You may want to read Part 1 first...
These verses tell it best from Galatians 3, starting in verse 10... “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” 11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” 12 Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”
I had fallen under a curse because I believed I had to “keep the law” of requirements that God had given to Moses. Did I think I was meant to keep all of them? No, that would be silly. My religion taught me that just some of them needed to be kept. This went against scripture however. “The man who does them shall live by them.“ If I was going to live by some of the Law then I was going to have to keep all of the Law according to Deuteronomy 17:19: “…that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes…” (my emphasis). And if I didn’t keep them all, I could condemn myself by reading James 2:10... “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” I put myself under the curse without even knowing it.
How was I to live my life then? There had to be a solution to this seeming setup from God. He told me that I was to live according to the Law and then I was almost destroyed in trying to do it. Did He really tell me to live according to the Law?
After a search and many months later, I came to the understand that Jesus had finished the law and all its requirements at Calvary. This understanding began to transform me from the inside out. It was like a light went on inside. Jesus had taken the curse for me so that the blessing of Abraham might come through Christ. The same righteousness that Abraham received from God has been given to me through Christ. Right standing with God has been accomplished. It's finished. Not by me, but by Christ. And not just for me, but for all mankind. This is the Gospel message that people need to hear.
God is not looking for my obedience any longer. He knows my weak humanity. He understood from the beginning that man would never be able to make himself right before a holy God by keeping commandments. Because of God’s plan of redemption, He now sees me perfect in Christ. And so it is with anyone else who breathes air. When we recognize that Jesus did it all, we begin to walk by faith and not by sight. We begin to live a saved life.
I now live my life by faith not by laws. Living by laws cursed me, pushing my heart and mind into an unhealthy state. A walk of faith cannot be mixed with laws. Laws bring death. Preachers of the Law are reenacting the ancient Egyptian practice of mummification!
“[It is He] Who has qualified us [making us to be fit and worthy and sufficient] as ministers and dispensers of a new covenant [of salvation through Christ], not [ministers] of the letter (of legally written code) but of the Spirit; for the code [of the Law] kills, but the [Holy] Spirit makes alive.” (II Corinth. 3:6 Amplified)
The clincher is this. I'm no longer obligated to behave a certain way in order to please God. There's nothing I can do to displease Him. I'm dead. Why would I want to return to cause and effect life? It's a lose lose situation. I won't do it because...
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." Galatians 2:20-21 (KJV)
Friday, October 17, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Mummification - Part 1
I’m going to make an attempt to describe what happened to me emotionally and mentally over the past 30+ years. I used the word “mummify” in a conversation with my husband recently. It seemed to identify so succinctly what religion had produced in my life.
I used to believe that God was displeased with me whenever my behavior fell below an unseen line of acceptability. In the same manner I thought that God was pleased when I measured up to His standards put forth in the Bible. I would feel guilty or ashamed when I failed. Conversely, I would feel pretty good about myself when I succeeded. Not only did God have these standards for me to keep but I also had to keep a posture with the church people that indicated I had my act together. I had to act right for God and them too.
This created a false me. It created responses that were not true to my heart. I felt condemned at times and didn’t think highly of my ability to carry through on some of the behavioral requirements for a good Christian. When I did achieve it caused a “good for me” attitude, which also was not my true self. Over time, layer upon layer of fakery smothered my soul.
This is much like what happens to a mummy. The mummification process in ancient Egypt was the way a deceased person’s body was embalmed and wrapped. The abdomen cavity was emptied and dried. The organs, which had been removed, were also dried and put back into the body. Even the cloths used in the drying process were put inside to make the body look like its normal proportions. The outside was prepared with oils to keep the skin elastic. A final application of good smelling oil was made just prior to wrapping.
The wrapping process began with the head and neck. Then the fingers, toes, arms, and legs were wrapped. Between each layer trinkets or charms were placed to protect the dead person from evil spells or actions. A priest read spells out loud while the body was being wrapped. These spells were to ward off evil spirits and to help the deceased pass to the afterlife.
When the wrapping was complete, the body was placed inside a coffin and that coffin inside another coffin. The ancient Egyptians believed that the deceased must then pass through the underworld on its way to the afterlife. There his heart was to be judged by his good deeds on earth. If his heart was found to be pure he would live for all eternity in the beautiful “Field of Reeds”.
After years of guilt, shame, fear, and false security, I lost my ability to think and feel in healthy ways. I lived my life thinking that my feelings were not important. My opinions about how things were to be done also were not important. Emotionally and mentally I shrunk. My strength of mind and heart diminished.
