Matthew 6:12 “and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
If you have ever thought much about this verse, no doubt you’ve wrestled with whether or not Jesus is saying that the Believer’s being forgiven of our sins, is dependent upon our forgiveness of other’s sins. That forgiveness with God is at least in part a form of quid pro quo. And that in the end, our salvation is works based and not grace based.
Given the balance of New Testament teaching, we would be faced with a true contradiction if this is the case. So we do need to sort out what is really being taught here. We especially need to see it in terms of our overall theme of how the elements of this prayer together are calculated to re-tune the Believer’s heart with the heart of God each time we enter into it.
Forgiveness is a huge category in Scripture. The entire Old Testament sacrificial system is built upon it, and as Peter and Paul make it central to all the preaching in Acts and in their letters: Acts 10:43 “To him (Jesus) all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Mankind’s greatest need is that we be forgiven of our sins in order to be reconciled back to the Father. We share the universal condemnation that we want the right of supremacy over our own lives and goods, rather than being submitted to the rightful Lordship of the God who created us for Himself. We want to say what is right and what is wrong for ourselves without His imposition. We want to justify ourselves for all of our actions, words, thoughts and attitudes irrespective of God’s requirements. We want to be god unto ourselves, being responsible to no one else but ourselves. And as a result, every other sin we commit flows from this central corruption.
So it is, the plain teaching of the Bible is that we can only be forgiven for this cosmic rebellion, through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross who died in our place. Thus the resurrected Jesus Himself told the Disciples in Luke 24:46–47 “[A]nd (He) said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”
So what are we to make of this? First and foremost (and I plan to come back to this topic again next time) – that an unforgiving, grudge-bearing, bitter spirit is so irreconcilable with the Spirit of Christ, that as long as we entertain such, we cannot live in harmony with the Triune God we claim to love and serve. We cannot be tuned to Him. For such an heart-set is in direct opposition to the Gospel of grace we claim to have been saved by. That a spirit or attitude of unforgiveness is wholly antithetical to the Spirit of God, and to the message and work of the Cross.
No wonder then, that Jesus, in teaching us to pray so as to be tuned to His own heart and mind, directs us not only to seek forgiveness regularly in recognition of our own ongoing battle against indwelling sin and our constant failures in that regard – but that as the love of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit overflow so as to provide forgiveness for all who believe in the Cross of Christ – so being ourselves forgiven of cosmic crimes, forgive others out of the abundance of our having been forgiven. We do not forgive others out of our own largess, but out of that which we have received.
Do you remember Jesus’ encounter at the Pharisee’s house in Luke 7? A woman with a bad reputation made her way into the gathering, and anointed Jesus with perfume, weeping, kissing His feet and wiping them with her hair. The Pharisee was indignant at her garish display. But Jesus rebuked the man by pointing out that she acted out of love, knowing the forgiveness of her many sins. The Pharisee, thinking he had little to be forgiven of, didn’t love much either, and even ignored some common courtesies toward Jesus.
The more we try to view ourselves as not needing forgiveness, the more we will need to harp on other’s sins, and in direct proportion, will fail to love Christ.
What a Savior He is. He gave His very life, that we might have the full and free forgiveness of God Himself. In comparison, what microscopically little I have ever had to give in forgiving others.
Father forgive me.
As right now, I ask you to lay nothing to the charge of anyone else on my account. For my sins have been many, perpetual and truly evil against you. Their’s, have been so little against me.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions. Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
Jonathan Edwards: “There is perhaps no part of divinity attended with so much intricacy, and wherein orthodox divines do so much differ as stating the precise agreement and difference between the two dispensations of Moses and Christ.”A – The Law is good IF it is used LAWFULLY or rightly.B – The Believer stands in a new RELATIONSHIP to law than they did prior to trusting Christ.
1. The Law must be used LAWFULLY – It must be used for what it was intended.
2. [The] law is not made for a righteous person – The primary use of the Law is NOT for the man who has been made righteous with the righteousness of Christ
BUT: [It IS made] for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching,
3. The Believer is NOT “lawless” – Since the Law is NOT made for the righteousness man but for the lawless man – The Believer is NOT lawless, even though he is not “under” the Law.
Titus 2:14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
1 Peter 4:3 For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.
Rom. 6:14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
The restoration of God’s OWN holiness to the HEART of the Believer – as it is re-inscribed there by the Holy Spirit in regeneration and energized by the indwelling presence of the Spirit is now the PRINCIPLE under which the Believer lives.
He is not constrained by externals as much as he is now motivated by new internals – He has a new inclination.
He is to use Paul’s words in 2 Cor. 5:14 – Constrained by love
1 John 5:1 “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments.”
The man who has been born again, loves the righteous and holy God he once rebelled against and ran from. He now sees God’s righteousness as lovely, not distasteful. He love righteousness BECAUSE he loves the righteous God who loved him.
But – Sure, I may now LOVE righteousness, but what exactly is my relationship to God’s Law?
And that IS the key word, RELATIONSHIP
The point is, that being born again and justified by His grace and indwelt by His Spirit – we now stand in a totally different relationship to the Law than we once did.
The Law didn’t change – WE DID!
The issue is one of a change of relationship.
THE LAW IS STILL EXACTLY THE SAME FOR THE LAWLESS – 1 Tim. 1:8
Illustration: Trespassing vs. Being a co-owner (or joint-heir)
While parents were alive, I always knew that at any time, I could go to their house – and even if they weren’t home, raid the refrigerator, use the facilities, sack out on the couch, watch the TV and relax.
Now what is also true, is that I cannot do that just anywhere. If I go to stranger’s houses, the very same activities are in fact illegal and punishable by law.
If I become an heir, what did not belong to me now does – what attempting access to would once bring the charge of trespass, is now turned on its head. My relationship to it changed. I now have an entrance to the throne room of God which was once not mine to enter.
