The following perspective arises from the blessings I received at the DOXOLOGY retreat this past week.
In any disagreements that take place in the local congregation, each person has two ways of seeing those on the other side of every issue. This is especially true when a person begins using whispering campaigns, force, threats, and intimidation to attain the outcome he or she desires.
When a person uses such methods in a disagreement, what do you see when you look at the one doing such things?
Do you see that person as “stubborn”, “arrogant”, “wrong”, or “hard-headed”?
On the other hand, do you see that person as one who is captive to the power of his/her own sinful pride’s illusions? ... someone captive to the illusions and reasoning of Satan? One does not have to be demon possessed to be deceived by Satan and his wiles.
To see that person apart from the cruel confusing and confounding power of sin and Satan is to see that person with eyes other than those of Jesus Christ. To see them this way, we are left to manage them and the issue ourselves. This being the case, we will have to turn to the same methods that sin and Satan have convinced them to use. Our only hope of winning the issue requires that we use their sinful ways in greater measure and with more cleverness.
To see them as one captive to sin and Satan is to see them as one pinned in a crashed car. So let us consider:
If they wrecked their car, would that keep us from calling 911?
If we caused their car to wreck, would that keep us from calling 911?
If they could not get out of the car, would that keep us from calling 911?
If we could get them out of the car, would that keep us from calling 911?
Of course, the answer to all four is NO!!! Definitely not!!!
We would call 911 because we would want to have those who can – to get to them, free them, and bring the needed aid to their wounds. We would want them to do for them, what we cannot do.
Yet in truth, such is the real spiritual condition of anyone who turns to whispering campaigns, force, threats, and the like. They have crashed their faith on some issue and they are trapped and cannot free themselves.
As with any accident, the first issue cannot be who is right or wrong, or who caused it. The issue must be their injuries and meeting the needs for which their injuries cry out. Only the eyes of mercy can see this.
We can stand around looking at the crash and the person pinned inside, describing them, their driving and even the crash, but to what end? None of this frees them from the crash. None of this brings that aid they need. None of this summons the ones who can get to that person and help them. None of this frees them from their crash.
On the other hand, we can see with the eyes of mercy, and bow to their needs by calling on the Lord Jesus Christ to come and set them free.
Just as none of us can save ourselves from our sin or sustain ourselves in saving faith, neither than can we save those in sin’s crash or sustain them in their journey of faith. He alone came to our crash site. He alone allowed himself to be pinned in the damning crash of our sin, not by us or our sin, but by His own love for us. “… He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed.” Is 53:5.
Christ alone mercifully forgives us so freely that we are saved from the crash and set back again upon the journey of faith and unity with one another.
What we choose to see in others will determine whether we “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ep 4:1-3.
In addition, what we choose to see is always determined by what we believe the Lord sees and does to us, and those that we see: “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.” Psalms 103:10.
What will you choose to see today?
A bunch of selfish, self-serving, stubborn, arrogant and apathetic people?
Or will you choose to see personal crashes of faith in desperate need of someone to call – not 911, but God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, to come in mercy and rescue those who have crashed their faith and been crushed and pinned in sin?
Lord God, heavenly Father, have mercy upon us and give us eyes to see and tongues to call upon You for our deliverance from sin and Satan, and for the same constant deliverance of all those You have given to us at home, at church, at work or wherever we find ourselves. In the blessed name of Christ our Lord. Amen.
- pmwl
In any disagreements that take place in the local congregation, each person has two ways of seeing those on the other side of every issue. This is especially true when a person begins using whispering campaigns, force, threats, and intimidation to attain the outcome he or she desires.
When a person uses such methods in a disagreement, what do you see when you look at the one doing such things?
Do you see that person as “stubborn”, “arrogant”, “wrong”, or “hard-headed”?
On the other hand, do you see that person as one who is captive to the power of his/her own sinful pride’s illusions? ... someone captive to the illusions and reasoning of Satan? One does not have to be demon possessed to be deceived by Satan and his wiles.
To see that person apart from the cruel confusing and confounding power of sin and Satan is to see that person with eyes other than those of Jesus Christ. To see them this way, we are left to manage them and the issue ourselves. This being the case, we will have to turn to the same methods that sin and Satan have convinced them to use. Our only hope of winning the issue requires that we use their sinful ways in greater measure and with more cleverness.
To see them as one captive to sin and Satan is to see them as one pinned in a crashed car. So let us consider:
If they wrecked their car, would that keep us from calling 911?
If we caused their car to wreck, would that keep us from calling 911?
If they could not get out of the car, would that keep us from calling 911?
If we could get them out of the car, would that keep us from calling 911?
Of course, the answer to all four is NO!!! Definitely not!!!
We would call 911 because we would want to have those who can – to get to them, free them, and bring the needed aid to their wounds. We would want them to do for them, what we cannot do.
Yet in truth, such is the real spiritual condition of anyone who turns to whispering campaigns, force, threats, and the like. They have crashed their faith on some issue and they are trapped and cannot free themselves.
As with any accident, the first issue cannot be who is right or wrong, or who caused it. The issue must be their injuries and meeting the needs for which their injuries cry out. Only the eyes of mercy can see this.
We can stand around looking at the crash and the person pinned inside, describing them, their driving and even the crash, but to what end? None of this frees them from the crash. None of this brings that aid they need. None of this summons the ones who can get to that person and help them. None of this frees them from their crash.
On the other hand, we can see with the eyes of mercy, and bow to their needs by calling on the Lord Jesus Christ to come and set them free.
Just as none of us can save ourselves from our sin or sustain ourselves in saving faith, neither than can we save those in sin’s crash or sustain them in their journey of faith. He alone came to our crash site. He alone allowed himself to be pinned in the damning crash of our sin, not by us or our sin, but by His own love for us. “… He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed.” Is 53:5.
Christ alone mercifully forgives us so freely that we are saved from the crash and set back again upon the journey of faith and unity with one another.
What we choose to see in others will determine whether we “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ep 4:1-3.
In addition, what we choose to see is always determined by what we believe the Lord sees and does to us, and those that we see: “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.” Psalms 103:10.
What will you choose to see today?
A bunch of selfish, self-serving, stubborn, arrogant and apathetic people?
Or will you choose to see personal crashes of faith in desperate need of someone to call – not 911, but God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, to come in mercy and rescue those who have crashed their faith and been crushed and pinned in sin?
Lord God, heavenly Father, have mercy upon us and give us eyes to see and tongues to call upon You for our deliverance from sin and Satan, and for the same constant deliverance of all those You have given to us at home, at church, at work or wherever we find ourselves. In the blessed name of Christ our Lord. Amen.
- pmwl
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