Being transformed?

A current chorus begins with, “When all I see is the battle, You see my victory. When all I see is the mountain, You see a mountain moved.” How easily I can focus on the battle, the problem, and forget that God uses all things, even afflictions, for good — the good being to transform my life into the image of His Son.

Christians tend to ask God to remove the problem so we will be comfortable. However, if He does give comfort, it has another purpose. Instead of making me feel better, He wants me to use the comfort He gives to comfort others…

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many. (2 Corinthians 1:8–11)

That being His will, living it out follows the pattern of the gospel. I cannot save myself, and I cannot endure suffering like Jesus does, unless the Holy Spirit is doing it through me. And one way that I learn how that works is by keeping my eyes on Him. Thinking I can do anything He asks apart from the Spirit is futile.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17–18)

Not everyone sees this. Only God’s people, and only those who deny self to serve Him:

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:3–6)

Reading these verses helps me avoid the common response to suffering — asking God to remove the problem so I will be comfortable. However, having a switch in the reason I want comfort means the lesson of suffering has been learned, at least some of it. It makes me think about the reason Jesus died. It certainly was about the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12), but it was the foundation needed to set us free from our suffering in sin’s bondage and in the fear of dying. As Paul wrote, we do “have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh…” (2 Corinthians 4:7–12)

When life hands me discomfort, it helps to realize that even in suffering, my inner self is being renewed and prepared for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. That requires looking to what I cannot see — God’s eternal promises, fulfilled and demonstrated in the One who battles for me. (2 Corinthians 4:16–18)

PRAY: Yesterday’s thoughts on Your suffering for the sins of all humanity for all time put two great extremes in my heart. The obvious is great sorrow for Your pain. The other is great joy for the love that motivated such selflessness. I need to gaze at Your glory and allow You to use affliction, great or small, to transform me yet at the same time realize that goal is so incredible that even thinking it is beyond me. Oh Jesus, I do love You. 

God’s Indescribable Patience

Mysteries are my favorite genre, both in books and film, but even in real life. I love challenging puzzles that take time and patience to solve. I also particularly enjoy watching God resolve problems that seemed totally without solutions. 

However, the negative side of this even in fiction is seeing the sinful condition of humanity. Last night, one television show was the solving of a cold-case murder that depicted the mental and physical damage suffered by the perpetrator in the years before he was finally discovered and brought to justice by some extremely patient police officers.

This morning I read about the patience of God. The sin of the world is an ugly puzzle at times. Charnock lists some: blasphemies, oaths, thefts, adulteries, murders, oppressions, contempt of religion, the open idolatries of heathens, the more spiritual and refined idolatries of others, the ingratitude of those that profess His name, our pride, earthliness, carelessness, sluggishness to Divine duties, and in every one of those a multitude of provocations; the whole person engaged in every sin, the understanding contriving it, the will embracing it, the affections complying with it, and all the members of the body instruments in the acting the unrighteousness of it. Even the offenses all receive from our fellow-creatures is like dust compared to the injuries God receives from humanity. 

Add to that the days of each lifetime and the numbers of people who have ever lived. Who can count all the foul-mouthed oaths, the beastly excess, the uncleanness, committed in the space of a day, year, twenty years in this city, much less in the whole nation, least of all, in the whole world? 

They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. (Romans 1:29–31)

Yet “millions of such haters of Him” breathe every day in His air, and are maintained by His goodness, have their tables spread, and their cups filled to the brim, and that in the midst of even boasting of their rejection of Him — even as God puts a stop to the devils who wish to destroy all of them.
Those who know Jesus sometimes want His fury to be poured out: But the people did not receive (Jesus), because his face was set toward Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. (Luke 9:53–55)

Such is His patience and nothing but patience stands in the gap to keep off judgment from sinners. And even the fiction I read or see on the screen awakens in me the desire to be patient. I don’t want those who sin to be patted on the head and given no rebuke, but I do want the goads of God to open their hearts in conviction of their guilt, but not just that. I also want sinners to know that Jesus Christ bore their sin and will rescue them from all slavery to it. As overwhelming as this is, it is the only way to peace with God and life eternal.

Paul wrote this:

I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:12–17)

PRAY: Grant strength to me, to all who trust You, that we leave behind our sin and allow Your goodness and mercy to overflow in our lives. Thank You for Your incredible patience toward us and that this same patience is available to us through Your Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Going Deeper in Body Parts, Gifting, and Silence

 

These days some of my body parts interfere with the performance of others. For example, I have one ear that occasional has an unnatural movement of inner parts and it makes my feet have trouble walking. Easy to fix but annoying because it happens without warning. I can easily see why the Bible compares the Christian church to the human a body: 

As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. (1 Corinthians 12:20–25)

Sometimes I notice how important it is to give special treatment to the less honorable parts than is needed by those who are more presentable. That is, some believers are not naturally attractive to others, but because we love one another, that kind of attitude makes those less honorable parts more attractive. God does this in gifting all, including them.

