Your Weekly Dose of Gospel...could I be called a Christian?

"Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves..." -2 Corinthians. 13:5

We all have PhD’s in rationalizing our behavior; we have all graduated with high honors. Most people are "good Christians" in their own judgment and by their own assessment. But we can never render the final verdict upon ourselves for our own conscience is defiled and our discernment skewed. The Apostle Paul gives this insight on the flawed value of self-analysis, "For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord" (1 Corinthians 4:4).

The Narrow Road
If Paul, being one of the greatest Christians to ever live, would not trust - dare not trust his own self-evaluation, how much more we?. It is a narrow road that leads to heaven (Matt. 7:12ff) and few are they that find it. As Matthew Mead so appropriately states, "...self-love deceiveth truth for its own interest." The heart of man is the greatest imposter and cheat in the world; God himself states it, "The heart is deceitful above all things [and is desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9)]. Despite that astounding appraisal of the human condition, we are still commanded to take self-inventory. We must judge ourselves not by the standard of ourselves, but by the Word of God; by the Lord's standard and rule (2 Timothy 3:16-16); by the Lord's wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:24-25); by the Lord's divine verdicts (Psalm 19:9)..

The Almost Christian
Therefore, we must examine ourselves--eliminating ourselves as the standard, the rule, the judge and jury. Sunday morning worship services in America are littered with thousands of people pretend­ing to be Christians. They enjoy the music, support church programs, find benefit and solace in a stirring sermon, relish in the fellowship, and may even serve as an elder, deacon or sunday school teacher - "yet be no better than an almost a Christian" as Mead decisively proclaims. They have come to church but have never come to Christ! They haven't taken stock of their spiritual condition - they have not examined themselves. And if by chance they do, it is not with the probing double edged sword of God's Word (Hebrews 4:12), but with the crooked plumbline of moral standards, good works, philanthropic gestures, acts of kindness or good will, and worse -religion. They are moral people headed for a "moral" hell. Jeremiah Burroughs, a Puritan divine, cuts through that illegitimate prideful system of useless righteousness when he says, "repent not that you are civil, but repent that you are no more than civil." One of the marks of a true Christian is that he embraces a life of repentance - he loves God and hates sin (2 Timothy 2:19).

To still be in love with your sin and "wedded to your idols", as Spurgeon says, is to "insult the gospel, pervert the truth and turn the grace of God into lasciviousness." The Christian life is not marked by a life of disobedience, unbridled passion, unbroken pride and unguarded pleasure. The true Christian is one that is evidenced by a life of obedience, a life of holiness, a life of righteousness, a life of godliness, a life of Christ-likeness. Note: this does not mean a life of perfection for we all sin everyday even if it is only in our thoughts. But with grace as our teacher (Titus 2:12) may we strive to have a life that is daily repent and submissive to the Lord and His truth. This is what it means to be filled with the Spirit or better yet, Spirit controlled (Eph. 5:17-22).

May I Know for Certain That I Am Truly a Christian?
YES! The Apostle John writes: "I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13). From that same Apostle comes a five fold test so that we may truly examine the fruit of regeneration in our lives. This is not works righteousness y'all--but the evidence of sanctifying grace working in and through our lives. Grace has saved us; grace santifies us; and grace will glorify us. Titus 2:11-13 says, "For the grace of God has appeared, with salvationa for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ."

We've died once to the penalty of sin:
we die daily to the power of sin;
and one day we will be free from the presence of sin.

Therefore, by God's grace, a genuine believer in the Lord Jesus Christ:

1. Practices Righteousness
1 John 2:29 If you know that He is righteous, you know this as well: everyone who does what is right has been born of Him.

2. Stops Practicing Sin
1 John 3:9 Everyone who has been born of God does not sin, because Hisa seed remains in him; he is not able to sin, because he has been born of God.

1 John 5:18 ¶ We know that everyone who has been born of God does not sin, but the Onea who is born of God keeps him,b c and the evil one does not touch him.

3. Loves Other Christians
1 John 4:7 ¶ Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

4. Believes that Jesus is the Christ
1 John 5:1 ¶ Everyone who believes that Jesus is the •Messiah has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent also loves his child.

5. Is An Overcomer of the World
1 John 5:4 because whatever has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith.

Notice: as we do what is right, we stop doing what is wrong. No one in this life stops sinning altogether. That is a dangerous slope to be on thinking that you can achieve a sinless state in this life. We will love other believers in the Lord; believe that Jesus is the only sacrifice for our sins; and that we live in victory as an overcomer of the world.

Sanctification is a process, beloved, and these things above should not lead us to despair, but to rejoicing in the wonderful salvation that our Lord has graced us with. Take refuge in this: God is a much greater Savior, than you are a sinner. Do you believe that? Can you rest in that truth? Will you find security in His grace? Amen and amen that "salvation is of the Lord."


Make Your Calling and Election Sure
"Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge; and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness; and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you." -2 Peter 1:5-11

Picking up on this theme, A.W. Pink gives seven points of reflection that I would also urge you to use as a thermometer to take the temperature of your spiritual health.

First by the Word of God having come in divine power to the soul so that my self-complacency is shattered and my self-righteousness is renounced.

Second, by the Holy Spirit convicting me of my woeful, guilty and lost condition.

Third, by having had revealed to me the suitability and sufficiency of Christ to meet my desperate case and by divinely given faith causing me to lay hold of and rest upon Him as my only hope.

Fourth, by the marks of the new nature within me - a love for God; an appetite for spiritual things; a longing for holiness; a seeking after conformity to Christ.

Fifth, by the resistance the new nature makes to the old, causing me to hate sin and loathe myself for it.

Sixth, by avoiding everything which is condemned by God's Word and by sincerely repenting of and humbly confessing every transgression. Failure at this point will surely bring a dark cloud over our assurance causing the Spirit to withhold His witness.

Seventh, by giving all diligence to cultivate the Christian graces, and using all diligence to this end. Scripture encourages healthy self-scrutiny.

"Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you" (2 Peter 1:10a). No where more important should this examination occur than when approaching the table of grace - holy communion (1 Corinthians 11:28). John MacArthur reminds us, "Self-examination is as important today as ever. When statistics tells that more than a billion people in the world are Christians, one must wonder who established the criteria. Such figures certainly do not square with what Jesus said about many on the broad road and few on the narrow." (Matthew 7:13-14).