Illustration: NYS Driving age. Once I turned 16, the law that said I could not drive at 15, became the law that said I COULD drive. The law didn’t change, I did.
The Law is good IF it is used “lawfully”.
Classically – 3-Fold Purpose of the Law (Louis Berkhof) —
a. CIVIL: “The law serves the purpose of restraining sin and promoting righteousness. Considered from this point of view, the law presupposes sin and is necessary on account of sin. It serves the purpose of God’s common grace in the world at large.”
b. PEDAGOGICAL: “In this capacity the law serves the purpose of bringing man under conviction of sin, and of making him conscious of his inability to meet the demands of the law. In that way the law becomes his tutor to lead him unto Christ, and thus becomes subservient to God’s gracious purpose of redemption.”
c. DIDACTIC (or Normative): “The law is a rule of life for believers, reminding them of their duties and leading them in the way of life and salvation.” (Lutheran controversy)
Actually, while this is generally accepted, and nice and neat – it is nowhere near how the Bible speaks.
The 7-Fold Purpose of the Law
The Bible itself gives us 7 reasons for the Law.
a. EXPOSES SIN / Rom. 3:20b: “since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”
Rom. 5:20: “Now the law came in to increase the trespass”
Rom. 7:7 “Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”’”
In this way, it is PURELY DIAGNOSTIC – Like an X-Ray machine.
Like an X-Ray machine for the soul, it can show you the broken bone, but has no power to MEND the broken bone.
b. INSTRUCTS / Ex. 24:12 “The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.”
In this way, the Law serves to help us know what God thinks about things – what He likes & dislikes, proscribes and warns against.
Looking at the 10 Words as ten revelations of our God Himself. Above everything else, it instructs us in a right view of God, self and life.
1 – God is God alone and must be recognized as such
2 – God is not to be reduced to an image, to anything tangible. It preserves His transcendence. Something desperately needed in our day too.
3 – God is not to be taken lightly – even in the use of His name
4 – God is to be worshipped (Calvin – Harmony of the Law – The object of this Commandment is that believers should exercise themselves in the worship of God; for we know how prone men are to fall into indifference, unless they have some props to lean on or some stimulants to arouse them in maintaining their care and zeal for religion.)
5 – Man is to be respected as created in God’s image – first with parents, and then with other authorities.
6 – Life is sacred before God. As created in His image, humankind, all members of the race are to be treated with dignity. None are to be simply disregarded, and in something like the case of abortion, as disposable.
7 – Sexual purity is required to love man.
8 – Man’s property is not to be violated.
9 – Man is not to sinned against even in the use of law.
10 – Contentment with God’s provision.
c. HUMBLES / Lev. 16:31 “It is to be a Sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble your souls; it is a permanent statute.” (NAS95)
We need rest. We were created that way. And to ignore proper rest is to live apart from faith. It is outside the order He has created us to live in.
It reminds us that we are under His authority – not autocrats. In all places and at all times, He is the ultimate authority. And He need not give us reasons for His ordering of things. We are to trust that He is wisest and most loving and that He orders all things in life in accordance with His wisdom and love.
d. DECLARATIVE / Deut. 4:6-8 Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?
When we set ourselves properly under His authority to guide our lives and choices, we live out the Gospel in a most tangible way to those who observe us, even if they do not recognize it as such.
e. IDENTIFICATION / Same as Above – It shows we’re God’s people. We listen to Him, cherish His words, and live by His precepts.
f. PROPHETIC / Col. 2:16-17 “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.”
g. PROTECTIVE / Gal. 3:19 “Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.”
In this capacity, it is mainly protective against two things: The Wrath of God / Natural Consequences of our sins.
Also – Ga 3:24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.
MUCH MORE – I want to suggest to you that due to our change in relationship to the Law, the Law may be used “lawfully” (in respect to him or herself) by the Believer in the following three ways.
Col. 2 – Due to the fact that the decrees against us have been removed out of the way (i.e. Nailed to His cross) THEREFORE we are no longer to be judged concerning Sabbath days etc. – BECAUSE – they were shadows of that which was to come (i.e. Christ) and now that the substance is here – we no longer occupy ourselves with the shadows.
When the Believer is confronted with the Law of God, his first response ought to be to look at it as “having received double” – for his sins against God.
An infinite debt PAID IN FULL!
When we consider the 10 Words (as well as other places) we have His payment placarded before us.
This is what Jesus fulfilled for us in His obedience.
And this is what Jesus paid the penalty for for our every infraction.
2. Christ’s Imputed Righteousness / Rom. 3:21-26 “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Not only has my infinite debt been canceled – this is what has been deposited into my account!
I am righteous with the righteousness of Christ Himself!
2 Cor. 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Rom. 5:19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. What Christ has done which is imputed to me.
He deals with me as though Christ’s own righteousness were mine!
What an unspeakable comfort!
3. The Glorious Promise / 1 John 3:1-3 “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”
We will wake in His likeness
Those words: Thou shalt & Thou shalt not – are promises!
We can rightfully read them this way:
This is my promise, when I am done with you dear child you will –
love me with all your heart mind soul and strength and never have some other god before me.
I will preserve you from falling prey to any idols
You will not bear my name vainly – it will not be an empty thing to say you are God’s. To bear the name – Christian.
You will rest in the perfect rest of Christ’s completed work for ever.
You will honor your mother and father.
You will not murder any more.
You’ll never commit adultery again.
You will never steal.
You will never bear false witness against your brother or covert your neighbor’s wife or anything else he has.
