Christ Removes our "Condemnation Notice"

This week I've been meditating on Jesus' powerful work on the cross where he defeated sin, death and Satan (1 Corinthians 15:55-57; Colossians 2:14-15). Through the propitiatory sacrifice of his blood on our behalf and his powerful resurrection from the dead, he freed us from the debt of our sins (1 John 2:2). The punishment of the just wrath of God that we deserved has been placed on him (Isaiah 53:5-6, 2 Corinthians 5:21), and, as the apostle Paul writes, we are set free from all condemnation: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). And again he addresses this in Romans 8:33-34:

"Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us."

Amazingly, God not only frees us from this death sentence and the condemnation that accompanies it, but he declares us "holy and blameless" in his sight in Christ (Colossians 1:22), guaranteeing that nothing can separate us from his love:

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:35:39). 

I've included a link to a Gospel Coalition article that beautifully explains Christ's finished work on the cross and our union with him. In the article, Humphrey (2019) uses the analogy of a condemned building to illustrate our lives in Adam before Christ -- bound in sin and rebellion against God and condemned to eternal death. He then shows from Scripture that we can never remove this condemnation through our own efforts of personal renovation, but instead we must spiritually die and be raised up with Christ through his gift of salvation: "Their house must come down. But the generous offer of Jesus to deliver sinners is offered to the condemned. Only as this court-satisfying condemnation notice has been carried out, can there be hope. As Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life (John 5:24)" (Humphrey, 2019).

https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/columns/cowboyology/removing-condemnation-notice/

"I believe, help my unbelief"

The resurrection reminds us of the life giving, Spirit empowered reality of Christ’s victory over death, sin and Satan (Colossians 2:15). It redirects our often distracted gaze back to the cross with the guarantee that God has restored us to himself and given us eternal life. With the promise of our unshakable and eternal union with Christ, we also gain confidence that every lesser promise will be fulfilled, or as the apostle Paul put it – every one of his promises are “yes and amen” in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20). The certainty that he’s not only secured our eternal destiny but has taken responsibility for meeting all our needs, enables us to recommit our hearts to seeking first his Kingdom and righteousness, knowing that all these other things will be provided as well (Matthew 6:33).

If…. then…. 

If he did not hold back his Son and allowed him to suffer and die on the cross to restore our broken relationship, then why would he not give us everything else we need (Romans 8:32)? God guarantees that if we set our hearts on him and his Kingdom, he will take care of all the other needs. He has written this promise, along with thousands of others concerning his intention to lovingly look after his children, and sealed them in the blood of Christ so that we do not have to wonder if he is really serious. Since he’s already given us the greater gift of his Son and his Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance, he’ll most definitely give us the less significant gifts that we need for life so that we can effectively follow Him. 

It takes trust…. Too often there is a huge disconnect in our lives and practice with regard to trusting him for “all these other things”. I’ve found this to be true in my own life. I often say without any hesitation I trust in his promise that when I die I will go to be with Christ. But ask me on certain days if I’m sure about God’s provision for my other perceived needs and I may flinch. I realize how completely illogical it is for me to say that I’m trusting Christ to save me, to literally raise me from the dead and give me a resurrection body, and still live in doubt that God is going to provide all the essentials for life. 

The only way to bridge the gap of this fear and doubt is through knowing him better, spending time in the Word and prayer. He says that faith comes from hearing (listening to, trusting and following) his Word (Romans 10:17). The more we learn about his faithful love, along with his many other characteristics, the more inclined we are to trust him to do what he says he’ll do in the here and now as well as the distant future. One story that is especially inspiring in overcoming the gulf between trusting in God’s power to transform day to day life and the actual unbelief we’re living in is of the man who came to Jesus for healing of his tormented son (Mark 9:14-29). He came complaining that the disciples could not heal his son, but Jesus turned the conversation back to his own lack of faith when he basically asked him, “What about you? Do you believe I am who I claim to be and can transform your life right now in this moment?” Rather than walk away in shame or even try to cover up his lack of faith he responded with humility and honesty, “I believe. Help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). 

Interestingly, his willingness to confess and repent of his unbelief stands in great contrast to the Pharisees and Sadducees who were, as Isaiah prophesied and Jesus proclaimed, “ever seeing but not perceiving” (Isaiah 6:9; Mark 4:12). Their self-sufficiency and self-righteousness kept them from seeing their need for God’s miraculous intervention in salvation as well as daily grace to provide for their needs. Like the parable of the rich man who had so much “stuff” that he built a barn to store his excess, they had learned to trust in their own wisdom, resources and strength instead of turning to Christ in childlike faith and asking him to meet their needs, both the greater and the lesser (Luke 12:13-21). 

Thousands of years later we realize that we are also immersed in the same kind of culture – one that either denies the need for God’s power or has reduced him to a savior who will eventually keep us from eternal destruction. When we embrace either way of thinking, we miss out on experiencing his all sufficient presence and provision throughout the minutes of our lives. Instead of truly believing Christ’s command to seek him first, to love him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to trust him to give us everything, we listen to the lies that tell us we have to seek first our own security and self-preservation. The underlying fear and unbelief in God’s goodness, ability and power, keeps us from looking to him to abundantly care for us and supply all our needs. And we end up anxious, confused and missing out on a whole lot more than we could ever imagine (James 1:6-8). 

The great news is we don’t have to keep living like this. We can call out to the Father with the same prayer a desperate man prayed over 2,000 years ago when he saw his need for God’s hand in his everyday life, while also recognizing his own lack of faith – “I believe, help my unbelief!” It’s a prayer of faith the Father loves to answer that will change the trajectory of our lives, as we make the shift from trusting in own abilities and resources to allowing Christ to be both Lord and Savior. Letting go of this striving frees us to rest in his all-sufficient love and provision and enables us to live out our true purpose in life. “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

Great video on God's "khesed", loyal love, and how knowing this love frees us to trust him for all things!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfbyFLgs_NM

God Never Forgets His Beloved

 Even in prison Joseph honored the Lord's name and brought him glory as the all-powerful, all-knowing God who alone could interpret dreams. His testimony of God's greatness, along with his humble dependence on him, revealed a deep friendship with God which was cultivated in a prison cell of suffering (Psalm 25:14). His suffering, rather than being a sign of the absence of God, was evidence that he was being set apart for a special purpose, which God fulfilled in his life. God never forgets his beloved!

We tend to focus on the many years Joseph spent in prison as he was waiting for God to deliver him. Even after asking the cupbearer to remember him, he was forgotten for two more years. But God never forgot him. During this time, Joseph was learning to trust the Lord with all his heart and not rely on what he could understand (Proverbs 4:5-6). He was learning endurance and perseverance in trust in spite of his circumstances (Romans 5:3). What seemed like the worst years of his life were instead some of most blessed as God taught him how to walk closely with himself.

