GOD

                I recently participated in a YMCA Stay Strong 10K run. I had been preparing for this run and felt pretty good about it on that morning. My wife, Suanne, and I made our way to the race location and joined with the others gathered there for the event. As the time drew near to the start of the race, I began stretching to loosen up my muscles. It was at that point that I made a disconcerting discovery. I had forgotten to put on my running watch. Without my watch, I would be running blind. I would have no idea what my pace was, or how I was doing in the race. My confidence turned into nervousness.

                The race began and I took off. I bolted from the starting line with the lead runners, but they quickly left me behind. Within minutes, I was breathing hard. Soon other runners were passing me by. I passed the one mile mark with no idea how fast I was running. At the two mile mark I was able to ask a fellow runner what the time was. I was right about where I wanted to be, so I relaxed just a little. At the three mile mark, I was again able to get a read on my time. I was very close to my target goal.

                After I passed the three mile mark, I realized that the pack of runners had spread out. I could see a few runners a couple of blocks ahead of me. As I turned a corner, I looked back and there was no one there. For the next three miles or so, I ran virtually alone. As my legs got tired, I told myself that I was slowing down and that I needed to pick up the pace. I blindly pressed on.

                With about a half mile to go, I encountered a group of the 5K walkers. I weaved my way through them with an extra burst of energy. Turning a corner I could see the finish line, so I gave everything I had and pushed for the finish line. My goal was to run the race in under one hour. As I crossed the line I saw the clock turn to _____. I will fill in the blank later.

                This experience reminded me of how I often feel on this journey of faith. Jesus calls us to follow Him, but he doesn’t give us a map, or a watch. He gives us a picture of the finish line and what we will encounter along the way. But He calls us to trust Him to lead us along the way. Often I feel like I am running blind. I often wonder if my pace is too fast or too slow. I wonder if I am making progress or have taken a wrong turn. I wonder if I am expending my energy on the right things or wasting it. Every once in a while, I am able to get a reading of how I am doing from some fellow traveler. Often, I feel like I am making the journey alone.

                I had never run the course for this 10K run before. Even though I had a map in advance, the route was unfamiliar to me. The course had many twists and turns. Fortunately, there were volunteers at each corner to direct me in the right way. The same has been true for my journey of faith. The path before me is unfamiliar and often confusing. It would be easy to lose my way, but God has strategically placed people at critical points in my life to direct me in the way he would have me go.  

                When I was in high school, I grabbed onto Proverbs 3:5-6. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. I have often leaned on that verse, when I was uncertain about which direction to go. I had to trust Christ to lead me in the right way.

                Running, for me, is not about winning races, but about doing my best. The same is true for my journey of faith. If I get my eyes on others and their performance, I can easily get discouraged; like watching runners pass me during the 10K. But, if I focus on doing my best, I can celebrate even small amounts of progress. So I have grabbed a hold of another verse; Colossians 3:17.  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

                As I turned the corner and headed for the finish line, I could see the seconds ticking off of the clock. As I passed the line, the clock turned to 54:00. I had beaten my goal by 6 minutes. Several people congratulated me on a race well run.

                Some day my earthly race will be over. I will cross the finish line to see Jesus waiting for me. Then and only then will I know the outcome of my race. But I know this, that if I continually seek to do my best for Him, when I cross the line I will hear those words, “well done, good and faithful servant.”

    Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12-14


Friday, July 18, 2014

HOSPITALITY: A LOST ART

Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Romans 12:13

                For the past three weeks, we have had the privilege of hosting a young woman from Taiwan in our home. She came to us because of a phone call from a Christian friend of hers. As a part of her schooling, she was doing a three week internship at our hospital and needed a place to stay. My wife and I opened our home to her, and it has been a delight. She returns to the Twin Cities today. It will be a little sad to see her go.

