Troubled by a confusion of what Jesus 'requires'...


Someone came thru the Tank and made some comments about having NOT been in a relationship with Christ...I took a few minutes and wrote back, and this is how he responded: Thankyou for your responce. I precieve you are a busy man and have better places to serve your time. I know that to serve God is the only wise and true thing to do BUT I do not have the desire. At present I am swamped in my own carnal way. I live in fear that today may be the only chance to repent. Knowing the eternal damnation that waits me. Even though I know what lingers ahead of me I still can not break (or is it will not) my bondage to sin. I simply HAD to write back: "I don't understand...YOU are not supposed to 'break your bondage'--that is HIS job! You are simply to repent ('change your mind') about them--and judge them as evil and worthless and destructive (which it seems you have already done)...you are supposed to simply throw yourself onto the mercy and resources of the powerful Christ, start fixing the 'easy problems', start building an internal and vibrant relationship with Him (through bible reading and prayer), and AVOID LEGALISM!!!

Don't try to do this by 'works' (Eph 2.8-9) or by even 'good rules' :

Gal 3: "I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4 Have you suffered so much for nothing-if it really was for nothing? 5 Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?"


or


Col 2.20: "Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 21 "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? 22 These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.")


Don't make this difficult (because it IS impossible--it can ONLY be done by the God-man Jesus Christ)...your efforts cannot add one whit to His finished work on the Cross...as soon as you start adding 'other things' to simple acceptance and openness to His Majesty and His Majestic work on the Cross, you are entangled in a trap that leads to deepest despair...it is simply trust and acceptance-- Change in our worst behavior sometimes takes a long, long time..."progressive sanctification" IMPLIES that we don't experience perfection at the moment we finally ask Christ to do HIS WORK of acceptance and transformation in our lives... ...Matt 11.28f:

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Doesn't this sound like GOOD news, instead of the "bad news" you seem to be struggling with, friend?!

Think about His words above...'easy' and 'light' and 'rest'...

If your understanding of His invitation involves burden and hardship and heaviness and torturous toil, you need to re-read the above passage over and over and over...until you see how beautifully simple and light His 'demands' are! Do not let anyone (no matter how scholarly or pious or popular) load you down with a burden that no one can bear (cf. Luke 11.46).

Don't let go of this, friend, until you have come up with a solid understanding of what Jesus could have meant by 'easy' and 'light' and 'rest'...think on it until it become clear...

warmly, glenn


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