I’m amazed as I read about the imprisonment of believers and how they seemed to thrive in captivity, much like Joseph. Richard Wurmbrand spent 14 years in a Romanian prison camp because of the Gospel. There, he was beaten daily and subjected to much physical suffering. Amazingly, he and the other prisoners used their chains to sing songs of praise to God. After being released, the Lord led him to start one of the most powerful ministries to persecuted Christians in the world – Voice of the Martyrs. If we choose to focus on the terrible aspect of his suffering, we miss the whole point. He did suffer tremendously, but eclipsing this horror was the greatness, glory and power of Christ in him (2 Corinthians 4:17). God was with him in his suffering. This resurrection power by the indwelling Holy Spirit that Paul writes about enabled him to keep praying for and loving his enemies (Ephesians 1:19), to show Christ’s sacrificial love to other prisoners, to stand on God’s promise and rejoice in the midst of pain and, finally, to return to the trenches so that he could show Christ’s compassion and love to other Christians suffering persecution throughout the world. 

Another miraculous story showing the overriding grace and glory of God’s presence in suffering is the life of John Bunyan. He was also put in prison because of the Gospel, because he refused to give up his right to preach as a free man, saying he’d rather that moss grow on his eyelids in the prison than to give up that for which God had called him to do. During his imprisonment he wrote ten books, one of which is the second best-selling book of all time – Pilgrim’s Progress. He later testified that God gave him the story in a dream and then enabled him to write it. What seemed like wasted years in a cell, God used to bring a story of redemption that would reach hundreds of millions of people: "What [Satan] meant for evil, God meant for good" (Genesis 50:20). When John Bunyan was set free, he was one of the most sought after preachers of his day. People wanted to hear from a man who learned to walk closely with God during extreme suffering and loss and was still declaring the goodness and kindness of God.

We may not experience such extreme suffering, but we will definitely go through times where it feels like we’re locked up in some kind of cell all alone (John 15:20; 16:33). A prison is a place where we feel trapped, where there’s no sign of being delivered, where there are sparse supplies of something that we desperately feel we need. Instead of focusing on all the ways that we’re missing out and losing our freedom in these prisons, God wants us to rejoice in his presence, to thank him for his sovereign goodness and kindness in allowing us to be where we are and to rest in his good plan (Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:18). He promises that he’s with us no matter where we are, and that nothing will ever be able to separate us from his love (Matthew 28:20; Romans 8:38). He promises that even in the deepest darkest places, like the bottom of an ocean, he’s there -- and it’s not darkness to him (Psalm 139:8). Where we go, he goes. And where he is the light of the glory of Christ is shining (Matthew 5:14). God is with us in our suffering; he will never forget his beloved.

Jesus: The Lifter of our Guilt and Shame

The enemy of our souls is a master of shame. He uses it to crush us under the lie of worthlessness and makes our lives miserable. His favorite weapon with us, just as it was with Adam and Eve, is to first tempt us to sin and then to hurl accusations at us regarding our shame and guilt (Zech 3:1; Rev 12:10). In the Garden, Adam and Eve were so shamed that they hid from God, the very One who lovingly made them and walked with them in intimate communion as their Good Father (Genesis 3:8).

The great news is that if we are in Christ, God beckons us to come to him through Christ's atoning blood to receive his glory covering in place of our shame. The Bible says that "those who trust in him will never be put to shame" and that their "faces are never covered with shame" (Rom 10:11; Ps 34:5). This isn't, of course, because Christians are sinless, but because of the imputed righteousness of Christ credited to our account (Rom 5; 1 Jn 1:8). He promises that nothing can ever separate us from his love and that instead of being covered with shame and guilt he has covered us with his honored robe of Christ's very righteousness (Rom 8; Is 61:10). Theologians call this an alien righteousness since it does not originate with us but with Christ our Lord -- who is our "righteousness, holiness and redemption" (1 Cor 1:30). When we sin as his adopted and chosen children, instead of standing in the shame and guilt and soaking it in, we can go confidently (and quickly) before the throne of grace to "obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb 4:16). Jesus assures us that he is at the Father's right hand interceding for us (Rom 8:34). And the Father through his living Word promises that we are eternally loved, accepted, chosen, adopted and forgiven (Eph 1). He also guarantees that he will not allow anything or anyone to take us from his sovereign hand if we have been joined to Christ through his gift of repentant faith (Jn 10:28). He has become our eternal glory covering and the lifter of our head (Ps 3:3), so that guilt and shame no longer have power to rule our lives. This truly is Good News worth soaking in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZDyMJhd4Bo

Holy Is Who You Are In Christ

It's all too easy to come to Christ at salvation through faith and then to seek to live the Christian life by coming back under the law, like the Galatians did (Galatians 5). By coming under the law I am referring to trying to obey it in our own strength out of guilt motivation and as a way to be right with God, which Paul says puts us under a curse (3:10). The Gospel provides a completely different and better way of obedience through trusting in Christ's perfect obedience (Romans 5:17-20), which releases us from the condemnation of the law and its demands to do it in our own strength (Romans 8:1-7). As those who are now under grace (Romans 6:14), we do not use this freedom as a "cover up for evil" so that we can sin, but we are "free to walk in the new way of the Spirit" (1 Peter 2:16; Romans 7:6).

This all begins by knowing who we are in Christ -- knowing our new position and identity as those who are no longer slaves to sin but beloved children of God. One author puts it like this, "Holy is who you are" (Hubbard, 2020). Sinclair Ferguson (2014) in his book Devoted to God: Blueprints for Sanctification says that "Our who determines our do." In other words, by first knowing who we are as those who are holy and loved in Christ, we are then able to joyfully walk in the Spirit according to God's Truth, not as a way of trying to earn salvation but as a way of pleasing God and living like his redeemed children. 

I've included some links below for reference. The first is the Desiring God article by Hubbard (2020), "Holy is Who You Are," the second is a brief article my husband wrote for the GCU Blog, "On Finding Our New Identity in Christ" (Kreitzer, 2017),  the third is a link to an excellent book on the topic titled, Union with Christ (Wilbourne, 2016) and the last is Ferguson's book, Devoted to God:Blueprints for Sanctification (2016). 

Nancy Kreitzer

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/holy-is-who-you-are

https://www.gcu.edu/blog/theology-ministry/dear-theophilus-finding-our-new-identity-christ

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E4TGTJS/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Ferguson, S. B. (2016). Devoted to God: blueprints for sanctification. Banner of Truth Trust.

The Unchanging Cost of Discipleship

It's human nature to rearrange truth so that it fits comfortably within self-made, humanistic worldviews. The temptation to do this unfortunately remains after we become Christ-followers, luring us to water down and alter parts of Scripture that challenge our ideals of the Christian life and what we think it should resemble. One area that has been greatly distorted throughout history is Jesus' teaching about the call and cost of discipleship -- to lose our lives for his sake, which he says involves taking up our cross and following him wherever he calls us to go (Lk 27:33). 

