Today’s reading is Mark 1:1-2:28.

I was struck pretty early in today’s reading. When the Jews were going out to see John the Baptist, they were being baptized and confessing their sins.

I recognize, of course, that the confession that is part of becoming God’s child is not the confession of sin, but the confession of faith in Christ (Romans 10:9-10). However, this confession caught my attention. Perhaps it caught my attention because of something a friend said to me recently.

“I didn’t really grasp God’s grace, until I actually started confessing my sins.” It was when he began to list out what he was forgiven for that he began to realize exactly how much God had done for him and exactly how much God must love him.

By the way, notice they did more than simply confess that they were sinners. They confessed their sins. Let’s not argue about how necessary this is in order to be saved. Instead, let’s simply recognize how beneficial it is to see God’s love and forgiveness. I’m going to spend some time today considering what God has done for me, what God has forgiven me and be reminded of how much He loves me.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Romans 5:1-6:23.

What a great reminder I received today:

“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:12-14). 

Paul goes on to ask if we should sin because we are under grace and the answer is “By no means.” 

Paul gives a great reminder. I’m under grace now, but that doesn’t mean I can keep submitting myself to sin. Sadly, some become Christians and act as if that means any sins we commit are just wiped clean. They forget the power of sin. Sin destroys and dominates. If we have been set free from sin by Jesus Christ, let us not willingly surrender ourselves to sin again. If we think we can control and enjoy sin now that we are Christians, we are very much mistaken.

Today, instead of presenting my members to sin to obey its lead, I must submit myself to righteousness to obey its command. Since I am under God’s grace, I can actually accomplish this. Apparently, if I’m just under law, presenting myself to righteousness doesn’t work quite as well. However, since I am under grace I can live in such a way that sin won’t have dominion over me. Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ who delivers me from the enslavement to sin that I so willingly walked into throughout my life.

But again, that freedom doesn’t mean sitting on my thumbs and just waiting for God to take my sins away. It means surrendering to His righteousness (that comes by faith in Jesus Christ). That’s what I’ll be working on today–surrendering to Jesus’ righteousness.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get from today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Romans 5:1-6:23.

Romans 6:17-19 says, “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.”Romans 6:22 says, “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.”

Freedom and slavery. We have both one way or another. If we submit ourselves to sin, we are free from God, His law, and His righteousness. However, we are slaves to sin. We may think we will only go so far, but it won’t happen that way. Sin will take over. It will take control. We cannot control sin. It will control us. However, if we would through Jesus Christ be free from sin’s control, we must submit ourselves as slaves to obey God’s righteousness.

Sadly, it seems that some folks today have the idea that being free in Christ means being free to do what we want. Not so. Being free in Christ means being set free from the power of sin, but we can only be set free from the power of sin when we are willing to completely surrender our lives to God. He gets to call the shots. We do not. Here is the great benefit. Just as committing sin leads to more sin, obeying God from the heart will lead to more obedience and through that to sanctification.

Please, do not miss the subtle paradigm shift we need to have here. For most of my life, I’ve had the idea that I needed to get my life under control. That is not what Paul says. Paul says I need to quit trying to control my life and instead hand the control over to God. What that means to me is instead of me trying to have all the strength to do what I think is right. I need to just do what God says. When I submit to God, He will fill me with strength to grow even more in what He says. “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” 

Many of us want complete freedom. Paul points out that it just doesn’t exist. We will be enslaved to something. The question is will we be enslaved to sin? Or will we be enslaved to God? The former may seem like a greater freedom because I seem to get to do whatever I want. But it leads to death. In time you will recognize that you have actually lost control and sin is taking you where you didn’t want to go. The latter may seem like real slavery because someone else is clearly calling the shots and even reining us in from where we initially wanted to do. However, in the long run, this path leads to life and takes us where we all ultimately want to go.

***Question: Why do you want to choose slavery to God over freedom to sin?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

Today’s reading is Acts 5:1-6:15.

To me, Acts 5 contains one of the most shocking stories of the entire New Testament. Ananias and Sapphira lied about the price of their property when they laid the money at the apostles’ feet. With very little time to repent, God took extreme measures and killed the couple. Admittedly, that seems a little harsh to us. Death for lying? When some read this today, they believe God is immoral, hateful, cruel. That is sad, because they are missing the point.

The story is not to teach us that our God is an immoral killer. The story is to teach us exactly how bad sin is. Ezekiel 18:20 had said, “The soul who sins shall die.” Romans 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is death.” 

Here, at the beginning of the new covenant, God gave a great demonstration. Our sins are not light matters. Our sins make us worthy of death. God, as judge of the universe, has every right to meet out that judgment immediately. The fact is with every lie we’ve told, we deserved death from God for sinning against Him. When we think that is harsh, that doesn’t mean we are more enlightened than God; it means we lack the understanding of how tragic every sin really is. Have you ever lied? Then you need a Savior.

