When I was growing-up we were taught honesty is the best policy. My father is a man of integrity and he would be honest with a person regardless of the consequences. This is the model that I have tried to follow but it doesn't always work out so great, especially in church. When I was in the corporate setting I would say or ask what everyone else was thinking but wouldn't. I got in trouble then and I still get in trouble now. Once a friend told me I would have a hard time being a pastor because I walked in the office of the prophet, I just told it the way it is. He was right, except I love people and love shares the truth in love and grace because truth sets you free. This same truth telling will get you awkward looks and even some criticism.
Once when preaching I talked about being a sinner saved by grace but continuing to struggle with sin because deep down in my carnal nature, I am a sinner. Some of the seasoned saints rebuked me because followers of Jesus are not sinners. My personal view is that sanctification is a process and I am a work in progress that still messes up. This is an honest statement. I have heard people say that they are saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Spirit and have not sinned since that wonderful day. I also am saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Spirit but I continue to struggle with sin. Sometimes I win the battle sometimes I lose. I can relate to Paul in Romans 7 about his own struggle with the sinful nature. The wonderful thing is that my battle with sin is not what it used to be. Today, the battle is more over the matters of the heart that are hidden to men but open to the eyes of God instead of the more obvious short comings that others can see or hear. The bad news is that matters of the heart are still sin before God. It seems that I have come to the place in my own life where I am grasping just how dark my heart can be at times. I am not proud of this revelation but darkness is only revealed as the Holy Spirit is working within the heart. It is understandable to me that Paul can write that he is the chief of all sinners. It was not a past tense word but present tense. Even the great Paul struggled even though he was a man of faith, insight, obedience, and contentment. What makes me think that I am even less of a sinner than Paul? The best news of all though, is that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. In other words, we are not condemned because Jesus understands the struggles of the flesh. He knows our hearts are for Him and we are doing our best to follow Him but sometimes that sinful nature pokes through. My body might be dead to sin but my spirit is alive because of His righteousness. This is not permission to live sinfully because there should be an earnest desire to live free from sin through the Holy Spirit.
Now for one moment imagine what would happen to the church if we would admit that we struggle with a sinful nature. People could actually relate to us. We would no longer be viewed as saved, sanctified, and petrified. Possibly we could be seen by others as followers that have struggles in life who sometimes we miss the mark, that we are actually human. Those watching a life lived honestly will see the times that Jesus picks us up and helps us along the road of life. A policy of honesty will also enable us to help those who have sinned and to love on them because we will see them as we are seen by Jesus. Love covers over a multitude of sins (1Peter 4:8). Let us begin first by loving the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then loving ourselves and our neighbors. This love would begin a reformation in the church that would turn the world upside down one more time.
When I was younger I thought you had to be perfect, sin free, to serve God. No, you just have to know Jesus! Until we are honest we will be viewed by the world as the frozen chosen and few want to be with us because of our lack of humanity.
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