Sorry, Not Enough

Have you ever done wrong and felt sorry about it?  When it comes to setting things right, feeling sorry is often the first step in repentance.  The pricking of our conscience should lead to a changed mind which admits we have done wrong.  Merely admitting guilt still stops short of repentance, a necessary step to be forgiven by God.  Repentance begins with a changed mind and a renewed heart according to God's Word, resulting in intentional lifestyle changes which agree with God.

There is a practical example seen in the book of Ezra.  Ezra the priest was astonished when he heard a report from the princes that many of the Jews who returned to Jerusalem from captivity in the Babylon had transgressed God's command in marrying foreign wives.  The rulers, ones who were called to lead righteously in obeying the Word, were primarily to blame.  Ezra 10:1 says, "Now while Ezra was praying, and while he was confessing, weeping, and bowing down before the house of God, a very large assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept very bitterly."  The people guilty of disobedience were remorseful, sorry for what they had done.  Ezra 10:2-4 continues:  "And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, spoke up and said to Ezra, "We have trespassed against our God, and have taken pagan wives from the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope in Israel in spite of this. ³ Now therefore, let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and those who have been born to them, according to the advice of my master and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. ⁴ Arise, for this matter is your responsibility. We also are with you. Be of good courage, and do it."

The people were sorrowful over their sin, but they remained hopeless to be forgiven without repentance.  As long as they remained in their sinful lifestyle, they remained condemned.  No amount of sacrifices could make them acceptable before God if they merely stayed sorry.  Yet Shechaniah had words of hope for the people who had sinned.  In spite of their willful disobedience, they had an opportunity set before them to be forgiven and restored to a righteous standing before God.  The issue of intermarriage was not a racial problem, but a spiritual one.  Marriage to foreign people was permitted under the Law as long as they converted to Judaism.  Those who refused to enter into God's covenant with His people needed to be released from their marriages so the nation could be united before God in obedience and submission.  It would be brutally difficult and horrendous to have to put them away, even as Abraham sent away Hagar and his beloved Ishmael.  The point which stands out from this passage is being sorry, even admitting our guilt before God with many tears, is not enough to warrant restoration before our Father in heaven.  We must repent, choose to reject sinful practices at any cost, and do what is right.

God's people are responsible to obey Him, and when He brings to our attention we are in sin we must take appropriate steps to forsake it.  Allowing sinful practices to remain in our lives perpetuates a cycle of guilt without true repentance.  As followers of Jesus Christ we are no longer under the condemnation of the Law, but this does not mean we should continue in sin.  Sorrow over sin is a good start, but stopping short of repentance only increases damage.  Romans 6:1-4 says, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? ² Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? ³ Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? ⁴ Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."  Sin is a merciless killer, and sinful practices in our lives must be dealt with severely without mercy.  Our loyalty must be to God, not to idols or worldly loves.

No matter what we have done, there is hope for us through Jesus Christ if we will confess our sin, repent, and receive forgiveness according to His grace.  It is not by our efforts to clean up our lives which avails anything, but the shed blood of Christ which through faith cleanses us of sin.  Through Christ we can experience newness of life today if we will put off the old man, be renewed in the spirit of our minds, and put on the new man through faith in Jesus.  We should be sorry when we sin, but we must go further and repent fully by removing the source of sin from our lifestyle.  Praise the LORD for His redemptive, restoring work enabled in each who believe through the Holy Spirit!

Suffer No Hunger

Some view God as an overbearing ruler, seeking at every turn to deprive people of fun and enjoyment.  This view of God is like an ignorant child who turns up his nose at unfamiliar food.  It is ironic a picky eater who refuses good food at the table may poison himself later that day by drinking household chemicals found under the kitchen sink!  Idolatry is more dangerous and deadly than poison.  Even as a child who must trust their parents to obey their encouragement to "try" the food placed before them, so all people are called to trust God.  God does not deprive people of anything.  You can drink the poison supplied by this world if you like.  God has warned us, and if we are intent on self-destruction God will not force us to adopt His ways.  But if we desire what is good, we must choose to trust God and do what pleases Him.  Thankfully the atoning blood of Christ atones for our sins as the only antidote to save our souls.

Throughout God's history with His people, there was a recurring theme they did not listen to God.  They chose to reject God's way and He allowed them to go their own way with disastrous results.  Isn't it ironic God's own people chose to reject God's commands given to them?  Psalm 81:8-14 says, "Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you! O Israel, if you will listen to Me! ⁹ There shall be no foreign god among you; nor shall you worship any foreign god. ¹⁰ I am the LORD your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. ¹¹ "But My people would not heed My voice, and Israel would have none of Me. ¹² So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, to walk in their own counsels. ¹³ "Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! ¹⁴ I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries."  God longs greatly that people would listen to Him and obey.  He has been faithful to deliver His people from bondage, sin, and death.  How sad it is when we who have experienced His deliverance would so quickly turn from Him and follow after idols which cannot save or satisfy.  He says, "Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it."  Like a chef supplying gourmet delicacies we have never seen or tasted before, God has good things to fill us with and satisfy our souls.

