Complimentary Story
So, did you examine yourself, from my last month’s article, in the light of the church at Thyatira? If you did I commend you. It can be a painful and very humbling experience when we examine ourselves in the light of any part of God’s Word. We generally discover our continual need of the Savior. When we respond through repentance we are called to set our minds on the things that are taking place where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Quite an elevated position from the world we live in. Colossians 3:1-17.Our goal is to be like Christ, to think like He thinks and to behave as He behaved while on earth. Not because doing so will earn us anything, but because doing so will protect us from evil and set us apart as examples of the hope that God, in Christ, offers our world. There is no one else here on earth to represent Jesus except the ones of us who say we follow Him. So put your earthly nature to death. Sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greediness, which is idolatry. And then rid yourself of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language and lying.
We, as believers, are immersed in a culture that is saturated and characterized by behaviors reflecting the above two Bible references. It is easy for us to fall into the “well, everyone else is doing it,” patterns. Equally as easy is “well I’m not as bad as that person.” Or this one: “I’m just telling them the truth.”
I read articles written by people expressing their opinion in various publications. I read political articles, articles on gender identity, on abortion and pro-life and, in general, the Christian life versus a fallen world. The articles that bother me the most are the ones written by people I know. I expect the non-believer to exaggerate, (lie), use slanderous and angry words to win the argument at all costs (greed). I also am not surprised that the choice of language is degrading and injurious to the character of others, (malice). But I am grieved when a person claiming to be a Christ follower does the same thing. We, as messengers of God, are to have taken off our old self and are to have a new self which is being renewed in knowledge, in the image of its Creator. In this place there is absolute non-discrimination. Christ is all and is in all.
As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, our new selves should be clothed with compassion, (i.e. a gut wrenching concern for others, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience). We are also told to bear with, or endure patiently with each other, forgive all our grievances, forgive the way the Lord has forgiven you. Above all these virtues put on love which binds all the rest of the virtues together in perfect unity. The peace of Jesus Christ should rule our hearts, that is, in our minds and our belief system that runs our behavior.
As Christ followers, we are called to be REALLY different. Set your mind on things that are being discussed in the Throne Room. We are called to be like Christ.
When Jesus came into this world, the leaders of God’s people and most of His people did not recognize Him. Why? The Jewish expectation was for a strong military type leader that would restore the nation of Israel to its historical position of the most powerful nation in the world. No way did they expect their Messiah to ride a donkey, be raised of lowly position, take insults without retaliation, wash feet like a servant or die a criminal’s death. An interesting thought is, if you lived during Jesus’ earthly ministry, would you have recognized Him as the coming Messiah? Would you recognize Him if he came silently today? At Revelation 2:1, Jesus says He walks among the churches. Can you see Him in your church?
We are called to be radically different than the world. If you imitate Jesus you will attain that radical difference. Let me give an example that will provide a how not to and a how to, be radically different...
Recently a religious writer of an article, I read, made reference to “sexual deviants,” naming their personal names, but left readers to debate the topic and thereby somehow discover the truth. The article gave no hope to the people referred to or to the reader. It gave no direction to the many powerful Christian ministries being used by God to reach the LGBTQ people, like www.help4families.com or www.firststone.org Perhaps the writer is unaware of these ministries and just wanted to point out someone’s “deviant” sin. I don’t believe the article would have been a conversation we would hear seated next to Jesus at the right hand of God. Especially in light of the fact that transsexuals are in a group that has a 20 times higher suicide rate than any other people group. I write about this example because I have been called a sexual deviant and a pervert, and left with no hope when a so-called “Christian” counselor with a PhD. told me he wanted nothing to do with me, I was too far gone to be helped. Of course some do these kinds of things in the good “Christian love” intent that telling their truth, at a person, will somehow set someone free. I don’t believe the approach ever works and I am grateful for the second example type person that came into my own life.
