I agreed…this ‘actor’ was doing a great job in this series in ‘playing the role’ of Jesus. But then he made a statement I found puzzling. He said something to the effect: “Finally…a Jesus I can point others to and say ‘here…look at this Jesus…don’t look at me, I’m a mess!”
I was like, ‘
Wait…what? You want to point others to this ‘actor…playing a role in a video drama’ because you think this Jesus is the best role model? But you don’t want people to look at you because you are a mess?” (by your own admission?)
I have scratched my head a few times over that one. More so regarding his heart’s plea to ‘not look at him’ as a representative of Christ…but look at this TV character.
I am not throwing stones here. But the more I thought on that ‘confession’, the more I realized that lots of people probably feel that way. They know their own hearts and lives, and feel so inadequate to be a true ambassador of Christ…and therein lies the …problem.
Somewhere along the way, we bought in to a ‘defective gospel’ that was void of power to truly transform our hearts and set us free of sin, empowering us to walk in obedience to Jesus and ‘sin no more’. We are called to be ambassadors for Christ. (2 Cor 5:20)
Are we not …suppose to be able to say as Paul did, ‘Follow me as I follow Christ?” -Follow my example? Romans 8:29 says we are being conformed into His image…His nature, His likeness. (If we are truly following Him, that is.)
Jesus said we are to ‘love others as He loved us’ which requires the nature and character of God flowing from us.
People in this world who are drowning in a flood of darkness do not need nice church members with ‘glowing personalities’. They need to see Jesus IN us…and it sounds as if by our own admissions…there is still way too much of us and not enough of Him. Who is truly Lord of our lives? Jesus asked once: “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do the things I tell you?” (Luke 6:46)
I read a statement by a pastor not long ago who alluded to the fact that most of the pleas he hears from people in his church is this overwhelming sense that they are ‘just not good enough’. Too much to unpack in that thought here this morning. But when I read that, I had to wonder, how many believers out there are hearing the Holy Spirit nudge, chastise, plea, and even convict that they are not anywhere close to where they need to be in their walk and being conformed to godliness. I’ve heard dear, sincere people who have graced church pews for years ‘question their salvation’.
The automatic response they often get from well meaning folks is quick assurance that they are indeed ‘saved’. But what if the Holy Spirit is trying to tell them something different?
Can I just tell you now that if you are truly abiding in Jesus, you won’t need anyone telling you that you are, nor can anyone convince you that your are not.
So, those pressing questions I promised to address yesterday…
1) “So are you saying Tony…that YOU don’t sin?” And, 2) ‘what about that verse that says “IF we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
hort answer for the first one – it doesn’t matter what I do or don’t do. It’s not about me. It’s about what the Word says. Don’t let the enemy get you off the Word. The second he does that, he has you right where he wants…as if you were looking for proof to discredit what God makes clear. “Has God said?” Yes. He DID say ‘sin no more!’
God told Adam and Eve in the garden, “if you eat off this tree, you shall surely die”. Romans 8:13 says: “If you live according to the flesh you will die.”
When did God change? And what if God is serious about all this?
I will say this…I’m walking in more victory through Christ than I ever have in my Christian walk…and experiencing more peace and power of His presence than I knew was possible. And I by the grace of God will never allow my heart to drift again. It’s nearly impossible to keep what I have learned and experienced this past 18 months inside and to myself. I feel like Lazarus who Jesus called out of his ‘stinking tomb’, got me out of my grave clothes, and I want the whole world to know that this same Jesus is calling for other ‘dead folks’ to come out and walk in the newness of life that He has prepared for us. The soul that sins shall die.
Sin is the kryptonite that erodes the life/power of God within us.
Jeremiah 17:9-10 states that the human heart is ‘deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind…”
Jesus confirms in Mark 7:20-23 of the evil that lies within men’s hearts. That’s what He came to do…to lead us to ‘cleanse the land’ just like Joshua lead the people in to the promise land to rid it of all the evil.
So John writes ‘if we say we have no sin’ (which is interesting in his use of the phrase ‘have no sin’ as opposed to saying ‘we won’t commit sin’) …then we deceive ourselves. (1 John 2:8)
I don’t know my own heart, but God does.
And He has been doing a work of cleansing in my life that has astounded me. He even woke me up one night last spring in a dream and exposed how I had a spirit of self-pity that had been there a long time…and we took care of that immediately. It’s not even an issue anymore for me. Am I declaring, “I have arrived”? Certainly not. But as God shows things to me, usually through His Word, I deal with it now.
I don’t want to be like that rich ruler who when Jesus exposed the love in his heart for greed and covetousness more than his love for God…who then turned away and refused to deal with it.
Let me use this analogy if I may. Imagine being part of a platoon deployed in a region in the Middle East where you are on patrol and enter an abandoned village. How foolish would it be to just walk into that town assuming there were no hidden IED’s. You have no way of knowing; and that kind of careless attitude is how you would probably lose a limb if not your whole life. Wise soldiers would send in ‘mine sweepers’ or devices made to detect the hidden explosive bombs BEFORE they do damage. Then trained experts can disable them.
That’s kind of what it is like to let the Spirit lead you in this walk with Jesus. God lets certain ‘test and trials’ come your way to expose things in your heart so that you can deal with them…as in confess, repent, and be set free as you turn from your sins. Or can I say ‘dismantle or disarm the spiritual device within you’ so that you are free to walk in obedience and sin no more….lest something worse come upon you. (John 5:14)
Paul writes IF you think you are standing firm, take heed lest you fall. (1 Cor 10:12)
Remember when Jesus warned Peter that he would deny Him three times in one night? Peter was a bit puffed up and just flatly said there was no way that would happen.
You know the story…and it’s interesting to note that this occurred while Peter was warming himself by a fire. (Luke 22:55) Fires have a way of bringing impurities to the surface. It’s God’s special way of cleansing us….and we better deal with that crud that comes to the surface.
Why not let James 1:2-4 and 1 Peter 4:13 be study material for you later today.
Final verse for today- John writes: “And IF…anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
Please note he did Not say ‘WHEN…you sin,’ rather ‘IF you sin.”
It’s comforting to know He’s not ready to turn His back on you…as long as you are not turning yours on Him. (John 6:66)
Happy Friday. You don’t want to miss my post tomorrow.
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