EXTENDING GOD’S GRACE

 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV)

                Jesus told His disciples that the way that people would know that they were His disciples was if the they loved one another. This is a command that we often give lip service to and yet often fail to actually do. We know that we should love one another, but we allow minor disagreements to derail us. I have heard it said that within the church I have to love those around me but I don’t have to like them.

                I think Paul’s instructions in Philippians 2 speaks directly against that. We cannot truly love someone we do not like. Oh, I suppose in theory we could, but in practice it doesn’t work out that way. Our ego, our desires, get in the way of truly seeking the best for the other person. We are all far more prone to vain conceit than we want to admit.

                In his letter to the Colossians Paul expands on this idea of seeking the best for others. Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:12-14 (NIV)

                The pathway to really loving one another as Jesus commanded is humble submission, first to God and then to one another. As Paul says in Ephesians 5:21, Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. As I understand this, submission, in this context, is voluntarily setting aside my needs, wants, and desires for the good of the other person. When we do this we all win. It builds a supportive, nurturing community.

                But I have run into a snag. I have always seen these verses exclusively as applying to the community of faith. We struggle to live up to these commands within the church, but we know we should and we strive to make it a reality. Unfortunately many of these efforts cease at the front door. As soon as we walk out of the church, we assume a different mode of operation.

                We tend to see those outside of the church as our enemies. They do not believe what we believe. They act in ways that we deem sinful and shameful. They often oppose us in radical ways. We put them in a different category from the people within the church, much like the Jews saw the Gentiles.

                Jesus addressed this disconnect directly when he commanded us the love our enemies. In both Matthew and Luke Jesus specifically says that we cannot draw a line at the front door of the church. Instead, He expects us to extend love and grace to “those people” outside of the church.

                This past Sunday I attended a conference which was focused on how we should love those who are LGBTQ. It is a sensitive topic and I believe it was handled biblically and compassionately. But one of the things that hit me hard was the fact that 80% of LGBTQ people had some church connection early in their lives. And in every case, they left the church because, instead of finding love, grace, and support as they struggled to understand their identity, they received condemnation and anger. They walked out of the church bruised and hurt because those they trusted turned on them.

                This takes me back to Paul’s words in Philippians 2. What does it mean for me to treat those people better than myself? What does it mean for me to look out for their interests? The Bible makes it clear that it does not mean for us to excuse their sinful behavior. But it does mean some very significant things. It means that we need to treat them as someone created in the image of God and loved by God. It means that we need to try to understand their struggle and the pain that they feel. It means that we should treat them with kindness and compassion, not condemnation and rejection. It means that we need to show them the love of Christ in tangible ways. We do not have to agree with their life-style choice or support their cause in order to love them as real people.

                The people in the LGBTQ community have so been villainized and condemned by the church that they are very guarded around Christians. They will not accept our efforts right away. They will be suspicious and cautious in their interactions with us. They may even respond in anger when we try to engage them. But none of that should stop us from extending God’s love and grace to them.

                I had the privilege of being used by God to help a young man from China come to faith in Jesus. I asked him what it was that moved him in that direction. He responded, I had to learn to trust you before I could trust your Jesus. I think every LGBTQ person would respond in the same way. Before they can come to the place of connecting with Jesus, they need to truly connect with us on a personal level.

                The truth is that the ball is in our court. Satan is a master at blinding the yes of unbelievers so that they cannot see the glory of God. The only way those blinders will be removed is if they can see the glory of God demonstrated in us. We are the light of the world. If we don’t shine our light well, the world will remain in darkness.

                We need to work very hard at really loving one another within the church. That must be in place before we extend our love to others. But we should never draw a line at the front door of the church. Instead that love should spill out into the streets and workplaces and neighborhoods around us in such a way that they will see our good deeds and praise our Father in heaven.

Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV)

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
1 Peter 2:12 (NIV)

 

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO SIN?

 …for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 3:23 (NIV)

                There are three words that to seem to have disappeared from our vocabulary; sin, guilt, and shame. There was a time when we would never talk about sex openly, but we were comfortable taking about sin. Today, we can talk about sex anywhere, but don’t every mention sin, that is a real no no.

                I have been reading “God in the Dock” by C.S. Lewis. In the chapter titled, God in the Dock, he talks about the difficulty he faced with sharing the gospel with people of his day.

“Apart from this linguistic difficulty, the greatest barrier I have met is the almost total absence from the minds of my audience of any sense of sin.”

