There was a time in my walk with Christ when I was more focused on everyone else and how they should be living and what they should be doing, rather than on the work that God wanted to do in me.
I cringe just writing that, just admitting it. But it’s true. I thought that everyone in the church was delusional and blind and I felt alone. I was in bondage to a religious spirit and it caused me to cross examine everything and everyone, no matter what anyone said, I could point out some additional failure to live up to God’s standard, some additional aspect of Scripture that they missed, some error they were making. It was like a never-ending chess game that was impossible to win and the enemy was working through me—a genuine believer—to discourage people and drive them away, instead of God’s Spirit working through me to draw others nearer to Him.
I was simultaneously being convicted of sin by the Holy Spirit, Who was working to increase my awareness of it, while at the same time, feeling self-righteous in my pursuit of perfection by my own efforts. I felt constant frustration and was tormented by both shame and pride. Shame because I grew more aware of sin, and pride because of my hard work in pursuing righteousness-- pride which was expressed by my perpetual condemnation of others. God had to allow me to exhaust myself to teach me a proper understanding of the balance of His grace and His righteous requirements in Christ-- our willingness to yield to Christ being formed in us and His righteousness being expressed through us by His Holy Spirit.
Brothers and sisters, we preach righteousness by preaching Jesus Christ crucified. We deal with heresy by pursuing Jesus Christ, so that we may teach others Jesus Christ. We serve others by our obedience to the Master, Jesus Christ. Scripture says the watchmen on the wall are to warn-- not criticize, not police, not judge the motives of other people’s hearts. Granted, many in the church today truly are not walking in the way they should, but we teach and God deals. We teach and disciple, and God judges and deals with them. I confess, that God had to deal with my own heart before He could ever use me to teach others about His standards and His requirements. He had to crush me and break me so that I would only deal with people in patience and love and true humility, realizing that we all miss the mark, we all fail to live up to His word and His standards without His Spirit at work in us. And it is His Spirit Who works righteousness in us as we grow in our understanding and relationship with Christ, so that no man may boast.
Jesus Christ has called us to a life of devotion to HIM and focus on HIM, and He desires more than anything for us to grow in our knowledge of HIM and understanding of HIS ways, so that we can rightly divide HIS word and show others in this world a God who is full of both grace and truth.
(John 1:14,16,17) The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth…From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
(1 Cor 1:30,31) It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. Therefore as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
(1 Cor 4:4,5) My conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive His praise from God.
(Jude 1:20-25 ) But you, beloved, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God as you await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life. And indeed, have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; and to still others show mercy tempered with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.… Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord before all time, and now and for all eternity. Amen
(Posted on Facebook 12/4/2020 Talitha Koum)
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