I think of those who are physically and mentally gifted and how easily they can be treated differently than those who are not. Yet the few who are not gifted in those ways are often more friendly, kinder, more thankful, even quicker to serve, even to do the tasks others find less appealing. This is one of the beauties of belonging to the family of God; He puts us in positions that work together, like a body in which all parts are needed.

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. (1 Corinthians 12:27–31)

Of course that more excellent way is the love that God gives so we can care about each other no matter our function and no matter if we are naturally appealing in appearance or personality. Love overrides abilities, prophetic or theological knowledge, even faith and extreme generosity. 1 Corinthians 13 is almost as familiar as John 3:16 — and the love of God is so vital.

The next chapter is not so popular. It says to desire gifts and puts the ability to speak for God over speaking in tongues, mostly because the first is given to built up others, while tongues is said to “built up self” — then adds that interpreters are needed and women are to be silent. This makes for lots of arguments and some Christian women accuse Paul of all sorts of things.

As I read chapters 12-14 in a chunk, it occurred to me that part of that Ephesians passage about marriage should reflect the relationship of Jesus and His bride, it seems to be hinted here too. The bride/body of Christ is to honor her husband like the church should honor the Lord. That includes letting God beautify our less attractive parts (we all have them), loving one another, and giving honor to the men in our lives by appreciating their leadership just as the church respects the leading of Christ. And no one can lead without followers.

In a big picture sense, all things done in order (14:40) has to be initiated and led by the Spirit of God. If God is not telling me to say anything, then I must be silent, including tongues or even asking questions. This illustrates how the church relates to Christ. True that in those days most women were not educated in theology, but rather than make this a cultural issue, I see it more of a “support the one God gave to lead me” and encourage him to do it by obeying what God says. Had Eve done that, we would have such different lives.

PRAY: Jesus, I know that both women and men have this desire to rule, to be the boss of our lives. Letting You lead us may be scary, but the issue is not usually fear but “I think I know better than you do” defiance. Your ways are not my ways and so often my ways resist You. I might even echo Eve with, “Did God say that?” instead of quoting You and letting You speak. Not only that, I cannot hear You if my mouth continually spouts off my own thoughts and ideas. Keep teaching me what obeying You really means. Amen. 

Sharing our struggles

In our home group study last night we looked at Romans 7. We were told that theologians debate whether Paul was talking about his own struggles with sin or he was illustrating the problems others have. We seemed to agree that even a spiritual giant like Paul knew the wisdom of sharing his own battles rather than letting others put him on a pedestal as if he was so mature that he never faced temptation or fell to it. One thing he said was: 

For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. (Romans 7:15–19)

This seems more like a personal confession than a general description of Christian struggle with sin, yet it is both. Paul was not always in a sin battle for he had learned to walk in the Spirit and not give into the flesh, but he also knew the battles and how those experiences helped him serve others. I see this in today’s readings:

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. (1 Corinthians 9:19–23)

How could I serve someone who struggles with sin if I never had any, or if I always gave into it myself? I’d have nothing to say with those stuck in legalism if I’d never ‘been there, done that’ myself. I know that battle between flesh and spirit, my old nature and the Holy Spirit, between my I-wants and the will of God. However, I also realize that many Christians do not discern the difference. When we obey God, it I so easy to say, “I did it” instead of “I can do all things through Christ. . . .” 

A pastor spoke of self-control in simple terms. He said, “Start by keeping your desk clean.” All my life, the easily distracted mind of ADHD has made such a simple thing a difficult battle. I’ve the same issue with remembering to take my pills. Every distraction is a lesson and a reminder to pray about everything and realize my weaknesses are opportunities to experience God’s strength. They also prompt spiritual disciplines, particularly prayer and Bible study. 

Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9:25–27)

What interferes the most? The idea that I can do it without the help of my Savior. 

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:12–13)

The big picture of following Jesus is loving Him and loving others. I can be involved in many activities yet these two are where I find myself on the front lines:

“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. (1 Corinthians 10:23–24)
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

PRAY: Jesus, today keep my focus on Your glory and the good of others. Simple? You have shown me that this is the biggest challenge, covering all of life and life’s choices, and how often my pride either wants to do it myself, or select instead words and actions that benefit me and bring me glory. May the battle be won by You. 

Glorify God in marriage…

While this is not a popular teaching nor is it often preached, the Bible says this:

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. (Ephesians 5:22–33)

Rather than stumble over that “submission” word (it does not mean doormat), I see the bigger intent in this passage; the relationship between a husband and wife is supposed to mirror the relationship between Christ and the church. 

Sadly, I remember the Christian woman who said if her hubby acted like Christ, she would be willing to do what he wanted. The other side is that many men will do what their wives want to avoid stress or conflict of any kind, so they do what she says. Both excuses fail to demonstrate what God intended. 

I don’t know the stats, but Christian couples are not immune from fights, separation, splits, divorces, and unfaithfulness. God stresses the seriousness of this, not only because of the emotional damage to families, but the spiritual purpose of love and respect. A divorce and whatever causes it does not reveal how Christ is toward His bride nor does it reflect how the church should respond to our Lord and Savior. 

