It Makes No Sense Whatsoever to Confess Sins

If the threat of punishment looms around every corner, ready to execute after every morally wrong move or motive, then it makes no sense whatsoever to confess sins. If eternal damnation lurks to condemn us perfectly for our culpable imperfections, then it makes all the sense in the world to hide, blame, and defend ourselves.

We should be tireless in our efforts to divert the critical eye away from our shortcomings, while drawing the celebratory attention of others toward our accomplishments. We should be openly critical of others, and overly zealous to proclaim our achievements to the world.

This is human survival.

Death that feels like emptiness, being rejected and unaccepted by other significant beings. Death that feels like hopelessness, having someone else in control of our destiny after we have squandered it away. And death that feels like darkness, having no good, comforting, or safe authority to speak over and direct us.

The threat of this death keeps us bound. The bible uses words like "dominion" and "slavery" to describe that which controls our lives. Diversion is our feeble attempt to delay the death we know we deserve. Because we know it is rightly approaching, anxiety and fear become close [unwanted] relatives.

If we are found guilty, then we are dead. And so we become enslaved to the sins stated above - lying, blame-shifting, and hiding.

But what if the looming condemnation were to be judicially lifted? What if the death deserved was rightly diverted? What if the cup of God's just wrath was poured out completely upon another, upon someone else? What if our death stung another? What if his life saved sinners like you and me?

Then it would make all the sense in the world to confess and not defend. It would make sense to live honestly without hiding. It would be reasonable to take the blame rather than cast it. It would be natural to draw attention to the strengths of others.

Imagine the marriages! Imagine the relational glory!

Suddenly, our old way of doing things becomes wholly unreasonable. If someone were to confront and expose our sins, we should no longer feel the need to defend and divert. The fear of death has been removed. Life has been promised to repentant sinners.

So we admit our guilt. We show our hand. We expose our faults (saving others the stressful trouble!). And we humbly proclaim that we are the freed men and women of Christ - our substitute. We trust him so much that we are fearless to open our lives up in vulnerability to others. We trust him enough to confess, repent, and believe. We love him enough to love others.

We cling to him so tightly that our confessional actions make no sense whatsoever to a watching world.

To Do Lists and Christ's Second Greatest Commandment

Contrary to popular opinion, the second greatest commandment is sufficient (in the context of the first greatest commandment) to guide us through the Christian life. Too often, its generality is mistaken for impracticality. We don't believe Christ to be precise enough.  He doesn't tell us where to go, who to approach, what to say or give to them, and so on. As a pastor, I get the plaguing question many times in a given month - "What am I supposed to do with my life?" When I answer, "Love your neighbor as yourself," I get odd looks. The answer just isn't precise or practical enough.

The second greatest commandment is not as precise as we would like for at least two (related) reasons.

First, the commandment keeps us from being lord of our own lives. It lovingly and authoritatively keeps us in our created position as servants of our King. The general commandment to love helps us to see that life is not about accomplishing tasks for the sake of accomplishing tasks. The purpose of any commandment is love, and love demands intimate and continual relationship with both our Lord and others. The generality of the commandment keeps us connected to Christ. It reminds us we need him every moment.

The Lord may certainly [particularly] call someone to, say, build their house in the hood; but this is only after that person has followed the commandment (by grace) to love his or her neighbor who lives in the hood. In order to love, he or she must live where the object(s) of that love live(s). The precise command to build serves only as a means to meet the greater command to love. And this must always be the case.

With that said, the other reason for the imprecise nature of the second commandment is that it establishes Christ as Lord. It dethrones other masters. If you think about it, other masters (including ourselves) are extremely precise in their commands. Those who are "mastered" by their to-do lists know this truth well. These masters fill our lives with so many tasks that we cannot possibly have time to love others. In some ways we like these masters more than the Lord. Their particular instructions are manageable and controllable. I can build a house. It is a concrete, doable command.

It's a whole lot more convenient than loving the Mexican immigrant I pass by as I walk into Lowe's to buy light fixtures. Buying the fixture for the house is controllable. But the immigrant may ask me for work, money, food, time or whatever. If I stop to "love" him, I must relinquish all control of my life. If I follow the command to love, I don't call the shots. Someone else, whom I cannot control, does.

But, if I stop to "love" him, I will soon hear the particular ways in which this person needs to be loved. Ironically, if I love him, my to-do list soon fills up.

The general command to love, if we trust our Lord in following it, soon fills our particular list. The best list is the one written by someone else's needs and desires. The best to-dos are those that ultimately end in loving others. The particular commands, however, that end in filling our own selfish desires, will keep us from Christ's greatest commandments. They will ultimately keep us from Christ himself.

