On Freewill

Scripture: Then the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet. He spoke to me and said: "Go, shut yourself inside your house. And you, son of man, they will tie with ropes; you will be bound so that you cannot go out among the people. I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be silent and unable to rebuke them, for they are a rebellious people. But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ Whoever will listen let them listen, and whoever will refuse let them refuse; for they are a rebellious people." Ezekiel 3:24-27

Observation: Ezekiel has been chosen to be a prophet to the scattered Israelites in exile. He will be given words to speak by God. He is now being told that he will not always be free to do as he pleases - he will be held and bound, unable to defend himself, even unable to speak - until God chooses to allow him freedom to act and speak.

However, the rebellious Israelites will be allowed to listen, or allowed to refuse ... repeatedly God tells Ezekiel that whomever will listen will listen, and whomever won't won't, because they are rebellious.

In other words, once Ezekiel agreed to become a prophet, he surrendered his freewill. However, rebellion against God is marked by this characteristic: You have freewill.

Ah, but THERE is the irony ... the Israelites have exercised their freewill, and are now captive, oppressed, and brutalized in Babylon.

Application: This is almost too obvious to talk about. The entire bible talks about surrendering oneself to God through faith and belief in God and Jesus. Non believers feel that makes Christian 'captive' to some set of rules. However, throughout the entire bible we see that surrendering your freewill to God results in a fulfilled life, while refusing to do so - retaining your "freewill" - makes you a slave to sin, other people, desires, vices, emotional trauma, and even physical and mental ailments.

How often do I seek to retain my own freewill? I believe I am doing so less and less, but it still creeps into my thought life a lot ... I consider my own goals and plans and wishes and dreams. There are huge parts of my life I willingly surrender to God, and other parts I may still surrender though less than willingly perhaps. I must continue on this path, aligning my thoughts also to God's will.

Prayer: Abba, father, you are the Lord of my life. My future is yours - from my family, to my career, to my daily walk, may I always and only follow your instruction without my choices impeding your wonderful and perfect plan for my life. I wish others could understand how their rejection of you on the grounds of "freewill" is actually the great lie - the very real prison - leading to their eternal doom. May they somehow discover the freedom of surrender, Lord. Amen.

Cursed Babylonians

Scripture:
"Because you rejoice and are glad,
    you who pillage my inheritance,
because you frolic like a heifer threshing grain
    and neigh like stallions,
your mother will be greatly ashamed;
    she who gave you birth will be disgraced.
She will be the least of the nations—
    a wilderness, a dry land, a desert.
Because of the Lord’s anger she will not be inhabited
    but will be completely desolate.
All who pass Babylon will be appalled;
    they will scoff because of all her wounds."
Jeremiah 50:11-13

Observation: Jeremiah has now gone into exile in Babylon ... all his prophesies about Judah and Jerusalem have come true. His writings now end with a final prophesy - God pronouncing his future judgment against Babylon. The question to ask is why God would punish Babylon for destroying the Jews when all they were doing was performing as his chosen instrument of punishment against his rebellious people?

God answers this. They will be punished because they celebrated this act as THEIR victory. They did not acknowledge that they were functioning as God's weapon, but rather proudly pillaged and burned as if it was their might that conquered Jerusalem.

Once again, God responds to a situation not because of actions, but because of the attitude and heart - not because of deeds, but because of belief. God had ordained and blessed the deed of destroying Judah, but he cursed Babylon due to their lack of belief in him.

Application: I see here that in the discussion of "faith vs. acts", God reinforces the fact that his judgment has always been upon non-believers.

When believers debate the function of sin and the commandments, we do so from a position of debating issues such as the applicability of certain old testament laws, different types of sin, the nature of absolute forgiveness through belief in Jesus, the need for confession, acts related to unrepentant sin, etc. All of these are important as they relate to a right relationship with Jesus, and how we all mature in order to better align ourselves to God's will.

However, belief has always been the "fulcrum" for God. If you believe in God and have faith in Jesus Christ, you receive eternal life and now need to concern yourself with God's teachings for proper living. However, if you do not believe, no actions can save you ... even acting exactly as God wants you to act isn't enough without faith.

Babylon has just finished doing everything God wanted them to do, and ... they will be destroyed due to lack of faith.