It seemed that God had checked out of the process also. This happened gradually. It wasn’t like I woke up one day and thought that God had disappeared. I simply was not aware of what had happened to me over time. I knew that I wasn’t happy and that my life was empty. Any evidence of spiritual fruit was nonexistent. At least that was my perception. I had unknowingly declared fruit bankruptcy and stopped trying to please God. About this same time I got slammed into a wall.
This “wall” incident was the end of the road to my Law keeping ways. Why do I say Law keeping? I thought my behavior mattered to God. I thought that he would not and could not accept me unless I acted in the right, good Christian way. This meant being filled with the Spirit and having all the right fruit flowing out of me. I believed in cause and effect religion. If I didn’t perform properly, I was doomed. If I performed right, I’d be blessed and problems would be avoided in life. Obviously this did not work. The wall proved it.
My life was kick started into survival mode. It was the beginning of me recovering my soul. I was right where I needed to be... empty and finished with my ways.
Read Part 2…
I used to believe that God was displeased with me whenever my behavior fell below an unseen line of acceptability. In the same manner I thought that God was pleased when I measured up to His standards put forth in the Bible. I would feel guilty or ashamed when I failed. Conversely, I would feel pretty good about myself when I succeeded. Not only did God have these standards for me to keep but I also had to keep a posture with the church people that indicated I had my act together. I had to act right for God and them too.
This created a false me. It created responses that were not true to my heart. I felt condemned at times and didn’t think highly of my ability to carry through on some of the behavioral requirements for a good Christian. When I did achieve it caused a “good for me” attitude, which also was not my true self. Over time, layer upon layer of fakery smothered my soul.
This is much like what happens to a mummy. The mummification process in ancient Egypt was the way a deceased person’s body was embalmed and wrapped. The abdomen cavity was emptied and dried. The organs, which had been removed, were also dried and put back into the body. Even the cloths used in the drying process were put inside to make the body look like its normal proportions. The outside was prepared with oils to keep the skin elastic. A final application of good smelling oil was made just prior to wrapping.
The wrapping process began with the head and neck. Then the fingers, toes, arms, and legs were wrapped. Between each layer trinkets or charms were placed to protect the dead person from evil spells or actions. A priest read spells out loud while the body was being wrapped. These spells were to ward off evil spirits and to help the deceased pass to the afterlife.
When the wrapping was complete, the body was placed inside a coffin and that coffin inside another coffin. The ancient Egyptians believed that the deceased must then pass through the underworld on its way to the afterlife. There his heart was to be judged by his good deeds on earth. If his heart was found to be pure he would live for all eternity in the beautiful “Field of Reeds”.
After years of guilt, shame, fear, and false security, I lost my ability to think and feel in healthy ways. I lived my life thinking that my feelings were not important. My opinions about how things were to be done also were not important. Emotionally and mentally I shrunk. My strength of mind and heart diminished.
It seemed that God had checked out of the process also. This happened gradually. It wasn’t like I woke up one day and thought that God had disappeared. I simply was not aware of what had happened to me over time. I knew that I wasn’t happy and that my life was empty. Any evidence of spiritual fruit was nonexistent. At least that was my perception. I had unknowingly declared fruit bankruptcy and stopped trying to please God. About this same time I got slammed into a wall.
This “wall” incident was the end of the road to my Law keeping ways. Why do I say Law keeping? I thought my behavior mattered to God. I thought that he would not and could not accept me unless I acted in the right, good Christian way. This meant being filled with the Spirit and having all the right fruit flowing out of me. I believed in cause and effect religion. If I didn’t perform properly, I was doomed. If I performed right, I’d be blessed and problems would be avoided in life. Obviously this did not work. The wall proved it.
My life was kick started into survival mode. It was the beginning of me recovering my soul. I was right where I needed to be... empty and finished with my ways.
Read Part 2…
Friday, October 10, 2008
Scriptures Fulfilled
Recently I received an email that originated from several people who would be considered “modern day prophets“. They were asking for prayer for the current U.S. financial crisis. They said that earlier this year someone had prophesied that the stock market would be running into trouble. They used a scripture verse from the Old Testament to say that the word of the Lord for today was linked to this OT scripture.
In the book of John, Jesus explains what the Scriptures were about. He was speaking to Jews who were looking to kill him. He said in chapter 5, verse 37... “And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. 38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. 39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.”
Jesus was pointing out to these people that their search for eternal life in the scriptures wasn’t working. The scriptures testified of him. The Greek meaning of testify here means “to be a witness”. The scriptures were a testimony of Jesus and pointed to Him.
