The Weight of Sin

Today was the first day of flag football practice for our boys.  I brought a book to read (The Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter) at Abel's practice at Hillside Recreation Center and came upon an amazing passage.  As I looked above the green of the turf and the rushing of cars down Fletcher Parkway, soft clouds billowed overhead.  As I read it was as if a bright shaft of light illuminated a thought never considered before.  The portion I read was this:  "And I must tell you that, as it must be the great work of God's grace to give you such a heart, so if ever he mean to pardon and save you, he will make this change upon you; he will make you feel your sin as the heaviest burden in the world, as that which is most odious in itself, and hath rendered you liable to his wrath and curse; he will make you see that you are a lost man, and that there is nothing for you but everlasting damnation, unless you are pardoned by the blood of Christ, and sanctified by his Spirit; he will make you see the need you have of Christ, and how all your hope and life is in him; he will make you see the vanity of this world and all that it can afford you, and that all your happiness is with God..." (pg. 250-251)

I began thinking of all the people I have known over the years who have made a profession of faith and later fell away, choosing a lifestyle of sin rather than devotion in following Jesus.  Many people claim to be Christians for a season and what seemed to be fire at the onset turned out to be hot air in the end.  Today it is not the incredible burden and unshakable weight of sin that seems to turn people to Christ:  it is often circumstances.  When a man goes through a divorce or dealing with the death of a loved one; when a woman is suddenly incarcerated, or a child faces a life-threatening condition through accident or disease:  that is when people these days turn to God for help.  These are the people who seem to have a superficial temporary relationship with God, more like an affair than a marriage.  How tragic to pursue an affair with God Almighty when the world has let us down!

It is amazing the difference when a man comes to God begging for forgiveness due to his immense guilt, knowing the damnation he deserves and awaits him because of sin.  That is a constant.  Man is born into sin and remains a sinner.  Divorces can be made "final," people get out of jail, and children recover from illness.  Now many people have been soundly saved through circumstances, please do not misunderstand.  God is able to use anything to awaken us to our senses and recognize our desperate need for Him.  But of all the people I have seen fall away, not one was initially drawn to God because they were humbled and horrified by their sin.  It seems God and his loving people were used as an anchor while the seas stormed and were later cast aside when their use was deemed unnecessary because of present calm.

This teaches me that in the presentation of the Gospel we must be very cautious to make sure the potential future-follower of Jesus Christ is fully aware of his condition apart from God:  doomed and damned to the eternal torment of hell.  Even one sin is so heinous and wicked God must visit fierce wrath upon it.  Have you felt the weight of your guilt, O Christian?  Do you know what it feels like to be broken under the weight of your iniquity?  If you have not perhaps you are not yet free from it!  A dog's body is not washed with soap unless it is done for him, and we cannot be forgiven because we are sorry.  We must humble ourselves before the Almighty God, confess our sins, and seek forgiveness in the blood of Jesus Christ.  He must wash us.  I have felt the weight of my sin, and I have felt that burden removed in an instant!  What liberty and joy we have in the grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness of God!  Praise Him for that!

The Cost of Reformation

I'm reading a book written centuries ago from a English pastor to fellow pastors, encouraging and exhorting them to undertake their calling as overseers in the Body of Christ with rigor and dedication.  Two of his strongest exhortations (of which I am in agreement with) are sorely lacking in the model the modern-day church fellowships model:  "catechizing" by the pastor (personal instruction of the congregation) and biblical church discipline.  Though much as changed since 1656, it is amazing how people and their great need for Jesus have remained the same!  Following are paragraphs containing some of Baxter's observations and comments upon reformation.  These words were no doubt as true in his day as ours.

"How long have we talked of reformation, how much have we said and done for it in general, and how deeply and devoutly have we vowed if for our own parts; and, after all this, how shamefully have we neglected it, and neglect it to this day!  We carry ourselves as if we had not known or considered what that reformation was which we vowed.  As carnal men will take on them to be Christians, and profess with confidence that they believe in Christ, and accept of his salvation, and may contend for Christ, and fight for him, and yet, for all this, will have none of him, but perish for refusing him, who little dreamed that ever they had been refusers of him; and all because they understood not what his salvation is, and how it is carried on, but dream of a salvation without flesh-displeasing, and without self-denial and renouncing the world, and parting with their sins, and without any holiness, or any great pains and labour of their own in subserviency to Christ and the Spirit:  even so did too many ministers and private men talk and write, and pray, and fight, and long for reformation; and that they who were praying for it, and fasting for it, and wading through blood for it, would never accept it, but would themselves be the rejectors and destroyers of it.  And yet so it is, and so it hath too plainly proved:  and whence is all this strange deceit of heart, that good men should no better know themselves?  Why, the case is plain; they thought of a reformation to be given by God, but not of a reformation to be wrought on and by themselves.  They considered the blessing, but never thought of the means of accomplishing it.  But as if they had expected that all things besides themselves should be mended without them, or that the Holy Ghost should again descend miraculously, or every sermon should convert its thousands, or that some angel from heaven or some Elias should be sent to restore all things, or that the law of the parliament, and the sword of the magistrate, would have converted or constrained all, and have done the deed; and little did they think of a reformation that must be wrought by their own diligence and unwearied labours, by earnest preaching and catechizing, and personal instructions, and taking heed to all the flock, whatever pains or reproaches it should cost them.  They thought not that a thorough reformation would multiply their own work; but we had all of us too carnal thoughts, that when we had ungodly men at our mercy, all would be done, and conquering them was converting them, or such a means as would have frightened them to heaven.  But the business is far otherwise, and had we then known how a reformation must be attained, perhaps some would have been colder in the prosecution of it.  And yet I know that even foreseen labours seem small matters at a distance, while we do but hear and talk of them; but when we come nearer them, and must lay our hands to the work, and put on our armour, and charge through the thickest of opposing difficulties, then is the sincerity and the strength of men's hearts brought to trial, and it will appear how they purposed and promised before.