Stop Beating Your Spouse Over the Head with the Bible

In the life of the church, the most common weapon people use to beat up their spouse is the Bible. The husband argues with his wife (either vocally or underneath his breath - doesn't matter really), "You should be submissive to me. The Bible says so!" And the wife, if she enters into the sinful discussion, says something to the effect of, "You should love me like Christ loves the church!"

These are true statements, and biblical ones at that. But there is one slight problem with the way these commandments are often used (the above being an example). It is a shame that we sometimes use the Bible in a very unbiblical way.

Paul the apostle instructs wives to "submit to your own husbands as to the Lord." He goes on to instruct husbands, "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church..." (Eph 5).

Notice, however, what he does not say. He does not say, "Wives, make sure your husbands are loving you as Christ loves the church." He does not say to the husbands, "Husbands, ensure that your wives are submitting to you as they do the Lord." This is a critical truth that makes the gospel and the Christian life distinct from all other worldviews.

In giving instruction to the wives and to the husbands themselves, the Lord is speaking to ransomed image bearers who are now free live under his rule. Christ does not give instructions to slave masters, but to redeemed sinners. And because of this, the slave is free to submit to his or her master (Col 3:22), the wife is free to submit to her husband, and the husband is free to love his wife in a Christ-like way.

This makes the home a refuge for gospel-centered freedom, instead of moralistic, religious slavery. Not only does he free us from the tyranny of others, but he also frees us from the stressful life of trying to govern others. As we obey his command to us, we trust that he will liberate the other to obey his command to them.

We've Got It All Backwards

The gospel is strange. It is not normal. The Word of God always begins with statements of truth (indicatives) before giving statements of command (imperatives). It tells us who we are and who Jesus is before it tells us how we ought to respond, or how we are to act.

This is completely contrary to how we are inclined to relate to others, especially when dealing with conflict. When people sin against us, our first instinct is to tell them how they should and should not act. We typically like changed behavior over changed hearts. It's seems easier that way. It gives us the results that most convenience us. And it gives those results a lot quicker.

They are results we can control and manipulate - for a time. And when we stop to consider that the person is just not changing, we feel utterly helpless. We see that we may be able to steer behavior, but we know for certain that we cannot steer the human heart. Simply put, understanding the reality of relationships, lets us know that we are not God.

By using imperatives only as our way of navigating and managing relationships, we have neglected and even distrusted the Truth. We just don't believe the truth can set people free. We don't believe it can bring change. Even more, we are not patient or sacrificial enough to stick around to find out.

But the Lord is patient - and kind.  He is wise and powerful. Jesus is the Truth and he is the one to sets us free. He does what the Law could never do. He approaches rebels in love - giving them the truth, and, once changed, he gives them his benevolent, authoritative commands. The people of Israel were delivered before they received the law. We are given the truth of who we re in Christ before we are ever commanded to work for him.

So as we navigate relationships - yes, sinful ones - we must always do so in a gospel-centered way. You cannot stop a person from sneezing, but you can give them something that will take away their flu. If you put your hand over their mouth, you don't accomplish anything but smothering them. We must preach the gospel in love. The command comes later. If your anything like me, this sounds almost impossible.

That's also the point of the gospel. It robs us of our own strength and supplies us with his.

The Glorious Law of Liberty In The Shadow of Dating

Freedom is what everyone desires.  But we must understand the term.  Freedom is not found in the ability to do whatever we want.  Rather, freedom is having the knowledge and ability to do what God wants.  The Law is glorious in that it tells us how to love and glorify Him.  He is clear about what He likes and dislikes.

In any earthly relationship we desire to have, we long to know and do what the other person desires.  Just think of the beginning of any earthly relationship.  Should I bring her flowers?  Would she mind me calling right now?  What should I wear?  I wonder what she likes and doesn't like...Man! If I get this wrong, she will certainly reject me.  But O Man! If I get it right, just imagine the joy!

Until we know what the other person desires, we freak out, scrambling and stressing whether or not they will accept or reject us.  But after they reveal their desires to us - what is acceptable and unacceptable in their eyes - we rejoice and quickly begin a life of obedience in accordance with that revelation.  We are careful not to stray.  And before any action, we meticulously reference "the letter" to make sure we understand the object of our affection correctly.

These dating relationships are simply shadows that point us to the substance of our relationship with our Lord.

Again, true freedom comes when we have the knowledge and ability to do what our Creator desires.  When we lack either one of these, life is simply miserable - it is slavery.  But in Christ Jesus, we receive the grace that makes us able (Ezek 36; Jn 6) and the truth that directs us in the way that we should go - this is the wonderful Law of Liberty (Js 1:25).  This only is a life of freedom.

