What does the Scripture say?

A Word for Wednesday

A friend recently suggested that I use more Scripture references to support my assertions.  I actually have reasons for not doing so.  First, this is a blog and not a white paper or academic thesis.  Nor is it a sermon.  My hope is to encourage those who struggle, particularly against legalist and abusive influence, to find help and comfort in their relationship with Jesus.  Second, I usually find that those who disagree with grace love to engage in Scripture battles and have no intention of being convinced by Scripture. 

However, I also realize that there are those who welcome the teaching of grace and want to find support for this blessing in the Scriptures.  For the most part, that is found in my books. 

No teacher should be offended or anxious about being asked to provide Scriptural foundations.  If what I teach cannot be found in Scripture, you should certainly question and/or reject it.  So, I invite you to study the Scriptures to see if what I say is correct.  I also invite you to ask me the old question: Where stands it written?

The following is something I wrote for another discussion.  You may find it helpful.

TLDR: The old man (old you) is dead.  Your flesh is the way you learned to live before Christ.  Sin, in the life of the believer, happens in the flesh.  You are no longer held accountable for sin in the eyes of God because your identity is in Jesus.  You may well be held accountable for sin in this world because your flesh is part of this world. 

I understand that this discussion can be confusing. We are considering things beyond our ken, as they say.

I suspect that there is a purposeful integration of the concepts of flesh as physical body and flesh as the way of doing things apart from the Lord. Both are of this world. Both continue to be active in this world. Both are passing away. Both will be left behind.

So, consider these things: First, the flesh is not the “old man.” It is clear that the old man is dead. The old man was our identity apart from Christ.  The flesh is, as some say, the old man’s way of doing things. It is what we learned and adopted apart from Christ. The old man “was crucified” Rom 6:6, “grows corrupt,” as dead things do, Eph 4:22, and has been “put off” by the believer Col. 3:9. Paul says nothing like this about the flesh, at least not in past tense. He does refer to the flesh having been crucified in the believer, but in the same way he refers to the world having been crucified to us. There he does not mean they are dead, rotting, and gone. He means they are no longer part of our life because our life is in Jesus. Gal 5:26, 6:14

Second, we are repeatedly told that we are no longer in the flesh: Rom. 7:5,8:9, etc. This is one point where the integration I mentioned enters in. Paul refers to his continued earthly existence as time in the flesh, but he wants us to understand that this is temporary and that this world is truly no longer our home. We are in Christ, not in the flesh. For Paul, as for many martyrs, this integration carried them through even the destruction of their bodies. They died knowing that they had already died. Our life is no longer in this physical world nor in the things of this world.

Third, we may, however, walk in and according to the flesh: 2 Cor 10:3, Gal 5:16-17. It certainly seems possible, according to Paul, that a believer could fulfill the desires of the flesh by not walking in the Spirit. Why? Because the old way of thinking and acting still influences our choices. We are continually told to treat our flesh as we treat the world, as though they were dead to us. We are not to choose the ways of the flesh or the world. They will be shown to be dead to us at the end, even though they might continue to influence our decisions. So, Paul commands us to choose Jesus over the flesh, to walk in the Spirit rather than the flesh, to “make no provision for the flesh.”

Fourth, I realize that people read Romans 7 differently, but I believe Paul is talking about his daily life as a believer. He describes what all of us suffer when we speak and think honestly. Rom 6:19 is an active admonition to those who have come to Jesus for salvation. He says that their flesh is weak, which indicates that it is susceptible to temptation and, by extension, open to sin. As he continues in chapter 7, he acknowledges that there are two influences in his life (v. 25), his mind which has been renewed by the Spirit and his flesh which has not. Previously, in verse 18, he says that there is nothing good in his flesh. Why mention it if it is no longer part of him? He does not refer to the old man in the same way. The old man is dead.

Fifth, that brings us back to the nature of the flesh. Some suggest that it is entirely physical, patterns in the brain that have not yet adapted or yielded to the Spirit. Some suggest it is a more “soulish” thing but still connected to this world. I’m not sure that matters if the struggle is still the same. We are to focus on the Spirit and learn new perspectives and patterns to guide our living, to have our minds constantly renewed and conformed to that of Jesus. The daily struggle of the Christian life is to keep our focus on our Lord and away from the things of this world. That struggle has many manifestations of course. Some of it comes from the outside, from the attacks of the evil one and the temptations and influences of the world. Yet, we must acknowledge that some of that struggle comes from within us, from something that is still connected to and attracted by evil. It is not us, as I strongly teach, but it is certainly within us. And, I think, we must acknowledge that this thing within us is active.