Even those who belong to the right church can be deceived and utterly devoid of the righteousness of God through Christ... The Bible teaches clearly that the evidence of God's work in a life is the inevitable fruit of transformed behavior (1 John 3:10). Faith that does not result in righteous living is dead and cannot save (James 2:14-17). Professing Christians utterly lacking the fruit of true righteousness will find no biblical basis for assurance they are saved (1 John 2:4). These words are not meant to spark feelings of doubt about your salvation if you are genuinely saved. However, they are meant to prick the hearts of those who have a false security in themselves, based on good works absent of true faith. I would implore you to turn the penetrating laser of the Word of God upon your life. Is it "wood, hay and stubble", that will ultimately burn, or will your life stand the test and be proved to be "gold, silver and precious stones"? (1 Corinthians 3:10-15). Is there enough evidence to convict you of being a Christian?

DIGGING DEEPER
*"The Almost Christian Discovered" by Matthew Mead
*"The True Christian Love For the Unseen Christ" by Thomas Vincent

LIFE APPLICATION
1. Think of one example from the past week in which you rationalized or made excuses for some sinful action or attitude on your part.

2. Why is the Word of God the only sure and absolute standard by which we are to examine ourselves, as opposed to our own moral preference or presupposed religious/social expecta­tions?

3. Ponder the following Scriptures: 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 2 Corinthians 6:11; Romans 12:1-2; 2 Timothy 2:19; Ephesians 4:15. Do you think sanctification (growth in holiness and conformity to Christ) is in any way optional for the believer?

4. What is the evidence of a true believer? Is this evidence characteristic of your won life in light of 2 Corinthians 13:5?

5. What areas in your life would cast doubt in the minds of those around you that you are indeed a Christian? Will you commit these areas to the Lord?

RESOLVED...the struggle and desire to live biblically in our generation

In a previous post, I had highlighted part of the journey that Jonathan Edwards had taken when he wrote his 70 resolutions. In the process of that research, I learned that they had became a burden to him rather than something that was freeing and encouraging to his soul. IMHO, part of that reason, was that many of his resolutions were personal whims rather than resolutions that were grounded firmly in the Scriptures.

So with that as a backdrop, I offer the following as biblical resolutions. I do this only by way of brief illustration (the list is not exhaustive); for it to be so you would have to literally reprint most of the Bible. But these cover general areas of the essentials of the faith. Signposts, if you please, that can act as a good remembrance of what the main things are we are to pursue daily in our journey to the Son. My motive in assembling this list is not for it to be read daily as some sort of legalistic exercise; but to be used devotionally, in part or in whole, as a guide in prayer that we can entreat the Holy Spirit to equip us to live to that end and to strengthen us in our life in Christ. Some verses will convict certain days where others will bring comfort; some will exhort us and others will encourage us. But as we come to His Word, it is wonderful to not pray aimlessly, but to pray specifically. You undoubtedly will have several other verses come to mind that represent the overarching key essentials of the faith as well. Please share them with me here and I will add them to this list.

I hope these verses will be an encouragement in your walk with the Lord today. Let us be resolved, to know for certain, what the Lord is asking of us in our generation as we, by His grace, desire to honor Him with an undivided, faithful heart as we daily serve Him.

By His grace and for His glory,
Steve

RESOLVED: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." -Gen. 1:1

RESOLVED: "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." -1 Cor. 10:31

RESOLVED: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”" -Matt. 22:37-40

RESOLVED: "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” -John 4:23-24

RESOLVED: "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." -Eph. 6:4

RESOLVED: "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." -Rom. 12:1-2

RESOLVED: "Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ." -Eph. 5:17-21

RESOLVED: "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?" -Matt. 15:24-26

RESOLVED: "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem." -Luke 24:46-47

RESOLVED: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent. For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross." -Col. 1:15-20

RESOLVED: "Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor." -1 Peter 2:12-17

RESOLVED: "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified." -1 Cor. 9:24-27

RESOLVED: "I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." -1 Cor. 2:2

RESOLVED: "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead." -Phil. 3:7-11

RESOLVED: "And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." -Col. 1:9-12

RESOLVED: "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial?* Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? " -2 Cor. 6:14-15

RESOLVED: "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and lexhort, with complete patience and teaching." -2 Tim. 3:16-17; 4:1-2

RESOLVED: "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for hit is God who works in you, both to will and to work for ihis good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God mwithout blemish nin the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine pas lights in the world, holding fast to* qthe word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. " -Phil. 2:12b-16

RESOLVED: "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" -Matt. 5:44

RESOLVED: "With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." -Psalm 119:10-11

RESOLVED: "But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. -Phil. 3:13-14

RESOLVED: "But in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame." -1 Peter 3:15-16

RESOLVED: "But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry bthat I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." -Acts 20:24

RESOLVED: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." -2 Tim. 2:15

RESOLVED: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." -Heb. 12:1-2

RESOLVED: "For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake." -2 Cor. 4:5

RESOLVED: "Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." -Heb. 10:25

RESOLVED: "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit sthe kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me." -Matt. 25:34-36

RESOLVED: "Therefore, yconfess your sins to one another and pray for one another, zthat you may be healed. aThe prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." -James 5:16

RESOLVED: "So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus," -Phil. 2:1-5

RESOLVED: "Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, enot because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that jbeing justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people." -Titus 3:1-8

RESOLVED: "Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures," -1 Cor. 15:1-4

RESOLVED: "For me to live is Christ and die is gain." -Phil. 1:21

this has been an encore presentation

THE REFINER'S FIRE...purifying, sacred flames that conform us to the image of Christ

An Encore Presentation

“If you are just now in the fire, dear soul, be of good cheer – it shows at least that you are silver, and are capable of performing more acceptable service in God’s holy Temple.”
(Meyer)

"He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." -Malachi 3:3

This verse puzzled some people in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the folks offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the person called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. They didn't mention anything about the reason for their interest beyond the curiosity about the process of refining silver.

As they watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained, "in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities."

The person thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then they thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."

Asking the silversmith, "is it true that you have to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined?" The man answered “yes…” He not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. For if the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The person was silent for a moment and then asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it."