1 Peter 2:1 tells us to rid ourselves of all malice, and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander of every kind. At verse 21, we are taught to follow in Christ’s steps. No deceit, that is, insidious or guile words were found in his mouth. That means no sly, cunning or crafty words were used in dealing with others. His accusers hurled insults at Jesus but He did not retaliate. Jesus demonstrated the love we are called to imitate, He didn’t call the sinners names, He entrusted Himself to God and went to the cross to pay for the sinners’ sins so that we all might die to sin and live for righteousness. As believers, we are called to be ambassadors of this great news “that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.” (2 Cor. 5:18).
The following, is a true modern day and powerful example of true Christian love in action and more of an example of a discussion that may be going on with Jesus at the right hand of God.
Tom was a transsexual being pimped in an inner city. Tom’s appearance was very eccentric! As a woman he was tall, big busted, long blonde hair and tattoos all over the place, a so called “sexual deviant.” He had heard the name calling and the admonitions of his destiny in hell, and it had never made him step closer to the voices. On a new street one day something unexpected happened. A pastor was near him in front of a storefront church building. He meaningfully said, “Come on in, you’re welcome here.” Tom looked down at the hooker attire, low top, mini skirt, high heels and the flamboyant tattoos. He looked back up at the pastor and saw him motioning and heard him caringly say, “You don’t have to go clean up! Come on in, you’re welcome and loved here just the way you are!” Wow! I don’t think Tom had ever heard that he was welcome or loved by anyone let alone a “church goer.” That simple demonstration of love and acceptance began the discovery, for Tom, that the pastor was passing on the love he found in God through Jesus. Tom eventually accepted Jesus as his Savior because he felt Jesus’ love and acceptance in the fact that Jesus died for Tom while he was still in his sin. That love was first demonstrated by the pastor who loved Tom unconditionally also while he was still in his sin. God has worked a transformation in Tom’s life. The flamboyant tattoos are still there, his hair is short and his body has been returned to a man’s, as close as one can, but today Tom is completely living for Jesus as he reaches out to transsexuals with the hope found in Christ and he is FULL of HIS love. As all Jesus’ followers should be. Our task as believers in Christ is not to point out a person’s sin, it is to offer the sinner the hope that is only found in Christ, forgiveness and reconciliation to God.
Returning to the Colossians verses we learn that the peace of Christ should rule in our hearts, that is our mind. His Word should dwell in us richly as we admonish, that is, to put that Word into each others’ minds with all wisdom. Sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with GRATITUDE in your hearts to God. And yes, you can do this in any size church, small or enormous — because the Holy Spirit makes the size of the congregation of no importance. Nothing is more heart warming than believers worshiping with gratitude in their hearts. I have experienced this in small settings and with over a million men, worshiping, at Stand in the Gap at the Washington D.C. Mall. The Holy Spirit does not change by either. I heard an interesting statement from the pastor of the church I attend. “If the Holy Spirit had left the Apostles during the time the book of Acts was written, the whole world would have noticed, but if the Holy Spirit left you, would anyone notice?”
When Christ is all and in all we will begin to live a little closer to God’s will for us and then the Holy Spirit can direct our steps to be transformed into the likeness of God’s Son. The great news in all of this is that no matter where you are in life, Jesus loves you right where you are! You could be like Tom and feeling like an outcast because of the depth of your sin or from the jeers of name callers. Jesus will never turn you away, or call you names, ever! He loves you so much that He would rather die for you than go to heaven without you. Or maybe you’re a believer who just isn’t totally transformed into Christ’s likeness yet. You’re not alone, we are all on this journey as we continue to take our thoughts and beliefs captive, then replace our non Biblical beliefs with Biblical and then practice, practice, practice Gods’ Word and yield our will to the Holy Spirit until His Word becomes our way of thinking and behaving.
Lynn Fredrick is the author of Stand Firm. From the Darkness of Pornography and Sexual Sin into the Light of God’s Grace. For a brochure of presentations and workshops go to www.LynnFredrick.com click on “media kit.”
www.LynnFredrick.com
