I have moved the content of this site to my new blog:
www.thequirkychristian.com
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Monday, November 1, 2010
Broken Glass
Whenever I'm thirsty and head to the cupboard, there is a certain type of glass in our collection that I will grab first: the Coca-cola glass. We got them from McDonalds a while back. They came in different colors and we tried to collect them all but ran out of time, so we were left with 1 purple, 1 blue, and 2 brown. For whatever reason, I took a liking to the brown ones and always choose those before the others. I'm sure the other glasses get jealous.
One day when retrieving my favorite glass I lost my grip. I watched in slow motion as it rolled out of my hand and fell downward, first hitting the counter and then smashing onto the kitchen floor. I stood there shocked. My favorite glass! I was ashamed of my clumsiness. A very simple task had gone utterly wrong and left me with a mess everywhere. Not only that, it was my husband who made the first move to start picking up the pieces.
I’m not sure why, but as a Christian, I sometimes feel pressure to have my life all together and to have all the answers. I am supposed to be "perfect" and the moment my human side shines through, that is when the world pounces on me shouting, "See, you're just like the rest of us!" The truth is, they’re right. I never said I was perfect and I never will be this side of heaven. As it says in Romans 3:9-12:
What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written:
"There is no one righteous, not even one;
there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.
All have turned away, they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good, not even one."
there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.
All have turned away, they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good, not even one."
On my own, I am a pile of broken glass. No matter how hard I try, I continue to break things, adding more shards to the pile. I am helpless, scattered across the floor unable to hide my brokenness or clean up the mess.
There was a time in history when keeping the letter of the law was the only way to make things right. “But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:21-24).
God made the first move to clean up my mess. He sent Jesus to make things right, taking the penalty of my sin—past, present, and future—upon himself. Just because I believe in Him, doesn’t mean I still don’t break things. I do, but it doesn’t weigh me down. In Christ, I am a new creation covered in grace. He has taken all the broken pieces and put me back together. But it’s not like he just glued them back, there are a few tiny pieces missing and obvious lines where the breaks occurred. No. He has made me brand new, like a shiny, new glass that never fell off the shelf to begin with.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
"My Thoughts Are Not Your Thoughts..."
I can remember back to when my family experienced a deep loss. I was interning at an English school in Albania when I got the unexpected call from my then boyfriend. I had not given anyone the phone number of the place I was staying. I found out later that my boyfriend had gone through some of my email correspondence and found an email signature of the director and called that number to try to reach me. Needless to say, you didn't have to tell me twice that something really bad was going on.
"Brandon died," he said. Brandon was my sister's fiancee'. They were two months away from their wedding.
I was shocked. Half-way across the world, 23 hours away from my family, I felt so helpless. I booked a flight back as soon as I could. All I could do from there is wait for the time to come when I would leave for the airport. In the meantime, I still had classes to teach that day so I went about my normal day, though I didn't feel normal. I was in so much pain, the deepest pain I had ever experienced in my life. My poor sister!
After classes, I came back to my guest house and picked up host family's guitar. Music has always been therapeutic to me. I penned the following words:
I Will Trust (Brandon’s Song)
Bad things happen and it makes me so confused.
How can this be good from You?
So much potential for the future from my view.
Dreams shattered in a moment. What can I do?
My heart is torn and I’m feeling so broken.
But I remember the words that You have spoken.
That Your ways are not my ways.
And Your thoughts are not my thoughts.
I will trust the plans that You have for me.
Though my eyes cannot see,
I will trust. I will trust.
Though it’s not easy and the pain won’t go away,
he has gone to a better place
far from the trouble here. He’s in heaven today.
I feel this joy within me, but what can I say?
My heart is weak and my spirit is broken.
But what gives me strength now are the words that You have spoken.
That Your ways are not my ways.
And Your thoughts are not my thoughts.
I will trust the plans that You have for me.
Though my eyes cannot see,
I will trust. I will trust.
You are faithful.
Your promises are true.
You are righteous.
I will trust in You.
You hear the cry of my soul when I’m broken.
And I will remember the words that You have spoken.
That Your ways are not my ways.
And Your thoughts are not my thoughts.
I will trust the plans that You have for me.
Though my eyes cannot see,
I will trust. I will trust.
Trusting God when I don't fully understand what He's doing has not necessarily gotten easier over time. Sure, I can believe that He has a greater purpose for it all and that there is something working together for good, but at the same time, there are always so many unanswered questions, which is frustrating.
I recently had the opportunity to again prove the words I wrote four years ago as my husband and I have been working through a molar pregnancy, our first pregnancy. Dreams of a little baby were shattered and replaced with uncertainty about the future state of my health and ability to conceive in the future.
Everyday, every moment is in constant surrender to the One who is in control of it all. Either I trust Him and rest, or I fight Him and remain restless. God is good and He has been that way yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I don't understand His ways for He is greater than I. If I can trust Him for my long-term spiritual health, I can trust Him for my short-term physical & emotional trials.
"Brandon died," he said. Brandon was my sister's fiancee'. They were two months away from their wedding.
I was shocked. Half-way across the world, 23 hours away from my family, I felt so helpless. I booked a flight back as soon as I could. All I could do from there is wait for the time to come when I would leave for the airport. In the meantime, I still had classes to teach that day so I went about my normal day, though I didn't feel normal. I was in so much pain, the deepest pain I had ever experienced in my life. My poor sister!
After classes, I came back to my guest house and picked up host family's guitar. Music has always been therapeutic to me. I penned the following words:
I Will Trust (Brandon’s Song)
Bad things happen and it makes me so confused.
How can this be good from You?
So much potential for the future from my view.
Dreams shattered in a moment. What can I do?
My heart is torn and I’m feeling so broken.
But I remember the words that You have spoken.
That Your ways are not my ways.
And Your thoughts are not my thoughts.
I will trust the plans that You have for me.
Though my eyes cannot see,
I will trust. I will trust.
Though it’s not easy and the pain won’t go away,
he has gone to a better place
far from the trouble here. He’s in heaven today.
I feel this joy within me, but what can I say?
My heart is weak and my spirit is broken.
But what gives me strength now are the words that You have spoken.
That Your ways are not my ways.
And Your thoughts are not my thoughts.
I will trust the plans that You have for me.
Though my eyes cannot see,
I will trust. I will trust.
You are faithful.
Your promises are true.
You are righteous.
I will trust in You.
You hear the cry of my soul when I’m broken.
And I will remember the words that You have spoken.
That Your ways are not my ways.
And Your thoughts are not my thoughts.
I will trust the plans that You have for me.
