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Whose Spirit Was Expressed Through You?

4/26/2019

There is a question that Job asks of his friend Bildad that I want to pose for us today. “Whose spirit was expressed through you?” That is a very good question. Let’s take a look at what happened to necessitate Job asking it.

A little background may be helpful. In the book of Job there is a discussion (more like a fight by the end of it) that takes place between job and his friends about suffering and where someone stands with God. Job’s friends had pretty much descended into the view that if you are suffering and having all kinds of problems – you are sinful and that is why. But Job knew that he had not been sinning and turning away from God. To the contrary, Job had been walking with the Lord in such a way that God actually used him as an example of a person who WAS walking with Him.

In the ongoing argument, Bildad speaks some strong words to Job in chapter 25. Here they are.

“Dominion and awe belong to Him
Who establishes peace in His heights.
Is there any number to His troops?
And upon whom does His light not rise?
How then can a man be just with God
Or how can he be clean who is born of woman?
If even the moon has no brightness
And the stars are not pure in His sight,
How much less man, that maggot,
And the son of man, that worm!
Job 25:1-6

When you take a look, away from this context, these things look pretty sound. God does have the dominion – and awe it due to Him. He has the hosts of heaven – the angels who are as numerous as the sand on the seashore. His light is upon all things (He sees everything) and as a result no man can be just or clean before God on the basis of his own works. In comparison to the light of God’s glory shining from within Him as an absolute source, all the burning stars in all the galaxies are like the dark. And in light of the fullness of Who God is – man has no glory except that which God gives him. And man in the depth of his sins – is very maggot and worm like.
But, in light of what his friend Job needed, was Bildad being helpful at all? This is little more than a sanctimonious speech that is spoken far more for Bildad than for Job. It makes Bildad feel good – and right – and somewhat full of himself . . . but it is doing nothing for his friend Job who is hurting terribly.

So Job helps his friend with a little sarcasm.

What a help you are to the weak!
How you have saved the arm without strength!
What counsel you have given to the on without wisdom!
What helpful insight you have abundantly provided!
Job 26:1-3

Sarcasm alert! Bildad’s words have done none of these things! There is a way we can speak that offers very little to those in need – to those who are hurting – to those in pain – to those who seriously need godly counsel and help. Bildad offered truth – because what he said is accurate about God. Dominion – peace – power – unimaginable armies of angels – Omniscient – man, sinful in light of God’s glory. But why has Bildad said these things?

Even the devils know the truth about God – they even tremble. Even the devil himself quoted scripture – but it was used for his own wicked ends – and not as God intended.

We can all sound . . . very sound. But are our words being used to do what God wants – and to say what God wants said in a situation? What SPIRIT is being expressed when we speak. Here is a statement Isaiah prophetically made about what we would see when Jesus came as the Messiah.

“A bruised reed He will not break,
and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish.” Isaiah 42:3

Jesus always spoke the truth. But He did not use the truth to crush or to extinguish people.

There before Him was a woman caught in the very act of adultery.
There before Him was a disgusting, traitorous tax collector.
There before Him were those who were being spiritually bludgeoned with the Law.
There before Him was a man filled with a legion of demons.
There before Him was a criminal who earlier was hurling abuse at Him like everyone else.

What did Jesus do? Did He speak to them the truth – so that they could know just how wrong they were – and to stomp them before His great theological prowess?

One thing to note is that righteousness was upheld in every one of these circumstances. The adulterous woman was told to go and sin no more. The tax collector turned from cheating others and even gave amazing restitution to those he had cheated. The demons were cast out. The criminal was given paradise after he repented of his sin. What is important though is seeing HOW the truth was used in each of these situations. It was used to help. It was used to redeem. It was used to save. It was NOT used to prove the other person wrong.

None of these times did Jesus use the truth to prove His point right – while showing the other person just how very wrong they were! Jesus used the truth indeed to do a cutting – but it was the cutting of surgery – so that there could be healing – not the slicing and dicing of an opponent.

The spirit expressed through us is very important. It can be the difference between healing words, and hurtful words. We need to consider Job’s challenge when we want to speak the truth – without love.

Am I being a help to the weak?
Am I saving one without strength?
Am I giving wise counsel?
Am I speaking helpful insight?

