Holy Spirit Unity

When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law, and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs. What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law. But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.” Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for each one of them. (Acts 21:17–26)

A commentary says Paul is making a compromise here by allowing the Jews to have their desire to follow ceremonial law and encouraging them to be content without putting their practices on Gentile believers. In our day, this would be like encouraging peace between those who worship on the sixth day with those who insist on the seventh day.

It seems to me that compromise is not the point. I’ve had conversations with those who claim to be Christians and have ideas about how to practice their ‘faith’ that are different from others. The issue is not that they worship a different day, but that they insist if others do not do the same, they cannot be saved. That is, if I am guided by the Holy Spirit and someone else is, we will agree. If not, either one or both of us are ‘doing our own thing’ and not listening to the Lord. The Spirit is not the author of contrary commands but unity.

What then was Paul doing when he told the Gentiles to refrain from certain sins? Could it be that these sins governed their old life before they were redeemed and could easily be stumbling blocks of temptation? As for the Jews, rule-keeping is not wrong, but basing salvation on it instead of faith in Jesus Christ is, just read Galatians!

At the same time, there are conflicts like faith being a gift that the Spirit does for us vs. the need for us to believe in Christ, as if we do that without help. I tend to go with what God does, for when I do, He gets the glory. When I base my redemption on my decision, then I tend to fall into boasting. Jesus explained it with this parable:

(Jesus) also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9–14)

Human pride too often confuses truth with the strength of my ego and being ‘certain’ that I know what I’m talking about. Only can God's Word and His Spirit keep my heart holding to the truth and living it.  

And, Lord Jesus, You know who is saved and who thinks they are but are not, and those who base their salvation on You, and those who say, “I did it” and pat themselves on the back. Sometimes it is easy to tell the difference, but not always. Genuine Christians can boast “I accepted Christ” or can say, “Christ drew me to Himself” but those who think they are saved by their own doing honor their way rather than Your way. Even those who truly believe can fall into the trap of self-glory and pride. Lord, have mercy. I need You to block my pride and keep my heart yielded to  You. Proof of salvation is a changed life!

 

Being the person God created…

In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. (Luke 12:1–3)

Hypocrisy is when a person says one thing but does another. This word is usually attached to morals. Example: A driver honks and screams at cars for changing lanes too fast, then cuts across three lanes without using his signal lights. In broader terms, it is giving rules for how others should live, but breaking those rules in my own life. Jesus says this sort of life eventually is exposed.

Christians are often called hypocrites. We know how God wants us to live, talk, even think, yet we do things, or say things, and even think the opposite. While that sort of problem has an explanation, so does the cure. First the explanation:

But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:20–24)

We who have a saving faith in Jesus Christ are given a new nature to live by, and though the old nature is termed ‘dead’ (that means ‘separated from God’ rather than unable to act, talk, and think), we do have a choice, not an excuse. It is simple:

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. (Romans 13:14)

We need to change our thinking: “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.” (Romans 12:2)

Anyone who uses the accusation of ‘hypocrite’ know the difficulty and challenge of changing how to think or even admit the need to change. This not an excuse, but it is a matter of faith. Do I believe I know better than God? Do I even know what God thinks about concerning what I pray about? I have a friend who says, “Why pray when you can worry?” illustrating how easily it is to be a hypocrite if worry is a person’s habit of life.

Humility pops into this equation too. If I think I am right all the time (pride), listening to God’s view and putting it into practice is not easy. I have to see myself as weak, needy, and often downright stupid. This is not popular in a world that tells us we need to have a positive self-image. God’s ways are not our ways. Pride blocks them.

God, You know every thought I think or whisper and what opposites exist in what I say compared to how I live. You call it how You see it. I’m not to be as the Pharisees, but to be like Jesus, and the only way to do that is to keep my sins acknowledged, confessed, and abandoned, then be filled with Your Spirit and walk that way with no provision for the flesh. You give me what is needed. My choice is to believe You and live like it. 

Let Jesus back in…

The book of Revelation begins with letters to seven churches. While there is much debate about their interpretation, the content is obvious: they were not written for unsaved people. Yet one verse is often thought to be a salvation invitation:

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)

The context shows the recipients are in a church where members have become lukewarm in their relationship with the Lord:

I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. (Revelation 3:15–19)

These believers have become dangerously content. They have all they need and do not rely on the Lord. Since self-sufficiency is part of the Bible’s definition of sin (see Isaiah 53:6), these church members have forgotten why their lives have been blessed and fallen into trusting themselves. It reminds me of something Jesus said:

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9–14)

While this vain fellow was not a believer, I need to beware that I do not fall into the same attitude and look down my nose at others who are not living for Jesus or who claim to be, but their lives are sub-standard — at least in my opinion. However, I can see both similarities and differences in this parable and the church spoken to in Revelation. The parable reveals a self-righteous person looking down his nose, and the letter in revelation reveals a lack of concern about being righteous. The parable reveals the need for recognizing sinful pride and a need for humility. The letter reveals a need for recognizing their sin of complacency and their need to repent and regain their zeal. 