So, what is that? I call it the flesh because that is the word used in Scripture. It is so much connected to our old identity that most Christians are taught they continue to battle the old man every day. They are torn between two opposing natures and hope only for release at the end. I think that is an error. The old man is dead, but the flesh (the old man’s way of thinking and acting) continues to have influence. If this is not true, then we have no good answer for the sinful actions in which we participate.

What part of us sins? I will be the first to say that sin is no longer laid to our accounts, but I will not say that we do not sin. I have never met a believer whose life bears out that assertion. I have met believers who grieve because of something they have done while they are believers. Either they lost their salvation as they did that thing, or something within them, something so close to them as to be identified BY THE WORLD as them, was culpable. Again, I believe that is the flesh.

Thus, we are no longer held accountable for sin in the eyes of our Lord, but we are accountable for sin in this world. We may pay a serious price for sin in this life, even though it does not affect the new life we have in Christ. Also, our Lord might allow consequences for sin in the flesh, consequences in this world, so that our hearts are drawn back to His love. Our identity remains clean and washed by the blood of Jesus, as Paul says in 1 Cor 6:11, perhaps even while we serve appropriate prison time for crimes in this world.

Now, I continue to study and to learn about these wonders. I would not suggest that I have final answers, nor do I quickly accept the final answers of others. This is simply the understanding that seems most in line with the plain reading and practical application of Scripture. It is also a perspective that is very helpful in daily Christian living. In Romans 7, Paul refers to sin that lives within him. Where does that sin reside? Will it continue to live in us in glory? I think that sin is active in the flesh and will pass from us forever when our connection with this world is finally done.

No wonder that will be a day of great rejoicing!

Taking Advantage

A Word for Wednesday

Are you taking advantage of God’s love?

Now, for most of us, that question would produce guilt and shame. That’s how we have been taught to see ourselves. We really don’t deserve any love from Him, we think. We are not faithful, not righteous, not consistent, and we don’t act out our love for Him. We continue to struggle against the same sins we had before, and we have picked up some new ones. We follow impulses and temptations rather than the Spirit. We believe God loves us, but we feel like we don’t deserve that love.

And, again, that opens the door for legalists and other abusers to condemn us and manipulate us. They are quick to point out our failures, our sins. They act shocked when we say something or do something wrong. They point their fingers at us and call us hypocrites. We find ourselves agreeing with them.

Are we taking advantage of God’s love? When I grew up, the idea of taking advantage of someone was sinful. Even today, when I am kind and someone takes my generosity beyond what I expected or wanted, I say they took advantage of me. It suggests that my generosity was actually weak, perhaps not so genuine and certainly limited.

Can we take advantage of God’s love?

I remember a story David Wilkerson shared years ago when his ministry was just growing. A man gave him a blank check and told him to write on it whatever they needed. Wilkerson was torn. He knew what they needed, but he knew it was a lot. He didn’t want to take advantage of the man’s kindness. So, he wrote a number that was half of their needs, still a large number. When he saw the man later, the man said, “Well, I thought you needed more than that.”

God knows how much we need. He knows it all. He knows the temptations that come to us and the various reasons we give in. He knows how much love He is going to have to pour out on us.

And He wants us to take advantage of all His love.

Today, a business membership will invite you to take advantage of the benefits they offer. They encourage you to use everything they offer. The phrase doesn’t always have a negative connotation. Sometimes, the giver actually wants you to enjoy those benefits.

God’s love has no limits where you are concerned. His love forgives all sin, provides every victory, and comforts you in every battle. Yes, even the battles that come because of your stupid decisions.

Because God offers love out of His abundance, it is not possible to take advantage of Him in a negative way. He knows not only what you need but what you will do with what He gives you. He knows you might hurt yourself with His gifts. He even knows you might hurt others with His gifts. He doesn’t want you to do that, of course, but He knows. And His love is still there for you.

Do you think God knows that it will take years for you to accept His provision in that one area of your life that continues to tempt you? Of course He does. He knew that when He washed those sins, yes even those sins, away. The blood of Jesus Christ washed away and continues to wash away ALL our sins. Even the ones we keep doing.

