John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

These were words spoken by John the Baptist when he was told that Jesus was baptizing in another place, and that more people were coming to Jesus than to John to be baptized. Remember, John's initial cause for baptizing people was so that they would confess their sins, and be prepared for the Messiah's arrival. His role in history will be remembered forever because he was “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; make His paths straight’” (Matthew 3:3, quoting Isaiah 40:3).

Jesus himself said that "among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist." John had a role that no other person born would ever be able to fulfill, as he ushered in the Kingdom of God and his Christ. So if Jesus's miracles and his own testimony wasn't enough for you to believe, consider the words of John. His role was predicted hundreds of years prior, and even Jesus said he was the greatest among men. And John said that if you believe, you will be saved.

Belief in Jesus is not just a mental assent, or an intellectual agreement that Jesus saves. A childlike faith in the truth of John's words is what makes for saving faith. If you have ever believed with all your heart the words of John, or the words of many other biblical figures, about Jesus, then you are going to Heaven and your many flaws and sins have been washed away...never to be remembered by God. Furthermore, any present and future sins are also washed away: thrown into the sea of God's forgetfulness.

Be of good cheer, especially you who have the worst sins. You have cause to love Jesus even more than those who sin little, and Jesus commended such people with a parable he told at the home of a very religious man. This man was a Pharisee, the strictest of the strict. Pharisees were known for constant prayer, giving very exact and well-planned gifts to God, and for following the bible even down to the uttermost letter. Or so they thought.

Jesus was dining with the Pharisee, and a woman of ill-repute (possibly a prostitute) came in and washed Jesus's feet with her tears. The Pharisee swore that if Jesus was really a prophet, he would know what kind of woman was touching him and he would shove her away. Jesus, being divine, knew what the Pharisee was thinking. And he said this to him: “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

A man said to me, "I am not religious." Good. This means it will be much easier for you to believe in Jesus and be saved. Religious people trust in their own works and righteousness to save them, and they are not saved because salvation is not to be earned. It's a free gift, given only to those who have childlike faith in the one who saves. So if you have many sins, remember that the Doctor comes to heal those who are sick, not those who are well.

 

If God Be For Us: Fighting the Shame of Past Sins

"What shall we say then to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)

If you're a believer who suffers from guilt or shame about your past, know that since you accepted Christ and believed in his death and resurrection for your sins, God is now for you. Though your conscience may hound you about a sin long after you've confessed it to God and forsaken it, when the accuser brings that sin before God, God is hearing nothing of it. It doesn't matter how wicked the action or thought was, if it is confessed and forsaken, you've found mercy, and no one in this world can lay that thought or action to your charge.


In Romans, Paul puts it this way: "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies." (Romans 8:33) Since the bible says we are saved by grace through faith, it also says that  God is just, AND the justifier of the ungodly. The "ungodly" here is you and me. If God justifies you because of the finished work of the cross, then indeed "if God be for us, who can be against us?"


The bible says that the devil is the accuser of the brethren before God in Heaven. He comes to God and accuses believers of sins. He also comes to our minds and plants seeds of guilt and condemnation. "Did you do that? Who does that? How can you call yourself a Christian? God has rejected you. You've gone too far."


But thank God, Romans 8:34 says this: "Who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died, yes rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us."


We have to understand that not only did Christ's death and burial erase the penalty of our sins, his rising from the dead did even more for us. Because he lives and has risen into Heaven, he stands before God as our mediator (imagine a lawyer before a judge) and never stops praying for us, that God will forgive us, bless us, cleanse us, make us holy, sanctify us, and finish the good work he began in us. Imagine the devil trying to get God's attention to make an accusation about us while Christ is standing before the throne interceding for us! Which person do you think God will pay attention to? The devil (who is a liar and the father of lies), or Christ the Righteous?


With good reason does the scripture ask "if God be for us, who can be against us?"

"For their hearts were hardend." The Disciples Reaction to a Miracle

"For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their hearts were hardened." Mark 6:52

The disciples of Jesus saw two astonishing miracles in one day. First, Jesus was able to feed 5000 people with a mere care package of two fish and five loaves of bread. He miraculously multiplied the food so much, afterward they collected 12 very large baskets of fragments, or leftovers. Second, they saw him walk on water.


Upon seeing this second miracle, the disciples were beside themselves with amazement. But the scripture implies they shouldn't have been. They should've understood from the miracle of the loaves the power of the one they served, but our verse says their hearts were hardened. They didn't even consider, or ponder, the miracle.


