Stubborn Children In the Hands of a Loving God

Yesterday was one of those moments in the life of a parent. That moment when something silly -- stupid, even -- becomes something subtly heartbreaking. The situation: my daughter got caught with a candy wrapper. Though she claimed she was just throwing it away, circumstances -- and her overall demeanor -- suggested otherwise. But, she continued to deny any wrongdoing. A half hour later, I went out to the kitchen and noticed a piece of candy on the floor -- the very same kind which would have been found inside that empty wrapper. We confronted her with the evidence, which, when combined with the other circumstances of the evening, only solidified her guilt. But she wouldn't budge.

Several story changes and many tears later, she still wouldn't admit what she'd done. Of course, from a Mommy and Daddy perspective, the actual crime was nothing. She would have been reminded that we don't take food, particularly sweets, without permission, and possibly lost an after-school snack for a day. The big deal, for us, was simply that she wasn't telling the truth about it. This went on far longer than it ever would have, simply because she wouldn't admit what she'd done. And because of that, she got into more trouble, losing privileges for the week.

And the whole time, there she was, crying those big tears out of those huge blue eyes, breaking my heart with every drop. As her daddy, it killed me seeing her like that. I'll readily admit it took everything in me, during the conversation, to not just scoop her up into my arms, tell her everything was okay and that I believed her (even though I didn't), and send her off to bed with a conciliatory cookie. Yeah, I'm a sucker. I guess that's love.

The thing of it was, what I really and truly wanted was for her to simply be honest with us. To simply confess what she'd done and apologize. That one, simple thing, and I would happily have erased every indication of guilt. I'd have happily picked her up and kissed her tears and told her we loved her and forgave her, and always would. That she'd been forgiven even before she fessed up. But it was important to us that she confess. Vital, in fact. Not just for our own satisfaction, but in order for her to grow as a person. In order for her to learn to take responsibility for what she'd done. Because, without that understanding -- without taking that responsibility, our forgiveness is next to meaningless. She learns nothing, continues to justify what she'd done wrong, and keeps facing the consequences over and over again.

Maybe it makes me a bad parent, but in that moment, if she'd simply said, "I'm sorry," there probably would have been no punishment at all. It's just a stupid piece of candy, and all I wanted to do was comfort my little girl.

It was one of those moments in which I truly believed I finally understood God. At least, I finally understood His unconditional love and desire to forgive. I finally understood, in some very small way, His own heartbreak. Imagine, there He is -- having already paid the penalty for what we've done wrong -- just waiting on us to acknowledge it. To simply confess. To say, "Lord, yes, I've done something wrong. I've disobeyed you. I have sinned and turned away from what was right."

He waits for that moment with each one of us, wanting nothing more than to scoop us up into His arms, wipe away our tears of guilt, and say, "I love you. I forgive you."

 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8 & 9)

Blotted Out

 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. (Acts 3:19-21)

I love the phrase, "blotted out." It shows the power of forgiveness in Christ. It says that when God forgives, it's not a simple matter of simply deciding not to punish you for your past; but a promise that those sins are no longer a part of who you are, as far as He's concerned.

When I was a kid, I had this terrifying idea of Heaven and judgement. I had this picture in my head of God sitting on His throne, me standing there, small and scared, watching the movie of my life as He picked apart my every action. Mortifying! Then, when it was all over, all said and done, He would weigh all that sin against the grace and mercy of His son, and I'd escape Hell.

But "blotted out" tells us that's not what's going to happen. "Blotted out" says when I get to Heaven, what He's going to see is Christ in me, and then stack up how I've lived for Him. All that sin, all that filth, gone, as though it never happened.

See, God sees what we do. He knows when we sin, and that sin just piles up, slowly adding to the destruction of our immortal souls. That's life before repentance, and without Christ, that is the criteria on which we will be judged. But in Christ, we have the power to turn from that sin, and in the turning, leave it behind. And as Psalm 103 tells us, that transgression against His holiness is removed from us "as far as the East is from the West." It's no longer a part of us. It no longer holds us back, and is no longer even recognized by God.

How refreshing.
 

