Examine yourselves!!

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. (2Co 13:5-6)

Examine:  peirázō = to ascertain the character of some hing, someone 

In the faith:  a true believer

Test:  dokimásō = to prove a thing worthy

Fail the test:  adókimos = prove to be spurious; unapproved

As I pray and study the Word and read the works of our Puritan fore-fathers I grow more and more convinced that somewhere along the way we have so cheapened and minimized the "Way" (Acts 19:9) that the designation "christian" is for all intents and purposes, meaningless.  

The term "christian" was originally used as a pejorative term intended to vilify followers of the Christ.  Today it most aptly commonly describes those whom can only be called false believers or hypocrites.  When someone asks you if you are a "christian" ask them what they mean by "christian."  My experience has been that what they describe bears little resemblance to the "Way" as it is taught by the Word of God.

What passes for common christianity today is but a sorrowful caricature of the true faith.  

Through what I see as the cultural compromise of the faith we have fallen into the condition of Israel at the end of the book of Judges.

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.  (Jdg 21:25)

Though it is still proclaimed as true, in almost every practical sense Christ is not held as King and everyone does what it right in their own eyes.  We have moved further into a faith that has no crosses in it.  We have moved deeper into a cheapening of grace and a rejection of God's sovereignty.

What passes for the "Way" is not the "Way" we find in the Word.  Indeed in our making Jesus our own, we have made a Jesus of our own.  In even supposing and implying that we "make Him Lord and/or Savior" we have, at the very first, denied God's sovereignty in the redemption.

To "accept" Jesus as Lord and/or Savior has come to mean that we "allow" Him to save us.  We do Him a kindness by accepting His death so He'll feel good about Himself.  It no longer means that we fall to His feet in utter recognition of our sin and our need for His salvation and His absolute right to condemn us.  No, we do Him a good turn by joining His team - by telling Him He, "did really good," so we'll let Him save us.

Let me put it plain and main - If you do not recognize the utter hopelessness of your sinful state before God and your deserving or His righteous condemnation - then regardless of what you "say" about Jesus, you are none of His.  Unless your heart has been broken by your sin and His taking it upon Himself on the cross, you are none of His.  Unless you have acknowledged that He has every sovereign right over all of your life - that he is indeed King of Kings and Lord of Lords - and you kneel before Him in surrender of your self to His authority, you are none of His.  Unless, by His gracious providence, the Holy Spirit has convicted you of the worthlessness of your every effort in redemption and sanctification apart from the provision of God and His power - you are none of His.

Unless, in relation to Him, you hate everything and everyone, you are none of a His.  Unless you live in Him, by Him, under Him and for Him - you are none of His.

Do you pray much, study the word much, examine yourself much, give much?  Then you may well be none of His.  Are you raising your children in the Lord?  if not you may be none of His.

Is your walk with God the absolute priority in your life?  If not you may be none of His.

I will say this - and I do so because have been convicted and I am convinced by the Word of God, that unless you are humbly, depending upon His promises and power, seeking to obey Him in all the duties and obligations appropriate to a citizen of His Kingdom you may well be none of His.

If you are not healthily obsessed with His glory and honor, you may well be none of His.

His Word and His Spirit must be working in His to enable them to serve Him with all their minds, hearts and strength - and we must know that our minds, heart and strength, apart from His providence and power, are never enough.  

Where is the zeal for Him and His Kingdom?  Where is the single focused commitment to be conformed to His likeness?  Where is the crushing conviction of our sinfulness and His graciousness?  

Where is that cry, "Not I but Christ!"

I do not have any pleasure is writing this for it is indeed as much about me as it is anyone else.  But it is about all of us who would claim He is our Lord - utterly.  It is not about your goodness but His.  It is not about our righteousness but His.  It is not about us but Him.

Are you a tare of a stalk of wheat?  Are you a sheep or a goat?  Are you His or are you still your own?

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. 

(2Co 13:5-6)

This and That 090512 Ignorance?

There is a five-fold ignorance from which our fear arises.

First, we are ignorant of God.

Second, we are ignorant of others.

Third, we are ignorant of ourselves.

Fourth, we are ignorant of our circumstances.

Fifth, we are ignorant of the covenant of grace.

Flavel, John (2011-12-27). Triumphing Over Sinful Fear (Puritan Treasures for Today) Reformation Heritage Books. Kindle Edition.