The eternal life for which they were looking was to be found in Jesus. Continuing in verse 40... “But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. 41 I do not receive honor from men. 42 But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. 43 I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. 44 How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?”
The Jews were “not willing to come to Me“(Jesus). To be clear, Jesus is talking to people who were still under the Old Covenant. They did not honor Jesus nor did they receive him because they did not have the love of God in them. However, it seems that they did receive and honor each other. And because of this Jesus said they couldn’t believe. They were more interested in scratching and patting each other’s backs. They wanted to hear what the next great preacher coming along had to say. But let’s not get sidetracked in that direction.
In verses 45-47 He says… “Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
Jesus said that Moses’ writings were about him. The Jews trusted in Moses but they didn’t believe his writings, therefore they weren’t able to believe Jesus’ words. They were more concerned in keeping the Old Covenant Law.
Transitioning to today, the modern day “prophecy movement” takes great liberty in using Old Testament scripture as if it was directly given to them from God for use. This is troubling. In II Peter 1:19-21 Peter spoke of being with Jesus and he wrote... “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
Peter says that the prophecy spoken by these holy men was confirmed in Jesus. A New Testament search of the word “fulfilled” will produce a long list of verses quoted from the Old Testament and the words “that it might be fulfilled”. Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament. If Jesus fulfilled them, what more needs to be said or done? If Jesus finished the prophecies, and they all pointed to Him, why are there still prophecies spoken today by “prophets” predicting some future event? Is there something He failed to complete? Do we now need to help Jesus finish the work again? This makes no sense to me.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus explained the events that were happening to those present by saying in Matthew 26:56... “But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”
The topper is this. Jesus speaking to His disciples after His resurrection said in Luke 24:44-45... “Then He said to them, ‘These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.’ And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.”
Most of Christianity today is still believing that the Law needs to be obeyed. I think this is incorrect thinking. The Law has been written on our hearts by what Jesus did on the cross (Jeremiah 31:33). Our stony hearts are now fleshly (II Corinthians 3:3). Jesus fulfilled the Law. If we are attempting to be justified in God’s sight by the keeping of the Law then grace will be of no effect. If we attempt to keep even one law, we have fallen from the grace of God. Paul wrote in Galatians 5:4... “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” By our attempts to please God in obeying His commandments, we actually alienate ourselves from God (fall from grace). We deny the Cross of Christ and the fulfillment of all things pertaining to our relationship with God. We have already been placed in right standing through Christ. His righteousness has made us perfect.
In the aforementioned email about the financial crisis, the writers’ intention was to bring relieve to the situation and solution for prosperity. Most of Christianity today is trying to pray away the trials of life that might just be designed by God for our good. We see troubles as negatives to be avoided and prayed out of our lives. This kind of thinking will not move us toward God. It might puff us up if our prayers are answered (and some will seem to be).We may find ourselves disappointed with God when prayers are not answered. We may become disillusioned with God if catastrophe comes upon us (when we thought He should and would keep these things from us). Romans 8:28 comes to mind here… “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Maybe, just maybe, all things means all things, good and bad.
I can do nothing to bring the Will of God to planet Earth. It’s already done. Jesus Christ is the Will of God. He came 2,000 years ago and accomplished what He came to do. So many of my previous beliefs and ideas about God and what He was going to do in the future have been massively replaced by the truth of the Gospel. This has brought such freedom to my soul. I pray that the eyes of your understanding be enlightened too.
“…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:17-23)
“…Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)
In the book of John, Jesus explains what the Scriptures were about. He was speaking to Jews who were looking to kill him. He said in chapter 5, verse 37... “And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. 38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. 39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.”
Jesus was pointing out to these people that their search for eternal life in the scriptures wasn’t working. The scriptures testified of him. The Greek meaning of testify here means “to be a witness”. The scriptures were a testimony of Jesus and pointed to Him.
The eternal life for which they were looking was to be found in Jesus. Continuing in verse 40... “But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. 41 I do not receive honor from men. 42 But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. 43 I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. 44 How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?”
The Jews were “not willing to come to Me“(Jesus). To be clear, Jesus is talking to people who were still under the Old Covenant. They did not honor Jesus nor did they receive him because they did not have the love of God in them. However, it seems that they did receive and honor each other. And because of this Jesus said they couldn’t believe. They were more interested in scratching and patting each other’s backs. They wanted to hear what the next great preacher coming along had to say. But let’s not get sidetracked in that direction.
In verses 45-47 He says… “Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
Jesus said that Moses’ writings were about him. The Jews trusted in Moses but they didn’t believe his writings, therefore they weren’t able to believe Jesus’ words. They were more concerned in keeping the Old Covenant Law.