What exactly does he mean by that? I remember wrestling with this question as a new believer in my 20's when confronted with Jesus's call to discipleship and the opposing view among many Christians that he was not actually calling for a radical surrender or whole life commitment -- just a heart that believed in him. The problem with this mindset was that it was diametrically opposed to the teaching of all of Scripture, which clearly showed from the time of Adam and Eve that true belief or trust was defined by a surrender to God's plans and desire to walk in obedience to him. This same pattern of trusting obedience was spotlighted in the lives of the great saints in Hebrews 11, beginning with Abel and his offer of a right sacrifice to God all the way to the prophets --  who offered up their very lives for the sake of God's call and Kingdom purposes. There was no mention here of a "middle crowd" that lived out their own plans and went about life like the rest of the world. In fact, Jesus said that anyone living like this would not be present in the Kingdom of God (Matt 7:22-24).

Since Jesus is Lord over all creation and orders the events of the universe (Col 3:1; Heb 1:3), it's only logical that as Lord of our lives he has distinct and specific plans for us. Before the apostle Paul encountered the risen Christ on the road to Damascus, he went about life following the desires of the flesh, pursuing selfish ambition and seeking to make a name for himself. We might say he was living the Israelite religious leaders dream. But when he encountered the Lord, everything changed. He traded his plans for the Lord's, going where Jesus told him to go and doing what he told him to do. Through God's gift of saving faith (Eph 2:8-9), Paul was delivered from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light and from a man-centered life to one that was Christ-centered and characterized by whole hearted devotion to his new King and Lord (Col 1:13). 

Counting the Cost. Jesus knew his disciples and future followers would have difficulty surrendering their lives, along with goals and plans for experiencing what they considered a "good life." He encouraged them to "count the cost" before committing to follow him and gave the practical examples of building a tower and going out to war to illustrate the seriousness of the matter (Lk 14:28-33). In both scenarios, he showed the logical wisdom and necessity of carefully considering the cost before making a commitment to such all-encompassing tasks. He then took his point up a notch to show that the cost of discipleship far exceeded the commitment to going to battle or completing a building project when he said, "Those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples" (14:33). 

Taking up our cross. On the heels of calling his disciples to cross bearing, Jesus followed with the imperative, "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me shall save it" (Lk 9:24). When Christ calls us to take up our cross he doesn't mean to carry some specific burden of our lives like a sickness or a troublesome relationship, though these are sometimes trials we must endure. Instead, he means that we're to live lives of daily submission to his loving authority as our Lord and our God (Jn 20:28).  This kind of cross bearing is not holding onto personal belief or a decision we've made in one hand while clinging to our lives and agendas in the other but is a complete surrender of all that we are and have to his Lordship so that we can experience his resurrection life and bring him glory (Rom 6:5, 12:1-2; 2 Cor 4:11).

The good life. One of my favorite movies is Free Burma Rangers, which documents the lives of the Eubank family and God's call on their lives to ministry among the war-torn people of Burma. As they travel as a family into villages to rescue wounded and frightened families from military assault, they often wear t-shirts with the words, "The Good Life" to show that they've chosen by faith to trust that God's call to Lordship is the way of life and blessing as he promises (Jn 14:6). This declaration of trust, accompanied by their commitment to following the Lord wherever he calls, is evidence of the living faith that Jesus and the other NT writers described (Jas 2:18).

While we may not be called to such a radical lifestyle as the Eubanks, we can be certain that Jesus' call on our lives will take us in a direction that looks very different from the world and its pursuits and will be Kingdom focused (Matt 6:33). As those who have been bought with a price and belong to the King of glory (1 Cor 6:20), we'll no longer live for ourselves but for Christ and his purposes (2 Cor 5:15). The cost and sacrifice is great, but the treasure of receiving life in Christ far surpasses it! In the words of Jim Elliott, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." 

Unconditional Forgiveness: A Gospel Essential

Conditions based on human reasoning form the fabric of life for most of us in everything from relationships to what we are going to do over the weekend. Our reasoning goes something like this, "If a person is kind, then we'll return kindness; if the weather is nice, then we'll go on the hike." Amazingly, the formula for many decisions is just that simple, and all we need to do is include the if/then part of the equation to come up with an acceptable and workable answer. But when it comes to God's kingdom and especially the concept of forgiveness and loving our enemies, he steps in with a radical reworking of our logic and presents an entirely new way of living in relationships that is contrary to human understanding apart from his Spirit! Instead of following the seemingly logical equation that says, "If a person repents, then I will forgive them" which is echoed throughout the secular world, the Lord calls us to unconditional forgiveness that says, "If a person sins against me multiple times, then I will keep forgiving them because this is what Jesus does with me." 

Some, in an effort to merge the concepts of forgiveness and reconciliation, have come up with a phrase they refer to as "conditional forgiveness." They reason that since forgiveness is always relational between God and man and he requires a lifestyle of ongoing repentance, we can only forgive those who choose to receive it through repentance. Claiming that God asks us to do only what he does, they take Jesus' words in Luke 17:3 as one of their defining proof-texts to show that forgiveness must be conditional instead of unconditional.  In this passage, Jesus says, "If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent forgive them." While Jesus is clearly speaking of forgiveness here in the context of a person's act of repentance, he speaks about the need for unconditional forgiveness in many other passages. In isolating this verse from the rest of Scripture, this view of conditional forgiveness fails to take into account God's true character and nature and humanity's inability to serve as just and accurate judges, especially as it relates to matters of the heart. It also seems to bypass the very heart of the Gospel, which reveals God daily offering extravagant grace and forgiveness to his children, who though made new through faith in Christ, cannot walk in perfect holiness and repentance with God this side of glory.

"We love because he first loved us" (1 Jn 4:19)

Our ability to love anyone and show them kindness only comes as God pursues us and "[pours] out his love in our hearts by the Holy Spirit given to us" when we come to saving faith (Rom 5:5). Long before we "decide" to put our hope and trust in Christ as Lord, God comes and reveals himself as the One who longs to rescue us from a life of sin and rebellion and show us compassion if we will trust in him.  Like the Father in the parable of the Prodigal Son, he runs to meet us before we ask his forgiveness (Lk 15:11-32). It's his extravagant kindness, not his just judgment, that leads us to repentance as Romans 2:4 shows. While he is clear that we must come to him in repentant faith to receive his gift of salvation, this repentance (like the Prodigal's) does not in any way merit his favor (Eph 2:8-9), which he says has been set on us from the foundation of the earth (Eph 1:11). Even as his adopted children who are called to walk with him daily in repentant faith, we are reminded that this does not merit our relationship with him. Instead, it serves as an indication that we are, in fact, born again and no longer enemies of God but his beloved children. This good fruit, in keeping with repentance, is a sign that we are a "good tree" or one's who have now been engrafted into the vine (Matt 7:17). 

