H1N1 and Sin

Things get dirty. You leave the house for any amount of time and once clean shoes become coated in filth; clothes become contaminated with grit, grease, and grime. Even in our homes, dirt is everywhere. Don't believe me? Move a lamp that has set on a table a day or two without being dusted or run your finger across the top of a door facing. Our world is filled with dirt that requires that we clean constantly. I know that this is not news to anyone; it is the world in which we live. This dirt is not just a cosmetic issue either it is a health issue. Bacteria and viruses lurk everywhere threatening to make us sick. We have been reminded of this fact over the past several months with all the news of the H1N1 virus. So we wash, we clean, we use hand sanitizer, we do whatever is necessary to stay clean and healthy.

The same can be said about our spiritual life. We get dirty. We live in a world contaminated with sin and this sin is even in our homes. Don't believe me? Turn your television on, listen to the songs on your radio, surf the internet, sin is everywhere. No matter how hard we try to stay clean, inevitably something sticks. Fortunately, God has provided us something much better than soap and water, something far more effective than hand sanitizer to clean off the sin that contaminates our lives.

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:7-9

Let's all be as diligent washing our souls as we are at washing our hands.

Mitchell

Thankful for Temptation

As Christians, we realize that temptation is an inevitable occurrence. Satan is always lurking, always planning, and always scheming. I think most of us look at temptation as a hindrance. Temptation is something we must endure and certainly, we pray for God's aid in overcoming temptation but how many of us ever thank God for allowing temptation in our lives?
In the gospel accounts of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness, we get a glimpse into how God uses the trials of Satan to benefit the believer. In Mark's gospel, the temptation of Jesus is played out in just two verses, yet they tell us so much. "At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him." (Mark 1:12-13) Did you notice that? Mark says that the Spirit "sent" Jesus out to be tempted. One thing we can learn from this is that if Jesus could not escape temptation then certainly it is impossible for us to escape being tempted. More than that, we learn that it is part of God's plan to use temptation to better the lives of those he loves.
God allows temptation as part of his plan for our lives. He doesn't allow temptation to come upon us so we will fail, quite to the contrary, he promises that we will not be tempted beyond what we can stand. Temptation is allowed in our lives to make us stronger. It is part of the transformation of becoming Christ-like. When Jesus faced Satan in the desert his temptations were real, the things Satan was offering were appealing to him. After fasting for forty days, Jesus was famished so the devil enticed him to turn rocks into bread. "Come on Jesus, you created those rocks! Use your power to stop the hunger." After a long month of solitude, no doubt Jesus was feeling an urgent desire to begin his ministry so the devil offers up a "solution" to jump-start the process. "Throw yourself from the top of the temple, God won't let you get hurt, and people will be amazed!" With Jesus' desire for everyone to believe in him in overdrive, Satan throws down the gauntlet. "You want them, you got them. Just bow down and worship me." Jesus was tempted body, soul, and spirit yet emerged unscathed because of his use of three powerful words, "It is written. . ."
When we face temptation, we can learn from Christ and emerge victorious by relying on the word of God to help us navigate Satan's snares. God allows temptation in our lives as a testing/refining process. Temptation, and how we deal with it, is meant to make us stronger. Even when we make a mistake and succumb to temptation, we can still rise from the ash heap with the power of God's grace. This is why Paul writes in Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. . ." By allowing temptation in our lives, God is strengthening us for the journey. I think we should thank God that he loves us enough to desire that we have a stronger, deeper faith.

Ruminations on Grace

I think most Christians, if asked, would say that they are sure of their standing with God. All one needs to do is read 1 John to hear his constant confident reiterations of assurance concerning our eternal destiny. We can know without doubt that we have eternal life! However, the devil has done a number on us and we doubt. We question ourselves. We know what the bible says, we know we've been forgiven, but we also know all we've done and our deepest, innermost thoughts.

It's tough to reconcile God's forgiveness with the reality of our sinfulness. Even after we experience that initial forgiveness when we first give our lives to Christ, we soon realize that sin remains part of our life. We think, "How can I be heaven bound and do such things, think such thoughts?" God never intended for his children to think this way.

This is why it is so important to understand grace. Grace sets the record straight. Grace balances the scales. Grace clears the muddy water. Grace is God saying, "I know you aren't worthy, but my Son is." No matter how righteous we live, no matter how many things we do in the name of Jesus, no matter how many people we lead to Christ we don't deserve salvation. We will never be able to examine our lives and feel "worthy" because of things we have done yet, grace says that we need not feel "unworthy" because of things we have done.

The next time you or one of your Christian friends question your standing with God, remember the words of Paul. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9