This is just an excerpt from Flavel’s book.  This five-fold ignorance is seen by him as the cause of our sinful fear.

This ignorance is not the same as stupid.  He’s not castigating his readers.  Rather he wants you and me to understand that we can and need to relieve this ignorance.

In 1 Peter 1:14 we find the word “ignorance.”  It is the Greek word: ἄγνοια  agnoia.  There is nothing demeaning about the term.  It simply refers to: 

1) lack of knowledge, ignorance

1a) especially of divine things

1b) of moral blindness

Though we have had our “sight” restored that doesn’t mean we “know,” what we need to know.  It does mean that we can know what we need to know.

Read John 9.  This is my favorite story and, if we really think about it, we can see some mighty parallels to our gaining our sight.

Here are some of my thoughts:

·         He was born blind so how distracted was he after he gained his sight?  Sensory overload?  Oh yeah!

·         He didn’t know blue or red or purple.

·         He didn’t know what he looked like.

·         He didn’t know what his parents looked like.

·         He didn’t know how to coordinate his clothes (ok – maybe that’s not really one).

·         He didn’t know what light was.

·         He didn’t know what beauty or ugly was.

·         He didn’t know didn’t what anything looked like.

Get the picture?

He was – well – ignorant.  He didn’t know what can only be known by sight.

That’s us when we come into the Kingdom, when we gain our sight.  We’re ignorant.  Everything is the same but our ability to correctly perceive it and identify it is radically altered.  So, ignorant fits.

But we need not and should not remain ignorant.  Did you know that in the early church it was not uncommon for a new believer to undergo years of catechetical training before they were admitted to a functional place in the body?  No one doubted they were saved but the early church leaders understood that ignorance was a grave danger to the new believer – as well as the body.

They understood and appreciated (that is both the leadership and the new believers) that there was much to learn (as well as unlearn) in order that the new believer would not be a danger to themselves or others.  They took seriously (the leadership) their obligation to teach – from milk to meat – the new believer.  The new believer understood that they were blessedly ignorant and submitted themselves to sometime arduous and lengthy instruction.

How about you?  I know, even though I’m a seminary graduate and an ordained minister, that I have places where I am ignorant.  There are places where I missed the milk truck and places where I still need someone to cut my meat for me.  Ignorance is a condition not a sin ----

Unless ------

Unless that ignorance is intentional, arrogant or prideful.  Intentional ignorance is quite honestly, a sin.  It is a refusal to submit to the instruction of the Word and the ministry of the Spirit.  It is also a refusal to accept the commission to demonstrate God’s glory.

I knew a woman whose faith was, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”  It was clear that she really did believe this and that Christ was her savior.  But she refused to grow any further than that.  Because, I believe, of her refusal to grow in knowledge and wisdom she had a very fearful life. 

I remember her confessing to me with tears streaming down her face and her body shaking that she had slept with her second husband before they were married.  I asked her if she believed that Christ paid for that sin.  She acknowledged she did.  I then asked her if she believed he died for ALL her sin.  She was shocked.  She had never learned about the breadth of His atonement.   Her ignorance had made her hold that sin to and against her heart for years being tormented by fear.

It’s the same with trials, suffering, blessings, opportunities, ad infinitum ----- Unless we relieve our ignorance, unless we set ourselves to know, understand, appreciate and apply the truth He has revealed we will always suffer and fear more than we need to.

Jesus made it clear:

 Mat 11:28-30  Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  (29)  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  (30)  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

This and That 090112 Fear (2)

Second, we must not expect a perfect cure for our fear in this life. While there are dangers and enemies, some fear will work in the best hearts. If our faith could be perfected, our fear would be perfectly cured. But while there is much weakness in our faith, there will be much strength in our fear. For those who are naturally timid, who have more of this passion in their constitution, and for those in whom melancholy is a rooted and chronic disease, it will be difficult to remove fear and dejection. But they will be greatly relieved from this tyranny and enabled to possess their souls in much more comfort and tranquility by using the helps and means that follow.   Flavel, John (2011-12-27). Triumphing Over Sinful Fear (Puritan Treasures for Today) (Kindle Locations 798-802). Reformation Heritage Books. Kindle Edition.

I wrote yesterday concerning fear and I do so again today.  Fear, it’s sinfulness ofrblessedness, depends upon the object of that fear.  To fear God is good in the life of anyone for it brings him or her closer to God who is the only source of all things but principally redemption.  To fear man or circumstances, need and what or even death is natural but turns sinful only when it drives us to doubt God. 