Now, that’s love. Instead of feeling ashamed and weak, we must look to the One who is good and strong. And we must remember that He is our Life. He loves us.

When I stop to think about how many sins of mine have been forgiven after I became a believer, I am in awe of the generous love of God. It humbles me. It causes me to open my mouth in wonder. It blesses me. I find myself still, paralyzed almost, before Him. No words. Few thoughts. Just gratitude and humility and peace.

We are not to sin in order to see more grace, but we are certainly to take advantage of the amazing love of our God.

Fear of Duplicity

A Word for Wednesday

Imposter syndrome. I’ve written about it before. It’s a modern description of that old feeling that you are trying to deceive people. You want them to think of you as good or successful, when you know better. You know your weaknesses, your compromises, your sins. You know what they don’t, so you feel like an imposter.

In Christ, there are no imposters. Think about that. The only imposters, and there may be many in the church, are outside Christ. What I mean is that all those who are in Christ are all they should be. The power and wisdom and love are real because He is your life, and He is real.

But there is a battle.

The reality of who you are in Christ is your identity. In other words, you are righteous and free. Your flesh is not. Your flesh is unredeemed and will not be redeemed. Your sins in the flesh will be left behind. So, your flesh remembers its sins and tries to tell you that they define you. They do not. No matter what category your flesh or the world tries to lay on you, you are not that. You are cleansed and free.

Now, this is about your flesh. It is not about you in Christ. Your flesh is still active, still struggling for control, still striving for recognition and attention. The world still sees your flesh, and others are still affected by the decisions of your flesh. You may cause suffering because of your flesh, and the world will hold you accountable. You may suffer because of your flesh.

This is important. I want to make it very clear that the flesh is active. That’s why we are supposed to subdue it and seek the Spirit. Our goal is to live in and according to the Spirit, rather than the flesh. If we allow the flesh to have its way, then we (and others) will suffer fleshly consequences.

So, let’s step right into it. The person who molests a child shows the world a sinful fleshly desire and perspective. The world should protect children against those actions. The child molester may live the rest of his or her life with the consequences and boundaries the world uses to protect children. That’s how it should be.

If that child molester comes to Jesus and finds salvation. He or she is washed clean. Nothing of that sin remains on the account. They are fully forgiven. The new identity in Christ does not include the label of child molester.

But, since the flesh is still active, that person should still live with the controls placed on the flesh by the world. That may be prison. That may be a label in the community. That may be serious restrictions in daily life, perhaps even within the family. The new Christian should accept these limits because he or she understands the need to place them around such hurtful flesh.

At the same time, the new believer should be taught to see himself or herself in the light of Jesus and the new life. The new identity is the most powerful way to stand against the flesh. If the evil one provides temptation, the new believer should look to Jesus and know of his or her acceptance and strength. Things are not the same.

What this means is that the Christian life may look like it is divided. You may feel that division as you walk through your days. You do have to deal with the desires of your flesh. You also have to learn to see yourself apart from the flesh in the light of the Spirit. You are not both. You are the new creation Christ made. But you forget or give in to the flesh at times. It is perfectly appropriate for the believer to tell himself that he is better than what he is doing or thinking—better because of his identity in Christ.

No, you are not an imposter. Your flesh is not you, but it was you and it is still active in this world. When you leave this world, your flesh will not go with you. It was formed apart from Christ, and it will remain apart from Christ.

When the abuser or manipulator brings up your past and accuses you of being the same person, they are wrong. That is a lie. But it won’t feel wrong if you feel the same desires and are suffering the same consequences. You have new Strength and new Victory. It is only your flesh that still struggles. And you are not your flesh. The abuser and the legalist will not see that or accept it, but Jesus does.

And that’s all that matters. Every time a temptation comes, every time you sin, every time you face a consequence from something in your past—look to Jesus. Focus on Him and His love. Let Him work in you and through you. Don’t look at the restrictions or the label, look at Him. Don’t worry about what people say, listen to Him. Even when your own heart condemns you, reject the shame and look to Jesus.

Surprisingly soon, your flesh will be left behind and you will find more joy and welcome than you thought possible. Trust and wait for Jesus.

A Claim to Offenses

A Word for Wednesday

The teenage girl sits in the mall alone wondering if she should go home. Words were said, hurtful things. Nothing new. She believes it will never change.

A young man sits down near her and begins to talk. Nothing much at first, but she finds him to be a good listener. Soon, she is telling him her troubles. He is so kind, so understanding. Not like her parents at all.