In reading 1 Corinthians  this morning, I felt deep sorrow. God told to Paul convey this to the church:

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.” (1 Corinthians 5:9–13)

He also wrote about our responsibility to judge any sins, and not take disputes to a court of law. Nor are we to think that someone in the church who is caught in any sin is okay.

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9–11)

And this includes cheating on your spouse and calling it severe because, “Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." (1 Corinthians 6:18–20)

PRAY: Father, we know the weakness of many who cannot exercise self-control, and how badly they need to marry rather than let passion rule their behavior. Your Word stresses walking in the Spirit for the Spirit produces the ability to say NO to temptation. Today I pray for those who need to yield to You, both men and women, that each of us is able to reflect Your great love for us and our response of love to You — with the way we live and the way we relate to our marriage partners. And may those who are not married also rely on the Spirit to keep their lives pure so they glorify Your goodness.


 

Finding a good church…

After moving many times and attending many churches, humanly speaking I liked best the congregations that made me feel welcome. All about me. Yet in deeper reflection, those that increased my knowledge and love for God were those that glorified Him the most. 

Feel good churches can be all about me. Glorifying God is far more important. Reading 1 Corinthians clarifies why this is important. A church that puts the emphasis on God will praise Him for a good message instead of boasting they have a pastor who is a good speaker. They will not compete with one another, nor will they boast.

Paul wrote to this church at Corinth to admonish them for their fleshy behavior. They were gifted by God yet boasted in themselves as if they were the source of these gifts. They argued about who was the best leader and teacher. Their focus was on human qualities rather than the glory of God. His words to them through Paul were sharp, yet given to put their focus where it should be;

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:26–31)

When I hear someone critical of the church they attend, I want to say “Find a better one” because they do exist. Yet I hear of those who quit attending any church thinking they are all the same. How sad. Is it better to leave? Or to do what Paul did and remind them of the One that has given them new life and wants them to live accordingly?

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. . . . Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. . . . And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. . . . The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:1–16)

These words are both humbling and uplifting. They kick my pride and restore my thinking to the One who saved me from wanting to be “the best” to being glad that He is merciful. Our granddaughter, broken from a fall and covered in bruises, said, “I’m the dumbest smart person that I know” and that reflects a biblical truth. The Christians at Corinth had Christ and His mind, but they put the wisdom of God aside to boast about themselves. To this, Paul adds:

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. (1 Corinthians 3:18–23)

PRAY: Just because I figured this out does not make me wise — instead it shows that You are my wisdom. I cannot know truth from You unless You reveal it to me. Pride in myself is a huge barricade to living for You and glorifying You. And it is one thing to know this — but the challenge is doing it — giving You the glory for all that You are and do. Rebuke me whenever I take credit instead of putting it where it belongs.

Don’t Judge?

At times, it is easy to be critical, harder to be gracious. This conflict is compounded by two passages in the NT that seem to contradict one another. The first is something Jesus said:

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. (Matthew 7:1–2)

The other one says: “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness…” (Galatians 6:1) 

But how can I do that without discerning that the other person is doing something sinful? After thinking about this, I have to conclude that seeing sin in other people is unavoidable. This isn’t about seeing it, but about what to do about it. And what to do about it has parameters that are usually found in the context of various commands. For instance, the words of Jesus add this:

Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:3–5)

Often God shows me my sin by allowing me to see it in someone else. In that case, instead of judging the other person, I’m supposed first deal with my own sin. I cannot help anyone be free of a problem if I have never been free of it myself.

The next passage gives instruction along the same lines: “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.” (Galatians 6:1–5) 

This time, it is a call to help the person who is entrapped as long as I am not, and aid that person to be set free. It is not only helping them but without as selfish motive.

There are other ways to deal with the sin of others. God asks me to pray for other believers that they are able to say yes to God and no to sin. Prayer is burden-bearing in a quiet form.

If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death… All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death. (1 John 5:16–17)

God could ask me to warn those who are being tempted as many verses warn about not to give in to temptation: 

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:12–13)

Even noticing sin is from God, but it can happen to those who feel inferior and try to boost their self-esteem by putting down others. Yet Christ died for all because all have sinned, none are worthy, and His grace puts us on a level field. 

Not only that, God is patient. He saw sin in the days of Noah, and Lot, and in Job’s story, and in the days of the kings and the prophets. Yet He did not pour out judgment at first glance. Charnock notes: “He brings lighter smarts sooner, that men might not think him asleep, but he suspends the more terrible judgments that men might be led to repentance.” God holds back His rod, waiting for His people to repent and return to Him. I have no right to be impatient with sin or with God’s way of dealing with it.

One more thought. What I consider sin might not be. The NT says not to pass judgment on others if it will cause them to stumble. He is the Savior; I am not. I need to serve Him and love His people, not get in a huff over such matters. “Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. . . .” (Romans 14:13–23)

PRAY: Jesus, I am raised up and seated with You in heavenly places, that You will show the riches of Your grace in kindness toward me and toward all Your people. Our destiny is not about judgment and wrath, but about kindness and grace, and about being like You. Seeing sin in others is not about making myself a judge but about obedience and patience toward all who struggle with sin.