Losing Our Life to Find It

Jesus spoke in Kingdom language that was and is impossible for the unregenerate mind to understand (1 Corinthians 2:14). He explained this divine mystery to Nicodemus and the other Pharisees, who doggedly questioned and accused him of confusion and even demon possession because they could not apprehend his teaching. Jesus told them that if they were ever to understand spiritual truths and see him rightly as the Messiah King, they must be born again (John 3:1-21).

One Kingdom lesson Jesus taught the disciples and crowds that was particularly difficult for them to embrace was his call to take up their cross and follow him (Matthew 16:24-26). The cross signified horrible suffering, shame and loss and was not something anyone – even the lowest in society – wanted to be associated with. In particular, the cross represented the epitome of a defeated life for the religious, who sought to make a name for themselves and who found their identity in the praise of man.

When Jesus said we must take up our cross and follow him, he meant that we must be willing to carry the burden of sacrifice, surrender and suffering in our identification with him. Part of this, he showed, is refusing to love, cling to and seek to build our own life according to the way of the world system. Jesus warned that one who seeks to hold onto his life here as opposed to surrendering his life to build the Kingdom of God will, in fact, lose their life.

How can loss be gain?

But the one who trusts Christ and his words, who is willing to let go of and even despise his life, will find it (Matthew 10:39; Luke 14:26). How can this be? How can we experience the abundant life Jesus promised by giving up our life and our rights to live the way we want and by taking up a cross?

The word life here in Greek means vapor, which helps to explain. Since our life on earth is a mere vapor, seeking to cling to it by living for the American dream -- success, comfort, riches and the praise of man is empty and vain pursuit, which Solomon discovered at the end of his life. Declaring this life and its pursuits under the sun to be “meaningless, meaningless” or “enigma, enigma,” he implores us instead to live for God and to seek to honor him above all (Ecclesiastes 1:1, 12:13). The apostle Peter also warns us to turn away from the “empty way of life handed down…by our forefathers, since we have been bought with the precious blood of Christ and redeemed from this meaningless existence (1 Peter 1:18-19). 

Those who seek to find life by holding on to it, Jesus promises, will forfeit his grace along with his gift of eternal life (Jonah 2:8). Many refuse to connect the dots from his promise in Matthew 16:25 back to a former one about receiving the gift of eternal life through faith in him (John 3:16). While eternal life is a gift that cannot be revoked, Jesus shows that the one who is truly saved is the one who now lives and walks in newness of life like Jesus did and, as a result, takes up his cross to follow God (Matthew 7:22-24).

Jesus was not adding a work to our justification by commanding faithful, ongoing obedience to take up our cross and deny ourselves but was showing that all regenerate children will be cross bearers who have turned away from idolatry of all kinds (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Revelation 22:15).

What about you and me?

Since Jesus’ words contain a life altering message, it’s important to ask ourselves the question, “Have I yielded my life along with my family, money, possessions, reputation and plans to the Lord? Have I rejected the world’s standard of seeking to promote my kingdom and instead taken up my cross to follow Christ and make his name known? Am I willing not only to live for him but to die for him? If we have not taken this step of faith, we are not born again. As we see throughout the book of Acts and through the teaching of Jesus, John the Baptist and all the New Testament writers, the Spirit begets in us a repentant faith that changes us from the inside out and reorients our desires to live for Christ  (Matthew 3:2; Mark 1:15; Acts 17:30). This saving faith radically renews and empowers us to turn away from trusting in ourselves to listen to, trust and obey the Lord and his good commands. If we have not surrendered to his Lordship, as Thomas did when he bowed the knee declaring, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28), then we need to turn to him today in repentant faith – yielding our very lives to him to receive his gift of life-altering, mind-transforming eternal life. 

“If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26-27).

The Call of God and the Pearl of Great Price

The call of God comes into our lives at different times and ways, but one common element of his call is the message of surrender by faith. This begins with his effectual call of repentant faith at our regeneration, when the Holy Spirit enables us to behold his glory and yield our very lives to him as an act of worship. Since it’s impossible to begin walking with him in the pursuit of holiness while going in the opposite direction of pursuing our own earthly goals, this initial surrender often involves great change. The same is true when God calls us to new seasons of ministry and service as his beloved children and soldiers in his army. While these calls are different in that one initiates us into the Kingdom of God and the other directs us in his service, it’s important to examine some of the common elements of them both.

