Jesus is coming back for a bride (His church) and we are told it will be ‘glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” (Eph 5:27)
John writes: “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (1 John 3:3)
Paul would add to this theme: “Having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from ALL filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Cor. 7:1). He warned in his first letter there that “IF you think you are standing firm, take heed lest you fall.” (10:12) And then back to his second letter exhorting “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ in in you? Unless...you fail the test?” (13:5). I bet he meant the ‘fruit test’ here as well. (Matt. 7:16-20; 12:33-37)
I could be wrong here, but it seems to me the writings of the early church fathers certainly had much more of a ‘tone of urgency’ than what we hear today...in this country, at least. Is it possible...we have ‘grown at ease in Zion’ as Amos talked about? (6:1) Or complacent, as Zephaniah wrote about? (1:12). Certainly we are not like those ten virgins that Jesus spoke of who while looking for the return of the bridegroom...grew drowsy...and fell asleep? (Matt. 25:1-6)
When Jesus told the twelve who gathered to eat the last supper with Him...that one amongst them would betray Him...their response was one we should all model...when they asked “Lord, is it I?” (Matt. 26:22). Now that is not to say there is not a time and place where those within the church can and should approach a brother caught in a sin and deal with them in love. We are instructed to do such. (Gal. 6:1; 1 Cor. 5:9-13; Matt. 18:15-17). The reason this was so important is because sin spreads...just like leaven does in a loaf of bread dough. It ALL has to come out. Being “ninety percent pure’ is not pure. Just ask the rich, young ruler who was ‘almost there’. (Mark 10:21).
As I addressed yesterday...Jesus warned of the effect of increasing lawlessness...or sin and how it would cause men’s hearts to grow cold or wax hard saying that the love of most would dim or fade out. (Matt. 24:12). Why is this so serious? Because love is the fulfilling of the law that we are called to demonstrate...just like Jesus did (1 John 2:6). It is how we will know who are the true followers of Christ. (Rom 2:13; 13:10; John 13:35)
And while most pulpits today are given a weekly allotment of 30-45 minutes to teach their congregants how to ‘live their best lives’ or ‘fulfill their destiny in God’ or ‘how to prosper’...the early church folks were ‘meeting daily’...and all the more as they saw the Day approaching...exhorting one another not to depart from the living God lest they be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” (Heb. 10:25; 3:12-13; Acts 2:46-47).
Granted, folks back then had much simpler lives and more time and did not have to deal with all the complicated, pressing, and demanding needs we have on us today...things like ‘family, and oxen and land and businesses. (Matt. 22:2-5; Luke 14:16-20)
I feel a need to pick up from yesterday and address the process in how sin hardens...our hearts and why this is so serious. As I have been making the case for here in my daily postings...I believe there has been a lack of understanding to what God’s law is all about and how it still stands today. Due to our lack of understanding of His Law...we really don’t have a grasp as to what ‘sin’ really is. Oh...we know the ‘big ones’...and...this poetic definition of ‘missing the mark’, but truth be told...there’s been a breakdown in connecting a few more dots. ‘Dots like not understanding God’s judgements that still follow sin. (John 5:14)
Again...I know how this can come across to some the way it sounds...but I can only share from the word what has become so clear to my understanding. Sin was/is killing us. And Jesus came to set us free from its power over us so that we could go and ‘sin no more’. But the majority of the church doesn’t even believe that is possible...even though the word could not be any more clear. By the admission of most...people still sin regularly because...after all...’they are not perfect, just forgiven.’ We’ve been convinced that no matter ‘how hard you try, you will continue to sin on this side of heaven’, we’ve been told.
Not having a clear grasp as to what sin actually is...and the effect it has on us, many would have a difficult time explaining to others what sin is or how it manifest. We then fall in to that trap like the Pharisees did when they compared themselves to those lowly tax collectors , adulterers, and other sinners...thanking God they were ‘not like them’. (Luke 18:11) We are told how unwise it is to ‘compare ourselves with or by ourselves’. (2 Cor. 10:12)
The last thing we need is some long list of everything we want to label as ‘sin’. That is what religion has done for centuries and multiple denominations do and the Pharisees strayed so far off from God’s commands when they taught their traditions in place of His Law...becoming obsessed with things that did not even matter to God. Read Mark 7 when you have time.