All Things For Good
What a simple yet profound story isn't it beloved? In it is revealed God's sovereign purpose of grace through every one of life's trials that He allows to touch His own children. These are the "good and perfect gifts" of James 1 that fall from above. We usually don't think of our daily pains and struggles as "gifts" do we? But this is part of God's loving sanctifying plan to make us more like Jesus; to conform us to Christlikeness; and to allow us to be placed sometimes in overwhelming circumstances where in our deliverance HE will receive all the glory. As the familiar words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 8:28 says,

“And He works all things work together for good to those that love God and are called according to His purpose.”

What does this really mean? First of all, Paul is not giving the church a magical mantra that we chant in the very hardest times of life so at the end of the day all things are always cheery, rosy, and resolved for the Christian. Some have unwittingly tried to use it in this fashion which it wasn't designed to be. So then we must rightly ask, "how is it that “all things [truly] work together for good…?” Romans 8:29 gives us the answer:

“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren” (emphasis mine).

THERE is the cause for rejoicing; there is where our great hope lies; there is the reason for victory in the midst of trial; there is the fountain of joy in the midst of scalding tears. Every trial—even when purposed by others for our harm, God will use it for our good in that we have been “predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son.”

Not Consumed; Not Destroyed; but Purified
John Piper so powerfully expounds on the refiner’s fire this way:

“He is a refiner's fire, and that makes all the difference. A refiner's fire does not destroy indiscriminately like a forest fire. A refiner's fire does not consume completely like the fire of an incinerator. A refiner's fire refines. It purifies. It melts down the bar of silver or gold, separates out the impurities that ruin its value, burns them up, and leaves the silver and gold intact. He is like a refiner's fire.

It does say FIRE. And therefore purity and holiness will always be a dreadful thing. There will always be a proper "fear and trembling" in the process of becoming pure. We learn it from the time we are little children: never play with fire! And it's a good lesson! Therefore, Christianity is never a plaything. And the passion for purity is never flippant. He is like fire and fire is serious. You don't fool around with it.

But it does say, he is like a REFINER'S fire. And therefore this is not merely a word of warning, but a tremendous word of hope. The furnace of affliction in the family of God is always for refinement, never for destruction.” (John Piper, November 29, 1987, Desiring God Ministries).

Wisdom from Ages Past

“The beauty of this picture is that the refiner looks into the open furnace, or pot, and knows that the process of purifying is complete, and the dross all burnt away, when he can see his image plainly reflected in the molten metal.” (Baldwin)

“What a comfort it is that He surrenders this work to no other hands than his own. He may give his angels charge concerning us when we are in danger; but he keeps our purification beneath his special superintendence.” (Meyer)

“The sitting posture shows that the refiner may seem indifferent, but He is not. He is carefully working with the silver, burning off and scraping away the dross that that the flames bring to the top. “I think I see in the sitting down of the refiner a settled patience, as if he seemed to say, ‘This is stern work, and I will sit down to it, for it will need care, and time, and constant watchfulness.’” (Spurgeon)

In the Winepress of His Love
Can we say with Peter today from the crucible of grace: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,” (1 Peter 1:3-4).

“Who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5). This perhaps will be one of the greatest cordials to a Christian in heaviness: that he is not kept by his own power, but is kept by the power of God, and that he is not left in his own keeping, but is kept by the Most High. “My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psa. 73:26). “For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day” (2 Tim. 1:12).

But take away the doctrine of the Savior’s keeping His people, and where is our hope? What is there in the gospel worth any of our preaching or worth any of our receiving? I know that He has said, “and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:28). "Lord, but suppose they should grow faint—that they should begin to murmur in their affliction. Shall they not perish then? No, they shall never perish. But suppose the pain should grow so hot that their faith should fail. Shall they not perish then? No" says, Spurgeon. “They shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”

AH! This is the doctrine, the cheering assurance “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,” (1 Peter 1:6).

So if today you are in the heat of the flame and are in the center of the blaze of His refiner’s fire, remember that God has His eye on you and by His grace will keep purifying you (He will not let it destroy you) until He sees His image reflected in you.

I want to close with the impacting lyric of the song, "The Refiner's Fire," that my friend Steve Green recorded in 1989 for his album called, "The Mission." It is written by Brian Doerksen and perfectly captures the heart and truth of this post.

May it deeply encourage you today in your walk with Jesus. To paraphrase John Piper, "don't waste the flame; embrace it."

In the tears of His sanctifying grace,
Steve

The Refiner's Fire

V1:
There burns a fire with sacred heat
White hot with holy flame
And all who dare pass through its blaze
Will not emerge the same
Some as bronze, and some as silver
Some as gold, then with great skill
All are hammered by their sufferings
On the anvil of His will

Chorus:
The Refiner's fire
Has now become my souls desire
Purged and cleansed and purified
That the Lord be glorified
He is consuming my soul
Refining me, making me whole
No matter what I may lose
I choose the Refiner's fire

V2:
I'm learning now to trust His touch
To crave the fire's embrace
For though my past with sin was etched
His mercies did erase
Each time His purging cleanses deeper
I'm not sure that I'll survive
Yet the strength in growing weaker
Keeps my hungry soul alive

A STRANGER TO HOLINESS...victory in our daily struggle with repentance from sin

An Encore Presentation

"Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning;" -The Apostle Paul, 1 Cor. 15:34a

Though the Lord is sovereign over all His people and even in our sanctification, He is at work conforming us daily to His image. But that reality doesn't eliminate our responsibility as regenerated people to submit our lives to Him in obedience(Roms. 6; Col. 3:1-14). But do you ever feel like we live in victory one day; and the very next, we succumb again to the very thing we thought we had finally conquered? I do. So much of the Christian life seems to be one step up and two steps back. The apostle Paul relates it this way, "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing" (Romans 7:18-19). Do you identify with the same struggle Paul just stated? I know I do.

Rob Frazier and I wrote a song several years ago that really sums this daily tension we all experience in our walk with the Lord:

"And it pounds like thunder within my breast
All the anger of my humanness;
I call you Lord but I must confess
I'm a stranger to Your holiness,
A stranger to Your holiness."