                This morning, in my devotions, I opened my Bible to 3 John. It was the next reading in my devotional study. I don’t think it was coincidence that 3 John is where I landed today. This small letter is all about offering hospitality to other believers. In John’s day, there were no motels to stay in. As evangelists and other Christians traveled from place to place, they were dependent upon the hospitality of others. John makes it clear that showing hospitality in this way is a tangible and practical evidence of our love for Christ.

                In many ways, true hospitality is a lost art in the Church today. People are reluctant to open their homes to others in practical ways. More times than not, when a missionary comes to visit our church, we end up hosting them, because no one volunteers to do it. I am not complaining or finding fault, but I am sad that others miss out on the blessing of showing hospitality.

                There are many reasons why we are reluctant to practice hospitality today. Our lives are too busy. We fill our lives with so many activities that we have no room to include others. We have convinced ourselves that we don’t have anything to offer. Yet, many of us have a spare room that sits empty much of the time. We have become very self-protective, so inviting someone to stay with us is a threat. For many people, hospitality has been reduced to hosting a fancy dinner. Bottom line, it is often inconvenient and somewhat uncomfortable to open our home to a “stranger.”

                As Paul states in Romans 12, hospitality is simply sharing what we have with others. When we purchased our home, we intentionally dedicated it to the service of Christ. The first night in our new house, we stood together in the living room and committed to use our house for God’s glory. Christ has taken us up on that commitment time and again. We have had people stay with us from over night to a year. We have regularly invited international students, and others, into our home for holidays and just as a place to get away. When our niece was attending the university here, we became the hang-out for her friends. This past 4th of July week we hosted 20 Brazilian students in our home for an evening and another half dozen people for a cook-out on the 4th. Hospitality has become a part of the fabric of our family.

                A young friend of mine organized the Brazilians to come to our home. After he put out the invitation, several of the students asked why we would do this. A good question. For me, the answer is found in Matthew 25:31-40.

                "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
                "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
                "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
                "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

                Do you see it? Tucked away in the middle of this passage is the answer to the Brazilian students’ questions. “I was a stranger and you invited me in.” I struggled with this passage for many years, feeling guilty that I was not doing all of the things listed here. Then one day God made it clear to me that He didn’t expect me to do them all. He expected me to be an active participant with other believers to accomplish the whole. I was set free from guilt and able to embrace the ways that I could contribute. In some small ways, I have participated in all of the things mentioned above, but the one thing that God gave me a passion for is “I was a stranger and you invited me in.” That phrase has had a major influence in my life and my ministry.

                As Christians, we cannot do everything. Not every Christian can preach a sermon, or lead a small group, or teach a class, or go to the mission field. But, we can all practice hospitality. It takes no special skills. It doesn't take enormous resources. It just takes being willing to share what we have with others, in love. It may be a little scary at first, but God will bless us, if we will take the risk.

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
1 Peter 4:8-9


Thursday, July 10, 2014

CAN WE AGREE TO DISAGREE?

                We live in a very intolerant world. Although tolerance is held up as a virtue, it is not practiced in reality. Tolerance is used as a weapon against those who think differently. Christians are constantly being berated for being intolerant, while those doing the accusing have no tolerance for sincerely held Christian beliefs.

                This wave of intolerance has washed into the Church. There are many, along the complete line of orthodox Christianity, who feel that anyone who interprets this faith journey differently than they do is wrong and should be avoided. Instead of loving one another as brothers and sisters in Christ, we cast stones at one another. Is there room, within the body of Christ, for different views on certain matters?

                There are certain foundational components of the faith that are just not open to debate. John hits at the heart of this in 1 John 4:1-3. Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. In order to be a follower of Christ, we must accept certain foundational truths such as the existence of God, the authority of the Bible, the reality of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and the salvation by faith in Christ alone.

                When it comes to the practice of our faith in everyday life, we enter into a different level of experience. It is clear that the Bible forbids certain immoral behaviors. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21) On the other hand, there is a wide array of behaviors that are neutral by nature, where we have the freedom to pick our course.