We see God’s effectual call at work in the life of Abraham, Moses, Samuel, the prophets and disciples. Each was encountered by God and received his call as they were going about life, doing what they were accustomed to doing. They left homelands, houses, family and the familiar to follow God – who became their greatest treasure. 

The Bible also provides us with close-up views of what his ministry and mission call looks like in different seasons of life. One beautiful example is seen in the life of Elisha. The story in 1 Kings 19 zooms in on Elisha as he’s plowing his fields with twelve yoke of oxen. We can see that God has blessed and flourished his life, providing him with land, animals and crops. Interestingly, Elijah bursts on the scene, throws his cloak upon Elisha and then walks off. No words are necessary because the meaning and intent of his actions are clear – the call of God has come to Elisha’s life to leave behind his home and land and follow in Elijah’s footsteps. 

Much like the disciples, he immediately takes action by burning his plow, cooking the meat and giving it to the people (1 Kings 19:21). Like the disciples, he is so serious about answering God’s call that he burns all of his bridges, leaving no temptation to return to the land and showing all those around him that his intentions are to trust and obey the Lord at all costs. God, not his belongings and security, is his greatest treasure.

I don’t know about you, but I enjoy reading stories like this and biographies of great missionaries, who left everything to follow the Lord. I reason that this was God’s method of calling his people to service thousands of years ago but surely not in middle class America. He couldn’t possibly summon his people to leave houses, farms, family, jobs and all that’s familiar to follow him today. Or could he?

About 14 years ago, he stepped into our family’s life with a call to leave everything and follow him to South Korea to train church planters for the majority world. I spent the first nine months resisting the call and trying to convince myself that this could not be the Spirit of God. All but a few of our friends said we were out of our minds to take our middle school daughters overseas, and many assured us that this would fail. But God’s leading became more and more clear and was affirmed by the counsel of godly leaders in our church and the increasing clarity we received from the Word and the Spirit. 

We put all of our belongings in storage, rented out our house and left for South Korea with two large suitcases each. God used this season to remind us of his timeless truth that we are sojourners and called to be Christ followers, which means actually following him where he says to go and doing what he asks us to do. We also learned his call can come at any time — when we least expect it — and that our responsibility is simply to be ready to go, to surrender and follow him.

The Lord kept us in Korea for over six years and then Lord showed up and redirected us back to the states, where he called us to teach at a university. In our seventh year of teaching, he began to impress on our hearts the need to return to the nations to share the Good News. He providentially directed us to an organization of like-minded men and women who travel to the nations to provide much-needed Bible training for pastors and leaders. Once again, we left behind friends, our home, job and church and moved to be closer to family so that we could fulfill this new ministry calling. 

A few months ago, my husband asked me one night if I was ready to move again if God called us back overseas. My gut reaction was shock and denial, but I knew from the past that this was the norm and custom for the Christian life and what God has asked of me since I first met him over 35 years ago. He has not provided additional clarification about this calling, but we are willing and ready to go wherever he says go. It's our great joy to trust and follow him, even if it costs us everything, because he’s worth it and has freely given us everything. How can we withhold our very lives from the one who surrendered his life for us on the cross?

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being” (Revelation 4:11).

How Long Will You Waiver?

As Elijah stood before the people of Israel just before God’s miraculous display of power on Mt. Carmel, he asked them a question that we, too, must consider: “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him” (1 Kings 18:21). 

Israel had chosen to break allegiance with their true King and instead followed the counsel and practices of Ahab, who “abandoned God’s commands and followed the Baals” (1 Kings 18:18). In judgment, the Lord sent a famine over the land for more than three years and then sent down fire on the altar to bring them to repentance (18:38). 

Like Israel we are often lured away to follow the idols of our age and abandon allegiance to the Lord and his commands. While the gods of our age often do not have literal altars that require traditional sacrifices, they are real nonetheless. We worship comfort, success, money, power, influence and pleasure and sacrifice our time, energy and resources in pursuit of these idols. Instead of offering ourselves to God as living sacrifices as he calls us to do (Romans 6:13; 12:1-2), we turn our backs on him to worship these gods, which he says are no gods at all (Jeremiah 16:20).

As a result, God turns us over to a judgment that is far worse than a drought or fire display of his power, though it can include these. More drastically, we experience a famine or drought of his Word – hearing it but never understanding so that we can effectively apply it to our lives (Amos 8:11).