Grace Found In Murder

“Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled." (Acts 3:17-18)

As Peter continued his message to the men of Israel, this is when he really started getting to the meat of the message. Up to this point was illustration: the healing, the reminder of the crucifixion, the mini-lesson in God's power. These were a preamble to the Gospel message Peter was about to share. This next part of the message, Peter began by echoing the words of Jesus. He'd already reminded these men about the man they killed, and now he was reminding them of what He said from the cross: "Father, forgive them, they don't know what they're doing." 

But what were they doing? It turns out, much like Joseph's brothers, their actions were being used to fulfill God's will, more or less in spite of their intentions. 

What grace! 

In spite of wicked and jealous hearts, God provided a way for even these men to be saved -- and He did it using the very wickedness He'd come to heal! 

The fact is, we've all stepped outside of God's will. Romans 3:23 reminds us, all -- everyone -- has sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Many of us have made such a mess of things, we don't know whether we can ever be right with God. We wonder how a just and righteous God could ever forgive the things we've done, the lives we've lived. 

Yet, even in our sins, we discover a path back to Him, if we choose to find it. Peter echoed the words of Christ in offering salvation, even to the men who clamored for Jesus' execution. Surely, God has grace enough for you, too.

Judas's Grisly End

And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said, “Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus;  for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry.”

(Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out. And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.)
“For it is written in the Book of Psalms:

‘Let his dwelling place be desolate,
And let no one live in it’;

and,‘Let another take his office.’ (Acts 1:15-20)

As an aside, in what seems like almost a throw-away passage in Acts 1, the author describes the horrifying death of Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus. Matthew 27 tells us Judas's suicide was the result of his deep remorse over his betrayal. 

I often think about Judas. The simple reality was, somebody had to turn Jesus in. But did Judas have to be condemned? The answer, I think, tells us something about God's relationship with us. Though we have an all-knowing God who sets the course of all things, our actions remain our choice. God didn't force Judas to turn on Jesus; that was Judas's choice, and his alone. But even then, I believe Judas could have been redeemed. 

This is not unprecedented; indeed, you might say the story of Joseph parallels with that of Jesus almost perfectly. Betrayed by his brothers -- those in whom he ought to be able to trust with his very life -- Joseph was sold into slavery. But, we discover, this act of betrayal was ultimately vital in the salvation of Jacob (Israel) and his sons. In fact, without this horrific act on the part of Joseph's brothers, the nation of Israel would not exist. Joseph himself recognizes this fact when he forgives his remorseful brothers:

But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. (Genesis 50:20)

So, just as Joseph forgave his brothers and reconciled with them, I believe even Judas was not too far gone for the grace of God. He, unfortunately, allowed his remorse to lead him to death instead of the arms of Grace. If only he could have learned the lesson of Joseph's brothers! If he'd only known the truth: we can't sin too big for God. 

Let me say that another way: there is only one sin in all of Scripture which Christ has declared unforgivable, and that is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32). Speak against Me, He says, and you'll be forgiven. So, in fact, Jesus declares in plain language that even Judas could have sought, and been granted, forgiveness for his actions. 

No matter what you've done, who you've hurt, where you've been... you aren't too far gone for Grace. God is bigger than your sin. He is an infinite God with infinite stores of grace. Judas's final sin was despair -- despair too great for him to escape. Judas chose that despair over the loving gaze of God. You needn't make that mistake. God's grace is big enough for me, and it's big enough for you. All you need to do is let go of your pride, and let Him take the guilt away. 

You've held onto it long enough.

Baptism: Water AND Spirit

"... for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:5)

Sometimes, it feels as though you can never be clean, doesn't it? 

I spent some time looking at this verse, trying to figure it out. We know that John baptized with water -- Jesus says "Truly baptized," which I take to mean John's baptism was right before God, and truly signified cleanliness before God. So why does Jesus make the distinction?

I think this goes back to the beginning. Genesis 2:7 says

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

We are both physical and spiritual beings. God first formed man's physical body, and then breathed His own breath to give him life. So while it makes sense that baptism -- the washing with water -- symbolizes the cleansing of our physical sin, this second baptism carries it a step further. 

When we sin, we sin in the flesh. This point is made in the New Testament on several occasions. And so a physical baptism of water cleanses that sinful flesh. Yet, Jesus also makes the point that sin begins in the heart. 

 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire....  

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28)

In other words, it's not enough to be clean on the outside. Instead, Jesus gives us His spirit -- not only to empower us to do His work, but to sanctify us and make us clean before Him. As Paul says in Romans 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. 

