There have been times that I have overheard people refer to “Church people” as hypocrites. Generally, these comments are made in reference to the individual’s decision not to be part of the Church. When I overhear these comments, I often chuckle to myself because the Church is a hospital for sinners and that is why everyone is welcome—the hypocrite can worship the Lord right next to the gossip, the glutton, the adulterer, and so on.
Paul writes to Timothy, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst” (1 Timothy 1:15). Paul, the greatest apostle of the Church, boldly proclaims that he is a sinner. Is Paul taking pride in his sinfulness? Certainly not. Rather, Paul is boasting of what a Savior Jesus is! Jesus tells us that He did not come into the world to condemn it, but to save it (John 3:17) by offering Himself as an atoning sacrifice for our sins (John 3:16).
In order to be saved, we must acknowledge Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior. When we acknowledge that He is our Savior we are declaring that He is the Son of God. And, when we declare that He is our Lord it means that we will do what He says. However, these declarations are only the beginning. Once we surrender ourselves to God, the Holy Spirit comes into our hearts and seals us as His child (Ephesians 1:13). The Holy Spirit guides us on life’s journey and makes us more like Jesus (Romans 8:29-30). But it is important to realize that the process of becoming more like Jesus is slow and takes a lifetime of prayer, patience, and persistence.
It is no surprise to God when we stumble and fall, which is why we are offered forgiveness if we repent of our ways (2 Peter 3:9). Repentance involves confessing our sin to God and then turning away from it (Romans 6:1-2). When we do this, the Bible tells us that He chooses to forget our sin (Isaiah 43:25). This is what we call: Amazing Grace! God no longer sees our sin; rather, He sees the righteousness of His son: Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22).
Jesus came to be a doctor to the sick (Matthew 9:12) and we are all sick from the effects of sin (Romans 3:23). We need to get healing from our transgressions from the Great Healer (Isaiah 53:5). Like Paul, I am not ashamed to declare that I am a sinner. My boasting does not come from pride in my attempts at righteous works, but in the cross of Jesus Christ (Galatians 6:14) from which I am released from the deathly wages of sin (Romans 6:23) and given new life in Christ (Romans 6:4). The Church is a hospital for sinners as we continue to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12) as we continue to decrease so that Jesus can increase.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Why Church?
Going to Church and being part of a Church can be a difficult task for many people. I must confess that when Sunday morning comes there is a part of me that would rather roll over, sleep in, and take it easy. Additionally, I have found being part of the Church comes with some frustrations: cranky and judgmental people, denominations more interested in maintaining their institution than with proclaiming the gospel to advance God’s kingdom, petty disputes, as well as just being let down by leaders and people that should know better. It is no wonder why I, like many others, find myself not particularly liking Church, but the question then arises as to why I am part of the Church?
While I do not like Church, I do love THE CHURCH. The true Church is not the institutions or the buildings, rather it is the people drawn together as one body in Christ. Those who make up the body of Christ have been called according to God’s purpose (Romans 8:15) to love one another as Christ loves us (John 13:34-35). Jesus never gives up on us and we should never give up on Him or in what He is doing in our life and in the lives of others. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” As God’s workmanship, we need to recognize that we are all works in progress and under construction for His glory. Acknowledging that God is working, even when we do not see it, we need to “bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another” (Colossians 3:13).
While Churches may be flawed, they are still the assembly of God’s people. Going to Church does not make you a Christian but it is hard to maintain the Christian life without being part of a faith community. Being part of a vibrant Christian faith community that is grounded in the word of God and committed to proclaiming the good news of Jesus will: be a source of encouragement (Hebrews 10:25), help us strengthen our faith (Proverbs 27:17), and give us a family to help share our burdens (Galatians 6:2).
So, while I may not like Church, I do love THE CHURCH. I am committed to the Church, for better and for worst, because it bears the name that is above every name: Jesus Christ. My hope is in Christ, not in people and what they say or do. We cannot claim to love God and not love people (1 John 4), which includes His Church. “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).