“Early Christian preachers could assume in their hearers, … a sense of guilt. Thus the Christian message was in those days unmistakably the Evangelium, the Good News. It promised healing to those who knew they were sick. We have to convince our hearers of the unwelcome diagnosis before we can expect them to welcome the news of the remedy.”

(God in the Dock, pg. 243-244)

                Most people today do not see themselves as sinners. Sin has been replaced by “bad choices” or “alternative lifestyles.” We are told that guilt and shame are psychologically bad for our mental health, so we must eliminate them. We are told that our actions are the consequences of political, social, and economic circumstances outside of our control. If only our circumstances were better than we would act better. This is fostered by a widespread belief in the basic goodness of humanity. Humanity is no longer seen as fallen and sinful, but as evolved and advanced.

                Which brings up another reason why the concept of sin has been jettisoned from our world. The widespread belief in Darwinian, microbe to man, evolution has reduced humanity to nothing more than one of the higher animals. Because ultimately we are just the product of random chance there is no real morality, therefore there is no sin. Each person is free to set their own moral boundaries wherever they like.

                At the very heart of our faith is the reality that we have a spiritual problem that needs to be dealt with. The reality of sin in a person’s life is what can lead them to true repentance and wholeness. When King David was confronted with his sin against Uriah and Bathsheba, he didn’t try to excuse his behavior. Instead, he owned it.

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Psalm 51:3-6 (NIV)

                Throughout the Gospels, as Jesus encountered people, He offered them not just a change of their circumstances, but He offered them something far greater; the forgiveness of their sins. Everyone is Jesus’ day believed that physical maladies were caused by sin in a person’s life. For Jesus to forgive their sins was to set them free. Without any sense of sin in our lives, we will not turn toward God for forgiveness.

                I once had a couple come to me to ask my advice. They had been dating and now the young lady was pregnant. As we talked about their situation, the young man stated, I’m not ashamed of what we did. At that point I responded, but you should be. We have been so programmed to not feel shame or guilt over things that, in our heart, we know are wrong. We have short-circuited our moral compass. God never intended for shame and guilt to tear us down. He intends for shame and guilt to lead us back to Him and to the only source of freedom, His forgiveness.

                In Romans 3, Paul confronts us with the reality of our lives, then leads us to the solution for the problem. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:22-24 (NIV) We all have a spiritual problem and God has offered us a spiritual remedy through Jesus Christ. As long as we deny the reality of sin, we will remain slaves to sin. It is only in coming to grips with the truth that we can be set free.

                The other day Suanne and I took a walk on the beach along Lake Michigan. We noticed that the beach was littered with small shells. We were puzzled by this, so we looked it up. It turns out that there is an invasive species of mussel that has taken over. It has pushed out the native mussels and is affecting the quality of the lake. This all began because big, ocean-going ships dumped their ballast into the lake without thought for what was contained within that “foreign” water. Before we knew what was happening the lake was infested.

                Sin has entered our world. When we lived with an awareness of sin, we were able to moderate its affects. But we live in a different world today. Today, we live in a world that denies the reality of sin. By doing that, we are facilitating the spread of sin. Sin is like these invasive mussels that will continue to grow unchecked unless we do something to stop them. Denying the reality of sin doesn’t solve the problem, it only makes it worse. It is only by coming to grips with the reality of sin that we can hope to turn the tide in our own lives and in our world.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23 (NIV)

 

IS JESUS REAL?

 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

Luke 1:1-4 (NIV)

                The other day I came across an article on the internet that listed historical figures that may not have existed. Among the many familiar names on that list were Jesus, Moses, and Solomon. I read the paragraph under Jesus and it stated, as fact, that Jesus probably existed but that the accounts of him are all exaggerated and untrue. This was stated as something that was undisputed and widely accepted. To be honest, the arrogance of that statement made me angry.

                In my devotions, I just started reading the Gospel of Luke. The opening lines of the Gospel states that Luke had thoroughly investigated the claims about Jesus before he wrote his Gospel. As we examine the question of Jesus’ reality, there are several key points that need to be addressed. First, all four of the Gospels were written during the lifetime of people who actually saw Jesus and heard him teach. If what these Gospels recorded was exaggeration or fantasy, it would have been called out right away.

                Second, Luke (and the other Gospel writers) got their information from eyewitnesses to Jesus’ life. All of history is based on eyewitness accounts of what happened. These accounts may not all agree on the particulars, but we take them as a valid statement of what really happened. Why should we discount the eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ life just because we live 2000+ years after the fact? We accept eyewitness accounts of multitudes of historical events. Why should we question these.