Where Paul writes, “Be angry but don’t sin.” I would write, “Be fearful but don’t sin!”

For me, it is an insult to truth when we pretend courage of heart we do not have.  For indeed we do not have it.  It was not and is not the work of the flesh when believers face torment and torture for their faith and yet remain faithful.  It is not in our power or abilities.  It is not a stiff lip that empowers them but the Spirit if God within them.  To pretend to courage is a lie to the world and a lie to us.

Yes I know, the Word is full of, “fear nots.”  But dear friend do you not see that those “fear nots” are in Jesus and not in the flesh.  We may come to Him trembling in terror and there have our fears relieved, not by magic but by truth.  Face you fears – yes – but do so with Him in your heart and you on your knees.

Fear comes and our faith is challenged.  But faith is a gift.  Do you think God only gave you a dab or a trickle?  But you say you have never experienced this circumstance and you have no faith.  Oh, but you do.  Have you not learned from that anything new challenges those skills and abilities we possess?  Of course your faith seems weak in a new trial – for here you have not trusted God and so you will learn to.  I have learned to trust God in a country where I am, at least now, free to live and express my faith openly without fear.  But, put me in a country where to live and proclaim Christ means imprisonment, torture and death and my faith will be greatly challenged.

I am asked, “How do I trust God in this difficult circumstance?”  My reply is, “Much better than you did when things were going well.”  I say that not to be cruel but as a lesson I have had to learn (more than once).  It is this; those who trust God and attend to Him little when His providence floods their lives with good thing will find their faith has shrunk from inattention and lack of use.

We who are in a trial now surely attend to God better than we did before the trial.  And what is that attention?  Unfortunately it is a doubtful and often accusatory attention.  We cry out, “Why?”  when we know that nothing He does or allows is without purpose.  The purpose may not be for you but for God’s glory to be demonstrated to someone yet living in darkness.

Paul writes:

For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn--fighting without and fear within.  2Co 7:5 

Did you SEE that?  “but we were afflicted at every turn--fighting without and fear within.”

I know many of us are afraid.  But there is a natural fear which God has endowed us with that we should appreciate, even rejoice in.  This is Paul’s “fear,” and it is not sin.  We, like Paul, need to rely upon God to meet that which creates that fear in us. 

In Paul’s case the answer came thusly:

2Co 7:6-7  But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus;  (7)  and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more.

I draw your attention to the word “depressed!”  It’s not a character or spiritual flaw.

Paul writes:

2Co 1:3-5  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,  (4)  who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  (5)  For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

Note here that God, “comforts us IN all our affliction,” not out of it.  I try to look for comfort instead of solutions.  Oh, yes, we are doing all we can to be frugal and to look for opportunities to improve our condition BUT while we do so we NEED comfort. 

We believe wrongly that fear is only overcome when the cause is removed.  That is not God’s way – at least from my reading.  Fear is overcome as our attention to how God has worked and is working providentially grows.  As we see Him more, we grow more assured.  As we grow more assured our fear – sinful fear – returns to that natural fear against which there is not admonition or law. 

Do not, like so many, withdraw into your circumstance.  Rather re-read 2 Cor. 7 above.  It was through the fellowship and one fellow that Paul was comforted.  Also, pray for an understanding and appreciation of 2 Cor. 1:5.  That’s just the truth – a hard truth – even a fearful truth, but the truth.

Not junk - art!

A creating power can, not only bring something out of nothing, but contrary out of contrary.   Sibbes, Richard (2012-04-24). The Soul's Conflict With Itself: And Victory Over Itself By Faith. (p. 296). A Puritan At Heart Press. Kindle Edition.

If of nothing, God created everything, then out of coal He can create a diamond. 

In our struggle – nay battle against the flesh we do not always win.  Indeed we fail often.  In those times I am threatened with a sense of futility and frustration.  Will I ever, “Get it right?” is just one of the hopelessness inducing thoughts.  When my attention is forced upon my utter unworthiness either by my being prompted to look of my nose being stuck in I default to everything that ever made me feel, “not good enough.”

I don’t know about you but I do know that I don’t like seeing my sins.  But see them I must for if I do not see them what value does His sacrifice have in my heart.  If I am folled into thinking I’m “Ok,” I am fooled indeed and I lose sight and sense of the great grace He has called me with and to.

