Interesting Thought

"Christianity has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried." G. K. Chesterton

How To Deal With Our Sinfulness

Romans 8:13, "For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live."

We'll never reach the place where we don't have to contend against the flesh (Indwelling sin). But the life of a Christian should be characterized by an earnest desire and sincere effort to put to death (mortify) the sins of the body.

Although mortification is our responsibility, it can be done only through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. Paul said, "But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live" (Romans 8:13). John Owen wrote, "all other ways of discipline are in vain. All other helps leave us helpless. Mortification is accomplished only 'through the Spirit' . . . no other power can accomplish it."

Although the Scriptures emphasize both human discipline and dependence on the Holy Spirit, we tend to emphasize one to the neglect of the other. To some, it seems more spiritual to "just turn it all over to God" and trust him to do the mortifying. Any mention of our responsibility is dismissed as being only "a work of the flesh."

To other people who stress discipline, it seems more responsible to "just do it." But mortification attempted only by human willpower always ends in self-righteousness or frustration. The more naturally disciplined person tends toward self-righteousness and wonders why everyone else can't be as successful in mortification as he or she is. But all that person has done is exchanged one sin for another. The problem of impure thoughts, for example, is exchanged for pride and self-righteousness. Another person who tries to mortify some particular sin by his or her own willpower fails and becomes frustrated and guilty. So pride or frustration is always the result of attempts to mortify sin that are carried on apart from utter dependence on the Spirit.

My Friend's Testimony

For several summers I had the privilege of helping my friend Kirk Welch with a student ministry in Orange County California. There I became friends with a young man named Aaron. Aaron was very involved in the student ministry and yet was not a Christian. Below is the testimony of what God has recently done in his life that I recommend everyone to read.

Aaron’s Baptism

Yesterday, Monday, August 10^th was Aaron’s baptism. It was an incredible night where Aaron was free to love and be loved by all of us who care for him. The baptismal service began when my father and Aaron got into the pool at the Brookshire's home. Dad said a few words about the symbolism of baptism, how the old person dies and a new person is born into the life of Christ. Then he led us in the chorus, "I have decided to follow Jesus." Aaron gave a simple testimony of the journey he’s been on and how he finally realized God could forgive his sins.

He began his story with the morning after he was arrested.

It was the worse night of my life and of course, I didn’t sleep a wink. During those hours, my emotions were a roller coaster. I was full of shame and fear. I had no idea how long I was going to be there or what was going to happen to me or what emotions my family must be feeling. About six in the morning, the guard came and got me. It wasn’t until they opened the door and saw my Dad in the next room that I realized my father had been there all night, waiting for me. I had no idea what his reaction would be, Would it be anger, disgust, or what? But all my Dad did was reach out for me. I knew at some point we would have to talk about all that had happened but at that moment, when I looked into his eyes, all I saw was love. He was just so glad to see me. To know I was alright. He gave me a big hug and I knew no matter what I’d done, I was his son and he loved me. Later, I realized that if my earthly father could feel this way about me, how much more my heavenly father must love me. And for the first time, I really believed that God would forgive my sins, no matter what. Not because I deserved it, because I didn’t. But because he loved me.

It took me a few weeks before I could really process all this. Like I said, what had kept me from coming to God before was feeling like I really couldn’t be forgiven. Now, what kept me from his was that I would be coming just because I was in trouble. My Dad said, “Aaron, when you’re in the middle of the lake, drowning, you don’t worry about why someone might rescue you. You just scream for help and take it when it comes because if you don’t, you’re going to die.” So I finally, just asked God to help me and he did. And that's when I began this journey with him. God didn’t want me to do the things I did so he could rescue me--the choices I made got me into trouble, but God was waiting for me to call on him and I finally did.

He’s forgiven all my sins and given me a new life. It’s changed everything. Before, I thought I was such a wretched sinner that God could never forgive me. Now, I still know I’m a wretched sinner, but one who is loved by God and forgiven because God’s forgiveness is not based on my righteousness, but on his mercy and his grace.

On Friday, I’m about to start a new journey. Of course, I wish I didn’t have to go to prison but (and I know this sounds weird) there’s a part of me that’s excited about it. That emotion can only come from God because it certainly isn’t something I would normally feel. I don’t know what is going to happen but God is going to be with me there I have no idea what the future holds. I don’t know where this journey is going to lead but I want to be obedient and serve God wherever I am. I am just so grateful for what he’s done in my life and I’m sure he’s going to use everything I’ve been through and everything I’m going to experience to bring me closer to him and bring glory to his name. God’s love and grace has been so amazing that I know I can trust him in the months ahead and for the rest of my life.

Aaron stood tall yet humbled. Then my father said, “Aaron, upon your confession of faith, I now baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Aaron went under the water and we all clapped and rejoiced as he came up. At Aaron’s request, we then sang the first verse of Amazing Grace.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost, but now I’m found

Was blind but now I see…

I will never forget how Aaron looked. His eyes were closed. He was smiling, singing quietly with a look of total peace on his face. At that moment, it was just Aaron and the Lord. And that is the memory I will take from the baptism.

My grandparents often sang an old gospel song, “Precious Memories.” I think about that as I add Aaron’s baptism to that list. Each generation is called to create spiritual landmarks for our children to draw upon on in the years to come. We are to build altars marking significant spiritual events in our lives. To take the pain of life, acknowledge God’s sovereignty, make a choice to trust God and build an altar (memory) that will be told as part of our family history.

Joshua 4:5-7 says God commanded the leader of each of the 12 tribes to bring a stone from the Jordan River as they crossed over on dry land to build an altar once they got to the other side. “That this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, “What do these stones mean to you?” Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan…And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.”

Building an altar requires a public statement. (We should probably be more diligent about marking significant spiritual events in a concrete way. I’ll have to think about what we could do for this one.) In spirit, my generation has been faithful to do this. Now with Aaron’s testimony and baptism, the torch has passed to the next. By publically sharing his story, he is the first of his generation to stand before our family and lead us in worship and thanksgiving in the midst of incredible personal struggle and sorrow. I’m not just proud of him, I’m grateful.

The word the Lord gave to me about Aaron the day that he gave his life to Christ was that Aaron’s legacy would not be one of shame, but of redemption. The work of redemption has begun. And those of us who were with Aaron at his baptism… his parents, sister, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends…were given the precious privilege of both witnessing and experiencing what Aaron has proclaimed…the grace of God.