 Thank God for baptism of both water and spirit. Thank Him that, no matter the strength of our own sin, He can wash it away, from the inside out!

Four Facts About Sin and Temptation

Drug addict. Alcoholic. Gay. Loose. Gossip. Bully. Hypocrite.

All too often, we define others by the sin in their lives. We label and judge on the nature of their fallenness, turning their wounds into their identity. It only makes sense for us to do this, though. After all, on some level, we do it to ourselves, too. We define ourselves on how we are tempted. And so we define others the same way.

But we've forgotten the truth about sin and temptation. There's Good News to be had here, and we needn't collapse under the weight of our own imperfections. And we certainly needn't add the weight of our own judgement onto the burdens of others.

Here are four forgotten facts about sin and temptation, straight out of the Bible.

1. Temptation is not sin.
Hebrews 4:15 tells us, "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin."

Here's a truth that shouldn't be controversial: it isn't a sin to be tempted by homosexuality. It isn't a sin to be an alcoholic. Sin is not temptation, and temptation is not sin. Jesus Himself was taken into the desert and tempted. But He did not sin. See the difference?

2. Temptation may never go away
While it's true that God may remove temptation from some people, it's not always the case. I've certainly heard wonderful testimonies from people who stopped drinking as soon as Christ entered their lives. I've heard of God gradually healing people of sexual temptation, of homosexual desires, or of the desire for drugs. Sometimes, He removes these heavier temptations from us. But for every case I've heard where God removes temptation, I've heard countless others where He has not. 

Why? Because in our weakness, we rely on Him, and He is made strong. 

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.(2 Corinthians 12:9)

3. You are not your sin
Your sin doesn't define who you are. 

When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”
She said, “No one, Lord.”
And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” (John 8:10-11)

"Go and sin no more." When Jesus was confronted by the legalists over the woman caught in adultery, His response was to challenge the first person without sin to cast the first stone. No one was able. But it was His words to her that were most telling. She wasn't an adulteress. It wasn't who she was. It was something she did. And she was forgiven, and empowered to leave that sin behind. 

And if you're not defined by sin, your identity certainly isn't tied to your temptation.

4. Sin can be forgiven.

Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation... (2 Corinthians 5:16-18)

I'm Rubber, You're Glue!

Ever heard this one before: I'm rubber, you're glue, whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you?" As poetry, maybe it's not the best, but there's an interesting truth to it. Just not the one we usually meant when we said it as children.

But first, let's back up a little. We are sinners. We are guilty of sinning against the God of the Universe, and failing to meet His standard of holiness. This is spoken of in Scripture, and evidenced in our daily lives. Children, for example, aren't taught how to lie, how to fight, how to misbehave. It comes naturally. Instead, they must be taught how to treat one another properly. How to put others before themselves. Welcome to human nature.

Thank God, then, that He sent Christ, His only Son, to lift that burden of our sinful natures, and offer Himself instead, not only as ransom, but as a means of escaping sin itself.

Yet, we still have an Accuser. Accusers, actually. Not only is the devil himself whispering in my ear, reminding me of my past, and present, failures. Not only is he telling me I can never be good enough for God, but the rest of the world, too, stands with fingers pointed in accusation.

Hypocrite! Liar! Bigot! Sinner! The wrath of the world fueled by the lies of Satan, the Accuser. But we have hope. We have confidence. Because we have Christ, who has paved the way. We have Christ who has loved us, even while we were yet sinners, as Romans 5:8 reminds us, and died for us to prove it.

The Devil says you're not good enough, and he's right. You're not. I'm not. Nobody is. But where he's wrong is in accusing you of sin for which you've already been forgiven. He's right that you're not good enough to stand in front of God. But he's wrong, because we have an intercessor to plead our case when we do.

We call this "projection." It is important to Satan that we believe we will never abide eternally with God, because he knows he once did, and never will again. So these arrows of accusation, though meant for you, bounce right off, and stick right back to the one who sent them. Because it is he who can never be made worthy. It is he who once had everything you and I will inherit, and threw it away in his arrogance. He stood face to face with God, and chose to walk away. But in Christ, his fate is not ours.