I am a great lover of sound theology! It is very important to have – and we are admonished to hold fast to the truth. But when I turn what I call sound theology into what I will call here, “smashing theology,” I’m not being nearly as sound as I think. Using even good theology to crush and extinguish the dimly burning light of others is not godly. We cannot change what the Bible says – but we sure can speak it with love. How much better they will receive it when we speak it from a heart that is broken – one that even weeps for their current condition.

Truth does not change. Righteousness is what God says it is. But how I use it and whose “spirit” is expressed through me as I share it is something to seriously consider before I open my mouth and speak it. That is never more important than when I am speaking to someone who is in serious pain. Our Lord did not crush a reed that was already broken – and He did not extinguish a dimly burning wick – and we would be wise to follow His example as we speak the truth to those who need to hear it so very much.

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How to Speak Offensive Truth Less Offensively

7/1/2015

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Anyone read facebook lately? Anyone stop reading facebook discussions because of how offensive and incendiary they quickly become? In the aftermath of the United States Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage there have been an avalanche of articles and posts on social media both for and against gay marriage. This was inevitable because people on both sides of this issue are very passionate about what they believe. What does not have to be inevitable is some of the vitriol that begins being exhibited by Christians as things begin to get heated. Whether or not the “they started it first” argument is used or not, as those redeemed by God through Jesus Christ – and – as those who are called to manifest the fruit of the Spirit – we need to learn a very valuable spiritual lesson. We need to learn how to share offensive truth less offensively. Hopefully this article will be helpful in doing so.

First of all – a true confession is in order. I am a recovering offensoholic. In my past I have kind of enjoyed being sarcastic. The ability to slip in truth wrapped in little barbs of sarcasm and veiled insult is a “skill” I am wanting to unlearn as quickly as possible. God is revealing to me that more often than not these verbal darts are not very effective when sharing truths that in themselves are going to be offensive to the person hearing them. The proverb, “you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar,” has sparked repentance for the way I’ve said things more than once. There are times when I finish writing a piece that I have to go through a Holy Spirit edit several times – before I have any peace in posting or sending it. The problem is that in our current situation – barbs and sarcasm will quickly turn what could be a logical, profitable conversation into an all out verbal war. After being nailed by the verbal shrapnel of several of these conversations, I want speak so that if there is a descent into ugliness, it is because of truth shared in love. There is no gain when truth is shared in an effort to win – or to score points with Christians who quickly gather to “my” side. The biblical fact is that God wins in all matters of truth. If I speak His truth with love and a genuine desire to engage in an exchange of ideas, I believe God will use it to do deeper work in people’s lives.

One of the things we must understand is that our culture no longer has any clear authority by which it speaks. Just like in the book of Judges we live in a society where every person is their own authority. Judges 21:24 says, “. . . and everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” That is where we are currently. Therefore we need to grasp that everyone we speak with is an authority unto themselves. Thus when we share the Scriptures, they will not accept them as an authority. Now please understand that God’s Word was, is, and always will be truth. Whether people agree with that or not does not matter – God’s Word is still true. When you try to share this, people will be offended – and often will say things that will be offensive to you. We will be accused of being someone who does not think, someone who holds to antiquated ideas, someone who is brainwashed, or as I was recently called . . . an idiot. Are these things offensive? Yes they are. BUT – this is where we can become even more effective in what we share. Let me explain.

When we are insulted, we have a choice to make. First, we should review what we’ve said to make sure that while sharing the truth, we did not descend into any kind of name-calling or inflammatory statements. Remember, our message itself is offensive to the lost. Paul spoke of the offense of the cross – and Jesus Himself told us that we would be treated like He was treated. People who are already offended with our moral point of view, and who do not know Christ, will more often than not say offensive things. Get used to it – and be ready for the temptation to say similar things back to them. Also know that if you do – the opportunity will no longer be there to influence someone. It will most likely deteriorate into stronger and stronger comments, insults, and end in a verbal barrage and a scorched-earth mental landscape. Once we determine if we said something unnecessarily offensive, we can proceed in the conversation. (By the way, if you said something you should not have said – apologize. You’d be shocked how many times this begins to disarm the conflict allowing it to move back into a conversation.)

