As Christians, there are certain expectations that we set for ourselves based on God’s Word. As humans, meeting these expectations is an impossible task. None of us is without sin, nor are we able to avoid temptation, let alone turn away always. Our faith is continually tested.
To walk with Christ is a challenge in itself. We have continual tests of faith. Sometimes we lack faith altogether. There are times when I pray for God to just give me a break! After all, He knows I’m human. Why do I have to struggle so? Why do I have to work so hard to find my way to Christ’s path?
There are times when I’m simply out of ideas on how to follow Jesus, when I can’t for the life of me muster the inspiration to step one step farther in the goodness of Christ. I look at the Bible and see the words, but they are simply that: words. I know that at one time, God’s words sang truth to my soul, the Holy Spirit danced in my heart and the printed page was the Word. But now…now it’s all gone. I am out of ideas, void of understanding. And I am lost.
Times like this reminds me of something I read by one of America’s greatest writers. In his book A Moveable Feast, Ernest Hemingway recalls a time when he was asked about story ideas. Hemingway, a prolific writer, was asked if he ever ran out of ideas. And, if so, how did he cope with writer’s block? Hemingway said that whenever he was at a loss for a story idea, he sat and wrote one factual sentence. He wrote one true thing, from which the story flowed.
The Bible has factual sentences throughout. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). These are true beginnings to a great story; true things from which the story of man, his failure and his redemption flowed.
What is your “one true thing?”
Read Philippians 2:9-11:
9Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10so that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
“Jesus Christ is Lord,” is one true thing from which our story as Christians flows.
John 20:31, “but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”
“Jesus is the Christ, The Son of God,” and “in Him was life, and the life was the Light of men,” (John 1:4), is one true thing.
When I am lost, and I cannot seem to find hope in my life, when I cannot find a way to live the way I believe the Lord would have me live, I try to remember one true thing. It’s not always the same thing, but it always points to the truth of God’s eternal sovereignty and the fact that Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, died for my sins.
I hope you will remember at least that as your one true thing.
Blessings!
Pastor Bill
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
A True Heart and a True Faith
Recently, I had the special privilege of addressing a group of Boy Scouts during a Sunday service at Big Woods Church. The young men were accompanied by their parents, grandparents, families and friends. They also had with them the men who lead their troop, Boy Scout Troop 849, which is chartered by Big Woods Church.
For the morning's message, we turned to Hebrews 10:19-25, which reads in the English Standard Version:
"19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
First, we learned that anything that God tells us is possible for we as people to accomplish is possible only because of Jesus Christ. For instance, in verse 19, the Bible says, "since we have confidence...by the blood of Jesus..." and in verse 21, we read, "and since we have a great priest..." Both point directly to Jesus Christ whose sacrifice and resurrection empower those who know Him to act confidently in His name and by His power and authority. Jesus Christ, we learned, has all authority, all glory and all power in all the universe, and because of His holy magificence is entirely worthy of all praise and honor.
The young men were then challenged to apply four biblical principles to their lives from Hebrews 10:22:
1. Live with a true heart. This simply means that we don't live as fakes. Know who we are in Christ and live purposefully in Christ. Each of these young men will be faced with decisions throughout their lives. Every decision will reflect on their character. If they remember to stand firm and live with a true heart honestly, their integrity will be solid. The late Craig Phillips was recently remembered at his funeral by a colleague as a man who was the same in his roles as husband, father, businessman, churchman and volunteer. When you met Craig, you knew that he lived with a true heart, and what he said in one place was consistent with what he said everywhere. Craig lived with a true heart.