I have so friends, colleagues, coworkers, and family who are nice people and live good lives, and ... they will be cast into eternal flames if we can't reach them with the good news of Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, you wish for no one to die, but everyone to come to faith in Jesus. Statistics say that, of the 1,000 people in this building, 960 of them are under your curse ... of the 440 people in my department, 422 are under your curse. I place myself in your hands to reach them, Lord. May I be a light in this dark and ever darkening place. My call is to change lives ... send me. Amen.

Whom Do I Fear?

Scripture: Obey the Lord by doing what I tell you. Then it will go well with you, and your life will be spared. But if you refuse to surrender, this is what the Lord has revealed to me: All the women left in the palace of the king of Judah will be brought out to the officials of the king of Babylon. Those women will say to you:

‘They misled you and overcame you—
    those trusted friends of yours.
Your feet are sunk in the mud;
    your friends have deserted you.’

Jeremiah 38:20b-22

 

Observation: Zedekiah doesn't fear the Lord. He is inquiring of Jeremiah only because he fears the Babylonians, and when Jeremiah instructs him on how to save his life he then fears the Jews who have already surrendered to the Babylonians. Jeremiah tells him that, if he fails to follow the Lord's instructions, then the women of his own household will mock him ... a fate he fears. And the mocking words of the women will be that Zedekiah's friends - whose opinions he clearly feared - have misled him.

 

In other words, out of the fear of death, harm, shame, and public opinion, Zedekiah feared everyone ... except God, who was the one person in control of everything else.

 

Application: At some point in time, we are all Zedekiah. In some situation we fear the opinions or actions of others in the present, more than we fear the opinion and future actions of God. We may fear to express our faith to others, or join in an inappropriate conversation, or gossip about others, or boast about ourselves, or any other number of things that God wouldn't approve of, because we seek approval of others, or in some cases to avoid harm from others.

 

This is a huge stumbling block, so I need to take time to see where I may be doing that. I don't lie about my faith, but are there times I should be bolder in expressing it and I don't because I fear a backlash from others? This is a great offense to God. Jesus taught that, if we deny him, he will deny us. In Zedekiah's case, his entire fate hung in the balance on one issue ... did he care more about the opinion of God, or the opinions of people?

 

I think I fail to acknowledge that this is an issue critical to my salvation. I must always care about God's opinion of my words and actions more than I care about the opinions of others. When I do, God will protect me and care for me. When I fail ... I'll be on my own, and that never works out well.

 

Prayer: Lord, you are the center of my life. While I do care about what others think of me, it is critical to my life to always act with the understanding that I only care about what you think of me. I need to play to an audience of one. May my words and actions always be pleasing to you, and however others react to them will be a matter between you and them. Amen.

 

 

You are My King

Scripture:
But God is my King from long ago;
    he brings salvation on the earth.
Psalms 74:12
 
Observation: The "issue" - all issues - are resolved as simply as this ... God is my king, and he brings salvation on the earth.
 
What kind of "issues" are resolved with this simple idea? For the psalmist, it was about every possible hardship. The problem involved the total destruction of a nation, the death of tens of thousands, the desolation of the entire land, the expunging of their entire belief system, and the total removal of all blessing, joy, happiness, and comfort. All hope and goodness is destroyed. However, the entire thought process about life pivots on this thought ... God is my king, and he brings salvation.

Application: Last week, I had some tentative good news delivered to me. However, in my heart I know that there are hardships ahead. I know that in the overall scheme of life that some professional accomplishments are meaningless, as the world around me is actually getting darker. I dwell on this, and pray on it, and have ideas on things to do, though I know that my best case scenario is that these acts will bring only targeted accomplishments for God's kingdom, while the world itself continued to move toward its doom.

However ... God is my king! He is my king from long ago - he has always been, and even at the beginning he was my king before I existed. As my king he commands me, and I obey him. He brings salvation! He brings salvation of my soul, and of my life. As my savior he grants me eternal life and love simply through my belief in Jesus. He offers this salvation to the entire earth - to my friends, my family, my coworkers, and strangers - anyone who will believe and receive.

Life is as simple as this: God is my king, and he brings salvation! There is no issue, hardship, problem, task, or future challenge that matters in that context.