                Paul confronted this issue in Romans 14:1-8. Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
    One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

                Here is the catch in what Paul writes. We all believe we are the stronger brother, therefore, the burden to be open and accepting falls on our shoulders. It is a sign of spiritual weakness when we cast stones at those who view disputable matters differently than we do. Many in Paul’s day would have loudly protested that these are not disputable matters. Paul is making the point that these are not issues of salvation, but personal responses to our environment. Whether a person eats meat or not is not a salvation issue.

                Let’s bring this up to where we live. One of the saddest developments in the contemporary Church is what has been called the worship wars. At first, it centered around styles of music. It has now expanded to the format and presentation of worship. Some people like more traditional music and more formal styles of worship. Some people like more upbeat music and more informal styles of music. Some people believe a worship service should be solemn and reverential, while others believe worship should be energetic and celebratory. Both sides tend to develop tunnel vision. Both sides find fault with the other. Yet, in reality, neither is right or wrong inherently. Each has the potential to reach a different group of people with the truth of the Gospel.

                As committed followers of Jesus, we need to be careful that we don’t confuse method with message. The message of the Gospel is true and unchanging. We should never compromise the Gospel of Jesus Christ to fit in with the world around us. The methods we use to communicate the Gospel are dynamic, flexible and constantly changing. In order to win a hearing from a secular, unbelieving world, we need to be able to connect with them. If our method of worship alienates them or leaves them cold, then we have lost our opportunity to speak into their lives.  On the other hand, if our method becomes more important than the message, we have slipped into the world of entertainment. We live in a dynamic tension of firmly holding onto the message and loosely holding onto our methods. The message can never change. Our methods must change.

                Paul lived in the uncomfortable battle zone of relating the unchanging message of Jesus to a diverse and ever changing world. Paul challenged Timothy to stay true to the Gospel message. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:1-5)

                At the same time, Paul modeled flexibility in his method of presenting the Gospel to his world.    Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. 1 Corinthians 9:19-23


                Satan loves it when Christians get caught up in internal arguments about non-essential things. We can go a long way to improve our image and advance the Gospel, if we will agree to disagree on these “disputable matters.” 

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Who is the Holy Spirit anyway?

                For Christmas this past year, my wife gave me a book titled Don’t Know Much About Anything Else by Kenneth Davis. Each page introduces a single item and then asks several questions about that item. On the next page, the author gives the answers to the questions. I have actually learned quite a bit from this fun little book.

                As I was doing my devotions this morning, I encountered the truth that the Holy Spirit plays a key role in our spiritual life and journey. Then, in the spirit of Don’t Know Much About…, I thought, what do we know about the Holy Spirit.

                For many Christians, the Holy Spirit is the hidden and often neglected member of the Trinity. He does His work quietly behind the scenes, and is rarely in the spotlight. Therefore, He is often misunderstood and misrepresented.

                When I was growing up in the church, the King James version of the Bible called Him the Holy Ghost. That always seemed spooky to me. It conjured up images of Casper the Friendly Ghost, from the cartoons. Thinking of the Holy Spirit as a ghost made Him mysterious and inaccessible. So what does the Bible teach us about the Holy Spirit? Take this quiz and check what you know about the Holy Spirit.

1. True or False: The Holy Spirit is an impersonal force in the universe.

2. True or False: The main job of the Holy Spirit is to make people feel good.

3. True or False: The Holy Spirit points away from himself toward Jesus.

4. True or False: The Holy Spirit plays an active role in the preservation and illumination of the Bible.

5. True or False: The Holy Spirit comes and goes in the life of a believer in Christ.

6. True or False: The Holy Spirit plays an active role in guiding the life of a believer.

*******

1. False: The Holy Spirit is a person, not an impersonal force. I cringe every time I hear someone refer to the Holy Spirit as “it.” The Holy Spirit is the third member of the Trinity, fully God. He is the very presence of God in the lives of all who believe in Christ.

