Relying on Grace

For the last few weeks, I’ve been teaching on deliverance in our weekend services. It’s been exhilarating and nerve-racking at the same time. It’s a subject that goes to the core of who we are, and the lays bare some of the rawest nerve-endings of our souls. I want to be so sensitive with each word that I say, but I also want to speak the truth directly so that it can make a difference. In that tension, there’s lots of room for error... Especially since this is the first time I’ve taught on the subject.

In the 5pm service last weekend, I analogized the pain of spiritual bondage to the pain of a spank that I lovingly give to my kids (i.e. God allows uses the pain to teach us to serve Him wholeheartedly). This was a sad choice on my part. Spanking is such a touchy subject! That subject alone needs lots of explanation so that people can understand the heart behind it. Not very helpful to explain a very touchy subject with an even touchier subject! On top of that, when I made the analogy, I was in full-on teacher-mode… My pastoral mercy/sensitivity radar wasn’t functioning. I was making my point, but it wasn’t really helping anybody.

I’ve lain awake for hours the last few nights agonizing about all this… And today I received prayer. My friends could feel regret and discouragement trying to drag me down. Thank you, Lord, for friends! I could never do this alone.

Now I’m feeling a freedom to rely on His grace. Where the enemy was using my mistakes to condemn me, the Lord is reminding me that He can use them to accomplish even better things than I can imagine (2 Cor. 12:9). This whole learning / growing process can be a bit painful at times, but how exciting, right?! He promises to use our mistakes for good! I am sure giving Him plenty to work with! ;)

A Gift of a Bible

For those of you who are subscribed to my blog via email, apparently the video I referenced in my last entry didn't come through. If you're interested, you can check it out here.

A Conversation - Pt. 5

When we open our lives to others, regardless of how much or little they agree with our faith, it's essential that we maintain a posture of humility (not being overconfident in our own perspective) and respect (realizing that they are made in God's image and that He knows how to speak to them far better than I do).

I actually try to ignore whether or not they agree with me, and I try not to think about whether a person is "saved." Focusing on our disagreement or trying to "get someone saved" tends to make conversations awkward and / or confrontational. Notice how Jesus loved to ask questions... He wanted to know them and He wanted to get to the heart of where God was already speaking to them.

I think this is what the apostle Paul is talking about when he writes that he was "not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God" (2 Corinthians 4:2). Pressure-filled, argumentative, manipulative presentations of the gospel are "crafty" and actually end up "adulterating the word of God." But if we trust the Holy Spirit to do most of the work, then we are freed to just share our story, and to "commend ourselves to every man's conscience." In other words, our job is simply to identify with and encourage them in what God is already doing in their hearts.

Yesterday, I came across a video in which a renowned atheist (and comedian) named Penn Jillette talks about how refreshing it was when someone gave him a Bible, and did it with a humble and respectful attitude.



The bottom line is this: we all need to be rescued. If, by sharing my story, I can help someone discover where Jesus has an answer for a hurting place in their life, then they will have found their next step forward in their journey of faith. Rather than an exclusive club reserved for those who have prayed "the prayer," I think of faith as a journey -- a series of steps. Whether they consider themselves a part of our church, or even of "Christianity," I always want to help them take their next step. For some that will be praying. For others that will be understanding something for the first time.

Below I continue my conversation with my friend. His questions are indented.

Are there very few people who have really accepted the antibodies?

Fewer people have accepted them than think they have (Matt. 7:21-23). Lots and lots of people are trying ignore the virus in their system. They would rather act healthy and healed than admit that they are sick. When we have invested a lot of our life in putting up a facade of perfection, it is very, very difficult to allow it to come down. The only way we can receive the antibodies is when we admit our sickness. They can only be given, not earned.

I'm not sure what your impression of was me from high school, but I can definitely say that a lot of my relationship with God was defined by what I did for Him. I was performance oriented. I definitely had the mutated virus of religiousness in my system. Toward the end of high school, through college, and for a few years after college, I had a huge crises of faith. I wasn't the person I presented to everybody. I had huge amounts of hidden sin, I had a lot of judgment against people, and I was generally not a very happy person (the older brother in Jesus' parable). In college I tried putting morality aside and just having fun (the younger brother, the prodigal). Both were equally hopeless.