Quotes:
Luther: we say that the law is good and profitable, but in his own proper use: which is, first to bridle civil transgressions, and then to reveal and to increase spiritual transgressions. Wherefore the law is also a light, which sheweth and revealeth, not the grace of God, not righteousness and life; but sin, death, the wrath and judgment of God. For, as in the mount Sinai the thundering, lightning, the thick and dark cloud, the hill smoking and flaming, and all that terrible shew did not rejoice not quicken the children of Israel, but terrified and astonished them, and shewed how unable they were, with all their purity and holiness, to abide the presence of God speaking to them out of the cloud: even so the law, when it is in his true sense, doth nothing else but reveal sin, engender wrath, accuse and terrify men, so that it bringeth them to the very brink of desperation. This is the proper use of the law, and here it hath an end, and it ought to go no further. Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 302.
Now the foolishness of man’s heart is so great, that when the law hath its office and terrified his conscience, he cloth not only not lay hold upon the doctrine of grace, but seeketh to himself more laws to satisfy and quiet his conscience. “If I live,” saith he, “I will amend my life. I will do this and that.” Here except thou do quite the contrary: that is, except thou send Moses away, with his law, and in these terrors lay hold upon Christ, who died for thy sins, there is no salvation for thee.
These things are easily said: but blessed is he which knoweth how to lay sure hold on them in distress of conscience, that is, which can say when sin overweighteth him, and the law accuseth and terrifieth him: What is this to me, O law, that thou accusest me, and sayest that I have committed many sins? Indeed I grant that I have committed many sins, yea and yet still do commit sins daily without number. This toucheth me nothing: I am now dead and cannot hear thee. Therefore thou talkest to me in vain, for I am dead unto thee. But if thou wilt needs dispute with me as touching my sins, get thee to my flesh and members my servants: teach them, exercise and crucify them, but trouble not me, not Conscience, I say, which am a lady and a queen, and have nothing to do with thee: for I am dead to thee, and now I live to Christ, with whom I am under another law, to wit the law of grace, which ruleth over sin and the law. By what means? By faith in Christ, as Paul declareth hereafter.
This sentence of Paul: “through the law I am dead to the law,” is full of consolation. Which if it may enter into a man in due season, and take sure hold in his heart with good understanding, it may so work, that it will make him able to stand against all dangers of death, and all terrors of conscience and sin, although they assail him, accuse him, and would drive him to desperation never so much. True it is, that every man is tempted: if not in his life, yet at his death. There, when the law accuseth him and sheweth unto him his sins, his conscience by and by saith: Thou hast sinned. If then thou take good hold of that which Paul here teacheth, thou wilt answer: I grant I have sinned. Then will God punish thee. Nay, he will not do so. Why, doth not the law of God so say? I have nothing to do with that law. Why so? Because I have another law which striketh this law dumb, that is to say, liberty. What liberty is that? The liberty of Christ, for by Christ I am utterly freed from the law. Therefore that law which is and remaineth a law to the wicked, is to me liberty, and bindeth that law which would condemn me; and by this means that law which would bind me and hold me captive, is now fast bound itself, and holden captive by grace and liberty, which is now my law; which saith to that accusing law: Thou shalt not hold this man bound and captive, or make him guilty, for he is mine; but I will hold thee captive, and bind thy hands that thou shalt not hurt him, for he liveth now unto Christ, and is dead unto thee.
Bunyan: “Wherefore whenever thou who believest in Jesus, dost hear the law in its thundering and lightning fits, as if it would burn up heaven and earth; then say thou, I am freed from this law, these thunderings have nothing to do with my soul; nay even this law, while it thus thunders and roareth, it doth both allow and approve of my righteousness. I know that Hagar would sometimes be domineering and high, even in Sarah’s house and against her; but this she is not to be suffered to do, nay though Sarah herself be barren; wherefore serve it also as Sarah served her, and expel her out from thy house. My meaning is, when this law with its thundering threatenings doth attempt to lay hold on thy conscience, shut it out with a promise of grace; cry, the inn is took up already, the Lord Jesus is here entertained, and here is no room for the law. Indeed if it will be content with being my informer, and so lovingly leave off to judge me; I will be content, it shall be in my sight, I will also delight therein; but otherwise, I being now made upright without it, and that too with that righteousness, which this law speaks well of and approveth; I am not, will not, cannot, dare not make it my saviour and judge, nor suffer it to set up its government in my conscience; for by so doing I fall from grace, and Christ Jesus doth profit me nothing (Gal 5:1–5). John Bunyan, The Trinity and a Christian (alternate Title: The Law and a Christian), vol. 2 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2006), 388.
“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Matt. 6:7-13.
We have been considering “The Lord’s Prayer” under the idea of using it to regularly re-tune the heart, not as a mere rote religious exercise. To go to this prayer and consider the massive implications of each phrase, as a means each time to re-tune the soul to God’s priorities; to those things He knows are best for us. So that we think with this scheme always in our minds – framing how we see reality.
It begins by calling us to consider how holy, glorious and magnificent He is first, so that we have some sense of who it is we are praying to, before we even begin. And that in recognizing Him as He is afresh, seeing that the greatest cosmic need of all is that every knee bow, and every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord – to the praise and glory of the Father (Phil. 2″11). That His glory and reputation be restored among all sentient beings. And indeed, can we truly pray until WE are seeing Him as He is first?
Secondly, Jesus tells us that the final answer to all the prayers of the saints culminate in this one grand petition – that His Kingdom would at last come. That all human and angelic rebellion against His perfect rule would at last be vanquished, and that Christ would rule unopposed both in our hearts and minds, and manifestly on earth – globally and cosmically.
And thirdly, reframing our desires to coincide with His will in all things. For we so often do not even know what to pray for. So, the Believer, humbly submits his or her requests to Him for the review of His perfect wisdom and love. We trust Him to veto foolish things, grant better than we ask, answer when it is most advantageous and base His answers on what is best for our souls and growth in Christ – long term.
Fourth, Jesus shows us that we need to look to the Father both for our simplest, basic needs, but above all that Christ would be the ultimately satisfying Bread of Life for our souls. That Christ would be broken afresh to us. That we would be satisfied in Him, above all earthly things.