Speaking from experience, I know it is possible to see God do a powerful work in your life, but still be hardened in heart enough to be SURPRISED that he can do even greater works than before. What can harden your heart enough to make you forget what you've seen God do? What can make you not consider what he has clearly and miraculously done for you? Routine!


I suspect the disciples by now had gotten used to miracles. In Mark 6:12-13 it says this: "And they went out, and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them."


Perhaps they'd become fixated on their own powerful ministry and taken their eyes off Jesus, God in the Flesh. Perhaps the miracles had become business as usual, and they'd already forgotten the slimy nets they sat mending by the Sea of Galilee before Jesus called them. Whatever the case, from the time of the feeding of the loaves to the five thousand, to the moment Jesus walked on water, the disciples were "over" the first miracle. They didn't take time to consider, to ponder its meaning.


The life application for this verse is painfully obvious to me because I've seen God do great things, only to later question or disregard them. I am so concerned with seeking new things from God I don't stop to consider, to ponder, the things he's done. Like the disciples, I need an astonishing wake-up call in the form of a move of God.


But since God in Flesh is no longer here to "wow" us, we must do what the disciples failed to do. We must consider his miracles. Ponder them, meditate on them, exult in them. Only then will we, like the disciples at Jesus's miraculous approach on the water, be "sore amazed in [ourselves] beyond measure..." (Mark 6:51)

What's Your Cover? The covering of our shame for sin.

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

(Genesis 3:7)

You know the story. Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden and walked in perfect peace with God. They had no concept of sin, because sin did not yet exist. They had no knowledge of right and wrong because they were like children before God. They perfectly trusted and walked with Him.

But Satan, in the form of the serpent, tricked them into eating of the one tree God had set off limits: The tree that contained the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. After eating, their consciences came alive, they realized they'd disobeyed God, and they saw they were naked.

Upon finding they were naked, they sewed together fig leaves for cover and they hid from God among the trees of the garden. Metaphorically, the nakedness they were suddenly so aware of is the knowledge of sin. Likewise, all of us realize our shame is exposed before God and we are naked in our sin. We have no cloak to cover our condition.

So what is your cover? What kind of modern day fig leaves do you sew together to cover your shame and guilt? For some its drugs and alcohol. For others its a career or a pile of cash. For many its a lack of silence, a house full of loud music or blaring TVs. Anything to cover the fact that we know we are guilty.

I'm telling you that you no longer have to sew fig leaves together to cover your shame. Jesus Christ, who died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins, also rose from the grave to prove his message was true. You can be covered from your nakedness by the blood of Christ, shed on the cross. The blood alone is what saves us from our guilt, the consequences of our sin, and eternal separation from God.

When it comes to our nakedness, Christ offers us freedom from a shameful and guilty conscience.  Isaiah 1:18 says this: "'Come now, let us settle the matter,' says the Lord. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.'"

For those of you who have been using skimpy methods to cover your guilty conscience, today is the day you can fall into the loving hands of God and be freed from your sin and shame. Romans 3:23 says this: "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God;". That means none of us, no matter how good or bad, can escape the fact of of our sin. Romans 6:23 says "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord."

When you sin, you are earning condemnation from a Holy and righteous God. When you sin, you are earning wages that equal eternal death. God doesn't want that for you, but he cannot tolerate sin. So he made a way to cleanse you of it and accept you forever. "For God so loved the world, he gave his only son, that whosoever believes on him shall not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

Let Jesus be your cover. Pray this prayer: "Father, I know that I am a sinner. I've sinned and broken your law. I've fallen short of your glory, and I know the payment for my sins is death. I ask that rather, I receive the gift of God which is eternal life in Jesus Christ. I repent of my sin, believing in Jesus and what he did on the cross to justify me and make me perfect in Your sight. Thank you for saving me, and help me to walk in your ways. Amen."

Freedom from Old Testament Law: A Study in Galatians

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. (Galatians 5:13-15)

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul was writing to a church who began their journey through faith in Christ alone and in his Holy Spirit. They believed in his work on the cross and his resurrection, and upon believing they were filled with the Holy Spirit, which permanently sealed them as God's Property until the day of the Lord (which is the second coming of Christ). Unfortunately certain Jews came in to their fold and tricked them, saying that since they'd joined God's family, they now had to honor their "heritage" and become circumcised, obeying the whole Old Testament law. Someone was telling them their simple faith was not enough.