I wish this were fiction, but it has happened so many times. Maybe some of the details were different, but the story ends the same. An abuser has found a victim.

What I am about to write might be hard. As long as you hold on to offenses, there will be people in your life who will use those memories and emotions to control you. They may be overt, bringing up the pain again and again so you don’t forget and certainly do not forgive. Or they may be covert, saying things you want to hear, wish you could have heard from those others who hurt you. Either way, they will use your pain and memories against you. They will seek to separate you from your support and destroy relationships that could have been healed. All for their own purposes. No, they really do not care about you.

In the movies or on television, if the hero has an injury, the bad guy will often punch or twist to bring out the pain of that injury. The hero is made weak by the injury and the bad guy uses it. That’s how it works with bad guys.

Unlike a physical injury, an offense can be released. It is simple. Not easy, but simple. State the offense and the pain it caused and still causes. Then take all of it to Jesus. Lay it at His feet. Cry if crying helps. Anger is not unexpected. But, in the end, turn your back on the offense and leave it with Jesus. When the bad guy or the evil one brings it up again, remind yourself that you gave it to Jesus.

The devil will not want to lose his power in your pain. The world will tell you that you are a fool to release it. Even your flesh will be screaming in anger and frustration as you turn away. But they each have their purposes in keeping you weak. Don’t let them.

Your strength is in the love of Jesus. As He takes the offense from you, the burden is lifted, and you will begin to feel free. In that freedom, you will be able to find a new future of more peace and joy.

I know it’s easy to say. I know personally that it is very hard to do. But to take away the opportunities those offenses give to evil in your life, you have to give them to Jesus. He will deal with any justice or retribution. He will deal with your offender in His way and in His time. Trust Him.

Just let it go.

The Stigma of Inferiority

A Word for Wednesday

Some years ago, a woman in my church informed me that she and her family were choosing a different church. That happens a lot in most churches, but the reason was different this time. She said she felt that her family, particularly her children, were just not as good as the others in the church. I did try to tell her the right things, but she was convinced. Of all the things that happened in that church, I think that was one that concerned me the most.

Comparisons hurt. Just that. Always.

We are taught from early days to compare ourselves with others, and it always hurts. It hurts our hearts, and it hurts our relationships. In fact, many church people don’t know Christian relationships without these comparisons. Perhaps many have never known a relationship without comparison even out of the church. And, again, they always hurt.

The rich, the beautiful, the intelligent, the successful—all can be brought down by comparisons. So many people fail to find the joy of life because they believe they are inferior in some way.

But there should be no comparisons in the church! Of all places, in all our relationships, the church should be a place where we are all equal. We are all fully dependent on Jesus.

There is no one who has not sinned, the Scriptures say. And all who sin fall short of God’s glory. The most prideful preacher, the most sacrificial servant, the elder, the church boss, the worship leader—all have sinned and are totally dependent on Jesus for salvation. None, not one, can point to their goodness or accomplishments as credit.

No one in the church is better than another. There are no inferiors and no superiors. To be truly spiritual is to be aware of your continual need for a Savior and to be humble.

When someone who claims to be a Christian considers themselves to be better than another, they are showing the influence of their flesh and the lie of the devil. When they look down on you to humble you or control you, they betray the truth of themselves.

And listen: when someone who claims to be a Christian considers themselves to be less than another, they are showing the influence of their flesh and the lie of the devil. It simply cannot be true. Your righteousness, your worth, your contribution, is either all of Jesus or it is worthless. All the glory—all—goes to Him.

The manipulators and abusers would have you believe they are better and you are inferior. They use the stigma of inferiority to keep you from defending yourself or resisting their influence. As long as you think you are inferior, to them or to any other, you may feel weak. It is not humility that makes you feel inferior, it is shame. Humility helps you understand the need everyone has for a Savior.

Please don’t look down on yourself or your family or your job or your community or your church. You are not less than others. Others are not better than you. Look to Jesus. See His welcoming and affirming love.

The Shame of Weakness

A Word for Wednesday

In Revelation 3, the Lord addresses the church in Laodicea and reminds them that they are not as rich or as strong or as privileged as they think they are. Instead, they are in great need. They are poor and wretched, according to the Lord. The reason was that they were depending on themselves and their own strength rather than on Jesus.

