In the past few weeks there are several things that I have heard people say and that I am sure that I have said over the years that have stirred in my understanding that I am going to address today for the purpose of encouraging us to move on through some of the things that trip up our walk with the Lord.
The freshest on my mind is a statement I have heard repeatedly when I am in "church." And that is the statement, "I knew the Lord was asking me to do it but I really didn't want to do it. But I finally did it because I knew I should." Every time I hear this kind of statement or something similar, the scripture comes to mind as we used to sing it in the "old days." "I delight to do thy will O Lord, and it is not grievous to walk with you."
What is in our hearts when we say to others and maybe even to the Lord, I don't want to do this? Jesus didn't say that as he prepared to go to the cross. He was willing to do whatever the Father asked of Him. Did he find going to the cross comfortable, did he "like" the idea? Of course not and he asks the Father if it be His will that the cup could pass from him. But that is different than us saying to God, Lord, I don't want to do this, and then doing it because we "should."
Now many of you are going to seriously disagree with me on this issue and I can hear those comments already. So I hope to build some fences around what I have to say.
We do need law and we know that "law" is our school master until we come to the personal knowledge of Jesus Christ, I believe that and put my faith in that even as we taught our children about the laws of life and liberty and family functioning, etc. This part of this article is about we as Christians who "have come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ." Are we still doing what we "should" which is a legalistic response as if we were still under the law of sin and death and if I don't do it I will be punished? Of course that is our root heart whenever we address our own choices from a perspective of "should, ought to, need to, have to." In chemical dependency treatment we call that "junky thinking" and in the mental health field it is called "irrational thinking."
When we walk in the "law of liberty in Christ Jesus" we leave the law of sin and death behind and it becomes a "heart issue." When we talk to the Lord and tell others things like "I knew the Lord was asking me to do it but I really didn't want to do it. But I finally did it because I knew I should" it reveals a heart issue that is still under the law of sin and death, rather than the law of liberty in Christ Jesus. When the Holy Spirit prompts us, we respond out of the awareness of His Love for us, not out of a sense of obligation or duty, unless we don't yet really understand the Love of God in Christ Jesus and the freedom that He gives us and that is revealed to us out of the acceptance we have in Him.
When we verbalize that I "have to do something" other than out of what I call the necessity of consequence such as I have to turn the faucet on to get water out of it" we are functioning out of what I often call "external motivation" which some would say comes from our survival skills learned from 0-6. Maybe it is time we who say we are in Christ Jesus finally believe and put our faith in who He is and learn to verbalize and relate out of the security that we have in the love of God in Christ Jesus. Then we will have an attitude of praise and thanksgiving and we will be free to share and speak forth of how we "delight to do your Will oh Lord, I delight to do thy will. For it is not grievous to walk with You, O Lord, I delight to do thy will."
This is a process of being found "in Christ" of being changed into His image and enjoying the process of walking in fellowship with the God of the Universe who has called me His Beloved. Me, imperfect, human me, is loved and accepted. He loves to hear our struggles, so we can freely tell the Lord what we are struggling with. But that assumes relationship and intimacy and therefore acceptance. The "shoulds" "oughts" and "musts" assume obligation and legalism which is far from the intimacy that comes when we know how much we are loved and cared for as His Beloved.
A second thing that is on my mind this morning: Several times recently I have heard people say something like, "That's just not where I am at." Or " I am not under conviction for that." Or "If I am wrong, God will forgive me." The last comment was made by a person whose relationship with Jesus Christ I am familiar with personally and in whom I know the Spirit of God has worked mightily. Yet, this person said this in a newspaper article in which he espoused his biblical understanding of liberty and justice and "equal rights" to marriage of same sex couples which then justified his recent marriage by a Methodist pastor who in the same article it was mentioned violated the tenets of his denomination's pastoral positions. My heart sank the first time I saw this man and his significant other on the front page of a local paper when the same sex marriage bill was passed by this state as being one if not the first couple to get a marriage license in this county.
What grieved me more than knowing this precious fellow was in a same sex relationship was the public declaration that what he was doing "was not sin." I know several same sex couples and when one was asked whether or not they were going to marry the person replied. "Goodness No!! We are having a hard enough time getting along as it is, we aren't about to get married." Another's comment was that her significant other was very religious and would never marry." I had a measure of relief when I heard both of those two comments because they were not saying it was "right."