2. Live with a true faith. The only way to know that you're on solid footing in your faith is to know and trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. Anything else is shaky ground. When I was in Marine Corps boot camp, we had to camp on a mountainside on a night that was threatening to rain. We could not go to the top of the mountain, so we had to find ground that was reliable not to be washed away with the rain. We looked for a place where there was plenty of grass and shrubbery whose roots had preserved the ground from mudslides and avalanches. There, on that firm foundation, we pitched our tents. Then we dug a trench around our tents so that the rain water coming down the mountain would run around our tents and not deteriorate the ground upon which we would sleep. These precautions prevented us from slipping down the mountainside as the rains came. Likewise, firmly planting our faith on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ prevents us from slipping down a mountainside when the rains of life come our way. We each should strive to live with a true faith.
3. Live with a clear conscience. Even though we are living with a true heart and a true faith, we all will face times of challenge where we slip in our decision-making and it will be reflected in poor choices and behaviors. For a person pursuing godliness, this will challenge our consciences. Keeping a short account with God and with the people we know, keeps our consciences clear. It's not always easy to admit mistakes, but it is in honestly evaluating, confessing and seeking forgiveness for our mistakes that develops our character. John 1:9 promises that "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." By keeping a short account of our sins with God and with those we offend will allow us to live with a clear conscience.
4. Live with a pure body. The challenges for our youths today to step into the raging river of immorality are overwhelming. As these young men grow into men, nearly every influence around them will try to draw them into immorality and impurity of body. The day we spoke was Superbow Sunday (Congratulations, Saints!). During the Super Bowl telecast, there would be numerous television commercials that would entice youths and adults alike to make decisions that would lead to impurity of body and soul. There also would be tremendous influences for good and proper decision-making. The young men were encouraged to focus on the positive influences in their lives so that they would live with a pure body.
I thank the Lord for the opportunity to speak His truth into the lives of the Boy Scouts of Troop 849. I trust Him to be glorified through each of their lives.
Blessings!
Pastor Bill
If you would like to listen to this message, click here.
For the morning's message, we turned to Hebrews 10:19-25, which reads in the English Standard Version:
"19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
First, we learned that anything that God tells us is possible for we as people to accomplish is possible only because of Jesus Christ. For instance, in verse 19, the Bible says, "since we have confidence...by the blood of Jesus..." and in verse 21, we read, "and since we have a great priest..." Both point directly to Jesus Christ whose sacrifice and resurrection empower those who know Him to act confidently in His name and by His power and authority. Jesus Christ, we learned, has all authority, all glory and all power in all the universe, and because of His holy magificence is entirely worthy of all praise and honor.
The young men were then challenged to apply four biblical principles to their lives from Hebrews 10:22:
1. Live with a true heart. This simply means that we don't live as fakes. Know who we are in Christ and live purposefully in Christ. Each of these young men will be faced with decisions throughout their lives. Every decision will reflect on their character. If they remember to stand firm and live with a true heart honestly, their integrity will be solid. The late Craig Phillips was recently remembered at his funeral by a colleague as a man who was the same in his roles as husband, father, businessman, churchman and volunteer. When you met Craig, you knew that he lived with a true heart, and what he said in one place was consistent with what he said everywhere. Craig lived with a true heart.
2. Live with a true faith. The only way to know that you're on solid footing in your faith is to know and trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. Anything else is shaky ground. When I was in Marine Corps boot camp, we had to camp on a mountainside on a night that was threatening to rain. We could not go to the top of the mountain, so we had to find ground that was reliable not to be washed away with the rain. We looked for a place where there was plenty of grass and shrubbery whose roots had preserved the ground from mudslides and avalanches. There, on that firm foundation, we pitched our tents. Then we dug a trench around our tents so that the rain water coming down the mountain would run around our tents and not deteriorate the ground upon which we would sleep. These precautions prevented us from slipping down the mountainside as the rains came. Likewise, firmly planting our faith on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ prevents us from slipping down a mountainside when the rains of life come our way. We each should strive to live with a true faith.