The second thing I am going to suggest may seem very hard, but it will allow you to be able to converse with the person so much better. In order to share it though I need to ask a question. Do you want to know what they think? Please re-read that question because I did not ask if you want to convert to their way of thinking – but – do you want to know what they think. What I’ve found over several conversations is that when I genuinely try to hear what they are saying and thinking, it helps me to share truth with them more effectively. Too many of the conversations I’ve read recently have made a quick trip to the most commonly used arguments against each other. I can almost predict what will be said in the first two or three rounds of statements. What I cannot predict is the reasoning behind them – or the hurts that a person has because of previous barbs thrown their way. If you don’t want to genuinely hear what they have to say – you won’t have any genuine ministry to offer them. But if you go deeper – even being willing to listen or read things you won’t agree with – you will be able to discern what needs to be discussed. You may even find room to offer an apology for how they’ve been dissed and dismissed. If they know you care enough to listen – they may start listening to you.

Once you begin the conversation in earnest – listen for statements that reveal serious conflicts with the message of the gospel. I usually read and listen looking for their source of authority (usually themselves in the end), their view of Who God is (this usually is a hodge-podge of ideas from self, internet sites, and on some occasions actual study of the Bible), and what they see as the problem with things as they are currently. This last concept is basically what they see as sin (which is a word they will almost never use as you do) and what offers redemption or salvation from the problem (again two words they will tend to avoid). From this point I begin to engage the person with questions involving these things: 1) What or who is their authority? (Who or what has the final say in their life) 2) What determines if something or someone is good or bad? 3) What is the problem or problems in life? And then finally, 4) What is the answer or answers to these problems. As I ask questions about these things, I respond to their answers with the gospel – sharing lovingly, graciously, and usually with reference to my sin and how God saved me from the penalty for it. I make a beeline to the gospel – and seek to eventually draw things in that direction. That does not mean that I try to share the “plan of salvation” at every turn. Instead it means that I deal with issues concerning salvation such as: Who is God? What is sin? Who or what has the right to call something sinful? How can a sinful person know a holy God? How can a righteous and holy God love us without being a hypocrite about His righteousness and holiness? What did God do to pay the price He demands as the penalty for sin? These are the things I head to in the end – because they are the things that matter. But in the meantime I also try to understand where they’ve come from – and if there are serious hurts and problems in their past. When these things come up – I want to genuinely care for them, apologize when Christians have been unloving and unkind, and offer real love to them in praying for and empathizing with their offenses.

The goal in all this is to truly love them and share and show them Jesus. This is not hard . . . actually, apart from God’s grace it is impossible! I cannot tell you how many times I have to stop and pray – back up – and deal with wanting to offend back because I’m offended. I thank God that He did not deal with me in this way – because I would have been consumed in wrath very early in His gracious dealings with me. We cannot back up from sharing that sin is sin. We cannot back away from being honest about what the Bible proclaims. This is not love – it is dangerously stepping away from God’s righteousness and truth simply because it may offend. We share the truth – but we do so without the verbal barbs – without referring to the most offensive examples of homosexual activism (or any activism for sinful activity). We speak the truth without name-calling (even if we’ve been called and are continuing to be called names). We choose to ask penetrating questions not just so we can probe their thinking – but hopefully so that they will probe their own thinking as we lovingly share what the Bible has to say.

I go back to John chapter 4 and how Jesus addressed the Samaritan woman at the well. Let’s be honest saints – that situation was made for some serious name-calling. She was a Samartian – she was guilty of adultery – she was an outcast from her own society – she held errant spiritual views – and she was currently in a sexually immoral relationship. Wow, what a list of potential names that provides. Yet Jesus did not use a single one of them. He asked questions – made biblical statements boldly yet lovingly – and eventually through hearing and understanding her – was able to address her deepest spiritual needs. Her need, by the way, was not to be proven wrong in an argument. She needed living water. The result of that conversation was that her sin was boldly and lovingly addressed, she was drawn to admit her sin and turn to God, and finally – she became a witness to others of God’s grace as she was saved. Now that is where I want to see a conversation go in the end! Just one more comment though – as you learn to do this not everyone will be converted instantly – or possibly even at all. But the sound of loving, biblical, redemptive conversations will ring further than you think. Imagine what one would look like on facebook? We’ve all seen the ones that turn nasty – with both sides eventually walking away with verbal bloody noses. Imagine one where the believer does not descend into name-calling of any kind – but – where they endeavor to do their best sharing the truth in love. That, my precious saints, will look very different. It is also what we need to begin seeing more and more as the grace of God is expressed in love through us by the power of the Holy Spirit. So share the truth, precious redeemed ones! Share it even if it carries with it the offense of the cross – the offense of seeing ourselves as sinful and lost – the offense of being in need of God’s forgiveness – and the offense of being available only through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Just DON’T do this one thing – share this wonderful message in an offensive way that adds to the offense of the cross – and does NOT reflect the love and patience of God or the fruit of His Spirit.