In one instance, the Apostle Paul calls them fools for believing these Jews, and he tells them they have been alienated from Christ if they really want to go backwards and obey the Law. The issue is that the Law was an accusation against us, pointing out our sins and our inability to shed them in our own strength. Every written word in the Old Testament law was written so that we would see our sin, and it would become to us utterly sinful, making us mindful of our need for a savior.

Jesus Christ is that savior, and the bible says the Law was nailed to the cross with Christ and taken away from us, that we could be justified not by our obedience and works but by simple faith in God's Son. "It is by grace you are saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves. It is not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9). If you have believed in Jesus by faith, asking him to be your Lord and Savior, you are justified and free to live your life without a heavy burden of rules, laws, and ritual regulations.

I struggle with the flesh. I know the hurt and disappointment that comes when I indulge a fleshly or lustful impulse that is contrary to God. I have a feeling these Galatians knew that feeling all too well, and perhaps this is why they were susceptible to the lie of Satan, which is that they needed the Law to truly walk righteous. After all, the Old Testament law and the Ten Commandments are full of rules one could believe are helpful towards building a righteous man.

I suspect Paul knew their desire to avoid sin might've led them back into Old Testament bondage, which is why he spoke with them about walking in the Spirit. He had these words to say:  "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law." (Galatians 5:16-18)

Paul was letting the Galatians know that rather than obeying rules or laws (which were meant to condemn them and lead them to seek a savior), if they kept with the Savior and walked in his Spirit they would not do the things that made their consciences guilty towards God. He gave them a list of those evident works of the flesh (hatred, envy, impurity, sexual immorality, to name a few), and then he contrasted it with this list: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23)

Notice that Paul said there was no law against the fruit of the Spirit. I believe this was to ease the conscience of the Galatian church and give them a defense and an answer for those who were holding the law over their heads. "You want me to obey the law? Watch me walk in the Spirit of freedom and do the things the law requires by GOD'S POWER. And when you see the fruit of the Spirit in my life, you will know that I am righteous because I simply believe in Jesus, not because I observe the law, like you."

Attaining to Christlikeness

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30)

When Jesus suffered on the cross, just as he was about to die he declared: "It is FINISHED." This meant that the penalty for the sins of ALL mankind had been paid for and anyone who would believe would be justified. "Justification" now is a legal word that means, roughly, "pronounced innocent." When you believed in the suffering and resurrection of Christ, you were taken before God's judgment seat and pronounced INNOCENT.


The innocence you received in Christ means that all your spiritual toil, all your religious efforts, and all your prayers and fasting gain you nothing when it comes to your standing as a righteous man in Jesus' sight. You're already righteous because of what he did for you, so you can literally add nothing to his work. Ephesians 2:8-9 says "It is by grace you are saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves. It is a gift, lest any man should boast." This is why you can disregard those super-spiritual people who look down their noses at you. They are bigots and have imagined they've added to the righteousness that Christ provided for them.


Does this mean you do nothing as a Christian? Just sit and thank God and live your life your own way? No. It means that all your spiritual disciplines, all your toil, and all your labor of love for the sake of the faith are to make you LIKE Christ. They make you LIKE Christ because the more you seek and pursue his face, the more you know him. When you know him, you can't help but become more like him. And being like him is the exact cause for him saving us, as is pronounced in 1 John 3:2: "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is."


On the last day, when Christ returns to judge the dead and the living, we who are believers will be made exactly like Christ in his glorified state. That means we will have living bodies like his living body, able to function as he functions in his body; but it also means we will be perfectly like him in character, our choice to conform to him being made permanent and perfect.


So as you search out Christ in the scriptures, as you fast, as you worship and pray and serve the needy, don't suppose that you are adding to your standing as a Christian. Your position in God's eyes is "righteous," not because of anything but the "It is FINISHED" justification of Christ. You can do nothing to add to your positional standing of perfectness created by Christ. What you can do is seek his face with the hope that your mind will be renewed daily, no longer being conformed to the image of the world around you. When that happens, you get to KNOW Christ better, and when you KNOW him better you become more LIKE him in character. Since being conformed to the image and character of Christ is our ultimate prize for endurance in the faith, and our ultimate reward in Heaven, we should be pleased to attain to Christ-likeness here on this earth.