3. Live with a clear conscience. Even though we are living with a true heart and a true faith, we all will face times of challenge where we slip in our decision-making and it will be reflected in poor choices and behaviors. For a person pursuing godliness, this will challenge our consciences. Keeping a short account with God and with the people we know, keeps our consciences clear. It's not always easy to admit mistakes, but it is in honestly evaluating, confessing and seeking forgiveness for our mistakes that develops our character. John 1:9 promises that "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." By keeping a short account of our sins with God and with those we offend will allow us to live with a clear conscience.
4. Live with a pure body. The challenges for our youths today to step into the raging river of immorality are overwhelming. As these young men grow into men, nearly every influence around them will try to draw them into immorality and impurity of body. The day we spoke was Superbow Sunday (Congratulations, Saints!). During the Super Bowl telecast, there would be numerous television commercials that would entice youths and adults alike to make decisions that would lead to impurity of body and soul. There also would be tremendous influences for good and proper decision-making. The young men were encouraged to focus on the positive influences in their lives so that they would live with a pure body.
I thank the Lord for the opportunity to speak His truth into the lives of the Boy Scouts of Troop 849. I trust Him to be glorified through each of their lives.
Blessings!
Pastor Bill
If you would like to listen to this message, click here.
Friday, September 25, 2009
The Reliability of God
In a conversation recently, I learned that there is a group of people who call themselves a church, yet they believe that the God of the New Testament—the God of today—is different than the God of the Old Testament. The God of the Old Testament, they say, was a God who was angry and vengeful and destructive. The new God, the God of the New Testament, is a God of love and tolerance, and is constructive.
It is interesting that one would limit God’s attributes with the restrictions of humanity. In the logic of these false teachers, construction and destruction cannot and do not coexist. They do not see anger and love together any more than they can bring vengeance and tolerance into the realm of God’s reactions to sin and sinfulness.
False teaching about God has disastrous consequences.
But these teachings are false. God is eternal. He does not change, nor will He change. His righteousness demands punishment for sin, not because He is angry or hateful or vengeful, but because it is right to hate and punish sin. That does not change. God hated sin in the Garden of Eden. God hates sin in Chicago, and Denver, and Los Angeles, and New York and all the smaller places in between. He hates sin on every continent of the world because He hates sin in man’s heart. He hates sin in man because sin destroys man and God loves man. He does not want to see destruction come to that which He loves. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” Because God loves man does not logically exclude His hatred of sin. That may be a human conclusion, but it would defy the reliability of God.
God can love, and God can hate. God can be a God of anger, while remaining the God who loves. God is reliable. He never changes. God does not tolerate sin, but He has tolerated sinners. Over and over in the Old Testament, God spared the Israelites from the destruction of His wrath. The King James and other versions of the Bible translate this characteristic of God as His longsuffering. God is patient. But His patience does not pardon the inevitable judgment of sin, and those who harbor sin. In Revelation 20:11-15, the apostle John was given insight into the end of sin and sinners:
“11Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13And the sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:11-15, ESV).
This is the God of the New Testament. The reason He sounds like the God of the Old Testament is because He is. God is reliable throughout all time. He is so reliable that anyone who denies Him, will face the consequences of the prophecy found in the passage above.
Good News is in the reliability of God’s love for you!
There is good news, however. God is a God of love. And it is His love that rescues us from the consequences of our sin. It is God’s love that gave us the opportunity to learn about Jesus Christ. Some say that Jesus was a great prophet; yes, He was a great prophet. Some say that Jesus was a great teacher; yes, again! Jesus was a great teacher. But Jesus is also God Himself. The incarnate God of heaven who became human, died to assume the penalty of your sins, and rose from the grave to demonstrate God’s ultimate power over death and hell.
The Bible tells us that the payment for our sins is death, but God’s free gift to us is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord (Romans 6:23). So, in one sentence in God’s Word, we see that He will punish sinners with death, but will rescue those sinners who accept His gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. God is reliable in His hatred of sin in that He will punish your sin with eternal death (read: “hell”), and He is reliable in His love for you in that Jesus will save you from eternal punishment.