Of Presidents, Bears, and Failing To Do The Wrong Thing

Today is Teddy Bear Day. Most people have heard the story of how the Teddy Bear came to be. It started in 1902, when, after a frustrating hunting experience, President Teddy Roosevelt was presented with a baby bear. Mr. Roosevelt, the presenter suggested, might like to shoot this bear so at least they wouldn't go home empty-handed. The president of course refused, and the incident was portrayed in a newspaper cartoon. A toy maker picked up on the idea, and the rest is history.

Originally, I was going to use today to illustrate something about mercy. Instead, I'd like to point out how badly we need it. See, Roosevelt isn't remembered in this incident for showing mercy to this baby bear. Not really. Rather, he's the hero of this tale simply for refusing to do something horrible.

Think about it. This small bear cub hadn't done anything to the hunting party. It hadn't even grown into a mature adult. Whether or not you agree with hunting as a sport, I think anyone with a heart pretty much understands why shooting the cub would've been a rotten thing to do. This isn't mercy; it's humanity. That the incident was commemorated tells us something about ourselves, I think.

We, the human race, tends to see simple kindness as something extraordinary. We have this idea that we deserve to be rewarded somehow for not taking part in doing the wrong thing, or because we managed, somehow, to do what's right.

I'll never forget the day when, as a substitute teacher, I was asked by my students about drug use. Actually, I believe the direct quote was, "I bet you did a lot of drugs in college, huh?" He really wanted to know. So I told him: no. Not even once. I've never been drunk, and I've never even experimented with drugs. The students were incredulous. How did I manage that? How did I get through college and not do drugs? It's just sort of taken for granted that, at a certain age, you're expected to do the wrong thing, and anyone who fails to do the wrong thing is either a hero or pariah. I'm honestly not sure, to this day, how they viewed me.

But what all this tells me is simply this: we need a savior. All of us. It's so easy to do the wrong thing. Doing the right thing, even if, in hindsight it was as simple as just making a decision, can seem like an insurmountable challenge at the time. The truth about human nature is that defaulting to the wrong choice is ingrained in all of us. And that's why I need God. That's why Jesus came. Because even though we all do it right now and then, even though anyone can (theoretically) avoid the bad and embrace the good, much of the time, we simply don't.

My prayer this morning is that God help each of us to stop looking for the pat on the back every time we do the right thing. That He help us instead see our need for Him. That He forgive us our depravity which causes even simple acts of kindness to seem extraordinary, and that we look to Him as the perfect example of how to live a truly good life.

Of Rats and Their Flutes

Most people are familiar with the fairy tale of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. The infamous rat catcher, who lured rodents from the village with his magical pipe, was then denied the fee he had requested. Enraged, he led the children from their homes, just as he had the rats, never to be seen again. What wonders, what delights, the children must have imagined when they heard him play! Whatever it was, they heard his music, and followed him, destination unknown.

I used to converse with a woman who claimed to be psychic. I asked her how she knew she was talking to the spirit of the dead, rather than, for example, something demonic. "Well," she responded. "You trust your feelings. Good spirits give you a feeling of warmth and love, while evil spirits make you feel anxious or afraid."

That explanation, I'm afraid, doesn't make sense on any level.

Wouldn't it be nice if bad people acted in such a way that you just immediately knew they were bad? The Deposed Prince of Whereeverstan, for example, could start his constant emails to you with, "Dear sir or madam, I'm a con-man, and I'd like to give you the opportunity to send me your bank account information so I can steal from you." But that's not how it works. Instead, they try to appeal to your nature: your greed, perhaps, or even your generosity. They find a way into your life, and then turn you against yourself and reap the rewards.

Doesn't it make sense that the enemy of God would work the same way? Doesn't it make sense that, if Satan were to appear to you in an attempt to lead you astray, he would come in a way that would be comforting and inviting? Doesn't it make sense that the wrong thing to do would be made to seem like the right thing?

And indeed, not only Satan, but all who work (knowingly or otherwise) in his service act in exactly that manner.

 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

Sin seems right. Nobody wants to think of himself as a "bad person," and so we convince ourselves of the rightness of what we want to do. But do not be deceived. Sin feels good for the exact purpose of leading you away from God's will. False teachers tickle your ears and make you feel good about yourself because they (whether they know it or not) are leading you away from God. God's truths are hard. The way to Heaven is narrow and difficult. Ear-tickling sermons and feel-good temptations are nothing more than a pied piper, leading you away from the Truth of God.