We Stand in Grace
I'm reminded daily that I can only do what is pleasing and right to the Lord and His Word by being hopelessly and continually depended on His grace. He gives grace for our salvation (Eph. 2:8-9); grace for our sanctification (Titus 2:12); and grace for our glorification (1 Peter 1:13). Grace to endure trials and testings (2 Cor. 12:9); grace for sorrow leading to repentance (2 Cor. 7:10); and He gives us the grace in which we stand (Romans 5:2). Spurgeon used to tell his congregation, "our finite sin can never exhaust His infinite grace." Isn't that comforting beloved?

As a sign of that grace, one of the foundational evidences of a truly regenerated man or woman is their repentance from sin and their hatred of it. Unfortunately, repentance is a forgotten word in the church today! That powerful, truthful word has been exiled and excused from most church pulpits, elder meetings, prayer gatherings, and worship services. It is a hard word; an unrelenting word; but a loving word that demands action not accommodation. Beloved, our Lord can never be glorified where sin is pacified; and He can never be exalted in praise where sin is entertained and practiced!

Grace Doesn't Wink at Sin
Though we have entered into our eternal rest by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8f) we must never forget that grace never winks at sin; that grace never leads to the fulfilling of further ungodliness and worldly desires (Titus 2:12); that grace never indulges the flesh (Romans 6:1f); that grace does not cherish lust or seek its pleasure (Psalm 66:18; Heb. 11:25f); but that grace hates sin and calls all who know its voice to turn from their sin and to turn to God. That is what repentance is: an abrupt about- face in the face of sin. Metonoia is the Greek term and it means a complete change of mind - literally all we believe in regards to how we behave.

Paul gives this exact idea to timid Timothy when he says, "flee youthful lust and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart" (2 Tim. 2:22). John the Baptist said, "repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand" (Matt. 3:2). Our Lord Jesus said, "repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). Paul talked of a "repentance without regret" and a "godly sorrow that leads to repentance" (2 Cor. 7:9f). And finally Peter tells us that, "the Lord...not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).

Grace Doesn't Minimize Sin
Matthew Mead insightfully says, "If sin be as terrible as you say it is why then are our lives not lived more holy; and if sin is not as terrible as you say it is, why then do you preach against it with such fury?"

Sin's consequence causes the precious Holy Spirit to be grieved (Eph. 4:30); our prayers to go unanswered (1 Peter 3:7); disqualifies us from ministry (1 Cor. 9:27); causes our praise to be unacceptable (Psalm 33:1); withholds God's blessing from us (Jer. 5:25); forfeits our joy (Psalm 32:3-4; 51:12); hinders our spiritual growth (1 Cor. 3:1-3); causes our fellowship to become polluted (Ibid 10:21; 11:28f); our lives to be endangered (1 Cor. 11:30; 1 John 5:16); and most paramount, our holy God dishonored (1 Cor. 6:19f). Sin causes the whole church to suffer (1 Cor. 12:26); it provokes discipline (Matt. 18:15-20); has as its roots the "doctrine of demons" (1 Tim. 4:1); and as its father - the devil himself (1 John 3:8)!

Is it any wonder that the great Puritan preacher, Thomas Watson, said "that a sign of sanctification is a hatred of sin... one who not only leaves sin, but loathes it." That is precisely why Solomon wrote in Proverbs 28:13, "He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes [repentance] them will find compassion."

He who covers his sin, God will uncover; he who uncovers his sin, God will cover.

Grace Forgives, Covers and Restores the Sinner
May we rejoice with David this day by saying,

"How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit!

¶ When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away Through my groaning all day long. For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah. I acknowledged my sin to Thee, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”; And Thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin. Selah. -Psalm 32:1-5

YOUR WEEKLY DOSE OF GOSPEL...the cross of Christ-centered living

Grace for Forgiveness; Grace for Repentance

"Grace is a provision for men who are so fallen that they cannot lift the ax of justice; so corrupt that they cannot change their own natures; so adverse to God that they cannot turn to Him; so blind that they cannot see Him; so deaf that they cannot hear Him; and so dead that He Himself must open their graves."
-G.S. BISHOP

Introduction:
When another person wounds us our normal tendency is to strike back, foster bitterness, demand our rights and require penance. But forgiveness by God's standards are something quite different. It's hard to turn the other cheek, demonstrate His love through acts of kindness to the one hurting us, and love our enemies, isn't it? In a time where people are clamoring for and demanding their rights, what a unique thing to hear that as a Christian "we have no rights." Our rights, if you please, lie only in Christ and therefore in eternity. When we responded to His irresistible grace to "deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him"--we were proclaiming the end of ourselves. The end of our rights.

God's purpose in salvation is to redeem men from sin and to conform them "to the image of His Son" (Rom. 8:29). "As obedient children," Peter tells us, "do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy'" (1 Pet. 1:14-16; cf. Lev. 11:44). The great hope of believers is, "We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is" (1 John 3:2). Imitating His love is possible because "the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Rom.5:5).

Through the Holy Spirit we must be what
we cannot be in our own strength...
and that is, Christlike.

The supreme act of God's love was to give "His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16). God's love brought man's forgiveness. God loved His own with such a great love (Eph. 2:4-5) that He offered forgiveness to sinful, rebellious man by sending His own Son to die on the cross as our substitute that we might not suffer death and eternal punishment under His wrath forever (John 3:36).

Because forgiveness is the supreme evidence of God's love, it will also be the most convincing proof of our love of Him. Love will always lead us to forgive others just as love led God in Christ to forgive us (Rom. 5:6-9; Eph. 4:32). Nothing more clearly reveals a hard, loveless heart than the lack of forgiveness. The presence of forgiveness always proves the presence of love, because only love has the motive and power to forgive. The Greek word to forgive actually means to "hurl away the debt." Have we hurled away the wrongs committed against us by others or are we holding on to them, savoring a revengeful, bitter heart until they pay enough penance to get back into our "good graces" once again?

When we have a right view of our own sin; and a right view of what it cost the Lord to forgive us for our sin; then we will be quick to forgive others. Why? Because the enormous, insurmountable debt that we had before a holy God we could never pay; but yet, He still forgave us through Christ Jesus our Lord, fully redeeming us from the curse of our sin. We were undeserving, unworthy, and unfit to receive such love from our Lord--but He still forgave us (cp, Col. 3:12-15; Eph. 5:1-2)! Therefore, anything that anyone else might do to us in this life must be considered the "lesser debt." Because we have been forgiven such a great debt in Christ, we should always--without hesitation--be willing to forgive the lesser debt between each other.