Though my eyes cannot see,
I will trust. I will trust.
Trusting God when I don't fully understand what He's doing has not necessarily gotten easier over time. Sure, I can believe that He has a greater purpose for it all and that there is something working together for good, but at the same time, there are always so many unanswered questions, which is frustrating.
I recently had the opportunity to again prove the words I wrote four years ago as my husband and I have been working through a molar pregnancy, our first pregnancy. Dreams of a little baby were shattered and replaced with uncertainty about the future state of my health and ability to conceive in the future.
Everyday, every moment is in constant surrender to the One who is in control of it all. Either I trust Him and rest, or I fight Him and remain restless. God is good and He has been that way yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I don't understand His ways for He is greater than I. If I can trust Him for my long-term spiritual health, I can trust Him for my short-term physical & emotional trials.
Monday, July 5, 2010
The Missionary Call
When I was a little girl I remember going to missionary conferences at “night church” and having missionary speakers come in to the children’s class to share stories of their life in various parts of the world. Eating bugs in the jungles of Africa, riding crowded two-story buses somewhere in the Philippines, taking shoes off before entering houses in India, and translating the Bible into other languages were only some of the tales they shared. It was always a delight to have them visit because the missionaries would bring exotic treats, show us native money, and teach us songs in different languages. We would also win prizes for recalling information we knew about different missionaries. I recall that these times are what planted in me the seed of a deeper love for Jesus and for missions. It made me want to be a missionary.
It is not only the last century of believers who have been driven to the admonition to share the Good News of Christ around the world. The words of Jesus have sounded strong in the ears of Christians for over two-thousand years, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you…” (Matthew 28:19-20a). Most likely one will hear these verses preached at church mission conferences, revivals, Christian camps, and conferences urging the listener to take up his cross and follow Christ in full-time mission work. Caught up in the moment and emotion of it all, many attendees decide to give their lives away to advance the cause of Christ and spread the Gospel to every tribe, nation, and tongue without giving the seriousness of the matter a second thought. What is the “Missionary Call” and to whom is it given? Surely not all are meant to be missionaries, are they?
The “Missionary Call” (MC) is distinct. Austin talks about the MC as an extra-biblical term that comes from God’s command and the Holy Spirit’s prompting which leads an individual to serve usually in a different culture, country, and language (1). Not everyone agrees, however, on how this call comes about and who it is for. In an article put out by Campus Crusade entitled “An Exploration of the Missionary Call” many different philosophies of missions were mentioned both from a positive and negative angle. There are views that encourage overseas mission work which include the following: 1) “Everyone should head toward missionary service until God stops him,” 2) “If you haven’t had a call, you must not be listening because Christ gave the call 2,000 years ago. You are already called! The Great Commission is all the call you need,” and 3) “The need constitutes the call” (Campus 1). Truly there is a need in this world for others to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ so that they, too, may come to live eternally with the Lord. “None of us are called simply to belong to the Church. According to Matthew 28:19, we are to make disciples of all nations. It strongly implies that each church member must also be a disciple of Jesus. Thus, we are to be like Jesus in all things, but most especially in our obedience to God's call on our lives,” says author Philip Zampino (1).
In deciphering God’s will, many seem to believe that we should take the Bible for what it says word for word and apply it to our lives. However, while it is important to follow God’s word, not everything in it is written specifically to our situations. Also, many times it seems that these verses can be used to cause false guilt in others who very well might not be specifically called to the mission field. Those who give in to this guilt could find themselves in a cross-cultural situation that hinders their walk with Christ than helps simply because they were not designed to be in that kind of work.
At the same time, there are other believers who do not take the issue of missions as seriously. In fact, they find ways to run from the profession. Excuse number one is “No one should become a missionary if he can be happy doing anything else” (Campus 1). The problem with this is that it leaves room for a person to be depending on their own will to guide their life. God could be calling someone to work as a missionary, but this view allows them to disobey that call if they desire to follow their own ambitions. One can be fully qualified and gifted to go, but left to their own decision, many will choose to remain in their comfort zone. Another common view is “Don’t move until God gives you a call” (Campus 1). “No one has the right to hear the gospel twice until everyone has heard it once” and “Grow where you’re planted” are some other excuses for refraining from missions (Campus 2). None of these views leaves room for the Holy Spirit to work in the life of the believer. DelTurco comments about the inner workings of the Spirit when he writes, “The call is an inner awareness, an inner assurance that this is God's will for me. It may come rather suddenly. It may come gradually. Often God's call on a life begins with a sense that God has something for me. God wants me to serve Him”(1).
In spite of all these philosophies of the “Missionary Call” I would say that mine is not quite as all-or-nothing. I use 1 Corinthians 12:27-29 as the primary pillar of my view:
Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they?
In a nutshell, it seems clear in this passage and others that not everybody was made for the same purpose. So, while some will disagree, I think that not all people were sent to be missionaries. There are some who have been called to do such, and some who have been called to be in the supporting role, but all are called to support the task (Ling 4). In my experience with short-term work, I’ve come to know that both sides are necessary for the other; they are interdependent. If everyone was called to be a missionary, there would be no one to support them, thus there would be no missionaries. In addition, for those who are called have been called it is God’s purposed will for them to do so.
Another aspect of my philosophy includes that the “Missionary Call” is not limited to just foreign or un-reached locations of the world. If God places a person in a specific area and puts that burden on their heart, then they are to be obedient to that prompting of the Holy Spirit. To do disregard that is to disobey otherwise. The Bible speaks of every nation, tribe, and tongue coming to know the Lord Jesus, and there are plenty of un-reached people of that description who are either nationals or immigrants who qualify. So then, while there is need outside of one’s home country, there is also similar need within which cannot be overlooked as secondary. In chapter one verse eight of Acts Jesus says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” The “remotest part of the earth” includes the well-known country of America as well as the smaller and lesser-known ones.
This philosophy of the “Missionary Call” carries into my life today. In the beginning I shared a segment of my childhood memories concerning missions and my desire to serve in that area. The Lord opened doors for me to be able to take trips to two countries when I was in high school (Honduras and Ecuador). When I initially applied to Moody, I was aware of my longing to serve in some way cross-culturally, but was unsure how God was going to grow that dream. I came with a passion to serve in Latin America teaching English and living as a single woman. I was content with that idea, and prepared my life accordingly. However, though my plans were for this, God’s plans were for something else. In Proverbs it says, “The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps,” and this verse cannot be any more true for how He has worked in my life over the last three years.