We Shall Know the Truth

Jesus Christ is a man, a God-man.  He is personal (Jn 1:14).  He is God (Jn 1:1).  Even further, Christ Himself is the personal embodiment of truth - yes, Jesus is Truth (Jn 14:6).  While volumes could and have been written on these propositions,  the purpose of this post is quite narrow; not to write a volume, but an essay - less than 501 words.

Truth, the grand Reality, stands independently of its creation.  It is objective, which means it does not depend on another for its true meaning.  To be more personal, we proclaim that Jesus Christ stands independent of His creation.  He is objective, and does not depend on His creation for His true meaning.

Just because His creation does not determine His meaning, does not exclude His creation from responsibilities concerning Him.  Man was created in the image of God (Gen 1:27).  As such, man is God's representative on earth.  Because of his covenantal relationship to God, he is morally obligated to be God's faithful representative on earth (Exodus 20:16).

Simply put, God is Truth and it is man's obligation to faithfully represent Him.  Man must tell the truth.

While I can begin the above sentence with the word "simply," we all know it is not that simple.  Man fell from his "very good" estate (Gen 3).  And because of this tragic event, he is totally depraved, being unable to rightly fullfil his obligation to faithfully represent God.  This is death.  It is enslavement to misrepresenting the truth.

Perhaps one of the greatest depicted effects of the fall is found in John 18 when Pilate looks Truth in the face and asks, "What is Truth?"  Here we learn that truth exists even when people reject it.  We also learn that people turn and create all types of falsehoods and call them truth.  As McDurmon rightly says, "These activities represent fallen man's desperate attempts to impute his own truth instead of God's."

It is important to understand that after the fall Truth did not change.  God is immutable. The change happened in man and his ability to know and represent the Truth.  After the fall, man was bound to breaking, at least, the 9th commandment.

But God did not leave man in his misery.  The "Image of the invisible God" came to redeem fallen man.  In Christ, truth is revealed to us (Col 2).  Therefore, we can know the truth and be freed from our enslavement to lies (Jn 8:32).  Contrary to popular belief, a Christian can know the Truth; not because he/she has superior intellectual powers, but because God does.  As the Truth is written, "we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us" (2 Cor 4:7).

Doctrine is not a bad word when understood in this revelatory light.  A confession to know the truth must be accompanied with a confession that we are but jars of clay.

This is what Harris calls Humble Orthodoxy.

Don't Love Stuff

Some of my old seminary classmates posted this video on their Facebook page.  I watched, and I responded the same way they did...with conviction.

Dodge Ball only Leads to Death.

When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, they immediately responded in at least four notable ways.  First, they felt shame.  They “knew that they were naked” (Gen 3:7).  Second, in order to alleviate the shame, “they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths” (3:7).  In other words, in independence, they tried to fix what they had just broken.  Third, they hid from God (3:8).  And fourth, they blamed someone else for their actions (3:12-13).  Adam blamed Eve (and even God!).  Eve blamed the serpent.

Ever since the fall, humanity has been inclined to the same shame, independence, hiding and blame that our first parents practiced in the Garden. If we think about it, these four actions are not too far from our own everyday human experience.  And since we all do these things, it makes that human experience all the more difficult. 

Have you ever broken something valuable and instead of confessing, you tried to superglue it back together?  See the “try-to-fix-it-shame-game.”  Have you ever been wronged by someone only to have them never return your calls, or answer your texts?  See hiding game.  Can you remember a time when you were late to a meeting because you overslept only to tell your boss that “traffic was horrible” or “my wife didn’t leave me any gas in the car” or “when I stepped outside, I was met by a swarm of killer love-bugs, who then proceeded to torment me for the deaths of all of their distant cousins…and I couldn’t deny it…the evidence was on my windshield!” See the blame game.

These tendencies make relationships flat out hard.  How many times have arguments lingered for hours because one spouse (or both) blames his sin on the other spouse?  My counseling buddy in Jackson used to call this marital dodge-ball.  When one spouse points out sin in the other, the other then proceeds to point out the other’s sins. We dodge the real issue by trying to fix it ourselves.  We dodge confronting the issue by hiding and refusing to repent and confess our wrongs. We blame others for our trespasses and refuse to take ownership of what we have done. 

And on and on it goes, each person “dodging” the issue altogether.  Sin is never dealt with – it is never killed.  This is dangerous as all four of these are like fertilizer to sin.  Shame, independence, hiding and blame all make sin stronger, not weaker.  The longer it lingers, the more power it gains to destroy.