Another passage proponents of conditional forgiveness use to show that we, too, should only forgive those who repent is Matthew 6:14-15, "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive you" (Matt 6:14-15). Rather than this passage teaching that our daily repentance is a way of keeping God's forgiveness and earning our salvation, it shows that unwillingness to forgive is ipso facto incongruent with the life of the redeemed. As the apostle John writes, "Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have seen" (1 Jn 4:20). Because God has forgiven us all our past, present and future sins (Rom 4:7), we're called and empowered by his Spirit to walk in the same kind of unconditional, ongoing forgiveness and love (Gal 5:22-23). This seventy times seven kind of love that Christ taught about and modeled is one of the key litmus tests of 1 John that reveals we are, in fact, born again of the Spirit and not still dead in our trespasses and sins (Jn 3:1-21; Eph 2:1-10)!

Instead of teaching conditional love, Jesus taught that our forgiveness has nothing to do with another person's admission of their sins against us when he says, "And when you stand and pray, forgive anything you may have against anyone, so that your Father in heaven will forgive the wrongs you have done"  (Mk 11:25). When Stephen was being stoned, he expressed forgiveness toward those stoning him, even though they were murderous and unrepentant toward him (Acts 7:60). Jesus spoke words of unconditional forgiveness over the ones who opposed and crucified him, choosing instead to entrust himself to the Father who judges justly and knowing that God would bring vengeance at his proper time -- which he did forty years later (Lk 23:34). 

"There is only one Lawgiver and Judge" (Jas 4:12)

Beyond relying on a diminished understanding of God's grace and kindness toward sinful humanity and his call for us to "live as Jesus did", the idea of conditional forgiveness neglects to take into account the limited understanding of humanity regarding one's own heart motives and sin, as well as the heart and motives of others. Adhering to this teaching of conditional forgiveness requires that a person also takes on the forbidden role of both the Lawgiver and the Judge -- the one who determines who is guilty and not guilty, why they are guilty and what has to be done about their sin. While this appears doable when it involves cases addressed by existing laws and regulations, it becomes dangerous and detrimental for the many other incidents and issues that are less clear and primarily involve motives of the heart. For example, if someone repeatedly responds to us in a way that we consider highly offensive but they consider it in line with the teaching of Scripture and as normal behavior, we have a problem. If we choose to be offended and can only forgive if they repent, even though they may not see that repentance is necessary, we have to either accept that we are wrong and and must repent or establish ourselves as God, Judge and Lawmaker (Jas 4:12). It's easy to see that a person exercising this kind of judgement James writes about would become increasingly self-righteous and begin to have contempt for just about everyone -- from an unkind colleague to their family member who is unable to love them in a way that meets their standards. 

This kind of limited forgiveness is also an ingredient for disaster in one's marriage and family. Imagine a marriage where each partner is expected to repent of every major offense against the other in order to receive forgiveness. While the goal in Christian marriage is walking in love for God and one another, it's clear from Scripture and all of Christian history that this involves the process of sanctification and often does not happen instantly. For example, what is the husband of a disorganized wife or vice versa to do if full repentance does not take place immediately when this sin is uncovered and discussed? Is the offending spouse to be cut off, removed from relationship and held at a distance until he or she repents? Or how is a parent to continue his or her relationship with a dependent, unrepentant child based on the concept of conditional forgiveness? By nature, this would require stopping fellowship with the child until he or she repented. Christian psychologists, along with secular ones, have shown that this kind of hot/cold, push/pull relationship does not promote reconciliation but instead produces hurting, unstable children who do not understand the concept of grace. 

While these examples may seem silly or irrelevant, in order for this concept of conditional forgiveness to be true, it must by nature pass the practical, correspondence and coherence tests. It not only fails the practical test in its inability to be applied to everyday relationships in a way that brings glory to God, it also fails the correspondence and coherence tests in that it does not line up with the overall teaching of Scripture regarding God's extravagant mercy toward us and his call to unconditional forgiveness as seen throughout Scripture.

A True and Better Way

Thankfully, Jesus provides a true and better way of handling conflict and offenses, reflected in his teaching and his own response to sin and evil. He said, "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven...for the measure you use it will be measured to you" (Lk 6:37-38). In the immediate context he shows that even sinners do good to and forgive those who do good to them. But God's children are to live in a completely different way by loving their enemies, doing good to them and lending to those without expecting repayment because "God is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful just as your Father is merciful" (Lk 6:35-36). God wants us to walk like Jesus did so that we reflect his love and mercy, while leaving judgment to him as Jesus modeled, "He entrusted himself to the one who judges justly." (1 Pet 2:23). He shows that he alone is God, and only God can couple forgiveness and reconciliation. As mere humans, we are commanded to hold them apart -- after all, we are not and never will be God. (Rom 14:4, 10). 

As humans who cannot equate forgiveness with reconciliation, we are encouraged to leave vengeance to the Lord and instead seek to "live at peace with all men as far as it is possible with us" (Rom 12:17). If someone refuses to repent of their sins and we're to remain in relationship with them, we can consider them an enemy which also requires unconditional forgiveness. This involves following what Paul and Solomon said, "If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink" (Rom 12:20; Prov 25:21-22). In the context of Paul's teaching in Romans 12, he concludes with the same thought as the Lord Jesus, echoing his Sermon on the Mount, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Rom 12:21).  For us to be like God as image bearers reflecting his glory, we are to be merciful like he is merciful instead of looking for ways to extract justice, which is the human default when we hear the words conditional forgiveness. Whether we are dealing with a friend or a perceived enemy, the Lord shows that our response remains that of love.

"First take the log out of your own eye" (Matt 7:5)

Jesus provides a prior step to forgiving that is found in both the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5-7) and the Sermon on the Plain (Lk 6). He asks, "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your own brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" (Lk 6:39). Prior to forgiveness, he says we are to look to God the Holy Spirit to give us grief and sorrow in our own heart for anything we have done wrong so that we can repent. Otherwise, Jesus says we will be like blind people leading the blind into a ditch (Lk 6:39), and we will train all of our children and followers to become blind guides and contempt-filled people, which he warns is an abomination before God (Lk 16:15).

When we have repented of our sins with the grief given by the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 7:10) we are free to release unconditional forgiveness. It's only with that releasing of unconditional forgiveness that we can see clearly enough to candidly draw an offender's attention to their sin against us. As Leviticus 19:17 warns, "Do not hate your brother in your heart" -- that is, hold onto bitterness and unforgiveness toward them. Instead, "Rebuke your neighbor candidly so you will not share in his [or her] guilt" (Lev 19:17). As we have allowed the Lord to show us the greatness of our own sin, we are able to forgive our brother and approach him or her with hearts of compassion and humility knowing that we are also in need of great mercy and forgiveness. When we fail to take this step when appropriate, we share partially in their guilt (Gal 6:1-2). Moses then immediately says, "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD" (Lev 19:18).

