The “words” of truth

My hubby will testify that the use of the right word is important to me. If he or anyone else uses words that mean something other than they are trying to say, I am usually confused and sometimes  annoyed.  
Today’s reading uses one word in a definition of the Christian life that misses what that word means in English dictionaries and in NT Greek. It alerted me to how an assumption about a word meaning can justify an unbiblical doctrine.

The word is “acceptable” used as an adjective and then the author says its opposite is “rejected” but that is another error. For “acceptable” the English dictionary gives antonyms like “inadequate, insufficient, lacking, unsuitable, wrong” but not everyone rejects (a verb) whatever they find unacceptable. They might correct it, or rebuke it, or fix what is wrong. This applies to God also.

Saying that God rejects whatever is unacceptable is not part of the gospel. All of us fall short so if it means that, all of us would be rejected. Instead, it is correct to say that without grace, all people reject Him (see Romans 3:10-18). Even though God finds our sinful attitudes and actions unacceptable, according to His plan of redemption, He does not condemn everyone to hell nor toss His children who sin out of His family. Instead, He works to correct our sinful attitudes and actions and transform us into the image of His Son. He always seeks the lost and redemption and changed lives are His plan…

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another. (John 15:16–17)

But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” (Mark 4:20)

As the book of James brings out, bearing fruit is evidence that I AM SAVED, not the means by which I please God, but the result of His saving work. In other words, to be saved is to be fruitful, and to be fruitful shows I am saved, no matter the size of the crop! My lifestyle and my new nature in Christ is evidence of His plan being fulfilled.

So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. (Romans 14:16–19)

If I “walk in the flesh” this means I’ve disobeyed Him. My behavior became unacceptable but this does not mean He rejects me. He keeps working, desiring that I confess, repent, and experience His grace:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Further, it is even folly to think that I can please God or make Him sad. He is complete in Himself and needs nothing from me. I’m the one in need of change and care and His love. He desires the best for me, and works in my life to that end. When I disobey, I am hurting myself and that is unacceptable because it does not do the good He desires. That is to say, my sins do not change God — He is the same yesterday, today and forever, but my sins hurt me and others. He does not need me to be joyful. He is that in Himself.

Today’s reading says, “No matter how good our outward appearance, how clear our doctrines, or how great our activities, unless we bear fruit we cannot be acceptable to God.” Yet the Bible is clear; He will never forsake His children. I am His forever and all my sins are covered. My life is hid in Christ and He is my righteousness. If salvations depended on me, it would not happen.

Those who do not believe cannot bear spiritual fruit for the Holy Spirit is not in them and they are lost. God desires all to be saved and bear fruit — but without the Holy Spirit, I cannot do it. Yet because He lives in me, He will produce fruit acceptable to His plan.

PRAY: Jesus, I’m not enjoying the challenges of the current devotional book, but realize that clarifying what ALL the Bible teaches is good for me. Keep my heart right as I try to clear the fog from many statements that contradict Your Word and that confuse me and threaten others into the error of trying to be perfected by the flesh after becoming Your children through the saving grace of Your Spirit. I trust You to save me and to keep me for I know I cannot do either one myself.   

Can a person be too nice?

This week someone at his workplace told my husband that he is ‘too nice’ and needs to be ‘tougher’ to get work out of people. While some are convinced more flies are caught with honey, this person believes more flies are caught with a fly swatter. The problem with that is that the flies are destroyed. In this analogy the goal is not to kill the flies but get them buzzing.

Being good to people may or may not raise their production, but in the sight of God, anyone who can remain gracious at all times definitely has the attitude He wants.

“So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” (Romans 14:16–19)

I’ve failed that attitude test many times. The most recent was during a few short days in the hospital. At first, I was in the ER. On the other side of the curtain I could hear a woman telling the medical staff all her symptoms, only to spurn every solution they wanted to give her. She was ‘allergic’ to this medicine and had ‘already tried’ that one and it ‘didn’t work.’ Nothing was acceptable. Finally, she asked for a sandwich. A nurse brought her one. After she ate it, she got up and left. As she walked by the end of my curtained-off area, I could see a big smirk on her face.

I asked a nurse how they could be so kind and patient with a person like that. I wanted to get up and go give the woman a smack on the side of the head. Obviously, I did not pass the gracious attitude test.

Sometimes Christians behave in godly ways that others do not regard as good. In those verses from Romans, the topic was whether believers should get picky about the behavior of other Christians. This seems a no-brainer, but some of us can get in a knot over the silliest things, everything from what day we should celebrate communion to what color we should paint the foyer. I’ve heard criticism against a person who visited his sick father rather than come to prayer meeting, and against families who decide to home-school their children. The point of these verses is that we do whatever will maintain peace and build others up rather than tear them down.

Romans 14 also suggest another angle, that when criticized for doing good we do not retaliate and make an issue out of it. The entire chapter looks at both sides of contentions. How does a critical person act? And how does a criticized person act? My hubby could have told his coworker to take a hike, or to mind his own business, or whatever, but that would be making a lie out of the very thing he was accused of being — too nice.

Tozer sums up these thoughts with: “I think God looks beyond the situation to the spirit and attitude. I think He is more concerned with how we react to abuse and mistreatment than to the fact that someone has abused us . . . Will you reveal a stubborn spirit intent upon revenge? If you resist the Spirit of God asking you to demonstrate the love and grace of Jesus Christ, your Savior, you can be sure of one thing: God will resist you!”

^^^^^^^

Jesus, as always, You are the example. Isaiah says You were oppressed and afflicted yet did not open Your mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so You opened not Your mouth. (Isaiah 53:7) I know there are times when You might charge me to make a defense, but even then, my attitude and desire needs be stuck on ‘nice’ and on making peace that builds up others. Every day, You challenge me and remind me that changes are still needed.