Forgiveness and Repentance
But it is important to note here that forgiveness is not passive, but active. What I mean by this is the following: forgiveness is not something we can extend judicially, but it requires a transaction between two people: one to humbly ask for forgiveness, the other to humbly grant it. This is an act of grace: grace for repentance; grace forgiveness.

Jesus' powerful words in Luke 17:3-4 give us an important, and often neglected, component of biblical forgiveness: “Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.” Notice the unmistakable correlation between repentance and forgiveness. For genuine forgiveness to really occur between two people where a wrong or ought has been committed, there must be repentance from the one who has sinned against another AND a swift issue of forgiveness from the one who has been sinned against when forgiveness has been asked for. This is vitally important beloved. Repentance and forgiveness are different sides of the same coin. None of us are capable or even able to issue a blanket, judicial forgiveness to another who has sinned. Only the Lord can do such a profound work and ministry of grace as that.

Now at this juncture, some might be saying, "but Steve, what if that person who has sinned against us never repents and fails to come and ask for me forgiveness; or what if they have died some years later and the wrongs were never righted? How do I deal with the hurt, pain and woundedness I have experienced?" Here is our hope. Whatever the scenario may be, two things are clear: 1. as Christians, we are not to hold ought against another and be free from bitterness, malice, revenge, etc. And 2., until someone comes in true repentance, seeking forgiveness for the wrongs they have done against us, we are not to have a hard heart against them, but are to extend to them mercy and love; and in so doing, be free from the acidic bitter feelings of retribution that can dominate us in a time of severe pain and defilement. But mark the Lord's words above, for there to be genuine reconciliation between two people, repentance and forgiveness must occur. IOW, there can be no real genuine forgiveness, without there being genuine repentance as well. Otherwise, we diminish forgiveness into a religious mantra that we easily say, thinking that simply by uttering the words the breach is mended, the ought is done away with, and the pain is eradicated. Not so. Oh beloved, may we ask the Lord to grant us humility to walk in repentance, to walk in forgiveness and to walk free from revenge, free from retribution, and free from malicious malady.

The Priority of Forgiveness Given by the Lord Jesus Christ
Forgiveness is given such a preeminent priority by our Lord that He said these sobering and disturbing words, "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions" (Matt. 6:14-15). This is dealing with the daily walk of the believer in Christ. Though we are saved, His daily forgiveness in our sanctification (John 13:5-20) may be withheld until we are repentant and forgive others. But in saying that there is still a greater warning.

A continued, purposed, hard-hearted action of unforgiveness and hatred against others also means that God will not forgive us our sins and truly unmasks an unbelieving heart from one that names Christ in word only, but in reality reveals the genuine state of their life being unregenerate. Consider the words of the Apostle John when says, "If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also" (1 John 4:20-21). (cp, 1 John 2:9-11).

A further brief note of explanation on Matt. 6:15:
Though the penalty of our sins has once for all been dealt with in Christ forever (Heb. 9:14ff); and His justifying work for His elect can never be reversed (Rom. 5:1); His chastening hand will come against any of His children who refuse to extend forgiveness to another (Matt. 18:30-35; Heb. 12:5-12). The consequence of which does effect our daily sanctification with Him--but not our eternal salvation in Him. A true believer in the Lord will eventually and always come to the place of showing forgiveness to others--even if that action is produced through the chastening hand of the Lord or through the discipline of His church. (See Matt. 18:35). God will not allow any of us to stay in perpetual unforgiveness with others, but will bring us to the place of brokenness, humility, and grace in ultimately giving forgiveness--even if it takes a "severe mercy" over a long period of time to evidence itself.

(Please take the next several minutes to read Matthew 18:21-35 of the unmerciful servant).

Key Verse: Ephesians 4:32 -"...forgive as God in Christ has forgiven you."

We are commanded here to forgive not according to our capacity to forgive; or our own ability to forgive; or even because the one that has wounded us has demonstrated a humility and brokenness over what they have done to warrant forgiveness. The bar is set high beloved; we are to forgive "as God in Christ has forgiven us." I don't know about you, but this takes a profound work of grace in my life for this is not my first reaction when I am hurt by another or possibly wrongly accused by even a friend for something I didn't do. But it's precisely at those moments that we have a choice--forgive as we have been forgiven or hold ought against another and forfeit the blessing and favor of the Lord in our lives (cp, Matt. 5:23-24; Rom. 12:18).

Listen, our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross has already paid the price for the wrongful act that has been done against you. Jesus has already bore that sin at Calvary; and because of that, we are truly free to forgive...amen? Whatever another believer may do against us, no matter how terrible or destructive or unjustified, Christ has paid the penalty for that sin. forgiveness doesn't mean that we are condoning the wrongs, but that we are free from the effects of those wrongs. Rather than being filled with bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander and malice (Eph. 4:31)--by God's grace we can be "kind, tenderhearted to one another, forgiving one another as God in Christ has forgiven you" (Eph. 4:32) No matter how others may hurt, slander, persecute, or in any way harm us, Christ's sacrifice was sufficient to pay that penalty. Here's the nexus of the issue: when we as Christians express, or even harbor, vengeance toward another, we not only sin by allowing selfishness and hatred to control us but we sin by profaning Christ's sacrifice--by seeking to mete out punishment in our own way for a something that has already been dealt with in Christ on the cross. Oh, if we can get a hold of that reality what a profound difference it would make in our daily walk with the Lord!

Peter thought that forgiving someone "up to seven times", was being very generous (can't we all identify with Peter?). But Jesus said, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven" (Matt. 18:22).

How have we been forgiven by God in Christ?
To what extent have all of our sins been dealt with on the cross--even those we have not even committed or have had committed against us yet? When the Lord Jesus Christ declared from the cross,"It is finished!", He had:

• fulfilled the Law;
• went beyond the veil;
• satisfied God's justice;
• propitiated the Father's wrath;
• satisfied His holiness;
• fulfilled all righteousness;
• exalted grace;
• confirmed the gospel;
• redeemed the elect;
• justified His own from the penalty of sin;
• quenched the guilt of our sin;
• crushed the head of Satan and destroyed his hold of death;
• abolished death and its sting;
• fulfilled all redemptive Messianic prophecies;
• secured for us eternal life;
• brought us into intimacy with God;
• imputed to us His perfect righteousness;
• instituted a new covenant;
• and brought us into peace with God forever!