After coming to Moody, the certainty of my future that I once had as sixteen and seventeen year old transformed into a goopy mess of ambiguity concerning my future ministry. I had high hopes of being involved in a Latino group on campus and taking part in the MSF activities. I mean, it was a mix of my two biggest loves, why not? I soon realized that neither of those places were my niche, and this was a disappointment to me. Combine this realization with a number of factors that accompany change and maturing into adulthood, I became discouraged because I no longer knew where God wanted me. Even though I didn’t fit into those groups on campus, I still maintained a desire to serve the Lord in some way in those fields. I just wasn’t sure where.
As circumstances had it, I was unable to return to school the following year due to financial hardship. Needless to say it was a time of misunderstanding between God and me. I was so sure of his calling me to Moody to be trained that I didn’t understand why He wouldn’t have provided for me to continue my education there. God used the time to stretch me, test my faith, and deepen my relationship with Him, all of which I wasn’t fully aware of until that time in my life had passed. In the middle of this, God brought an unexpected blessing in disguise into my life. His name is David. Long before meeting him, I had resolved in my heart that I was going to be a single missionary roughing it overseas. My first year of Moody questioned the missionary overseas part, and meeting him questioned the single part. The one thought that resounded in my mind during the process of meeting him was (which is also the title of a common mission book here at school), “What in the World is God Doing?” With much prayer and confirmation from others I proceeded with this step in my life and began to date this man.
Now I find myself today in a different place than I was fifteen years ago when God planted the desire to serve in missions. I find myself in a different place than I was eight years ago when I decided to remain single. I also find myself in a different place than I was five years ago when I felt a calling for further training in the ministry. Interestingly enough, in spite of all the changes that have happened, I find myself in the middle of God’s will for my life. Am I called to serve the Lord through missions? Yes, we all are, but I have come to the realization that for me this will more than likely not be vocationally, nor overseas. However, I do see myself working in cross-cultural ministry, as my love for that group has not ceased to be in my heart. In the fulfilling of the Great Commission I believe my family will be on the side of support and sending others. However, I will still get a sampling on missionary work’s “cousin”, cross-cultural ministry.
It is not only the last century of believers who have been driven to the admonition to share the Good News of Christ around the world. The words of Jesus have sounded strong in the ears of Christians for over two-thousand years, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you…” (Matthew 28:19-20a). Most likely one will hear these verses preached at church mission conferences, revivals, Christian camps, and conferences urging the listener to take up his cross and follow Christ in full-time mission work. Caught up in the moment and emotion of it all, many attendees decide to give their lives away to advance the cause of Christ and spread the Gospel to every tribe, nation, and tongue without giving the seriousness of the matter a second thought. What is the “Missionary Call” and to whom is it given? Surely not all are meant to be missionaries, are they?
The “Missionary Call” (MC) is distinct. Austin talks about the MC as an extra-biblical term that comes from God’s command and the Holy Spirit’s prompting which leads an individual to serve usually in a different culture, country, and language (1). Not everyone agrees, however, on how this call comes about and who it is for. In an article put out by Campus Crusade entitled “An Exploration of the Missionary Call” many different philosophies of missions were mentioned both from a positive and negative angle. There are views that encourage overseas mission work which include the following: 1) “Everyone should head toward missionary service until God stops him,” 2) “If you haven’t had a call, you must not be listening because Christ gave the call 2,000 years ago. You are already called! The Great Commission is all the call you need,” and 3) “The need constitutes the call” (Campus 1). Truly there is a need in this world for others to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ so that they, too, may come to live eternally with the Lord. “None of us are called simply to belong to the Church. According to Matthew 28:19, we are to make disciples of all nations. It strongly implies that each church member must also be a disciple of Jesus. Thus, we are to be like Jesus in all things, but most especially in our obedience to God's call on our lives,” says author Philip Zampino (1).
In deciphering God’s will, many seem to believe that we should take the Bible for what it says word for word and apply it to our lives. However, while it is important to follow God’s word, not everything in it is written specifically to our situations. Also, many times it seems that these verses can be used to cause false guilt in others who very well might not be specifically called to the mission field. Those who give in to this guilt could find themselves in a cross-cultural situation that hinders their walk with Christ than helps simply because they were not designed to be in that kind of work.
At the same time, there are other believers who do not take the issue of missions as seriously. In fact, they find ways to run from the profession. Excuse number one is “No one should become a missionary if he can be happy doing anything else” (Campus 1). The problem with this is that it leaves room for a person to be depending on their own will to guide their life. God could be calling someone to work as a missionary, but this view allows them to disobey that call if they desire to follow their own ambitions. One can be fully qualified and gifted to go, but left to their own decision, many will choose to remain in their comfort zone. Another common view is “Don’t move until God gives you a call” (Campus 1). “No one has the right to hear the gospel twice until everyone has heard it once” and “Grow where you’re planted” are some other excuses for refraining from missions (Campus 2). None of these views leaves room for the Holy Spirit to work in the life of the believer. DelTurco comments about the inner workings of the Spirit when he writes, “The call is an inner awareness, an inner assurance that this is God's will for me. It may come rather suddenly. It may come gradually. Often God's call on a life begins with a sense that God has something for me. God wants me to serve Him”(1).
In spite of all these philosophies of the “Missionary Call” I would say that mine is not quite as all-or-nothing. I use 1 Corinthians 12:27-29 as the primary pillar of my view:
Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they?
In a nutshell, it seems clear in this passage and others that not everybody was made for the same purpose. So, while some will disagree, I think that not all people were sent to be missionaries. There are some who have been called to do such, and some who have been called to be in the supporting role, but all are called to support the task (Ling 4). In my experience with short-term work, I’ve come to know that both sides are necessary for the other; they are interdependent. If everyone was called to be a missionary, there would be no one to support them, thus there would be no missionaries. In addition, for those who are called have been called it is God’s purposed will for them to do so.
Another aspect of my philosophy includes that the “Missionary Call” is not limited to just foreign or un-reached locations of the world. If God places a person in a specific area and puts that burden on their heart, then they are to be obedient to that prompting of the Holy Spirit. To do disregard that is to disobey otherwise. The Bible speaks of every nation, tribe, and tongue coming to know the Lord Jesus, and there are plenty of un-reached people of that description who are either nationals or immigrants who qualify. So then, while there is need outside of one’s home country, there is also similar need within which cannot be overlooked as secondary. In chapter one verse eight of Acts Jesus says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” The “remotest part of the earth” includes the well-known country of America as well as the smaller and lesser-known ones.