What is truly amazing is not that God struck down Ananias and Sapphira immediately. Rather, it is amazing that the pages of Scripture are not covered with the blood of sinners. It is amazing that you and I are still standing, having been given time to repent and receive the free gift of God which is eternal life (Romans 6:23). The pages of the New Testament are not covered with the blood of sinners because they are covered with the blood of Jesus who died so we don’t have to. Praise God!

***Question: What are some other shocking things you find in Scripture and what do you learn from them?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

Today’s reading is Revelation 17:1-18:24.

Babylon, the great, the city which was the center of attack against Christianity is fallen. Among those who realize this book is about the persecution those early saints were facing, some suggest this city is Jerusalem and others Rome. Sadly, some today are trying to figure out which city of our future this will be. That is a mistake. But no time to discuss that now.

What I couldn’t help noticing was why so many were enamored with the city. I couldn’t help noticing why so many chose this prostitute over the holy mother of Revelation 12. 

Revelation 17:11-17 shows the merchants mourning because there was no more cargo. The delicacies and pleasure were gone. We are often enamored with the harlotry of sin because of the momentary pleasures. Let’s face it. Sin is fun. It’s exciting. It offers a lot in the moment. We may even hang out there a while enjoying the spoils and pleasures of our immorality. But its end is death and judgment. Don’t be fooled.

Revelation 17:17-20 shows the shipmasters mourning because they could no longer get rich off the cities harlotry. We are often enamored with the harlotry of sin because it can grease our pockets with material goods. I can’t help but think of the e-mail I received this morning about Apple accepting pornographic apps for the iPhone now. Very sad. Folks don’t traffic in this harlotry because it is healthy, they do so because it can make them wealthy and they know it.

The key, however, is that all those who are enamored with this harlotry will be judged in one hour. One hour they will be living the high life (maybe) and the next, they will be judged.

Of course, there is an interesting verse in Revelation 17:16. “And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire…” That is interesting because these are the ten kings are integrally connected with the prostitute. They hate her but they will mourn for her in Revelation 18:9. How does this make sense? I see it as the trap of sin. It promises so much and so we are enamored with it, but it delivers so little. Therefore we hate it. But we keep thinking the next trick will provide the satisfaction. It’s a trap. We hate it and love it all at the same time. When we are trapped in the harlotry of sin, we see the damage it causes and want to stop. But we are enthralled with its promises and so we push farther in it, constantly disappointed. 

So, those enamored with Babylon the Great, may not be living such a high life. They may be caught in the ever spinning ratwheel of sin trying to catch the carrot of sinful satisfaction but only getting exhausted and falling into despair. Yet, they just won’t get off the wheel. Then judgment will come and they’ll mourn.

Remember, sin promises much. It provides little. And if you continue to be enamored with it, you will eventually mourn its destruction and your judgment.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?

Today’s reading is John 21:1-25; I John 1:1-10.

I John 1:6, 8 provides an interesting balance. It’s a balance we Christians today need to remember. In my experience it’s very easy for us to fall off one side or the other of this middle path.

In I John 1:6, John says, “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” Then I John 1:8 says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

On the one side of this middle path is the danger of acting like we are so righteous and sinless. With the exception of one nutball I talked to on a radio program I used to do, I don’t think I’ve ever met or talked to anyone who would consciously claim they didn’t sin. However, I’ve seen us Christians subconsciously act that way. I’ve seen Christians talk down their noses about someone who has sinned, perhaps someone mentioned on the news, perhaps someone at work, perhaps someone in their family, or perhaps some struggling brother or sister in the church. Often these Christians will offer a throwaway statement that says, “Oh, I know I’m not perfect,” but all the while their conversation says, “But at least I’m not like them.” John wants us to remember that we are all sinners. We have no right to look down on anyone no matter how great we think their sins are. If we act like we are above them, we are liars and the truth is not in us. By the way, while I have no doubt John is saying “the truth” in reference to the information that is true, I can’t help but recognize up in I John 1:2, his reference to Jesus was “the life.” Jesus said He is “the way, the truth, and the life.” If the truth is not in us, we are not just saying true information is not in us, we are saying Jesus is not in us.

On the other side of this middle path is acting like since everyone sins, walking in sin is no big deal. We can’t claim to have fellowship with Jesus while simply continuing in our sins. I don’t believe John is talking about the struggle with sin that we have while we grow in Christ adding virtue and self-control and growing within them (II Peter 1:5-8). In my mind, the concept of walking in sin is that continual devotion to sin. Once again, I doubt many of us would admit to being continually devoted to sin. Yet, I’ve seen Christians, I’ve been the Christian, who claims to simply be a struggling grower who really wasn’t doing anything to overcome a sin. It is easy for us to tacitly just let sin have control and repeatedly excuse it because, “Nobody’s perfect.”

The important thing is God recognizes both sides of this. Jesus died because “nobody’s perfect.” However, His death is not a license to sin for those who want to walk the path with Jesus. Let’s walk on the middle path with Him, neither puffing ourselves up as if we are the righteous ones in the midst of the rabble or excusing ourselves for our own sins.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Philemon 1-25; I Timothy 1:1-20.