Aren't we grateful to the Lord this day that He has not "rewarded us according to our sin, nor dealt with us according to our iniquity?" (Psam 103:10). In Christ all our "sins are forgiven for His name's sake" (1 John 2:12); He has "forgiven us all our transgressions" (Col. 2:13, emphasis added). And if all our sins are forgiven by Him, can we not--or more importantly--this we must do, forgive the purposed wrongs that others do against us?

Beloved, God for Christ's sake forgave us; we for Christ's sake must forgive each other. Remember, the measure of our love is the extent of your ability to forgive! (1 Jn. 2:12; Col. 2:12ff)

A Word of Personal Testimony
I went through a tremendous tragedy in my life several years ago--wounded by my closest friend and companion. One early morning about 2:00am, while in the depths of sorrow, depression and bitterness, the Lord was breaking my heart on this very issue of forgiveness. Rather than allowing me to dwell in that place of bitterness and revenge, He led me to read that passage mentioned above in Matthew 18:21-35. Out of that unforgettable time of "wrestling with God" I penned these following lyrics. I had to come to the place of realizing that I had no right to harbor bitterness or resentment--even though other dear Christian brothers and sisters were lovingly affirming me of that right. When I finally came to the place of seeing clearly my own sinfulness before a holy God and how much He had forgiven me in Christ, then I had no option but to not hold an ought against this person who had hurt me so deeply.

By grace through faith in Jesus Christ, I had been given forgiveness and eternal life in Him. Since I had drank fully from the fountain of His grace, could I ultimately have a hardened heart against another that had wronged me? In humility and brokenness I learned that I could not. Though that individual has never come and asked for forgiveness and repented of their wrong, God by His grace (for this is not the fruit of my own invention) has allowed me to not hold ought against them by His mercy and love.

I hope these words born out of my own failing heart, will encourage you to dwell not on the sins of others but to realize the depth of forgiveness that God has given you and begin a fresh to thank Him for the grace He has extended to you in Christ.

You can listen to this song by going to the online store and downloading the MP3 version. It is located on the "Desiring God" CD project.

My Sins, My Sins - My Savior
By Steve Camp

My sins, my sins, my Saviour! They daily battle me,
Deaf and dumb Thy servant is, save only Christ to Thee;
In Thee is all forgiveness, fully free abundant grace,
I find my hope and refuge, in Thine unchanging face

My sins, my sins, my Saviour! How great on Thee they fall;
Seen through Thy patient mercy, I ought forsake them all;
Their penalty's forgiven; yet their power suffers me
Their shame and guilt and anguish, they laid, my Lord, on Thee

My sins, my sins, my Saviour! What cost to Thee ensued
Thy heel bruised in temptation, no Devil could subdue
Thou wrestled in the garden; and prayed the Cup would pass
Thy sanguine sweat, Thou trembled yet, embraced His will at last

My sins, my sins, my Saviour! Thou perfect Sacrifice
Drained wrath's chalice to the dregs; Thy Father satisfied.
O Holy Lamb of Glory, High Priest, Lord God and King
We worship Thee with reverence, Thy matchless Name we sing

My songs, my songs, my Saviour! No grandeur theme shall know
They'll trumpet of Thy glory, to wretched man below;
Thy righteousness, Thy favor, stream from Thy throne above
Sustain the hearts my Saviour that Thou hast lavished with Thy love

this is an encore presentation

THE PRAYER OF GENUINE HUMILITY AND WORSHIP...it's all vanity if not acceptable in the sight of God

Psalm 19:14. "Let the words of my mouth,

and the meditation of my heart,

be acceptable in thy sight,

O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer."

by Charles Spurgeon

A sweet prayer, and so spiritual that it is almost as commonly used in Christian worship as the apostolic benediction. Words of the mouth are mockery if the heart does not meditate; the shell is nothing without the kernel; but both together are useless unless accepted; and even if accepted by man, it is all vanity if not acceptable in the sight of God. We must in prayer view Jehovah as our strength enabling, and our Redeemer saving, or we shall not pray aright, and it is well to feel our personal interest so as to use the word my, or our prayers will be hindered.

Our near Kinsman's name, our God or Redeemer, makes a blessed ending to the Psalm; it began with the heavens, but it ends with him whose glory fills heaven and earth. Blessed Kinsman, give us now to meditate acceptably upon thy most sweet love and tenderness.

THE RIGHT TO BE WRONGED...learning to trust God in the tough issues of life

-this is an encore presentation-

My mom is famous for her timely, pointed, pithy words of wisdom. One of those perceptive perspectives that has never left my thinking is this, "You have one right, Steve, as a Christian, and that's to have no rights." The truths of those words still ring profound today. I completely agree with her with one slight modifier - we do have the right to be wronged (1 Cor. 6:1-8).

Being in music ministry for over 30 years you hear all matters of talk about artists, authors, evangelical leaders - those who control the publishing and music industry of religious content, etc. this is a given. And now add to this mix the blogosphere; where anyone with a keyboard can become an excerpt on most anything just because they post - never mind if they are qualified to speak. Blogging daily and interacting with many in the blogosphere can be a place of real blessing. Sometimes it brings out excellent times for genuine ministry and discussion to take place and other times, all it yields is sorely behavior, name-calling, insinuations, ill-treatment, and unsupported-wide-eyed assertions from those that "think they are in the know." I have found that even when you are not responding to their childish rants, they will still rant about you or anyone who challenges them or disagrees with them. Soon, people are afraid to really express themselves honestly for fear of being vilified publicly. And for what? Just for offering another side to the proverbial coin. It is a godly exercise beloved to not respond with insult for insult; better to remain silent. It won't silent them, but you will be better for it and others will see this. Better to pray for them, and to learn again to die to yourself. I have been learning this again lately; and despite the less than Christian comments of others, I am blessed in God's providence to be in the crucible of grace being conformed to Jesus. It is not pleasant; it is painful; but all for our good and His glory. Amen?