2: False: The Holy Spirit convicts people of sin and awakens them to their need for a Savior.
    But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: John 16:7-8

3. True: The Holy Spirit points people to Christ.
    "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you. John 16:12-15

4.True: The Holy Spirit inspired, preserves and illuminates the Word of God.
    Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:20-21

    But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. John 14:26

5. False: The Holy Spirit takes up permanent residence in everyone who believes in Christ.
    And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17

    Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?
1 Corinthians 3:16     

6. True: The Holy Spirit actively guides the life of the believer.
    So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. Galatians 5:16-18


    But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-25 

Thursday, July 3, 2014

TRUE FREEDOM

    So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
John 8:36

                Tomorrow, July 4, is Independence Day in America. It is the day we celebrate our independence from England and the birth of our nation. At the heart of our national celebration is the concept of freedom; political freedom, religious freedom, personal freedom. We pride ourselves on being a free nation, where people can live in peace, free to be who they want to be. So what does it mean to be free?

                On the most basic level, freedom means living without oppression. It is the ability to make personal choices, without repercussions from a dominating government. It means being able to live without fear. It means having the ability to set the course of life in ways that fit the individual person.

                For many people, freedom means being able to do whatever they desire, without restrictions. There is a thin line between liberty and license. Freedom without boundaries is anarchy. Freedom without responsibility leads to chaos. Freedom without law is survival of the fittest.

                Paul warns us to be careful how we use our freedom. Our freedom can be positive and constructive, but it can also be negative and destructive. "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is constructive. (1 Corinthians 10:23) Freedom for freedom’s sake is a dangerous thing. True freedom must be channeled in the right way.  You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. (Galatians 5:13)

                Jesus addressed the issue of our freedom in John 8. He made it clear that freedom without restraint is really slavery to sin. Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” (John 8:34) Like a drug addict, a person who continually indulges in sinful activities soon loses the ability to say no. They become more and more enslaved, so that their life no longer is under their control.

                Jesus came to truly set us free from the power of sin. Many people scoff at this idea. They think that all religion does is restrict us and take away our fun and freedom. True faith in Christ does the exact opposite. It frees us to be all that God created us to be.

- Faith is Christ frees us from condemnation.
                Freely indulging our sinful nature leads to judgment and condemnation. This is true both in this life and in the life to come. In Christ, we no longer have to live under the cloud of judgment. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, Romans 8:1

- Faith is Christ frees us from guilt.
                When we live without boundaries or restraint, we also live with guilt. Indulgence comes with a price. The morning after is often filled with feelings of guilt. Over time these guilt feeling may subside, but in our hearts we know that the path we are taking is not right. In Christ, our sin is forgiven and we are set free from nagging, unabated guilt. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)  Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord"-- and you forgave the guilt of my sin. (Psalm 32:5)

- Faith in Christ frees us to genuinely love one another.
                For many people, love is a game of give and take. It is conditional, illusive and often disappointing. Many people are afraid to love, because they have gotten hurt in the past. Love has been reduced to an emotion that can quickly evaporate. Jesus loves us unconditionally. His love is constant, genuine and never ending. Because of His love for us, we are free to love others freely. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (1 John 4:10-11)

- Faith in Christ frees us to experience life to the full.
                Life, for many people, is a very limited experience. They see life only through the eyes of temporary physical pleasures. These pleasures often lead to disappointment and regret. There is so much more to life than that. When we put our faith in Christ, He opens our eyes and our hearts to embrace and experience the full breath of the beauty, delight and enjoyment of life.  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10) I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (John 15:11)

- Faith in Christ frees us from the fear of death.
                The ultimate fear that we all face is the fear of death. In America, we spend our lives running away from death. But death is inevitable. In Christ, we do not have to fear death. We are secure, in Him, for all of eternity. Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26)

                Tomorrow we will celebrate our political freedom, but for those of us who have put our faith in Christ, we can celebrate an even greater freedom. We have a freedom that can never be taken away, a freedom that allows us to truly experience life to the full, a freedom that transcends the circumstances of life. We have been set free from our slavery to sin and enfolded in the very life of God.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
2 Corinthians 5:17