And it isn’t until this point – that He leads to treat the ideas of sin and forgiveness. I find that both curious and glorious.
How often do our prayer lives begin with the confession of sin? That our starting point is far from His? That as Believers, justified by faith in Christ and His atoning work on our behalf, He is not as fixated on the sin problem as we still tend to be. We are this side of the Cross. Christ has died. He has paid the price for our sins. We come to The Father as children already, and not as groveling beggars. Not to do so is to come to Him as though Jesus’ work hasn’t already made the way. As though by obsequious shamefacedness, we now pave a new way to Him ourselves. It is as if having fallen, WE now have to do the re-set. Jesus made an initial way, but it is up to us to keep it or restore it. It is the opposite of grace, wherein we trust Christ’s righteousness as imputed to us, even as our sin was imputed to Him at Calvary.
What does this do then? It frees us to confess freely and without having to deny any of our wickedness, nor to come to Him sheepishly. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:15 & 16) We can fully agree with Him regarding our failures and guilt, while at the same time pleading for a repentant heart, and all with the confidence that we are already fully accepted in Christ and face repentance, not man-crafted penance. We cast all of it on Him.
“Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us” tunes us most keenly to the Gospel wherein we stand. And, it fills us with the wherewithal to forgive others out of the abundance of what we’ve already received. It reminds us that no one has ever sinned against us as greatly as we have sinned against Him – and gives us a bottomless reservoir out of which to draw our own forgiveness for others.
Of what a glorious salvation is ours in Christ Jesus – the Lamb slain for sin.
One of the things which commonly happens with Christians, is that we take a verse – like this one – and toss it around as a general maxim without really considering it well in context. I hear this verse quoted all the time as a stand-alone. But when we do that, we can miss the real point of the portion when taken as a whole. Does God give wisdom in general? Sure. But is that what James is after here? I don’t think so.
The context here is asking God for wisdom, regarding how to count it “all joy” when as Believers, we encounter all sorts of “trials of various kinds.” The application is intentionally narrow. And the caveat appended to it is that if we do not do so, we will find our faith quite unstable. How those fit together is essential in understanding James’ point.
Note first then that James is after helping Believers grow in steadfastness. Steadfastness is remaining the same in regard to living rightly before God, irrespective of outward circumstances. It means having a frame of mind in trusting God, no matter what changes around us externally, or even how we feel.
That being the case, the wisdom referred to here isn’t generic wisdom, but specifically related to facing trials – not only courageously, but profitably, by trusting in God’s providential care over His children. It is wisdom to take advantage of our trials in confidence that God will use them to help us mature and become complete, mature spiritually.
If we do not have faith in His care and providential appointments in our trials, then we will have no real faith at all, and as a result will be unstable in everything we encounter in life. We will always be knocked off kilter by difficulties. We must trust our God, His care, power and good will toward us in Christ.
That means then, that to “ask in faith” is to ask:
1- Trusting God’s character.
2- Trusting God’s love.
3- Trusting His wisdom in bringing us to and through our trials.
4- Trusting His sovereign appointments and care.
5- Trusting The promises in His Word.
Faith, true Biblical faith is ALWAYS rooted in His trustworthiness.
If I have no faith in that, in His trustworthiness regarding His sovereignty over my life, I will never be stable, never gain endurance, and never grow in spiritual maturity.
So today fellow Christian, if you are truly His, and you are enduring a hard place right now, He is saying to you – that if you will ask for wisdom as to how to use this trial, to co-opt it for steadfastness and growth in the image of Christ – He WILL, give it. He is faithful to do so. You can trust Him. And knowing our weakness here, He promises that He will not think little of us for needing more wisdom, but will freely, lovingly and joyfully grant it. He will not chide us for our lack. For He loves to be our great supply in such circumstances. He loves to have us call upon Him in our time of need. To know, that we are to keep coming back to Him over and over and over as the One on whom we truly rely.
Oh what precious things such as these are ours because of Christ!
The title to this post is not my own. It is a near constant reminder from my internet friend, scholar and Bible teacher – Mark Ward.
When the Apostle Paul is giving corrective instructions to the Corinthian Church, he has to address the issue that even though the Holy Spirit may supernaturally enable someone to speak in a language unknown to them – nevertheless, unless that language is translated for the assembly. So he writes in 1 Cor. 14:7-12 “If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air. There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.”
Edification – building up – requires intelligibility.
Or consider the example in Nehemiah 8 with those returning to Jerusalem from the Babylonian captivity. Many, did not even know their native Hebrew anymore. So we read that Ezra enlisted a group of men in the endeavor to restore the Word of God to the people. We read: “They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.” The word “clearly” there implying they gave an interpretation, paragraph by paragraph – and gave the sense too, not just the words.
Edification requires intelligibility.
Because we know this, and because we also know that most of us know neither Biblical Hebrew nor Greek, God has gifted men and women throughout the ages to study and translate the original languages into those spoken by others around the world. How grateful we must be for this.
But even when that work is done, we recognize that languages themself change over time. Due to this reality, new and new Bible translations are needed, even in the very same language over time – to be sure the message of the Bible is not lost due to the way language morphs. A good example is the graphic above showing how The Lord’s Prayer would have looked to English readers around 100 A.D. And below, are several more examples.
Thirteenth Century – Manuscript in the Library of Cambridge University: Fader oure that art in heve, i-halgeed be thi nome, i-cume thi kinereiche, y-worthe thi wylle also is in hevene so be an erthe, oure iche-dayes-bred gif us today, and forgif us our gultes, also we forgifet oure gultare, and ne led ows nowth into fondingge, auth ales ows of harme.
Fifteenth Century – Manuscript in the Library of Oxford University: Fader oure that art in heuene, halewed be thy name: thy kyngedom come to thee: thy wille be do in erthe as in heuen: oure eche dayes brede geue us to daye: and forgeue us oure dettes as we forgeue to oure dettoures: and lede us nogte into temptacion: bot delyver us from yvel.
