Our Role in Furthering God's Kingdom

I recently read Acts chapter three, and was moved to consider the role we play in the furtherance of God’s Kingdom in the world. I was humbled and convicted when I was reminded that it is not by our goodness or our power that we advance God’s Kingdom.

In Acts chapter three Peter and John heal a lame beggar sitting outside the Temple. The beggar, easily recognizable to those around because daily he sat outside and asked for alms, began clinging to Peter and John. Once the crowd realized that Peter and John had healed him, they began to gather in wonder. It is Peter’s response that moved my heart:

“Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.” - Acts 3:12-16

It is not by our own power or piety that we do anything in God’s Kingdom. It is only in his name – by faith in his name – that we do anything. Praise Jesus that he grants us the privilege of the empowering work of the Holy Spirit. And that threw the name of Jesus; we can have any ministry at all.

Racism: Evidence of Human Depravity

I recently went to a training seminar through my employer for anti-racism, and experienced a range of emotions. In anticipation for this training I was not excited. Based on previous experiences with similar topics in a university setting, I have found the discussion to be counter-productive at times. The conversation can at times turn into a blame session, with the dominant race at fault. The result is often times animosity from the under-represented groups towards the dominant group, and draws the emotions of either defensiveness or guilt from the dominant group. These results I don’t find to be helpful, or directed at the true root of the problem.

While in the training I was moved with sorrow when we discussed the atrocities performed by some humans toward others. Those leading the training defined racism as the oppressive acts of the dominant race of a society toward another race, carried out through the institutions set up by the dominant race. This would mean that the act of racism can only be performed by the dominant race in a society. The trainers consider race prejudice to be equivalent of the more commonly held definition of racism as simply “the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races.” Regardless of definition, the truth is that humans (whether the dominant race or not) have continued to perform grievous acts towards others on the basis of race. And not only on the basis of race, but for nearly any difference you can think of; whether those differences are the result of skin color, religion, or something as simple as the neighborhood you were born into.

The evidence of this is seen throughout history in the horrendous acts of mankind. The Crusades beginning in the late 12th Century and lasting for nearly 200 years hold within them some of the worst things done in the name of God. As we continue through time we see things like the slavery of Africans by Americans and Europeans, which we are still witnessing the effects of in our country. In the early 1900s the world fought off the tyranny of multiple leaders resulting in two World Wars. The second of which contained within it the unthinkable acts of the Holocaust. Many would argue that through education we can move beyond the oppressive acts of one human toward another, but it is yet to be seen in the happenings around the world. As recently as the 1970s the world witnessed another massacre of a people group in Cambodia by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. Presently we are still dealing with the conflict in Darfur, and it does not appear that the injustices of humanity are coming to an end soon.

When such horrible things happen, people often want to find someone to blame. The reality is that everyone is to blame, and no one is excused from being part of the problem. Even when we harbor the smallest amount of anger towards another, we are guilty of the same basic act as those who have committed these horrible acts. Jesus says in Matthew 5:21-22, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘you shall not murder: and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment”. The sins of both murder and anger receive the same penalty, and are evidence of the same heart.

Racism is one of many manifestations of the sinful and selfish actions of one person toward another, and is further evidence of human depravity. In Romans chapter 3 the Apostle Paul clearly explains that no one has done right in the eyes of God. “None is righteous, no, not one: no one understands, no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” Racism is not the fault of one race or people group, it is the evidence of sin in our lives and displays the truth of human depravity.

The remedy for the sin of racism and any other sin is not educating people more, or creating better governance to remove the threat. It is simply the grace of God, given through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, we can not only be saved from the wrath of God against sin through Jesus Christ, but empowered to begin the sanctifying process of removing sin from our lives and walking in the newness of life; becoming imitators of God, as beloved children, walking in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. (Ephesians 5:1-2)

The answer to racism is not to hold resentment, or cling to a prideful heart. Rather, in humility, we are to admit that in our weakness we cannot overcome sin, and submit to the empowering work of grace offered through Christ’s blood.