Paul said, “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost” (I Timothy 1:15).

This reminds me once again of a point I made on my personal blog last week. As a Christian striving to do what is right, I sadly have a tendency to look at the world and say, “Perhaps if you can become as good as me, you can be a Christian too.” The problem is, that is a pharisaic statement that corresponds to Luke 18:9. That is trusting in me that I am righteous.

Paul’s approach and what I need to remember is not that people should become Christians so they can be as good as me. Rather, I should be saying, “If you are as bad as me, if you are a sinner like me, you need the same Savior I have, can I tell you about Him?”

Christ Jesus didn’t come into the world to save people who measured up. He came into the world to save sinners and I believe Paul could only say he was the foremost then because I hadn’t been born yet. If you are a sinner like me, quit trying to be good enough to go to heaven. Instead, turn to the Savior and let Him save you and set you free from your sin.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Matthew 17:1-18:35.

“Truly I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

I needed to hear that today. What this means is the mountain of sins in my life, the struggles that keep cropping up can be removed. But how? Not by my power. Not by me just trying harder. Not by me stepping up and saying, “I can do this.” No. It happens when I rely on faith in the working of God.

Today, I need to surrender myself to God and in faith tell those mountains of sin to get out of my life.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?

Today’s reading is II Corinthians 2:1-3:18.

Sorry about the end of last week. I had several computer and server problems Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. I had scheduled the entries for my other site ahead of time, but not this one. Anyway, we’ll get back on track today. Thanks for your patience.

II Corinthians 2:4 struck me today. Paul wrote: “For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.” Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was somewhat harsh. He rebuked them for several issues, not the least of which was the impenitent sinner they needed to discipline. That sinner repented and now Paul is going to advise the Corinthians to love and comfort him.

However, before getting to that, he talks about his mindset. Every Christian has seen times when someone needed rebuking. But that puts us in a very awkward position. First, who are we to rebuke anyone when we have committed so many grievous sins ourselves? Second, and more to Paul’s point here, how can we rebuke someone and let them know we are doing so out of love? 

This was Paul’s point in the verse. He had not written as an apostle from on high who was living perfectly and bringing judgment down upon those unworthy Corinthians Christians. He had written as a fellow traveller who saw the terrible end the Corinthians were making for themselves and wanted to help. He did not write with vengeful glee, laughing as he scribbled out the words. Rather, he wrote with tears, affliction, and anguish. He wasn’t trying to hurt the Corinthians; he was trying to help.

There are certainly times when we need to rebuke others. When we do, we need to check our motives. For what purpose am I rebuking this person. Is it to show myself as righteous? Is it to put them in their place? Is it to pronounce judgment? Or is to humbly help them surrender to the Lord? In order to check this motive, I need to check how I feel about their sin. Am I silently glad because it reminds me I’m better than them? Am I silently arrogant because at least I have done what they did (at least not for a while)? Am I internally happy for this opportunity to show my own spirituality? Or am I afflicted and in anguish because of where their sin is leading them? Am I humble because I remember my own sins and what they’ve done to me?

I once heard the story of a preacher who for years had preached sermons directly intended for the husband of one faithful sister. The husband attended regularly and regularly received a spiritual diet of sermons designed to get him to repent and serve the Lord. But nothing phased him. Nothing changed him. Then one Sunday a guest speaker presented a lesson and the husband came forward in tears wanting to submit to the Lord in baptism. The local preacher was amazed. He couldn’t believe it. He asked the man why he hadn’t budged for so many years despite hearing so many lessons, but on that day he finally did. The man responded, “Preacher, I don’t want to hurt your feelings. But, I’ll tell you. For years you have told me in your sermons that I was going to hell. You always sounded like you were happy about that. That made me feel like God was happy about it too. Today, this fellow told me I was going to hell and it sounded like it broke his heart. He let me believe that if I went to hell it would break God’s heart too. That broke my heart.”

I have to ask myself, when someone needs rebuking how do I sound when I talk to them?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?

Today’s reading is I Corinthians 10:1-11:34.

I’ve read I Corinthians 10:13 hundreds of times. It is an anchor passage for me to remember that God cares for me and won’t let me endure more than I can, through His grace, handle. While I’ve often read on to I Corinthians 10:14, today, the “therefore” struck me. Paul says, because God doesn’t allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able, but always provides a way of escape, therefore, we must flee idolatry.

I can’t help but notice, Paul’s conclusion was not to rub up as close to idolatry as possible and then take God’s last minute escape route. Rather, since God provides a way of escape we should flee idolatry. God’s escape route is not a last minute escape hatch that falls open beside us at the very moment we are about to pursue sin. Rather, the escape route is often laid out very early. We take God’s escape route by fleeing away from things that will tempt us. Flee idolatry, flee sexual immorality, flee grumbling against God, flee sin. 

We must not get close and then hope we’ll have the strength to take God’s escape route at the last minute. Rather, we must take that escape route early and thank God for giving it to us.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?