I cannot blame God. . . .

 

Last night a terrible dream combined the actions of two people I once trusted. Both harmed me and in the dream, my anger and desire to retaliate was loud and violent. I woke feeling as if I’d been clobbered. Why did friends betray me? Why was my anger so savage? Where was God?
In reading Charnock’s wonderful book about the attributes of God, I’m in a section on His holiness, particularly what happens when his people sin. Has God abandoned them?

Charnock points out that God is not the author of sin. He uses Scripture and an illustration to explain… If a man is riding a horse that loves to run and gives it the reins, or a huntsman takes all restraint off his hunting dog, both animals with go into motion and do what natural instinct drives them to do. They will run free.

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. (James 1:13–15)

Grace provides a new nature that can say NO to temptation, but the test is: will His people say NO as well? I’ve at times felt that God withheld grace so I would realize the danger of saying YES to forbidden things.

As for those who do not have this new nature, Charnock illustrates by pointing to Exodus and how at times He is said to “harden Pharaoh’s heart” and also Pharaoh is said to “harden himself” yet in both, God leaves the man to his natural passion instead of influencing him to a different response. In either terminology, this man’s heart was hard by nature and God left him to it.

This author goes on to say that God is first deserted by man before man is deserted by God. This was true of Pharaoh who mocked God and His people even though the NT says: “The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” (John 1:9) Pharaoh rejected what light he had and God left him to his own passions.

Charnock also says this:

Man’s not receiving or not improving what God gives, is the cause of God’s not giving further, or taking away his own, which before he had bestowed; this is so far from being repugnant to the holiness and righteousness of God, that it is rather a commendable act of his holiness and righteousness, as the rector of the world, not to let those gifts continue in the hand of a man who abuses them contrary to his glory.

And he goes on to point out that “who will blame the physician for deserting the patient, who rejects his counsel, will not follow his prescriptions” but tosses it off as nothing. The doctor cannot be blamed if that patient dies because the results are from the man’s own obstinacy.

I could never justly blame God for the consequences of my sin if I deny the supplies of grace He offers. At the same time, even if grace is withheld because of my bad attitude and refusal to trust Him, He winds up using even the consequences for good. This is amazing grace and to His glory! Nor can I charge Him with unholiness for that temporary withdrawing of grace because I never was due it in the first place.

How does this apply to my dream? First, I could see that my friends needed to become aware of the horrors of their old nature, as do i. I’m reminded of a time when the Lord said to me, “Would you rather have this happen in real life than in a dream?” And by that dream I could see the junk I would be living if I was not obedient and filled with His Spirit.

This dream also made me see that I’d brushed off their betrayals without grieving. The psalmists lamented their ugly situations before they praised God, praise that came from a settled heart. My dream brought back deeply hurtful situations, and for a while, I let myself again feel the horror of them. Then the Lord let me experience again the grace of being able to forgive the two others, and rejoice that I too am totally forgiven, not just for my reactions but also all that I have ever done against His will.

PRAY: What else is there to say but thank You, Jesus? You know how to humble and hug at the same time, and to help me say Hallelujah to Your holiness. If I got what I deserve, it would not be evil for You to leave me in my sin, but You give grace and mercy. For that, I am grateful and deeply desire to respond with love and obedience to all that You are and all that You are revealing to me.

Are tempting thoughts sinful?

An elderly pastor was asked if evil thoughts were sinful. He said, “A bird can fly over your head, just don’t let it build a nest in your hair.”

Not too long ago, I had dreams where I was doing sinful things. When I asked God about it, He said, “Would you rather do those things in real life so I could show you your sinful desires?”

Today’s reading says that sinful thoughts are not sin. However, Jesus said they are the root of sin. When asked about failing to do human commands such as a hand-washing ritual or other ‘rule’ He said:

Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.” (Matthew 15:17–20)

Not only that, Jesus also said that thinking lustful thoughts was the same as committing the action. From this and other verses, I understand that evil thoughts are not always Satan’s idea. Human sinfulness is capable of all sorts of notions that defile us. They can be fleeting, like a bird flying over my head, but if I dwell on them and then act on them, these roots of sin grow and will ruin my life.

James put it this way:

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. (James 1:13–15)

Last week someone did something that was inappropriate and angered me. This week I thought of what I would do if that happened again. My plan was not gracious, but retaliation of an unkind sort. As I did my chores, I rehearsed this plan. This bird was building its nest. Confession and repentance is needed.
Temptation happens because of two things. One is that my sin nature is prone to sinful thoughts and actions. Two is that Satan tells me lies that appeal to that sin nature, like a fisherman uses bait to catch a fish. The fish will not go for the bait unless there is a hunger within. A satisfied fish cannot be lured by something it does not want.

These two metaphors of a bird and fishing emphasize the need to watch out for what one Christian called “stinkin’ thinkin’” because they show the danger of temptation — if it appeals to a desire for a resting place or something to satisfy a need, then it is going to bring my sinful desire out in the open for one or the other. When that happens, that desire needs attention. I must confess it as sin because it is one of those “I want what I want when I want it” things, rather than being rooted in and satisfied in Jesus Christ.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8)

Thinking about evil is not a sin? I don’t agree. Apart from having the mind of Christ to enable me to obey this verse, I’m a sitting duck for that bird and that bait (oops, mixed metaphors again). My old nature may not show up in life like it does in bad dreams, and the lures Satan presents may not interest me, but if they do, then the sin is in me, not in the dream or the bait.

