As I read Ephesians 2:1-10 this morning, I realize that not everyone is concerned about God, about His Ways, His judgments, His Throne of Grace, or what will happen to us when we die.
My question is, why do some of us concern ourselves with violations of God's plan, while others never give it a thought? Is guilt only for a few, or has it been given to everyone as a warning as they face a Holy God? As I pondered, a scripture floated into my thoughts and I looked it up:
1 Timothy 4:2King James Version (KJV): "Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;"
I wonder if we deliberately sear our consciences or if it all happens naturally?
sear[seer]
VERB (USED WITH OBJECT)
1. to burn or char the surface of: She seared the steak to seal in the juices.
2. to mark with a branding iron.
3. to burn or scorch injuriously or painfully: He seared his hand on a hot steam pipe.
4. to make callous or unfeeling; harden: The hardship of her youth has seared her emotionally.
5. to dry up or wither; parch.
Maybe we make ourselves callous and unfeeling when it comes to what the Bible calls 'sin' so that we don't feel guilt or shame. Or maybe we have so much guilt and shame that we dive into the protection of calloused, unfeeling hearts. Either way, we are unable to acknowledge and agree with God that what we have thought, done or didn't do is in direct violation of Jesus' way of life.
Perhaps we feel we can never measure up, so why try? Sometimes we renounce things as old fashioned or stupid or narrow minded and reject any adherence to the Truth. Not one of us is immune to mistakes, careless words and actions and downright nastiness. Once someone told me, "If we don't open the garbage cans of our lives to God, He will allow someone to tip it over and allow the contents to spill out for all to see." I don't know about you, but I can certainly admit that I have loads of garbage in my background. Things can condemn me that may not seem wrong to you. It is easy to go into self-hatred or living in regret and depression. I can become an object of my own wrath, let alone God's.
As I read the scripture on Ephesians 2:1-10 again, I see that the only way out of a life of regret and shame is by accepting a gift. A gift of faith, a gift of forgiveness, a gift of freedom from guilt. Sounds amazing. Sounds unbelievable.
The thought comes to mind: "But you don't know what I have done! And you don't know what has happened to me." Doesn't matter. Wrongdoing can be as microscopic as taking paper clips home from work and as monumental as murder. To God, they all look the same.
I love the record of Jesus' words in John 6:28-29, (Holman Christian Standard Bible): The people realized that they had no hope of guilt removal and freedom, and they were desperate to have God in their lives, so they pleaded with Jesus: 28 “'What can we do to perform the works of God?'” they asked. 29 Jesus replied, 'This is the work of God—that you believe in the One He has sent.'”
Believe? That's it? Crazy! If I was in charge of bringing wholeness into others' lives, I would certainly require more. They would have to work for it. There would be some 'chain gang' type activities, and then I would have to think about it for a while before forgiving. Gratefully God is in charge, not me.
Today, how about asking yourself, the following:
It seems like whenever I question this subject, the answer is invariably surrender. Surrender to the Truth. Surrender my ideas and thoughts, and look to One who knows how to fix everything. God, rich in mercy, can make us alive when we are dead. He can raise to life any dead area of anyone’s life. There is no stopping Him. And the requirement? Believe.
As you look at Ephesians 2:1-10, you can claim this as your own. You can have freedom from guilt and shame. And it is all a gift. Just believe the One who sent Him.
Made Alive in Christ
Ephesians 2:1-10:
"1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
My question is, why do some of us concern ourselves with violations of God's plan, while others never give it a thought? Is guilt only for a few, or has it been given to everyone as a warning as they face a Holy God? As I pondered, a scripture floated into my thoughts and I looked it up:
1 Timothy 4:2King James Version (KJV): "Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;"
I wonder if we deliberately sear our consciences or if it all happens naturally?
sear[seer]
VERB (USED WITH OBJECT)
1. to burn or char the surface of: She seared the steak to seal in the juices.
2. to mark with a branding iron.
3. to burn or scorch injuriously or painfully: He seared his hand on a hot steam pipe.
4. to make callous or unfeeling; harden: The hardship of her youth has seared her emotionally.
5. to dry up or wither; parch.
Maybe we make ourselves callous and unfeeling when it comes to what the Bible calls 'sin' so that we don't feel guilt or shame. Or maybe we have so much guilt and shame that we dive into the protection of calloused, unfeeling hearts. Either way, we are unable to acknowledge and agree with God that what we have thought, done or didn't do is in direct violation of Jesus' way of life.
Perhaps we feel we can never measure up, so why try? Sometimes we renounce things as old fashioned or stupid or narrow minded and reject any adherence to the Truth. Not one of us is immune to mistakes, careless words and actions and downright nastiness. Once someone told me, "If we don't open the garbage cans of our lives to God, He will allow someone to tip it over and allow the contents to spill out for all to see." I don't know about you, but I can certainly admit that I have loads of garbage in my background. Things can condemn me that may not seem wrong to you. It is easy to go into self-hatred or living in regret and depression. I can become an object of my own wrath, let alone God's.
As I read the scripture on Ephesians 2:1-10 again, I see that the only way out of a life of regret and shame is by accepting a gift. A gift of faith, a gift of forgiveness, a gift of freedom from guilt. Sounds amazing. Sounds unbelievable.
The thought comes to mind: "But you don't know what I have done! And you don't know what has happened to me." Doesn't matter. Wrongdoing can be as microscopic as taking paper clips home from work and as monumental as murder. To God, they all look the same.
I love the record of Jesus' words in John 6:28-29, (Holman Christian Standard Bible): The people realized that they had no hope of guilt removal and freedom, and they were desperate to have God in their lives, so they pleaded with Jesus: 28 “'What can we do to perform the works of God?'” they asked. 29 Jesus replied, 'This is the work of God—that you believe in the One He has sent.'”
Believe? That's it? Crazy! If I was in charge of bringing wholeness into others' lives, I would certainly require more. They would have to work for it. There would be some 'chain gang' type activities, and then I would have to think about it for a while before forgiving. Gratefully God is in charge, not me.
Today, how about asking yourself, the following:
- Have I seared my conscience?
- Am I numb to my own wrongdoing?
- Do I desire wholeness in my life that is up to this point illusive?
- Do I want God in my life?
It seems like whenever I question this subject, the answer is invariably surrender. Surrender to the Truth. Surrender my ideas and thoughts, and look to One who knows how to fix everything. God, rich in mercy, can make us alive when we are dead. He can raise to life any dead area of anyone’s life. There is no stopping Him. And the requirement? Believe.
As you look at Ephesians 2:1-10, you can claim this as your own. You can have freedom from guilt and shame. And it is all a gift. Just believe the One who sent Him.
Made Alive in Christ
Ephesians 2:1-10:
"1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."