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Champion Day 12 Just An Ordinary Girl: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
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The Questions

1) Why was Mary “deeply troubled” by the appearance and greeting of the angel? (verses 28-29)

2) What do we learn about Mary by digging into this overwhelming news she received? (verses 30-33)

3) What reminder did the angel give Mary about the God she served? (verses 35-38)

Luke 1:28-38

[The virgin’s name was Mary.] 28 And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. 30 Then the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.” 34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” 35 The angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. 37For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 “See, I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

Original Intent

1) Why was Mary “deeply troubled” by the appearance and greeting of the angel? (verses 28-29)
This passage of Scripture parallels the verses immediately preceding it. The similarities are evidenced by Luke, a detailed author and physician (Colossians 4:14), who arranged the passages with intention. We read that Gabriel is the angel who announced the birth of John and Jesus. While there is no exact term in Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic to denote the relationship of cousin, we know John and Jesus were related through their mothers, Mary and Elizabeth. A close reading of these heavenly initiated birth announcements reveals the distinct significance of those being born. It’s interesting to note that in the preceding passage regarding the coming birth of John the Baptist, the father was the main figure, but in these verses Luke spotlights the mother. What occurred with John’s birth was unlikely and shocking. For Elizabeth to conceive at such an old age was not typical. But the news the angel was about to give Mary … now THAT was impossible! We are told in verse 26 that the angel’s news to Mary occurred in Nazareth. I have visited this area in Israel. The guide we had was quick to point out how unremarkable the city was in its day. Which is exactly why it was remarkable to Mary that she was being visited by an angelic being. She was just an ordinary girl in an ordinary town. We tend to underestimate angelic appearances in Scripture as if they happened all the time. Though we read in a very brief span of verses in the gospels about several appearances (Zechariah in Luke 1:5-12 , Joseph in Matthew 1:20 , and the shepherds in Luke 2:8-11), it’s important to note there was always fear involved! Mary knew this appearance and greeting meant something extremely out of the ordinary was happening. As a result, she was “deeply troubled.”

2) What do we learn about Mary by digging into this overwhelming news she received? (verses 30-33)
Can you imagine this news that was shared through an angel? God had chosen a young girl from nowhere to be the mother of the Messiah. Although there’s no real proof, most Christian historians suppose that she was around 15-16 years of age when the angel appeared to Mary. Who really was this one who had “found favor with God.” (verse 30) Incredibly, the Scriptures introduce us to “her” in Genesis during man’s fall after creation. Though not explicit, when the Bible is read as one big story it is apparent from Genesis 3:15 that the mother of Christ was in the heart of God from the beginning. There would be a birth of One who would crush the serpent. Bible scholars tell us that the audience of Genesis would have understood the serpent as representing the spiritual forces of evil. (Genesis 3 Net notes) We also find “her” at the end of the Scriptures in the final chapter of the world before everything in creation is remade. Revelation 12:1-5 seems to confirm for us that the “woman clothed with the sun … and a crown of twelve stars” represents that the promised Messiah would come from Israel. Luke traces Mary’s lineage through Israel’s patriarchs as he names David and Jacob. Her son would assume the title Son of David and be the royal “branch” from David’s family. (Isaiah 11:1-2).Though many virgins may have known God’s favor, and some may have descended from King David’s line, and still others could possibly have a reason to return to Nazareth (Matthew 2:19-23), none but Mary would also have needed to be in Bethlehem with her fiancé at the appointed time of Messiah’s birth. (Micah 5:2-5) It was all part of the sovereign planning of the God worthy of Mary’s worship. (Luke 1:46-55)

3) What reminder did the angel give Mary about the God she served? (verses 35-38)
The angel assured Mary that this news was not to cause her fear. Instead, everything that would happen was from the hand and heart of God. “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” (verse 35) Bible commentators tell us there were three stages to Jewish weddings/marriage. Engagement was the first stage. It was a formal agreement made by the fathers prior to the betrothal and marriage. When a couple reached the second stage of betrothal, they were under the obligations of faithfulness. Not viewed as simply a casual promise, divorce would have been required to break the commitment. (enduringword.com) Mary knew the ramifications of the news she was being told, and though her motives aren’t revealed, I’m prone to agree with commentator David Guzik that “she asked the same question Zechariah asked (Luke 1:18), but his question was asked in skeptical unbelief, and her question was asked in wonder-filled faith.” Later in the passage, her response demonstrates her humility and faith in God’s plan. Some Bibles label verses 46-55 the “Song of Mary,” although the original text does not indicate that she was singing. Whether she danced around and sang it to the top of her lungs or bowed and quietly whispered it under her breath, the posture revealed in her words demonstrated a heart of awe and trust in her God. Through the angel, God assured Mary that “nothing is impossible with God.” And she believed Him. “May it happen to me as you have said.” (verses 37-38)

Everyday Application

1) Why was Mary “deeply troubled” by the appearance and greeting of the angel? (verses 28-29)
I have a confession: I believe in women’s intuition. I don’t have biblical evidence to back it up, but I do have years of experience as a woman! Since there are no Bible condemnations against it, I will continue holding this belief.  So, sister, what would you think if an angel showed up in your room? Before a word was spoken, most of us would begin to create scenarios of what must be next. We would certainly wonder what kind of news would prompt a visit from a heavenly being. When I read the story as if it’s the first time, I am relieved when the angel quickly seeks to make it better. It’s like a surprise phone call you receive. You answer with great hesitation, even trepidation, wondering what provoked the call. Then the person on the other end of the line begins with “don’t worry, it’s nothing bad.” Whew! But Mary’s visitor wasn’t a surprise appearance of a far-away relative. This was an angel standing in front of her. Though the words he spoke were of comfort and joy, you can imagine her shock and confusion as she processed this interruption. I wonder if she began to rehearse the Scriptures about a promised Messiah. Was this appearance related to the coming One? I’m so thankful that the woman chosen to be the mother of Jesus, God in flesh, was just a normal woman responding with usual confusion. She was not all-knowing, but she was all-trusting! Her fear did not cause her to flee. I want to be that kind of ordinary girl. One who waits and believes God for the rest of the story!