Looking at food stops far short of tasting it for ourselves.  Eating involves all our major senses.  The flavour is enhanced with delicious aromas.  Quality food doesn't just look tasty, but has the correct texture:  chewy, crunchy, fluffy, or smooth.  Tasting food yourself is a personal experience, and trusting and obeying Christ is also a series of personal choices.  David was a man who had experienced God's deliverance and salvation.  David once made the mistake of seeking aid from his enemy, and when he realised his error he was struck with fear.  He pretended to be crazy before the king, scratching on the walls and allowed saliva to run down his beard.  After he was saved from that sticky and embarrassing situation, David proclaimed the goodness of God.  He wrote following the incident in Psalm 34:1-10:  "I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. ² My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; the humble shall hear of it and be glad. ³ Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together. ⁴ I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. ⁵ They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed. ⁶ This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. ⁷ The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. ⁸ Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him! ⁹ Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. ¹⁰ The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing. "

There is nothing better than being loved by God and loving Him back, trusting and obeying His Word.  Have you tasted and seen for yourself that the LORD is good?  With David I can say truly, "Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!  There is no want to those who fear Him."  Shut the door on the equivalent of corrosive chemical cleaners you've been eyeing under the sink - those idols and sinful practices which can only destroy - and feed on God's faithfulness instead.  Open your mouth wide in faith, and God will fill it.  Those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.

Don't Hold Out!

A personal testimony is a powerful tool which can bring much glory to God.  Whilst it is true making our past lifestyle or sins the focus is an improper emphasis, it would be wrong to ignore them.  After his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite, David wrote in Psalm 51:3, "For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me."  David's acknowledgement of his sin produced a humility in him before God and men.  Our story ought to always point to God's deliverance, grace, and faithfulness despite our faults.

There is a flavour people can give to their testimony of God saving them which suggests they had a license to sin in their "BC" days - before Christ.  The implication is they were far worse sinners in those days than now.  There's no way they could ever sin like that again!  This is not necessarily true.  To think we will never sin after Christ to the degree we sinned before is inconsistent in the life of David and likely our own.  In the matter of David's sin, he transgressed decades after he committed to trust, obey, and worship God alone.  In Christian circles, people can be very free to share with others how they used to live before Christ.  On the other hand, to admit they have struggled or stumbled into sin since is quietly kept under wraps.  This produces a false front, a facade of spiritual strength to hide faults we know all too well a "good Christian" could or should have overcome.

And the result?  Christians are reluctant to admit they are struggling, and this lack of transparency leads other believers to do the same.  Openness concerning personal matters and frank honesty concerning sin promotes the same.  Why is it that when we choose to follow Christ we assume we ought to be perfect and refuse to admit our hurts and struggles?  Perhaps people are afraid their "salvation" will be doubted as genuine.  No one wants to be judged by others or seen as weak failures.  Pride has a lot to do with concealment of our faults, and God requires us to walk humbly with Him.  When we were purchased with the blood of Christ by grace through faith, He purchased us as His own.  Ours is a story of God's redemption and grace - not only before our conversion, but after as well.  Our lives are a tapestry woven through with threads of God's deliverance, forgiveness, acceptance, and love.  If we are His and He is ours, when we choose to keep our struggles and God's deliverance private after our conversion, we hold out on God.  In doing so we refuse God glory to save face before men.

When we share the testimony of God's salvation and deliverance of our souls, let's not keep referring back to our days before we came to Christ in faith.  It is fitting to talk about how God initially opened your eyes to your sin and need for salvation and forgiveness, but speak freely and frankly about how He has delivered you since.  Like David, we too can testify God is a living God who has delivered us out of all distress, affliction, and sin.  Transparency with others in the Body of Christ leads to true accountability.  Our story is God's story, and we ought not keep the light of His deliverance hidden from those who have also tasted and seen God is good.  Instead of painting ourselves in a soft, fuzzy light to improve our image, how much better to accurately describe the wondrous things God has done in delivering us from sin and ourselves.  To God be the glory, both now and forever!

The Holy War

I read an interesting article written by Thomas Madden reprinted in "Christianity Today" in 2005 concerning the Crusades.  One of his main points is how the Crusades were a response to the stop the spread of Islam in the world about one thousand years ago.  I have not studied the history of the Crusades to know how accurate the article is, or what bias has affected the conclusions.  But the last sentence caught my attention.  Quoting professor Madden, "Whether we admire the Crusaders or not, it is a fact that the world we know today would not exist without their efforts. The ancient faith of Christianity, with its respect for women and antipathy toward slavery, not only survived but flourished. Without the Crusades, it might well have followed Zoroastrianism, another of Islam's rivals, into extinction."

Perhaps I am a sleepy reader, but the last sentence shocked me awake in disbelief.  What?  Is this guy serious?  Could he really say or believe such a thing?  Without the Crusades Christianity might well have been made extinct?  Never!  To say Christianity could possibly ever be extinct is to suggest Jesus is not alive or has never existed.  As a follower of Jesus, I am absolutely convinced Jesus Christ is alive.  The scripture says He is at the right hand of the Father, making intercession on behalf of people loyal to God.  He has gone to prepare a place for those who believe and follow Him.  Someday He will return, establish His kingdom, and rule with a rod of iron.  Christianity is the genuine, true, exclusive way to God.  This claim has made it wildly unpopular, even offensive.  But there it is.  I do not apologise for the words spoken by my Saviour Jesus Christ in John 14:6:  "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."  Everyone has placed before them the choice to believe Jesus and entrust Him with your everlasting soul, and I have without regret.

