I Am a Glass Darkly

For now we see in a [glass darkly], but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 1Corinthians 13:12

I am a glass darkly. I am cracked. I am broken. My soul is tainted in this flesh, full of sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions (Galtians 5:19-20). As long as this flesh dwells it must continue to fight all of those things.

I often examine these sins and become quite disgusted and repulsed. I know that Christ has called me to be holy and blameless, but sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for [me], but [I] must rule over it. (Genesis 4:7)

Despite this reality there is another reality in the works. It is the reality of redemption. You see, the Law demands that I be put to death because of these vile unholy things. Yet in God's mercy Christ became a curse for me by hanging on a tree (Galatians 3:13-14). He came and preached peace to me and brought me near with His own blood even when I was a stranger and alienated from Him (Ephesians 2:17, Romans 5:8-10). By His Holy Spirit He works in me His works of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) that I might be fit for His presence.

Praise God there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!  For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit (Romans 8:3-4). 

I am truly thankful for His mercy. I no longer have to submit again to the slavery of sin. But I still do. And when I do I swiftly run to the Advocate who has sprinkled me with His own blood in order that I may throw myself upon the mercy seat of the throne through my High Priest, Jesus, and be cleansed of my impurities.

Christian, when you peer in to that glass darkly and see the sin-tainted reflection, run with all of your strength, cry out with all of your misery, plead with all of your groanings, to the One who stands ready to forgive; And let the comfort of His mercy spur your soul onward to a resolute of faithful service to Him. Be of good courage For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust (Psalm 103:14).

On sanguine tree of bitterness

with mercy laced upon His lips

"Forgive them now of this trespass"

and all Hell's power lost its grasp

My guilt before me testified 

no defense or plea, had I 

"Guilty, guilty!" came the cry

Ne'er a sentence but to die

Broken, fearful, pride abased

no righteousness to plead my case

Justice now; no pleading hope

until the Righteous One, Christ, spoke...

"On sanguine tree of bitterness

mercy laced upon My lips

My blood spilt out for his trespass

death's power now, has lost its grasp"

The "Other" Grace

Grace, grace, God's grace

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within

Grace, grace, God's grace

Grace that is greater than all my sin

We hear a lot about grace these days. Most times our minds wander to only one meaning: God's unmerited favor in saving sinners and fitting them for Heaven. It seems that we stop at that definition.

Grace extends beyond the salvation of our souls and spills over into the arena of the mundane. Only, we miss it. We don't see the grace in our work, our family life, or leisure time, or our umpteenth trip to the grocery store to pick up the item that we forgot the other empteenth times we went.

Why is that? Why are we content to have God's grace at salvation and forget about it when we're not having our personal devotions, or in church praising God in song?

I believe it's because we don't see how grace fits into those situations. We easily see how God extends His grace to penitent sinners, thereby sealing them with His Holy Spirit and rescinding His wrath justly due to us. But we don't see it anywhere else. We pray for grace in our day-to-day living, but we don't see it.

The idea of grace extends beyond the mere salvation, and I certainly don't mean to downplay that particular aspect of it.

I think we sometimes forget to distinguish between saving grace and the means of grace in living. Yes, all of grace can be summed up as unmerited and unearned, but the way that saving grace works out in our daily lives looks different than it did at the moment we were regenerated and raised to spiritual life. 

When examining the word translated 'grace' (see graphic above) we see that it is translated several different ways. The Greek word appears154 x's in the New Testament (ESV).  χάρις is translated as 'grace' 123 of those times. 

And when we look at how this word is used we begin to get a better idea of grace. For example, this word is used for grace in, 

• A knowledge of our guilt based upon the law of Moses (John 1:17)

• Grace for witnessing about Christ (Acts 4:33)

• Grace in forgetting past sins (1Cor 15:10)

• Grace in giving (2Cor 8:1, 6-7)

• Grace in doing good works (2Cor 9:8)

• Grace in Spiritual gifts (Romans 12:6) 

I certainly can't go through all 123 times this word is used as grace. But just from examining these verses briefly we see that grace was present is so many more areas than just salvation. It was a daily practice for the apostles and the early church. When we begin to see grace in every single area of our lives, and how God is using that grace to shape us, we begin to catch the vision to which God has called every believer to live up to. 

And that makes all the difference in the world. 

Grace to you,

Steven

Babies Are Murdered Here #BAMH

 

There is no easy way to say it. There is no comfort in confronting it. But it has to be done! Millions, of lives depend upon the brave ones who will clash with culture and go head-to-head with the cold and heartless people who monetarily benefit in the slaughter of the innocents.

I am, of course, talking about abortion. It's not a "choice," or "right." It's just plain murder and it needs to be confronted on a regular basis. 

Our culture has hijacked the word 'choice.' They have attempted to ease the consciences of millions of women by failing to call sin, sin. Instead, some bozo got the bright idea to take the concept of murdering innocent children and labeling it as something that we do everyday: choices! 

In reality it really was a good idea. You see, when a person opposes a 'choice' people automatically go on the defense:

 "Are you telling me I cant do/have what I want? How dare you! This is America; the land of freedom and I should be able to choose to do what I want with my body in the same way I choose what kind of car I drive, or where I work, or where I live." 

By labeling it a choice those shrewd politicians have automatically put a mind-set in the people that automatically demonizes those of us who oppose it. It sends a signal that we are interfering with their "choice." 

The problem is that it isn't a choice of what you drive, or where you work, or where you live. In fact, it really is not a choice at all. Living is a God-given right! If it really is a matter of choice then the life inside the womb must also be given the opportunity to choose whether he/she wishes to live.

And I'll betcha the 10 out of 10 times that child would choose to live. 

I hope and pray that if you're reading this and you have, in any way, ever participated in abortion that God would sorely convict your conscience. You must know and understand that you are not a victim. In fact, you are a culprit. God holds those who break His Law accountable. You will one day stand before Him in judgment and be judged righteously, not based upon your definition of good, but based upon God's definition of good–perfection. 

But please understand that there is forgiveness of sins, even the sin of murder, through the Wonderful Name of Jesus Christ. You don't have to live in guilt. Jesus came to take the penalty, all of it, for His people when He voluntarily died in their place. And being raised on the third day He justified them, releasing them from sin, guilt, and death. 

You can have a clear conscience before God that Christ Jesus has cleansed you of your sin (Heb 10:19-22). God only requires that you repent of your sins (turn away from them) and place your trust in the Person & work of Jesus Christ and Him alone for the forgiveness of sins. Only through this will you ever be able to truly find forgiveness for the sin of abortion. 

There is hope. There is healing. But it is not through worldly counsel. It will only come when you turn in faith to Jesus Christ.