2) What do we learn about Mary by digging into this overwhelming news she received? (verses 30-33)
There are different beliefs related to the person of Mary. Nowhere in Scripture does it tell us she was chosen because she was more holy. Though there are certain misunderstandings about her that appear to have their root in tradition rather than Scripture, there is also the tendency by some to dismiss the extraordinary purpose of Mary being chosen to birth the Son of God. The phrase highly favored comes from a single Greek word meaning “much grace.” Mary was a recipient of God’s grace. (bibletools.org) While she was certainly a godly woman, we must not miss the reality that God uses ordinary people for His glory. Mary was a humble servant, willing to do God’s will. When Jesus was older, she attended a wedding with Him. (John 2:1-10) It appears Mary knew the wedding party well enough to be concerned that they faced potential embarrassment. John records her comment to Jesus in John 2:3. She was trying to involve Him in finding a solution. I believe Mary knew what others didn’t. She trusted that Jesus could do something for them. As a recipient of God’s undeserved favor and grace, Luke 2 tells us a couple times that Mary “pondered things”. Since the day the angel announced the big news, Mary’s life would never be the same. And that, my sweet Sister, is good news for us! We, too, are offered the opportunity to receive the gift of Jesus. God promises the believer salvation and peace. “They will live securely for then His greatness will extend to the ends of the earth. He will be their peace.” (Micah 5:4)

3) What reminder did the angel give Mary about the God she served? (verses 35-38)
Mary is exhorting us from thousands of years away to believe the God who chose her. Her example of humble obedience calls out to us. Yes, she was ordinary. Like us, she wondered. Like us, she pondered. Like us, she grieved. But she also worshipped! She was faithful to the God who had sent His message to her through an angel one day. She believed it when the angel told her nothing was impossible with God. Now, let’s fast forward to the cross where we find Mary with Jesus’ friend, John, as they watch Jesus die. (John 19:25) Sister, she is still there waiting, loving, and watching closely. When we find her at the tomb, we realize that for thirty years or so she’s been walking the earth as the mother of God. Now here she is again, aware that angels are standing before her. She must receive and believe another message of hope. “Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He is not here, but he has risen!” (Luke 24:5) Can you imagine, my friend, the depth of her emotion?! She has grieved as never before. She’s completely exhausted from watching her son die. Do you think the words of Simeon have rung in her ears? (Luke 2:35) Did she recall the angel’s words so long ago and muster a little hope that another miracle could happen? Oh sister, do you believe God can work through you, an ordinary girl? He can! Nothing … nothing …. nothing … is impossible with God! (Luke 1:37) Lean in close, friend. He is near.

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Waiting Day 10 Once Upon God’s Kairos

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Waiting Day 10 Once Upon God’s Kairos

Sarah Young

October 15, 2021

God,Holy Spirit,Jesus,Life,Perfect,Promises,Redemption,Rescue,Sacrifice,Salvation,Scripture,Waiting

Read His Words Before Ours!

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
1 Peter 1:13-25
1 John 3:1-3
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
Isaiah 40

Almost a decade ago, I was introduced to the concept of KAIROS time.
Did you know ancient Greeks used two words, chronos and kairos to describe time?

Chronos time is linear and sequential, the timeline in which we live.

Kairos is a time when conditions are right for the accomplishment of a crucial action; the opportune and decisive moment. Throughout Scripture, kairos describes the time in which God exists and moves.

I was profoundly impacted by the reality that God is not limited by chronos time, yet He created a world functioning within it. From the very beginning, He established minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years. (Genesis 1) But we are told in 2 Peter 3:8, “With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.” God sees the past, present, and future simultaneously. He has orchestrated how ALLLLL the millions of puzzle pieces of history will come together; He is weaving a beautiful tapestry, a breathtaking masterpiece.

WE, however, see the back of the tapestry with strings tangled and knotted. WE get confused and frustrated, not understanding what is happening or why. Meanwhile, God confidently weaves away, working in His KAIROS time, to bring about plans He established BEFORE the creation of the world. (Titus 1:3)

Today, we have the advantage of looking BACK through the Bible and see all the clues God was providing as people looked FORWARD to Jesus, who would ONE DAY deliver us ALL from sin and death.

One of the most beautiful pictures of this promised redemption was when God rescued His people from Egypt after 400 years of slavery! Leading up to their miraculous exit, God sent 9 plagues to convince Pharaoh to free the Israelites; in the midst of the chaos and confusion of the final plague, the death of the firstborn sons, God foreshadowed what JESUS would one day do as the FINAL Passover Lamb. You see, God had told His people to sacrifice their best lambs and put the blood on the top and sides of their doors (forming a CROSS). As the angel of death went throughout the land, God would PASS OVER those covered in lamb’s blood. The sacrificed lamb would die in their place, and they would be saved. (Exodus 11-13)

Fast forward hundreds of years to another Passover festival. That night, Jesus was arrested and beaten, and mocked. (Luke 22:1-23:25) Yet, He remained silent, like a lamb led to slaughter. Jesus, the SACRIFICIAL LAMB, was nailed to a cross, dying in OUR place and paying the price for OUR sins. (Luke 23:26-56) Jesus’ death, precisely on Passover, was no coincidence. God was fulfilling generations of prophecies and orchestrating the tiniest of details at just the right time, His kairos time.