There is a consistent spiritual principle held forth in 1 Corinthians 15:46 which is foundational to what I am going to say.  It reads, "However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual."  The natural comes first and then the spiritual.  Hearkening back in Jewish history, God chose the Jews to be His special people.  He gave them a land flowing with milk and honey, and they with His aid were to drive out the inhabitants of the land.  Though they did not do this fully, God established them in the land of Israel.  They set up a tabernacle according to God's specifications to worship God, and ultimately Solomon built a temple for this purpose.  God gave all the tribes an inheritance of land.  To the tribe of Levi God gave no inheritance of land, for He was their inheritance (Numbers 18:20).

Fast forward to Jesus Christ, the Jewish Messiah sent by God to seek and save the lost.  Jesus came to the lost sheep of Israel, but having been rejected by them, a Way through faith in Christ was opened for Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews) to be born again and be adopted as sons into God's kingdom.  The physical temple has not remained standing to this day, and even if it is rebuilt there will be no need for the blood of animal sacrifices to atone for sins because Jesus has already done so with His own blood.  The physical temple has preceded the spiritual temple.  1 Corinthians 6:19 affirms every Christian is now the temple of the Holy Spirit because He lives within us!  The fight was a physical one when the Hebrews drove out the inhabitants of the land, but now for Christians it is a spiritual one.  The promises God made to the Jews concerning their land remain true.  Yet for believers our battle is not against flesh and blood over physical regions, but is waged against spiritual forces of wickedness in the spiritual realms (Eph. 6:12).  The weapons of our warfare are not carnal - guns, knives, fists, or political influence - but mighty in God for pulling down spiritual strongholds and everything which vaunts itself against Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 10:4), bringing every thought into captivity to obedience to Christ.  The battle is largely an internal one, dealing with my own heart first.

In the New Testament, not once did Jesus encourage His disciples to physically fight against the oppressive Romans, Muslims, or self-righteous Pharisees.  He did not fight like any man before Him fought.  He did not leverage political power, manipulate by threats, or gather an army to crush dissidents.  He demonstrated the love of God through self-sacrifice according to the leading of His heavenly Father.  Religious and militaristic groups may use physical force to accomplish their ends through intimidation and murder, but Christians should never be numbered among them.  Do you know how Jesus gained the victory and spread His Gospel throughout the world for eternity?  By dying at the hands of His enemies without resisting evil according to His command during the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:39).  This approach is repulsive to conventional wisdom because it is a revelation of God's true wisdom.  Jesus committed Himself completely into the hands of the Father, knowing He would be raised from the dead.  He committed Himself fully to God, knowing He would be vindicated for His righteousness and death would be overcome.  He prayed.  Oh, how He prayed!  Jesus loved, prayed, and obeyed God, and every single professing Christian in the world ought follow His example.

It was through dying on the cross and rising from the dead which shattered the chains of bondage and sin which held men captive in darkness and death.  To the world it appeared He lost the battle as His lifeless body was removed from the cross, but it was His physical death which ushered in new spiritual life for countless souls.  The example and pattern established by Jesus was followed by the Christians in the early church.  They faced great persecution, incarceration, torture, and execution.  Instead of picking up the sword to smite unbelievers or even to defend their own lives, they fled to the safety of other regions.  Some like Paul went willingly where the Spirit revealed he would be arrested in chains.  The Word of God and the Gospel was taken into marketplaces, prisons, palaces, and remote villages.  Yet somewhere down the line, the church or government decided they would abandon the sword of the Spirit - the Word of God - and use the carnal weapons of men or political policies to accomplish God's purposes.  It reverted to a physical battle over land and people using military might rather than seeking God in prayer to fight our battles.  Perhaps people were deceived to think prayer was not enough to triumph in conflicts concerning God.  Instead of dying to self to save souls, men waged war to kill those who opposed them.  And this approach has continued by some to this day.

May Christians be those who have reclaimed all the territory of their own hearts and minds to the obedience of Jesus Christ, choosing to follow the example of Jesus by always doing what pleases the Father and walking in love.  The spectre of conquesting jihadists or controlling governments should not cause us to deviate from Christ's ways.  Instead of stockpiling weapons, we need to draw the Sword of the Spirit - the Word of God - and heed it ourselves!  Even if obedience to God means my head will be sawed from my shoulders, I pledge to love those who draw my blood.  Whether I live or die I entrust my eternal soul to the hands of my Father who loves me and gave His only Son to physically die for me so I might spiritually live through Him.  One day (should God tarry) I will go the way of the earth, and my family name may be wiped from the planet, but there is no one in the universe or beyond who can destroy my Saviour, for He has overcome!  We will not need to fight, for Jesus is already Victor!  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward all men!