Humbled by the truth…

 

Last night at our home study group, we had to face the truth about ourselves: apart from Christ, this is what we would be like: 

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.” 
Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:10–20)

One person said he had never cursed or been bitter. Others likely thought they were never quick to shed blood, but this misses the point. God says is our human sinfulness is a matter of the heart where all this sin comes from, and that Jew or not, we are all guilty. If left to our own, we would do whatever our selfish and proud thoughts prompted.

Who has not ever thought a mean thought, or ignored God's plain instructions because our own ideas are more appealing? We choose comfort over the suffering and loss that often comes with obedience. Without Jesus, I know I would run my own life contrary to the way that God tells me to live.

As this passage suggests, why then have a law if no one obeys it? As we studied the passage, the answer came easily; the law shows us what is wrong with us. By it we realize our sinfulness, just as the passage says. This is like being told my house is on fire — get out! If no one told me, I would die in that fire.

The wages of sin is death. Christ paid that price for me. But if I insist on ‘doing it my way’ then I am taking that payment on myself. When I think of Jesus dying for my sin, I weep. When I think of Him bearing the sin of the world, I am totally undone. Every evil thought, every deceptive and unkind word, every mean and hurtful action — He bore all sin, paid for every sin ever committed with His own blood. 

This is the wonder of the gospel. Jesus offers us not only forgiveness but Himself. We are set free from guilt, but also given the means to change, to live by His power, to stop committing all that sin and live like Him. This means to have worth, do good, speak truth, praise and thank God, be kind, create beauty and comfort others, be peacemakers, and have a strong and sustaining respect and love for our God. It also means being glad that His law remains to show us when we stray and help us understand His wisdom. I cannot live a godly life without Jesus Christ and His law shows me what that looks like.

PRAY: How can I say thanks? Jesus, You are the One who saves, who rescues sinners and changes our hearts. May my life reveal Your goodness and my words praise and glorify You. 

Spiritual blindness healed

 

 

READ Mark 9-12

Some years ago a young girl came to a youth meeting at our home. She was a member of a cult that professed salvation. I asked her how that happened. She said, “through doing good works.” I gave her the following verses to read aloud:

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8–9)

Then I asked her what these words said about how a person is saved. She replied, “Through doing good works.” Such is the power of spiritual blindness.

This is not new. When Jesus told the disciples what would happen to Him, they also were oblivious to His words:

They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him. (Mark 9:30–32)

In that same chapter, Mark tells how the disciples argued about who was the greatest of them. Jesus said, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all” then took a child in His arms and said, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but Him who sent me.”

Soon after that, people were bringing children to Jesus and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” (Mark 10:14–15) They heard it twice but still didn’t get it.

Later, two of the disciples asked Jesus for positions of prominence in His kingdom. Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” (Mark 10:38) They didn’t get that either, nor realizing His kingdom is not about power but “to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

The disciples were not the only ones who misunderstood kingdom realities. Some religious leaders came to Jesus with what they thought was a trick question. Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?” (Mark 12:24)

Knowing the Scriptures is important. Knowing the power of God is important too, but unless the Spirit of God opens eyes, the natural human heart is oblivious to the things of God. Our sin keeps us from welcoming the truth:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools . . . . (Romans 1:18–22)

I can testify to this from my experience. When I was a young teen, I decide to read the Bible every day. My mother did it and I thought that is what a grown-up woman should do. For nearly two decades, I read it every day without understanding anything it said, or anything our godly DVBS teacher said, or what my mother said. It was only when Jesus opened my eyes did His words begin to make sense and to transform my thinking.

It was not for lack of trying, nor was it ignorance (I was an honor student), but this was spiritual blindness, the kind of inability to see without a touch from the Lord Himself. Even the disciples who walked and talked with Him didn’t get it. He rebuked them for it, yet He also prepared them for the day that they were ready to hear and understand. When Jesus died and rose again, these men who once were blind began their task of bringing the Light into darkness. Once they finally got it by the power of the Holy Spirit, they told everyone about Jesus and the world was forever changed.