Right before Jesus breathed His last on the cross, He cried, “It is finished!”. (John 19:30) At that moment in the temple, the centerplace of Jewish worship, the curtain separating delineating the inner sanctuary, the Holy of Holies where God’s presence dwelled, split from TOP to bottom. (Luke 23:44-49) No longer was there a separation between God and people. Anyone could now enter God’s presence, because of JESUS.

For thousands of years, ONLY the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and ONLY on the Day of Atonement. On that day, Israel gathered together and the High Priest offered a sacrifice to pay for the sins of the entire nation. (Leviticus 16) On THIS Day of Atonement, Jesus became the FINAL sacrifice, paying for ALL sins for ALL time. (Hebrews 10:11-12)

Looking back through history all the way to the Old Testament Tabernacle (check out the Tabernacle Journey Theme!)God was giving us glimpses of His Son and the relationship we can now have with Him because of Jesus.

The tabernacle had ONE entrance, where people accessed an Outer Courtyard.
Jesus is THE DOOR, the ONLY way to God.
“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.”  (John 14:6)

In the Outer Courtyard was the bronze basin, where priests would wash before approaching God’s presence.
Jesus declared He is the Living Water (John 7:37-39); His blood cleanses us from sin. (1 John 1:7-9)

Within the tabernacle was a smaller tent divided into two sections, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. Only priests could enter the Holy Place, which housed 3 items made of pure gold: a table, a lampstand, and incense altar.

On the table was the Bread of Presence.
During His ministry, Jesus revealed He was the Bread of Life. (John 6:35)
During the Passover meal with His disciples on the night of His arrest, Jesus broke bread and announced, “This is My body, which is given for you.” (Luke 22:19)

The lampstand lit the Holy Place.
Jesus is the LIGHT of the world. (John 8:12)
He has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. (Colossians 1:13; 1 Peter 2:9-10)

Incense was to be continually burning, symbolizing the prayers of the priest, on behalf of God’s people, rising to the Lord.
Today, we have direct access to God, while Jesus, and the Holy Spirit within us, intercede for us! (Romans 8:26-27; Romans 8:34)

Every aspect of the tabernacle points to Jesus.
Glimpses of Jesus are revealed through the ENTIRE Old Testament.
Even during His silence from Malachi to the birth of Jesus, He was STILL working out His purposes in His KAIROS time.

Finally, “When the time came to completion, God sent his son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5, emphasis mine)

God’s timing was PERFECT in sending Jesus to be born in Bethlehem.
His timing was PERFECT in having Him crucified in Jerusalem.

His timing WILL BE perfect once more when He sends Jesus to establish His eternal kingdom. He will make all things new again, restoring the perfection that was broken and lost when sin entered the world in the Garden. (Revelation 21:5)

We may feel God is slow in answering prayers, be it physical healing, adoption paperwork, financial provision, or His final return.

We may grow impatient as we wait.
When waiting seems too much to bear, we can look back through the Bible and see God at work, masterfully weaving a beautiful tapestry to bring about His plans at JUST THE RIGHT TIME.

Maybe not according to OUR chronos way of thinking, but rather in His sovereign, divine, PERFECT kairos timing!

So, as we watch and wait, may we trust and confidently declare with the Apostle John, “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)

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Fruitful Day 13 The Gentleness Of Jesus

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Mark 5:25-43
Matthew 11:28-30
John 13:12-17
Galatians 5:22-23

Fruitful, Day 13

The crowds were gathering, pressing relentlessly on all sides.
With His power to heal illness and drive away demons, word was spreading quickly. People from all walks of life, with all manner of brokenness, flocked in masses in pursuit of Jesus, the Christ.

In the midst of this particular crowd was a well-respected Jewish man, high-ranking with authority and political clout as a synagogue official, for he too was desperate. Jairus was familiar with Jesus’ growing fame and His divine ability, as he had likely witnessed Jesus healing a man’s hand in the synagogue in the weeks prior. (Luke 6:6-11) None could do what Jesus did. While Jairus was surely intrigued, he entered the crushing crowd that day out of pure desperation.

His daughter’s life hung in the balance.

It’s easy to step back and critically analyze. One can afford to be curious at a distance, but when it’s your desperation, nothing matters but the pursuit of wholeness.

Jesus immediately responded to Jairus’ urgent pleas to come to his house and slowly they moved in that direction.

Again, the crowds followed.

Can you imagine being Jairus? Desperation met reality as faces swam in front of both men. The mob was filled with shoving and jostling, loud noises, body odor, and incessant pressing of desperate bodies running rickshaw over one another as one little girl’s life hovered between life and death.

I’m not really comfortable with crowds like that, but if I wanted to be near Jesus, I am certain I would have set aside my discomfort to join the throng in pursuit of Christ that day.

Which is exactly what one woman did. Like Jairus, her desperation drove her into the tangled mass of people. She’d endured twelve long years of uterine bleeding, living as a shamed outcast from her community (Leviticus 15:25-27), taken advantage of by doctors who promised cures but worsened her condition. (Mark 5:26) Ironically, she, who had lived over a decade in isolation, was now driven by desperation into a crowd of hundreds with one goal in mind. Wholeness.

Twenty-nine years ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Like this suffering woman, I’ve experienced isolation from friends and even family because of disease. People are uncomfortable with such ravaging illness and don’t know what to say, so they stay away. They fear “catching” cancer themselves, and in their attempt to self-protect, they left me alone. I imagine this woman and I had many common experiences. Fear. Shame. Abandonment. Loss. Grief. Add to those woes the fact that her condition was neither diagnosable nor curable, despite the costly search for answers, and her desperation becomes nearly palpable.

Unrelated to cancer, five years ago I experienced intestinal disorders that no test or exam could identify. I too was neither diagnosable nor curable, and after six months of constant appointments, pokes, and prods, I was exhausted. I can only imagine twelve years of such! I can hear her heart’s cry, “What could it hurt to find Jesus? I’ve tried everything else. I have nothing more to lose.”