Jesus explains what this looks like in a person’s life who is consumed with the cares and idols of the world and is indifferent to the things of God. He says they will be “ever hearing but never understanding; …ever seeing but never perceiving” (Matthew 13:4). Like the seed that falls among the thorns, the word of God is choked out so that we, like Israel, live in dry, parched places where there is no water for refreshing (13:22). 

Like Israel, he calls us to stop wavering between two opinions and to whole-heartedly serve and follow him. He warns us that, like Israel, we cannot serve two masters – “either we will love the one and hate the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other” (Matthew 6:24). We cannot serve both God and money, along with the idols of this age. His antidote for us, as it was for Israel, is to repent and turn back to him in full devotion. Not only does he promise to bring soul refreshment as we return to him, but he assures us that instead of living in parched places we will experience his living water flowing from our lives (Jeremiah 17:5-8; John 7:38). 

We all have a choice. Will we serve the Lord who is God or the idols who are no gods at all? Will we trust in worthless manmade gods or trust in the all-powerful Creator who made us and sustains our lives (Psalm 135:15-18; Proverbs 3:5-6)? This choice has life-altering implications for us just as it did for Israel.

I've included a link to one of Billy Graham's sermons on this topic, which he gave at the Yankee Stadium in 1957 before 85,000 people. His talk starts at about 18:46. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aZoqIwHsdM

“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:14-15).

Dependent on Christ for Perfect Righteousness

Jesus’ words are often hard to digest, especially since they cut at the very core of humanity’s desire for autonomy and self-justification. In speaking with his disciples and a large crowd about the ethics of God’s Kingdom, Jesus reminded them that the Father’s standard for humanity was perfection: "Be perfect as our Father which in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). 

As he unwrapped the core teaching of the Ten Commandments in the Sermon on the Mount, he emphasized that God requires much more than the external obedience being practiced by the Scribes and Pharisees – and instead demands an obedience that flows from a regenerate heart and trust. Rather than lowering the bar for righteousness, he surprisingly raised it to the highest level. Not only was it sin to murder and commit adultery, but Jesus warned them if they even hated someone or looked at someone lustfully they had broken God’s commands and were guilty. He went on to tell them they must love their enemies, not trumpet their good works or store up treasures for themselves on earth – but to be rich toward God. These standards of perfection certainly brought the most self-righteous in the crowd to despair. After all, who besides God could achieve this kind of holiness? And wasn’t Jesus telling them they must somehow attain it themselves?

Since the Bible makes it clear that no one is righteous and that anyone claiming to be without sin is a liar (Romans 3:10-12; 1 John 1:10), we know Jesus was in no way contradicting the Word by requiring that humanity somehow pursue sinless perfection on their own (Numbers 23:19). Instead, his purpose in making this statement was to show them the utter impossibility of achieving this kind of perfect righteousness in their strength and their need for his redeeming work, which would not be fully revealed until the cross and resurrection. Jesus was directing their gaze away from themselves and their helpless attempts at self-righteousness and pointing them to their need for a Savior – one who had perfect, trusting obedience to the law and the authority to gift them with his perfect righteousness.  

The book of Hebrews speaks of this exact same transaction in Christ, but in different terms. Paul writes in Hebrews 10:14, “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” In other words, Jesus’ finished work on the cross on our behalf has made us “perfect” in God’s sight, who has forever cancelled the debt of sin we owed and imputed to our account perfect righteousness in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). In addition to this miraculous work, we are “being made holy” by his indwelling Holy Spirit. 

Jesus’ teaching on God’s standard for perfect righteousness in the Sermon on the Mount reminds us that he never minimizes his standards to accommodate our fleshly nature. Instead, he achieves perfection in us through his gifted righteousness and then works holiness in us through his Spirit, who enables to fulfill the ethics of the Kingdom of God (Romans 8:4; Hebrews 10:14-17; Philippians 2:12-13, 3:9). For this reason, we need to be wary of theology that either demands human perfection or denies God’s righteous standard for it. The reality is that we must be holy as he is holy -- but this holiness can only be given by Christ and sustained as we abide in him (1 Peter 1:16). 