And last, after repenting, releasing vengeance (unconditional forgiveness) and candidly rebuking in love, we are free to seek true reconciliation. As Jesus said, If you are worshipping and "there remember that your brother has something against you...first go and be reconciled to your brother; and then come" back to worship (Matt 5:23-24). God desires that we be "united in spirit and purpose" (Phil 2:2) and that we "keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph 4:3). His goal for us as his children is that we practice ongoing, unconditional forgiveness toward one another, both toward our friends and those we perceive as our enemies. This often involves speaking the truth in love and humbly confronting others when they sin against us. At the same time, he reminds us that "it is a man's honor to overlook an offense" (Prov 19:11). 

The way of wisdom and grace requires that we approach the whole issue of forgiveness and repentance from a posture of humility and love -- seeking to reflect God's grace and truth to others in the same extravagant, life giving way that we've received it on a daily basis and never forgetting that we, apart from God's amazing grace, deserve eternal death (1 Cor 5:10). It's impossible to do this if we come to relationships with the concept of conditional forgiveness -- establishing ourselves as God and Judge and seeking to extract justice instead of leaving vengeance to the Lord and loving our neighbor as ourself. 

"I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?" (Matt 18:32-33)

Half-Full, Half-Empty Paradox

The half full-half empty glass of water paradox has been used forever to describe polar opposite perspectives people have about situations and life in general. I think many of us have labeled ourselves as one or the other. Because I'm a realist, my tendency is to see myself as a "glass half empty" kind of person, while my husband, who's an eternal optimist, views most situations as hopeful and see the glass half full most of the time. 

I’ve fought hard to defend my perspective, arguing that without realists the world would soon end in chaos with people building castles in the sky. My husband counters that visionaries and dreamers keep hope alive and without them it would perish. As I was thinking about this concept recently, it occurred to me that both perspectives are essential for maintaining a biblical worldview which always includes suffering as well as redemption. Bringing them together challenges people like my husband and me who want to polarize positions and tout our view as superior.

Jesus didn’t seem to think that there had to be a choice between the two perspectives, but encouraged the disciples and believers to embrace both outlooks, with a foundational commitment to the fact that the half full glass will eventually, at the consummation, give way to a perpetual overflowing. He said, “In this world you will have trouble, but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33). Paul, in recounting his sufferings, made sure to include both the half empty and half full portion of the picture when he said, “We are pressed on every side, but we still have room to move. We are often in much trouble, but we never give up. People make it hard for us, but we are not left alone. We are knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Death is working in us because we work for the Lord, but His life is working in you” (2 Cor. 4:8-12).

Both spoke realistically of suffering and evil, but at the same time they saw resurrection hope as the antidote to discouragement or despair. It never honors God for us to deny reality that there’s a spiritual war raging. Jesus warned Peter that the enemy wanted to sift him like wheat (Lk. 22:31). He knows that each of us faces similar trials and temptations from the world, the flesh, and the devil, and he warns us in His Word that unless we face them, suit up in our spiritual armor, and pray for His sustaining power we’ll become casualties on the battle lines (Eph 6:10-18). 

Because He offered up His own life to secure our triumph over sin and death, it’s clear He doesn’t want us to allow an attitude of defeat to rule our lives. Instead, He yearns for us to have eyes to see and ears to hear His call to acknowledge that the battle is definitely raging and the enemy who tried to destroy Him at the cross remains our enemy (1 Pet. 5:8). But He doesn’t want our focus to stop there – at what could look like a half empty glass. He summons us to fix our eyes on the greater reality of the cross, the resurrection, and the promises of Revelation so that we’re able to determine with fortitude that even though we’ll experience immense trouble and attacks from the enemy “greater is he who is in us than he who is in the world” (1 Jn. 4:4). He has already overcome the world, and as His daughters and sons we’re victorious with Him. By faith we can say in every situation, no matter how distressing it is, that we are more than conquerors through Christ (Rom. 8:37). We have His promise that He’s with us to the very end (Mt. 28:20), His Spirit’s power is within us giving us strength (Eph. 1:19-20), and He always leads us in triumph (Col. 3:15). 

Yes, in some ways it appears the glass is half empty: many suffer from sickness and disease, marriages struggle, jobs are lost, people we trust let us down. But for the Christian the story never ends on the sorrowful note. Hope remains and healing will come both in this age and in the age to come (Mk. 10:29-30). God is in the process of making all things new. And even in the middle of the worst life experiences, He’s reminding us, whispering to our hearts, that He’s with us in our pain and suffering. The sun will shine again, healing will come, and hope can never be extinguished. We are more than over-comers through Him!

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:38-39).

When What's Good Seems Bad

God promises that he is giver of "every good and perfect gift" and that he "withholds no good thing" from us (Jas 1:17; Ps 84:11). We see this aspect of his character and nature from the first verses in Genesis where he speaks the earth and all that's in it into being, declaring that it is "good" and that his creation of humanity is "very good." When he encounters Moses at the burning bush, he uses "good" again to describe the land he is giving to them -- "a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey" (Ex 3:7). But after spying out the land and looking over the people, the cities and their power, ten out of the twelve men saw what God defined "good" as "bad", and they wanted nothing to do with his plan. As I was reading this passage today and thinking about how their response differed from Caleb and Joshua's, I saw how faith in God and his promises not only brings assurance that he is working everything together for our good (Rom 8:28), but gives us clear vision to see things as they truly are and not just how they appear on the surface.

All twelve of the men came back in agreement that the land "does flow with milk and honey" and they showed the large cluster of grapes, along with the figs and pomegranates, to prove it (13:28). They all saw this aspect of the land's goodness -- its fertile soil and ability to produce abundant fruit. But the powerful people, the fortified cities and the giants overshadowed this blessing so much that it moved them to speculate about their future defeat. Their lack of faith, or rather their faith in man over God, caused them to shrink back in fear instead of trusting in God's demonstrated power and greatness. He had already proven himself to be mighty and faithful in rescuing them from the Egyptians, miraculously parting the Red Sea and then providing for them all that they needed. And he had given Moses his Word that he would go before them and fight for them. But this was not enough for them to trust him.

As they rejected him and looked instead through the lens of unbelief and fear of man their situation was distorted to such a great degree that they became terrified, while the other two men were confident and at peace. Without God in the equation as the one who was mightier than the armies of the world, the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites appeared stronger and their land looked like one that "devours those living in it" (32). The people who were objectively tall people became in their imaginations so huge that they felt "like grasshoppers" compared to them (33).  Without trust in the Lord and his promises, this felt like a bad and utterly impossible situation that was not worth their risk, even though it meant direct defiance of God's commands.