God Forgot

"Love is patient. Love is kind." You don't even have to be a biblical scholar to be familiar with the description in 1 Corinthians 13, of all the things love is. Chances are, if you've attended a wedding, pretty much ever, you've heard these words. "It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. (vs.4)" But did you know love is also forgetful?

True story. Listen to verse 5: "It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs."

If there's a better description of forgiveness, I don't know what it is. It's not a mere matter of accepting an apology. Love eliminates the wrongdoing from the dynamic of the relationship.  

Now, we know from 1 John 4:8 that God, Himself, is Love. It's not just that he loves us, it's that Love is who He is. It's his very essence and nature. This means that, when we read 1 Corinthians 13 -- the Love Chapter -- what we're really getting is a crash course in the personhood of our Heavenly Father. God is patient and kind. And God keeps no record of wrongs. 

This means that, once we recognize the sin in our lives, recognize God for who He is, accept our blame for what we've done and the Grace of Christ who died as a final sacrifice, we are reconciled with God, and our past is gone. In our humanity, to be sure, we still deal with the consequences of what we've done... but as far as our relationship with God is concerned, our past sin is simply no longer a part of the equation. 

Now here's a mystery: we know from Scripture that God is omniscient -- that is, all-knowing. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 10 and Luke 12 that even the hairs on our heads are numbered. Yet, He does not remember our sin. How is this possible? How is it possible that a God who knows everything has separated us from our misdeeds "as far as the east is from the west (Ps 103:12)," and remembers them no more (Isaiah 43:25)? 

Put simply: Because, by the blood of Jesus Christ, and the grace of the Almighty, those sins no longer exist.

Weeds in the Garden of Your Heart

Some time before we moved into our rental home, a previous occupant planted flowers -- annuals -- in areas around the house and yard. We were pleasantly surprised to find tulips, bleeding hearts, and irises growing as Spring finally came. And of course, once we realized we had actual flowers in our garden areas, we set about getting rid of the weeds.

We weed for obvious reasons. First, in a flower garden, weeds just aren't as pretty as the plants you want there -- in fact those weeds can ruin the image of the whole thing. They simply don't belong there, so when they pop up, they just throw off the aesthetics of the entire garden. In the case of a vegetable garden, weeding is even more important. Weeds steal nutrients needed by other plants, and ultimately can even crowd out and kill the vegetation you actually want. Weeds can destroy an entire lawn, even replacing the grass until all you have is a giant weed patch.

Sin is like that. We try to live as Jesus instructs us, to bring glory to Him... but those little sins pop up. Maybe at first, they're ignored. It's just one little sin. Maybe, like a dandelion, it even appears pleasing. Maybe you don't even know, at first, that it is a weed! But there it is. One tiny weed in the garden of your heart. It can't do that much damage. Maybe we even mow over it -- pray for forgiveness and then forget about it... until it pops up again. Then we pray again, ask God to forgive our little indiscretion.

Meanwhile, deep in the root system, where the Church isn't looking -- where you don't even look yourself -- that little weed is expanding its own roots. Slowly, it steals the nutrients from your Soul, subtly crowding it out, finding its way first into every little crack, and then expanding, expanding, growing into something quietly untamed.

What was one weed becomes two. Then three. They start to strangle a relationship. Then they keep a ministry from bearing fruit. And then, once you finally do kill them, they've already seeded for next season. Before long, your heart is so overrun, the weeds are all anyone can see. The garden you've cultivated -- your relationships, your ministry, your walk with God -- is obscured or even dying.

The good news is, we don't garden on our own. The same God who sows those seeds of faith and fellowship and ministry can also kill the weeds of sin.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)

Hide The Beer!

Human beings sure are an easily offendable lot. And we get offended by all the wrong things. A style of music somebody listens to. Who watched this movie or that one. Whether somebody enjoys a glass of beer with the barbecue or accidentally cursed when an errant finger got caught in a closing door.

The problem is, the stuff God looks at, we have a bit more trouble with. In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul tells why he has sent an envoy ahead of his next visit, in order to strengthen the believers. The reason, in a nutshell, is because he worries for them. Not that he might catch some talk about Beverly having a glass of wine with at the neighbor's party, or that Jimmy and June were out holding hands by the stables.