This philosophy of the “Missionary Call” carries into my life today. In the beginning I shared a segment of my childhood memories concerning missions and my desire to serve in that area. The Lord opened doors for me to be able to take trips to two countries when I was in high school (Honduras and Ecuador). When I initially applied to Moody, I was aware of my longing to serve in some way cross-culturally, but was unsure how God was going to grow that dream. I came with a passion to serve in Latin America teaching English and living as a single woman. I was content with that idea, and prepared my life accordingly. However, though my plans were for this, God’s plans were for something else. In Proverbs it says, “The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps,” and this verse cannot be any more true for how He has worked in my life over the last three years.
After coming to Moody, the certainty of my future that I once had as sixteen and seventeen year old transformed into a goopy mess of ambiguity concerning my future ministry. I had high hopes of being involved in a Latino group on campus and taking part in the MSF activities. I mean, it was a mix of my two biggest loves, why not? I soon realized that neither of those places were my niche, and this was a disappointment to me. Combine this realization with a number of factors that accompany change and maturing into adulthood, I became discouraged because I no longer knew where God wanted me. Even though I didn’t fit into those groups on campus, I still maintained a desire to serve the Lord in some way in those fields. I just wasn’t sure where.
As circumstances had it, I was unable to return to school the following year due to financial hardship. Needless to say it was a time of misunderstanding between God and me. I was so sure of his calling me to Moody to be trained that I didn’t understand why He wouldn’t have provided for me to continue my education there. God used the time to stretch me, test my faith, and deepen my relationship with Him, all of which I wasn’t fully aware of until that time in my life had passed. In the middle of this, God brought an unexpected blessing in disguise into my life. His name is David. Long before meeting him, I had resolved in my heart that I was going to be a single missionary roughing it overseas. My first year of Moody questioned the missionary overseas part, and meeting him questioned the single part. The one thought that resounded in my mind during the process of meeting him was (which is also the title of a common mission book here at school), “What in the World is God Doing?” With much prayer and confirmation from others I proceeded with this step in my life and began to date this man.
Now I find myself today in a different place than I was fifteen years ago when God planted the desire to serve in missions. I find myself in a different place than I was eight years ago when I decided to remain single. I also find myself in a different place than I was five years ago when I felt a calling for further training in the ministry. Interestingly enough, in spite of all the changes that have happened, I find myself in the middle of God’s will for my life. Am I called to serve the Lord through missions? Yes, we all are, but I have come to the realization that for me this will more than likely not be vocationally, nor overseas. However, I do see myself working in cross-cultural ministry, as my love for that group has not ceased to be in my heart. In the fulfilling of the Great Commission I believe my family will be on the side of support and sending others. However, I will still get a sampling on missionary work’s “cousin”, cross-cultural ministry.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Does God Care That People Suffer?
Suffering happens and dealing with it is difficult. Why does it happen? How can a good God let bad things happen? Does God even care that people suffer? God must not be as good as we thought, or is He? Taking into consideration the historicity and reliability of the Bible, the following areas can be observed.
OBSERVATIONS ABOUT PEOPLE IN GENERAL
The first area to establish is an understanding of people in general. We can observe various characteristics.
1. People are a part of creation. They are formed from the dust of the earth (Gen. 2:7). The living person is composed of non-living parts, such as atoms, chemicals, and minerals, and these things can be found in the “non-living” category of creation (i.e., water, land, rocks, etc.). “Proteins make up body structures like organs and tissue, as well as control chemical reactions and carry signals between cells” (Genomics). In relation with the rest of the world, they particularly belong to the “living” category (i.e., plants and animals), more specifically animals.
2. People are unique to creation. Out of all of the non-living parts and living creatures, it is observed that people stand out above them. Humans have a spiritual aspect to them, which encompasses mind, will, and emotion. Donovan Hall, author of “Natural Philosophy in the Context of a Science of Humanity,” confesses that man is not just a physical system but has material aspects. No other thing, living or not, possess such an aspect. Even the way they were created is different. While it is recorded that creation came into existence through the spoken word, humans were given more attention, being formed from the ground (Gen. 2).
3. People are formed, or created, by God. The Bible records, “Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (Gen. 2:7). In contrast to the rest of creation, God gave special attention to the creation of humans being personally involved by carefully forming them himself. He then breathed His own breath into the man.
4. People are bearers of God’s image. No other part or creature in creation can claim such a statement. Evidences of man bearing God’s image can be found in scripture (Gen. 1:26-28). Like God (who is a spirit), men have a spirit. They also possess will and emotion, like God, and can think. Like God rules over everything, humans are rulers over this world. This is exerted in different ways. Some may be leaders of companies, governments, or countries, exercising power over both nature and people. Others may be pet owners or gardeners, exercising power over nature.
In summary, people are unique beings of creation that are formed by God and bear His image. This signifies the value they have compared to everything else. They are given more special attention and care in their creation and function above everything else in the world. It can be concluded, then, that because of these things, God cares about people (at least to some degree).
GOD’S OBSERVABLE INTERACTION WITH PEOPLE IN THE PAST
Now that the issue of people has been established, there are various observations that can be made in regard to God’s interaction with these people.
1. God instructed people. People sometimes accuse God of not telling them what He wants. However, God does make His desires clear, and He gives steps to “suffering prevention.” This can be seen in some of the following examples from the past.
GOD’S OBSERVABLE INTERACTION WITH PEOPLE IN THE PRESENT
In addition to the past, there are various observations that can be made from the present in regard to God’s interaction with people.
1. He instructs people through the Holy Spirit. Jesus knew that he would be leaving the earth, but he assured his disciples that God would send the Holy Spirit to teach them and remind them of the things Jesus had taught (John 14:26). This is the ministry of the Holy Spirit (the third person in the Trinity) today. The Holy Spirit also convicts people of sin and what is right (John 16:7-9). People testify to the work of the Holy Spirit in their life, how he leads, guides, and directs them towards right living. God will continue to work through the Holy Spirit to instruct people and remind them of what they should do, which is for their benefit.
2. He protects people. It is true that bad things do happen, but it is miraculous to see how people have been protected from harmful circumstances that could, and sometimes should, have happened.
CONCLUSIONS FROM THESE OBSERVATIONS
As a result of these observations, the following conclusions can be made:
1. God cares that people suffer because He understands suffering personally. He is not a God far off who cannot relate to us. He became a man and is personally acquainted with grief. Jesus is seen to be a very compassionate person, and so this experience of suffering did not leave him unaffected. He did things to counter-act the suffering of the people he encountered. He continues to do this and sympathizes with us in our weakness (Heb. 4:15).
2. God cares that people suffer because He comforts us. Paul the apostle writes in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” This is witnessed through two evidences.
