It’s a good thing to use technology for the purpose of spreading the Gospel and building up other people. Blogs and Tweets were not something I would have given consideration to in my flaming-fundamentalist days. In fact, I’m quite certain I could have fished out a few ‘Amen’s!’ by declaring in a sermon just how worldly e-witnessing really is. Recognizing now that we live in an increasingly technology-reliant world, I believe it is a good thing to utilize anything in our disposal to share the transforming truth of Jesus Christ. I got quite a bit of response from the following statement that I posted on Twitter yesterday and thought I might say a few things about it in today’s blog.
First I was a sinner. Then I was a forgiven sinner. Now I am a saint who sins. Next I will be a saint who cannot sin.
Addressing sin is, perhaps, something that I am a little top-heavy concerning. Honestly I can’t seem to help it. God has wired me to interpret life in extremes and I am captivated by the polar opposites of His grace and our unrighteousness. Having lived so many years under the suffocating guilt of my sin, I am constantly made to rejoice at His saving, justifying and defending grace. Guilt still wants to beat at my door each day to remind me of how unholy I am. Guilt bellows out that I’m a lousy Christian, a negligent family man, a lazy pastor and, in all likelihood, the most grave sinner on earth. These are things that I’ve been trained in all of my life, and the fact that I’m forgiven doesn’t always rest in the forefront of my thinking. I have to consciously work at appropriating the relief from Guilt. One of the reasons I desire to speak and write so much about grace is that it is much more difficult for some of us to hear Grace beating on our door bellowing out, “You are so completely forgiven that your God looks upon you with unspeakable delight, love and desire that you need never worry or fear His weariness of your weakness and eventual abandonment!”
Grace takes into consideration your ongoing struggles. Grace is gentle but incredibly tenacious at training you to think more about what Christ has accomplished for you on Calvary than what you have accomplished that necessitated Calvary. Grace trains your spiritual eyes to rest upon an occupied throne instead of allowing Guilt to force you to concentrate on all the things lacking in you. Grace can shed tears over your sin while, all the while, smiling at you as it skillfully tackles the mess you’ve made. Grace is always saying, “It’s going to be all right. Your Master has forgiven you. Let’s learn that you do not need this in your life to make you content.” Then, when you fail to learn that quickly, Grace is there again to aid you. Yes, you will live out your days with either the voice of Grace or the voice of Guilt as your guide. They both seek to own you and demand that you listen to them. Both wish to control your motivation for relationships, ministry and self-evaluation. Guilt wants to train you to panic while Grace dares you to rest in Christ. Grace always points to the open door of empowered freedom and welcomes you to walk through. Guilt carries rusted shackles and is dogmatically seeking to persuade you that you have no right to live without them. Which of these two do you listen most often?
Jesus Christ sends Grace to chaperone you through life. Satan sends Guilt to bully you. We have a choice concerning who will be given the upper hand. You have the permission of God to stare guilt in its scowling face and firmly speak the words,“You are dismissed.”
Then take the lovely hand of Grace and walk slowly with her, seeing all the beauty that you’ve been missing.
Thank you. You have, yet again, spoken to exactly where I am today. Guilt has been the only voice I’ve heard recently; Grace having been drowned out. Seeing Grace as the manifestation of the Spirit is a concept I’ve not heard before.