Jesus starts on the inside . . .

The best novels are those whose characters seem like real people. I just finished a novel in which the people seemed so real that I cared what happened to them. To create them, writers need to know the hearts of real people. We are sinners all, some trying to look good on the outside but most blaming their issues and problems on the inside as the fault of others and of unfortunate events in their lives.

Mark’s Gospel describes Jesus’ third tour of Galilee. This is not fiction. These are real people. Some are sick and Jesus healed them. Some have demons and Jesus cast them out. Some are Pharisees and their biggest concern is not for the sick or possessed but that everyone washes their hands properly. They are not into hygiene but stuck on their traditions:

Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches. (Mark 7:1–4)

Jesus knows people, not just our external behavior but what motivates us, what come from our hearts. Of these religious leaders He said:

“Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” (Mark 7:6–8)

He pointed to their example of getting around one of the Ten Commandments. Instead of honoring their parents as God says, they taught people to claim that whatever their parents should have gained from them, they had given to God, therefore they were exempt from doing anything for their father or mother. This tradition made void the word of God. It was only one of many. (Mark 7:12–13)

On the outside they seemed religious. On the inside, as He later told them, they were “full of dead men’s bones.” This passage and the entire New Testament repeatedly states that the problem of humanity begins with the inner person, the heart. Our spirit is dead to God. We are sinners all and without the revealing power of God, we just don’t get it:

And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” (Mark 7:18–23)

The NT begins with the life of Jesus Christ, telling how He came to set His people free. They assumed freedom from Roman rule, but His goal was freedom from the rule of sin. Their problem, and ours, was not political oppression or any other externals so much as the power of the above list of junk. It kept them, and us, from obeying God because the best we can do is put on an external show of piousness that fails because our hearts are not right. No one can produce clean water from a polluted well.

Mark reveals in Jesus what God wants — utter dependence on Him and total obedience from a pure heart. We would like that too, enough to try and imitate it. But godliness cannot be imitated. Without Jesus living in our hearts and purifying us from the inside out, the only thing we can produce is sin.

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Lord Jesus, today You impress upon me again the marvel of salvation. What I could never do, You have done for me. While salvation is instant and I am declared righteous in Your sight, my sanctification is also a process as You move in my heart to transform me into the person You have declared that already I am. I shake my head at the wonder of it all. You know me and You know exactly what I need. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Divine Junk Inspector

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23–24)

God already knows everything about me, so why ask Him to search and know me? It is because I need to know me. If God did not show me otherwise, my view of myself would be entirely false.

I think I know who I am and what I want. I have thoughts, dreams, desires that others cannot see, but I know them. Even if I keep these things to myself, it is plain that God knows all about them. 

Yet when I pray that God will search me, He first reveals how well He understands the state of my mind, my spiritual health, and what sort of ways I would behave in any circumstances. He brings me out of my own view by applying tests that let me see myself as He sees me. That is, He answers my prayer by using providential conditions and circumstances to show me parts of my character that I didn’t know even existed. His Spirit also links the situations He puts me in to the responses I have to those situations, revealing what He is trying to do in those situations — showing me who I really am. 

Sometimes I am shocked by what I see, but I should not be. I already know that apart from Jesus, I am a sinful creature, but in pride I tend to think that I will not do or think “grievous” things because I am already on “the way everlasting” toward becoming like Christ. That is true, but sin goes far deeper than I realize.

For example, when I pray to be searched, God may allow me to be severely criticized. Under this test, I might discover that He has developed in me the virtue of meekness. On the other hand, I am more likely to discover that I am quick to defend myself and affirm that I have a right to be angry and it is not my fault that I lost my temper. The test demonstrates whether I have the meekness and gentleness of Christ, or am clinging to my selfish ways and not trusting God to protect or change me.

Other tests could include God arranging that I am treated with neglect. This might even be sinful on the part of others, but it is my reactions that reveal truth about me. He might allow me to be treated with injustice or allow someone to lie to me. How will I respond? Will I be like Jesus? Often not.