... I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged. (2 Corinthians 12:20-21)

Paul is concerned -- because God is concerned -- about the heart. About the real sin that is constantly at our doorstep. 

We have a habit, my wife and I, when it comes to getting our kids to clean their rooms. It's a simple enough step: we check the closet. We didn't always do that, and frankly it didn't take long for my son to figure that out. We'd walk in, and his floor would be spotless. Yet, we were always amazed -- annoyed, irritated, and slightly angry, but amazed -- at how quickly it would go from shiny and clean to once again becoming an insane, hurricane-impact, chaotic mess. Eventually, we figured it out: the mess had never left the room. He had simply shoved it into his closet. And when next he opened that closet door, the mess simply shifted back into its original position on the floor. 

Sin is like that. We scrub our exteriors, and work hard to maintain a pure and clean appearance. We fool our fellow churchgoers, even happily inviting the Pastor over (making sure, first, to remove any evidence of potential indiscretion or controversy). Meanwhile, inside, the mess sits waiting. Selfishness, gossip, slander, arrogance, disorder, sexual impurity, hatred... these things remain hidden. Yet, when the pastor leaves -- when the Church stops looking -- the closet door opens, and our sin spills out. 

Of course, you may well be fooling the deacons and the preachers and the little old ladies at church. But God knows you.

God, forgive my hidden sins. Cleanse me from the inside, so I am -- all of me -- pure and worthy.

DNA Day: Passing It On

Today is another day where the celebration in question -- DNA Day -- happens to correspond very well with a post I've already written. Scripture says "all have sinned, and fall short of the Glory of God (Romans 3:23)." But as we learn later in Romans, not only have we sinned, it is indeed threaded into the very fiber of our being...

Originally Titled, "Kind of like the National Debt"

Did you know the NIV version of the Bible uses the word, "Inheritance" 220 times? The land, as an inheritance for Israel. A father's passing down to his sons. The inheritance, down generations, of God's promises.

I was reading a column yesterday, in which the author discussed her children's genetic inheritance from her and her husband. Her eyes. His math skills. Her tendency to faint upon even reading about blood.

It made me think about what my wife and I have passed to our children. My son has my eyes and dimples; his Mom's hair. In fact, all my kids got their mother's hair, except the unruliness of my daughter's, which comes from my side of the family. My daughters also got my wife's creativity and compassion; my son wound up with my analytical and sarcastic streaks. And, there are less pleasant aspects of our own personalities -- aspects trained away by maturity and prayer, and some with which we are still dealing, even now -- which are also cropping up in our kids. A sense of humor that can, occasionally, not know when enough is enough. A sudden flare of temper.

Scripture reminds us that sin is also in our DNA. An inheritance from the beginning of Man's journey on Earth.

To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come. (Romans 5:13-14)

As children of the World, Death is our inheritance. However, as adopted Children of God, we have a new inheritance to which we can look forward. The promises of God, passed down from generations, are now ours as His Children.

In fact, in Romans 5, Paul continues his discussion of our original inheritance of sin and death, when he says that the sacrifice of Christ covers over that original condition:

... just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. (vs 18-19)

Death is in our blood. Passed from father to son like eye color. But the inheritance of Life is found in His blood, for those who will accept it.

Eraser Smudge

The eraser is a wonderful invention, is it not? In the best cases, you can use the rubber eraser to remove a mistake or even simply change a word or two. But -- and maybe it's just because I write so hard -- I can never seem to completely erase the mistakes I've made with one of those rubber erasers, whether it's on the tip of a pencil or one of those big pink things. Try as I might, the ghost of my mistake remains. And no matter how hard I try, there it stays. I'm more likely to rip the paper than I am to remove that little, almost-invisible remnant of error.

Sin can feel that way at times. We know the blood of Christ erases our sin from our lives. And yet, we in our humanity keep finding those sticky little remnants (Romans 7:15). Errant thoughts, guilt, and constant temptation can keep us trying and trying in our own strength get rid of those little smudges until we finally tear an irreparable hole.

But 1 John 1:9 tells us, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Meanwhile, Psalm 103:12 reminds us, "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."

If we continue to sin, that's not God having failed to remove the sin from our lives -- rather it is our own humanity, which will be exploited by Satan in an attempt to discourage believers and non-believers alike.

