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.   

What is sovereign? God’s will — or my will?

 

It saddens me that some Christians believe that we have the ability to undo what God has done. This is a fist in God’s face and disbelief in His power as well as His promises. The author of the devotional I am reading makes many entries that reveal this idea. Today, the reading says three things that reveal a lack of faith that God is sovereign and that His grace is greater than our sin.

While there is truth in the idea that willing participation plays in the Lord’s saving work, the Bible makes it clear that God is the author of that willingness. Like a hand in a glove, He gives the attitudes and desires that enable me to walk with Him.

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. (John 15:16)

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)

He chose me — I did not choose Him. He is the Savior — I cannot save myself. He enables me to want His will, for in myself, I want what I want, which is the essence of sin (Isaiah 53:6). 

Today’s reading says: “Peace and holiness will be the result of God’s recognized presence. His presence will drive out sin just as sunshine drives out darkness, if the heart will but open itself to its shining.”

To be totally honest, my heart would never be open to God unless God opened it. Sin and selfishness rule apart from His grace. He put Himself in my heart so that its selfishness can be ignored and the will of God reigns. Not always, but only confession of my sinful notions and actions are needed because He is Savior and He does the work of saving me.

The fact of His indwelling is the next statement from today’s reading: “To be the temple of God means to be His dwelling place, the habitation of God. It is almost impossible for the heart of man to conceive of anything so amazing, but if we believe the Bible at all, we must believe that our hearts are the home of our God and that He does continually seek to find a dwelling place there.”

This statement and many others say that if we stop believing it, He has left. Sin can result in that sense of abandonment, but He does not go away. Jesus said, “I am with you always” and other verses confirm this. The devotional author continually suggests that that this is undone if we doubt or sin in other ways.
I do see the problem with my “only God” belief — why then does He choose some and not others? One pastor says, “Why does He choose any of us?” This points to His grace but does not help those who pray for people who seem to never respond to the gospel. All I can say is that God cannot be sovereign unless He does the saving, for He declares that no one ever seeks Him (Psalm 53:1-3 and Romans 3:10-18). Apart from His grace to change hearts, I would be lost.

Today’s reading also says, “As the sunlight fills the air all around us and enters wherever there is an opening, the presence of God fills the whole universe and enters every heart that opens to receive Him.” This suggests the opening is up to us. But is it? Not according to the Word of God. If He did not open my heart, it would still be closed.

PRAY: Jesus, You know how to soften hard hearts. It might be a tragedy, or humbling situations. I can also be Your overwhelming goodness that leads us to repentance. Whatever You do, it is because You know every human heart. You reveal yourself in creation, but if anyone says NO to that, what more can You show them? Saving faith must believe that You exist. You reveal the fact of sin. If anyone says NO to that, what can You do? Let them slide down a slippery slope? (See Romans 1:19ff) You know the heart and the importance of our responses, but without Your enlightenment, I’m convinced that darkness stays dark.