Another test that is even more difficult, at least for me, is when God arranges that someone compliments me, puts me on a pedestal or gives me all sorts of attention. Will I respond in pride? Or will I humbly glorify God who is the source of all good things, including all blessings in my life?

My flaw, and the flaw I see in many Christians, is that we fail to make the connection between the events of life and the desire of God to use those events to show us how much we need Jesus. He wants me to see, acknowledge and confess my sinful responses and be cleansed. He wants me to thank Him for showing me my needy heart. Instead, I tend to point the finger at others for “making” me do something I shouldn’t. If not that, my lack of trust in God comes out when I start griping about whatever is not going my way. 

Asking God to search me reveals at least one more important reality — I’ve finally figured out that God has a far better read on how much junk is still in my heart than I do. Yet that does not make His inspection any easier nor does it make me more eager to have it happen.

The Bible — God’s Word to Humanity

To my left on my study wall is a framed and illuminated page from 1 Peter. It was printed on the first printing press in the world, the Gütenberg press, located in Germany and still being used. There, we also saw one of a few remaining copies of the Gütenberg Bible, the first book ever printed on this press, way back in 1450-1455.

In that same museum were dozens of Bibles that had been faithfully copied from earlier texts. Words and letters were counted to make sure no errors crept in. It took many people years of work to preserve God’s Word. They did so because they knew that the Bible is an amazing book. It has been called “The Book of Books.” Today, it is printed in more than 600 languages, and portions are printed in more than 1,000 tongues and dialects. The Bible has long been the world’s best seller.

I “cut my teeth” on the King James version. Other versions have been translated from ancient copies and paraphrases have been made from those versions. Even with the many variations available, the version used is not nearly so important as what we do with it and how we respond to it.

My mother’s example started me reading the Bible every day. I’ve done this since I was about 13 years old. Now I can say along with the psalmist at least the first part of these verses. . . .

Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. (Psalm 119:97–99)

This book is God’s love letter. In it, He discloses Himself and clearly spells out His plan for our redemption and restored fellowship. He offers us the final authority for all matters of faith, morals, and practice. This inspired book is God’s way of giving us understanding and guidance in our Christian walk as it prepares us for our heavenly destination.

I cannot fully comprehend all of the teaching of Scripture because my sinful mind is finite and flawed, but God makes clear the essential truths for redemption and to live like Christ. This book is alive and shapes my life. For me, it is the same as Paul said to Timothy. . . .

. . . . and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the (person) of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:15–17)

The words do not work all by themselves. The Holy Spirit uses them in a mystical way, making them come alive in my mind and life. Because of this, my sin is exposed so I can confess it and be forgiven.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

As God deals with my sin, He also uses His Word to help me live as He wants me to live. When I do that, I have His assurance that my prayers will be answered. 

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (John 15:7)

This book has been trashed, ignored, called “irrelevant” and mocked, but it remains on book store shelves, is available to e-readers, and dozens of versions can be read and searched on computers and the Internet. Some households have many copies, some well-read and well-worn.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (Matthew 24:35)

Hard to read? Yes, for those who do not believe it — and I know this. I read it many years without comprehension, yet when the Lord walked into my life, His Book becomes accessible and life-changing.

Paul explains the need for preaching the Word, for hearing it spoken, for reading it. He says, “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).

This is key for those who do not have faith but wish they did. Read the Bible. Try starting with the New Testament Gospel of John and read it five times. Then read Romans a couple of times, then the entire New Testament. Faith comes from hearing, so reading it aloud might even be a good idea.

God is faithful. He preserved His word for thousands of years. He has used it to change thousands, even millions of lives. Some of those set out to prove it wrong and were transformed as they read it. This is a living book. It can bring life, eternal life, because it is the Words of God, spoken to us through faithful men who recorded it for that very purpose.

