Greetings fellow travelers,
In past days I have been spending my study time in Romans. It is a good place to spend quality time with my Lord and it speaks directly to my daily struggles.
"Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin." Romans 6:6-7
As we near the one-month anniversary since Canton, I have been recently asking myself, "Which master will I serve this hour, this morning, this day?" It seems that throughout my day, my decisions show a conflict between serving my former master (Satan), and serving my Lord Jesus Christ. Every time I behave selfishly, I invite my old master to step in and affix his chains. When I recognize my sin and feel the familiar misery of my old master, I repent and Jesus graciously comes and unlocks the shackles, setting me free once again.
Because I know the sweet taste of freedom in Christ, I now despise the bitterness of sin. Yet long ago, my flesh developed an affection for this putrid taste. In the same way that the drunk in the park can swig an entire bottle of Listerine, my old man of the flesh has a great appreciation for the bitter taste of sin.
The truth revealed in Romans 6:6-7 is that I am no longer powerless in my chains. Before I was redeemed (bought), I was hopelessly bound and powerless to get free from my master. Jesus broke the chains and gave me the power and authority to never again be in that hopeless condition. When I sin, I now willingly allow my enemy to bind me in his chains, but, thanks be to God, he can only keep me there as long as I allow him to. It is as though I am back in my former prison, but this time, because of the power of Christ, I have the key to the prison doors. I will remain in prison only as long as I desire. Unfortunately, every visit to this prison leaves me filthy and reeking of the stench of sin. Only the blood of Christ can wash me clean.
What a miserable body of sin I inhabit! No sooner am I back in communion with my Lord, than my old cruel master comes to me as an Angel of Light, He holds out that bitter bottle of Sin, and says "Come on you old drunk, you know you want a taste." And like the old drunk in park, I am tempted. As soon as I take my eyes off Christ, my attention goes back to that bottle.
I guess from the tone of this post you can tell what my past month has been like. I know that ultimate victory is certain and that God has so much for us to do in His service. But more than our service, I know He wants our hearts. He wants me to abandon that old master forever and enjoy the sweet taste of fellowship with Him.
I intended to share some thoughts from Carter Conlon's message at the conference but I've been sidetracked. Next time. For now it has been good for me to get this down in writing. I pray I will be more conscious of the bitterness of sin and the sweetness of fellowship with Him.
Pressing forward, Steve
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I still wanted to join?
As for the sidetrack, i hear you.
This last month has been a deep struggle, here now another night I am up late. I battle with health and diying to my sin. I have step away from SI, which I think wil be a good for now. There is the bitterness of sin, but the hope and joy in freedom it. Thank God.
There more sweeter then at the feet of Christ, I am praying for you all.
In His love
charlene
Leave it all, and die with Christ at the cross daily.
Steve, this is a leter sent to the Perth Courier dealing with Galatians 2:20:
‘The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!’ (Galatians 2:20-21)
A few months ago I got pulled over by the police for speeding. He had me clean because I took my eyes off the speedometer for a moment as I was engaged in passionate conversation with my passenger. I could only plead mercy. However, the law states that I must receive punishment for my violation. That is how the law works-you commit the crime, you do the time.
Do the same rules apply in gaining favor with God? In other words, is it observance to the law of the land, whether religious or civil, that makes me right with God?
A recent article in the Ottawa Citizen Newspaper talked about a Benjamin Rubin, an Orthodox Jew, receiving the blessing of his family and rabbi, and hockey team officials in reaching an agreement on letting the 18 year old play hockey on the Sabbath.
"Benjamin Rubin wants to play hockey, but he also wants to honor his heritage. A devout Orthodox Jew, Rubin had to decide recently whether he wanted to be a player on the Gatineau Olympiques or continue to observe the Sabbath, meaning he wouldn't be able to play Friday or Saturday games with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team...earlier this week, the Olympiques, the Runin family and their rabbi came to an agreement that will allow Rubin to play in 67 of the teams 70 regular season games." The exceptions were for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
"Rubin isn't the first practicing Orthodox Jew to place a priority on religion over sports. In 1965, Sandy Koufax of the LA Dodgers didn’t pitch the first game of the World Series because it fell on Yom Kippur. Outfielder Shawn Green also sat out a game during a pennant race with the Dodgers for the same reason in 2001." The author, Darren Desaulniers writes.
Some see this athlete's agreement as a compromise, a way to trust in their orthodox beliefs by bending it without breaking it. I see it as another attempt to merge law-based righteousness with a grace-based righteousness, something Scripture forbids us to do. It is either grace or law that binds you to God, you make the choice.
I choose grace and I will tell you why. If my relationship with God is based according to a law (whether that law is governed by an Orthodox Jew, an Amish American, or a law-abiding citizen of Canada), than any violation in that law is a violation in the agreement, just like my relationship as a car driver is to the rules of the road. What would happen if I appealed to the law and ask for 7 free speeding passes out of every 10 violations? Isn’t that called ‘grace’?
That is why I choose grace, all grace and nothing but grace. I cannot live by the law because I break it. I cannot rebuild a system of law righteousness on the foundation of grace righteousness. The two are incompatible architectural structures.
If my relationship with God is based on observing the law, like the relationship of driving my car on the road is, then I must accept the consequences. The law is ruthless and unbending; it is unforgiving and demands full adherence. However, if my relationship with God is be based on grace, God's unmerited favor in my life, God's forgiveness at Christ's expense, than I am free to use the law as a guide to help me build this relationship, not to condemn it.
Christianity is not a 'do' but a 'done' righteousness. I am never going to work my way into heaven, and my only hope of finding God is based on the finished work of Christ on the cross.
I’m not opposed to Benjamin Rubin's decision to meet his team half way. But I am so happy that I do not have to attempt to manipulate any law to keep my relationship with God. Christianity is the only religion that tells me to break free of the law and walk by grace. The way I see it is that you have to decide which road to take, the road of the law, or the road of grace, but you cannot take both.
Mike Stern
Post a Comment