The Grace of Discipline

My church just finished studying Galatians, which is one of my favorite books, It makes it clear that salvation is through grace and found only in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross. It also tells us that anything we add to the gospel nullifies God's grace. Paul wrote this epistle to a church dealing with people who were adding things of the Jewish law to the gospel. They had trusted Christ to be their Savior when Paul was there, but when he left, they slid back into thinking they had to do something to keep God's love and merit HIs continued grace. They didn't grasp the truth that grace earned isn't grace at all.

Maybe the Galatians distorted the gospel so living out their faith would feel more familiar. The rules and rituals that had previously guided them when they sinned or when they wanted to be blessed by God were more comfortable than sitting in His grace experiencing conviction and sorrow caused by sin. They no longer had a way to numb this discomfort when they didn't work for mercy or ease their guilt through legalistic actions. Somehow they had not grasped that their Salvation had resulted in a relationship with God and the way of restoration for current sin was now a relational matter that was repaired through confession.

When I volunteered as a youth worker, I went on short-term mission trips with students. While on these trips the level of commitment and understanding of grace was thrilling to see. However, as students returned home, some returned to their old ways of life because they didn't know how to navigate relationships in light of the grace they had experienced, the new or renewed relationship they had with God, or the stickiness of the new moral compass God brought into their lives, but not their friends. Others seemed to grasp the grace of God on trips only to fall right back into legalistic, judgmental ways that stripped them of the joy they had experienced. Still others became so legalistic with themselves they were drowning in shame over sin committed after trips. Those had a hard time believing God could forgive them again and again and again. As some grew more legalistic, others left wounded by the legalism. I think these experiences were similar to what the Galatians were experiencing.

Sometimes in our zeal to mature believers, we become like the Galatians and we add regulations to the gospel so people in our church look like saved people should look. When they don't, we judge them as "probably not saved" while claiming we believe salvation is only though through Jesus. The problem is that different people and different churches have differing views on what "saved" looks like. A change in church can result in needless questioning of one's salvation. The problem is that any effort we put on people to look and act a certain way nullifies God's grace and fosters pride instead of growth. This judgment can discourage those who are struggling because they came to the Lord more wounded and broken than you or I. Who are we to decide what saved looks like in a given moment?

Sometimes we present grace as a doctrine that allows us to overlook sin and its consequences. Many are living in broken relationships because instead of dealing with the sin, we tell people to forgive and forget, forcing them to reconcile with those who aren't repentant. There are some who in the name of grace even redefine sin so it doesn't have to be dealt with. For example, when a wife reveals her spouse is in bondage to porn and is told to give him more sex so he doesn't need to fill his "need" with porn we have redefined his sin as a need. This "grace" is toxic and leaves people who aren't repentant demanding grace. And grace demanded is nothing more than an invitation to enter a sick system that is in denial of sin.

The Bible tells us local churches have goats mixed with their sheep, tares mixed with their wheat, white washed "tombs" that look clean and bright, and wolves wearing sheep clothing. We may or may not be able to discern which is which and in our effort to make sure we all look good we preach grace while making snap judgements that classify people into "true believer groups" and "those who probably aren't really saved groups." The problem with this is that how we look on the outside is often influenced by how we were raised. A moral person may look saved, but never have face the sin in his life or the fact that he needs a Savior. When one has grown up in the church, he may have the church lingo down and never reflect personally on what he believes about sin,  Jesus, His death, and His resurrection. When we get to heaven, there will be some we thought were saved, but weren't because they were self-righteousness people who never tasted God's grace.  Then there will be others whose lives were messy and who struggled daily with sin who are dancing in glory because they placed their faith fully in Jesus and His complete work on the cross.

I think when we err on either side--the legalism mixed with grace side or the "feel-good grace of denial" side, we do great damage to people, to the church, and to our relationship with God. When we err it could be that we have forgotten God believes in discipline. He wants us to discipline ourselves--that discipline meaning training. When the flesh wants to sin, He wants us to discipline ourselves so we can resist sin. A disciplined life is a proactive life. It is proactively spending time with God in His word and praying over it. It is proactively fellowshipping with others so we have a natural iron sharpening iron process in place that is mixed with encouragement. It is proactively sitting through the angst of temptation, choosing to delay fleshly gratification, keeping our eyes on Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith.

The Bible also makes it clear that God, Himself, is a disciplinarian who disciplines those He loves and calls His own. We don't always understand and embrace this concept, but can gain insight by looking at our own parenting. First, we instruct our children. God does this through his Word. It tells us how to live and that we have the Spirit who will help us to remember what we learn and will empower us in our weakness to live lives worthy of His calling. We must be humble and acknowledge our weaknesses and our dependence on God to experience His strength.

Second, as parents we know our children don't like the pain of broken fellowship with us. They feel convicted and either run away from us or run toward us, desperately wanting to experience our love in the distress of their guilt. The same is true for us as we read His Word and gain knowledge. With that knowledge comes feelings of conviction and grief and the discomfort of these feelings is God's discipline as that discomfort motivates us to change when we don't deaden the discomfort through denial or legalism.