I know that many people feel shame when they think of their weakness. I know that many preachers use that shame to humble their people and keep them in line. I know that abusers point to our weakness and evil ones lead us into temptation. Then they accuse us and shame us. But listen: there is no shame in weakness.

The world and the devil work on the flesh to cultivate weaknesses. You know what I mean. Bad habits. Wrong desires. Sinful thinking. We desire things we know will hurt us in the long run but bring us pleasure now. Then, we shame ourselves for our weakness.

Many believers, perhaps most, live in a cycle of desire, weakness, sin, and shame. They make new promises, accept new accountability, and then fall again. Many accept this cycle and their weakness as part of their inferiority. And they shame themselves.

Again: there is no shame in weakness.

Weakness is part of your flesh. On one hand, your flesh has been programmed to be weak in certain areas. On the other hand, the Lord never suggested that you would be able to succeed in your own strength—either before or after salvation.

Listen: what that means is that you are weak. He is the Strong One. You are not. You, apart from Him, are poor, weak, and wretched.

Now, be careful. I did not say that you are poor, weak, and wretched. I said you are such APART FROM HIM. But you are not apart from Him. Your flesh is apart from Him, not you. It is very important that you maintain a separation between your identity and your flesh. In Christ, you are strong and rich. However, since your flesh has not been and will not be redeemed, your flesh will always be weak.

Someone questioned my statement that our flesh has not been and will not be redeemed, but it is precisely the point the Lord is making when He separates the flesh and the spirit in us. When He tells us not to walk in the flesh, but to walk in the Spirit, He is reminding us that our flesh is part of this world. It is the way we learned to live apart from the Lord. It was programmed and cultivated in this world and by the values and concerns of this world. You will not deal with your flesh in glory.

What that means is that the real you, the one inseparably connected to Jesus, is as strong as He is…because He is your Strength. Your victory is always in Him.

Some people might challenge these ideas as excuses. Instead of telling people to blame the devil, I am suggesting that we should blame the flesh. But that is an explanation, not an excuse. We are called to leave the flesh behind even in this world. We are called to walk in, to live according to, the Spirit, rather than the flesh. Our understanding that weakness is part of our flesh should pull us to the strength of Jesus.

Yes, your flesh is weak. It sees something it desires and begins to make plans to get it. Your flesh remembers an offense and provides the negative emotions that build your adrenaline and feed your self-righteousness. Your flesh sees a concern and builds a fearsome scenario that causes you to protect yourself. This is what the flesh does and has always done.

You don’t have to live that way, but you will until you call it out. When you are able to acknowledge your weakness without shame and credit only your broken and unredeemed flesh, then you are free to look to Jesus and find His strength. The way to victory is not in trying harder, but in admitting that you feel this weakness and crying out to the One who loves you.

There is no shame in weakness. We are all weak. None of us can handle this life. Only Jesus can do that.

And He will do that for you. He will give you the strength to say no. He will give you the victory you can never find in yourself.

A Burden of Unforgiven Sin

A Word for Wednesday

I wonder if all of us have a certain sin or group of sins that we have real trouble believing God has forgiven. Usually something from the past, something that created a significant change in our lives. Perhaps the beginning of a sinful habit that continues to plague us. Perhaps a certain decision that changed everything.

You might know exactly what I am talking about. In fact, you might wish you could move past the memory and the effect of that sin. Why can’t you?

Once again, the voices (the world, the flesh, and the devil) continually remind us of what we did. We are told that our identity came in that moment, in that decision. The world holds us there because we fit into a category and carry a label that makes sense. In other words, you may be labeled by your sin. Even the church (yes, part of the world) seems to make you wear a mark for others to use. The divorced person, the person who has struggled with substance abuse, the person who has been incarcerated—they know. It’s like a scarlet letter that you are forced to carry.

And that’s just the world. The devil, and his workers, want to use that memory, that label, to manipulate and control you. Your failure at one point in your life becomes your liability for the rest of your life. I remember being told never to put a certain two people on the same committee in the church because many years before they had an affair. Now in their 80s, they were hardly interested in each other, but that didn’t matter. They carried their labels and suffered the manipulation of their hearts.

