Sycamore

“Many well-meant efforts at so-called sanctification become sinful.  For the man who applies himself earnestly and diligently to good works, solely to attain a holier status and thus become a holier person, has lost his reward.  His end in view is not God, but himself; and…this wrongly planned sanctification causes self-exaltation and spiritual pride.” - Abraham Kuyper

Translation: doing good things because you think it will accomplish something between you and God seems really holy but is actually really arrogant.  No one will stand before God and brag, “Not only did I trust in Christ, but I was really obedient as well!” and have Him nod with approval.  There will be no sly winks from God to those who are “really holy” on that day.  The only praise will be for the Lamb who was slain - not your really super commitment.

11 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” 13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” 14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped. Revelation 5:11-14

This is a story about a first-time visitor at church.  The church is very different from ours, but it’s a great window into how intimidating (and/or weird) a church service can be.

I was desperate; maybe religion would help. My wife had just been given three months to live, and so I decided to go to church.

I admit I was a bit reluctant. I had no idea what to expect, and didn’t know anyone who went there. I thought a couple of Scotches would steady my nerves, but realized everyone would smell it on me. I decided to take courage in both hands and just front up…

…Then another song, and someone said: “Collection”.

A moment of terror as everyone reached for their pockets. In my hurry to leave home, I hadn’t grabbed any change. I had to make a snap decision. Do I put in the $50 note—the only dough I’ve got with me—or look straight ahead and just pass the bag to the fella beside me? I looked straight ahead. (Even a night at the pictures with the family doesn’t cost that much.)

…(after the service) the other fella got up and told us to talk over a cup of tea. They all seemed to know one another. I decided not to interrupt them. One or two waved to me as I left.

Interesting experience. Not what I expected, but then I really didn’t know what to expect. I survived okay. Don’t know how the fellas at work would go.

While I have the sneaking suspicion that the people who read this blog are the ones who least need this reminder, don’t forget that you can quickly brighten someone’s day, make them feel at home, and give them some security in a foreign place with a quick (but sincere) introduction and conversation.

“…when the devil comes and says, ‘You have no standing, you are condemned, you are finished’, you must say, ‘No! my position did not depend upon what I was doing, or not doing; it is always dependant upon the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.’ Turn to the devil and tell him, ‘My relationship to God is not a variable one. The case is not that I am a child of God, and then again not a child of God. That is not the basis of my standing, that is not the position. When God had mercy upon me, He made me His child, and I remain his child. A very sinful, and a very unworthy one, perhaps, but still his child!

And now, when I fall into sin, I have not sinned against the law, I have sinned against love. Like the prodigal, I will go back to my Father and I will tell Him, “Father, I am not worthy to be called your son.” But He will embrace me, and He will say, “Do not talk nonsense, you are My child,” and He will shower his love upon me! That is the meaning of putting on the breastplate of righteousness! Never allow the devil to get you into a state of condemnation. Never allow a particular sin to call into question your standing before God. That question has been settled.”

Martyn Lloyd Jones, The Christian Soldier, p. 255

Seemed appropriate after Scott’s message on Sunday.  Puppeteer strings don’t drive you - love does.

(HT: Paramount Blog)

“The Word is primarily seen merely as an instrument for coaxing people into accepting the new birth.  ‘Making a decision’ causes the intimacy of a personal relationship with God to commence.  The new birth, especially if one judges by the testimonies of converts, is not so much the result of hearing with human ears, in human words, a declaration of things that happened in human history.  It is not so much the preaching of the cross, but the preaching of ‘my personal relationship with Jesus,’ the day when ‘Jesus came into my heart.’  The story we love to tell is really a story about ourselves, how we found the Lord, and how we are different people since the day we asked Jesus into our hearts.” -Michael Horton

The giving of “testimonies” has fallen out of style lately.  It used to be that someone giving their testimony was a regular occurrence at church services.  And while there are probably lots of reasons for that, I think one of them is that most people’s testimonies have changed.  The idea of a testimony is proclaiming something - you testify in court to proclaim the truth.  And it used to be that testimonies had a predictable but powerful pattern: “I was lost in my sin, facing judgment from God, but Christ called me to Himself, I repented of my sin and found forgiveness at the cross, and now I have a hope and a future through Christ alone - all praise be to Him.”  Today, though, they tend to sound different - “I was lost in my life, I felt empty inside, so I wanted to turn my life around and I came back to church.  Now, I feel closer to God than ever, and I really want to be a better person.”

The first one testifies to the Lord, and reminds me of the grace I need from a gospel I will never get tired of hearing.  The second testifies to yourself, and leaves out the very gospel of grace I need to hear over and over again.  And I don’t think I’m alone when I say that if I’ve got to sit through the latter, I’d rather leave it out of the service too.

Chris Morris sent me this church sign that he actually saw.  In real life.

You have a new friend
request from Jesus

Accept             Reject

I mean, what can I say?