Many of us have a history of fornication and adultery, and some have some history of same sex relationships, all "sex sin". There is a difference knowing something is sin, and a violation of the plan of God and not knowing how to relate differently and declaring that something one is doing isn't a violation of the law of sin and death.
I so often say, knowing something is wrong doesn't mean I know how to do whatever behaviour is healthy. Knowing adultery is wrong doesn't mean I know how to have a healthy relationship. Knowing being drunk and drinking when there are consequences in my life are "wrong" or "destructive" doesn't mean I know how to live life without drinking or using. So when we make the kind of statement that declare that what we are doing isn't "bad" or isn't "wrong" or "isn't sin", we have gotten "stuck" with no way out, having in one sense closed a door on any possibility of doing things differently. I know that up until this kind of declaration was made there was an arm extended toward this brother. He sent me a note with his wedding invitation saying that he wasn't going to send me one but then realized that was "mind reading" and assuming I wouldn't want an invitation or attend. But he decided since he would love to have me there that he gave me one. I did not go but did share my appreciation for the invitation and it is nice to know that he knows clearly where I stand and yet he knows I value and care about him. One day I was sharing with him and assuring him I didn't condemn him and said, How could I condemn you? If I did I would have to condemn myself as my adultery and fornication are also sex sin." At that point he interjected...but I don't think it is sin." End of conversation. Is there forgiveness when we engage in such behavior and don't call it sin or bondage even if we are as this person is, deceived? I will leave that to the Lord for who am I to make that kind of assessment.
The other kind of statements that lead to this discussion are "That's just not where I am at" . This is yet another justification of a place that I find might myself. When I teach on "denial" we learn that rationalization, justification, explanations, excuses and alibis are one type of denial and denial is a psychological mechanism that allows me to continue to do something with negative consequences that I don't want to change." The other statement I hear is "I am not under conviction for that." Another statement that basically says, "I don't want to change my behaviors yet." If there is something I "see" that isn't what it "could be" then I am under conviction and God is extending His love to me and desiring for me to ask Him to help me be willing to deal with that area of my life. Yet if I don't "see" the love of God, we can be sure that in some way I will find further consequences from those choices that the Lord allows to come into my life so that I "taste" of the consequences and my desire to have Him turn me so I will be turned is worked in me.
How little we know the love of God and how He longs for us to draw near to Him. The precious Holy Spirit always comes first to us to show us where we fall short of His Life so that we can look to the Rightness of relationship that is ours in Jesus Christ, secured at the cross, knowing Holy Spirit also will show us that the enemy is defeated and the law of sin and death no longer is at work!
Looking at this from yet another perspective, we do come to understand that the way "denial" is broken is by laying more ground of the security that is ours IN CHRIST. As we walk more in the security of His love and acceptance, as we "renew our minds according to the Spirit of God", little by little our hearts are changed so that we can choose to welcome changes that He is calling us to make.
And from yet yet another perspective for both these areas that I have brought up today; were we to have the mindset that obedience to the Lord is not about "doing", is not about doing what we "ought to" to gain his approval, but walking with him in what HE IS DOING because of what HE HAS DONE, many of the above issues would be easily resolved as we enter into that Sabbath Rest. How many of us are still of the frame of mind that says, I need to do this because it would please God? How many of us are still trying to please a God who already has accepted us and a Lord who died so that I am freed from works to try and gain his acceptance? How many of us still spend much of our time in "dead works" seeking to do what God has already accomplished by HIs Spirit? Is that not also "sin" or "missing the mark?" Obviously if I am working to please God, my energies are being used to secure a place of approval as if Jesus Christ had not already died and been resurrected and sent Holy Spirit to dwell within me. Is that putting Jesus on the cross again?
When we begin to walk in Christ, in fellowship with HIm, we learn to speak what He is speaking, do what He IS doing and walk with Him where He is walking. And then, the greater works that the bible speaks of will be manifest. Ouch!! It appears this is where a whole lot of us seem to be coming up "short." And isn't that awesome to recognize? If I didn't fall short, it would mean that I wasn't listening to Holy Spirit at all and it would also mean that I am not being conformed to His image, that I am not "working out my salvation." Ah, what a contradiction or is it a paradox...working out my salvation while "at Rest" in Christ Jesus!!
May the Lord quicken to each of you who read this what He desires for you to "see" and what is pertinent in your walk in Christ Jesus!!
Meri Ford
516 Park Rd Winlock, Washington 98596 360 523 4503
renewedhope@peoplepc.com
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