Grace in Theory or Grace in Reality

Last week I posted tweet from Tim Keller on my Facebook page that caused an interesting comment from a former college friend.  Here was Tim Keller’s tweet:

Christians believe we are saved not primarily by following what Jesus said but by believing in what he did.

This seems so simple, but in my experience as a pastor it tends to be something only accepted in theory, as a theological abstract, but not where it counts in real life.  One of my college friends even asked this question after reading it and the comments of others in response:

When I read James 3:2, I feel relief ("We all stumble in many ways" NIV). But then I read I John 3:9 "No one who is born of God will continue to sin" and I'm like, I'm doomed. Verses like I John 3:9 make it hard to accept that I'm saved by accepting/believing in Christ's redemptive work on the cross, even though I feel like that is enough, given John 3:16-18... Or I am indeed saved if I accept/believe it, but I must not truly accept/believe it yet, if I still sin. Am I missing something in the context of I John, or...?

What a powerful, heartfelt and very important question (You can see the helpful responses on my Facebook page if you want.).  While it isn’t always worded like this, I hear questions like this all the time.  I wrote about this kind of thing before because I believe this type of thinking is spiritually debilitating.

On the one hand, people are sometimes driven to what I call “belief-centered religion.”  The foundation for being right with God is getting all my beliefs right.  The problem is that this either produces spiritual arrogance because I am so right and others are so wrong.  It also produces fear because somewhere deep down I think I might not always be right and if I am wrong somewhere maybe God won’t accept me.  In either case, my doctrinal position gives me a false understanding of my right standing with God.

On the other hand, people are sometimes driven to what I call “behavior-centered religion.”  The foundation for being right with God is my moral or righteous behavior, the good deeds that I do and the sins I avoid doing.  The problem is that this either produces judgmentalism, because I quickly find myself comparing and contrasting my behavior with others and judging myself to be superior.  It also produces tremendous guilt because deep down I know the places where I haven’t measured up and I am filled with guilt and shame about it.  In either case, my performance or lack thereof gives me a false understanding of where I am with God.

Both of these approaches are so false.  The Bible is clear about.  Our theology as Christians is clear about it.  Our sermons and our lessons are clear about it. But the problem is that we end up believing in grace in theory, but not in reality.

So what’s the problem?

Why do we find ourselves practically trying to justify ourselves before God by so many other ways that will never work rather than the simple means offered to us through Christ in the Gospel (Ephesians 2:8-10, Romans 5:1-11, etc.)?

Sheep(s) and the Shepherd!

In John 10 Jesus makes pretty clear that His followers are to know Him by the sound of His voice and they will follow that voice. 

You can read the whole chapter, but the two main pieces I find interesting are verses 3, 4 and 14:

 . . . the sheep listen to his (the shepherd’s) voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. – John 10:3-4

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me . . . – John 10:14

Clearly Jesus’ analogy is one where His followers are compared to sheep and He is the shepherd.  At the same time it is clear that Jesus’ followers are to know Him so well that they listen to His voice and follow Him as a result.

That means they must know what His voice sounds like.

It also means that they must trust that He has their best interests at heart.

They must believe that He knows the way.

And, maybe most importantly, they then have to choose to follow His voice over any other voice.

When you look at this simple passage, what does it say to you?

How is it that so many people who claim to be Christian end up going in such different directions, sometimes clearly away from the one Jesus would lead them?

What is the way forward for us oftentimes stubborn and dim-witted sheep?

Did Jesus contradict Himself?

In John 8:12 Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Jesus made this bold statement during the holiday known as the Festival of Tabernacles.  It was an 8-day celebration centered at the Jerusalem Temple celebrating the harvest and God’s graciousness to Israel!  All of Jerusalem was filled with temporary shelters like tents known as tabernacles or booths.  The festival began with worship on the first day where four large lampstands would be lit at the temple that were so large and bright that the entire city was lit up by them,  These lampstands symbolized the light of God.  There would also be a number of symbolic processions used in their worship and celebration, including torch-light processions well into the night. 

When Jesus says that HE is the light of the world he is making that bold statement during the festival, with all that rich symbolism and imagery in the background.  Jesus is saying quite clearly that HE is the true light of God.  But HIS light is not limited to Jerusalem, but extends to the entire world.  This presents everyone with one of two choices: to follow Jesus and live in His light or to walk in darkness away from Him.  There simply is no ambiguity to that statement.  You are either one or the other.  Either you revolve around the Son or you don’t. 

But on another occasion in Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus said, “YOU are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

How can this be?  Is Jesus contradicting Himself?