Third, good parents safely allow their children to bear the consequences for their actions so that they learn their choices either bring good or bad into their lives. Likewise, God disciplines us by allowing us to bear consequences for our sin. A man may want to blame God when he loses his job, but the truth is God graciously lets him face the consequences for bad behavior or unacceptable work ethic so he will grow and change. A young lady might blame God for her out of wedlock pregnancy when God allows her to face the consequences for choosing to have sex outside of marriage. God doesn't desert people in these kinds of situations, He graciously walks them through them just like we do our children.

Fourth, there are times when parent's have to take desperate measures to get between their child and the destructive path they are on. God does this through church discipline that He lays out in His Word. When we see each another person we care about practicing sin, we are to confront them in a loving way. If that doesn't draw them back to the light, we are to  confront them again with a witness. If that fails, we are to engage the church leadership and the body, the goal never being to shame but to invite one back to the light. This kind of discipline is hard to do right, because it requires we be involved in a church and choose to do life together. It also requires honesty, humility, and a vulnerability that very few are comfortable with. I think sometimes we could head off huge moral failures had we confronted early on. One pastor shared in a sermon that he was having lunch with a believing friend and noticed him ogling every woman that walked past him. He asked about his walk with the Lord and his relationship with his wife and the guy claimed both were stellar. So, he gently pointed out what he had observed. His early invention saved the man from big sin that would have devastated his wife, kids and church.

God's discipline can be very uncomfortable, but it is never a punishment for sin. It's purpose is for our good so we might share in His holiness. That is grace! God wants us to be not only free from the penalty of sin, but from the power of it as well. It shows He values our relationship with Him and does what ever He needs to do to protect it. Oh, that we would not only fully trust in the finished work of Jesus, but embrace all aspects of His grace, including the grace of discipline.

Struggling Against Sin

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, 
let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, 
and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, 
who for the joy set before him, endured the cross, scorning its shame, 
and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 
 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, 
so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, 
you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood."

Hebrews 12:1-4

When I reflect on my life, I often feel frustrated that I haven't grown as much as I hoped I would. I tend to do this at the beginning of the year, on my birthday, and other times that mark the beginning or ending of a season of life. I always hope I will be more mature than I am or further along in dealing with the issues in my life. With self-reflection it is easy to grow weary and lose heart, especially when one is a perfectionist like me. There are several principles in Hebrews 12 that enable me to "run the race" successfully and with joy. 

First, I am to get rid of everything that hinders my ability to live the Christian life. That could include people, things, and negative thoughts. It is good for me to stop and think about whether there are people in my life that steer me away from the life I desire to truly live. It is good for me to consider whether there are people I allow to influence me to not love people I know God has called me to love. It is good for me to honestly consider whether movies or TV shows I watch influence my view of holiness. Good to examine my thoughts to see if there are negative thoughts that plague my ability to see myself as Christ does. It is wise to look at my thinking to see if there are doubts creeping into my life that keep me from using the spiritual gifts that God has given me? Am I seeking after things of the world or the things of God? 

Secondly, I am to get rid of the sin that so easily besets me. Some commentators interpret that to mean personal weaknesses. Others interpret the "sin that so easily entangles us" as the sin of unbelief. I am thinking that they may be one in the same. At the root of besetting sin is the fact that I often have a need that I don’t believe God will meet. For example, when I am struggling with some behaviors it is because I am plagued with insecurities because I don't believe in my heart of hearts that I am radically and unconditionally loved by God. This can influence us in many ways. Women often struggle with gossip because we don't understand and full trust our acceptance in Christ, so we deal with our fear of rejection by damaging others reputations to insure our place among our friends.  

Next, He reminds me that I haven't resisted sin to the point I have shed blood. I believe this is a reference to Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. He wrestled with the desire to do His own will and to do His Father's will so hard that capillaries burst and blood tinged his sweat. When was the last time I wrestled so much with the desire to honor God in the midst of a temptation that I sweat drops of blood? I wish I could remember even one time I resisted to that point, but to be honest I can’t. To live a life that honors God, I must be willing to resist strong temptation that comes my way. I must accept that the Christian life may not feel easier as I grow in my desire to be like my Heavenly Father.  

          Finally, I'm commanded to keep my focus on Jesus. He is the one who is able to mature my faith. I can’t increase my faith apart from Him. I can only choose to trust God and His word in each circumstance I face. If I keep my eyes on Jesus, what do I see? I see His love-scarred hands that are open wide to me. I see the scars on His brow, reminding me He bore the curse for me. I see the stripes on His back, reminding me He came so that I could be healed. I see His love filled eyes that are full of acceptance rather than the condemnation I expected to see?