“…and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith” (Philippians 3:9)

God's Standard for Humanity: Perfection

While as humans we have different levels of what we consider right and wrong, God shows in his Word that he requires perfection, "Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). Because of the Fall of Adam and Eve into sin, there is "no one" who is righteous, "not even one" (Romans 3:10-12). To illustrate the point, imagine that you had a huge container of water and someone put just one drop of poison in the water. As a result, the whole container of water would be contaminated. This is the case with each of our lives. This initial poison is original sin that is present in our lives from the Fall. Each time we say an unkind word, think an impure thought or do anything that is not filled with goodness and love, we commit a sin -- thus another drop and another drop and another drop of poison goes into the tank so that the whole tank of our life is completely contaminated.

Since God is holy and requires perfection (Matthew 5:48), we cannot have a relationship with him regardless of how hard we try to do good works and be good (Isaiah 52:9). Unless we are perfect, which we've seen is impossible, we cannot enter his presence (Leviticus 19:1). This is where Jesus comes in. He is the perfect God-Man, who lived a sinless life, died an atoning death on the cross to pay the just penalty for our sins and then rose again to make a way for us to receive his gift of salvation through repentant faith (1 John 2:2, Isaiah 53:4-5). When we come to him and receive this gift of salvation, he brings us into this family and gives us his Holy Spirit, who then empowers us to live and walk in newness of life, just as the prophet Ezekiel prophesied (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ezekiel 36:26). The Father declares us not guilty and innocent through the blood of his Son, Jesus, which enables us to stand in his presence and enjoy fellowship with him (Romans 3:24).

This is why the Gospel is called Good News, because it reveals God's miraculous provision for sinful humanity to be eternally restored to their original design as children of God -- who are forgiven, accepted and beloved of God.

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1).

Let God be True

In Romans 3:4, the apostle Paul makes a profound statement about the prominence and preeminence of the Word and will of God when he writes, “Let God be true and every man a liar.” This passage reminds us that an integral part to esteeming God as the Sovereign Lord is to adamantly refuse to bow to any other word or way of thinking that contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture – regardless of its appeal. 

This principle is revealed throughout Scripture but recently stood out to me as I was reading 1 Kings 13. God sent his prophet on a mission to speak truth to King Jeroboam, who was defying the name and word of God by promoting idol worship among the people of Israel and allowing unauthorized priests to offer “strange fire” before the Lord. The prophet faithfully delivered God’s word of judgment, along with the sign from the Lord of the altar breaking in two. He interceded for the king, according to the word and will of God, and God miraculously healed the king’s hand -- which he had previously shriveled in judgment. In gratitude, the king invited the prophet to come to his home for a meal and a gift. And once again, the prophet honored the word of God and refused to take anything from the king.

All seemed well for this man of God as he left to return home on a different route, just as he was instructed. On his way home, he encountered an older prophet, who also invited him to his house for a meal. Once again, the prophet remembered the word of God and declined -- until he heard another word that had greater appeal: “I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the LORD: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” (1 Kings 13:18). The older prophet was lying, but the younger prophet chose to believe him over God’s word and went home with him. This seeming incidental change of plans did not go well for him. At dinner, he was rebuked by the Lord for defying his word and not keeping his commandments and was given a promise of judgment. On his way home he was mauled by a lion and left dead on the side of the road.

On the surface, this seems like a harsh judgment – after all the lying prophet did claim to hear from an angel of the Lord, and it’s likely the other prophet was exhausted and hungry. Yet, it’s clear that his choice was a monumental one. He was compelled by the desires of the flesh to reject the direct command of the Lord and follow a word that was more appealing. He chose to listen to, trust and follow the word of man over the word of God, which is forbidden by God, who warns that if an “angel from heaven” gives instructions against the word he is to be considered accursed (Galatians 1:8-9). 

While we do not have the behind-the-scenes details, we can discern that the Lord was testing his heart to determine if he would remain faithful to the word of God in the face of seemingly better options. Since God required righteousness and justice among King Jeroboam and Israel and judged them accordingly, the same standard was applied to his prophet -- and even more so as 1 Peter 4:17 warns, “Judgment begins with the household of God.” 

Though we do not receive new, direct revelation from God like the prophet, we experience many similar temptations to follow the word of other people instead of closely following the Lord’s word from the Word. One area of God’s Word that has been cast aside by many in the church in America, and sadly in my own life at times, is God’s final instruction to fulfill the Great Commission by going and making disciples of the nations. Like the prophet of 1 Kings, many teachers and leaders stand at the crossroads and assure believers that we can turn and go in the other direction of God’s command. 