The only remedy is the gospel.  How so?  First, the gospel makes us unashamed.  Knowing that we are fully accepted before God, and that Christ has forgiven all of the trespasses that brought us shame, we can look our neighbor straight in the eye and say, “I am ashamed of my sins.  I tried for so long to fix them; but I couldn’t.  I’m sorry.  Christ, has taken my sins and has given me his righteousness.” 

Second, the gospel liberates us from trying to fix our problem with God – namely, our own sin.  Christ has taken our sin upon Himself.  God has punished that sin upon the Cross.  It is finished.  I cannot do more to remedy my situation than what Christ has already done.  This is Christian liberty.  This is grace.

Third, the gospel empowers us to walk in the light and not hide in the darkness.  Sin is best dealt with in the light.  We cannot remedy it ourselves (see above).  We need help.  We need a Savior.  So when a brother or sister in Christ confronts our sin, we confess it and get it all out on the table.  We then see what it looks like to have someone bear with us; to have someone forgive us; to have some one accept us, while we are yet sinners.  The gospel gives us courage to confess; for confessed sin give more occasion to grow closer than farther away from the Body of our Lord.

Last, the gospel puts an end to the blame game.  When we understand that sin is ours, then we can understand more fully that Christ died for US and for OUR sin.  When we blame, what we really say is that the other person needs a Savior, we don’t.  But when we take ownership of our sin, through repentance and faith, then we are owned by Christ.  

Freedom to Stay.

What is Christian freedom?  This is a question that has been on my mind for some time.  I even wrote my first exegesis paper on the topic from Galatians 5.  For me, the "problem of freedom" is not merely intellectual, but very much experiential.  I wrote the paper, but it never gripped my  heart.  I admit that I was and am very much on the struggling journey from my head to my heart.  I am on a mission to feel what I know.

Recently, however, I have seen a great light.  The light encourages me that seminary did not prove to be a cemetery for me.  The gospel, as presented through the book of Colossians, has opened the doors to some dark closets in my life.  I didn't even know they existed.  It's a bit scary to have the light of the gospel open the door to some of the darkest places in our lives.    It is comforting to know (and this is the nature of the gospel) that when Christ opens the doors, He does so with redemptive goals.  He comes to expose and dethrone the idols, and to rescue us.  He comes to bring freedom.  

I am free.  Words on this computer screen do no justice to the gratitude that is flowing now from my heart.  In the past freedom invaded my intellect.  Now it is invading my heart.  

I am writing with a motive.  I want to share this freedom with you.   

When we hear people say "freedom" in our day, it is important to understand that they are not usually talking about the freedom that Christ alone can give.  I believe they mean freedom or liberty to do what they want, when they want; without interruption or interference due to economic, societal, or relational conflict.  They proclaim that people should be free to desire and obtain what they want with no interference.  And when interference comes about, one is free to do with it what they will, as long as the end desired is achieved.  Bondage is defined in terms of the end.  Bondage is not being free to have what a person wants.

So the important question to us all is..."What do we want?"  If we have it, we are free (at least for a time, depending on what it is).  If we do not have it, we are not free.  I hope you see where I am going.

For so long I wanted other things.  I did not ultimately want Christ.  Christ did become convenient as a means to gain what I ultimately wanted.  What was that?  My own glory - I want(ed) my own way.  I wanted to be God.  I wanted to be right, accepted, and filled by people and things.  

I did not understand that the hole in my life that I was trying to fill could only be filled by Christ.  Therefore, I lived in a constant state of lack.  When I felt my depravity, I tried desperately to fill myself with any earthly thing I could find.  These are called idols.  They were things from which (or whom) I tried to derive my ultimate acceptance and satisfaction.

Sex was on the throne of my life for so long.  And when it didn't ultimately fill me, I resorted to distorting it through pornography and fornication.  Sure, marriage helped dethrone it for a time; but marriage is not Christ.  Marriage will not ultimately fill either.  Neither marriage or sex freed me from my depravity - from my bondage to emptiness.

This is why so many people don't stay in marriage or relationships.  The essential need in our life has everything to do with intimacy - with relationship.  But when we try to fill ourselves with earthly relationships (which are good, but not ultimate), we soon find that the craving still exists.  The tension still exists in the core of our being.  The hole of bondage is still there.

So what do we do?  We try and stretch the relationship to fill the hole.  This is called abuse - placing others under bondage to our desires.    And when that doesn't work (and it won't!), we leave.  We abandon the relationship in search for something that will finally and ultimately fill us.  This is called abandonment and neglect.  When earthly relationships become an impediment to obtaining what we really want - we simply get rid of them...all in the name of freedom.  We believe we are free to leave.