Jairus, desperate for his little daughter’s life.
This woman, desperate for her own.

Both were met with a radical gift surpassing their expectations.
Gentleness.

I’m sure the woman planned to press through the crowds, likely on her knees, to touch just the hem of His garment and then slip away unnoticed. But at her touch, despite many hands pressed against Him, Jesus’ voice of authority pierced the cacophony, “Who touched my clothes?” (Mark 5:30)

My reaction would have been the same as the disciples’. “You see this crowd pressing in on you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” (Mark 5:31) Jesus knew the difference between the touch of physical nearness and the hope of desperate faith.

In His divinity, Jesus knew who had touched Him.
In His gentleness, He asked His question of invitation.

Tightness grips my chest as I think of her “being caught,” and then I relax, remembering Jesus’ gentleness has invited this woman to step out. I can envision His calm eyes searching the crowd for the woman’s face, fixing His gaze of compassionate love upon her. Scripture records the woman coming with “fear and trembling.” Aware of her healing, she came to Jesus, fell down before Him, and told the whole truth. (Mark 5:33)

Christ’s gentleness drew her to Himself, invited her to unpack the entirety of her brokenness, then responded by publicly calling her His own, “Daughter.” He made her whole.

Not just her body, but her soul.
“Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” (Mark 5:34)

Amid a stunned crowd, a messenger for Jairus arrives with the tragic news his daughter has died. In the span of time it took Jesus to call one woman out of brokenness and into wholeness, another’s life passed away.

Yet, the gentle Jesus turns unhurried, peace-filled eyes to meet Jairus’ red-rimmed ones, “Don’t be afraid, only believe.”  (Mark 5:36)

The nameless woman fades away into the crowd, no longer hiding nor walking with head bowed low. She dances in grace, for the gentleness of Jesus has called her His own, healing her body, heart, and soul.

As for Jairus’ daughter, the Gentle Christ takes her slim, cold hand in His as His divine voice awakens her from death to life. (Mark 5:41-42)

Our desperation, no matter how dire, is no match for the Gentle Christ.
So bring your exhaustion, your desperation, and your faith, and find wholeness in the gentle touch of our Savior.

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Fruitful Day 2 Anchoring Love: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Anchoring Love!

The Questions

1) According to this passage, what is love?

2) How does one “remain in love”? (verse 16)

3) What does fear have to do with love? (verse 18)

1 John 4:16-19

And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. 17 In this, love is made complete with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because as he is, so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears is not complete in love. 19 We love because he first loved us.

Original Intent

1) According to this passage, what is love?
For us to understand what “love” means in these verses and the original intent, we need to look at the Greek words used. Take verse 16 for example, “And we have come to know and to believe the love (agapaō) that God has for us. God is love (agapē)”. Agape love is the same word used in John 3:16 as God describes His love for his Son as well as His people. “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” Agoapao comes from the word agape, but is the verb form of the word. This is kind of confusing for us today, but the original readers would’ve understand completely. It would be somewhat like a mother saying, “I love (agape) my son”, and “By reading my son’s favorite book, I am loving (agoapao) him.” In verse 16 we read “God is love”, not only is this a direct quote from 1 John 4:8 which says “The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love” but it’s an idea that John repeats in his letter several times which signifies the importance of the concept. He wants his readers to understand that love and God cannot be separated because, by His very nature, God is love to the full in both action and description. Every aspect of love is encompassed by God. It’s as much a part of Him as our body is to us; we are not “us” without our body. To know God is to know love.

2) How does one “remain in love”? (verse 16)
Verse 16 in its entirety contains clues for helping us gain understanding on how to remain in God’s love. “And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.” The first clue is, “Come to know and to believe”. The author, the disciple John, assumes these words are being received by those who have already placed their full trust in Jesus. They have heard the message of Christ dying to take the punishment they deserved and have come to the point of belief for themselves. This is important because, at this time of writing, there were many Jews still living under Old Testament Law, meaning they were trying to earn God’s favor by keeping the rules. The second clue is “God is love”. We just discussed how one cannot separate God apart from love. Love is a Person, and the person is Jesus. To remain in Him is to maintain relationship with Him through studying His Word, prayer, and living in biblical community. The third clue is “remains in God and God remains in him”. In essence, John is saying to the believers, “You all know Jesus and what He did for you. Don’t go back to the old way. Stick with God and allow His grace to stick with you”. Remaining in love means not being swayed by false teachers, popular opinion, or old habits and thoughts, but sticking with the Truth and letting God’s Spirit renew us from the inside out. (Romans 12:1-2)

3) What does fear have to do with love? (verse 18)
It’s part of human nature to fear the unknown and those things we don’t fully understand. For the early believers, trusting God and His grace with their future and eternity was a new way of thinking, believing, and living. Before Jesus, everything about their everyday lives centered around keeping the commandments. Everyone was keenly aware of how they were doing, both good and bad. Not to mention they had rules for offering sacrifices when you messed up and broke the rules by sinning. But now, everything was different with Jesus. There was no longer fear of condemnation because Jesus had paid the penalty for every sin past, present, and future. (Romans 8:1) Their perspective had drastically shifted off themselves and onto a deeply personal relationship with the living God who held out their hope for Eternal Life with Him. John tells his readers they don’t need to be afraid of judgement because God is love and His love is perfect, lacking nothing. In the gospel of John, he also writes, “God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him”. (John 3:17) God came to save us, there is no reason to be afraid.