While Israel's ensuing wilderness wanderings clearly show how unbelief and the fear of man can distort reality, we see this same struggle throughout Scripture as many refuse to believe God and reject what he says is good. And we, unfortunately see this in our own lives as well. Last week, we were talking with friends about what it means to walk closely with the Lord and to experience persecution for the sake of the Gospel. My husband and I have also been watching documentaries of the persecuted church in the Middle East and China, reading stories about Christians who are suffering unjust imprisonment and even death, and most recently listening to the account of the Canadian pastor who was persecuted for opening his church during the pandemic and is now in solitary confinement and in chains. 

As I was reading these stories of persecution and recalling our conversation, I was tempted to see them only as "bad", wondering how anyone could endure this. I was also tempted to seek out a safe and comfortable life instead of the one Christ has called me to live. In praying this morning, the Lord showed me that I was being tempted to think with the same mindset as the Israelites, which elevated safety and fear of man over honoring God. To yield to this mindset would involve rejection of his Word, which speaks about persecution as a necessary aspect of the Christian life. I was reminded of many passages that call persecution and insult for the sake of the Gospel "good", since it is evidence of a life bearing fruit for God's glory (Jn 15:18-25). I also remembered Jesus' promise that we would not only experience great opposition from the world to the Gospel but that it would even come from our family and the religious community, "You will be hated by everyone because of my name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved" (Matt 10:22). He warned that some would be so deceived by their self-righteousness that they would think they were doing God a favor by forcing them out of the synagogue and killing them (Jn 16:2). 

Even though these examples from the book of Numbers, the Gospels, and  my own experience, seemed far apart in their relevance, I began to notice the common thread of unbelief and fear of man and its similar implications. Like the Pharisees, the Israelites denied the goodness of God and refused to enter his rest of trust, approaching him and life through the lens of what they could see rather than the lens of faith.  Their decision to call what's good bad and what's bad good cost them God's future blessings, and brought suffering on the believing community.  The unbelieving Israelites lost their lives, and all who agreed with them were forbidden from entering the promised land which meant the whole group had to remain in the wilderness for 40 years. The unbelieving Pharisees came under God's judgment, not only for their own sins, but also for those of their fathers who were also instrumental in killing the prophets (Lk 11:50; Acts 7:52). And if I chose to live in unbelief regarding God's declared goodness of suffering for righteousness sake, I would forfeit many blessings and risk that my actual declared faith in Christ was counterfeit (Rev 21:8; Lk 9:26; Lk 12:5).

God is encouraging me today to come to him and remain in his rest of faith -- actively listening to, trusting and obeying in the Spirit's power what he says is good and right and rejecting the temptation to call good bad and bad good Cor 10:13). Whether he is calling me to take a step of faith one day to serve in a country that looks like a land of giants or to experience unjust suffering and persecution right where I am, I can do both in confident trust that behind the veil of what looks "bad" is always the "good" and perfect gift from Abba -- just as he promised. 

Freedom from Bitterness

Bitterness has a way of wrapping its long arms around us and literally squeezing the life out of our souls -- if we let it. Anything from a snide comment to a broken promise can spark anger or hurt in our lives, which if left unchecked quickly morphs into bitterness. It’s deadly, and it spreads. Our anger spews out into the lives of those around us and like a wildfire consumes everything in its path (Heb. 12:15).

I remember hearing the quote “hurting people hurt people” when I was younger. I halfway believed it, but more than anything thought it was a weak attempt to explain away cruel behavior.  The longer I live and the more I experience the pain of bitterness, the more I realize how true the statement is. We’re all hurting to some degree, but those who aren’t casting their burdens on the Lord and receiving his healing grace and mercy are the ones consumed by and defiling others with their anger.

     

I went through a period of about five months when we first arrived in Korea when I was so angry at God for bringing me here I could barely breathe. My anger was the first emotion I felt in the morning and at night, and the feeling that ran through my veins throughout the day. With bitterness lurking inside, a small inconvenience could summon me to a point of rage. Life was miserable for me and, as a result, unbearable for my family and others who had had to be around me. I jumped on offenses, quickly misjudged motives, and thought the worst of many situations. My biblical worldview with God at the center had shifted, and my own right to happiness and comfort became my central focus. Because I believed I’d been dealt the wrong set of cards, I excused my anger, allowed it to stay, and began a bitter journey that left many casualties, including my own heart.

     

Refusing to repent and forgive is more dangerous than our human minds can grasp. That’s why God continually warns us about its consequences (Eph 4:31-32, Col 3:8, 2 Tim 2:24, Jas 1:19-20). We read about the anger of Cain, Esau, Saul and Samson, to name a few, and we watch with trepidation as it destroys lives and kingdoms. Each day the news is filled with stories of anger out of control, and we’re often shocked, even stunned, at what people are capable of doing. But rarely do we make the connection between the evil action and the seemingly incidental root of bitterness that began as a small seed of anger. We tend to think it's our right to nurse a grudge, but later discover that the anger has become lethal.
     

God gives us some specific ways to handle hurt and anger rather than stuffing it and letting bitterness consume us.

      

Put on the full armor of God (Eph 6:10-18). We’re to meditate on his Word daily and know who we are in Christ so that "when the day of evil comes we can take our stand." Offenses and difficulties will (not may) happen, and we’re to be prepared for them, not in paranoia, but in realistic anticipation that we may well get hurt. When we stand in our gifted identity in Christ we are not easily knocked down. We put on each piece of God's armor by declaring in faith that we trust in God's perfect provision for our walk of faith to live in his truth, righteousness, peace, faithfulness, hope, and powerful spoken word as we pray continually. This enables us to go into the day in a position of submission with the supreme desire and commitment to trust him. He empowers us to walk in his Spirit's power and not our own so that when the hour of trouble comes we can remain standing...and standing firm with our feet solidly planted on the Rock (Eph. 6:11).

Be still and know that he is God (Ps 46:10). This literally means to relax and know that he’s God. When we encounter hardships, persecution and suffering we need to remind ourselves that God is on his throne and for whatever divine reason he has allowed our trial (Ps 103:19). Whining and complaining won’t make it go away. But remembering God’s sovereignty, his goodness and his commitment to empower and uphold us, enables us to walk by faith and respond according to his perfect, pure and Proven Word instead of in the flesh (Ps 145:8, Is 43:2-3, Eph 4:31-32).

Pray for our enemies (Matt 5:44). Instead of replaying disappointments or offenses over and over in our minds, we can release the desire for vengeance to God, allowing him to bring discipline in his perfect timing (Rom 12:19). With confidence that the righteous Judge is in control, we're free to pray blessings upon our enemies that we and they would repent and be restored.

Bless those who curse us (Lk 6:28) . God says we’re to bless them in prayer and do good to the people who hurt us. This often means taking a step of faith to do something intentionally kind for the person who has possibly done something intentionally evil toward us (Lk 6:35). We’re told to “Be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves,” which means taking steps of kindness not with a naive spirit but in God’s wisdom, asking how we should respond.