                Third, the culture of Jesus’ day was steeped in oral tradition. Unlike today where we are taught to question stories that are being told, oral tradition followed strict rules of accuracy. People did not add to or embellish oral traditions. They guarded them meticulously.

                Finally, Luke says that he carefully investigated everything from the beginning. One of the things that stands out in the Gospel of Luke is his focus on details. He links events to actual times, places and people that can be independently confirmed from outside sources. He includes details that do not enhance or alter the story, but are a record of what was seen and heard. He is careful to explain Hebrew traditions to a Gentile audience that would be unfamiliar with them. In all, Luke demonstrated that he was an excellent historian.

                Many people want to claim that the Gospels are mere legends about Jesus that sprung up long after the fact to promote this new religion. C.S. Lewis and others who have studied legends extensively have concluded that the Gospels do not fit into that category. There are too many inconvenient and mundane things included to fit the form of a legend. We are accustomed to random details being included in stories written today for the purpose of giving the story depth. But this was not used in ancient writing of the time period when the Gospels were written. Those who have really taken the time to honestly examine the Gospels have concluded that these are eyewitness accounts of events that happened in the life of Jesus.

                The evidence for what Jesus did and taught is as strong, if not stronger, than any historical account. Because we may not like what Jesus said does not invalidate it. Because we find the things Jesus did fantastic does not invalidate them. The life of Jesus is real and is available for anyone to examine for themselves.

                Matthew 16 records a time when Jesus asked His disciples about who the people thought Jesus was. They had many different ideas. Then Jesus turned to His disciples and asked, who do you say that I am? Today, people have many different ideas about who Jesus is. I believe the article that I read is one example of someone who wants to make Jesus just another man. The case for who Jesus really is has been clearly stated. The question remains, after you have examined the evidence, who do you say Jesus is?

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
Romans 10:9-10 (NIV)

THE UNKNOWN

 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.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

                This morning in my devotions I read a short article from C.S. Lewis about life in the universe outside of earth. It reminded me that there are so many things that I don’t know, and that is okay.

                When I think of the things I don’t know, they seem to fall into three categories; things I don’t know but could learn about, things no one knows but could be discovered, and things no one knows and never will. The first and second category we are very familiar with. I don’t know how to play the piano, but I could learn. We don’t know how to cure cancer, but we may discover how. It is the third category that intrigues me, things no one knows and never will.

                I believe that one of the ways that God has created humanity in His own image is our curiosity. Although other animals have a basic level of curiosity, we go far beyond that. We don’t just want to know how something works, but why do they work the way they do. We are constantly looking for answers. This is both a learned and an innate behavior. Children learn about the world through curiosity. No one has to teach them to be curious, they just are. But we shape and intensify that curiosity through intentional learning. We pose questions and then invite others to discover the answer. In this way we go beyond the simple, “what is this”, to the more complex, “how does this work” or “why does this exist.”

                God gave us this gift of curiosity to lead us to discover Him. As God said through the prophet Jeremiah, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)) God has placed clues in His creation that are intended to pique our curiosity and to get us to ask the question, who is behind all of this? As the Psalmist says in Psalm 19:1, The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Paul also expresses this idea in Romans 1:20. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

                God has given us this gift of curiosity so that we would explore our world and eventually discover the truth about Him. But God has placed limits on our ability to find answers. He has reserved certain mysteries for Himself. He may reveal these to us in eternity, and He may not. Instead, He asks us to trust Him with the things we don’t know and don’t understand.

                Agur put this limit to our understanding in poetic form. “There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand: the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden.” Proverbs 30:18-19 (NIV)

                There are many things too amazing for me, that I do not understand. I don’t understand the Trinity; that God is one, yet exists in three persons. I don’t know how Jesus can be fully God and fully human at the same time. I don’t know why God would allow a 13-year-old boy to die of cancer and let a cigar smoking, whisky drinking man live to be 100. I don’t know if there is life on other planets. I don’t know what happens when you get to the end of the universe, or even if you can. I don’t know what eternity is like. I don’t really know what heaven or hell are like. I don’t know why earth is the only planet in our galaxy (as far as we know) that has life on it. I can’t explain the problem of pain, nor can I explain the existence of beauty. I don’t know why, given the exact same evidence, some people turn toward God and others turn away from God.

                There are many things that I don’t know, and I’m okay with that. At this point in my life, I can accept that some things I could know I won’t. More importantly, I can accept that there are some things that no one can ever really know; some things that are beyond our ability to comprehend. When I hit the wall of the unknown, I fall back on one thing I do know. I can trust God with the unknown.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)