Because of the context, Jesus is not making an invitation to sinners and asking them to open the door to be saved. Instead, He is asking those who believe to listen for Him because He has been pushed out of their lives and He wants back in.

Some believers might claim that is impossible, but is it? Can we become oblivious to who and what we are trusting? Not so much for eternal life but for the good life? Has no Christian thought or said, “Look what I did” and gave no glory to God? How much in life do we do according to our own ideas without asking God for wisdom? How easy is it to be lukewarm and comfortable?

Jesus also says that He reproves and disciplines those He loves. He comes to me when my heart is not right and I have shut Him out, knocking and wanting back in. The challenge for me when I am on the other side of the door is to recognize my helplessness and need, to be humble, want my sins covered, and am eager to abandon my pride-filled self-righteousness. I’m to repent, turn from being lax, and remember what He has done for me. 

Are those behind that closed door back-sliding, or committing apostasy, or prodigals? How many Christians admit times of shutting the door on Jesus? And how many say this describes how to be saved, making it their choice instead of Jesus choosing them? 

PRAY: Rather than pointing fingers, I need to remember that You know who is Yours, and who is still lost in sin. You promise to save, to finish what You start, and that eternal life is eternal yet I’m still learning to pay attention to You and trust You with all details in MY life. I’m not to point fingers at others in judgment, but listen for You and keep the door open by recognizing my sin, then confessing, repenting, and yielding once more to You.  

Humbled before the empty cross and tomb…

 

Last week I had a conversation with a man we have known since he was a boy. He was not a Christian then but after being challenged to read the Bible by a woman who is now his wife, his life was transformed. As we talked about what it means to be a Christian, he stressed the importance of humility.

In other conversations with professing Christians, I often hear them say, “When I accepted Christ. . . .” and “I did this for the Lord” and wonder about the thinking behind those words. The Bible is clear. Jesus said,

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)

Scripture is also clear that any good thing we do does not earn our salvation, nor is it totally our doing when we obey Him:

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4–5)

This week someone mentioned a well-known preacher with admiration. Years ago I looked into his teaching and concluded he was a false teacher so said so. I’d forgotten why so checked again. This person, now deceased, taught that anyone who believed that faith in Christ made us eternally secure was demon-possessed. He was convinced that we chose faith in Christ and be saved, but then we could also chose not to believe in Christ and become unsaved. While I’ve challenged that on the meaning of “eternal” it is also evidence of a lack of humility.

Pride says “I can” and thinks we have more control over our eternal situation than God. The one who thinks we can override what God promises His children is a proud person to think that “my decisions” determine destiny. Yes, we can make choices, but Galatians and the rest of the NT tell how the Spirit of God changes our hearts for those who believe. Also this:

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. (2 Corinthians 5:14–15)

Yes there are warnings about turning from Christ, mostly for those who waiver at His Word, but there are also promises like this one: “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)

Salvation is by grace, not by works, by God’s calling not my decision. Walking by faith is also by grace, not earned by my performance. Without Christ, I am nothing and would be lost in an instant the very first time I thought or did something to ‘live for myself’ — and I cannot claim even as a Christian that I have no sin:

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:8–10)

Humility means honesty about what we do — and fail to do — in our walk with Jesus. Sometimes we don’t listen — an activity of our old nature, which the Bible continually tells us is now dead, separate from God. When we do listen and obey, that is evidence of His grace and the new nature He gives His children. Our lives are filled with learning how to walk in the Spirit and not the flesh, and in the end, when we see Jesus face to face, we will be like Him. God says so (1 John 3:1-3) and God does not lie nor is He unable to finish His work of saving us.

PRAY: Jesus, hearing on Friday the details of Your suffering was incredibly humbling. If I could do any of what it means to walk with You, You would not have needed to experience the cross. Nor would Your grace be necessary, nor Your sustaining power. To say You cannot keep me saved is another way of saying I don’t need You, a pride-filled nonsense and the mark of false-teaching. Today we celebrate that You rose from the dead. That is true and vital. It is because of Your obedience that Your people can say: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) You have risen! This demonstrates Your incredible love for those who humbly bow before You. You have risen indeed!