Do you know the love of God through Jesus Christ? God’s Word says, “If you confess (pray) with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). It goes on to say that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans. 10:13).
When people teach that God is different today than He was in Old Testament days, they are teaching a lie that will result in a false belief in the God of love. His sacrifice allows you to be with Him forever. Don’t be misled by false teachers. Call on the name of the Lord and see how your life will be transformed. He is reliable. God never fails. He is God.
Blessings!
Pastor Bill
It is interesting that one would limit God’s attributes with the restrictions of humanity. In the logic of these false teachers, construction and destruction cannot and do not coexist. They do not see anger and love together any more than they can bring vengeance and tolerance into the realm of God’s reactions to sin and sinfulness.
False teaching about God has disastrous consequences.
But these teachings are false. God is eternal. He does not change, nor will He change. His righteousness demands punishment for sin, not because He is angry or hateful or vengeful, but because it is right to hate and punish sin. That does not change. God hated sin in the Garden of Eden. God hates sin in Chicago, and Denver, and Los Angeles, and New York and all the smaller places in between. He hates sin on every continent of the world because He hates sin in man’s heart. He hates sin in man because sin destroys man and God loves man. He does not want to see destruction come to that which He loves. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” Because God loves man does not logically exclude His hatred of sin. That may be a human conclusion, but it would defy the reliability of God.
God can love, and God can hate. God can be a God of anger, while remaining the God who loves. God is reliable. He never changes. God does not tolerate sin, but He has tolerated sinners. Over and over in the Old Testament, God spared the Israelites from the destruction of His wrath. The King James and other versions of the Bible translate this characteristic of God as His longsuffering. God is patient. But His patience does not pardon the inevitable judgment of sin, and those who harbor sin. In Revelation 20:11-15, the apostle John was given insight into the end of sin and sinners:
“11Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13And the sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:11-15, ESV).
This is the God of the New Testament. The reason He sounds like the God of the Old Testament is because He is. God is reliable throughout all time. He is so reliable that anyone who denies Him, will face the consequences of the prophecy found in the passage above.
Good News is in the reliability of God’s love for you!
There is good news, however. God is a God of love. And it is His love that rescues us from the consequences of our sin. It is God’s love that gave us the opportunity to learn about Jesus Christ. Some say that Jesus was a great prophet; yes, He was a great prophet. Some say that Jesus was a great teacher; yes, again! Jesus was a great teacher. But Jesus is also God Himself. The incarnate God of heaven who became human, died to assume the penalty of your sins, and rose from the grave to demonstrate God’s ultimate power over death and hell.
The Bible tells us that the payment for our sins is death, but God’s free gift to us is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord (Romans 6:23). So, in one sentence in God’s Word, we see that He will punish sinners with death, but will rescue those sinners who accept His gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. God is reliable in His hatred of sin in that He will punish your sin with eternal death (read: “hell”), and He is reliable in His love for you in that Jesus will save you from eternal punishment.
Do you know the love of God through Jesus Christ? God’s Word says, “If you confess (pray) with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). It goes on to say that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans. 10:13).
When people teach that God is different today than He was in Old Testament days, they are teaching a lie that will result in a false belief in the God of love. His sacrifice allows you to be with Him forever. Don’t be misled by false teachers. Call on the name of the Lord and see how your life will be transformed. He is reliable. God never fails. He is God.
Blessings!
Pastor Bill
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Behold the Lamb!
When John the Baptist first laid eyes on Jesus Christ, he shouted, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). The Baptist, we are told, had two of his followers with him at the time, Andrew and one who is unnamed, but probably was the apostle John. When the two were pointed to Christ by their teacher and mentor, they went to the Savior and asked, “Where are you staying?” He told them to follow Him and He would show them where He was staying. And so they did follow (John 1:35-40).