Everyday Application

1) According to this passage, what is love?
Love is commonly misused and misunderstood by us today. We say stuff like I love coffee, I love that song, and I love the KC Royals. Then we use the same word to describe God. It’s confusing to decipher “definitions” of love. We also struggle with believing that “love” requires us to feel mushy and gushy with the same “tender” feelings we have towards our spouse or children (when we feel close!). It’s no wonder we struggle with some pretty simple concepts in Scripture. Our language and society have made it so confusing that honestly, it’s just easier to move right past the hard-to-understand verses of the Bible and get to the easy parts that make us feel good. However, the more we study the Bible deeply, the more clearly we see the rich love of God! Love, in its truest form, is Jesus, who is the “exact expression of His (God’s) nature”. (Hebrews 1:3) When we look at Jesus’ love, we are seeing the Father! “The one who has seen Me (Jesus) has seen the Father. (…) Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me?” (John 14:9-10) Divine Love is neither something we can manufacture nor fake. It’s not always easy to surrender to the Holy Spirit and let His love come alive in us. In fact, at times, it’s just plain hard in real life! We overlook the fact that love is a choice of total surrender to Christ. Unlike Jesus, who simply is love, we must choose to willingly give up our control and selfish desires to God when it comes to actions, attitudes, and motives. Because only HE is love, only HE can fill us with divine love and allow it to overflow in everyday life.

2) How does one “remain in love”? (verse 16)
I love the explanation in The Tony Evans Bible Commentary, which says “to remain means to hang out with”. Don’t you love that? It’s so simple and easy for me to understand! Keeping in mind that God is love, this simply means “hang out with Jesus and let Him rub off on you”.  So the question becomes, how do I hang out with Jesus? The application for us today is much the same as it was for the original readers, don’t be pulled in by popular opinion and deception. Instead, focus on knowing Truth in Jesus more and more through His Word and prayer. When we know Him, we will more easily be able to detect lies. (1 John 4:1-2) The devotional I read this morning as I prepared to write pointed me toward Revelation 2. Check out what it says in chapter 2, “But I have this against you: you have let go of the love you had at first.  So remember the high point from which you have fallen. Change your hearts and lives and do the things you did at first.”. (Revelation 2:4-5) These verses convicted me personally because since I’ve been a Christ follower for a long time. I know how easy it is to get distracted and forget how much God has done for me, how much I have been forgiven, and how I much I need Him every single day. It’s easy to get caught in doing work for Jesus that we forget to spend time with Jesus. We must ask ourselves, am I spending as much time with Jesus as scrolling social media, binge-watching Netflix, working, exercising, or volunteering at church? We “hang out” (remain) with Jesus much the same way we would with family and friends. We make intentional time, schedule coffee or lunch dates, we go for walks, or simply sit and talk. Why not try doing those things with Jesus?

3) What does fear have to do with love? (verse 18)
When we speak of God’s love, fear (the kind that’s terrified of punishment) should have absolutely nothing to do with our description of Him. As children, we perhaps learned to be afraid of punishment either for actual wrongdoing, or because a parent wasn’t equipped with the tools to love us well. The enemy can use fear to twist our perception of God and His true character. We forget that God is love and there is no reason to be afraid of God once we have entrusted ourselves entirely to Him and His enormous, never-ending love. His love is bigger and better than our human love. It forgives sin completely, holds no shame over us, and will absolutely never abandon us. It is pure and undefiled by human emotion and reasoning; His love is perfect. In many ways, especially for us type A people, living under the law seems easier at first blush. We know the rules and what to do if we break one. Easy peasy. Just add the consequence (sacrifice) to your “to do list” and check it off once you’ve completed it. This is also utterly devoid of relationship or the understanding of love. And what happens when the rule-breaking overwhelms our ability to make restitution? Trusting and believing that Jesus paid the price for all of our sin feels much harder! ALL, every single last one of your sins and my sins have been paid off by the God who perfectly loves us and wants a vibrant relationship with us. Even those sins we keep trying to work off are paid in full! Notice the end of verse 18,“the one who fears is not complete in love”. Just like John’s original audience, it takes faith and trust on our part to lean into Love (Jesus), let Him complete us, and walk shame-free!

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Worship VIII Day 13 My Victory

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 2:1-10
Colossians 1:15-23
Romans 7:21-8:3
Romans 8:18-39
2 Corinthians 4:7-9

Worship VIII, Day 13

We’ve all heard evangelists preach truth to the lost,
but have you ever preached truth to yourself?

It may sound odd, but it’s a beneficial practice. Reminding ourselves of the truth of Scripture impacts our real, everyday lives.

For example, His great faithfulness is equally true both in times of devoted worship and as we fold laundry. His plans for our hope and future remain, even as we potty-train our toddlers or wait in the car-rider line.

We’re often encouraged in church, yet promptly deflated as we smack headlong into life. Preaching truth to ourselves helps us remain in the confidence of worship and move forward in strength, rather than living in perpetual frustration. Hymns and worship songs provide excellent material for preaching truth to ourselves, and My Victory by Jimmy Needham is no exception.

“Never turning back to the way things were
I’m stronger now than I was before
I hear the sound that freedom brings
It’s ringing loud
Now I am free to lift my eyes
For grace is alive”

The first stanza prompts a glance over our shoulders, recalling life when Christ found us. As I remember from what He’s saved me, I rejoice! My empty life was suddenly infused with the breath of God. What was dead, is now alive!

“You are the hope that broke the dark in me
You are the light that shines when I can’t see
You are, You are, my victory”

Because Jesus is God in human form,
our divine Redeemer,
our death-conquering,
resurrected and ascended King,
He is the only one truly qualified to be our living hope.

Through His death and resurrection, Jesus purchased an all-access pass to the resources we need for a fruitful life in Christ. As believers, we have access to an arsenal of truth, a “truth trifecta,” we can use to fight lies in Jesus’ name. This truth trifecta is Scripture, prayer, and the indwelling Holy Spirit. 