Pride and worth…

 

Not too long ago, a professing Christian said to me, “I feel so unworthy…” and I replied, “That is exactly how God wants us to think.”

No one is worthy of salvation. There is no distinction for “all have for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23-24) The gospel is not for ‘worthy’ people for there are none. As it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Romans 3:10–18)

Those who say they are not worthy often say this as a complaint, as a “I wish I were a better person” and are trying to make the gospel about them and their worth. It is a pride thing to want to earn my salvation, to be able to say I am worthy of such an incredible gift.

Pride shows up in so many ways. It focuses on the failures of others, is fault-finding, independent, wants to prove I am right, wants self-advancement, is confident, or self-conscious, quick to blame others, quick to cover up sin or excuse it, and so on. I have a list and try not to read it too often for it is very convicting. Nevertheless, the Lord knows how to humble a proud heart and the only way to avoid the pain of that is to say yes to it.

The above passage provides an outline for those who are washed by the gospel:

“You are given the righteousness of Christ and the Holy Spirit has blessed you with an understanding so that you now seek God. Rather than turning from Him, you now turn to Him and have great worth in His sight. You are now able to do good because He lives in you. Your words can tell others of His grace and bring good news to others who are still lost in sin. The goodness of God can now flow out of you as you praise Him in joy. You are quick to bring life to those who are spiritually dead because you now know the way of life and peace with God. Your distain for Him has become reverent love and respect…”

The flesh wants all the credit, even to say “I accepted Christ” even though Jesus said, “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)

Humility admits no worth yet declares the incredible worth of the One who saves, the One who did all the work and declared, “It is finished” at the moment of His death.

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. (Galatians 2:20)

PRAY: Pride is easy to declare. Humility not so much. As soon as I think I have it, i’m reverting back to boasting. Jesus, You know my ups and downs, the things that mess with my mind and the struggle to wait on You without boasting about it. I know I’m set free and that freedom means living without thinking much about myself, but about You and about others. Keep me in the right place and frame of mind that most glorifies You. You are worthy — totally and completely!

Lack of Faith?

A friend told me that she was raised in a religion of rules and although she knows and believes the gospel, she struggles with “being good enough” and with believing that God hears and answers her prayers. Even though there is spiritual fruit in her life and she does trust Jesus for salvation, she is in constant need of affirmation regarding almost everything else that God promises.

 Today’s reading is written with the same attitude. The author says, “We have failed to believe that God is the God of all comfort — It has seemed too good to be true” and uses terms like “our poor suspicious natures” and being frightened about the promise of His comfort“ — all ideas that are foreign to faith. This author even suggests this attitude comes from a tendency to consider God as a “stern, unbending judge, holding us at a distance and demanding our respectful homage as He criticizes our slightest faults.”

At the end, the reading says, ‘But I rejoice to say that that stern judge does not exist.” Which is also not true. He exists. However, He poured out His wrath on His Son that we might be recipients of His amazing comfort.

Of course we are not good enough. Ever, never. Jesus is our righteousness. The gospel is our primary comfort because Jesus died for my sin, all of it…

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1–2)

While the Bible is filled with commands to “fear God” these are about awe and worship for those who trust Him, not the terror of being rejected. For Christians, that fear is not from God: “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7). Later, it says one reason for such a fear:

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. (1 John 4:18)

Fear comes when I forget the power and extent of God’s love, when I stop relying on the cross and put confidence in my own works — which are insufficient and never will do the job. That being true, why then fall into such a trap? The Bible speaks to that problem:

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2)

Human pride is at the root of thinking I can save myself or be good enough, and pride is most difficult to detect and even more difficult to confess. Pride does not want to say “I am not able” nor admit it — even to me, never mind God. Yet think of it; if I am not trusting God, why not? Like a petulant child, I’m thinking I can do it all by myself. And for that, the God of all grace is more concerned to deal with my lack of humility than to give me comfort over my fears and foibles.

PRAY: Lord Jesus, pride in me is a number one faith-destroyer, and a total insult to Almighty God. It breaks my heart to see it in others, but even seeing it in someone else can contribute to the same problem in myself. Guard my heart. I know I’m to humble myself before You and even rejoice in my weaknesses, for it is only then do I see the wonder of Your strength.

Proud of my humility?

Today’s devotional brings out an issue I’ve never thought about before. It is the notion that piety is fraught with doubt and fears, and when we feel that sort of weakness, we are pleasing God.

The writer goes on to compare this ‘piety’ with a child’s relationship with earthly parents. If the child thinks their parents will fail them, would that please mom or dad? If my parents thought I worried that they would let me down, would they rejoice in my ‘weakness’ and be pleased?