I have personally experienced this throughout my Christian life but most intensely after I gave my life to Christ 35 years ago. From my earliest days as a follower of Christ, the Spirit etched Matthew 28 on my heart, along with his command to take up my cross and follow him. As I communicated this conviction with others, some sought to convince me that I had not heard the Word correctly, and that these passages were not actually calling for me to follow him wherever he said to go in a life altering, sacrificial way. Looking back, I believe God placed them on my path, much like he did the older prophet, to test my heart and see if I would remain faithful to his Word. There have been seasons, and some longer than others, when I have followed their counsel, sat at their table and sought to make peace with these two opposing words. During these times, I have experienced deep angst in my soul and conviction that I, like the younger prophet, was rejecting  the very Word of God by my actions. 

Thankfully, the Lord keeps bringing me back to his unchanging Word, along with the reminder that I have been rescued from the empty way of life handed down to me by my forefathers and given new life in Christ (1Peter 1:18). As his beloved daughter, my only commitment is to trusting and obeying his Word. This lifestyle, he promises, is one of sacrifice and self-denial, but is shielded by his love. It involves living in an upside-down Kingdom that is counter cultural with the world. Yet, he promises that it is the good life where true happiness, joy and peace can be found and where real purpose rises from seeking first his Kingdom and righteousness.

He’s reminding me again of the serious ramifications of choosing to exchange his Word for other words. While I may not face a sudden, tragic death like the prophet, he assures me that I will grieve his Father heart and forfeit grace that could be mine by clinging to worthless idols (Jonah 2:8). With open hands, I’m giving up my right again to receive any other word that appeals to my flesh and choosing by faith to stand firmly on the Word of God. “Let God be true and every man a liar” (Romans 3:4). 

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

When Manners and Mission Collide

“Nancy, won’t you have some butter?” I looked up, surprised that Granny was interested in whether or not I was going to have butter and casually gave her one of my favorite responses, “No thank you.” I had already smothered two rolls in it and planned to have some more -- just not at the moment. Unmoved by my reply, she spoke a little louder in a more serious tone that told me a lesson was coming, “Well then, why don’t you pass it so that someone else might have some?” I finally got it! She wasn’t asking me if I enjoyed the butter or even if I wanted more. She was instructing me, in a way that only a seasoned Southerner could understand, to send it to her end of the table so she could have some.

Thanks to my genteel Granny, I was given some life-saving skills to survive in my Southern habitat. I started acquiring these necessary skills at an early age by instruction, observation, repetition and, of course, my Granny’s correction. Just before graduation, I received the official guide to keep me informed on everything from phone conversations to gift giving. It was Miss Manners’ Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior, and it was my etiquette bible – one I couldn’t live without.

My childhood training not to offend began to pay off in college, where I was given even more tips from our housemother Mrs. B. Her arched brows and tilted head let us know that we were on the verge of being called out – and nobody, I mean nobody, wanted that! Thankfully by then I knew what to do when I got to the table, and I could scout out with ease the less informed – those with piled up bowls and condiments right in front of them while the rest of us sat with empty or half-filled plates. Not only that, I could peruse the most challenging dinner conversations with a gracious smile and lots of kindness. Life seemed more easily containable with manners as my guide for achieving the peace and acceptance I always dreamed of.

The problem began to emerge in my early 20’s when I started reading the Gospels and studying the life of Jesus. I began to notice two characteristics about His personality that seemed to be diametrically opposed to the world system. Worse yet, they broke the rules I’d learned most of my life and left me perplexed. While He was kind, gracious and always willing to show consideration for those who were in need, at the same time He seemed more concerned for truth and God’s honor than anything else – often saying hard words and doing things that made others uncomfortable and even angry.

As I followed Him on dusty trips from town to town, I saw Him eating with His hands and even allowing a woman to wipe perfume on His feet with her dirty hair. To top that off, He corrected the host family, instead of the woman, rather bluntly for not showing Him kindness. He didn’t just break my family’s table manners, He made comments in public that were inconceivable to my Southern mind. In Matthew 12:34, He called the religious leaders who rejected His Lordship a “brood of vipers” and “whitewashed tombs,” and in Matthew 23:24 He referred to them as “blind guides”.  