Reformation is to many of us, as the Messiah was to the Jews.  Before he came, they looked and longed for him, and boasted of him, and rejoiced in hope of him; but when he came they could not abide him, but hated him, and would not believe that he was indeed the person, and therefore persecuted and put him to death, to the curse and confusion of the main body of their nation. 'The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in.  But who may abide the day of his coming?  and who shall stand when he appeareth?  For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap:  and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver:  and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.'  And the reason was, because it was another manner of Christ that the Jews expected; it was one who would bring them riches and liberty, and to this day they profess that they will never believe in any but such.  So it is with too many about reformation.  They hoped for a reformation, that would bring them more wealth and honour with the people, and power to force men to do what they would have them:  and now they see a reformation, that must put them to more condescension and pains than they were ever at before.  They thought of having the opposers!"
- Richard Baxter, quoted from "The Reformed Pastor," pg. 189-191, first published in 1656

Our views of reformation or revival are often generally outward:  we wish to see revival in our churches, revival in our cities, the power of God sweeping over nations and the entire world.  But what we often miss is that revival must take place in our own hearts or not at all.  Baxter quotes a portion of Malachi 3:1-3 to illustrate the point, and it is revealing.  This cleansing and purifying of reformation is not for the wicked of the world as much for the priesthood.  God wants to save sinners and make them holy through His Son.  But "reformation" deals with a constant refinement, the sanctification of those already being saved.  If God has made us kings and priests unto Him, it follows that it are His disciples whom He desires be purified and holy before Him.  If the church is pure, it will lend itself to making pure followers of Christ.  Where the Body is polluted and diseased, it will only spread death and destruction instead of the life Christ desires.  Like the Pharisees, many misguided men have made proselytes twice the sons of hell as themselves.

Christ wants to purify me.  He wants me to be revived and reformed.  Many pastors have laboured and prayed for revival without effect because they neglected the fact they must be revived first!  It is a personal work by the Holy Spirit.  He will do His part because that is His will for my life.  The question remains:  am I willing to pay the price reformation demands?  Am I willing to lead even if no one follow?  In a way, reformation is all about me.  Yet I cannot reform myself.  I must yield to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, placing my faith in Him.  Following Jesus will cost a man his life.  Is it worth it?  Yes.  Do I want it?  That remains a question for each one of us.  Am I willing?  Our lives will display our answer.

"Why" Questions

I have heard people say there are questions we ask of God which reveal a lack of faith.  Only God knows.  I have been asking a lot of questions lately.  The more we struggle or suffer, the more cause we have to ask God about how all this works together in His plan.  When difficulties persist, the only way to persevere is to rest upon the truth and strength of God.  Those who live according to their own understanding are like King Saul, whom when the battle pressed against him he chose to fall upon his own sword and end his life.  Any question humbly asked of God will not cause our rejection by Him.  There is no question off-limits for the contrite seeker, for God has made all things.  He is aware of our deep longings, fear, confusion, anger, or uncertainty.  It would be better for us to confess everything we know is wrong with us than to quietly ignore our sins and weakness.

Is it a question spawned by lack of faith when we ask God, "Why is this happening?"  If a person had no faith or belief in God, I doubt they would seek Him for advice!  Did David the king of Israel have faith in God?  Yes.  Even when he struggled with all manner of trials, his faith in God never wavered.  Did he have questions?  Absolutely.  Did he question the direction God was taking his life.  Yes.  Listen to his words in Psalm 13:1-32:  "How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? [2] How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?"  I have heard people say, and perhaps in my life I also have said that asking "why" God has done or allowed something reveals a lack of faith.  Perhaps I had not yet suffered enough!  Let us consider Psalm 10:1:  "Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide in times of trouble?  How about Psalm 22:1?  "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning?"  Who can forget the words of Jesus on the cross?  Jesus asked God the Father "Why have you forsaken me?"  Certainly this does not reveal a lack of faith, for Christ had all faith.