Speaking from experience now...I have found that the closer I abide in Him...the more ‘aware’ I have become of things I say and do...that would not even cause a ‘blip’ or ‘hiccup’ on other people’s ‘sin radars’. And it’s not always about defining something as ‘sin’ as much as it is hearing His voice say...’don’t verbalize that thought you had...it's rooted in pride to make you look good’. Then, you find yourself pausing...knowing what you heard...and then comes that ‘other voice’ whispering: ‘what’s wrong with that...that’s not sin...you can say that...in fact you should do that...people need to know...’
Or maybe you were short with your spouse or one of your kids or a coworker...and fired off some sharp comment that you thought was ‘funny’ (sarcasm)...and they laughed but inside they were stinging...once again. And let’s say you recently had a period of refreshing with the Lord...committed to walking ‘closer to Him’...and when you fired off that remark...the Holy Spirit convicted you (you lost your peace)...and then told you to apologize or to go and make that right and affirm your love...but pride got in the way...and so you sloughed it off....telling yourself what you said was not that bad, and you would do better next time.
Funny...how we are all guilty of saying we wish we could hear God’s voice better. Then we He talks, we find excuses to not obey. Happens all the time. Among the many things this does, it reveals that we have not really bought in to this idea of Him being Lord of our lives. Because Jesus asked “Why do you call me Lord...and not do the things I say?” (Luke 6:46). He also taught that if we really loved Him, we’d do what He says. (John 14:15)
Is anyone feeling a twinge of conviction about now? That would be a good sign, honestly. And if I can encourage you with this...the sooner you see the truth in this...and how much ‘flesh’ has really been calling the shots in your life ...and you would just agree with God on this matter...the sooner you might experience your own personal awakening or ‘revival’. I really mean it. Why do we find it so hard to simply agree with God? IF we would do this, and repent, then you can expect a ‘time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord’ that would rock your world. (Acts 3:19)
We’ve lived for so long thinking we could allow Jesus to be ‘one of our idols’ in our heart...but this idea of total surrender...nah...just not ready to go there. But here’s another ‘News Flash’ – Jesus won’t be just ‘one of our idols’. He’s either Lord of all or not Lord at all. We can’t serve two masters. Period. We are to love Him with ALL our heart...
Yeah...this is going to take some time and serious soul-searching and contemplation. You don’t want to just breeze through this one today and move on. I say that in all gentleness and love.
[turn signal flashing as I change lanes now] – Can I tell you about a recent ‘hobby’ I’ve begun to embark on? Bread baking. Yeah...go figure...I just got into trying different recipes making my own bread. I was not successful with using regular old yeast, but I was given some sourdough starter by a good friend...and it has really set it with me. (Which might explain why my pants are fitting tighter these days}. I’ve learned how to ‘feed my starter’ and have some for use and some to set back in the fridge. I actually learned something new this week regarding this ‘starter’ that ‘lives’, and does amazing things for my loaves.
I was unaware that after I emptied the contents of my jar into my dough mix, that the remnants, or scraps that were still at the bottom of the jar before I washed it out...were still ‘active’. I just assumed I had to have a good amount in there to ‘feed’ and then split up for the next round. So yesterday, instead of washing out that jar, I just added some more flour and water and let it sit on the counter. When I came home later in the day...guess what? I had another active batch of starter. Those little scraps...had enough ‘active ingredients’ to spread through the new addition of flour and water. Then, when I added it to the new batch of bread I was making...I ended up with a great loaf of sourdough bread.
So when I read where Paul talks about getting rid of all sin...his illustration of how just a ‘little leaven leavens the whole lump’ really resonates with me. (1 Cor. 5:6). Read what he advises us in vs. 7-8. Gal. 5:9 also echoes the same thought.
So how much sin do you think God is good with for you to hold on to and keep in your heart/life? How many of you would be honest enough to admit that there are some areas in your life that you have struggled with for a very long time and continue to fail or fall in this area? Why do you think that is? Hopefully you don’t believe it is because God is not powerful enough to set your free of it...do you? Here’s one possible answer...while you may have always believed in Jesus...and even ‘accepted Him as your Savior’ years ago...is it possible...that you have never made...or ‘allowed’ Him to truly become your Lord? We should visit sometime...and discuss more. I’ll even bring a loaf of bread to break with you. ;-). (I have not yet figured out how to multiply them like Jesus did though).
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