Does God care that people suffer? Yes, He does. He cares about people as evidenced through their uniqueness among creation and in God’s sight. He cares about people that suffer because He instructs them for their good, to prevent certain suffering. He also protects and provides for people in the midst of suffering, even to the extent of giving ways of escape. When escape is not possible, He uses the suffering to be used for good both circumstantially and personally in developing character. The most exemplary way God’s concern for suffering humanity is seen is through His very own life and death through the person of Jesus Christ so that people would not have to suffer forever, and this gives people hope! If he did not care, would he act in such ways?
OBSERVATIONS ABOUT PEOPLE IN GENERAL
The first area to establish is an understanding of people in general. We can observe various characteristics.
1. People are a part of creation. They are formed from the dust of the earth (Gen. 2:7). The living person is composed of non-living parts, such as atoms, chemicals, and minerals, and these things can be found in the “non-living” category of creation (i.e., water, land, rocks, etc.). “Proteins make up body structures like organs and tissue, as well as control chemical reactions and carry signals between cells” (Genomics). In relation with the rest of the world, they particularly belong to the “living” category (i.e., plants and animals), more specifically animals.
2. People are unique to creation. Out of all of the non-living parts and living creatures, it is observed that people stand out above them. Humans have a spiritual aspect to them, which encompasses mind, will, and emotion. Donovan Hall, author of “Natural Philosophy in the Context of a Science of Humanity,” confesses that man is not just a physical system but has material aspects. No other thing, living or not, possess such an aspect. Even the way they were created is different. While it is recorded that creation came into existence through the spoken word, humans were given more attention, being formed from the ground (Gen. 2).
3. People are formed, or created, by God. The Bible records, “Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (Gen. 2:7). In contrast to the rest of creation, God gave special attention to the creation of humans being personally involved by carefully forming them himself. He then breathed His own breath into the man.
4. People are bearers of God’s image. No other part or creature in creation can claim such a statement. Evidences of man bearing God’s image can be found in scripture (Gen. 1:26-28). Like God (who is a spirit), men have a spirit. They also possess will and emotion, like God, and can think. Like God rules over everything, humans are rulers over this world. This is exerted in different ways. Some may be leaders of companies, governments, or countries, exercising power over both nature and people. Others may be pet owners or gardeners, exercising power over nature.
In summary, people are unique beings of creation that are formed by God and bear His image. This signifies the value they have compared to everything else. They are given more special attention and care in their creation and function above everything else in the world. It can be concluded, then, that because of these things, God cares about people (at least to some degree).
GOD’S OBSERVABLE INTERACTION WITH PEOPLE IN THE PAST
Now that the issue of people has been established, there are various observations that can be made in regard to God’s interaction with these people.
1. God instructed people. People sometimes accuse God of not telling them what He wants. However, God does make His desires clear, and He gives steps to “suffering prevention.” This can be seen in some of the following examples from the past.
(a) He instructed them about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God knew and understood the consequences that would result if Adam and Eve were to eat the fruit. In response to this, he took steps to instruct them accordingly, having their best interest in mind. He told them not to eat the fruit, indicating the consequences that would follow (Gen. 2:16-17).
(b) He instructed them through the Law of Moses. Various laws were given on how to live, addressing issues of cleanliness (i.e., how to handle dead things, disease, and circumcision), worship, and relationships (i.e., how to deal with neighbors, family, other nations) (Leviticus). While some people groups at the time were very dirty and adhered to questionable practices (i.e., child sacrifice), God took the time to show people (in particular, the Israelites) a better way to live so that they would not have to deal with the effects of uncleanliness, unnecessarily losing a loved one to sacrifice, etc.
2. God protected people. When people were in trouble or suffering, God did not simply sit by the wayside.(a) He warned them of danger. The Joseph of the Old Testament was used as an instrument of God to interpret Pharaoh’s dream about a coming time of famine. Because of this, the people in the land of Egypt were able to make preparations and survive the seven years of famine (Gen. 41:14-36). God also warned Joseph, Jesus’ father, of the danger of King Herod’s baby killing, and so Joseph fled with his family to Egypt for safety (Matt. 2:13-15). The whole latter part of the Old Testament is God’s plea through the prophets for people to return to following Him, warning them that if they did not, enemies would plunder and enslave them.
(b) He provided them ways of escape. In the case of the Israelites’ exile, God orchestrated events as such so that the king of Persia had a dream, which made him send Ezra and others to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:1-4). Also, the man, Nehemiah, who was the cup-bearer to the king, received a message from God to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and was granted leave by the king to do so (Nehemiah 1-2). The apostle Peter was miraculously delivered from prison by the aid of an angel (Acts 12:6-17).
3. God became a person. As evidenced by scripture, the claims of Jesus, and the basis of His resurrection, it is observed that God became man in the person of Jesus Christ. What does this mean for Him, then, in regards to people and suffering?(a) He witnessed all kinds of suffering. Jesus spent time with those who suffered from being social outcasts. The Pharisees were appalled by this and Jesus replied to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire compassion, and not sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matt. 9:12-13). He came in contact with people who suffered physically from hunger (John 6), crippled (John 5), great sickness (John 4:46-54), and other ailments.
(b) He responded to suffering. In Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” he teaches about the necessity to take care of the poor (Matt. 6). He healed people suffering from various ailments such as blindness (Matt. 20:34, Mark 10:46-52), demonization (Mark 51-20), a blood disease (Mark 5:29-34), and leprosy (Luke 17:11-19). In the case of the adulterous woman who was being threatened to be stoned, the scriptures say, “…and (Jesus) said to them, ‘He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her’” (John 8:7). In response to this, people left one by one and the woman was left unharmed. He also comforted his disciples when they were emotionally troubled (John 14).
(c) He experienced himself different kinds of suffering. He was unjustly mocked by others (Mark 15:16-20). He was betrayed by a close friend (John 18). Jesus is recorded to have wept when going to visit the grave of his friend, Lazarus (John 11:33- 35). In addition to all of these examples, all four of the Gospels record the suffering that Jesus endured as he was dying on the cross. Luke includes reference to this in the book of Acts 1:3, “…He presented Himself alive after his suffering…” Dying on a cross was a punishment reserved for criminals, but Jesus was an innocent man.
In summary, there are various things that can be observed about God’s interaction with people in the past. He instructs them, which seems to be for their own good, to spare them from suffering. He protected them on the verge of trouble and in the midst of suffering. Finally, he became a man himself, which gave him a first-hand experience of suffering in the lives of people witnessed in others and himself. This demonstrates that God not only cares about people, but that he also cares about their suffering since he acted in the prevention of and easing of it (at least in the past).GOD’S OBSERVABLE INTERACTION WITH PEOPLE IN THE PRESENT
In addition to the past, there are various observations that can be made from the present in regard to God’s interaction with people.