Praise God, however, because He has forgiven -- and not only forgiven, but cleansed -- our unrighteousness. And on the day we finally stand before His throne, it will be as pure, clean, and holy children.  

Happily Ever After

It's a classic tale of good versus evil: a White Knight, a King, rides from His kingdom into a dangerous wilderness, His one goal to rescue His beloved. It's a story of charity, grace, and self sacrifice. It is, of course, the story of Jesus Christ. A King who left His kingdom to live among us, to teach us how to love, and to rescue us from the dragon of our own sinful natures.

No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
 
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.  This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.  But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (John 3:13-21)

We are, all of us, in a high tower built by our own hands, and awaiting release. Our burden is twofold, then: first, to recognize our prison for what it is, and second, to recognize the One who can set us free. This Jesus, so great was His love, he willingly allowed Himself to be lifted up -- nailed to a cross -- and killed as an atonement for our sin. He offers His forgiveness, the price for everything we've ever done or ever will, paid in full, and asks nothing in return but that we love Him back.

Today is "Read a Fairy Tale Day." So why not start with the greatest of all of them -- greater still because it really happened, and is happening today -- the story of a God who loved us so much, He sent His son, a King, to bring us back to His side. It doesn't get any more "happily ever after," after all, than an eternity at the side of a God who loves you enough to die.

Cutting to the Heart of the Matter

There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:9-13)

The first 13 verses of Hebrews 4 is a look at how very seriously God takes the Sabbath. Indeed, He took it so seriously from the very beginning, He made it one of the ten commandments. How many of us, though, willingly internalize all the other commandments, but sort of skip over that one? We don't lie. We certainly don't murder. We won't commit adultery. But how seriously do we take the Sabbath?

What Paul reminds us, in Hebrews 4, is that sin -- any kind of sin -- is a matter of the heart. The word of God -- God's law -- is, Paul says, sharper than a double-edged sword. This sword is held in judgement, not of our actions, but of the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts. 

The passage above is specifically about keeping the Sabbath, but it's significant that he's talking about one of the Ten Commandments, because this judgement of the heart applies across the board. We don't murder, but Scripture tells us if we hate, we are nevertheless guilty of murder (1 John 3:15). Why? Because it's not a matter of action, but of the state of our hearts. We don't commit adultery, yet if we lust, Jesus says we are guilty of it anyway (Matthew 5:27-28). 

In the same way, simply going to church isn't keeping the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a matter of turning our whole hearts to God, of allowing ourselves to rest in him, and to rest from our labors. 

Jesus isn't interested in what we do, because our actions are simply the fruits of what is in our hearts. And that is what He is interested in.

Free Indeed!

Today is Freedom Day, commemorating the date in 1865 when Abraham Lincoln signed the 13th Amendment, ending slavery in the United States.

History tells us a slave is somebody who labors without pay. A person who, for all practical purposes, has no will but that of his master. Slavery, as it was in the early days of this country -- indeed as it is practiced in various forms around the world even today -- is a horrifying symptom of human nature.

And yet, humanity is itself enslaved to the very nature that makes slavery possible.

Jesus tells us, in John 8:34, "everyone who sins is a slave to sin."

We have surrendered our autonomy -- our wills -- to our sinful human natures. We don't have the choice to be sinless. We, in our humanity will sin, because we must. We are enslaved to our desires. Otherwise "good men" will throw away their families to indulge lust. Good children will behave selfishly. A person with a fish on his car will tell a little white lie to get out of a speeding ticket.

As Paul said in Romans 7:15, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do."

We simply can't get away from sin, because it owns us. 

Except that, it doesn't have to. When Christ died on the cross, and arose three days later, it wasn't a publicity stunt; He had a purpose. That purpose was to accept the payment for our sinful natures, to purchase all of us, the human slaves of iniquity, and to emancipate us. He bought us out of our chains and set us free. 

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. (Romans 6:15-18) 

Because Jesus paid the price for us, we have the ability to shrug off the chains of slavery and to take up His yoke, which is no burden at all (Matthew 11:30) Christ's burden is freedom. True freedom from both sin itself and from the wage of sin, which is death. And all we have to do is recognize that we are slaves, and accept the release from our bondage. 