In the last few years, I've learned more and more about how to rely on Jesus' daily forgiveness and God's constant provision in my life. I've written a bit more about how that began here.

Am I asking too many questions? I had a parent-teacher conference once because I wouldn't stop asking questions.

Very funny... But as I said before, this conversation is a lot of fun for me. Really [friend], you were one of the best friends I had through those many years. It's amazing to have this opportunity to reconnect at a level that is so deep and so personal for both of us. It's truly an honor... In fact, I've been having so much fun that I've had a very difficult time doing much of anything else! :)

A Conversation - Pt. 4

My friend continues his questions (his questions are all indented below)... As you're reading, what we're talking about is not as important as picking up on the tone of the conversation. Although we come from different faith traditions, I'm respectful and engaging, trying to give thoughtful, applicable answers to the best of my ability. I'm no theologian, but I still want to do the best with what I've learned so far.

You wrote, “Any attempt to become healthy / righteous without resting in the grace of His gift will ultimately backfire (i.e. get me sicker).” I can understand this is terms of the Pharisees (i.e. the parable of the Samaritan) following the letter of the law and missing the spirit of the law doesn’t do much good. Following the law to be “seen of men” doesn’t do much good either. But isn’t there salvation in following the law AND appealing to Christ’s atonement? It seems logical to me that we need to do both. I can’t imagine God gave/gives laws and commandments and doesn’t expect us to live them. After all, sin is NOT keeping His commandments on some level. This is an area I’ve always wondered about. Thoughts?

Hmmm.... this is an area that many have wrestled with. What's the relationship between faith and works? Couple verses:

• For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
• For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. James 2:26
  

On the one hand, it's not our obedience that saves us (the first verse). But on the other, if there's no obedience, then it's not really faith (the second verse).

The way I see it is that when we've accepted the free gift of God's grace, our heart is changed (Ezek. 36:26). Instead of wanting to do bad stuff, we begin to want to do good stuff. This change isn't completely instantaneous, but it's a growth process. Obedience is an act of worship and gratefulness, not something that earns me salvation.

Back to the virus analogy, obedience is like healthy living. It's better than eating junk food and sitting on the couch. But it's only the antibodies in Jesus' blood that give me any hope of spiritual life. If I've been brought back to life by His blood, then obedience (healthy living) will be the natural result. If I'm spiritually dead, then I have no motive for healthy living. Healthy living doesn't mean much to (or have much impact on) a corpse.

A seeming dichotomy really isn’t then? No matter how hard we try, we can’t get there without Christ. However, we can’t really have faith in Christ if we’re not trying. In terms of the couch potato – we’re not really accepting the antibodies if we’re just sitting on the couch, we can’t be saved if we’re living healthy but don’t accept the antibodies, so we need to live healthy AND accept the antibodies? Am I close?

Well, in my mind, you're close but no cigar. Antibodies lead to life. Period. Living healthy increases the quality of life, but are not a requirement or a prerequisite for receiving antibodies. If you say you've been inoculated, but you're not living healthily, you should double-check to make sure you really got the antibodies in the first place. However, any attempt to live healthy without relying fully on the antibodies will mutate the evil-virus into religiousness / legalism / Pharisaism (even deadlier and harder to identify).

If receiving the antibodies is a one-time event, how do you know you've received them?

Here's how to tell whether you have the antibodies in you:

• Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 1 John 2:3

Some people read this verse (and others like it) and get nervous because they know they aren't perfect. But "keep" doesn't mean "perfectly obey." Try reading "keep" as "treasure." Before I knew God, I didn't love and appreciate and value His words. Now I do. I can't wait to hear what He wants to say to me because I know that it will bring me life and hope and joy. Conversely, people who don't know Him are afraid to hear from Him (and so they reject Him). People who have the mutated virus of religiousness are also afraid to hear from God because deep down they know their efforts aren't enough to really make God happy. But nevertheless they try to "hide" from Him by using all their efforts and achievements as a smokescreen.

