Have you ever watched a child open a stack of gifts? Seeing their eyes dance and minds race over the latest new thing in their hands? Grace upon grace…and as such…all of it undeserved. At times though, even amid such undeserved blessing, there can be a shift of attention to something that did not occur. “Thanks for the sweater Grandma…I like blue, but I really wanted green.” Some will raise an eyebrow at the apparent ingratitude of the child. And that’s true, of course. But if we dig at the source of the attitude, we find an all-too-common problem…the problem of comparison.
This is true, even if more subtle, at all stages of life. “Thank God I heard the gospel, but I wish I had heard it sooner.” Or, “God has blessed me but Johnny is truly getting a double portion!” We can get trapped in comparing what we have by grace with what someone else has by the same grace.
Jesus taught on this in one of my favorite parables in Matthew 20. Day workers received their wages at the end of the day, and everyone got precisely what was promised. There was jealousy however because some worked longer for the same wages. The story’s point was not a need for wage equity but that the employer had absolute freedom to hire who he wanted and to pay what he wished. The employees were not entitled to a job in the first place; how can they now claim injustice because the employer showed different grace toward others?
What we deserve based on our rebellion against God is to be cast eternally from His presence, banished from His Kingdom, and the wrath of judgment against us for one single act of rebellion against Him. (Romans 6:23). What we receive as believers…is forgiveness. We are drawn near, welcomed into the Kingdom, and our due judgment was taken on by the King Himself.
10For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
Romans 5:10-11, NASB95
We deserved banishment and received a welcome. We deserved death and received life. We deserved an ending but inherited a new beginning. Real joy emanates from right perspective. Let’s turn our eyes heavenward and see the high cost of our salvation (What we do not deserve) and the wrath (what we do deserve) that the Son of God endured in our place. Then, we will have the right perspective, and only then can we truly exult in the God who saves.
In 1991, I received my first of many leadership assignments: I was to lead a team as a Military Police Investigator. I was pending promotion to a junior non-commissioned officer and now had responsibility for a half dozen or so investigators. I had arrived! Or had I just begun?
That question is the subject of Paul’s discourse over the coming verses.
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
Romans 5:1-2 (NASB95)
The reality of the Christian life is this: The day of our Salvation is the starter’s pistol, not the finish line. Notice in these first two verses:
Having been justified… This is a passive action from our perspective. We do not justify ourselves. We experience justification. This is because we are not the Judge. We were under judgment. It is the Judge who declares justification. Justification carries with it more weightiness than simple forgiveness. It is forgiveness, but it is more. Justification communicates a right standing before God. It is not a commuted sentence. It is not mere clemency. It is a pronouncement of righteousness in the present without qualification of the past actions. Forgiveness focuses on a response to our bad actions. Justification speaks of our present. We ARE saints. Why? Because God declared it.
Now He did so, based on Christ’s substitutionary atonement, His propitiatory sacrifice on our behalf. God forgave our sin and our sin is to God, as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). But the emphasis of justification does not merely look back on what God did. It focuses on our present status which is reality. “Having been justified…”
We have peace. That is a present-tense idea. We are not looking back on when we once had peace. We are not focused on when we all get to Heaven and rejoice over the peace we will have. We RIGHT NOW have peace with God.
All of this through Christ, and, as such, through Him, we also have our introduction by faith into this new grace (a new and unearned reality). A new beginning. A new status. A new reality of peace with God.
All of this matters. But our hope and the glory that is spoken of as the outworking of our introduction by grace is only realized when we KNOW it and ACT consistently.
Choose not to live as a prisoner of the past. If Christ has set you free, then you are free indeed (Galatians 5:1). You do not have an asterisk by your name. You are not a saint on probation or with a checkered past. You are a saint. You have peace with God. You are justified.
Of course, this is not everyone and it is not automatic. You must believe it. That is, you must know it, accept it as true by faith, and live it out as if it were true. If I can help you with this, or help you understand it better, please contact me through the link on my homepage at chrisaikenonline.com.
20yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. 22Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness.
Romans 4:20-22, NASB95
Isn’t It interesting…the details of God’s record books? In Romans 4, from which the passage above is selected, we find the story of Abraham…a man who “did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith. “ Can you imagine that press conference today?