Seventeenth Century – The King James Version of 1611: Our father which art in heauen, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdome come. Thy will be done, in earth, as it is in heauen. Giue vs this day our daily bread. And forgiue vs our debts, as we forgiue our debters. And lead vs not into temptation, but deliuer vs from euill: For thine is the kingdome, and the power, and the glory, for euer.
Now a while back, a gal came to attend our congregation, with virtually no Bible background. She needed to be brought up to speed with Biblical language for sure, and especially the nomenclature which we – as Bible-believing Christians take for granted. We use a lot of unique words. We throw around words like regeneration, justification, sanctification and the like – but seldom take the time to define those terms for the uninitiated. Even a phrase as basic as “born again” needs to be unpacked for those who have had no previous exposure, or very limited familiarity.
Coming back to the gal I just referenced – this issue popped up in a way I hadn’t remotely thought about before – even while trying to explain terms in my preaching and using a newer translation of the Scriptures like the ESV.
The problem? My beloved hymns. Take for example vs. 2 of “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”, and its “Here I raise my Ebeneezer.” What in the world does that mean? Even to many raised in the Church today.
Let me make it even more basic. For this gal, the simple “thees” and “thous” of Elizabethan English in the hymns proved to be a stumbling block to intelligibility. And this, from a college educated professional. Imagine what this might mean to those doing inner-city or far rural missions! The problem is compounded.
Now for me as both a hack poet, and a child of the manse (who even knows what that means any more?) I am truly loath to give up the music and cadence of the words of sacred hymnody, let alone the melodies. I love the amazing turns of phrase and linguistic beauty of so many of the hymns that have fed my soul for all of my life.
That said, if I want the truths which were meant to be communicated in those grand “songs of Zion” (does that phrase mean anything to anyone anymore?) to still serve the souls of those coming after – we may need to rethink, and re-work these sacred works of Gospel art.
I offer up a modest attempt below. I’d love to know what you think. I labored to keep the intent of the lyrics while trying to remove anything which might hinder anyone, and yet retain memorability as well as intelligibility. May God raise up a number in our day who can take on such a project – that what can be preserved, is, and what can be modified rightly, may be, for the edification of many others in days to come.
This, from “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee”. The original appears at the bottom.
I. Joyful, joyful, we adore You,
God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts when warmed responding to you
Turn to see the Son above
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness,
Drive our darkest doubts away;
You Who give eternal gladness,
Fill us with Christ’s light today
II. All your works with joy surround You,
Earth and Heaven reflect your rays,
Stars and angels sing around You,
Center of our highest praise.
Fields and forests, valleys and mountains,
Beautiful meadows, flashing seas,
Singing birds and river fountains
All sing of your majesty
III. You are giving and forgiving,
Always blessing, always blessed,
Source of all the joy of living,
Boundless sea of happy rest!
God our Father, Christ our brother,
All who abide in You are mine,
Teach us how to love each other,
Sharing in your joy divine
IV. Come and join the happy chorus
Angels long ago began;
God the Father loving, saving,
Sent in love the Son of Man.
Always singing, marching to Heaven
Spirit empowered to conquer strife,
Joyful music leads us homeward
By the power of Christ – our life.
Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love; Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee, Op’ning to the sun above. Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; Drive the dark of doubt away; Giver of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day!
All Thy works with joy surround Thee, Earth and heav’n reflect Thy rays, Stars and angels sing around Thee, Center of unbroken praise. Field and forest, vale and mountain, Flow’ry meadow, flashing sea, Singing bird and flowing fountain Call us to rejoice in Thee.
Thou art giving and forgiving, Ever blessing, ever blest, Wellspring of the joy of living, Ocean depth of happy rest! Thou our Father, Christ our Brother, All who live in love are Thine; Teach us how to love each other, Lift us to the joy divine.
Mortals, join the happy chorus, Which the morning stars began; Father love is reigning o’er us, Brother love binds man to man. Ever singing, march we onward, Victors in the midst of strife, Joyful music leads us Sunward In the triumph song of life.
Why does the Scripture, why does our God call us to worship Him, and ascribe glory to Him?
The answer is not found in His ego. It is found in our need.
As the fountain of all that is good and holy and wonderful – we can receive no greater blessing than to have Him revealed to us in all of His ineffable glory. He can bless us with nothing higher than Himself. And so He bids us come and gaze in wonder that we might receive the highest, sweetest and greatest of all that He has to give – Himself.
But o how we lose sight of what is really and truly the best for us. Sin twists our desires so and folds them in so wretchedly that we delight more in the dim and defaced reflection of His glory in ourselves than in the splendor of infinite goodness.
And so we are met with this first clause – Psalm 29:1–2 “Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.”
Now this opening address is to the angelic hosts; those who behold His glory more immediately than fallen humankind. But what happens in the process is that you and I are brought into that same throne room and invited to participate in angelic experience. It is truly remarkable. It is an exalted call. We are to join our voices with theirs here. Astounding.
Glory. No other word will do at the sight of God. Glory! is the divine expression. Rolled into it are simultaneous exclamations of:
ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!
PROFOUNDEST MAJESTY!
INFINITE INDESCRIBABILITY!
UNSURPASSABLE TRANSCENDENCE!
FATHOMLESS FORGIVENESS!
UNBELIEVABLE HUMILITY!
INCOMPARABLE BEAUTY!
UNDEFILABLE HOLINESS!
LIMITLESS, BOUNDLESS, MATCHLESS LOVE!
UNFATHOMABLE MERCY!
INCALCULABLE GRACE!
MIND-NUMBING, UNSPEAKABLE WONDER!
INVIOLABLE JUSTICE!
INCOMPREHENSIBLE TRIUNITY!
INDEFATIGABLE POWER!
INEXAUSTIBLE PATIENCE!