• We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. 1 John 3:14
  

I know that I have God in my life if I find it easier and easier to love people and have grace for their mistakes. Again, people who have the mutated virus of religiousness tend to get more and more nitpicky and proud. They become less tolerant and more judgmental as they continue down their twisted path.

• For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. Romans 8:15-16 -- see also 1 John 4:13

The virus of evil can either manifest in worldliness or religiousness. Either one is a way of trying to secure ourselves without having to rely on God as our Father. The best picture of this in scripture (in my mind) is found in Jesus' parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). The son who left home is a picture of worldliness. The older brother who stayed home is a picture of religiousness. Both totally missed the point of relying on God as a perfectly loving, merciful Father. However, the fact that the older brother couldn't ultimately find it in his heart to join the party shows that religiousness is a trickier, deadlier form of the virus.

A Conversation - Pt. 3

In case you're entering the conversation mid-stream, I've been posting excerpts from an email interaction I've been enjoying with one of my childhood friends. We haven't seen each other in 15 years and we come from different faith backgrounds... and yet we've both been encouraged by sharing. The enemy of our souls tries to intimidate us so that we won't ask (or answer) important questions. But it's so fun when we finally just go for it!

My friend asked me to expand with thoughts about the virus analogy from the last email:

I am curious to hear your thoughts and understanding of Gethsemane and Golgotha – what, why, how, etc. Maybe even linking it all to your virus theme, if the simile lends itself to that much latitude.

Yes, I think the virus analogy works great. I first came across this analogy in a teaching that I heard here at the Coastlands a few years ago. If you're interested, you can download it here.

Some additional thoughts / parallels with the evil / sin as a "virus" analogy:

• I think we could say that Jesus' blood is the only source of immunity. When God allowed Jesus to be infected with a lethal dose of the virus, He didn't stay dead. Since His resurrection, His blood carries the antibodies we so desperately need. Like infants born with HIV, we've all been infected, and are "dead in our transgressions" (Eph. 2:5). Receiving Him means receiving the gift of immunity / antibodies we didn't previously have in our system.
• Many people try through their own efforts to fight the dread disease. They do good stuff, go to church, give money, blah, blah, blah... But the Bible teaches that forgiveness / immunity is a free gift (and so it can't be earned). The sin / virus hijacks the host's natural systems. Our willpower and efforts are part of that system. Any attempt to become healthy / righteous without resting in the grace of His gift will actually backfire (i.e. get me sicker).
  
• What is tricky about treating viruses is that they can mutate into deadlier, harder-to-treat versions of themselves. Ironically, the mutation often occurs as a result of the attempted treatment! That's what religion is. A mutated form of the virus. It's man's attempt to approach God. I think religiousness / legalism is a deadlier, mutated virus that's tougher to identify and eliminate than regular, obvious sin. That's why we're encouraged to be "diligent to enter that rest..." (Heb. 4:11).

Tune in later for more of the conversation...

Different Gifts

I received an email today with some thoughts / questions about what they've read so far in these "Conversation" posts. Here are that person's thoughts (as always, I've asked permission):

On one hand I'm really enjoying your emails [with your friend]...on the other hand, the more you share, the more I feel like I'm standing at the bottom of a very big mountain with a very looong climb to the top. I see that some people have an understanding that doesn't just come from reading and studying their Bibles. You are one of them and you can take a simple question and turn it into a sermon if you wanted to. Not everyone has that gift though. I for one definitely desire it but could not respond to questions like these with answers like yours. I can share my life and my experiences about my walk with the Lord, but don't think I could open myself up for a Q and A session and respond with the wisdom and knowledge that you have.