That’s what the flesh becomes used to. It may seem strange, but the flesh accepts shame and condemnation partly because it uses the limitations as an excuse for poor performance. We tell ourselves we struggle because of what happened in the past. I suspect that our flesh converts bad feelings into some types of affirmation, perhaps some type of dopamine or other chemical that becomes almost addicting. This is why we seem to replay embarrassing or hurtful experiences so often. There is a desire in the flesh to scratch the scab, so to speak. I also suspect that our flesh uses these painful memories to explain other pain that comes. I hurt now because of what I did before, for example. Whatever the reason, it is very difficult for our flesh to let go of our sins.

And this is what the narcissist and abuser and legalist use against us. As they remind us of our past, the voices chime in their own condemnation. Using the power of these voices, the manipulators control what we think of ourselves. They weaken our hearts and spirits for their own purposes.

Unforgiven sin. What is that for a Christian? What sins are unforgiven? The big ones, whatever they may be? The recent ones? The ones the manipulators find useful? And how did these particular sins escape the love of God in Jesus? Did we forget to name them at the proper time? Are they actually unforgiveable? What makes them different?

You see, if some sins are not forgiven in your life, then none of your sins are forgiven. The work of Jesus was complete or it was nothing. You died to your sin, to the whole package. Not just the individual sins, but the consequence and condemnation and shame of your sinfulness. No longer is sin in authority over you, either in power or in culpability. In other words, Jesus took you completely out of the realm of sin. You were washed. You were forgiven. Completely.

It is not possible for one of your sins to slip under God’s radar and still bring you condemnation. There is no unforgiven sin in your life, not even the one you just did. Even if you haven’t confessed it yet. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from ALL sin.

Release the burden and help others release their burdens. Why carry around something that is no longer part of you and can no longer lay claim to your soul? That sin has been washed with the blood, and God no longer sees it on your account. No matter what others say (the world), no matter what the devil whispers, and no matter what shame your own flesh tries to lay on you—you can no longer hold onto that sin. It is gone.

Fear of God’s Disfavor

A Word for Wednesday

One of the most surprising things I discovered in ministry was how many people would come to me to confess their sin. Now, I have never been in the role of a priest who hears confession and grants absolution. That’s not my tradition nor is it my doctrine. But it has happened so many times that I came to expect to know secrets.

I wondered why people would want to do this. Some of them came almost as soon as I came to the church. It seemed important to them to “air their dirty laundry,” so to speak.. As time went on, I began to understand.

Their goal was not so much forgiveness, but acceptance. They needed to know they were still welcome once the truth was known. It was almost a test to see if not only I, but God rejected them.

And the manipulators, narcissists, and abusers know that those who fear God’s disfavor are vulnerable. They know how to twist and control. If they can create anxiety or fear in the hearts of their victims, they can dominate them.

Many people live in uncertainty, or lack of assurance, because they live in fear of God’s disfavor. Preachers pull out verses that say no one who does such or such can inherit the kingdom. Abusers accuse victims of being unworthy. The religious system focuses on sin rather than the Savior.

But our God loves us! He loves us so much that He sent Jesus to die for us. In some amazing way, God became flesh to pay a price that would wash away our sins. Wash away, not just cover…not just hide until some future revelation. And not just the sins of the past but all our sins.

I don’t understand the love of God that keeps forgiving me. I don’t understand why He loves me at all. But I know He does because He tells me that throughout the Scriptures. He tells me that’s why He paid such an awful price.

What will separate me from the love of God? Nothing. Nothing in this world. Nothing in any other world. Nothing that I do. Nothing. God continues to love me even though I do things that show my lack of love for myself and for others. I cannot fall from His favor.

To be clear, I might miss blessings because of the wrong decisions I make, especially the sinful ones. I might go through tough times because of those decisions or practices. But I will never fall from His favor. He loves me.

You see, the very life in me is the life of Jesus. I have no other life, no other hope. All my eggs are in that one basket. All my investments are in Him. All the promises are from Him. I died, and the life I live today is the life of Jesus in me. I am still me, but alive only in Jesus.

So, nothing can change that now. Now, it isn’t up to me to keep myself in His favor. Even if He sees fit to discipline me or withhold something He would have given me, it will be because of that favor, that love.

And the day will come when I will see that all my sins have truly been washed away. They will no longer even be memories. As far as the east is from the west, my sins will be sent away, along with the guilt, the shame, the condemnation. As my flesh dies with the rest of this world, I will be free.

I know that many people have been taught to fear the loss of God’s favor. Teach them and yourself the truth of God’s amazing love!

