Walking Thoughts

"The tragedy is that Satan uses the guilt of these failures to strip you of every radical dream you ever had, or might have, and in its place give you a happy, safe, secure, American life of superficial pleasures until you die in your lakeside rocking chair, wrinkled and useless, leaving a big fat inheritance to your middle-aged children to confirm them in their worldliness. That’s the main tragedy."
- John Piper

One of the most common responses I get when sharing God's grace and mercy on the cross, especially from my muslim family, is the question of licentiousness and grace abuse.  "So you can do all the wrong things you want to then?" or "So you can do drugs, sleep around, and murder people as long as you say Christ forgives you?"

The answer is enigmatic, because it is yes but also no.  Christ's sacrifice on the cross was enough to forgive every and any sin, whether murder, adultery, immorality, lying, stealing, etc. etc.  Yes, somebody who has committed murder can be forgiven by His grace, but salvation is not a ticket to sin.  In the early Catholic church, the priests would sell indulgences to parishioners, in effect, buying pardons for sins they were to commit, like cheating on their wives or taking revenge, etc.  The questions above imply that Christ's forgiveness is akin to purchasing an indulgence for sin - that is, obtaining the ability to sin without consequence.

Those who propose this view on Christ's forgiveness and grace are rhetorically stating that such a thing is wretched.  How could it be possible that God would allow man a means to sin?  What they fail to apprehend, is that it's not God who causes them to sin, to lust, to be greedy and take advantage of opportunities to sin.  Their question, which they don't realize, is a not a matter of God's ability to forgive sin, but man's propensity to sin at any and every opportunity!  The position of the question assumes man's desire to sin and rebel.  If humans did not pursue rebellion there would be no need to ask that question.  In fact, the one who asks that question presupposes man's sinful nature and then, rightfully asks, where is the judgement?  The question becomes, if judgement is poured out on Christ rather than the one who is rightfully guilty, why should anybody obey the law?  If obeying the law has no merit in our standing before God, what would lead a man to obey the law?

In the book of Romans, Paul comprehensively describes the reason, purpose and application of the law; how it is faith and not the law that leads us to live a life of obedience, which is repentance.  In his introductory remarks in the letter to the Romans, Paul outlines the what and why:

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by His resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of His name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ
Romans 1:1-6 (emphasis added)

In his opening remarks, Paul states that through the Son of God, Jesus Christ, and the power of the Spirit given to us in partaking of His resurrection, we receive grace (implying salvation) so that we can obey in faith.  The book of Romans clearly explains that, like a magnifying glass, trying to follow the law will only make your sin more sinful.

In order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
Romans 7:13

Consequently, we can either stand before God with the guilt of sin in negligence of the law, or with the guilt of sin in our own attempt to live according to the law.  Either way, we stand before God guilty requiring judgement just as our questions above inquire - isn't judgement required, yes it is.

The LORD is slow to anger and great in power,and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty.
Nahum 1:3

However, God loved us so much that He made a way to save us from the eternal consequences of our guilt.

He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved-- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
1 John 2:2; Ephesians 2:4-9

Does sin go unpunished, unjudged - no, it was taken by Christ the Son of God, and only because God showed kindness, mercy, and grace to you who do not deserve it.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly...but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:6,8

If that's the case, the queries above can become a cross-examination of God's decision to be kind to man who has a heart that is prone to wander and sin.   Not only does the ponderance presuppose man's wretched sinfulness, but God's inability to show mercy and kindness to wretched sinners.

Do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
Romans 2:4

You see, God's willingness to forgive sin by punishing His own Son rather than us is, simply, His rich kindness!  And it is this very kindness, this blessing instead of wrath, this salvation instead of damnation, that leads us to live a repentant life of obedience.  When a man is saved by Christ, he is saved from all condemnation from his sins, and not only that, but he will be blessed because of God's kindness - never to see wrath, never to experience eternal judgment, but always be forgiven no matter what he has done or will do. And as we come to understand the magnitude of His love for us, we love Him for His kindness and obey.

We love because he first loved us.
"If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching."
1 John 4:19; John 14:23

Therefore, it's clear that obedience comes by faith in the grace of salvation.  Our questions above erroneously assume that condemnation from the law is the crucial element that leads somebody to obey the law. We see, however, that it's the grace and forgiveness in Jesus Christ that leads us in obedience.  In faith in the gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit we have freedom from the law and can live in the obedience of faith.