Oh what those disciples saw as they followed the Lamb! They saw miracles and they saw faith in action. They saw great crowds gather in wonder and they saw many who rejected all that Jesus was and did. They saw Jesus walk on water, feed thousands, heal the sick, make the lame walk, give sight to the blind, and forgive the lowly sinner. They saw Jesus confront the legalism of His day and embrace the purity of genuine belief.
When Jesus says, “Come,” what is your response? There is no offer of a good life in this invitation. Is Jesus enough? Absent from the Lord’s invitation is any sense of protection from those who hated Jesus and that for which He stood. Jesus was the Light, the Life, the Lamb and the personification of God’s grace and truth. The religious among them were offended by this. They accused Jesus of being of the devil (Matt. 12:24), and they conspired to kill Him, which they did in a most gruesome manner.
The slaughter of Jesus on the cross on Calvary was the most heinous crime ever committed in the history of man. Jesus Christ, sinless, holy, unblemished, was arrested, falsely accused, tortured, falsely convicted and killed by crucifixion. And this crime in all it’s horrible details presents the precise and perfect fulfillment of prophecy and legitimizes John the Baptist’s proclamation: “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” The perfect, unblemished Lamb of God died the horrible death of crucifixion so that all who would come to Him would find forgiveness from and reconciliation with God Almighty. Jesus served as the Passover Lamb for countless millions of His followers who were born lost in sin and condemned to eternal hell, yet found the hope of the glory to come (Rom. 5:1-8) in the death and resurrection of a living Savior whose name is Jesus.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m., this Sunday at Big Woods Church to learn more about the Lamb of God who takes away your sins. We’re located at 3003 N. Eola Rd., in Aurora, Illinois, at the corner of Butterfield and Eola. Stop by early for a cup of coffee. We look forward to meeting you.
Blessings!
Pastor Bill
Oh what those disciples saw as they followed the Lamb! They saw miracles and they saw faith in action. They saw great crowds gather in wonder and they saw many who rejected all that Jesus was and did. They saw Jesus walk on water, feed thousands, heal the sick, make the lame walk, give sight to the blind, and forgive the lowly sinner. They saw Jesus confront the legalism of His day and embrace the purity of genuine belief.
When Jesus says, “Come,” what is your response? There is no offer of a good life in this invitation. Is Jesus enough? Absent from the Lord’s invitation is any sense of protection from those who hated Jesus and that for which He stood. Jesus was the Light, the Life, the Lamb and the personification of God’s grace and truth. The religious among them were offended by this. They accused Jesus of being of the devil (Matt. 12:24), and they conspired to kill Him, which they did in a most gruesome manner.
The slaughter of Jesus on the cross on Calvary was the most heinous crime ever committed in the history of man. Jesus Christ, sinless, holy, unblemished, was arrested, falsely accused, tortured, falsely convicted and killed by crucifixion. And this crime in all it’s horrible details presents the precise and perfect fulfillment of prophecy and legitimizes John the Baptist’s proclamation: “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” The perfect, unblemished Lamb of God died the horrible death of crucifixion so that all who would come to Him would find forgiveness from and reconciliation with God Almighty. Jesus served as the Passover Lamb for countless millions of His followers who were born lost in sin and condemned to eternal hell, yet found the hope of the glory to come (Rom. 5:1-8) in the death and resurrection of a living Savior whose name is Jesus.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m., this Sunday at Big Woods Church to learn more about the Lamb of God who takes away your sins. We’re located at 3003 N. Eola Rd., in Aurora, Illinois, at the corner of Butterfield and Eola. Stop by early for a cup of coffee. We look forward to meeting you.
Blessings!
Pastor Bill
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
The Gospel of John: “So that you may believe…”
The Apostle John tells his readers in John 20:31 that, "…these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."
The Gospel of John shows us the truths of our resurrected Savior.