Transitioning to today, the modern day “prophecy movement” takes great liberty in using Old Testament scripture as if it was directly given to them from God for use. This is troubling. In II Peter 1:19-21 Peter spoke of being with Jesus and he wrote... “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
Peter says that the prophecy spoken by these holy men was confirmed in Jesus. A New Testament search of the word “fulfilled” will produce a long list of verses quoted from the Old Testament and the words “that it might be fulfilled”. Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament. If Jesus fulfilled them, what more needs to be said or done? If Jesus finished the prophecies, and they all pointed to Him, why are there still prophecies spoken today by “prophets” predicting some future event? Is there something He failed to complete? Do we now need to help Jesus finish the work again? This makes no sense to me.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus explained the events that were happening to those present by saying in Matthew 26:56... “But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”
The topper is this. Jesus speaking to His disciples after His resurrection said in Luke 24:44-45... “Then He said to them, ‘These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.’ And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.”
Most of Christianity today is still believing that the Law needs to be obeyed. I think this is incorrect thinking. The Law has been written on our hearts by what Jesus did on the cross (Jeremiah 31:33). Our stony hearts are now fleshly (II Corinthians 3:3). Jesus fulfilled the Law. If we are attempting to be justified in God’s sight by the keeping of the Law then grace will be of no effect. If we attempt to keep even one law, we have fallen from the grace of God. Paul wrote in Galatians 5:4... “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” By our attempts to please God in obeying His commandments, we actually alienate ourselves from God (fall from grace). We deny the Cross of Christ and the fulfillment of all things pertaining to our relationship with God. We have already been placed in right standing through Christ. His righteousness has made us perfect.
In the aforementioned email about the financial crisis, the writers’ intention was to bring relieve to the situation and solution for prosperity. Most of Christianity today is trying to pray away the trials of life that might just be designed by God for our good. We see troubles as negatives to be avoided and prayed out of our lives. This kind of thinking will not move us toward God. It might puff us up if our prayers are answered (and some will seem to be).We may find ourselves disappointed with God when prayers are not answered. We may become disillusioned with God if catastrophe comes upon us (when we thought He should and would keep these things from us). Romans 8:28 comes to mind here… “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Maybe, just maybe, all things means all things, good and bad.
I can do nothing to bring the Will of God to planet Earth. It’s already done. Jesus Christ is the Will of God. He came 2,000 years ago and accomplished what He came to do. So many of my previous beliefs and ideas about God and what He was going to do in the future have been massively replaced by the truth of the Gospel. This has brought such freedom to my soul. I pray that the eyes of your understanding be enlightened too.
“…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:17-23)
“…Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)
Saturday, October 4, 2008
So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore
This is the book that gave me permission to stop going to church. It started the revolution in my mind toward everything “God“. I began to realize it was okay to question everything that I had always considered “right“. Of course, I already strongly felt there was something desperately wrong with the institutional system of Christianity. Reading this book gave me hope that there was a way to live and give God His rightful place, which is simply Him living His life in me.
You can read it here online for free. Download it or read it online.
The authors of the book are Wayne Jacobsen and Dave Coleman, former pastors.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Belief and Believing
Just a few more thoughts on belief and believing. I was listening to an mp3 of Mike Williams of Gospelogic recently and I wrote down a couple of things he said that stood out to me.
He said:
This Gospel of grace and peace has brought freedom to my soul that is growing every day. It continues to amaze me.
He said:
“Belief based in threat is no belief at all.”
“There is no evidence that you are a believer if you believe that the threat of punishment stands from God to you if you don’t believe.”
“Empowerment comes when you realize that you don't have to be a believer and you decide to be one anyway based on the evidence that you have.”
“We are the responders.”
“Jesus redeemed us so that we could become believers. He didn't require belief so that we could be redeemed.”
“It is ludicrous to think that man could validate the work of God and make it verifiable through his own belief.”
“God has got to be God on His own without man's help.”
“There is no evidence that you are a believer if you believe that the threat of punishment stands from God to you if you don’t believe.”
“Empowerment comes when you realize that you don't have to be a believer and you decide to be one anyway based on the evidence that you have.”
“We are the responders.”
“Jesus redeemed us so that we could become believers. He didn't require belief so that we could be redeemed.”
“It is ludicrous to think that man could validate the work of God and make it verifiable through his own belief.”
“God has got to be God on His own without man's help.”
This Gospel of grace and peace has brought freedom to my soul that is growing every day. It continues to amaze me.
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