And this is where I found myself.  I have never wanted to leave my marriage; but I confess that I have distorted it and neglected it.  But God, in His rich mercy and grace, brought light (again) to my darkness. This is the grace of sanctification.  Understanding the gospel has brought such freedom to my life.  Knowing and understanding that I am both accepted (justified) and filled in Christ is the greatest news I have ever heard (this is Colossians 2:9-15).  In Christ, I am filled with every spiritual blessing (Eph 1).  No more lack.  No more fear of loosing my Ultimate, being safely hidden.  God is my Ultimate forever.  

My sins no longer keep me from Him (3:3).  My life is no longer characterized by lack - but fullness.  And when I crave physically, I understand that as an occasion to look heavenward, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God!  Physical things will not ultimately fill me.  My appetites for food, drink, sex, or whatever are a simple reminder that I am a spiritual being in an earthly wilderness.  Sure these things are good...and I praise God for them (James 1:17).  I love good food and I love my wife.  But they are not my Ultimate.

This is true freedom.  It is freedom to love my wife like Christ loves the Church.  It is freedom to love others in a selfless way.  Christ is the only Ultimate that commands my love for others.  And by His Spirit, He provides the ability to do just that.  I am free to loose my earthly life for the sake of Christ - for the sake of others.  This is the life of one who is finally filled.  When relationships get difficult, the gospel assures me that they will not interfere with my Treasure.  But when I bear with others, I find my Treasure (in heaven) increases!  I am free to stay - in marriage, in my job, in my role as father, son, brother, and friend.  All praise is due my Lord who has set me free.

True Freedom - Dave Matthews Almost Gets It.

Many of you know that I teach Spinning at a local gym. I love it. It is a time that I can fellowship with the crazy people (who are not paid to come to the class like I am) who wake up to sweat and exhaust themselves on a stationary bike; many of whom have been coming to my class for years. Did I also mention that I get paid to exercise (and a free membership)! Most who come to my class know that I also have a love for live Dave Matthews music. I play at least one of his songs in every class.

But there is one song, called Cornbread, where he begins by saying, "Sometimes I do what I got to do. Sometimes I do what I want to...and, Sometimes...what I got to do and what I want to do, is the same thing!" Wow. I was thinking about that the other day during the class; and I said to myself, "He almost has it! He almost understands true Freedom!"

As humans we want what we want and when we want it. If anything comes in between us and what we want, we don't like it. This gives us a clue as to what bondage really is - wanting something and not being able to attain it. Before someone is born again, he/she wants everything but God; but God will have none of that. What one HAS to do, then, is not necessarily what they WANT to do. There are usually two ways that people proceed.

First, they shell of God altogether saying, "God! How dare you not give me what I WANT. I don't care what you WANT me to do. I am going my own way - I am going for what I WANT. This is called anti-nomianism (or, against (anti) law (nomian)). Its is a fantasy really. No one can run from God. He is everywhere. And His obligations are binding on every one of His creatures. It is the very nature of humanness to be dissatisfied until satisfaction is found in God. This is doing (as Matthews says) "What I want to do, and not what I have to do." This is bondage.

Second, the person can do what they HAVE to do, albeit, begrudgingly. This is legalism at its best. They say, "Okay God. I'll follow your rules. But that's not what I really WANT to do." This is doing "what I have to do, and not what I want to do." This, too, is bondage.

But, what about the believer? The believer experiences true freedom, through repentance and faith in Christ. They have been given a new heart and can now, by nature, do what they want AND what they have to do! They have to love God. That's GREAT! That's also what they want to do! Its like being married. In marriage we are commanded to love our spouse - its what we HAVE to do. But there's more! It's also what we WANT to do! In this life however, the "lusts of the flesh" still linger within us. Those "lusts" cause us sometimes to WANT what we cannot HAVE. This is freedom, but not total freedom.

There will be a day though, in glory, when we will be perfected in holiness. We will be glorified. On that day, and from that DAY on (for eternity), we will finally be free (Rom 7). We will be able to change Dave Matthews' lyrics into, "ALL the time, what I want to do and what I got to do is the same thing!" Can you imagine? In glory, we will never be inconvenienced again! We will never say, "Do I really have to?" We will never try to get out of something. We will never have to fight fatigue, laziness, procrastination, and sin. We will always do what we want to do - and that, by the amazing grace of God, will be exactly what we have to do.

That, my friends, is something to look forward to. That is true freedom. Loving God and loving others forever, and loving every single minute of it!