PRAY: Jesus, I don’t need nests in my hair or any other resting place for sin. I don’t need anything the enemy offers, and I do not want to be a target. However, I’m glad that You can use these things to show me what I need to confess and how I need to more deeply trust You. You are definitely my Lord and Savior, and I thank You for taking care of me, warts and all.

Eternal means eternal, forever, always…

When my husband became a Christian, a godly man explained to him how he would now live as a believer. He put a cup on the table right side up and said that God wants us to be filled with His Spirit so He fills us. However, if we sin, we tip over and like this full cup, we are not able to hold that fullness of the Spirit. How true. The Holy Spirit does not cause, initiate or tolerate sin.

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. (James 1:13–15)

Then this man explained that the way to become upright again is to confess our sin and ask God to fill us. He tipped the cup back up, then added, “You will go through life like this” and tipped it, stood it upright, tipped it, and kept repeating those actions. He said, “As you mature and become more like Jesus, you will learn to quickly be aware of sin and quickly confess it, and stay upright longer.” In other words, eternal life has its ups and downs, but it is still eternal, forever, life always with Jesus.

This illustration has changed lives. It is true to Scripture and to experience. It is impossible to avoid temptation; everyone experiences it. Learning to recognize it and say no to it is vital. Yet it is also important to learn how to get back in our spiritual groove. Otherwise growth is hindered, even stops. God is faithful to convict and teach His children.

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12–13)

Like a hand in a glove, the mind of Christ works in my heart to want His will and function accordingly. He saved me from sin’s penalty and enables me to learn the way to be saved from sin’s power.

I once attended a church where a man said he no longer sinned. He claimed that to sin was a disgrace to God’s saving power. But the Bible says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8) Another person in that congregation told me that she believed in Jesus, but if she decided she didn’t want eternal life with Him, she could back out of being saved. Even as a new Christian, I wondered how eternal life could be lost if it was eternal.

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. (John 5:24)

For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:40)

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. (John 10:28)

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

That life is in Christ who promised to never leave us. How can we lose it if we did nothing to gain it? Those who presume they are saved because they did the ‘right’ thing also presume they can lose it if they do the wrong things. So sad. The loss when we sin is fellowship and the ability to walk in the Spirit, but that is restored as soon as sin is confessed and turned away from.

PRAY: Jesus, I’m so joyful that You are my Savior. Yes, You want obedience, but not that it saves or keeps me, but because Your will is good for me. It also glorifies You when this limp and useless glove allows Your hand to move it. If I’m trying to do anything without You, that work is totally useless. I might boast of my goodness or in the temporary results, but none of what I do when tipped over is good for me in the long run, and brings no glory to You. Besides all that, You keep Your promises and know how to work in me to desire Your will and do what You ask. I’m so glad that You saved me, are saving me, and eternal life lasts for eternity!

The Flesh? Or the Spirit?

 

The situations of life involve choices. Even in the simplest things, I sense the choice to be thankful and joyful or to complain or grumble. It starts with waking up. Will I be glad that I did and look forward to the day? Or will I moan because my body aches and my to-do list is long?

Such is the nature of temptation to sin. Asking God to “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13) is my request that He keeps me from situations that are too much for me. In the past, these were obvious and up front, but as I age, the temptation to sin becomes more subtle, like the above example.

Even though God forgave all my sins — past, present, and future — when I was saved, sin still happens and sin brings a sense of broken fellowship with Him. I don’t want that. I want His protection from it. That protection might come as sovereign prevention of certain situations where I might not pass the test. It might come and produce greater faith and stronger resistance to life’s trials. God does know how to protect me from failure.

However, there is a sense in which this request needs to be made. First, the Bible says: “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.” I cannot blame God if something happens and I respond with sinful words or actions because that passage goes on: “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” (James 1:13–15)

Sin is my choice, yet as Jesus said, the Spirit may be willing, but the flesh is weak (when it ought to be dead). That old nature can still motivate selfish choices in some situations. God knows me. He knows what might produce a sinful response. Praying “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” is asking Him to protect me from doing that.

Another reality is that God may not fulfill this request. “Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” (Matthew 4:1) The Father knew that the Son would not sin. There are times when the temptation to react selfishly is strong, but God protects me from the evil one, even though the Spirit put me in a situation where temptation would come.

John Piper says, “All pleasure in this life is a test from God laced with temptation from Satan. Will we idolize this pleasure or thank God for it and consider Him more valuable than this pleasure? In the same way, all pain in this life is a test from God laced with temptation from Satan. Will we trust God in His infinite wisdom, power, and love or will we curse Him?” He points out that this prayer is asking God to keep every test from ensnaring us in Satan’s temptations, instead delivering us from any pain or pleasure that is destructive to our faith.

I also notice the prayer says US rather than ME. In our North American individualism, we often pray this with ourselves in mind, but the sense of preserving righteousness in Body life is helpful, even a reminder that I am not alone in my battle against sin.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

This is the guts of praying, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” — realizing we are in this together and God knows how much we can handle. Not only that, we cannot excuse ourselves by ‘I couldn’t help it’ for the way of escape is always there. Comparing that to James 1:14, the escape is this:

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. (Colossians 3:5)

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:24)

We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. (Romans 6:6)

You also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:11)

Jesus, I know that actions come from my thoughts. To escape temptation and the lies of the evil one, I must think what is true about myself. As Galatians 2:20 says: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” You are my life. In You, I am holy and righteous. Without You, I am nothing. Thankfully, I am not without You!

QUESTIONS: Of the seven deadly sins, which are apt to give me the most trouble: Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, Pride? Search God’s Word to find the opposite characteristics that are like Jesus.