True piety means to be devoted to God. It is not about fear that He will fail but about knowing that He will not fail because I am the weak one, not God. Yes, this humility can be faked, even be about a false pretense of devotion that talks faithfulness but does not live it, but it cannot be applied to God.

Perhaps the opposite of true humility is a persistent trust in myself. I recall going for a walk and praying about problems and how I thought God should solve them. I clearly heard His response to my ideas: “Elsie, get out of my to-do list.”

At the time, I laughed at my arrogance and His reminder that I cannot do what He does. Now I’ve reached a deeper understanding of what it means to be weak. It can be physical, but much more. Paul had a ‘thorn in the flesh’ — perhaps an eyesight problem. Whatever it was, he felt this weakness hindered his ministry. So he prayed:

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:8–10)

Piety is not doubt and fear regarding God but the realization that I am unable and have no options but to trust the power of God to enable me with whatever I need to serve Him.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6–7)

This is what pleases God! It could be any act of serving or obedience, even about what I eat:

But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. (Romans 14:23)

Note that “whatever does not proceed from faith” includes doubts and fears, so to say these ‘weaknesses’ please God is an error because doubt and fear is sin — and sin does not please God.

So what is the point? I could compare my sense of being unable with those who trust the flesh and be proud of my weaknesses, proud of my humility? Sounds stupid in black and white, but it can happen. Far better to stick to true piety which is total devotion to God and not use my weaknesses as an ego trip. The best I can do is be content that these inabilities are what God wants for me.

PRAY: Jesus, You choose weakness and God used that submission to bring salvation to a sin-sick world. In Your weakness, it was not Yourself and Your weakness that took center-stage. Instead, You said, “Not my will but Thine be done” reflecting total trust and dependence on Your Heavenly Father and giving up every other thought or idea in order that His will would be done. Your piety changed the world. Enable me to be weak with that same attitude of not having my way but trusting Your way — totally.

Humility & Worldliness

 

From this devotional series, I’m assuming the writer knows there are Christians who seldom examine their lives to make sure they are walking with Jesus. They are not immersed in Bible study or prayer and other spiritual disciplines. These devotions speak to them with warnings and strong encouragement to get their lives right before God.

I have several friends with the opposite problem. They continually worry that they are ‘not good enough’ and focus more on their own performance than on the power of God or His grace in changing their lives. They think of themselves as failures rather than being victorious in Christ. This view of self is sometimes called ‘worm theology’ and is a false humility. True humility isn’t about having a low self-view, but about seeing myself as God sees me: a weak and unable sinner yet in Christ and having all that Christ died to give me. It is about loving God and loving others without focusing on me.

For me, to be constantly warned by someone else to examine my life is not necessary. God does that. My focus is on Him and on the relationship I have to Him through faith in Jesus Christ. If I sin, He tells me. If I do well, I thank Him for enabling me. I also realize that I cannot do or be all things, such as a preacher, teacher, leader, server, or all the commands in the Bible. This is a large world filled with overwhelming needs and issues. One person cannot address them all and needs wisdom to choose. All of us can pray and God does marvelous things. As we often say in our church, only God!

That said, I’m to be aware of worldly attitudes. The Bible does say, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (James 1:27)

This love for the world (not the people in the world but the evil lifestyles, philosophies, immoral ethics and actions, all that goes against God and His Word) is described:

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15–17)

I’m aware that worldliness first shows up in inner attitudes, such as a ‘I will run my own life’ determination that takes me down into anti-God activities. Yet I can do things that non-Christians do without being worldly.

That is, I can be involved in sports or hobbies or many other activities but not with the same motivations as worldly people have. For instance, I can belong to a community group with a desire to share the love of God with people, rather than wanting to be prominent or popular. Worldliness can be subtle so I must be aware of what motivates my actions and involvement in various activities.

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:4)

James wrote about tongue control and how it reveals my heart’s condition. He challenges readers to help those in need because of a genuine concern for them. The Bible is clear that I’m to glorify God and win people to Christ, not promote myself. These concerns are to motivate all decisions and involvement with the world I live in.

PRAY: Jesus, I’m glad that You reveal selfishness and even more delighted that You forgive and cleanse all that I confess to You. Today’s devotional tells me “confess them, and begin to change today” yet I know that I do not do the changing. Each time I confess sin, You do something incredible — You change me. For that, I stand amazed and worship You. You are my Savior; I am not!

PONDER: the mighty power of God to change lives and to first make clear what needs changing. Then keep my focus on Him and let Him transform me as He sees fit.