Prayer: Lord, you are SO big, that one simply truth about you is bigger than every possible thing I can think of about my life. I do trust you with my life - I trust you to command me on upcoming decisions I may have about my employment, and anything else that comes along for that matter. You are my king, oh Lord! Amen.

Love God's World

Scripture: Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 1 John 2:15-16

Observation: "Do not love the world or anything in the world" can be confusing. There are many things in the world that we do love - and are commanded to love - by God's design. This includes other people (specific instruction for spouses and children and orphans and widows) and God's creation (for which we are explicit caretakers). Therefore, verse 16 is critical, as it clarifies what it means for something to be "from the world" ... it is those things we desire. This can range from typical lust, to honor and accomplishment in the eyes of others.

Application: There is an important enlightenment about this definition of something being in/from the world. This phrase does not apply to everything in life - everything that is anywhere in reality. Instead, it is specific to desire.

What would my life look like if I did not wrongly desire anything? I would never look twice at another woman (that's an obvious one); I would not want a new car; I would not seek a promotion at work; I would not wish for pizza for dinner tonight; I wouldn't care about respect from subordinates; I would not be concerned about my next vacation.

And HERE is the key: Imagine what I could replace those things with! I could give more money to causes; I could be healthier; I could talk to people in a way that would open up conversations about Jesus; I could find more time to volunteer; I could serve in an overseas mission; I could better serve my wife and kids.

In other words, not loving the world opens our time, eyes, and heart to loving GOD'S world. It isn't (just) about avoiding sin, it is also about doing his will.

Prayer: Abba, father, thy kingdom come, and thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. This is how I can live that prayer ... by not loving the world, and freeing my body and mind and heart and soul to loving your creation and your created just as you would have us do in heaven. Continue to refine my heart in this way, Lord, for I know that you are at work in me on this - I feel it, and I see progress - and I continue to strive in this. Please keep your spirit strengthening me, Lord. I cannot run this race without your strength. Thank you. Amen.

Blessed to be a Blessing

Scripture:
May God be gracious to us and bless us
    and make his face shine on us -
so that your ways may be known on earth,
    your salvation among all nations.
Psalms 67:1-2

Observation: The psalmist prays for God's blessing - not just enough to live but also for God's grace, blessing, and his very presence to radiate upon us - for a specific purpose. That purpose is so that God may be known on earth ... that his ways may be known to others, and his salvation may be known throughout the entire world.

Application: Yesterday we discussed what God's "promise" - his covenant with mankind - really was. The promise isn't about abundant blessing, but about eternal life. That does not mean God doesn't provide abundant blessing ... he does! However, as the psalmist is indicating, that blessing has a Godly purpose. That purpose is NOT what most Christians believe (or wish) it to be:

-- Blessing is NOT our reward for faith.
-- Blessing is NOT the prize for following the commandments.
-- Blessing is NOT the natural result of sinless living.
-- Blessing is NOT our payment for tithing.
-- Blessing is NOT gifts of love from our heavenly father.

Again, all of those are what our eternal life is. Instead, blessing a tool God provides in order to make himself manifestly known to others.

There are only three ways I can think of to make that work. First, I have to give God the glory for all my blessings. I have to do this not just in my heart, but outwardly ... I must tell others that God provided me with my blessings, and publicly give him acknowledgment and glory for that. Second, I must put the blessings to the work of making God known to those who don't know him. I must tithe it to the work of the church, gift it to missions, and give it to others in need. Thirdly, I must use the resources to personally demonstrate Christ to others. I must be generous with my belongings and time in order to warrant time to discuss the Gospel with non believers. I must open my home to others to foster relationships where I can share my faith. I must be prepared to sacrifice my own comfort to take the message to others.

Too often, we all think of God's blessing as something we get as a reward for belief. However, the lesson is different: Eternal life is our reward for our faith; Blessing is something God entrusts us with so we can further his purposes on earth.

Prayer: Lord, I strive to be a faithful steward of your blessings so I can make you known. Please put upon my heart your lesson of where I may be failing in this, and guide me to be more faithful. I do not wish your blessing withdrawn, but likewise I strive not to covet your blessings ... I wish to be a conduit that can pass your blessing to others - that I am blessed to be a blessing - and thus show the love of Jesus to others. Not to me, but to you only be all honor and glory! Amen.