IMMEASURABLE SWEETNESS!
And so very much more – GLORY!
1-2 / There is little that leaves us less prepared to deal with life, than when we have a small God. One who is inglorious. Impotent. Wishy-washy. Grim. Uncaring or distant.
The call here is for each of us to remember God as He is, by a worship that ascribes to Him the glory that is truly and rightly His. Such worship is for our own good. For it forces us to reckon with how good and great He is – that we might not faint in the days of adversity. Worship – to remember.
And it is why when we neglect the gathered worship of the saints we injure our own souls.
Remember, spiritual truth does not remain static in the heart and mind at all times, let alone grow, without attention.
Ever since the Fall, our ability to retain the great and glorious soul-renewing truths which sustain the heart and mind in trial has been rendered defective. We are like spiritual sieves in this regard. We need a steady influx of Biblical truth to maintain even basic health in Christ.
We must never forget that when it comes to spiritual health, we are much like one trying to ascend the down escalator – standing still will in fact find us going backward.
And even apart from the Fall – we must remember that as Christ is the Son (sun) – we are but moons, reflecting His glory. We do not generate it. The light we are to the World is light we reflect from being exposed to His. And without this exposure, we soon have no light to give, like the luminous hands and numerals on a watch face.
Take the time to ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name, and to worship Him in the splendor of holiness. His ego doesn’t need it, but your soul does.
And then, we are called to “worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.”
And there is no place where His holiness is on greater display than in the Cross! Worship Him in the splendor of holiness revealed in the cross. Of righteousness fulfilled, sin judged, payment made, sentence carried out, grace made available.
From this point on in the Psalm, David focuses upon an aspect of God that overwhelms him, and it forms the foundation of the call to worship he issued in vss. 1-2 – The Voice of The Lord.
As it is portrayed here, and elsewhere, the voice of the Lord is that revealing and causative power of God in action.
3 – God communicates. His voice is upon the waters – ubiquitous and far reaching, even over that which is dark, dangerous and unstable.
3 – And God communicates loudly. It is not that God has not spoken in His creation, it is that we do not want to hear Him. We will ignore what He communicates loudly and ubiquitously so as to form our own opinions and understandings, apart from Him. The old adage that actions speak louder than words is true. His actions have declared who He is, what He has done and what He is about.
3 – Not only does God speak in this world, He is actually in this world. He is not far off from His creation, He is in the midst of it. He IS upon many waters. Not an absent landlord, but a present and ruling king.
4 – When God speaks, things happen. His voice is His will expressed and when God “says”, what He wills comes to pass.
And we must note here that God as incorporeal in His nature, He does not have vocal chords. This requires no audibility. When He said “let there be light” no sound was needed. The meaning of His speaking in power is nothing other than His willing X should come to pass, and so it does. Modern foolish interpretations which assign magical power to spoken words are ludicrous to say the least. God didn’t have to speak audibly in order to create the universe – He simply willed it to be. And it was.
4 – The Lord’s voice/will is not a mere opinion inserted into a world of voices. He speaks with supreme and inviolable authority, grandeur and glory.
5 – The strongest things on earth cannot resist His will when He exerts it. The cedars of Lebanon, famous for their majesty, strength, durability and as symbols of what is unbreakable, snap like mere twigs if and when He desires. Nothing can resist Him.
6 – Indeed, so great is the power of His will when exerted, whole regions and nations dance like playing calves before Him.
7 – God does the impossible. Who can single out or separate the tongues of flame in a fire? No one. None but our God. When He speaks/wills it – even that which is utterly inscrutable in human terms is done.
8 – When He decides, the entire earth must tremble before Him.
9 – It is by His decree the very forces of nature continue in their assignments. Not even the birth of livestock is outside His direct order.
9 – When He so desires, the very densest and most impenetrable of things are laid bare.
9 – Everything in all all creation declares His glory by their very existence – whether they know it or not.
10 – He is Lord over all, the permanent sovereign over all.
11 – And it is this Lord, whose word and will is over all, that alone speaks and gives peace to His people. The one who blesses all His own with a peace that is truly transcendent.
So how and where do we access this? It is in His speaking – in His Word.
This, is why we read, study, meditate upon, teach, memorize and love His Word.
Psalm 29:1–2 “Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.”
You cannot do a single thing better for your own soul, and that of others.
As we consider prayer from Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount, we now come to the place where most think we are to make our petitions for daily provision known. And while that is not wrong per se, I think it misses the main aspect of Jesus’ intent. Why so? Because just a few verses later, Jesus tells us that the Father is already attuned to these basic issues of life. He in fact says ““Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.” And why are these not to be our concern? Because if we “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness…all these things will be added to you.”
To pray in faith is to consciously say “I know you have my “daily bread” well in hand, so that I can focus instead on your kingdom and righteousness.” That is not to say we cannot or should not bring our immediate concerns to Him – but it is to say that we can exchange deep concerns over the regular needs of daily life for concerns about His priorities with complete safety and confidence that He already knows them and has made provision for them in advance. Yes, we bring them all, but not with anxiety – but trusting His love and care and concern even before we get there!
What then is He really after in this petition? I think it can be nothing more or less than the refreshing, renewing, delighting in and knowing more deeply and sweetly – the wonder of “The Bread of Life” – Jesus Himself. It is a plea for a new “taste” of Him if you will. To be satisfied in Him. To be filled with Him. To want that we desire nothing more than Him and consider knowing and partaking of Him our greatest and sweetest need. Our REAL need.
Give us as your people, as your children today, more insight into His person and work; more joy in His glory; more wonder at Him; more delight in Him – a deeply soul-satisfying partaking of Him that that spoils our appetite for the things of this world and the cravings of the flesh.
And why is this so important? Because “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.” (2 Pet. 1:3) Did you get that? All things that pertain to true life and godliness come through the knowledge of Him!