This is such an honest realization... It's the reality of how ALL of us feel! It feels SO intimidating to share! Here are a couple thoughts:

• As this person mentions, different people have different gifts. None are more important, more valid, more profound, or more helpful than others. Each is vital. The person emailing me is clearly more of a mercy shower or exhorter than a teacher. Each gift has strengths and vulnerabilities! Never underestimate the power of your gift! God has put you in the right place at the right time to share what He's put inside you.
• God uses people who go for it! In other words, part of the effectiveness you observe in others is NOT the result of their giftedness. It's the fact that God is empowering their gifts for supernatural work. If we're only observing others pouring out rather than allowing ourselves to be inspired to similarly go for it, then we'll always feel intimidated. It's not that there's anything wrong with us or with our gifts, it's just that God can't do anything miraculous with a person who is unwilling.
• Let's just go for it... Share what's inside you with the people who are around you! You'll be amazed with what God does as a result.

The Continued Conversation

Here's another installment of the conversation I've been enjoying with my friend. Remember, God will always use us when we simply open up and share about what He's done in our lives. The enemy tells us that it's not that significant or that we'll probably just mess up if we try. But if we remove the pressure of feeling like there's a "right" way to share, it's amazing what will happen if we just open our mouths and hearts...

My friend's questions (indented) and my answers below:

Can you expand on your comments about the force of sin pulling people toward physical and spiritual death. What is the source of that influence/pull?

Hmm... Good question. There's lots of levels at which I could answer. But probably the most fundamental, root source is the fact that God made the universe in such a way that our choices have huge significance. By giving our choices immense significance / impact, He allows US to have significance. If our choices don't matter, then we don't matter. He allows both good and bad choices to have a readout that's far bigger than we can imagine. In His mercy, good choices have a longer-lasting readout (thousands of generations) than bad ones (see Ex. 20:5-6).

Is it the carnal nature of our physical bodies?

Yes

Is it the external influences of our cultures?

Yes

Is it merely the presence of sin to begin with that perpetuates additional sin (like the person that smokes a little is MUCH more likely to smoke more and more)?

Yes, yes, yes! I love the smoking picture... That's exactly how it works. Or like a virus that usurps and utilizes a cell's original design, hijacking it's reproductive system to produce more copies of the viral DNA. A virus doesn't have any life on it's own (it's just a strand of DNA), it only functions when it finds a host to take over and reproduce itself. The whole universe has been tainted with this virus. Everything that was originally designed to bring life now brings death.

Just to recap, I think there are three basic sources of death / evil:

• The world (the created cosmos) - Storms, diseases, etc. The whole world is titled toward death (Gen. 3:17, Is. 24:20). Everyone and everything that isn't listening to God's voice will ultimately slide off the edge.
• Our flesh ("original sin") - This is our physical body, as well as our "natural" thinking (Gal. 5:19-21). Our flesh is what makes it more fun to do bad stuff than good stuff. If the speed limit is 55, I want to go 75. That's flesh.
• The devil & his demons - There are spiritual forces who lie to us about God and about ourselves (Eph. 6:12). They speak with repetitive, destructive whispers. They plant thoughts that seem like our own, except that they are unkind / hopeless litanies about God, His plans, and His children. They aren't the spooky stuff that Hollywood makes them out to be. Like cancer, their goal and their methods are sinister.
  

Tune in later if you would like to "hear" more of our conversation...

A Renewed Conversation

I've had SO much fun over the last week emailing back and forth with one of my best childhood friends. It's been at least 15 years since we've seen each other, but we've nevertheless picked up quite a wonderful, personal conversation. He comes from a different faith tradition from mine and yet we've been able to share deeply about our experiences with God. With his permission, I'm posting some excerpts from our email interaction.

My hope is that as he and I share our conversation with you, you will be inspired to have conversations at a deeper level with your friends. It can feel intimidating to try to formulate candid, personal answers to people's honest questions. Something makes us feel as if we will certainly say something wrong and mess it up. But if we will have the courage to open our mouths and our hearts, God's promise is to use us (Mark 13:11).