And that is why we at Big Woods Church are about to embark on a study of the Gospel of John: so that we all may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, we may have life in his name. There is nothing more basic to you and to me than to have a purpose. God says that we each have a purpose; none of us are without purpose. And God so inspired John to write this gospel—or proclamation of good news—so that we would see Jesus Christ as He was historically, and to know Him as He is eternally, and to understand that He is at the core of your purpose and mine: to be in community with God Almighty and to love and enjoy Him forever.
One would be hard-pressed to find a more fitting place to learn how to know Jesus and to live for Him than in the Gospel of John.
William Barclay wrote, "For many Christian people the Gospel according to St. John is the most precious book in the New Testament. It is the book on which above all they feed their minds and nourish their hearts, and in which they rest their souls."
There is a simplicity about the Gospel of John. The writer was himself a simple man, a fisherman whose life was turned upside down when he encountered this man from Galilee named Jesus. John quickly learned that Jesus was no ordinary man, no ordinary rabbi, and no ordinary prophet. In fact, there was nothing ordinary about Jesus outside of his flesh and bones, which lived, breathed, ached, hungered, laughed and cried just like everyone around Him. But Jesus was different.
It is in the differences that the Gospel of John becomes profound. We will learn in our study just how different Jesus was. We will see that He truly is who He said He is. He is the eternal God, He is God incarnate, He is the living water, He is the bread of life, He is the only way to God, He is the sacrificial lamb, He is the resurrected Savior, He is our all-in-all.
I hope you will join us for our study in the Gospel of John. It will transform your view of Jesus Christ and will either open or strengthen your relationship with God the Father through God the Son. We begin our study on Sunday, Aug. 23, at 10 a.m., at Big Woods Congregational Church, 3003 N. Eola Rd., in Aurora. Stop by early to enjoy a cup of coffee! We look forward to seeing you.
Blessings!
Pastor Bill
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Freedom in Forgiveness
Whenever we go to God for forgiveness, we proclaim our faith in the marvelous truth that He is able and willing to forgive us. We also proclaim our understanding of the reality that we are continually in need of forgiveness.
One of the most challenging aspects of this petition of the Lord’s Prayer is what we say after we ask the Lord to forgive us of the sins we’ve committed against Him. To seek and be forgiven is one matter; to forgive others is another, and more challenging, matter.
Let’s look first at why the Lord would have us seek forgiveness over and over. Remember, that the Lord was preaching His Sermon on the Mount when He gave His followers this pattern of prayer. So, we can conclude that He was speaking to people who knew the Lord. When we know the Lord, we are forgiven our sins. At the Last Supper, Jesus told the disciples to drink from the cup, “for this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt. 26:28). The message of the good news of Jesus Christ is that He died for our sins, and that once we come to Christ for forgiveness, the sins are forgiven forever. Why, then, must we return to the Lord for more forgiveness after He has already forgiven?
The sad, but simple truth is that we continue to be sinners, even after God has forgiven us by the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. Our sinful nature does not disappear when we become Christians any more than our humanity disappears as we inherit eternal life. We remain people, wrapped in flesh and susceptible to the temptations that our flesh desires. Knowing this, God provides us a way to seek forgiveness every time we fail. 1 John 1:8-10, says, “8If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” The apostle John, writing to believers, says that we continue to sin.
John also writes that God will receive our confession of our sins and forgive us. How? John explains in 1 John 2:1-2,
Forgiveness is always available at the cross of Jesus Christ.
“1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” That word, “propitiation,” refers to the portion of Christ’s work on the cross that satisfied God’s righteous judgment against all sin. God sees Jesus’ death on the cross, Christ’s sacrifice, as taking care of all sin. That is why God will restore the confessing believer to righteousness; because Christ took the fall for the sinners who believe in Him. Jesus Christ continues to advocate for, or to stick-up for, or defend the sinner. He stands before the Father, and says, “I died for that man,” or “My sacrifice took care of her sin,” and the Father forgives.