Here is where get full. Here is where we get what is most important to true life. Here alone is where our deepest needs are truly met in the fullest possible way.
Our Father, you who rule and reign over all – be glorified and hallowed in us above everything. Expand your kingdom in and through us. We commit all to your perfect wisdom and unfailing love. Now Father, fill us up with Christ. Reveal Him to us increasingly as the fullness of all you have to give. Satisfy us in Him. Let our souls feast on Him today afresh. Fill us with your Son till we can contain no more. Pour out the realities of His person and work until they eclipse anything and everything else. Give us THIS day, our Daily – Bread.
1 Chronicles is not a book in the Bible I hear a lot of people running to for counsel comfort and instruction. Other than the rather fanciful and misguided “The Prayer of Jabez” written around a character in 1 Chron. 4, this book gets precious little recognition. Its seemingly endless lists of names and duties – hundreds of people mentioned nowhere else in the Bible and with no biographical information about them but for an exceptional few – makes it a portion most of us gloss over rather quickly, if we spend any time in it at all.
Yet, 1 Chronicles is as much God’s Word as Romans is. True, they do not fill the very same role. Not all of Scripture is equally applicable to the Christian life in the same way. Some treasures yield up their riches on first sight. Others, must be painstakingly mined.
Should your reading schedule take you thought this book sometime soon, here’s a few things that might be worth keeping in mind while perusing the lists and the great unknowns.
1 – Recapitulating the history of 1st and 2nd Samuel in survey form, 1 Chron. sees a number of gaps filled in – and a broader view and reminder of how God’s rule can never be replaced by fallen man’s, no matter how good, noble and upright the man may be. Man’s rebellion against God’s rule is always at the root of the violence which plagues mankind. And yet, in every place, the types and shadows of the coming King Jesus promise the fulfillment of God’s perfect plan in Christ.
2 – Always important when encountering unknown name upon name upon unknown name – is the reminder that God knows every single one in His Church – by name. They need not be men and women of great exploits. It only matters that they are His, and known by Him. None are superfluous. Their names are as much written in the eternal Word as those of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David, Solomon etc. As are those of all who are in Christ by faith. Each are a vital part of His Kingdom. None dispensable to His design and purpose. Each in their place, with their purpose, with their individual personalities, talents, experiences and contributions.
In our day of celebrity pastors and ministries, when some are uniquely in the spotlight, and the culture lures each of us to make our mark – we forget the glory of the ordinary Christian. Made by God, for God, and set divinely in your place and time. God “made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place” (Acts 17:26). And that is as much true for you and me, as it was for the sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed and Elzabad, whose brothers were able men, Elihu and Semachiah.” (1 Chron. 26:7)
3 – As the NET renders it, “David gave to his son Solomon the blueprints for the temple porch, its buildings, its treasuries, its upper areas, its inner rooms, and the room for atonement. He gave him the blueprints of all he envisioned for the courts of the LORD’s temple, all the surrounding rooms, the storehouses of God’s temple, and the storehouses for the holy items. He gave him the regulations for the divisions of priests and Levites, for all the assigned responsibilities within the LORD’s temple, and for all the items used in the service of the LORD’s temple.” It goes on.
The Church was the Father’s idea, not Jesus’ alone. When Christ says that He is building His Church and that even the gates of Hell cannot overcome it, He is fulfilling His Father’s plan and purpose. “In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” Eph. 2:22.
The Temple was a symbol, a type and shadow of what the Father was all about from the beginning. David and Solomon and the nation of Israel itself then come into focus as types and shadows and not the endgame. We do not look for some rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem to come – we look for the perfecting of the Temple of God’s people completed in the New Jerusalem. And we see all this as planned by the Eternal Father, committed into the hands of His Son, and brought about through the indwelling power of the Spirit.
4 – And so we read David’s prayer upon committing all of these things to his Son Solomon to be about – and he prays like this: “For we are resident foreigners and nomads in your presence, like all our ancestors; our days are like a shadow on the earth, without security…O LORD God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, maintain the motives of your people and keep them devoted to you.” (1 Chron. 29:15 & 18).
What David could only pray for, Jesus fulfills in rising from the dead, ascending to the Father, and sending to Holy Spirit to do those very things – to maintain the motives of His people – and keep us devoted to Him: “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
Next time you wander through this odd place called 1 Chronicles – remember that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (1 Tim. 3:16-17) And take a little time to ponder, and ask for the Spirit’s aid in seeing Christ there.
Occasionally, when one preaches, the substance of the sermon addresses the immediate experience of the preacher himself. In truth, the preacher should always be preaching to himself and striving to live within the fullness of the truths he is expounding every time he preaches. But sometimes, the two coincide in a far more acute way.
It was this way for me this past Lord’s Day.
By God’s grace and in His providence, I was filling the pulpit for a local Church where I’ve had a long-standing relationship with the congregation, and deep personal fellowship and friendship with the pastor. He was going to be away for 2 weeks and asked if I might cover both of those for him. I decided upon a two part series on Jesus’ letter to the Church in Philadelphia found in Rev. 3:7-13.
As you well know, this letter is written to a Church which was enduring much trial due to natural disasters, governmental overreach and mismanagement and direct persecution from the local Jewish community. The context paints a small church, with few resources and no real power to change their circumstances. Bereft of natural opportunity and ability, nevertheless Jesus says He has set before them “an open door which no one Is able to shut.”
What is that all about?
It is most typical to identify that “open door” as an opportunity for Gospel witness despite their straightened circumstances. And while that concept is certainly true, I’m not convinced by the context and the Old Testament allusion Jesus employs here that that is His main point. Rather, (and I will not exegete the passage here, you can hear the entire sermon at https://www.youtube.com/live/JqtaYBmlCm0?feature=shared) it appears the open door is more in reference to the saints unfettered access to the throne of God that Christ has opened for them, and for us, especially by the vehicle of – prayer.