Let us put away all pretenses and arrogant piety, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ.  Let us not shy away from who we REALLY are.  It is a sad reality that experience in church attending and "Christian" manners are often substituted for true spiritual maturity.  There is a pious dishonesty among people who know what is frowned upon in church circles.  I once went to a church men's BBQ where someone (probably a friend who was invited) brought a six-pack of beer.  The soda went fast, but among twenty or so men no one, not even the man who brought the beer, drank one.  Are we so naive to believe among those men there was not one who drinks beer occasionally or even more than occasionally?  If you bring a drink to a gathering, I don't see why you wouldn't drink it yourself!  But we pull this same nonsense with God when there is cursing and anger in our hearts and we don't confess this before God.  People might buy our act, but God doesn't.  Yet He is gracious and merciful, knowing our feeble and often deluded frame, and continues to teach us with His masterful, unsearchably wise ways.  The Pharisees were no different than any other men, yet their sin was greater before God than the harlots and swindlers because they proclaimed their own righteousness and condemned others.

Sometimes we do things we know are sinful and ought not do, and sometimes we think and feel contrary to the example provided by Christ.  Instead of confessing these sins, we try to repress them.  We do our best according to the flesh to quash the source of these fleshly tendencies and thus doom ourselves to futility.  The only way to overcome the sins of the flesh is to be purified by the Holy Spirit's indwelling presence and power.  The sooner we admit and confess how we really are, the sooner we are willing to ask the questions which seem almost irreverent, the sooner we will see ourselves in God's truth.  "I know I'm not supposed to fear or doubt, so I'll just ignore those bad thoughts."  Too late!  We condemn ourselves by our hypocrisy.  Even if our questions reveal a lack of faith, are we too ashamed to ask them because we want to keep up appearances of having all faith before God?  Doesn't He know our faith is weak?  Doesn't He know we are complete failures in ourselves?  Yes.  It is only when we admit our lack God will supply our need.  Ask Him and rejoice in His answers!

Infinity Personified

"He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. [5] Great is our Lord, and mighty in power His understanding is infinite."

Psalm 147:4-5

 
I've been thinking about the magnificence of our God, the Creator of all things.  God has made amazing things on earth, but His glory and grandeur displayed in the heavens is beyond words.  A song comes to mind:  "My God is so big, so strong, and so mighty.  There's nothing my God cannot do."  The earth is a pretty big place compared to us.  Flying about 7,300 miles from Sydney, Australia to Los Angeles, California takes about 12 hours.  The airbus I have flown averages around 600 miles per hour.  But how does that speed compare to the speed of light?  The speed of light (a constant) is 186,000 miles per SECOND, or about 700 million miles per hour.  Because our galaxy and space is such a gargantuan place (much too small a word!) a mile is so insignificant we would have to use hundreds of zeros!  A "light year" is the distance light travels in a calendar year at 186,000 miles per second, a total of just under 10 trillion kilometers.  In fact, the largest measurement used is a "Gly," or gigalight year, which equals one billion light years!  A Gly is not even a measurement God would use, because He is infinite!

Our galaxy is one of billions of galaxies in the universe, and is estimated to be about 100,000 light years wide.  Scientists estimate there are two to four hundred billion stars in our galaxy alone in a universe of billions of seen galaxies.  The deeper we see into space, only greater is the expanse.  Below is a picture taken by the Hubble telescope.  Take the size of the moon while looking at it from the earth and separate it into thirty tiny parts.  This is the view beyond that 1/30th of the moon's relative size as seen from earth - and look at the galaxies!  If you want to see more, go to the Hubble website from which this shot was downloaded.

Stretching out farther than the eye can see in every direction, God's creation glimmers and shines.  The Milky Way galaxy in which earth resides is not the biggest either - the Abell 2029 galaxy is 6 million light years across with 100 trillion stars!  A seven-foot human is considered a giant:  how about the God who fashioned the universe?  Words cannot adequately describe our God.  We are limited in our feeble longings to praise the one from whom all blessings flow.  May we with the angels shout, "Glory to God in the Highest!  Psalm 19:1-3 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. [2] Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. [3] There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard."  Like David we can echo Psalm 8:3-4, "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, [4] what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?"

Our God is infinite, absolutely limitless.  He is wisdom, power, glory, strength, love, and righteousness without degree.  There are many gods people serve, but only one worthy of worship:  the Almighty God, Creator, Maker, Sustainer, and Savior of the World, Jesus Christ.  Without Him was nothing made that is made.  He is our All in All, and may we never forget how blessed we are to have Him as LORD.