Scripture is our “light when we can’t see,” our battle-sword, and our bedrock of truth. Therefore, Scripture’s words about God’s character, our sinfulness, His grace, and our victory in Christ are absolutely true, regardless of our feelings. Standing upon Scripture is standing upon truth. It is bedrock, especially in the heat of battle.

The Holy Spirit serves as our internal compass and intercessor. Because the Holy Spirit connects us to the same power-source that resurrected Christ, we’re empowered to live fruitful, flourishing lives in enemy territory.

Through the phenomenon of prayer, redeemed humans can enjoy free-flowing communication with God. For example, the psalms illustrate raw, unfiltered conversations with God; the writer is often an open book. Because the astounding privilege of being known and loved by The Ancient of Days is our reality, our deepest heart-cries and most treasured dreams are His immediate concern.

“My weakness Yours, Your mercy mine
My God, You’re not the leaving kind
I sing the song that freedom brings
It’s ringing loud
Now I am free to lift my eyes
My God is alive”

Here, we’re reminded of the paradoxes within Christianity. In our weakness, we are strong. Because we surrender our weakness to Him and in turn, are suffused with His strength. Instead of abandoning us to our sin, He redeems us, bestows riches upon us, and fights for us.

I know this is true, because for years He fought for me, empowering me in my weakness. Preaching Scriptural truth to myself, praying like an open book, and drawing strength from His Spirit sustained me as weighty circumstances threatened to crush me.

My preemie twins needed a skilled, compassionate mother; it was a rewarding yet exhausting and thankless task.

Matthew’s special needs intensified my load and isolation. His medical needs steadily increased, along with his seizures.

My solid (but previously untested) faith was called into action. Throughout our struggles, truth was my ever-present companion, and preaching it to myself, through tears of desperation, became my means of survival. Prayer became my lifeline, often resembling a signal flare launched into the darkness. Truth was my bedrock, prayer sustained me, and the Holy Spirit empowered me to care for my boys well in Jesus’ name.

“In times of trouble
When I’m not able
You are, my God, You are
My chains are broken
Your gates are open
Hallelujah”

How easily we can identify with Needham’s words! A quick scroll on social media screams of a world is in chaos. Covid19, political vitriol, and the “Cancel Culture” exasperate and disorient us.

Yet, He remains our foundation. When Matthew died, I stared numbly into his casket and was engulfed in a swirling fog of grief; yet He shared my burden, lifting my tear-stained face toward eternity and the temporary nature of my affliction.

The truth of Scripture stabilized me throughout my care-giving years and in my grief. For truth remains, no matter the circumstances; what is true in the sunlight is equally true in the pouring rain.

His Spirit gave me steely fortitude in heartbreaking circumstances; His Word and His Spirit spoke of eternity and our blessed hope.  Though we now dwell in enemy territory, building outposts of truth in occupied land, we know how this story ends. Jesus wins! Therefore, “we sing it out, we sing it loud! He is our victory!”

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The GT Weekend! ~ Worship VII Week 3

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) “He Will Hold Me Fast” has been a theme song for me through the last few months as we have experienced uncertainty surrounding stay-at-home orders, political and social unrest, and even natural disasters which have shaken our world. The reminder that Christ will hold me fast is a blessing and a comfort to my weary soul. I don’t need to strive or work harder to be safe, because the God of creation is my safety. Consider setting aside some time this week to go for a quiet walk and reflect on what God is doing in your life right now. How is He holding you fast? Listen to this song before you go, and then leave the distractions behind. As you walk, talk to God specifically about the ways you have seen Him work, the ways you have hoped in Him, and the ways you continue to trust Him. You could even write down a few Scriptures beforehand to take with you and refer to as you walk so you can pray them back to Him.

2) What a profound and stirring truth we read in this Journey! The God of the Universe stepped down from Heaven while we were yet sinners, with not one good deed to our credit, and gave His life so we could be justified to Him. We have the opportunity to be saved from a life of sin and death and utter darkness, and to be brought into true unity and love with the only wise and good God. Because of the work Jesus did, your sins can be erased. Have you accepted God’s free gift of salvation? If not, what is holding you back? Stop here and write down your objections. Then go to a Christian friend or pastor and ask them your questions. Don’t let anything hold you back from the Good New of Jesus. If you have believed, are you faithfully walking in the freedom of your calling? Are you living as a victorious child of the King? Or are you continuing to enjoy the sins of the flesh? Beloved, Jesus died so you could live as a wholly authentic human. You do not need to carry the burdens of your sins any longer. Name your burdens and lay them down at the foot of the cross. Ask the Lord to carry them far from you. Remember, His work is what makes you free!

3) Amazing Grace is a well-known and well-loved hymn, not only in the church, but also in the culture at large. Something about the reminder of God’s grace poured out on sinners, bringing light to our eyes, and helping us find our way, strikes deep in the hearts of men and women. John Newton was not a perfect man, and he was well aware of this fact. It may seem harsh to call oneself a wretch, but surely we know without Christ, we have no good thing to offer. Have you ever considered where you would be today without the amazing grace of Jesus? While it is not healthy to wallow in self-doubt and pity, it can be good to consider what God has saved us from. Consider the trajectory of your life before you knew Christ. Even if you were saved at a young age, you know your sinful tendencies. Consider how those would play out un-checked by the Spirit. Write down a possible scenario of what your life would be like, had He not intervened. Spend time thanking God and worshiping Him for His great work in your life.

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Lamentations 3:22-24 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great it your faithfulness! I say, “The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him.”