The Cost of Grace

In grace we find the freedom and power to overcome sin, through the death of Jesus and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

Far too often we think of grace as being cheap, and easy to acquire. When faced with sin, we sometimes justify it by telling ourselves, “I have received grace, and even if I sin this ‘one’ time, in the end I still have my salvation.” This is not a new concept, for as we see in the letter from Paul to the Romans written nearly 2,000 years ago, he addresses this issue. Anticipating the question that would come, Paul writes, “What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!” (Romans 6:15) We often cheapen the grace we have received, but seldom do we remember what it cost.

In addition, we sell this “cheap grace” off to other people, in an effort to convince them to commit their lives to Christ. We tell others that through Jesus you can be redeemed of your sins (which is true), but we reduce the great cost that was spent to purchase the souls of men. A quick side note - I do not want this reproof, of both myself and whoever reads, to lessen the amount we share the good news of Jesus Christ. On the contrary, my prayer is that as we understand the great cost of the grace we have received, we would be all the more prone to share it with others.

Pastor Timothy Keller, of Presbyterian Redeemer Church in New York, often discusses this “costly grace” we have received. If you would like to listen to him expand it further, listen to the discussion he has with D.A. Carson and John Piper on youtube, titled “A Conversation: Tim Keller, John Piper, D.A. Carson.” The three discuss the gospel, and the multiple ways it works in our lives. Keller explains that the grace we have received cost Jesus Christ his life. The very blood of God was shed to purchase our souls. This is not a cheap grace, but a very costly grace. When we recognize the great cost, it significantly increases the witness we have to others, and gives us a more accurate and bold proclamation of the Gospel.

In addition, it transforms the way we deal with sin. When we remember what it took to redeem our souls, we are empowered to conquer sin through the Holy Spirit. “[God has] forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13-14). It was Jesus’ blood that canceled our record of dept, and it was a costly price. The grace we have received, the reality of our forgiveness and the value of Christ’s shed blood empower us to overcome sin. No longer does cheap grace justify our sin. Rather, costly grace conquers our sin.

“As we struggle to put to death our subtle sins, we must always keep in mind this twofold truth: Our sins are forgiven and we are accepted as righteous by God because of both the sinless life and sin-bearing death of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is no greater motivation for dealing with sin in our lives than the realization of these two glorious truths of the gospel.” - Jerry Bridges (Respectable Sins, pg. 48)

My First Blog Post

It is somewhat embarrassing that my first post entry is on January 15, 2009, considering I first created my blogger profile in March of 2007. It has been almost two years since I first thought I might enjoy creating a blog. My motivation to create my profile was to solicit a job. Through my capstone communication class at North Dakota State University, I came into contact with a businessman in the Fargo community who suggested everyone have a website about themselves. I went home that afternoon and created a profile and blog through which I could boast of my accomplishments and the “great” man that I was.

Thus began my short lived blog, which I never posted on, and basically forgot about for almost a year and a half. My former roommate, and best man in my recent wedding, has spent a great deal of time blogging over the past year (you can see his blog at http://ablogcalledthorns.blogspot.com/), which has often caused me to ponder why my blogging career ended almost before it started. Only recently, I believe I have an answer.

When I created a blog solely about myself, I created a blog about a subject not worth any attention. Quite frankly I couldn’t even muster a single post on the subject. Growing as a follower of Jesus, I have become acutely aware of my sinfulness, my pride, and the lack of boasting due my name. At the rate which I have become increasing aware of this, I have also become increasingly thankful for the grace God has given me.

That is why I have deleted my last blog, which was titled after my own name, and created a new blog, entirely dedicated to the grace which God has extended to me, through the blood of Jesus Christ. The grace I have received from God, to atone for my sin through the death of Jesus, is not something I deserved. Even more, it is something I could not have chosen for myself, and for some reason, God has chosen to rescue me from the penalty of sin. Not only has He rescued me from the penalty of sin, but has given me His Holy Spirit, so I no longer need to live under the oppression of sin.

I know that my temptation with this blog will be to make a name for myself, and draw attention to me. I pray that will not be the case. My prayer is that through this blog, the Lord will magnify Himself. And that weaved throughout the future posts would be the overwhelming message of His sufficient grace.

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“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
- 2 Corinthians 12:9-10