To Be A Christian

A Word for Wednesday

Several events, news stories, and internet topics have come together in recent weeks to move my thinking toward what it really means to be a Christian. Much of the manipulation and deception that happens in the church centers around wrong ideas. The legalist teacher/preacher keeps his listeners confused about the truth of Christian identity. The “Christian” narcissist would have you believe he/she has some kind of access to or arrangement with God that you do not. By twisting the truth, these people keep their advantage and control.

And their victims suffer from lack of knowledge, as the Scripture says. Without assurance and understanding of truth, even true believers can be misled and discouraged by the lies.

Next year I will mark 50 years of pastoral ministry. Although I do not usually think of myself as a counselor, I have certainly talked with a lot of people about their marriages and their faith. I would suggest that the great majority of those I have counseled have struggled with assurance and victory. Most have confessed their sins in fear and anxiety. Most have found the love of God to be uncertain or even distant in their lives. And their doubt comes out of misunderstanding. Poor teaching seems to be the norm in the church today.

Many years ago I studied and taught in a program called “Evangelism Explosion.” It came from the ministry of Dr. D. James Kennedy in Florida and was a way to train people to share the gospel. The presentation centered around two questions: If you were to die today, do you know that you would go to Heaven? And, if you did die and were asked at the gate of Heaven why you should be allowed to go in, what would you say?

Now, we were taught that people who couldn’t answer those questions were almost certainly not Christians. Any fumbling doubts or attempts at bargaining would be evidence that the person didn’t understand what Jesus had done for them. While I find it hard to disagree with that assertion, I am deeply concerned that those doubts and attempts to bargain would be found throughout the church today.

And those doubts allow the manipulators and abusers to define our faith their way. If we don’t know enough to stand up for the truth about Jesus and His work in our own lives, then we are open to compromise and fear.

The narcissist will never let you forget your sin. He will use it, refer to it, as he pressures you into submission. The legalist will continually bring up new sins to charge you with, never content with any amount of repentance and change. For the manipulator, you must never be good enough, always be fearful, and live in expectation of rejection and judgment. They are the only real Christians, they want you to think. They actually put themselves in the place of God.

But no believer should allow a person other than Jesus to have that place. The only right Judge is Jesus…and He loves you and forgives you. This is what the believer must accept and live.

Only in Him

A Word for Wednesday

“Name it and claim it!” “Speak your best life into being.” “Agree with what you want to be true and it will become true.”

Grace teachers are accused of giving people false hope. Some say that grace teaching falls short because it doesn’t require the performance the Bible requires. Repentance and change, they say, are the key to everything believers are promised. Obedience and duty and service and consistency are required, they say. People will not become what we say or have what we say unless they pay the price.

They are wrong. The hope of the gospel is not false hope. Nor is it found in performance and obedience. It is found in Jesus. He has done the work. He has paid the price.

But some teachers who claim grace as their message do forget the one requirement: JESUS!

The life and freedom and joy offered by the message of grace is only found in Jesus. Only those who have come to Him in faith will exchange their life for the one He offers. And only those who have the life of Jesus will have the victory and forgiveness He offers.

You see, Christians are not people who have had a change of thinking. We have had a change of life. Our life-source is different. Not updated or fixed, but actually replaced. The old life in which we placed our hope is gone. The new life in us is Him. Eternal life doesn’t just mean living forever; it means living in Him. Because He is our Life, we share in His eternal life.

So, when I write about the things Christians have in Jesus I mean that those things are only in Jesus. They are not available to everyone apart from Him. No unbeliever can have them. No one who has not come to Jesus in faith has this new life. You have to be a Christian.

There are people who seem to forget this. They offer the blessings of the Christian life without the one requirement. It is not obedience or service. It is not church membership or duty. It is not avoidance of sin or abundance of good works. It is Jesus.

Jesus is a real Person who loves you. He came to offer Himself because of that love. He rose from the dead to call you to Himself. And, when you come to Him to exchange the life you think you have for the life He offers, He makes you a new creation. Only then are you forgiven and set free from sin. Only then do you have a future and hope in glory. Only then are you a Christian.

It sometimes feels like the message of grace is challenged from every side. There are those who want people to do enough of what they think is important in order to be saved. Then there are those who think all people somehow receive the blessings of the cross. But the message of grace doesn’t sell the gospel short on either side. It is focused on Jesus. He alone is the “Author and Finisher” of our faith and our life.

Only Jesus. He alone is our Hope and Strength.