Prayer Journal
Great and merciful God, Your abundant love for me has drawn me to my knees. You were brought low that I may have life in You. Jesus, You allowed men to treat You shamefully and brutally murder You so I may have life to the full through Your victory. I did not, nor do I, deserve Your compassion, but You have lavished it upon me continuously. Help me to never forget the depths of Your great love. I confess I have sinned against You. I have taken for granted Your precious gift of life and have chosen to go my own way. Cause me to hate my sin. Help me to take up my cross, die to myself, and follow You daily. Thank You for Your forgiveness and Your never-ending mercy. Show me how I can reflect Your goodness to the people around me. Make me aware of the needs of my community and shape my heart to value sacrificial service over pleasant comfort. May I abide in You, remembering You have prepared good works for me to do so that I may walk in them. I know following You requires discipline, and You give strength to Your servants. Thank You for Your marvelous work of transformation in my life.

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Worship VII Day 15 What’s So Amazing About Grace?

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 2:1-9
Lamentations 3:22-24
Titus 2:11-14
2 Timothy 1:9-10
Revelation 20:4-6

Worship VII, Day 15

We often think of those who write hymns, especially famous ones, as being faultless. Yet, each writer was human, and therefore deeply flawed, none more so than John Newton, author of “Amazing Grace.”

John Newton’s mother was a believer and instilled learning Scripture in John as a young boy. Motherless at 7, he joined his father, a ship captain, at sea for several voyages. As a young teen, he often found himself in trouble aboardship, and eventually, a moment of free time away from the ship put him into the path of a press gang. John was kidnapped to serve in the British Navy for several years, but all the hard work requirements didn’t stop him from creating havoc aboard the ships.

“Amazing grace,
How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now I am found,
Was blind, but now I see.”

Ephesians 2:8-9 reminds us the grace and salvation John Newton wrote about do not come at our own hand. Instead, like the apostle Paul, we can only see the truth of our sin and God’s grace when the scales fall from our eyes. Paul’s temporary blindness was physical, but it also represented his spiritual blindness to Who God truly was. We, like Saul, are blinded to Who He is, and to the ugliness of our sin, when we are mired in our self-serving sin and lifestyles dishonoring to God.

When John was free from the Navy, he was given the opportunity to assist a plantation owner and slave trader on an island off the African coast. Though slave trading was a legal business and he had success, John discovered himself chained in spiritual bondage, just as the slaves he traded were locked in physical chains.

“’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.”

Rescued from life on the island, John joined another trade vessel. A fierce storm arose, causing the ship to take on water and begin falling apart. After helping to bail water, he was assigned to the helm. It was in this moment, facing almost certain death, John remembered the faith of his upbringing and started praying.

Three hours later, the storm abated. John spent several more hours at the helm, giving him plenty of time to pray and reflect on his life. He began to realize God was very real and did, indeed, still hold him. Titus 2:11-13 aptly describes the call of God, which settled on John’s spirit, although he did not yet fully grasp it yet:

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

“Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come,
‘Tis grace has brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home.”

Eventually, John became captain of his own vessel, making several voyages to Africa and back. Over the course of these trips, he made time for prayer and devotions with his crew. Before one trip, John was overcome with a fever and forced to remain behind; later, tragic news came that the ship sank. Once again, he was reminded of God’s divine protection over his life.

John retired as captain and eventually chose to go into ministry. He became active in the abolitionist movement, denouncing, and working to end, slave trade. God had continued to make John’s heart new and increasingly more like Christ’s!

“The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures,
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.”

As he penned these verses, John put into his own words the declarations of God’s faithfulness found in Psalm 28:7, Psalm 91:4, and Lamentations 3:22-24.

“Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.”

John spent many years writing sermons and poems, often collaborating with fellow poet William Cowper. “Amazing Grace” is one of the many poems produced by Newton. His past became the focus of many of the verses, but he concluded this famous work with his gaze fixed on eternity:

“When we’ve been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’ve first begun.”

Grace was the theme of a wretched man like John, who gave himself over again and again to the Amazing God who died to free him from his chains of slavery to sin. Our sin gives us each the moniker “wretch,” and yet, when we turn to Him in repentance, even the most wretched heart is transformed by His amazing grace! Come, be amazed at the gracious kindness of a God who sacrificed Himself for you!

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

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Blessed Day 8 Blessed Are The Merciful

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 30:18-19
Matthew 9:18-22
Matthew 5:3-10
1 John 1:5-10

Blessed, Day 8

She could feel the atmosphere of the group change. The crowd drew closer to the street and the volume began to swell. He was coming closer.

Jesus, the one who had brought healing to so many, was coming. She joined the crush of people as they drew closer to where He would be crossing in front of them. Maybe, just maybe, I can reach out as He passes by. Maybe just touching the hem of His garment will bring healing.             

Desperation spurred her on. Twelve years of questions as the blood refused to stop. Years of being called unclean and hope dwindling with each attempt to find healing. She surged forward, ducking under arms and dodging feet, defying all social norms. She reached the edge of the crowd just as Jesus crossed before her.

The force of the crowd pushed her closer and enabled her fingers to graze His garment. He immediately stopped and turned to look behind Him. His eyes caught hers and held her attention. She sensed He knew her thoughts, yet no fear washed over her.

“Have courage, daughter. Your faith has saved you.” (Matthew 9:22)

The compassion in His eyes, and the loving tone of His words, felt like a compilation of all the love and inclusion she had missed out on for the last twelve years. She felt her chin rising as her confidence grew. Everything had changed. Time would prove all the changes, but she knew this encounter with Christ would forever be with her.

This is all Scripture shares of her story. Back then, there were no reality shows to visit the woman a year later to learn all about her new life. However, the lack of information challenges and encourages me more than knowing every detail of her transformation. Instead of focusing on the outcome, we set our eyes and hearts on her encounter with Christ.

In Matthew 5, Jesus declared the merciful are blessed, for they will be shown mercy. In verse 7, the Greek word for “mercy” is eleos, which emphasizes a deep, gut-level response to someone’s suffering, even beyond compassion. On the flip side, a person with a cry for this level of mercy is one who recognizes her complete incapability to help herself.