Reporter: Excuse me, but are you claiming that Abraham did not waver? And, if so, how would you address his alleged conduct in Egypt in not only lying about his wife Sarai but in compelling her to do so as well? Furthermore, how would you address his alleged actions in Gerar when he, according to testimony, stated…and I quote: “She is my sister.” (Genesis 20:2). It is further alleged that he profited from this testimony which resulted in the imprisonment for one long night in king Abimelech’s home. How can you explain such a broad statement that he “did not waver in unbelief?”
God’s Press Secretary: Thank you for your question. First of all, these are not only allegations. They did, in fact, occur just as reported. No context is missing. Abraham, also known previously as Abram acted in fear and self-interest, bearing false witness against his wife Sarah, formerly known as Sarai. As a result, he profited. These failures are absolutely accurate. They are unequivocally sinful and deserving of banishment from the presence of God. The sins are true. The rules and laws are just and God has not amended them or exempted Abraham from participation. Rather, God substituted His only Son at the sentencing of Abraham, and He, Jesus, died in Abraham’s place. Furthermore, the payment for the sins of Abraham was so sufficient that his sins no longer merit mentioning. They were fully adjudicated by the maximum penalty.
That’s true for Abraham and it is true for you and me. No matter what you have done and to whom you have done it, there is no more significantly aggrieved party than God Himself. His response was not to ignore the sin or suspend the sentence. Instead, He settled the account and called you and me to walk in the new freedom of total forgiveness and restoration. Period. Full Stop. Next Paragraph.
God credited Abraham with righteousness based on a sacrifice that would be physically carried out thousands of years later…but Abraham believed God and THAT was credited to Him as Righteousness.
This is a fresh start. Choose. You can try to justify yourself, seek to have the standard overturned, or turn yourself over to the mercy of the Court of Heaven. There you will find freedom.
If you have never experienced this forgiveness which I have written about and which God promised and of which Abram accepted, I would love to discuss it further with you. Your fresh start is a conversation away and made possible by the gracious gift of God Himself. You can contact me at the link on my homepage at chrisaikenonline.com.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 (NASB95)
As we look forward to the potential and opportunities that await us in 2024, we may ask: What is the basis of my hope? Do I have hopes for a great year based on the benevolence of mankind? Is my strong tower grounded in my self-determination? Shall I stake my claim on the outcome of political enterprises or promises made by my neighbor?
Of course, we can base our hope on any of these things. It is quite common to do so in many facets of our culture. However, are these foundational elements of faith worthy of our lives?
Some outsiders may look at our spiritual moorings as some iteration of blind faith. They may assert that God calls us to simply trust Him. While it is true that we are called to trust God, He has always made the case before us that He is trustworthy. Before calling Adam and Eve to walk before Him…God created them, their habitat, provided for their every need, and articulated their purpose.
John the baptizer’s statement to Jesus’ first disciples (to be) is based on a past promise:
35Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples,
36and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”
37The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
John 1:35–37 (NASB95)
Notice that the weightiness of the claim that Jesus is “the Lamb of God” rests on a foundational knowledge that resonated with the two disciples. All Hebrew history looked forward to a promised Messiah. All the Hebrew experience carried with it evidence of God’s provision. Now, by faith, these two disciples walk forward and follow Jesus. If you remove the prophesies or eliminate the experiences of this people group over thousands of years…Jesus is potentially just another religious teacher. But with the promises and with the experiences, He becomes the object of their faith.
As you consider your steps, your goals, your ambitions, your pursuits in the coming year…are they undertaken by faith? Sure, you can undertake anything you wish; but, if you move forward with faith, you are destined to achieve. Has God directed your steps? Has He proven Himself trustworthy in your life thus far? If so, then walk in the ASSURANCE of that which you hope for, even though you do not yet see the evidence of its fulfillment. That’s faith! That’s powerful! That’s the only way to please God today and in the days ahead. (See Hebrews 11:6).
I am walking through the Book of Romans presently in my time alone with the Lord. (Yes, I see the irony of my time alone with Him being shared with others.) A verse and a few thoughts gripped me today and I hoped they may be of value to you as you consider the New Year and all of the new initiatives that clamor for your attention.
Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
Romans 2:4 (NASB95)
Having argued boldly in Chapter 1 that many had dismissed General Revelation and thus denied the Sovereign Deity of God (as evidenced in their haughty rebellion against godly wisdom, natural law, and God’s commands), Paul now turns the table to his audience…who really were the focus of his consideration all along.