Out of utter nothing He brought His creation.  Out of my corruption and sin He brings a saint.  Nothing can stop Him.  His intention is never to be thwarted.  We may think we can resist but we can’t.  We may think “we” fail but we must know He cannot.

We are, as much as DNA and the cosmos, His workmanship. 

Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

As a friend of mine says, “God doesn’t make junk!”  I have a friend who works at a place where they forge metal.  There’s lots of scrap and “junk.”  This friend of mine takes these objects and created really fascinating and beautiful work of art with them.  I a human can do that, imagine what the God of all can do!

Oh if only we would accept the truth – all the truth of the Gospel and not pick and choose.   Yes, we sin, that is our battle – our battle against the flesh – the “body of death.”  Oh how I pray for you and I that we might come to the place where Paul found himself where he was able to proclaim with great sincerity and much joy:

Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then,

I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.   Rom 7:24-25

Peter’s Pen 1st Peter 1:2

(1Pe 1:2)  according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

You’ve heard the saying, “He said a mouthful.”  Well, Peter says several mouths-full in this verse.

Peter gives us a box in which we can see something about our lives in Jesus.  Our lives in Christ are:

1     1.  according to the foreknowledge of God the Father

2     2.  in the sanctification of the Spirit

3     3.  or obedience to Jesus Christ

4     4.  or sprinkling with his blood

Look at each point this way:

1     1.  You are His and that is no surprise to God He knew it and if He knew it He brought it to pass.

2     2.  You are His inside and out, over and under and His “seal” of the relationship, the Spirit, is in you an        

             upon you – and that Spirit works in you making you like Him.

3     3.  We couldn’t and wouldn’t obey without 1 and 2.  Now we can and do.  Don’t go all legalistic on me 

            now - !

4     4.  Huh?  This means you are His forever.  His blood has cleansed you and made you His dear child – and 

            this blood will always have its effect. 

I would love to launch into a lot of information about the broad and deep meaning of this passage but I won’t.  What Peter is telling you and I is that we are His – period – not questions on His part and that ought to help us when we question it on our part.  He did it – it is done!

One little – kool beans part.  Notice that Peter tells us 1 and 2 were done for obedience and then he mentions the sprinkling of the blood.  For me that’s a comfort.

When I read “for obedience,” my flesh is very quick to tell me how poorly I obey.  I get this big spreadsheet of all the rebellious and unthinking ways I disobey.  I’m sure Peter knew all about this.  I wonder how often his flesh reminded him of his sins (see Peter in the Gospels). 

So knowing that we would iinstantly default to our weak and struggling obedience Peter with the Spirit’s guidance brings up the blood of Jesus which cleanses us from all unrighteousness.

This knee jerk to our weakness/sin is what I call a “Romans 7 moment.”  Get your Bible and read Romans 7.  Ouch!  But please do not skip verse 25!!!!! 

From there Paul writes:

There is therefore now

no condemnation

for those who are in Christ Jesus.(Rom 8:1)

There we are – this are us.  This is YOU!

Brothers and sisters, “in Christ,” no failure is ever final.  No one and nothing can undo what God has done.  Our hope here and our hope for heaven is secured by Him – not by us.

“Walk behind Him leaning forward.  If you fall, fall in His direction.  If you smack the ground, crawl towards Him.” MS

Peter's Pen 1

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."    (1Pe 1:13-16)

I hope to be beginning a series titled “Peter’s pen.”  My intent is to produce a kind of “walking devotional,” drawing from Peter’s pen things that bless me and I hope bless you.  To be honest, I am also doing this because it keeps me focused on Him and off all the hooplala of the election campaigns and cultural conflicts.  I find that I can am too easily distracted and diverted in my thoughts and prayers by things which are interesting and exciting and important – but not the point.

Peter writes:

“preparing your minds for action”

Interestingly, “for action” isn’t in the Greek.  It is implied however by the imperative to “prepare.”

“Prepare” means to “gird up.”  Girding up back them meant that you drew up the bottom of your robe or cloak and tucked it into your belt  so you were ready for – well – action.  We might say today, “roll up your sleeves.”  The very act of girding up implies there will be active work to do.

What we are to “gird up” or “prepare” is our minds.  Mind = the mind as a faculty of understanding, feeling, desiring. 

It doesn’t look like we’ll be digging ditches or climbing trees. 