Resist the devil and he will flee (Jas 4:7). Every time the temptation comes to hate our enemy or grumble about our circumstances, we can cling to God and resist the devil by standing firm in our faith (1 Pet 5:9). God promises that we will not be tempted beyond what we can bear and that his grace will sustain us if we rely on him (1 Cor 10:13). We're able to stand firm in the face of temptation as we abide in the Word and in prayer, fixing our eyes on God and not our problems. 

Speak the truth in love (Eph 4:15).  After seeking God in prayer for wisdom and acknowledging our own sin, we need to go to the offender. We can lovingly, not with accusation, explain why we feel angry or hurt. If they listen, then they’ve shown themselves wise (Prov 9:8, 15:32). If they refuse to listen or acknowledge any wrongdoing, then we simply turn them over to the Lord’s discipline and allow him to bring about repentance.

God wants us to have inner peace and to live peacefully with others as much as we're able (Rom 12:18). Walking in thankfulness and love is something we're capable of doing only as we abide in Christ, trusting in his resurrection power at work in us, and doing what our Lord both models and commands. As we see in the Gospels and read in Hebrews, our Great High Priest has suffered in every way but was without sin (Heb 4:15). He is at the Father's right hand interceding for us and ready to help when we cry out to him. In, with and through him we can do all things (Rom 8:34; Phil 4:13).

"What is impossible with men is possible with God" (Lk 18:27).

You Need Only Be Still

Of all the battle scenes in the Old Testament, the account of the Israelites pressed up against the Red Sea with Pharaoh and his army closing in on them is my favorite -- not because I enjoy the seeming impossibility of their situation but because I love watching the Lord's miraculous deliverance. Based on all human reasoning, their position is one of utter defeat. If they move forward they are certain to drown in the sea, and if they turn back they'll be destroyed by the Egyptians or taken back into slavery. But what looks like a place of hopelessness and complete loss to human eyes is the very spot where God intends to show his glory so that everyone will know that he alone is the Lord (Exodus 14:4). 

As we look at the details of this epic war story, it's clear that God is not just one of the officers in the battle, he's the Commanding General and the Colonel of the Israelites -- the Warrior King who strategizes and implements every aspect of the battle. Even on the enemy lines, he is at work powerfully hardening Pharaoh's heart so that he and his army shift from peaceful surrender to pursuit (14:4). As a result, he reverses his decision to let the Israelites go, realizing he has lost all of his slave labor and the ability to prosper. Taking up 600 of his best chariots, he and the army march out after the Israelites in what seems to be an easy takeover (14:7-9).  They just have no idea Who they are up against!

When the Israelites look up and see this mighty army marching toward them "They were terrified" (10). Their immediate response in fear is to second guess Moses', and ultimately God's, decision to take them out of the land and deliver them from slavery. In their reasoning, it is better to be a living slave nation than a dead one, and they want to go back and serve the Egyptians. Moses, however, is filled with faith and courage, enabling him to see the same situation from God's perspective as he commands them, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still" (13:14).

Even after Moses expresses confidence in God's military power and promises, he continues praying, crying out for help. God stops him and says it's time to "move on":  "Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground" (14:15-16). He assures him again that he will receive glory through this victory so that the Egyptians, who were living in hardened unbelief, will finally know that he alone is God (14:18).  He strategically directs the angel of the Lord to fall behind them and places the cloud behind them as well to cause darkness to fall over the Egyptians, while allowing light to illumine the path of the Israelites (14:19-20). 

In faith, Moses holds out his staff as commanded, and God sends a powerful wind to drive back the sea on both sides and dry up the seabed so that all the Israelites can pass through (21). As the Egyptians are in pursuit of them, the Lord brings confusion over the army, even causing the wheels to fall off their chariots. It becomes evident that they are not fighting a regular battle but a supernatural one against the Warrior King and they testify to this saying, "The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt" (25).  God causes the powerful rushing waters to "flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horseman" (26), drowning them in the sea so that not even one man survives (28). Meanwhile, all the Israelites are safe on shore, where they begin celebrating God's power and glory as their deliverer and defender and "put their trust in him and in Moses his servant" (14:31). 

After reading this account again today I am wonderfully reminded that there is never any reason to fear the opposition as long as I'm standing in God's protective shelter and trusting in his deliverance. I can in confidence know that he is the same Warrior King who goes to battle today just as he did thousands of years ago when he fought for Israel. He's able to harden the hearts of the wicked so that they hotly pursue his people, seeking to destroy them, while at the same time commanding "his angels" to guard and hold his beloved in his hands so that they do not "strike [their] foot against a stone" (Psalm 91:11-12). This gives me confidence to continue crying out for God's help in prayer, knowing that the Lord will fight for me, and I only need to remain still (Exodus 14:13-14). 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtvQNzPHn-w

In reading through Mark's Gospel this week, I've been deeply encouraged by Jesus' honesty with the disciples when they were struggling to walk in Christlike-love toward one another and outsiders. When James and John vied for the best seats in heaven and the others found out and become "indignant", Jesus warned them all that "He who wants to be first must be slave of all" (Mark 10:44). Again, when the disciples were setting themselves above others who were driving out demons and trying to stop their work, Jesus reminded them that "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with each other" (Mark 9:50). 

Jesus warned that they were not appointed judges over one another. While he gave them the responsibility to "Judge a tree according to its fruit" (Luke 6:43-45), this was never an open invitation for them to sit in judgement over a person's heart or their motives based on their understanding of a situation. If they chose to do this anyway, he promised they would be judged by the same measure (Matthew 7:2), which would not be pleasant.

I've learned that it's easy to walk in this kind of superficial, critical judgment, especially when I'm not allowing the Spirit to convict me of my own sins. Jesus said that if we simply look at another person lustfully we have committed adultery in our heart (Matthew 5:28). Or if we hate someone, we've spiritually murdered them. And John says that this is a matter of life or death: "You know that no murderer has eternal life in him" (1 John 3:15). If we're living in true awareness of our utter sinfulness and condemnation apart from the saving blood of Jesus, our attitude will be one of grace toward those who do not meet our demands and expectations. Like the tax collector, instead of condemning others we will beat our breast in the presence of God in sorrow for the sins we've committed (Luke 18:9-14).

In addition to these reasons, there are others that show why unkind judgment is forbidden by the Lord: 

Things are not always the way they appear (Proverbs 18:13): This can be seen in the story of the woman caught in adultery and how Jesus responded to the Pharisees' accusations regarding her guilt and their reasoning that she deserved to be stoned. He gave them complete freedom to throw the first stone if they were innocent in the matter (John 8:7). Instead of throwing rocks, they experienced God's conviction in their consciences of their personal guilt and "Went out one by one, beginning with the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst." This same kind of superficial judgement occurred when the "sinful" woman anointed Jesus' feet with perfume and Simon the Pharisee had contempt for her. Jesus' rebuke to Simon showed that he had judged incorrectly and, as a result, had dishonored God (Luke 7:36-50).