1. He instructs people through the Holy Spirit. Jesus knew that he would be leaving the earth, but he assured his disciples that God would send the Holy Spirit to teach them and remind them of the things Jesus had taught (John 14:26). This is the ministry of the Holy Spirit (the third person in the Trinity) today. The Holy Spirit also convicts people of sin and what is right (John 16:7-9). People testify to the work of the Holy Spirit in their life, how he leads, guides, and directs them towards right living. God will continue to work through the Holy Spirit to instruct people and remind them of what they should do, which is for their benefit.
2. He protects people. It is true that bad things do happen, but it is miraculous to see how people have been protected from harmful circumstances that could, and sometimes should, have happened.
(a) He holds the universe in His hands. God is constantly keeping a watchful eye over all of us. He does not sleep (Psalm 121:4)! It is amazing to think of how He has placed the heavens (Psalm 8:3). The psalmist himself wonders in awe, “What is man that you are mindful of him?” (in other words, “You are mindful of man, and I don’t know why since we seem so insignificant in comparison to the universe!”) (Psalm 8:4). There is a mathematical precision to every planet, sun, moon, and star. Were one of those out of whack, there would be great repercussions to the life on planet Earth, including people.
(b) He offers avenues for save haven in the midst of trouble. Many times this is seen through the help of other people. The Holocaust was a horrible time, and many people were killed in the genocide. However, in the midst of the horror, God used people to protect others. Andre Trocome, a French pastor, encouraged his congregation to hide Jews, and as a result, 3,000-5,000 Jews were kept safe from the Nazis (Wikipedia). Sometimes God uses miracles. In the case of the World Trade Center 9/11 bombings, there was a group of people that miraculously survived the collapse of the building. Sixteen people, who were in Stairwell B of the North Tower when it collapsed, were the only individuals that survived the collapse from inside the building (Fishman). There is no reason why these people should not have been killed based on their situation and the odds against them, but they were miraculously spared from death.
In summary, God continues to have observable interaction with people in the present. He makes a conscious effort to be involved in people’s lives, making known His desires through the Holy Spirit. He also protects people by controlling the universe and working miracles in the lives of those who are at the mercy of their surroundings. This shows that God cares about people and their suffering, even today.CONCLUSIONS FROM THESE OBSERVATIONS
As a result of these observations, the following conclusions can be made:
1. God cares that people suffer because He understands suffering personally. He is not a God far off who cannot relate to us. He became a man and is personally acquainted with grief. Jesus is seen to be a very compassionate person, and so this experience of suffering did not leave him unaffected. He did things to counter-act the suffering of the people he encountered. He continues to do this and sympathizes with us in our weakness (Heb. 4:15).
2. God cares that people suffer because He comforts us. Paul the apostle writes in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” This is witnessed through two evidences.
(a) He comforts us Himself. This is often through the Holy Spirit. Another name for the Holy Spirit is “Comforter.” Jesus tells his disciples in Matthew 28:20, “..and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” God’s presence is always with us, no matter what the circumstance. We are not alone.
(b) He comforts us through those who have suffered. Those who suffer do not do it in vain. While the over all reason for the suffering is usually unknown, a purpose does surface: comforting others. My sister, for example, lost her fiancé unexpectedly, and this was extremely painful for her. She, on the other hand, has had various opportunities to comfort others who have had the same thing happen to them, in particular a girl her age who lost her fiancé a month prior.
3. God cares that people suffer because He makes effort to use it for good. He could just let suffering continue along a downward spiral into the land of despair. Instead, He works with the pieces, using them to accomplish some kind of good.(a) He uses suffering in general to point people back to Him. The first question people ask in the tragedy is, “Why, God?” Sometimes we wander away from Him, thinking that we in and of ourselves contain the power to handle our own lives. In times of suffering we are hit hard with the blatant reality that we all need God. God wants to be involved with our lives and comfort us. Suffering gives us a chance to re-evaluate our priorities and put them in the hands of Him who made us and has our best interest at heart.
(b) He uses suffering to accomplish things in people’s lives. There is a degree of sovereignty that God exerts in the midst of suffering. The apostle Paul used to persecute Christians to kill them. However, he encountered blindness as a result of seeing Jesus. This encounter and suffering changed his life forever, opening his eyes to his actions. He became a changed man, impacting the lives of millions of Christians through his writings throughout the centuries as a result. He also uses it to make us better people in the meantime (Rom. 5:3-5). My family of nine has never had much money. God has used this in my life to be more sensitive to others with this need, to be thankful for what I do have, and to look for opportunities to bless others.
(c) He uses His suffering to redeem mankind from sin, and ultimately, one day, suffering itself. God cares so much that people suffer that he was willing to suffer to the ultimate degree: death. Jesus then came back to life, conquering the power of death and sin. What this actual, physical death and resurrection does is make possible for mankind deliverance from an everlasting spiritual suffering because of the sinfulness of our lives. In turn, this opens the way for eternal life apart from suffering (Rev. 4:21). What hope this is in the midst of hard times (Romans 8:18)!
SUMMARYDoes God care that people suffer? Yes, He does. He cares about people as evidenced through their uniqueness among creation and in God’s sight. He cares about people that suffer because He instructs them for their good, to prevent certain suffering. He also protects and provides for people in the midst of suffering, even to the extent of giving ways of escape. When escape is not possible, He uses the suffering to be used for good both circumstantially and personally in developing character. The most exemplary way God’s concern for suffering humanity is seen is through His very own life and death through the person of Jesus Christ so that people would not have to suffer forever, and this gives people hope! If he did not care, would he act in such ways?
A Cry of the Soul
An inner war wages within
my soul, my mind
O Prince of Peace! Save me!
Day after day
through the night!
Is there no end?
Outside an indifferent countenance
Inside
fire blazing!
lightning!
waves crashing!
sinking
down
down
down
No one sees
No one knows
O Prince of Peace! Save me!
You alone hold the key to my heart.
You who search my soul
You know me
The days are short
How long, my Prince, will the pain last?
Lest my life pass by like a breeze
here for a moment, then
gone.
An inner war wages within
my soul, my mind
O Prince of Peace! Save me!
my soul, my mind
O Prince of Peace! Save me!
Day after day
through the night!
Is there no end?
Outside an indifferent countenance
Inside
fire blazing!
lightning!
waves crashing!
sinking
down
down
down
No one sees
No one knows
O Prince of Peace! Save me!