And why not do evil that good may come?--as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.
Romans 3:8

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus who walk not according to the flesh (but according to the Spirit).
Romans 8:1

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
Galatians 5:13

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Romans 6:1-4

Obedience to Christ is non-negotiable.  Salvation is only by grace, but those saved will be empowered to obey His commands by faith in the Savior's grace.  Those who love Him will follow Him.
-- H.S. Christian

"Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time."
-- Oswald Chambers

A little girl sat down to dinner with her family but her mind was filled with thoughts of the large lollipop sitting in the living room that she got at the county fair that day. As the family began to eat, she asked her parents to let her go to the living room and eat her lollipop. Her parents denied the request.

Her desire was unsatiable so she asked again. The request was denied. She began insisting on it, saying she didn't want to eat with them and, in fact, didn't like eaiting with them.  Her mind was fixed on what she desired, the lollipop. Her parents were patient with her but as she began to throw a fit, her father told her she could leave the family if she desired, but she would have to accept the consequences of her own decision. Elated that she was going to have the object of her desire, she ran to the living room and began to eat her sweet treat.

As she ate, she reailzed that her hunger was not being satisfied. Furthermore, the hearty laughter and joy emanating from the dining room was much sweeter than the artificially colored sugar on a stick. She realized her lollipop was paltry compared to what she was missing with her family.

She walked back into the kitchen and told her parents she wanted to come back and eat with them. Her parents reminded her that she had made her choice and agreed to accept the consequences of her decision.  They told her to go back to the living room. With tears welling up in her eyes she understood the cost of rebellion. Lollipop in hand, she slowly marched into the living room. Sitting on the couch, tears streaming down her face, she ate her lollipop. Her once delicious object of desire never tasted so sour.

After several minutes, the girl's parents called to her. Still in tears, she entered the kitchen anticipating more rebuke hoping her parents still loved her.  They told her that she was always welcome to be part of the family, but if she wanted to join them, she would have to let go of her lollipop and throw it away before sitting at the table with them.  A smile crept through her tear-blurred eyes as she threw away out her once cherished lollipop and returned to her place at the table with the family.  Vegetables never tasted so good!

Later that night, as her parents were putting her to bed, they told her that they loved her so much that they didn't want her to miss out on the joy of being with her family at dinner, and that unless they let her realize what she was missing, she would never learn to trust them when they said no. In that way, they told her, they were also showing her that God always desires the best for her and that when He denies a request, it's for His glory and her good. If we resist Him like the Israelites who didn't want to enter into the land God had for them, He will sometimes allow us to make our choices and endure the consequences. But, they reminded her, He would always love her and care for her just like they were doing right now.  They explained how her sin separated her from God, and that accepting Jesus meant letting go of her selfish desires.  If she did, He would always let her sit at His table next to Him, just like they did, and she would enjoy His company as part of His family.  With that, they tucked her in and kissed her goodnight.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
Revelation 3:20

In 1859, Jean Francois Gravelot, also known as The Great Blondin, began doing a tightrope act across the Niagara Falls.  He was one the most daring and famous daredevils in the history of the Falls.

On June 30th, Blondin made his first cross of the Falls  on a rope that was 1,100 feet long and only 3 inches in diameter balancing himself with a 30 foot pole.  The cross took him 20 minutes.  He completed eight more that year - blindfolded, in a sack, on stilts, carrying a man on his back, and even sitting down midway while he cooked and ate an omelette!

The following year, he began another season of tightrope walking in front of thousands of spectators.  In an unverified account, after succesfully making a cross, Blondin asked the cheering crowd, "Do you believe I can walk across with a wheel barrow?"  They all cheered in belief.  He asked again, "Do you believe I can do it with a man inside the barrow?" Again the crowd cheered shouting their belief. At this Blondin asked, "Who then will volunteer to be that man?" Not a hand was raised.

Is this not how we treat Jesus Christ at many times?  Believers and unbelievers alike will marvel at all He is able to do, all that He has accomplished, how good He was, what good things He taught... but then when He asks us to give Him our hand and completely trust Him, we leave our hands in our pockets and our hearts in their shells.  Boldin conquered the Falls in his cross in 1859, Christ conquered death when He bore the cross of our sins and their guilt. 

Like the spectators in 1860, it's not so much a matter of whether or not you believe Christ can do what He said (that is die on the cross and rise from the dead to pay the penalty of our sins and purchase a place in heaven for us), but whether or not you trust that He has and will do that for you.  People balked at the opportunity to ride Bolidn's barrow to the other side of Niagara Falls, will you balk at the invitation to ride Jesus' "barrow" to heaven?

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:6

"For God so loved the world that, He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:16