Who is the light of the world, Jesus or us? 

In John Jesus is defining who HE IS!  In Matthew, Jesus is defining who WE ARE IN HIM!

We are NOT, CANNOT and NEVER WILL BE the light.  Our lives only reflect Jesus and His ongoing work in us.  Jesus’ light, shining through us, is so attractive that it draws others to Him. 

This means we need to be sure where our lives are in relationship to the light source.  We are not the center.  Jesus is.  Our agenda cannot be the driving force.  Only Jesus’ agenda can.

Over 1500 years ago a brilliant man, Galileo, discovered something amazingly new about the earth’s relationship to the sun.  Ptolemy, another brilliant man from an earlier time, believed the sun revolved around the earth, meaning the earth was the center of the universe.  But Galileo observed different things through a telescope.  The sun didn’t revolve around the earth.  The earth (and all the other planets) revolved around the sun, making the sun the center of the universe. 

With that, everything changed!

Today, we are faced with a similar reality that should alter our understanding of the spiritual universe.  We are not the center of the universe.  Jesus is.  Our lives should revolve around Him and reflect His light and not the other way around.

We must revolve around the Son instead of looking for a Son to revolve around us.

What are the implications for this in your everyday life?

Setting Conviction vs. Condemnation

As a pastor I often run into people who confuse the conviction of sin that only God brings with the condemnation that only the Enemy brings. 

Two of the most important passages of scripture on this subject are:

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” – 2 Corinthians 7:10

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” – Romans 8:1-2

Mark Driscoll, in his book Who Do You Think You Are?, offers this helpful breakdown:

Conviction is from God . . . Condemnation is from Satan.

Conviction leads to life . . . Condemnation leads to despair.

Conviction ends in joy . . . Condemnation ends in sorrow.

Conviction makes us want to change . . . Condemnation makes us believe we cannot change.

Conviction leads to new identity in Christ . . . Condemnation leads to old identity in sin.

Conviction brings specific awareness of sin . . . Condemnation brings vague uncertainty about sin.

Conviction looks to Jesus . . . Condemnation looks to self.

Conviction is a blessing . . . Condemnation is a burden.

I believe the most critical thing to note is that conviction always offers a way out, a way to freedom.  However, condemnation always leaves us trapped or, worse yet, sinking deeper and slipping farther away into captivity.

To me this is very clear, though I must confess that I have been susceptible to the pull of condemnation more than once in my life.  I don’t like conviction because I don’t like dealing with the sin in my life.  Yet I know from experience that the only way to really be free – spiritually, emotionally, mentally and sometimes even physically – from sin is straight through conviction (godly sorrow) that leads straight to repentance.

Remember this good news, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9)

Why do you believe there tends to be confusion between conviction and condemnation?

What has your journey to clarity and freedom looked like?

What do Twitter, The Pope and Broken Relationships have in common?

So much of the Christian life is lived out in the context of relationships.  So much so that it could almost be said that if a Christian doctrine does not have practical connection to how we live day-in and  day-out with people that it need not take up much of our focus or attention. 

I was struck last week by a tweet from Pope Francis.  He said, “The Holy Spirit helps us to view others with fresh eyes, seeing them always as brothers and sisters in Jesus, to be respected and loved.”

One of the things that struck me was the comments that came after his tweet.  Now the pope has 2.5 million followers on Twitter and when you have that many people together you are bound to have some bad apples, including many who are not Christians.  However, even though I knew this I was stunned at the large number of people who took the time to actually tweet back some very angry, hate filled words.

Who could argue with that tweet from the Pope?  Apparently lots of people.  My guess, based on their tone and the words themselves, is that they weren’t so much arguing with the tweet, but with what they perceived was behind it.  

Their relationship with the Pope, who for them somehow symbolized Christians or the Church, was clearly broken.  They were angry, filled with hate in many cases, but also suffering from the pain of some deep wounds. 

Christians, or at least people they perceived to represent Christianity, had hurt them directly or someone they cared for. 

Rick Warren said one time, “Hurt people hurt people.”  It’s so true.  When I operate out of my pain and my anger I will hurt people. 

But if relationships are so important, what am I to do as a follower of Jesus?  How can I be a healing agent, sent from God, to heal some of these relational wounds all around me?

That is a question we need to ask ourselves.  Whether it is our fellow brother or sister in Christ or someone who is very far from God, we need to grow into gracious people who are not only saved by God’s grace, but who exude it as well.  That is a key part of this life of holiness we are walking and growing in. 

If the holy life is linked in an unbreakable way to the relationships I have with others, how is that clearly being seen in my life?  How can I grow in this?