Remember: "if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed! (John 8:36)"

Opposite Day: I Do Not Understand What I Do

Doing the right thing can be hard. Even when I truly want to do the right thing, some part of my nature still wants to resist. This is a truth, whether a person believes in Christ or doesn't: on some level, we know right from wrong, and, unless there is something wrong with us, we really do want to do what's right. But we still lie, cheat, sometimes steal. We still gossip, or say hurtful things to those we love.

Paul puts it this way in Romans 7:15: "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do."

The question, then, is why? Why do we do that which we do not want to do, and fail to do what we know is right? Paul asks the question, and answers it:

As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. (Romans 7:17-20) 

Jesus put it this way: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41) 

Man is born into sin. We are born unable to attain perfection, even by what we would consider our own standards. You never, for example, have to teach a child how to lie. She's born with the knowledge. We don't need to teach selfishness, or greed, or disobedience. These things come naturally. Only virtue must be taught. And even then, on our own,  we fall short.

So what can we do? Here we are, left doing the opposite of what we want to do; more importantly, the opposite of what God wants from us. Can we do anything to come back within the will of God, and please Him? 

Well, no. But then, as Paul reminds us, we don't need to: "Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:25a).

We have a God who not only wants to forgive us for falling short, but wants His Spirit to live in us, so that, through Him, we can learn to be holy. 

I've found that, when I really want my kids to do what I want them to do -- clean their rooms, for example -- it helps if I physically help them do it. I show them by example what I want from them, and break down my expectations into smaller tasks. 

This is what Christ does for us. Rather than berate us for falling short, he gets in there and guides us. He showed us by His example what He expects, and, knowing we still can't accomplish His perfection on our own, moves in us, renews our minds, and helps us to do what is right. 

I'd Rather Be Burdened With Christ

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28-29)

It can be so easy to get caught up in the do's and don't's of Christianity some times. Sadly, this is as much true for believers as it is for non-believers, who see this whole church thing as nothing more than a big set of rules to follow. How easily we miss the point!

The real truth is, Sin, and not faith, is our burden. It's hard to see when we're drenched in wrongdoing, but the stuff, the muck, that weighs us down is nothing more or less than our own human nature. We are burdened by this world; dragged down by our sin, and the sins of this world. 

The truth of Jesus is that He came, not to burden us with religion, but to release us from the bondage of sin. Once we acknowledge that there really is a right and a wrong, and that we have been on the wrong side of it, we can lift that burden to Christ.

I've often wondered what was meant when He said "my yoke is light." I've begun to realize the reason His yoke is so much easier than the one we carry without Him is that He does most of the heavy lifting.

Love Wins

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. (1 John 4:7-9)

It seems like God can be pretty hard to figure out. It can be hard to understand why the righteous suffer while the unjust prosper, or why God allows some things to happen to some, but not to others. It can be just as difficult to comprehend why a God who is so hard on Sin can show so much grace as to send Jesus to die, be resurrected, and cleanse that sin away, and without demanding anything from us but acceptance. 

It's so tough to figure out, in fact, that we in our humanness can often be tempted to ignore the more difficult parts of Scripture. Like all the "Hell" stuff. Or that "I am the Way, The Truth, and the Life" rhetoric attributed to Jesus.  If we focus on the "Love" aspect, we figure, that'll be okay. After all, God is Love, right? Everything else is just man-made, we reason. 

Never mind that the "God is Love" stuff is part of the same Bible we want to mostly toss out. And, I hate to say it, but if you toss out all the "sin" stuff and the "Hell" stuff, the "Salvation" and "Love" stuff is pretty much meaningless. 

Confusing, isn't it? Well, after all, 1 Corinthians 1:25 does remind us that "the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of Man." And indeed, just a few verses ahead, verse 18, says, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

Could it be that, when it comes to what Love actually means, we in our humanity simply don't get it? When we say "God is Love," what we're really describing is God's entire character. If God is love, then everything God does is love. Even the stuff we don't like. 

Maybe we really don't understand Love that much at all. 

Actually, the fact that we are sinners -- the fact that we have fallen short of God's glory -- is proof that He acted out of nothing but love when He sent His son. The law -- and the sin of disobeying it -- serves to highlight the difference between us and God. It shows us that by ourselves we could never be good enough to enter the Holiness that is God, but that, because He loves us, He created a way to bring us into His presence.

Love -- God -- built a bridge. All we need to do is cross.