The story in the Word of the woman with the blood issue is a perfect example of giving and receiving eleos, mercy.

The suffering woman’s desperation for healing must have been incredible. The combination of hope for healing through Jesus mixed with the panic of what might happen if the opportunity was lost created a desperation cocktail that would have left others frozen in fear.

Yet, she moved forward with courageous faith and complete awareness of her need. Jesus was her last and only hope. In the end, she received mercy and healing.

In healing this woman, Jesus demonstrated how to pour out mercy. True eleos mercy is sourced from heart depths, not just head strength. It is empathy, not sympathy.

When Jesus healed the woman, it was not because she had anything to offer Him in return. Therefore, this was not a business transaction.

The woman did not formally ask for healing or present any logical arguments as to why she should receive healing and mercy, so this was not an intellectual interaction.

No, this was the Lord responding with intense compassion for this woman. This short encounter carried with it a depth of heart, which is the foundation of the mercy referenced in the Beatitudes. The original Greek word for “mercy” describes this deep level of heart response.

Does anyone else yearn for this level of mercy from the Lord, while also feeling overwhelmed by our complete incapability to pour out this mercy on others without His help? The source of this spirit-deep, gut-wrenching mercy, whether for ourselves or extended to others, is God alone.

Lord, today I humble myself before You. I cannot earn Your mercy. I cannot manipulate a response from You. Forgive me for the times I have approached You with wrong mindsets, Lord. 

Only You can bring my healing. Regardless of my current need, only You can make me whole. Abba, I cry out to You today with surrender, leaving the outcome of this prayer and Your method and timing of response in Your hands. You know what saving me looks like in this moment, and a year from now. 

Lord, teach me how to receive Your mercy in my desperation and create in me a heart longing to share the same mercy I have received. May I become a vessel through which You answer others’ cries for mercy. Attune my heart to sense Your compassion for those around me. 

Thank You for knowing the beginning from the end and for loving me from the depths of Your heart. May You be glorified, Lord.
Amen.

So let it be.

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Sola Day 8 Sola Fide

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 53
Isaiah 64:1-6
Romans 3:20-28
Galatians 2:11-21
Ephesians 2:1-10

Sola, Day 8

I grew up Catholic. Though I visited churches of other denominations, I was steeped in Catholic doctrine. I learned Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I knew this basic belief was required to get into heaven.

But, as I got older, other Catholic doctrine didn’t make sense to me. My problem-solving bent kept me from reconciling what I knew to be true from the Bible with some of the teachings from the church. As a result, I left the denomination as a young adult.

My turning point happened in a high school World History class, of all places. We talked about the Roman Catholic Church and the idea of “indulgences.” And they made no sense to me. 

You might be wondering what an indulgence is. The “official” definition is “a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven.”

In plain talk, an indulgence is work a person does to take away her earthly punishment for her sin. Upon its completion, a person owes no debt to the Church for sinning against God. She has paid the cost to satisfy God’s justice.

Indulgences were tied to the doctrine of purgatory. According to the Catholic church, purgatory is the place our souls go to suffer and make atonement for sins before going to heaven.

Even as I type these words, I think of Jesus and the cross.

Isaiah 53:5 says of Jesus,
“But He was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities;
punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds.”

Jesus paid it all for us.

Furthermore, we can also look at Isaiah 53:11:
“After His anguish, He will see light and be satisfied.
By His knowledge, my righteous servant will justify many,
and He will carry their iniquities.”

If Jesus carries our iniquities, what more could we do?
If we could earn forgiveness for our sin, why did Christ die?

Our faith in God and in the finished work of Jesus saves us.

Nothing about our unredeemed selves is good or righteous in comparison to God.
Isaiah 64:6 tells us, “all our righteous acts are like a polluted garment.”

How then can an indulgence make us more righteous before God? Simply, it cannot.
John 14:6 declares Jesus is the only way to righteousness and eternity with God.

If we believe there is something we can add to Jesus’ finished work on the cross, then what do we do with John 3:16?
“For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. “ 

In the time of Pope Innocent III, people could pay for indulgences. In fact, sometimes the government would give them out. If citizens could not do what the indulgence required, they would donate money, pay for buildings, etc.

If we follow the logic of indulgences, the rich were able to buy their way into redemption before God. More indulgences, more righteousness.

But Romans 3:20-27 disputes this false logic. Instead, Paul teaches these truths:

  •     No one is justified by works
  •     Righteousness comes only through faith in Jesus Christ
  •     There is no distinction among people because we are all sinners
  •     We are justified freely by God’s grace
  •     No one can boast because of works

And Romans 3:28 sums it all up:
“For we conclude that a person is justified by faith
apart from the works of the law.” 

In other words, justification is given to us
through faith
not earned by us
through works.

No wonder Martin Luther had a problem with indulgences! Luther came to believe in justification by faith alone. His 95 Theses were based on his disagreement with the notion we can be justified by any means other than faith in Christ.

And I agree with Him wholeheartedly. If we are to live according to the Word of God, then we are called to embrace justification through faith alone with gratitude and confidence.

We can build our walk with the Lord on verses like Ephesians 2:8, which says,
“For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves;
it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast.”

Glory belongs to God. If we could create our own righteousness, the glory would be ours. But the Bible teaches there has been only one human who could claim glory.

Jesus, because He was fully God and fully man.

He alone is the radiance of God’s glory and the source of our purification from sins. (Hebrews 1:3)

It is so important, friends, to understand our position in relation to God and His Son, Jesus.
Jesus is the only Savior. (Isaiah 43:11)
We can never save ourselves.

And I am grateful the burden of justification has already been carried. The battle to defeat the power of sin has already been won. Let us lay aside our attempts to earn salvation, instead always grounding ourselves and finding rest in the finished work of the cross.

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