He showed extraordinary kindness to the poor and sick and even welcomed them, regardless of their background or education, to be His followers. But to those who rejected His person and work, including His own family and disciples, Jesus gave stern rebukes (Matthew 12:47-50; 16:23). He preached with such great power and wisdom that the people were in awe (Lk 4:32). But their adulation didn’t keep Him from turning over the tables in the temple on one occasion and throwing out the ones who were doing business there instead of allowing the Gentiles to worship the Lord (Matthew 21:12-13).

I tried applying principles of contextualization, assuming His behavior must have been admissible in His culture – just not mine. However, as I continued reading through other books in the New Testament, I realized there was a common thread linking the messages of all the authors. Some came from uneducated backgrounds, while others were more cultured. Regardless of their family ties or social standing, as Christ followers they declared Christ, His Word and His honor supreme over anyone and everything. This gave them courage as well as conviction to proclaim with boldness those truths that were essential, even when they were not popular.

It wasn’t that they were superhuman and enjoyed rejection. Instead, it was a decision of the will to live for Christ. In regard to speaking up and proclaiming the truth even when it meant rejection Paul said, "If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10). Peter faced similar challenges, though he gave way to fear on a couple of significant occasions. When asked if he was a follower of Christ after Jesus’ arrest, he denied it for the sake of self-protection. Later, in Galatians, Peter was still struggling with people pleasing and trying to blend in at dinner without causing any problems with the more conservative Jews. His failure to stand up for the Truth didn’t go unnoticed though, and Paul publicly rebuked him for double-mindedness (Galatians 2:11-14).

While my commitment to showing kindness to others through nice manners is as strong as ever, I have experienced a major paradigm shift when it comes to choosing pleasing people over pleasing God. After all, He is God! He makes it clear that people-pleasing is the opposite of fearing God, and we cannot be committed to both (Exodus 20:3-5). Choosing to fear and even worship people instead of God “is a snare," while those who trust in the Lord are promised they will be kept safe (Proverbs 29:25).

Jesus never excuses rudeness or cruelty but wants us to love and treat others like we want to be treated (Mark 12:31). He calls for us to speak the truth, and to do it with hearts of love (Ephesians 4:15). But instead of allowing others’ opinions to dictate what we say and do, we are to live for God’s approval, doing what we know is pleasing to Him. This decision means we will often burst out of the mold of cultural norms. We will repeatedly be faced with the choice of blending in with the crowd or living out God’s truth. At times we will need to speak out on crucial issues that guarantee we will not win everyone’s acceptance. The commitment to place God’s Word and His approval above everything else is not a diversion from loving our neighbor as ourselves. Instead, it's the only way to express authentic love and Christ-like kindness.

"On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts"(1 Thessalonians 2:4).

A Righteousness that is by Faith

Jesus had many words to say regarding the attitudes and actions of the Scribes and Pharisees, who he said, “considered themselves righteous but held others in contempt” (Luke 18:9). Through generations of life under the weight of the Law, these religious leaders had devised a man-made way to gain righteousness. Instead of expressly trying to diminish the teaching of the 613 Laws God had given them, they created additional laws to provide loopholes for themselves. These laws, which added intricate instructions for how to carry out God’s commands with additional regulations, were their way of managing sin through external transformation and setting themselves above others. While they appeared righteous on the outside with such strict conformity to rules and regulations, Jesus showed that this was exactly the opposite of their true condition (Luke 23:27-28). Through his teaching he sought to point them to their need for forgiveness, healing and mercy so that they could receive his gift of true righteousness that comes by faith.

The need for forgiveness

Their external adherence to a code of righteousness had fooled them into believing that their works were pleasing to God. Jesus came among them to show the way out of this trap and to help them see their need for forgiveness. Through the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector he painted a picture of two men who were spiritual polar opposites by zooming in on their prayers as they came before God in the temple (Luke 18:9-14). One felt confident that he was set apart from the sinners of the world through his perfect adherence to the Law, while the other was so woefully aware of his sins he could not even look up to heaven but beat his breast and pleaded for God’s mercy (Luke 18:13). Shockingly, Jesus revealed that it was not the first man but the second who “went home justified before God” (Luke 18:14). His acknowledgement of his sin and need for grace and mercy revealed a heart of humility, contrasted with the pride and arrogance of the Pharisee who “flattered himself too much to detect or hate his sin” (Psalm 36:1).