The Only True Promise

Scripture: When Baruch son of Neriah wrote on a scroll the words Jeremiah the prophet dictated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, Jeremiah said this to Baruch: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to you, Baruch: You said, ‘Woe to me! The Lord has added sorrow to my pain; I am worn out with groaning and find no rest.’ But the Lord has told me to say to you, ‘This is what the Lord says: I will overthrow what I have built and uproot what I have planted, throughout the earth. Should you then seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them. For I will bring disaster on all people, declares the Lord, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.’” Jeremiah 45:1-5

Observation: Baruch has just heard the word that God is going to destroy Judah, and every Israelite will either be killed or exiled. In his distress, God provides Baruch with both a promise and instruction. The promise is that Baruch's life will be spared throughout the ordeal. The instruction, however, is related to a right understanding of God's authority, and thus what it really means to be faithful.

To paraphrase: God has authority over all the world - he can create everything, and thus everything is his to destroy if he were to so choose. Therefore, why is Baruch worried about what he is trying to accomplish in his life? Baruch cannot accomplish anything for himself, but only as the Lord provides. Therefore, quit trying to seek earthly accomplishments, and if you're faithful God will take care of your life.

However, the promise is also still interesting. The promise is not to prosper Baruch, or to allow him to escape the punishment that is coming, or in any way to honor him. It is simply to let him know he won't be killed throughout the curse that is about to befall Judah.

Application: While I absolutely know God has provided all things in my life, what I fear in life is the "promise" that Baruch received. I do know I cannot accomplish earthly things without God's provision, but I wish that what God would then promise me IS earthly accomplishments. I want security in retirement, my comfortable house, promotion at work, leisure time, quality lifestyle. I have all these things through God's blessing, but I want them promised.

That is NOT the promise. The promise is very simple - life. In fact, the only true promise of faith in Jesus is eternal life. Everything else is a result of a temporary decision God is making to reflect his love for me in certain ways, right now. The sooner I can let go of that - the sooner I can accept the idea that when (not if) these things are removed from me - I'll be ready to understand that hardships are not the removal of blessing, but rather they are part of earthly life and by my faith in Jesus I will never lose the true promise of an amazing eternal life.

Baruch lamented the loss of earthly accomplishment, and God corrected him ... those accomplishments were not Baruch's, but they were God's blessing, and thus they were his to command; Baruch would be rewarded for his faith not by material provision, but life.

Prayer: Lord, you are my provider - Yahweh-yireh. I often thank you for the provision in my life, but I fail to focus on what you have REALLY provided me, which is a relationship with Jesus Christ and eternal life through my belief in Jesus. This is a blessing beyond measure, greater than all treasure or even the whole world. Thank you for your promise of life. As I mature, may I focus on that as not only the only true promise, but that it is also the only thing I even need - the only promise of any true value. Amen.

The Letters of Jesus

Scripture: I [Jesus] have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you. John 16:12-15

Observation: Jesus cannot tell the disciples everything right now, as it would blow their minds. However, 'now' is more than just this chapter of John, or at this meeting. 'Now' is during his entire time on earth. Jesus can't tell the disciples everything, and therefore some of what he is going to tell them will come to them from the Holy Spirit, who himself will not be given until after Jesus has left.

In other words, the words delivered to the apostles via the Holy Spirit after Jesus departure - from the time of Pentecost on - are actually the words of Jesus. It is more of Jesus' teaching, provided by Jesus, to the Holy Spirit and then to the apostles.

Application: This is an interesting insight to me, as it gives a new perspective on the letters of Paul, John, Peter, etc. in the New Testament. I have never doubted that these letters are the "inspired word of God", however I have often wondered at their creation. In many cases, they go both broader and deeper in the teaching of Christian purposes than Jesus ever taught, and I have considered how such information was arrived at by the apostles.

This verse today gives an entirely different explanation: These letters ARE the teaching of Jesus, delivered to the apostles via the Holy Spirit. They are the direct words of Jesus ... they are his own broader and deeper explanation of the same themes he introduced to his disciples, taken to a new level once they were able to digest some of the basics.

This is very different than the idea of "inspired writings". It is much more in the context of "God breathed" or "direct teaching of Jesus".