You alone hold the key to my heart.
You who search my soul
You know me
The days are short
How long, my Prince, will the pain last?
Lest my life pass by like a breeze
here for a moment, then
gone.
An inner war wages within
my soul, my mind
O Prince of Peace! Save me!
Avoid Guilt, Appreciate Grace
For me, the start of a new school year always initiates thoughts of reflection on the past year: my accomplishments, my failures, and what I could have done differently had I the chance to change things. It also motivates me to create a new set of goals, or resolutions, as I attempt to make the upcoming year better than the last. Think for a moment back to the beginning of last school year, or perhaps around New Years. What were some of the resolutions you had set up for yourself? How many of them actually came to fruition? Some of you may have a check mark next to a few goals signifying the accomplishing of the goal you had set for yourself. Others of you may identify with me: No matter how many goals I set, I somehow can never seem to get a handle on them. Days, months, and years go by with little change on my part. Why is it SO HARD to follow through? Even our best intentions in and of themselves are not enough to bring our goals to completion. Our actions need to line up with the intentions if anything is going to happen.
Likewise, in our struggle with sin we discover that no matter how much we want to do right, no matter how much we try to do good, we still seem to fall short because our actions prove our desires otherwise. This could be a source of much discouragement, but as we will see in Romans 7:14-25 this need not be the case. Because sin for a Christian is a fact of life, we must avoid guilt and appreciate grace.
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Romans 7:14-25 (New International Version)
We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
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You’ve just read a very intimate passage where we see Paul’s personal experience with sin. Can you identify with anything he just said? I sure can, and it’s easy for me to beat myself up because of it. However, as I stated before, sin for a Christian is a fact of life, and because of this we must avoid guilt and appreciate grace. How exactly do we go about this? In the text we discover first of all that we must COPY PAUL’S CONFESSION OF SIN.
Verse 14 states, “For we know that the Law is good, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.” Paul makes a clear contrast between the nature of the Law and himself. In his mind there is no question what he is like, and he doesn’t hide from the truth. Instead, he accepts it when he says “I am of flesh”; it couldn’t be made clearer. Then, he continues in this acceptance when he says immediately following, “sold into bondage to sin.” Paul basically confesses twice in a row “I am a sinner.” So, by the end of this verse, there is no question of Paul’s understanding of who he is by nature.
But he doesn’t just stop at accepting the fact that he is a sinner, he continues on to prove how this is true. Verses 15-17 read, “For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.” In these verses we are able to sense the reality of the conflict between the spirit and the flesh. Paul says that he doesn’t understand what he’s doing. This doesn’t mean that he doesn’t know why, but rather that he cannot gather the depth of meaning of sin’s presence in himself; it points to the struggle within his own heart. It doesn’t make sense that he would do what he hates when he would really like to do something else. Obviously Paul knows what the law says, agrees with it, and wants to do it, but he still ends up not doing it.
Verse 17 concludes this saying it is because of sin that this struggle is happening. We all know that we sin. But how often to we recognize this truth? Are we actively aware of it, are we well-acquainted with it, are we familiar with it? Are we honest with ourselves? Groups like Alcoholics Anonymous or Overeaters Anonymous exist for people who struggle with certain issues. Though I’ve never personally attended something like this, the movies portray it going as such: a group of people sit around a table and begin introducing themselves, “Hi, my name is Jane and I’m an alcoholic.” For these people, the first step in dealing with a problem is admitting that they have a problem. Paul did this, and we must also. In this last week, what have been some of the specific sins you’ve struggled with? Let me encourage you not only to write these down, but pinpoint specific examples of how that sin has had a hold on your life so that you might have a clearer picture of what you struggle with.
Next in the passage, we see Paul expand on the concept of confessing his sin as he reveals his confusion with sin. We too must CONCUR WITH PAUL’S CONFUSION WITH SIN. After looking up the word “confusion” I found this definition, “disorder resulting from a failure to behave predictably.” This confusion reminded me of a disease that is rampant in our country and other parts of the world called AIDS. The reason AIDS is so deadly is because the immune system basically shuts down leaving a person exposed to even the most harmless germ. Inside the body, we have these things called B-cells, T-cells and T-helper cells. T-helper cells activate the B & T cells to produce antibodies and attack the germ. But in AIDS, this process can’t happen because the T-helper cells are taken over by the AIDS virus, which means antibodies aren’t released and the virus can’t be attacked. In a sense, the body is now in a state of confusion because it is not behaving predictably.
Confusion is exactly what Paul was experiencing in verses 18-19, “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.” There was disorder and tension inside him. Based on what Paul knew to be good and willingness to do so, it would be predictable that what would follow are good actions. But in reality, he fails to behave so. Do you ever find yourself telling yourself, “I’m so stupid! I can’t believe I did that again!”? I know I struggle to deal with the reality of my sinful actions. I get down on myself because I fail. I get mad at myself because I seem so double-minded or two-faced. This same confusion exists within my own self, “the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.” Do you see this same confusion happening within yourself?
Finally, we should KEEP TO PAUL’S CONCLUSION CONCERNING SIN. What good is it to know all of these things about our sin and not do anything about it? Verse 20 reveals the culprit: sin is what causes Paul to sin. Verses 21-23 seem to sum up the truth of the matter, “I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.” Paul, again, states what he’s been stating all along. He joyfully agrees with the law of God, but because of the evil, the sin, that resides in him, he ends up doing otherwise. Therefore, there is a constant tension between what he wants to do and what he doesn’t want to do.
In spite of this his next reaction is so natural, “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” Isn’t it true that we also face a similar conclusion about ourselves? The guilt that stems from our failure to do good plagues us. We find ourselves looking for freedom from ourselves, our “body of this death.” But the passage doesn’t stop in this rut. There is an answer. Paul exclaims, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” This is the sigh of relief. What Jesus did on the cross, paid for the guilt and shame of our sin.
We don’t have to experience life in bondage because Christ set us free 2,000 years ago when he died and rose again. As Christians we hear this all the time, and it almost seems to not have as much impact on us. What would it be like to be Paul? That’s all he ever talked about! But does he dismiss the impact of Christ? No! He exclaims in thanksgiving his acceptance of grace through Christ. The rest of verse 25 reads, “So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.” So, after Paul accepts the grace through Christ, he seems to be saying, “So this is the way it is…I will struggle with sinning, even though I have decided to follow God.” He can live with himself in spite of his shortcomings because he fully appreciates the grace bestowed on him through Christ.