I am afraid I forget my name is on His lips, inviting me to spend time with Him. I forget that in His presence my fears and concerns melt into adoration and praise. I forget when I pour out my heart to Him, My bitterness is turned into perfect peace. I forget that I see in Him a power strong enough to overcome death. When I look at Christ and His glory, I want the path He laid before us. When I look at Christ, I can't be satisfied with any love, except His pure and holy love. When I think of His holiness I want to rid myself of anything hindering my relationship with Him. When I am focused on Christ, I desire to get to the place that I resist temptation to the point I sweat blood as Christ did in the Garden. 
Where is the focus of your eyes? Is it on the world, yourself, or Christ?  What entangling sin do you need to cast off? How deep is the root of unbelief behind that sin? The God who died for you designed the race you are to run – have you entered the race?  

Prayer:  Lord, You are holy good and You gave so much to reconcile us to Yourself.  Please help us to see all that hinders our relationship with You and give us the courage to get rid of it. Please help us see even the roots of the sins that entangle us and help us to resist the temptation in order to see Your strength manifested in us. Please help us to keep our eyes focused on You and to allow your perfecting work in us. Amen.

Purposing In Our Hearts

"But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself 

with the portion of the king's food, nor with the wine which he drank; 

therefore, he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself."
Daniel 1:8

Have you ever purposed in your heart to do or not to do something? In this story, Daniel and his three friends were living as captives in Babylon. They desired to eat the Jewish diet that found in the Old Testament Law as a way of honoring the Lord. However, they were being offered the rich foods of the Babylonian king. Daniel very diplomatically expressed his desire to eat according to God’s laws to the Babylonian leader that was over him. He did not berate the king's diet or the man with whom he was speaking. He simply stated his case and suggested a trial period at the end of which it was shown they were healthier eating God's diet. Now, what does that have to do with us?

We are often guilty of reading the Bible, hearing a sermon, or feeling conviction to work on our weaknesses and then don't follow through. Sometimes, we give into our weaknesses, knowing that it is sin, thinking tomorrow will be a new day or God will forgive us. When my daughter was in high school she told me that she was struggling with cussing. I prayed daily she would win the battle she was fighting as that was her heart’s desire. Shortly after she talked to me, we had to go to her school for something. As we stood in line, the language all around us was laced with strong curse words. I asked her if it was like that all the time and she said yes. Later that night I told her I understood why she was having a difficult struggle with language and that her desire to overcome it was proof God was working in her heart. Because she was constantly around foul language, she would have to purpose in her heart not talk like other kids and she would have to focus on loving God, by the words she used. Just as Daniel had to smell and look at the the rich food every day, she would hear the wrong language all day every day. Just as Daniel had to say no daily, she would have to choose not to cuss daily, maybe even hourly. It’s important to realize Daniel's daily decisions to obey God began with a purposing in his heart, but it had to be lived out on a meal-by-meal basis. As he smelled the rich food he may have had to remind himself of what his decision meant.

Another beautiful illustration of someone “purposing in his heart” is that of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. He asked His heavenly Father to take the cross from Him, not just once, but several times. He also submitted His will to His Father’s when he said, "Not my will, but yours be done." Hebrews says that Christ endured the cross for the joy that was set before him. Often when we are at a place of struggle it feels so uncomfortable we give in to some kind of sin to ease the anxious feelings. We must remember in the painful places that when we choose obedience there will be joy on the other side of the decision. Hebrews 12:1-2 says, "Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." If we want to live an exciting life we must purpose to trust and obey God like the people in Hebrews Chapter 11 did! By keeping their eyes fixed on Christ, their faith was perfected. Was it easy? No! Even Jesus struggled so hard He broke capillaries in his face resulting in sweat tinged with blood. I hope I get to the point that obedience is so important to me that I will be willing to wrestle long and hard enough when my flesh is clashing with my spirit, that I am forever changed and resolve to handle it God's way. 

Have you purposed in your heart to love God through obedience? Have you asked Him to reveal the "weights" that keep you from fully running the race for Christ? What are the things that you deal with every day? Is the language you hear permeating your speech? Are the world’s moral standards becoming your standards? Is the world's immodest dress code becoming your style? Are you allowing the anger of our culture to permeate your speech and your posts on social media? No matter what your struggle is, it comes back to the same thing – will you purpose in your heart to love God through obedience? Will you purpose in your heart to trust the Lord and His word. Will you persevere for the joy of having Christ say, "Well done, good and faithful servant?" At the times it is hard to obey, remember the garden--Christ wrestled long and hard and repeatedly committed Himself to His Father’s will resulting in our redemption. When we trust God and obey Him, it will have an eternal impact. Our words will be a source of blessing and light. Our actions will be loving and kind. Our attitudes will reflect the Savior who saved.

Prayer: Lord, as we look at a person like Daniel who purposed in his heart to obey You regardless of the consequences and we are faced with how wishy-washy our own hearts tend to be. Please help each of us to respond to your call to love You with all that we are and to love others as Christ has loved us. Out of that love, help us to purpose in our own hearts to obey You in the same way that Daniel and Christ did. Allow us to be bright lights in this dark world, ever humbled by Christ’s decision to obey resulting in His death on the cross as our sin was laid upon Him. Help us to remember that our obedience has eternal value and is the source of our joy. AMEN.