Unkind judgment is often linked to hypocrisy (Matthew 6:2): I am challenged by the reminder that the Pharisees, who were so quick to find the speck in someone else's eye, had a log in their own (Matthew 7:5). Jesus told them to first deal with their own huge sins of lust, hate, greed and idolatry and then they would be able to address the "speck" in their neighbor's eye. Though they were committing the sins they accused everyone else of committing, they were completely blind to them. This same hypocrisy was seen in Cephas' life, a believer, when he shifted his focus from God to man and began fearing and seeking the praise of man over God (Galatians 2:11-14). 

Slander is unkind judgment put to words (Proverbs 19:5): The Bible speaks a lot about slander and gossip, so much so that 1 Corinthians 6:10 and Revelation 22:15 say that those who continually practice this sin will not inherit eternal life. I have often wondered why slander is so offensive to God and believe that it's because ruining or harming someone's name is a destruction of their nature as image bearers (James 3:9-12). God calls us each by name and kindly addresses many of the prophets, disciples and others by their name. He forbids us from taking his name in vain, showing that the words we use to identify him are extremely important (Exodus 20:7). Since we are made in his image and created to reflect his glory in Christ, when someone slanders our name it is a reflection on his character and nature in us (Acts 9:4)! 

We've all witnessed this kind of slander and evil judgment and know how devastating it can be. Praying today that the Lord will keep reminding me of the seriousness of this sin so that I remain in his grace, showing others mercy and allowing him to be the Just Judge who alone is able to discern the heart of man. 

Transformed by God's Sovereign Grace

"So it was not you who sent me here, but God" (Gen 45:8)

Both Joseph and Judah experience God's transforming grace through the tragedy of betrayal -- not because they have to, but because they choose by faith to submit to God and trust him. Judah, who devises the plan to sell Joseph into slavery (37:26), experiences his share of suffering after the betrayal -- losing two sons who the Bible says are so wicked the Lord takes their lives (38:7). His own life is immoral and brings dishonor to his family. Yet, he repents and years later offers his own life in place of his brother's. Joseph lives as an alien and stranger in Egypt for years, suffering many hardships and injustices, before being reunited with his brothers. Yet when he is tempted to seek revenge he chooses  instead by faith to relent, testifying to his confidence in God's plan to use their intended evil for his good and to sustain their family (45:7).

Two very different men with different roles in the family and in God's story -- yet they both learn to surrender fleshly striving and submit to God's sovereign grace. We see the beauty of this transformation in Judah when he returns from Egypt and pleads with his Father to choose life instead of death by allowing Benjamin to return with them. He sacrificially offers his own life as a pledge for his brother's safety (43:9). And when he is confronted with the possibility of Benjamin's death, Judah boldly goes before Joseph, pleading for his brother's life for the sake of his Father and following through on his promise, "Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers" (44:33). 

God uses Judah's transformed life of humility, commitment to truth and the desire to honor his Father as an instrument of righteousness to soften Joseph's heart and bring him to repentance (Rom 12:21). Instead of doing what felt right, Joseph chooses by faith to submit to God's plan and return good for evil. In place of declaring his victim status, he testifies to the greater reality of God's goodness in all of his suffering, "And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors" (45:7). By faith, he realizes that it was God, and not his brothers, who sent him to Egypt and honored him there - making him "a father to Pharaoh...lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt" (45:8).

I'm reminded today to relinquish my right to understand and to get justice, trading it for the greater portion of the God's sovereign grace and his assurance that he will work all things together for my good and his glory -- as I trust in him (Rom 8:28).  

 Humility and the Fear of the Lord

"Do this and live, for I fear God" (Gen 42:18)

In reading Genesis 41-42 today, I saw how God was able to use years of slavery and imprisonment to teach Joseph how to walk in the fear of the Lord. His mindset beautifully reflected submission and humility as he gave stipulations to his brothers and responded to Pharaoh about interpreting his dreams declaring, "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer" (41:6). While Joseph knew that any ability to discern truth from a dream could never come from following his own heart (40:8), he also trusted that God was willing and able to speak through him. Pharaoh also saw that Joseph was a "discerning and wise" man not because he was so amazing, but because the "Spirit of God" was indwelling him (41:38:39).

I'm reminded afresh today that true humility is not diminishing the gifting and graces that God has given us but instead a desire and commitment to magnify God rather than ourselves as we use them for his glory (Col 3:23). This kind of humility is inextricably linked to the fear of the Lord, which God says is the "beginning of wisdom" (Prov 9:10). As we humble ourselves before him, standing in awe of his greatness and power, his Spirit reminds us (like he did Joseph) that apart from him we can do nothing, but that in and through him we can do all things (Jn 15:5, Phil 4:13). 

God's Abounding Grace

Genesis 38-40

In reading through Genesis 38-40 today, I was newly reminded of the Lord's ongoing blessings in Jospeh's life as I traced the thread of his abounding grace, woven through deep betrayals and seemingly hopeless situations. As he sat at the bottom of a pit, God graciously delivered him from death and to a possibly safer place than with his jealous brothers. When he was locked up in a prison cell, God provided a divine appointment with the cupbearer who later spoke of him to the Pharaoh. As he rose to leadership in a foreign country away from his family, God positioned him to rescue them from famine and death. In his absolute, unchanging goodness, God never desired for his brothers to sell him into slavery or for Pharaoh's wife to lie about him or for the cupbearer to break his promise. But at the same time, he sovereignly used these evils to fulfill his even better plans. What looked like a series of unfortunate events were instead God's tools for blessing, which Joseph eventually realized and testified to in the presence of his brothers. 

God was able to use the horrible -- hatred, betrayal, slavery, slander, isolation, prison and living in exile -- to fulfill his covenantal promises to Joseph and his family as he transformed these evils by his abounding grace. Jospeh's life was blessed and full of grace, not just when he was elevated to leadership in Egypt, but even before he was "knit together in [his] mother's womb" (Ps 139:13-14). God's hesed love could and would not be hindered by intense suffering or persecution. In fact, these difficulties only worked to shine a greater light on God's grace and favor. 

Like Joseph, all of us who are "in Christ" have his promise of covenantal faithfulness and the assurance that his loving plans for us cannot be thwarted. He guarantees us that no on can take us from his hand (Jn 10:28-30) and that he is able to use all that is bad in our lives -- the betrayals, injustices and suffering -- to bless us and bring glory to his name (Rom 8:28). Our challenge, like Joseph's, is to resist the urge to define God's character and purpose for our lives based on our circumstances rather than allowing his proven love and abounding grace to be the starting point for all our understanding (Prov 3:5-6). 

Joseph had a choice to put his trust in his circumstances or to keep his eyes on God, and he chose the greater portion. When circumstances threaten to define us as victims and God as anything other that who he says he is, we can choose by faith to resist by standing on God's promises and trusting in his proven character, declaring with complete confidence that "The Lord is upright, he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him" (Ps 92:15).

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work" (2 Cor 9:8).