It is our faculty of understanding, feeling and desire that is going to get the workout.  Now isn’t that something?

The Puritans taught that the mind (understanding) should inform the affections (feeling and desires).  They also taught that the mind was most secured and well-fed by the Word of God.  They taught that one could never get enough of the Word in one’s mind.  The more Word the more sturdy the wall, the more discerning the understanding and therefore the godlier the feelings and desires.

I can’t help but think of that last Passover, the events in the garden and Peter’s denials.  We tend to look back and see a wonderful fulfillment of God’s promises.  Yet for those present it was, in those moments, a horrible horrible night.  The trauma and terror had to have been beyond what we can conceive.

We’ve all had those times when we stand or sit absolutely gob-smacked by events.  We are more than stunned.  Our minds race and reel.  Our feelings are “all over the place.”  We are beyond confused, beyond understanding.  We are even beyond believing what’s happening.

Ever dreamed you were falling?  For me that seems an appropriate picture.  Sure we wake up but we wake up with a jerk and a sense of terror.  Nothing seems real yet everything seem too real.

Remember, the apostles had their own idea of what was to come.  They were confident and secure as we see in both their singing and sleeping.  “Blind-sided,” is a gross understatement.  Everything changed on that night and everything they hoped for seemed to just disappear.  It had to have been a sense of utter failure even betrayal.  It wasn’t, of course, but try to imagine how they felt in their limited understanding and incorrect expectations.

We however know the whole story.  We can see it clearly.  We know it was part of His plan for redeeming us.  Yet for them, then, it was devastating.

Here may be one of Peter’s reasons for admonishing us to prepare our minds.  We must know the whole truth of God’s Word and plan.  We must understand His way and the world’s way and the conflict between the two. 

I am put in mind of His statement:

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.  (Joh 15:19)

Our minds must be girded, prepared to live in and with that truth.  How many times are we blindsided in our relationships and activities in the world?  Why are we shocked and numbed by the criticism, condemnation and persecution we encounter?  Why do we expect the world to play nice with us?

Jesus said:

"Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. (Mat 10:16)

We need to wrap our minds around that.  It is His truth and our reality.  I think we need to accept His words and keep them in the forefront of our minds.  We need to appreciate this statement and its warning and fill our minds with the hope of His promises. 

Perhaps I’ve said it too much but my Lord did not die so I could be successful or popular or powerful in the world.  Rather He died to overcome the world for me and to prepare a place for me with Him.  The hope of “heaven here” sadly obscures the real hope we have of “heaven when.”

I really miss him.....

I had the honor of knowing Rich - not intimately except in the fact that his words and music are one of great blessings in my life.
OK - so maybe it's not kosher but here are the lyrics to one of my favorites - if you ever saw him perform just the lyrics will give you chills........

There's more that rises in the morning 
Than the sun 
And more that shines in the night 
Than just the moon 
It's more than just this fire here 
That keeps me warm 
In a shelter that is larger 
Than this room 

And there's a loyalty that's deeper 
Than mere sentiments 
And a music higher than the songs 
That I can sing 
The stuff of Earth competes 
For the allegiance 
I owe only to the Giver 
Of all good things 

So if I stand let me stand on the promise 
That you will pull me through 
And if I can't, let me fall on the grace 
That first brought me to You 
And if I sing let me sing for the joy 
That has born in me these songs 
And if I weep let it be as a man 
Who is longing for his home 

There's more that dances on the prairies 
Than the wind 
More that pulses in the ocean 
Than the tide 
There's a love that is fiercer 
Than the love between friends 
More gentle than a mother's 
When her baby's at her side 

And there's a loyalty that's deeper 
Than mere sentiments 
And a music higher than the songs 
That I can sing 
The stuff of Earth competes 
For the allegiance 
I owe only to the Giver 
Of all good things 

So if I stand let me stand on the promise 
That you will pull me through 
And if I can't let me fall on the grace 
That first brought me to You 
And if I sing let me sing for the joy 
That has born in me these songs 
And if I weep let it be as a man 
Who is longing for his home 

And if I stand let me stand on the promise 
That you will pull me through 
And if I can't let me fall on the grace 
That first brought me to You 
And if I sing let me sing for the joy 
That has born in me these songs 
And if I weep let it be as a man 
Who is longing for his home 

And if I weep let it be as a man 
Who is longing for his home