The need for spiritual healing

The Pharisees and religious leaders were deceived into thinking that their external obedience to the Law and separation from the sinner was their source of spiritual health, which was the reason they had such great contempt for others. When Jesus was at Levi’s house, enjoying dinner with his friends, they were offended by his willingness to associate with those who were considered unrighteous and unclean (Luke 5:27-31). They had, on the contrary, worked hard to establish their own set-apart system to prevent this kind of contamination and could not understand how Jesus could be considered righteous while not adhering to the same strict separation. Their accusation opened the door for more instruction as Christ assured them that it was not the healthy who needed a doctor but the sick, and that he had come to call sinners, not the righteous, to salvation (Luke 5:32). Their self-righteousness was the very thing that prevented them from receiving the Great Physician’s healing balm of forgiveness and acceptance. 

The need to receive mercy

While Jesus was pointing sinners to salvation through humble reliance on the righteousness of God, whose yoke was easy and burden light, the Pharisees and religious leaders were instructing them on self-reliance -- giving them “cumbersome loads” to carry (Matthew 23:4).  They made converts of sinners to their religious system but weighed them down with regulations so that Jesus said their converts became worse off than they were (Matthew 23:15). Instead of allowing the Word of God to point them to Christ so that they could receive much-needed mercy and grace, they used it as an instrument to measure their own righteousness and condemn others. 

Only one way forward

Thankfully, Jesus showed them and us the way forward out of the trap of self-righteousness and spiritual self-deception and into the righteousness of Christ. We, like the tax collector, can humble ourselves before God and acknowledge our utter sinfulness in the flesh and our complete inability in our own strength to do anything to fix ourselves and make ourselves righteous before a perfect and holy God. Christ assures us that if we’ve even hated someone in our heart, we’ve committed murder, or looked at another person with lustful desire, we’ve committed adultery, so that “there is no one righteous; not even one” (Romans 3:10-12; Matthew 5:21-45). 

We can ask the Lord to reveal those areas of man-made rules and regulations where we have established a covering of self-righteousness and developed contempt for others. When he shows us these areas of sin, we can repent and turn back to the Gospel, which declares that “No one will be justified by trying to keep the Law” But that “the just will live by faith” (Galatians 2:16; Romans 1:17). 

We can also ask the Lord to show us the board in our own eye and repent for trying to remove the speck from others’ eyes (Matthew 7:3-5). When we sit in the seat of the big sinner who is saved by grace alone, we will be able to first receive mercy and then to show mercy and grace to other sinners in need of the same grace. The Lord’s passion for seeking and saving the lost will become our passion. And instead of making the Gospel and Christianity an elite group that few can enter, it will become the place where sinners are beckoned to come – where they too can feast on the goodness and faithfulness of the Father and receive his gift of true righteousness through the gift of repentant faith in his Son, Jesus Christ!

“God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13).

The Sovereign LORD is Near

At the very onset of the Fall of humanity into sin and rebellion, God promised that the Messiah would come through the line of the seed of the first woman, Eve, and that he would crush the head of the Serpent, Satan (Genesis 3:15). At the same time, God warned that the seed of the Serpent would strike the heel of Redeemer in an attempt to destroy him, though he would fail. Theologians refer to this as the protoevangelium or the first Gospel since it provides the initial picture of the coming Messiah. From this time forward in Scripture we see the conflict erupt between Satan and the people of the promise as he also seeks to destroy them.  While the battle is real and continues, the Lord shows us by example how to stand firm with resolute confidence that he and the Father are very near and that no accusation or condemnation can stand against us!

Darkness hates the light and seeks to extinguish it

Genesis 4 zeroes in on the murder of Abel by his brother Cain, who killed him “because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous” (1 John 3:12). The bitter jealousy and envy in Cain’s life drove him to extinguish the life and light of his brother. This same thread of murder and revenge can be seen in story after story throughout the Bible as the Serpent incites his children against God's children. Isaiah, in particular, highlights the Serpent’s hatred of the coming Messiah, not only to provide a picture of his future suffering and death but to stand as a warning for us about what to expect as children of God. This window of warning in the Servant Song of Isaiah 50:6-9 shows us the methods and tactics the Serpent and his followers will use against the Christ and his followers. As Jesus promised, “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also” (John 15:20).

He did not hide his face from mocking and spitting

In Isaiah 50:6, we see the coming Messiah’s response to this evil opposition as he declares, “I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.” This is exactly how we witness Christ responding to his persecutors as they mock and hit him. Peter summarizes his response in 1 Peter 2:23, “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.” He then shows the action he took in place of seeking revenge or trying to defend himself, “Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23). This beautifully coincides with the Isaiah passage where the writer explains why did he did not hide from the “mocking and spitting”: “Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced.” Again, in verse 9 he declares that because his help comes from the Sovereign God, he is confident he will be protected from the attacks of his accusers. 

