I'm spending more and more time with people who are walking on a spiritual journey of grace and love instead of a road marked with rules, guilt, and shame - a road many of us know all too well. Shame is toxic. It breaks us down and, if I understand the Message of Jesus, His desire is for us to be free of guilt and shame. A friend of mine explained it this way...
"Because of Jesus, the shame-game is over – finished. It’s a silly game we don’t ever have to play again. Once and for all, we can stop fearing some scary god-of-our-own-making who looks at us with disappointment or irritation. It’s an infantile fantasy. There is no divine boogey-man under the cosmic bed of your existence who is going to come out and get you."
We’re all bruised and filled with faults, but that’s okay with God. He loves you just like you are. You don’t have to change. You don’t have to be afraid. You don’t have to hide. And you certainly don’t have to be ashamed. Your Father loves and adores you just the way you are. So come out, come out, wherever you are. Somebody is waiting to give you a Hug. He longs to laugh with you. He wants you to feel His embrace and revel in His acceptance for all eternity. Leave shame alone. We belong in the conscious awareness of our permanent place in our Father’s embrace.
Does God want us to change? You bet. He wants us to grow in the knowledge of His love for us. When we place our lives before Him as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2), life looks different. Jesus paid it all on the cross. Because we are now accepted and adopted by Him, we don't need to walk around in shame. When we learn more about who He is, we learn more about who he wants us to be. Shame kills. Grace gives life.
Someone asked me a question after a post earlier this week,
"Does Crossroads only preach on the subject of Grace or is there more that I'm missing? Don't want to be a jerk... but it seems like the grace message has been well covered."
Nope. That's pretty much all I preach about. My fear isn't that we talk about grace too much. My fear is that we don't talk about grace enough.
2010 now just two days away. I'm not a real "resolution" guy but I'm pretty
passionate about a few things I want to see happen in the next 365 days.
1. WRI...
5 comments:
I'm wondering, for those in the community that feel grace is a topic that is discussed to often at Crossroads....
Do you feel that there is something more importantant than grace?
or,
Do you feel like you or somebody in your life is not worthy of it?
I know sometimes I don't feel worthy myself, part of that human nature. Then something usually happens to me- I am reminded of God's unending love for me and his command to show the loving nature of Christ to people in our lives.
Isn't giving and accepting grace just another way (out of the many ways) of showing God's love all around? Just a thought.
Romans 6:15-19
Is there something more important than Grace? Actually no. Is there something that is equally important? Yes. It's called Truth.
Scripture does not say "Jesus came full of grace." Period.
Jesus came full of grace and truth.
John 1:14
Granted... Christ had a better handle on the balancing act than we ever will.
We do need to live outside of the death of shame. That was put to death with Christ's sacrifice. I'm afraid that the major content of this blog and the teachings of cross roads are missing key elements to understand the fullness of God and how He wishes us to mature in our faith. The issue isn't that teachings on grace need to stop... they just need to be in context of the wholeness of God's word.
It is inaccurate to tell believers they don't have to change. Our "changing" does not earn grace... it has been freely given... and I believe that is Darrin's point. The problem is that at face value, it seems like there is a message flowing under the surface. Don't think about your sin... don't try to live a holy life... grace has covered it.
We are saved by Grace through faith in Christ. We can't earn that, but we are called to be set apart.
Not sure if that makes any sense...
Mike, Jesus did come full of grace and truth, but it is his grace and his truth. We participate in his grace by accepting it from him and dispensing it to others. This is done in the context of relationship with him and with others. None of us do this perfectly; few of us do it well. But what of truth? Well, truth is also his. He is truth. It is his nature. “You shall know the truth (Jesus) and the truth (Jesus) shall set you free.” Again, it is in relationship with Jesus Christ that truth is known. He is the center of all things. Jesus not only had a “better handle” on it than we do, he has the only handle on it. It isn’t inaccurate to tell Believers they don’t have to change because that is the work of the Spirit. Ephesians is helpful here “…God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works…” God has chosen to save sinners and redeem the world back to himself through the work of Jesus Christ in order to show how great his love is. Otherwise, Creation would not know his love; it would only know his righteousness through his wrath. Jesus took upon himself the wrath of God so we could have a free pass! That’s why we teach grace, everything flows from it. Jesus said “it is finished” and with that redemption was accomplished.
Excellent response Dan. I know full well what message Crossroads and Darrin are trying to convey. I don't disagree with it...
Your response was quite impressive... capturing the essence of our freedom gained through the sacrifice of God's son.
I do, however, disagree with you on the point of telling people to change. You're playing with semantics when you say that change is the work of the Spirit. Of course it is! I would not disagree one bit. The issue isn't those feeling that they need to "pull their spiritual soul up by the boot straps"... that is the work of the Holy Spirit. My issue is that I believe the intent being conveyed isn't one of accepting God's gift of grace, but rather is one of here is a sin for free card. The Spirit is the motivator and mode for change but where is repentance and personal accountability?
My impression is that isn't the meaning behind preaching Grace for anyone on this Blog. I do see that message being conveyed/interpreted and it's troublesome.
Great discussion... and by the way... I think Crossroads and Darrin are awesome. Hope this is beneficial and edifying.
Mike....
I wish I knew how many times Jesus actually said, "I tell you the truth..." That phrase is so well known to many, especially my kids who have to crack up every time they hear it. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but most of the time Jesus starts off with "I tell you the truth," doesn't some valuable teaching about the Kindom of God follow?
The Kingdom of God. What does that look like for you? For me, it is a place full of acceptance and understanding. Most of all, it is a place full of Love.
I have attended Crossroads on a regular basis for over one year now. Sometimes Darrin talks, sometimes it is one of the other teaching pastors. Sometimes it is all of them at once. Not one time have I ever had the idea that it is OK to sin because of grace. I have, however, been blessed with the concept of understanding that grace is provided for what I have already done and to move forward in life with the Holy Spirit guiding my actions. The number one action taught at Crossroads: Loving others. Have you ever tried to sin against someone and love them at the same time? Hard to do!!
So yes, I guess there is something more important than Grace. Loving each other. Crossroads has that covered too.
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