When you feel guilt creeping in on you, when it seems to be eating at you time and time again, what are you going to do about it? Will you ignore it and live life as if nothing’s wrong? Will you wallow in it thinking “Woe is me!”? These are the extreme options, neither of which Paul seems to be advocating as solely the proper response in this passage. Instead, we see that we should follow his example: 1) COPY PAUL’S CONFESSION OF SIN by accepting it to be true. 2) CONCUR WITH PAUL’S CONFUSION WITH SIN by realizing and understanding sin’s presence in us. 3) KEEP TO PAUL’S CONCLUSION CONCERNING SIN by living life in appreciation of grace in spite of sin.
Likewise, in our struggle with sin we discover that no matter how much we want to do right, no matter how much we try to do good, we still seem to fall short because our actions prove our desires otherwise. This could be a source of much discouragement, but as we will see in Romans 7:14-25 this need not be the case. Because sin for a Christian is a fact of life, we must avoid guilt and appreciate grace.
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Romans 7:14-25 (New International Version)
We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
***************************************
You’ve just read a very intimate passage where we see Paul’s personal experience with sin. Can you identify with anything he just said? I sure can, and it’s easy for me to beat myself up because of it. However, as I stated before, sin for a Christian is a fact of life, and because of this we must avoid guilt and appreciate grace. How exactly do we go about this? In the text we discover first of all that we must COPY PAUL’S CONFESSION OF SIN.
Verse 14 states, “For we know that the Law is good, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.” Paul makes a clear contrast between the nature of the Law and himself. In his mind there is no question what he is like, and he doesn’t hide from the truth. Instead, he accepts it when he says “I am of flesh”; it couldn’t be made clearer. Then, he continues in this acceptance when he says immediately following, “sold into bondage to sin.” Paul basically confesses twice in a row “I am a sinner.” So, by the end of this verse, there is no question of Paul’s understanding of who he is by nature.
But he doesn’t just stop at accepting the fact that he is a sinner, he continues on to prove how this is true. Verses 15-17 read, “For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.” In these verses we are able to sense the reality of the conflict between the spirit and the flesh. Paul says that he doesn’t understand what he’s doing. This doesn’t mean that he doesn’t know why, but rather that he cannot gather the depth of meaning of sin’s presence in himself; it points to the struggle within his own heart. It doesn’t make sense that he would do what he hates when he would really like to do something else. Obviously Paul knows what the law says, agrees with it, and wants to do it, but he still ends up not doing it.
Verse 17 concludes this saying it is because of sin that this struggle is happening. We all know that we sin. But how often to we recognize this truth? Are we actively aware of it, are we well-acquainted with it, are we familiar with it? Are we honest with ourselves? Groups like Alcoholics Anonymous or Overeaters Anonymous exist for people who struggle with certain issues. Though I’ve never personally attended something like this, the movies portray it going as such: a group of people sit around a table and begin introducing themselves, “Hi, my name is Jane and I’m an alcoholic.” For these people, the first step in dealing with a problem is admitting that they have a problem. Paul did this, and we must also. In this last week, what have been some of the specific sins you’ve struggled with? Let me encourage you not only to write these down, but pinpoint specific examples of how that sin has had a hold on your life so that you might have a clearer picture of what you struggle with.
Next in the passage, we see Paul expand on the concept of confessing his sin as he reveals his confusion with sin. We too must CONCUR WITH PAUL’S CONFUSION WITH SIN. After looking up the word “confusion” I found this definition, “disorder resulting from a failure to behave predictably.” This confusion reminded me of a disease that is rampant in our country and other parts of the world called AIDS. The reason AIDS is so deadly is because the immune system basically shuts down leaving a person exposed to even the most harmless germ. Inside the body, we have these things called B-cells, T-cells and T-helper cells. T-helper cells activate the B & T cells to produce antibodies and attack the germ. But in AIDS, this process can’t happen because the T-helper cells are taken over by the AIDS virus, which means antibodies aren’t released and the virus can’t be attacked. In a sense, the body is now in a state of confusion because it is not behaving predictably.
Confusion is exactly what Paul was experiencing in verses 18-19, “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.” There was disorder and tension inside him. Based on what Paul knew to be good and willingness to do so, it would be predictable that what would follow are good actions. But in reality, he fails to behave so. Do you ever find yourself telling yourself, “I’m so stupid! I can’t believe I did that again!”? I know I struggle to deal with the reality of my sinful actions. I get down on myself because I fail. I get mad at myself because I seem so double-minded or two-faced. This same confusion exists within my own self, “the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.” Do you see this same confusion happening within yourself?
Finally, we should KEEP TO PAUL’S CONCLUSION CONCERNING SIN. What good is it to know all of these things about our sin and not do anything about it? Verse 20 reveals the culprit: sin is what causes Paul to sin. Verses 21-23 seem to sum up the truth of the matter, “I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.” Paul, again, states what he’s been stating all along. He joyfully agrees with the law of God, but because of the evil, the sin, that resides in him, he ends up doing otherwise. Therefore, there is a constant tension between what he wants to do and what he doesn’t want to do.
In spite of this his next reaction is so natural, “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” Isn’t it true that we also face a similar conclusion about ourselves? The guilt that stems from our failure to do good plagues us. We find ourselves looking for freedom from ourselves, our “body of this death.” But the passage doesn’t stop in this rut. There is an answer. Paul exclaims, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” This is the sigh of relief. What Jesus did on the cross, paid for the guilt and shame of our sin.
We don’t have to experience life in bondage because Christ set us free 2,000 years ago when he died and rose again. As Christians we hear this all the time, and it almost seems to not have as much impact on us. What would it be like to be Paul? That’s all he ever talked about! But does he dismiss the impact of Christ? No! He exclaims in thanksgiving his acceptance of grace through Christ. The rest of verse 25 reads, “So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.” So, after Paul accepts the grace through Christ, he seems to be saying, “So this is the way it is…I will struggle with sinning, even though I have decided to follow God.” He can live with himself in spite of his shortcomings because he fully appreciates the grace bestowed on him through Christ.
When you feel guilt creeping in on you, when it seems to be eating at you time and time again, what are you going to do about it? Will you ignore it and live life as if nothing’s wrong? Will you wallow in it thinking “Woe is me!”? These are the extreme options, neither of which Paul seems to be advocating as solely the proper response in this passage. Instead, we see that we should follow his example: 1) COPY PAUL’S CONFESSION OF SIN by accepting it to be true. 2) CONCUR WITH PAUL’S CONFUSION WITH SIN by realizing and understanding sin’s presence in us. 3) KEEP TO PAUL’S CONCLUSION CONCERNING SIN by living life in appreciation of grace in spite of sin.
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