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God, each day You speak to me through Your Word. I am sometimes convicted of sin, sometimes rebuked and instructed, but You always speak blessing, truth and assurance to my heart. Thank You for this reliable and incredible Book. Thank You for its power to change lives. May You give all of us a great and growing hunger to read it and let it do what it alone can do to transform us and fit us for eternity.

(Image source)

Splitting hairs?

The author of my devotional guide makes a distinction between soul and spirit. The author of the notes in my study Bible does not. I, being a person who prefers accurate word definitions, prefer the first point of view, but should I split hairs?

Watchman Nee says the spirit is the inner part of humans that is capable of being conscious of sin, of knowing God by faith, and of connecting with Him. Apart from Christ, these capacities are inactive and the spirit is said to be ‘dead in sin’ and separated from God.

In Nee’s descriptions, the soul is the inner part of humans where our intellect, emotions and volition function. He says the soulish man lives independently of God, and while that man may have an understanding of right and wrong and believe in the existence of God, this capacity is not the same as that of a person whose spirit has been made alive.

These distinctions are not clear in Scripture, but some verses seem to make them. For instance, Hebrews 4:12 talks about the power of God’s Word. It says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

The notes in my study Bible say that these terms do not describe two separate entities any more than “thoughts and intents” do, but I’m not sure about that. My thoughts may include my intentions, but not all of those thoughts involve intentions. The two words are not identical any more than “living and powerful” or “joints and marrow” are the same thing.

What difference does it make? Isn’t it enough to recognize the Bible can discover or reveal our inner condition? Do these words need defining?

I think so. As I study the Bible I notice that what my intellect grasps is often in contrast to what faith tells me. While this can be frustrating, God confirms it. He says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).

These are two separate functions. My own understanding, seated in my intellect, is not as reliable as the knowledge of God which is received by faith. The Bible also says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind . . . .” in Romans 12:2. This tells me that my mind is not functioning the way God intends. This includes “thoughts and intents” which need to be renewed, transformed.

However, another amazing verse says, “We have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16). Of course His mind and mine do not think the same. God wants me to allow His Word to reveal to me the distinctions between the two, and live by “transformed” thoughts and motives, not by my own understanding.

None of this could happen when my spirit was “dead to God.” Before Jesus came into my life, I not interested, nor did I have the capacity to know Him. I could not see or understand the things of God. This is exactly what Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3. “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

“Born again” is another way of expressing how God makes alive the spirits of those who live physically (have soul-life), but are dead to God. When His Spirit regenerated my spirit, the things of God became real to me. There was a connection with God, a sense of my own sin, but also the ability to believe by faith, none of which I could do with my own intelligence, feelings, or by choice.

Imagining a set of concentric circles with the spirit as the core and the soul as the next circle, and the body as the outer, visible part, helps me to remember that what happens inside me has a huge effect on my entire person.

For instance, when God challenges me about my sin, my spirit knows He is right, but my mind grapples with what I should do. My emotions feel guilt, shame, or perhaps annoyance. I’ve now a choice to make. If I choose to resist Him, my emotions are affected and my body can become tense, even ill because of that inner battle. My spirit becomes suppressed, and if I say no long enough, it begins to atrophy.

However, if I yield to God with my whole being, my mind is engaged with praise and creative thoughts, my emotions overflow with peace and joy, and there is no resistance in my will power giving me freedom from stress. My body is relaxed and ready to obey. Under that and inside all of that is an assurance that I’m on the right track and I have a deep awareness of the presence of God.

Nee may go too far in his separation of soul and spirit because you cannot cut them apart; one affects the other. My Bible study notes may go too far the other way and miss the marvels of God’s handiwork in the way He created us.

But by splitting hairs, I’m helped to see that the Bible is just right. It challenges me to keep reading because it is alive and powerful and has an amazing ability to reveal to me what I need to know so every part of me can quit resisting God and live wholly for Jesus Christ.