He set his face like flint

In addition to refusing to retaliate because he’s confidently trusting in the Sovereign God, he says that he set his face like flint (Isaiah 50:6).  Having a face that is like flint is one that is solid, hard as stone and unbreakable. As we know from the Gospel accounts, Jesus’ face was set with unwavering determination on the cross and finishing the work the Father sent him to do so that nothing and no one could stop him. This concept is also mentioned in Ezekiel 3:8-9 where God promises to give the prophet a forehead like flint to powerfully withstand the attacks of the “snakes” and “scorpions” among him (Ezekiel 2:6). In addition to these examples, we see the Lord giving this kind of hardness and resistance against the enemy’s attacks to all of his prophets and his apostles. 

He is confident he will not be put to shame

In spite of the escalating persecution and opposition, Jesus was confident he would not be put to shame or disgraced. He trusted that the Father would vindicate him and do just as he promised by raising him from the dead and ultimately defeating sin, death and Satan. The apostle Paul, who also writes about opposition from evil men, shares this same eclipsing confidence. Though he is often hard pressed and persecuted, he is certain that God will never fail or forsake him and will be with him in trouble (1 Corinthians 4:12, 2 Corinthians 4:9; Hebrews 13:5). As a result, he urges others in the church in Philippians 1:28 to stand firm in this resolute confidence that they will not be put to shame. He instructs them to trust the LORD rather than being intimidated and fearing opposition, which he promises “Is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.”

His vindicator is near

Jesus knew throughout the mockery of his trial and crucifixion that his vindicator was near and would bring judgment on the wicked, just as he promised. Though he did not come to condemn the world but rather to bring salvation (John 3:17), he warned about hell and the great judgment day of the Serpent and his offspring more than any other New Testament writer. Following in his footsteps, the other writers of the NT spoke about this judgment day to encourage believers to remain steadfast and immovable in the Gospel in spite of opposition with the assurance that the Lord will reward them and punish the wicked (Hebrews 13:5, James 5:7-11,1 Peter 4:12-19, 1 John 3:13-15). This great day of the Lord will be one of vindication for the followers of Christ and one of eternal death for those who oppose God and his people and refuse to repent.

All charges and accusations are powerless

They hurled insults, false accusations and charges against Christ, but all were powerless since he alone is the righteous Judge (2 Timothy 4:8), the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16). He and his Father sit in the highest place in the heavenlies, where he reigns and rules over all leaders and people (Psalm 2; 110, 1 Corinthians 15:20-28). Since he is both the Just One and the Justifier (Romans 3:26), it is impossible for any accusation or charge to stand in his court. He guarantees that those who are his children by rebirth are safe from every one of these vicious attacks. The apostle Paul writes about this in Romans 8:31-39, echoing Isaiah 50:6, “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns?” (Romans 8:33). Paul’s conclusion is that “no one” can bring a charge against or condemn God’s people. Why, because “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” (Romans 8:34). These accusations, which come like arrows against the children of God, are impotent before the Messiah King who is eternally declaring each accused one of his children, “Not guilty” and righteous in Christ.

What are we to do in the face of such evil opposition?

When we face similar mocking, scoffing and accusations from the Serpent and his children, we need to remember that Christ’s confident response is ours as his adopted children and heirs (Romans 8:17). As those who are now joined to Christ in his death and resurrection, everything that belongs to him is ours through this this vital union (Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 3:3). By faith, we can stand in his resurrection power (Romans 6:10-11) and wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:16). We can appropriate by faith the same armor he put on when he came to defeat sin, death and Satan as seen in Isaiah 11:5, 49:2, 52:7, 59:17 and in Ephesians 6:10-18. As they hurl insults against us, we can follow Christ’s beautiful example and stand firm in confident, unmovable trust that the Sovereign LORD is with us and that he is near. He guarantees that he will not let us be ashamed or disgraced but instead will fight for us and rescue us eternally from all evil and harm (Psalm 35:1). 

“But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles would hear it. So I was delivered from the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will rescue me from every evil action and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen” (2 Timothy 4:17-18). 

"Arrows: I will be with you" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je3lmscEkBc&vl=en-US