My friend's questions are indented and my answers follow below:

Talk to me about God’s judgments on His people. The Old Testament is filled with stories of keeping the commandments and enjoying positive consequences (both individually and as a society) and NOT keeping the commandments and suffering negative consequences. First, I wonder where we are today as a society and whether or not the difficulties the world is experiencing will bring us closer to God or not.

Hmmm... I think that what God did in the Old Testament with the nation of Israel (as His chosen people) is completely different than what we see happening today. What God did to instruct and correct that entire nation that was called corporately to be a blessing / witness to the nations around them (Gen. 12:3, 22:18) is similar to how God instructs and corrects individual people under the new covenant who are called to similarly be a blessing / witness to the individuals around them (Acts 1:8). All of that to say, I don't think God is interested in choosing and using societies. That is / was a one-time deal with Israel.

Second, I wonder how instrumental God is in “directing” calamities and trials for the world OR how passive He becomes in “allowing” us to get into trouble and suffer our own consequences OR a combination of both. ??? What is your sense and perspective, especially in the context of today’s heightened feeling of war, natural disasters, economic peril, and crime?

I don't think God is directing any of that stuff. I do be believe that He is ultimately in control, but I don't think He is sending disasters as judgment / consequences for sin, etc. Jesus said "If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world" (John 12:47). Jesus just isn't in the business of judging anybody right now. There will come a judgment day, but that's not until the end. Right now, He's just trying to rescue everybody He can before we get to that day.

Isaiah 24:20 describes how the foundations of the world have been broken under the weight of sin. Storms, disaster, etc. are just the spillover of a world that has gone completely off-course... If I accidentally swerve my car when going 70mph, the results could be catastrophic... much bigger than the "sin" of the swerve. That's what I think pain and suffering is all about. It's not God's judgment... it's the readout of our sin that is way, way bigger than we can imagine. The way the world is supposed to work has been forever lost. It's been shattered and broken, and it won't be recovered until God remakes the world after this one has come to an end. Now instead of being a world full of life and blessing, this world tends to produce pain and suffering. The force of sin (which is way bigger than any individual person's bad choices), like gravity, is sucking everybody and everything toward death (not just physical). All of God's instructions and counsel are about rescuing people from that gravitational-pull.

If you're interested to read along, I'll post more of our conversation in the coming days...

Watchmen

Pretty funny stuff... I thought I was going to see the latest installment of the X-Men movies. This movie is full of very graphic violence, nudity, etc. If I had known what it was, I'm not sure if I would have gone. While I think it's important to be conversant in what's going on in our culture, my priority is to "be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil" (Romans 16:19).

But since I did see it... I'll share a couple of reflections. Like many other movies, it was a brilliant and compelling parable. But this was not a story of faith, but rather an argument for atheism.

Along the lines of arguments made by atheistic authors Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Sam Harris (and others, of course), the storyline presents faith as a delusion that keeps humans from their true potential. The rationale basically goes like this:

• Faith keeps people waiting for miracles to happen that they should take the initiative to make happen for themselves.
• Superheroes are people who are willing to put the delusion behind them and take matters into their own hands.
• Faith creates a morality that keeps humans from seeing the answers to the worlds greatest problems. Only when you get outside that morality can you find the solutions.
• The only "miracle" that we should acknowledge and appreciate is our own existence. Awe at the sheer improbability of our own existence can produce enough respect for ourselves to keep us from our own worst tendencies. There's no need to fear God.
  
• Heroes (i.e. atheists) must ultimately will be willing to look like the bad guys (and be willing to do things that morality would claim are "bad") in order to liberate the world from the ravages of faith and usher in an era of peace that will unleash humankind's potential.
  

I will not even attempt in this brief note to answer these attacks on faith. I don't have the brain-space or time to do it justice. But just briefly, I'll say... While faith is ultimately a "leap," that doesn't mean there isn't a rational basis for that leap that can be found in every area of human thinking. The philosophical, historical, scientific, sociological, and psychological arguments against faith (and specifically against Christianity) are unfounded (and most are based on misrepresentations and lies). I believe that faith, and especially Christian faith, is the best answer and greatest hope for our race.