While I do not like Church, I do love THE CHURCH. The true Church is not the institutions or the buildings, rather it is the people drawn together as one body in Christ. Those who make up the body of Christ have been called according to God’s purpose (Romans 8:15) to love one another as Christ loves us (John 13:34-35). Jesus never gives up on us and we should never give up on Him or in what He is doing in our life and in the lives of others. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” As God’s workmanship, we need to recognize that we are all works in progress and under construction for His glory. Acknowledging that God is working, even when we do not see it, we need to “bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another” (Colossians 3:13).
While Churches may be flawed, they are still the assembly of God’s people. Going to Church does not make you a Christian but it is hard to maintain the Christian life without being part of a faith community. Being part of a vibrant Christian faith community that is grounded in the word of God and committed to proclaiming the good news of Jesus will: be a source of encouragement (Hebrews 10:25), help us strengthen our faith (Proverbs 27:17), and give us a family to help share our burdens (Galatians 6:2).
So, while I may not like Church, I do love THE CHURCH. I am committed to the Church, for better and for worst, because it bears the name that is above every name: Jesus Christ. My hope is in Christ, not in people and what they say or do. We cannot claim to love God and not love people (1 John 4), which includes His Church. “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).
Waiting Upon the Lord
“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” (Psalm 27:14)
One of the things that I am really good at is planning. My family and friends have often commented that I always seemed to have my life planned out and then I take the necessary steps to accomplish my plan. However, over the past couple of years the Lord has been working in me and developing the discipline of waiting for HIS plans, rather than me making His plan “fit” my plans. I have learned that if I wait upon the Lord, I will not be disappointed because His plan is the very best.
“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV). Many times we are worried about what God’s plans are for us if we completely surrender our lives and our dreams over to him. However, God tells us that He has a wonderful plan for our lives beyond our wildest imagination. The question is whether or not we will give God the time to show us His plans for our lives or will we take matters into our own hands.
The psalmist indicates that waiting for the Lord is hard as he writes “be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD” (Psalm 27:14). It is hard to wait on God because it is a matter of trust. Trust is difficult because it requires vulnerability. We have all been let down by ourselves and other people in our lives. However, God will never let us down if we lean not on our own understanding and in all of our ways, dreams, hopes, and fears acknowledge Him—He WILL make our paths straight (Proverbs 3:5). When we feel that God has let us down, we must ask ourselves are we praying that our will be done or His will be done? We need to surrender our expectations before God can accomplish the very best in our lives.
As we wait for the Lord, we can be strong and take heart that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). He will not let our foot slip (Psalm 121:3) if we have built our hope upon the rock that is greater than ourselves (Psalm 61:2). We must always remember that God is faithful to deliver on His promises in His time and in His way. So, do not worry about tomorrow—God has is all figured out...just trust Him!
One of the things that I am really good at is planning. My family and friends have often commented that I always seemed to have my life planned out and then I take the necessary steps to accomplish my plan. However, over the past couple of years the Lord has been working in me and developing the discipline of waiting for HIS plans, rather than me making His plan “fit” my plans. I have learned that if I wait upon the Lord, I will not be disappointed because His plan is the very best.
“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV). Many times we are worried about what God’s plans are for us if we completely surrender our lives and our dreams over to him. However, God tells us that He has a wonderful plan for our lives beyond our wildest imagination. The question is whether or not we will give God the time to show us His plans for our lives or will we take matters into our own hands.
The psalmist indicates that waiting for the Lord is hard as he writes “be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD” (Psalm 27:14). It is hard to wait on God because it is a matter of trust. Trust is difficult because it requires vulnerability. We have all been let down by ourselves and other people in our lives. However, God will never let us down if we lean not on our own understanding and in all of our ways, dreams, hopes, and fears acknowledge Him—He WILL make our paths straight (Proverbs 3:5). When we feel that God has let us down, we must ask ourselves are we praying that our will be done or His will be done? We need to surrender our expectations before God can accomplish the very best in our lives.
As we wait for the Lord, we can be strong and take heart that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). He will not let our foot slip (Psalm 121:3) if we have built our hope upon the rock that is greater than ourselves (Psalm 61:2). We must always remember that God is faithful to deliver on His promises in His time and in His way. So, do not worry about tomorrow—God has is all figured out...just trust Him!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)