There are two heretical views regarding the believer and sin. The first view is that when a believer sins, he or she will lose their salvation. If this were possible, then Christ would not be continually advocating for the sinner in heaven. Hebrews 7:25 says, “Consequently, he (Christ) is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” This “always lives to make intercession,” indicates a similar promise as we read in 1 John 2:1, that Christ advocates for us in heaven. When we are true believers in Christ, our salvation is secure, though we may slip and fall into sin. No human being—outside of Jesus Christ—is capable of living a sinless life, whether they are Christian or not, which leads to the second erroneous view, that one can live without sin. Review 1 John 1:8-10. These verses clearly tell Christians that sin is a part of being human and that we still have a Father in heaven who loves us and forgives us.
Holding to these wrong views, or even holding to the right view incorrectly, lead many a people to give up on pursuing a holy life. Some will argue that it is impossible to live a holy life, therefore it is futile to try. While it may be impossible, its pursuit is something that God honors. Others use God’s grace as an excuse to abuse their salvation by sinning wantonly and without conscience. Such is the way of the unsaved, according to 1 John 1:6, “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” And 1 John 2:4, “Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
Forgiveness is God’s way. Jesus Christ died so that we imperfect people could one day live in perfect holiness with God for eternity. It’s unbelievable, yet it is true.
The second portion of this part of the Lord’s Prayer puts a burden on the one who is praying. “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” This is a call to have a forgiving spirit. In fact, Jesus comments on forgiveness just after the Lord’s prayer, saying, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matt. 6:14-15). It is essential that we forgive others. John MacArthur writes in his book The Freedom and Poser of Forgiveness, that,
“Unforgiveness is a toxin. It poisons the heart and mind with bitterness, distorting one’s whole perspective on life. Anger, resentment, and sorrow begin to overshadow and overwhelm the unforgiving person—a kind of soul-pollution that enflames evil appetites and evil emotions. Such bitterness can even spread from person to person, ultimately defiling many (Heb. 12:15).
“Forgiveness is the only antidote. Forgiveness is a healthy, wholesome, virtuous, liberating act. Forgiveness unleashes joy. It brings peace. It washes the slate clean. It sets all the highest virtues of love in motion.
“In a sense, forgiveness is Christianity at its highest level.”
Forgiveness unburdens the violator of guilt and the violated of anger.
Forgiveness not only frees us up to be forgiven by God, but it unburdens us from harboring anger and hatred and other ill feelings that diminish our capacity to represent God to the world around us.
On the cross, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they have do” (Luke 23:34). Jesus prayed for God to forgive His murderers as He hung on the cross! It is no wonder that He instructed us to pray, “Forgive our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us.” Our Lord holds His followers to a standard that the wisdom of this world cannot understand.
Even in our Christian lives, it is nearly impossible for us to understand how we can forgive others who have violated our trust, hurt us, damaged our property or inflicted harm on our loved ones. Yet that is precisely what we are called to when we are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. We are called to follow the example of our Savior. Do you?
Blessings!
Pastor Bill
One of the most challenging aspects of this petition of the Lord’s Prayer is what we say after we ask the Lord to forgive us of the sins we’ve committed against Him. To seek and be forgiven is one matter; to forgive others is another, and more challenging, matter.
Let’s look first at why the Lord would have us seek forgiveness over and over. Remember, that the Lord was preaching His Sermon on the Mount when He gave His followers this pattern of prayer. So, we can conclude that He was speaking to people who knew the Lord. When we know the Lord, we are forgiven our sins. At the Last Supper, Jesus told the disciples to drink from the cup, “for this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt. 26:28). The message of the good news of Jesus Christ is that He died for our sins, and that once we come to Christ for forgiveness, the sins are forgiven forever. Why, then, must we return to the Lord for more forgiveness after He has already forgiven?