Prayer: Dear Lord, as a result of this teaching today, I renew my commitment to pursue a "Romans 12" life. I wish to be a living sacrifice, pleasing to you. I will be transformed and serve others in love. I will serve in humility - walk humbly with you, my God - and love others with the heart of Jesus, trying to put into practice forms of mercy, hospitality, forgiveness, and joy. May I embrace YOUR teaching, Jesus, as delivered by Paul, to take up the cross of discipleship daily. Amen.

Fill the Wineskin

Scripture: "Say to them: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Every wineskin should be filled with wine.’ And if they say to you, ‘Don’t we know that every wineskin should be filled with wine?’ then tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to fill with drunkenness all who live in this land, including the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets and all those living in Jerusalem. I will smash them one against the other, parents and children alike, declares the Lord. I will allow no pity or mercy or compassion to keep me from destroying them.’" Jeremiah 13:12-14

Observation: Jesus, too, used wine/wineskins metaphorically. His old/new wine/wineskins represented the law (wine) and covenant (wineskins), and thus the old teachings of the law were part of the old covenant, and the new promise of Jesus was part of the new covenant of salvation through faith.

God is saying the exact same thing: The covenant between God and the people of Israel needs to be filled with their keeping of the laws, and most importantly their love of God with no other gods. However, they have emptied their wineskins - dumped out the law (drunkenness = the wine is gone) - and thus God is going to smash the dried out wineskins ... break the covenant!

Application: God's anticipated response to the metaphorical statement that wineskins must be filled with wine is informative. The people KNOW the wineskins should be filled with wine. Just as we today KNOW what we are supposed to be doing to display our faith in Jesus and love of God.

Non-believers KNOW moral truth, or at least parts of it. However, they reject God, worshipping other gods (some as true alternative belief systems, and some as priorities in their lives that become idols). Believers fail to follow Jesus' new-covenant teachings like loving others, caring for the downtrodden, holding our tongue to avoid slander, praying and placing our full trust in God, reaching others with the Gospel as our core mission.

What are we to do? We are to keep our wineskin filled with wine! That means ... placing reliance in the covenant promise of Jesus Christ as our lord and savior, and keep that promise healthy by pouring his word and teaching into our hearts daily. THAT is what daily devotions are for ... it is the choicest wine, poured into our hearts and minds, to keep Jesus' promise fresh and renewed, and thus keeping our souls healthy.

It was one year ago today that I chose to not just begin a discipline of devotions, but to hold myself accountable by going "public" with it. I set up this blog on August 13, 2014, and made my first post on August 14 stating I would begin the devotions on September 1. A year later, I cannot believe how much I love doing this! I miss the readings so much when I skip a day!! I regret not starting this sooner, as every day seems like a blessing to me. I look forward to keeping full of wine so I can remain useful to God.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for your love and teaching in your word! It truly is a light unto my feet - a useful instruction, timely reminder, kind encouragement, gentle correction ... and sometimes all of the above on the same day. Thank you for loving me so much that you would make your law available to me, and provide me the time and means to learn about it. May I continue to grow under your love, so I can be fit for you to use for your purposes. Amen, and amen.

Matched Set

Scripture: Then Jesus cried out, "Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day." John 12:44-48

Observation: Jesus is defining the clear delineation in the "roles and responsibilities" of the Son and the Father - of Jesus and God - of Messiah and Yahweh:

-- If you believe in the Son, you must also believe in the Father.
-- The Messiah provides light to those who lived in darkness and therefore could not see Yahweh.
-- Jesus provides salvation, because God provides judgment upon those who do not believe.

Application: It is interesting to me to understand the "3-in-1" nature of God, yet to also understand the differences between God and Jesus. Without understanding both, Christians can fall into two camps. In one case, some Christians get so entrenched in the "faith alone" idea - that their faith is based exclusively in their belief in Jesus - that they lose sight of their relationship with God. At the extreme, they can actually dis-believe in God (or some of his instructions) and believe they are still faithful because they "love Jesus".

On the other hand, there are those who get entrenched in the "God's judgment" idea - that despite their faith they must observe teachings about procedures and practices - and they miss out on the joy of Jesus. They become bound to ritual and guilt-ridden through their failure to comply, and do not simply bask in the love that comes from salvation.