Notice v.1… “Therefore, YOU have no excuse…” (emphasis added). Wait, weren’t we talking about homosexuals, gossips, slanderers, and idolaters? Yes. And if God would judge them for their rebellion against Him…how can we claim any reprieve in our rebellion against Him having a fullness of knowledge through His special revelation in Christ and in His Word?
Some may say (as is His point), but He has allowed the wicked to persist…even to apparently prosper! Why has God not dealt with their sin boldly and decisively? Why has He not zapped them with lightning bolts from heaven? Why has He not unleashed the apocalyptic judgments of Revelation for His namesake? After all…we would! Against all of God -deniers! THOSE terrible sinners. Yet God chose a different approach!
God chose a course what we DESPISE! That’s what it means to “think lightly” in verse four. The question: “Do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience?”
God chooses:
Kindness- (Greek- chrestotes) Upright, benevolent, gentle, generosity. God chose magnanimous gentleness in dealing with rebels of all kinds.
Tolerance- (Greek- anoche) Forbearance, clemency, relief, pause, patience. God chose abundant patience with the sinfulness of rebels of every type.
Patience- (Greek- makrothymias) steadfast endurance. While anoche focuses on the extended patience of God, this word emphasizes the patient suffering of God. God chose to endure and endure and endure the rebellion of others of every background and experience.
But why? Because God sees the “long game,” and desires repentance over judgment. If He wanted to judge as a priority, He would and could. Do we remember the flood of Noah, the fishiness of Jonah’s prison, and the immediate deaths of Ananias and Saphira for daring to lie to the Holy Spirit? Yet, God chooses forbearance, knowing that it leads to repentance for YOU. Rather than judge the rebels, God willingly judged His Son in their place so that He might extend His patient endurance toward them.
As we face situations and deal with personalities that differ from our own, might we choose this year to simply adopt God’s approach toward the brokenness of others? Rebels live daily in a prison of their own construction. Our approach, should we choose it, can be one of compassion, patient enduring, and tolerance.
By the way, God is not patient forever. There is a day of judgment, but that day belongs to Him alone. It is not ours to assign or to impose. (See 2 Peter 3:9-10, Acts 1:6-7). Ours is to declare God’s kindness, tolerance, and patience with rebellion now…but not forever. His righteousness endures forever. His motives are declared. His patience is on full display. His power is undeniable. All this points to the clarion call of urgency, today is the Day of Salvation! Choose today to yield to Him and then, in obedience, walk out His purposeful kindness, tolerance, and patience toward others as you (a believer) enjoy it yourself…by grace through faith.
I recently ran across a letter that my dad wrote me in 1994. Yes, that 1994. Five years before Prince set the standard on partying. Six years before the predicted end of the world (Y2K). Seven years before the 9/11 attacks that changed…well, everything. Twenty-six years before the global pandemic known as Covid.
I was working as an Army Recruiter at the time. I was killing it! I had just been selected as the New Recruiter of the Year for my Battalion and Brigade and went on to rank third at the US Army Board. I also had a 13-month-old son and a wife of almost six years at home.
My dad was working as a Probation and Parole Agent for the State of South Carolina. He wrote me a personal letter and included a poem that he said he wrote to keep him humble in his work. I am not sure if he wrote the letter prompted by nostalgia as he considered my new stage in life as a dad, or if he was just saying hello…or if he was doing a little dad coaching given my recent successes…but as I read it a few times in recent days, I found it to contain some of that “dad wisdom” that he became really effective at sharing through our latter years together. (Or maybe he always was…and I just became a better listener.) I chose to maintain Dad’s voice throughout, complete with his choice of words (which seemed a little forced for the sake of rhyme) grammar, etc. They make me smile. While Dad was a pretty important man most of my life, he didn’t let it go to his head. Not even a “wee little bit.”
As we begin a new year, an opportunity lies before us. We can choose to live with a perspective like this–one of humility and empathy. We live in days where “zingers” and caustic tweets are rewarded with likes and shares. Our culture celebrates the bombastic tones of impertinent people more than calm, considerate, and understanding interactions. We can do better. We can choose better. It begins with perspective. Thanks, dad! From the other side of the desk…
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