You have to exercise practical wisdom on what you chose to believe and not believe about people and their failings; for everyone wants to feel like they have the latest word on the rumor mill. This unfortunately happens in the church too... doesn't it? What I am referring to the destructive sin of gossip; talk that has as its only purpose the determined underhanded demise of another. It is so conventional that among some Christians it could be considered a spiritual gift. Confronting eye to eye, an individual alone, is rarely if ever done in our day. Jesus' words in (Matthew 18:15-20) not just suggest, but demand you go to another privately before even uttering it to another publicly--and even then, it is to only two or three to help mend the breach. But here is the problem: we are marked by "itching ears" in our culture today; hungry for those little tidbits of juicy rumor, jealous of others, or trying to elevate yourself by constantly putting others down; rather than simply insatiably craving and living out the truth of God's Word.

THE TONGUE IS A FIRE
Have you ever been wrongly accused of something or just plain misunderstood? Have you ever had people gossip behind your back with false perceptions about your integrity or character? Have you ever biblically confronted a friend or family member in sin and been ostracized for the loving honesty? Have you ever stood for Christ in the work place and it cost you in reputation or promotion in a job? Even in the common ordinary day of our lives, it’s easy to become offended over trivial things, isn't it?. What’s worse, when we do get offended we end up savoring the bitterness, promoting ill will out of revenge to sooth our sagging pride or hurt feelings, conjuring up ways to “get even” with those who have wronged us, or possibly have spoken to others about it with no other motive or intent than to build-a-case to undermine the one who wounded us.

However, the sad and subtle quintessential way that we as Christians gossip about others behind their back is through... prayer. I call it the “gracevine.” How many times have you received a phone call, been stopped by someone in the market, or even gotten an email with something about someone that is gossip, but it is cloaked in the language of "I don't want to spread a rumor, but here is what I heard about "so and so" and I am onlyl sharing it with you so you can be praying about this person..." We are all guilty of this aren't we? I know I have. I have been both prey and perpetrator of wrongly speaking about someone else—possibly you too.

If you have ever been wronged or deeply hurt by another, what should our response be? How are we to react or most importantly… act? Paul warns against “bitterness, angry, wrath, evil speaking, clamor, and malice" from taking root in our lives (Ephesians 4:31). It grieves the Holy Spirit, causes fellowship to be broken between two believers in Christ, and a possible testimony to be scarred. Paul does exhort us to live in kindness, tenderheartedness and forgiveness with one another; "forgiving one another as God in Christ has forgiven us."

LET US CONSIDER CHRIST
Peter tells us, "when He was reviled against, He did not revile in return." When treated with scorn, beatings, and indignation "He did not retaliate." When spoken of wrongly and accused falsely of everything from being a drunkard, to the friend of sinners, to even being Beelzebub the chief of demons, "He uttered no threats." Even in the garden of Gethsemane the Lord said that He could have had twelve legions of angels (72,000 angels) at His disposal to fulfill His commands, yet He did not demand His rights, but "entrusted Himself to the One who judges justly."

""Keep about your work. Do not flinch because the lion roars; do not stop to stone the devil’s dogs; do not fool away your time chasing the devil’s rabbits. Do your work. Let liars lie, let sectarians quarrel, let critics malign, let enemies accuse, let the devil do his worst; but see to it nothing hinders you from fulfilling with joy the work God has given you. He has not commanded you to be admired or esteemed. He has not commanded you to get rich. He has never bidden you defend your character. He has not set you at work to contradict falsehood (about yourself) which Satan’s or God’s servants may start to peddle, or to track down every rumor that threatens your reputation. If you do these things, you will do nothing else; you will be at work for yourself and not for the Lord. Keep at your work. Let your aim be as steady as a star. You may be assaulted, wronged, insulted, slandered, wounded and rejected, misunderstood, or assigned impure motives; you may be abused by foes, forsaken by friends, and despised and rejected of men. But see to it with steadfast determination, with unfaltering zeal, that you pursue the great purpose of your life and object of your being until at last you can say, ‘I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do’." -AUTHOR UNKNOWN

LIVING IT OUT THIS WEEK - CONSIDER THIS:
First, if someone approaches you to tell you something about another person this week, ask the one telling you if they have gone directly to that person first, before they sin and repeat any matter to you. If they have not done so, don't entertain their story. Walk away, run if necessary. If they are not willing to go directly to the person they're talking about, then they are not motivated by God's love for that person, and their words should be treated as suspect or disregarded completely (Proverbs 20:19).

Secondly, if you have ought against someone go to that person immediately and privately to make things right. Out of our own pride or hurt and wounded feelings we will usually try and build a case against someone else to make ourselves look better or deflect attention away from our own issues. But it is sin beloved to do so. Even if you don't harbor ill feelings against someone, but you know that they have something against you, Jesus says to leave your gift at the altar, call them and seek to be reconciled (Matthew 5:23-24).

Thirdly, remember the great debt that God in Christ has forgiven you. Because of that you can forgive someone else the lesser offense. When we have a right view of our own sinfulness and a right view of what it cost our Lord to redeem our own sin soaked lives, we then can exercise grace and walk in forgiveness with another (Matthew 18:21-35). Revenge or "payback" is never worth it. If you are in the wrong, then be quick to admit your own wrongdoing; seek to be forgiven and to forgive. If you are wrongly accused: then don't be quick to defend yourself--humility is better served by going the extra mile and bearing the insults of another. Bless those who falsely accuse you and leave them to God.

Fourthly, "If it is possible, as much as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men" (Romans 12:18). This means that to walk the worthy walk, we need to put on the godly character of longsuffering, patience, humility, gentleness, and self-sacrificial love (Ephesians 4:1-4) and put away bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, gossip and all malice (Ephesians 4:31-32) . I don't know about you, but that takes "a work of grace" in my life to walk that kind of walk each day. IOW, extend mercy where there could be offense; extend love where there could be hate; extend grace where there could be revenge; extend peace where there could be strife; and extend prayer where there could pride. "Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you" (Matthew 5:40-44).

Here are some of our "rights" in Christ:

• you have the right to turn the other cheek
• you have the right to be misunderstood
• you have the right to be gossiped about
• you have the right to go the extra mile
• you have the right to persecuted for your faith
• you don’t have the right to bitterness
• you don't have the right to get even
• you don't have the right to take matters in your own hands
• you don’t have the right to gossip about others
• you have the right to obey the Lord and not hurt others
• you have the right to be wronged.