The sad, but simple truth is that we continue to be sinners, even after God has forgiven us by the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. Our sinful nature does not disappear when we become Christians any more than our humanity disappears as we inherit eternal life. We remain people, wrapped in flesh and susceptible to the temptations that our flesh desires. Knowing this, God provides us a way to seek forgiveness every time we fail. 1 John 1:8-10, says, “8If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” The apostle John, writing to believers, says that we continue to sin.
John also writes that God will receive our confession of our sins and forgive us. How? John explains in 1 John 2:1-2,
Forgiveness is always available at the cross of Jesus Christ.
“1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” That word, “propitiation,” refers to the portion of Christ’s work on the cross that satisfied God’s righteous judgment against all sin. God sees Jesus’ death on the cross, Christ’s sacrifice, as taking care of all sin. That is why God will restore the confessing believer to righteousness; because Christ took the fall for the sinners who believe in Him. Jesus Christ continues to advocate for, or to stick-up for, or defend the sinner. He stands before the Father, and says, “I died for that man,” or “My sacrifice took care of her sin,” and the Father forgives.
There are two heretical views regarding the believer and sin. The first view is that when a believer sins, he or she will lose their salvation. If this were possible, then Christ would not be continually advocating for the sinner in heaven. Hebrews 7:25 says, “Consequently, he (Christ) is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” This “always lives to make intercession,” indicates a similar promise as we read in 1 John 2:1, that Christ advocates for us in heaven. When we are true believers in Christ, our salvation is secure, though we may slip and fall into sin. No human being—outside of Jesus Christ—is capable of living a sinless life, whether they are Christian or not, which leads to the second erroneous view, that one can live without sin. Review 1 John 1:8-10. These verses clearly tell Christians that sin is a part of being human and that we still have a Father in heaven who loves us and forgives us.
Holding to these wrong views, or even holding to the right view incorrectly, lead many a people to give up on pursuing a holy life. Some will argue that it is impossible to live a holy life, therefore it is futile to try. While it may be impossible, its pursuit is something that God honors. Others use God’s grace as an excuse to abuse their salvation by sinning wantonly and without conscience. Such is the way of the unsaved, according to 1 John 1:6, “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” And 1 John 2:4, “Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
Forgiveness is God’s way. Jesus Christ died so that we imperfect people could one day live in perfect holiness with God for eternity. It’s unbelievable, yet it is true.
The second portion of this part of the Lord’s Prayer puts a burden on the one who is praying. “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” This is a call to have a forgiving spirit. In fact, Jesus comments on forgiveness just after the Lord’s prayer, saying, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matt. 6:14-15). It is essential that we forgive others. John MacArthur writes in his book The Freedom and Poser of Forgiveness, that,
“Unforgiveness is a toxin. It poisons the heart and mind with bitterness, distorting one’s whole perspective on life. Anger, resentment, and sorrow begin to overshadow and overwhelm the unforgiving person—a kind of soul-pollution that enflames evil appetites and evil emotions. Such bitterness can even spread from person to person, ultimately defiling many (Heb. 12:15).
“Forgiveness is the only antidote. Forgiveness is a healthy, wholesome, virtuous, liberating act. Forgiveness unleashes joy. It brings peace. It washes the slate clean. It sets all the highest virtues of love in motion.
“In a sense, forgiveness is Christianity at its highest level.”
Forgiveness unburdens the violator of guilt and the violated of anger.
Forgiveness not only frees us up to be forgiven by God, but it unburdens us from harboring anger and hatred and other ill feelings that diminish our capacity to represent God to the world around us.
On the cross, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they have do” (Luke 23:34). Jesus prayed for God to forgive His murderers as He hung on the cross! It is no wonder that He instructed us to pray, “Forgive our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us.” Our Lord holds His followers to a standard that the wisdom of this world cannot understand.
Even in our Christian lives, it is nearly impossible for us to understand how we can forgive others who have violated our trust, hurt us, damaged our property or inflicted harm on our loved ones. Yet that is precisely what we are called to when we are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. We are called to follow the example of our Savior. Do you?
Blessings!
Pastor Bill
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