What I wanted to press on my hearers was the wonder of this open door into the presence of God in prayer. And not pressing prayer in terms of set times and lengths – though that can be a useful tool, but more: A habitual frame of heart and mind which brings all things before the throne, informed by the Word and trusting His holiness, love and wisdom to answer as He deems best.
This requires no special words. No special posture. No special time of day or length. An air of the heart consistently turned to Him, believing He hears, knows, loves, sympathizes, and lovingly answers with infallible wisdom. In fact, it may not ever require words at all.
Let me explain.
Just before I preached the 1st sermon on this portion, I contracted a nasty cold. I struggled with congestion and a very sore throat the first week. In the meantime, the cold worsened and developed into a severe sinus infection with much pain and little ability to talk at all comfortably. The intervening week was miserable. Poor and very interrupted sleep. Difficulty breathing. Constant coughing. Not comfortable.
But it was during this time, waking up multiple times each night, that I experienced the joy and wonder of simply having my heart and mind turned toward the Lord, and opportunities to lift up the names and circumstances of any number of loved ones and situations before Him. Due this mostly being in the dead of night, and both with speech quite painful and considering my dear wife’s need for rest – these times of prayer were mostly silent. Like Hannah in1 Sam. 1, I was speaking in my heart, only my lips moved, but my voice was not heard. But my God did!
This! This was the reality and the joy of those physically distressing moments – that my God was attending, and His ear open to my silent but urgent pleas. At times, in exhaustion, even my lips failed to move. But every thought, ever care and concern that I inwardly brought before His throne, I know was heard. For you see in Christ, He has set before His saints, an open door which no one is able to shut. Which no circumstance is able to shut. A place of refuge which can be retreated to in the most straightened of times and places.
It was common to hear in my days growing up, that when schools stopped having public prayer – that prayer had been removed from the schools. Nonsense. There is no law, no circumstance, no prohibition by man, devil or demon which can shut the door to our Father’s throne. Jesus Himself has set it before us. O may we take continual advantage of it – knowing full well, that clothed in His righteousness and adopted into the Family, that we ever and always have access to our Father, God and Kind.
The phrase “The Great Exchange” is often attributed to Martin Luther. Whether or not the phrase originated with him, the concept is simply the Biblical teaching that salvation hinges upon the placing of our guilt for sin on Christ at the cross, and the imputation of His righteousness to Believers through faith. In R. C. Sproul’s “How Can I Be Right With God” he summarizes the Scripture teaching as: “We are blessed because our sin is not counted to us but imputed to Christ, and His righteousness is imputed to us by God’s forensic decree.” Sproul, R. C. 2017. How Can I Be Right with God?. First edition. Vol. 26. The Crucial Questions Series. Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust: A Division of Ligonier Ministries.
Now that has been the core of Biblical theology on the subject from the very beginning. Praise God for it!
But in our day, in 21st century America, the Great Exchange above has been supplanted by many for a different, and not-so-great-exchange. It is the exchange of lives consumed with spreading the Gospel of the saving grace of Jesus Christ and being transformed into His image by the power of the Spirit, to being consumed with preserving Western Culture and American Constitutionalism.
And it’s a raw deal.
The idea of praying “Your kingdom come” has been reshaped from seeking the fullness of Christ’s Kingship in our lives and His return to rule and reign on earth, to Christ helping us preserve the American way of life, and that, in material prosperity. We are no longer preoccupied with prosecuting the battle against the remnants of indwelling sin in ourselves and defending the faith once for all delivered to the saints, but battling the sin we perceive in others trying to encroach on an idealized and romantic notion of Americanism. It is Leave-it-to-Beaverism; as though the corruption of humankind hidden beneath the veneer of imagined external Pollyanna days was less deadly than the corruption we are increasingly seeing lived out in the culture. The dread disease was always there and just as fatal – it was just kept out of sight. Some.
When growing in Christ’s image no longer takes precedence, then other’s sins and other causes do.
The prayer closet has been exchanged for the voting booth.
Don’t get me wrong, Christians have civic responsibilities. We should carry them out as conscientiously as we can. But there is no policy, even legislated from the most godly body that can actually deal with sin, only certain of its manifestations. Is that good? Sure. But does it change anyone? Does it bring them into right standing with God? Does it produce actual righteousness? No. Only the Gospel can do that. It is not an ultimate answer. That doesn’t mean we ignore it, only that we do not see it as an end. We want to, we are commanded to – do good to our neighbors. But good that does not address the soul is only wallpapering a gaping hole in the wall.
Man’s problem is a sin problem, not a policy problem. Not a political system problem. Not a cultural problem. And we cannot win a spiritual war with earthly weapons or tactics “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:12) To which Paul by The Spirit adds His “therefore”. Therefore what? Sue? Vote? Become activists? Campaign? Hold rallies? Finance pacs? Decry conspiracies? March? No – take up the whole armor of God.
Now hear me – I’m not saying we can’t do all those other things. I’m not saying they are not useful to some degree. If my basement is flooding, I need to be about the business of bailing. Such bailing is needed to stave off further damage. But if I do not attack the broken pipe, if I do not stem the source of the flood – no matter how heroically I bail – in the end, the flood will overtake me and all will be lost. When Jesus was asleep in the boat in Mark 4, the Disciples tried to rouse Him to help. Help them what? Help manage the boat in the storm. And if that is what He did, how tragic the result would have been. They needed supernatural aid to their very real, existential peril. They needed Him to stand up and rebuke the wind and the waves, even though they weren’t aware He could even do that.
The Church, the nation, doesn’t need a revival of Americanism and/or patriotism, it needs a revival of souls through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Until the people of God are more interested in God’s plans and purposes than our own, for His cosmic and eternal causes and not for our temporary and temporal ones, we will be distracted by an exchange that damns men’s souls while attempting to recover human institutions.
ResponsiveReiding 