Jesus makes it clear we need both. We need to observe God's teaching because we are under his judgment. However, that judgment includes faith in Jesus, without which we can never be good enough to achieve salvation on our merits.

Most importantly, Jesus in the light that shows God. You cannot fully see and understand God without faith in Jesus, because you cannot grasp his love until you realize he sacrificed his own son for you. God and Jesus are absolutely a packaged set - and an understanding of the relationship between salvation and judgment is key.

Prayer: Lord, I am under your judgment, and I know SO well that I cannot comply with your expectations well enough to not incur your wrath. I thank you for the salvation of Jesus, for your Holy Spirit that helps me gain strength to better attempt to do you will, and for your love that chose to provide strength and salvation out of your judgment. May I improve every day - just a little, every day - so that I can move closer to emulating Jesus in my daily life. Amen.

The Danger of Rituals

Scripture: Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan. 2 Chronicles 34:15

Observation: The Law had been lost!

We are talking here about the book where Moses wrote out, at the very least, Deuteronomy, and perhaps the entire Pentateuch. It included not only all the instructions that they were to follow, but details about the penalties for failure to follow the law. How could the Jews have lost this?

There's a simple answer: They lost it because they valued the rituals and practices of their belief system more than they valued the teaching of God. This isn't about kings leading the people astray, but about the priests - the guardians of the faith and keepers of the temple - becoming so preoccupied with their "work" on sacrifices, festivals, and rituals, that they eventually laid the book of the law aside for so long that they forgot where they had put it.

They now performed actions based on tradition, instead of based on knowledge of God and an understand of why they would perform those actions. They prayed and worshiped a ceremonially washed and sacrificed, without any knowledge of purpose. And that applies only to those who were still even doing that much.

Application: Does our church - either my local church or the Church of Jesus in the world - value ceremonial traditions over its relationship with Jesus? Of course, the answer is 'yes' in some situations. This is the source of stupid internal conflicts, such as arguments over worship music or the proper method to conduct the Lord's Supper.

How about personally? I ritualistically pray at some meals - I need to be more engaged with God in true thanksgiving for his provision in my life and not simply pray because it's what we do. I do my devotions, and I need to concentrate on the teaching and insight inspired by God's word instead of just reading in order to see if there's something I can write about. I attend church Sundays, and I need to ensure I am doing so because I love God so much that I want time with him and with his people, not just because it's what we do Sundays.

I believe every church, and many denominations, need to heed this warning, and keep their relationship with Jesus - and not ritual procedures - central in everything they do.

Prayer: Lord, the Jews actually lost your word. I have discovered that your word is precious to me - something I miss when I go a day or two without it. May I also remain focused on more than the word, but on you and our relationship, and may I place very little value in any sort of rote procedure or practice that I may do without understanding how it advances our relationship. Amen.

Jesus is FOR Us

Scripture: But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say? John 5:45-47

Observation: Our salvation is based on our faith in Jesus Christ. However, Jesus does NOT stand against us. Jesus does not accuse us of sin, but rather the law alone stands against us. Since that law shows us the need for a savior - a mediator - and since in our sinful nature it is impossible to fully comply with the law, it is therefore our rejection of that mediator that eventually testifies against someone before God. However, it is not Jesus who testifies.

Application: The word "accuse" is critical to an understanding of Jesus. Jesus not only doesn't "accuse" us of wrongdoing, but in both word and action he showed that is contrary to his nature. He refused to accuse sinners even when their sin was pronounced publicly. Instead, he let the law stand as the source of accusation, and he stands as the source of forgiveness and redemption.

Satan is the accuser, and that is because of the law and our inability to uphold it. Satan accuses us not only before God, but also repeatedly in our own minds, and in the minds of others. Our every failure is whispered in our ears, and our every flaw is called out to friends and strangers alike. This is a tactic to make us withdraw in shame from God, and drive a wedge in our relationship with Jesus.

However, this verse today reminds me that Jesus is ALWAYS for me!! He is on my side! Jesus does not accuse me. He may correct me, guide me, and teach me, but he does that by his love for me. He also assures me, forgives me, and eventually as a result of my faith will testify for me and redeem me.

Prayer: Thank you, Jesus! In all life's struggles, it is great to be reminded that you are on my side. With you for me, who can be against me? Thank you for your love, your grace, your forgiveness. Amen.