Dictator

I have recently finished a study on Galatians with one of my friends. I am stunned to see how little I actually knew about the gospel of Christ.

When I look at the "christian arguments" going around, I'm finding myself very sympathetic to the pain of confusion. I have been that author, angry and hurting. I've been that person who was so frustrated at how "Christian doctrines" can be so hurtful.

But this is where the problem is. Where there are Christians, there is sin.

We will never ever be on the other side of sin as long as we are on this Earth in our sinful nature.

We will always observe "rules" and "laws" with favor. We like things we can understand. Thinks we relate to.

The gospel is something so entirely other worldly, no wonder we try to make it practical in unbiblical ways.

The Law could not be fulfilled. If it could, we wouldn't have needed the blood of a spotless lamb, in order for the wrath of God to "pass over" us.

Yet even as all is right between us and God because of Jesus, we still like to validate ourselves with viewing "laws" as our contribution.

The Truth of the Bible is the Gospel plus NOTHING.

We have nothing to offer.

Our obedience to God should come naturally, but it doesn't change anything about how God is already satisfied with us.

When we think of purity... we think of a long to-do list of what we have to accomplish. We add a yoke that is so oppressive, so hideously unbearable. No wonder so many articles keep coming out about the damage of "purity." But this is not the damage of purity. It is the damage of adding sinful humans to an already perfect, spotless Gospel that is already completed.

When we make purity a "law" we uphold the idea of adding to what Christ has already done. We completely, and terribly miss the point.

We have nothing to offer Christ. If we did, we would be saved by works of righteousness, not saved by Grace through Faith. But we forget, that our righteousness is yet still as filthy rags.  Even our best attempts at holiness fail miserably.

As Galatians 2:21 says, " I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

Acknowledging our own helplessness is the first thing we have to swallow when we start to think about the narrow path a Christian walks. It's not up to us to achieve God's good gifts. It's about God.

But then we think about how we're still sinful. So now what... we're just doomed, then.

Except we're not! As Romans 6:1-2 says, "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"

And Romans 6:14, "For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace."

This also means the consequences of sin is not our master either. Christ already obliged to this master, and He was victorious over it. This means we do not need to suffer the helplessness that sin inevitably brings. We can still find joy in the midst of our sinful hearts, in the assurance that God not only tolerates  us, but loves us to death. Literally.

And Galatians 5:1 "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand form, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

Ok, a few things now.

1. These verses imply we have an option to continue sinning and living a life that is unworthy of the name Christ. Christians.
2. We were slaves to sin, because we were literally unable to be set free from the sinful nature we cannot escape. We had nothing to offer, that's why we needed Christ. Even after Christ, though, we still have nothing to offer. The only thing we gained is Christ. So we can't offer Christ to Himself... He IS Christ. We still have nothing to offer.
3. Now we are under grace. Like God viewing us through lenses of grace, rather than seeing us for who and what we are (nothing). He instead sees Christ. He instead sees the blood of a spotless Lamb and his wrath passes over us. Now we live without the unbearable burden to justify ourselves, which was completely impossible in every way, anyway. Our purpose of sin was to gain something. But now we have everything. Our reason to sin is now invalid and pointless.
4. As Galatians 5 implies, we CAN allow ourselves the burden of what life would be like without Jesus. We can live life with the pressures to do everything right, to do everything we need to do to validate ourselves and our worth and to show that we are worthy of Christ.

There are problems, here, friends.

We cannot nor ever will be able to validate ourselves and make ourselves worthy of Jesus.

When we can see this as truth, and allow the relief to set in, we can see how much easier it is to follow Christ.

We are free from the burden of legalism that insists we are still, in fact, slaves. If we mess up, we're done.

However, the Cross suggests otherwise. We mess up, we're free to stand back up and walk again because of Christ already taking the shame. Sin does not dictate what we do. If we sin, we're not slaves to Mr. Sin what would tell us, "Sit back down. You're not worthy." Instead we are slaves to the Lord who says, "Stand up. You are victorious because I am victorious."

We are free to enjoy the world and the good things God gives us, because we no longer need the world. We are pardoned.

Um, wow.

I'm sick of the "purity damaged me." Get it right. Sin damaged you. Now get back up, and stop letting sinful human nature dictate how you receive Truth.

One

I must be honest, I need to be writing more. Writing does something for me. The Lord wove the need to write deeply within my veins... and I must abide. My husband reminded me that I love to blog. He's a keeper.

I've been toying with so many thoughts about being contained in an earthly body. It literally boggles my mind when I try to imagine what it'd be like to be free. My earthliness, my humanity, feels like a ball and chain. I can't escape from feeling pain, from feeling heartache, and disappointment. And it hurts-- another experience I cannot get away from.

While some may read this and feel alarmed and worry if I should be on suicide watch, have no fear. That's the farthest thing from my mind. I've merely struck a new chord, a new sound I never heard.

We are all so contained.

I struggle sometimes to see how this is a good thing. How our bodies are still His craftsmanship. How our humanity is still capable of holiness to the Lord.

We're subject to suffering in our humanity. We forget things. We burn our fingers while cooking dinner. We cry when we're overwhelmed. We hear words that pierce deeper than a sword. We slip and fall on black ice. Ugh... we are soooo human. To wuote that insurance commercial, It's really "Amazing we've made it this far."

I've been reminded this week of the quote "Desiderio Domini," which means "I dearly long to be with my Lord." It's supposedly a quote from Peter after Jesus ascended back into heaven. Peter would cry often, and when asked a reason for his tears, he would resond, "Desiderio Domini."

His heart would ache to escape this earthly bondage. Oh, to be with the Lord...

Now, I have never walked beside Jesus, of course. But I, at times, feel the same desperation. Ugh, to be with the Lord, out of this world. I wouldn't have to deal with the uncertainty, the frustration, the confusion, the fatigue... how deeply I long to be away with the Lord.

I fail to remember the beauty of the life that we have in our earthly costumes. We play the characters of the Forgiven, and the Saved, and the Loved. A Divine scene that could never be memorized and reduplicated. While I long for the curtain to close, to have a final bow, I am astounded at the truth... this earthly garment of life is a gift. The suffering we endure, be it forgetfulness, or confusion, or physical or emotional pain, is not a curse. It is a reminder of the promise that we are ever to depend on the Lord. He is WITH us. Just because he is no longer a child in a manger does not mean he is no longer Emmanuel. He is WITH us. In this human confinement, we are free even now in Him.

It brings me to tears... He knit me together in my mother's womb, knowing full well the difficulty that would come with the world. He knew what he would present to me... the challenges life entails. But He also had a promise already in place for me. There would be a day, where there is no more tears, or sorrow... no more forgetting silly things. No more tiredness.

And in this earthly body, I can taste the sweetness of a coconut (my favorite thing), and the refreshment of water after an intense workout. I can feel how wonderful it feels to have a hot shower when I've been out all day in sub zero temperatures. I can laugh and feel revived when I hear my husband's goofy jokes. I can smile and look into the mirror and know full well, that while I am in this human body, I am made in His image, and I am fearfully and wonderfully His.

I feel the separation sometimes... my spirit is confined within my flesh.

But there's more. And here's where I lose it...

In Christ, there is no separation. There is no bondage. There is no distance. I am ONE with the Spirit of the living God... even here, while I am on earth.

And that makes this delicate dance of hating my humanity, and loving my Maker and all He's made.... possible.