“The Right to Be Wronged”
by Camp/Frazier

These are the worst of times; the best of times
Finding poetry when the words don't rhyme
Willing to surrender, to the cruelty of another
Learning to sing an unfamiliar song
Choosing not to fight, we are
Learning the right
to be wronged

You never know what a day might bring
Life's an unpredictable, twisted thing
Some days you have to turn the other cheek
But there's strength in being meek

You don't have to be a doormat you know
But revenge just cripples the soul
All our vain reputations are dust in the wind
Better to show grace; better to let them win

I'm going to lay down my rights
Going to give up this selfish fight
I will submit with all of my might
To the right of being wronged

It's not easy to live this way
But joy comes when you trust and obey
There's freedom when you embrace
The right of being wronged

It's so hard to reconcile
But love always goes the extra mile
To forgive the ones you'd rather forget
Takes humility and love, again and again

I'm going to lay down my rights
Going to give up this selfish fight
I will submit with all of my might
To the right of being wronged

It's not easy to live this way
But joy comes when you trust and obey
There's freedom when you embrace
The right of being wronged

By His Grace and for His Glory,
Steve
2 Cor. 4:5-7

ONE EVIDENCE OF OUR SALVATION...daily repentance from sin

"Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning;
for some have no knowledge of God I speak this to your shame."
-The Apostle Paul, 1 Cor. 15:34

Sin is something we all wrestle with everyday and in varying degrees. We will do so until we are home with the Lord. We are new creations (2 Cor. 5:17), but we are incarcerated in unredeemed flesh (Roms. 6:12-14; 8:22-24; 12:1).  The things we want to do, we don't do; and the things we don't want to do, we do (Roms. 7:13-20).  We can say with the Apostle Paul, "O wretched man am I" (Roms. 7:24).

When the gospel of grace apprehends our lives and regenerates us, one of the evidences is to repent from sin. Repentance, that powerful - truthful word, has almost been exiled and excused from most church pulpits, elder meetings, prayer gatherings, and worship services today.  As one pastor told me a few years ago: "we don't talk about repentance anymore for we desire to be more 'grace centered' in this church."  I don't know about you beloved, but I sin far too easily; I have a PhD in rationalizing it in my life.  My sinful soul tries to excuse and spin the sin so that I fail to daily repent. My own heart can deceive me; and when I think I am victorious in a certain area of my life, Solomon's words quickly humble when he says: even "the thought of foolishness is sin" (Prov. 24:9).  IOW, I haven't arrived in conquering the daily tug of sin by a long shot in my life; and that is why my only hope for eternity, and for today, is the grace that is in Christ Jesus my Lord.  Do you feel the same way too?

Shall We Go On Sinning that Grace May Abound? May It Never Be
Though we have entered into our eternal rest by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8f) - we must never forget that grace never winks at sin; that grace never leads us to fulfilling further ungodliness and worldly desires (Titus 2:12); that grace doesn't indulge the flesh (Romans 6:1f); or cherish iniquity (Psalm 66:18; Heb. 11:25f). But that grace ultimately doesn't justify sin and calls all who know its voice to turn from their sin and to turn to God - repentance. Metonoia is the Greek term and it means a complete change of mind; an about face; literally all we believe in regards to how we behave.

We Can't Negotiate with Sin
I'm not strong enough to think I can negotiate with sin... are you? We must by God's grace, adhere Paul's command to young, timid Timothy when he says, "flee youthful lust and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart" (2 Tim. 2:22). To flee here means to be a "fugitive from." IOW, don't let sin catch us, flee it, run from it. Paul talked of a "repentance without regret" and a "godly sorrow that leads to repentance" accompanying our salvation (2 Cor. 7:9f). And finally Peter tells us that, "the Lord... not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). So whether it be our salvation or our daily sanctification, it is all of grace and evidenced by repentance.

Matthew Mead insightfully says,

"If sin be as terrible as you say it is why then are our lives not lived more holy; and if sin is not as terrible as you say it is, why then do you preach against it with such fury?"

Truth or Consequences
When sin goes on ignored in any of our lives, without our consciences being pricked and our hearts numb to its practice, then we can become a little more hardened and dull to the Holy Spirit's convicting power in our lives. Sin can cause the Holy Spirit to be grieved (Eph. 4:30); our prayers to go unanswered (1 Peter 3:7); stifle our service (1 Cor. 9:27); causes our praise to be unacceptable (Psalm 33:1); withholds God's blessing from us (Jer. 5:25); forfeits our joy (Psalm 32:3-4; 51:12); hinders our spiritual growth (1 Cor. 3:1-3); causes our fellowship to become strained and disingenuous (1 Cor. 3:10:21; 11:28f); and most paramount, God to be dishonored (1 Cor. 6:19f). Sin causes the whole church to suffer (1 Cor. 12:26); provokes possible discipline (Matt. 18:15-20); and God to chasten our lives (Heb. 12:1-12).

Is it any wonder that the great Puritan preacher, Thomas Watson, said "that a sign of sanctification is a hatred of sin...one who not only leaves sin, but loathes it." That is precisely why Solomon wrote in Proverbs 28:13, "He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes [repentance] them will find compassion." IOW, unconfessed sin, God will uncover; he who uncovers his sin, God will cover.

There are three categories of sin we find in Scripture:

1. Secret sin - Psalm 19:12f, 139:23f

2. Private sin - Matt. 5:23f, Romans 12:18, Matt. 6:14f

3. Public sin - Acts 5:1-11, I Cor. 5:4, Gal. 2:12-15, I Tim. 5:20, Matt. 18:15-20

What then constitutes true repentance from sin? What are the elements of that repentance and how are they to be executed?

1. Conviction of sin - John 16:8

2. Contrition over sin - Psalm 51:17, 2 Cor. 7:8-11, Psalm 38:18, Ez. 43:10

3. Confession of sin - James 5:16, Psalm 32:5, Neh. 9:2

4. Conversion from sin - Romans 6:12f, Ez. 14:6, Is.55:7, Acts 3:26

There is the shame of our sin; the sorrow over our sin; the confessing of it to those whom we have wounded; and finally the turning from our sin as the true sign of our salvation in Christ. Repentance; Restoration; Restitution; Reconciliation.

Oh beloved, may we each make the grace-empowered choices to walk daily in the joy of repentance and prove our calling and election to be sure (2 Peter 1:4-12).