(Audio/Video/Text Available)
Title: Jack Gestalt and the Pen Cap
Intro:
No Time!
(read/pray)
- What we WERE vs. What we ARE vs. How we WALK
A few weeks ago an old friend reached out to me through tex. He was very frustrated that some of his old habits and addictions seemed to be making a more regular appearance in his life and he was extremely frustrated. (Any of you ever been there? Where something you thought you had victory over, comes roaring back into your life in a particular season and you get frustrated and start to doubt even your own faith?)
In this situation there were things that he and I had worked on and struggled together with and so I asked him a very important question:
Me: Why do you think you failed?
Him: Because I’m a sinful, basic fool.
If you were in my shoes here, what are some things you might respond with?
(take answers)
I knew HOW I responded here was incredibly important because I had to try to do three things:
- Acknowledge the reality of the sin.
- Encourage him.
- Provide hope in TRUTH (not hope in platitudes)
Here is what I said:
No. You are actually NOT a “sinful, basic fool.”
That is what you WERE.
That is also what Satan wants you believe you ARE.
But here is what Scripture says you actually ARE:
John 1:12 ~”Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
Romans 8:28~ “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.“
Ephesians 1:7 ~ “ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.“
John 15:16 ~ “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.“
Romans 6:6~ “ For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.”
For all believers there comes many times in our lives when our “Walk” develops a limp. We walk in a way that is not reflective of what we actually are in Christ.
Satan wants to take those moments and tell us we are not Christ’s.
“See, a Christian would not do THAT!”
It is here where we must remind ourselves, and each other, and Satan: That is not ME! That is me walking incorrectly, and I will repent, and I will walk better!
In essence when a non-believer sins, they are acting correctly. The are acting like what they are.
When a believer sins, they are acting incorrectly. For they are acting like what they USED to be, but absolutely ARE NOT anymore! Amen?
2. What is the the light?
Paul reminds us in verse 9 that The Lights has at least three characteristics to it:
- Goodness (love to others)
- Righteousness (approved by God)
- Truth (consistent with Scripture)
3. The passage hinges on how we translate verse 10
There are some notable differences in the English translations to verse 10 and it’s essential we understand what Paul is saying here in conclusion.
KJV: “Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord”
NKJV: “finding out what is acceptable to the Lord”
NIV: “and find out what pleases the Lord.”
ESV: “and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.”
NASB20: “as you try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.”
(any others)
Greek: “Trying to learn” Dokimazo
Definition: to test, examine, prove, scrutinize (to see whether a thing is genuine or not), as metals, to recognize as genuine after examination, to approve, deem worthy
I think one thing we can all agree on here is that Paul is stressing the concept of discovery. And, how do we often discover the answer to something? By Testing it!
(Ben and the key in VW Rabbit) (Picture of Jick Gestalt)
Christians do the wrong thing, recognize it as wrong, and correct our behavior.
Therefore, the conclusion to the matter is this: When we sin, it is not necessarily an indicator of what we are. It is an indicator of what we’ve done. If we CONTINUE in that walk, we prove what we are.
If we repent and change course we prove what we are not.