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The Uselessness of Spiritual Self Beat-Downs, part 2

12/23/2013

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The Uselessness of Spiritual Self Beat Downs, part 2
Holy Spirit Conviction or Spiritual Insults?

What is the difference between a spiritual self beat-down and the work of the Holy Spirit as He brings genuine conviction of our sin? That is what I want to address this week in my article.

Knowing the difference between these two things is knowing the difference between the constructive work of the Holy Spirit making us like Christ, and the destructive work of our own self-oriented religious actions. As we begin discerning these two things, we begin by looking at a passage of Scripture that speaks of the Holy Spirit’s ministry in us.

"But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. John 16:7-11 (NASB)

This is a passage about the convicting work that God does in our lives. So how do we know when the Holy Spirit is doing this work? First, we should note that He comes to convict us. The word for convict here is “elegcho,” which means to prove or show someone to be wrong; to convince of error; to refute, rebuke, reprove, or admonish. The word has the idea of doing this on more than just a factual basis – but to actually bring someone to an emotional response as well. That response is shame over what they have done. There are three areas where the Holy Spirit desires to bring us to this kind of conviction. But what might be instructive before we look at these three areas is what is NOT among them.

Not among these things is the area of personal attacks. When the Holy Spirit convicts us, He NEVER attacks us personally. Never will He call us stupid – or use demeaning names as He speaks within our spirit. When we say that God convicted us and called us a name like “idiot” or “moron” or something like that, we are stepping outside of Scripture. About as rough as God gets is to call someone a fool – or to refer to their actions as foolish. But let me reiterate that God does not trash talk when dealing with our sin. The problem here is that in our society we have a difficult time accepting correction without thinking it is a personal attack. Let me explain.

When we choose to lie, the Holy Spirit is going to convict us that we have lied. There are even a few passages in Proverbs where if we commit certain sins involving departing from the truth, we are called a liar. That causes many in this society to bristle – and accuse God of calling names. He is not calling any names – except those we have proven to be true by our actions. Note that nowhere does God refer to someone as a stupid liar, or a lying idiot. God simply addresses the sin with truth. He does so with authority, honesty, and with tact. He is not out to trash talk us or to engage in some kind of spiritual beat-down. But, with that being said, He is going to rebuke us and tell us that our actions were wrong. We want to say we are dealing with someone who is being mean, and therefore justify rejecting what they say. But God does not work in this way. When we experience genuine conviction of sin we are dealing with Someone who speaks the truth. We face a “truth encounter.” Our problem is that it is difficult to handle the truth – face up to it – and repent accordingly.

Let me illustrate with one more example. God says that homosexual activity is sin. When He says this God does not resort to insults or any kind of “street-talk” slurs. He addresses the sin. But society wants to say that God is a “homophobe” for saying this. This is like saying that God is a “lie-a-phobe” for saying that lying is a sin. We want to make conviction seem like a beat-down, when it fact it is nothing more than a truth encounter. When we make it a beat-down, we can then reject Holy Spirit on the grounds He is being mean. The fact is that He is not mean – He is lovingly truthful. We just don’t want to face the truth – whatever the issue may be. Making the encounter seem like a beat-down provides us a sort of perverse comfort that actually God is out of line in saying what He says. But turning His conviction into a reason to insult Him will guarantee us only bondage in the end. Bondage to the very sin He desired to deliver us from by bringing conviction in the first place.

We need to learn to receive genuine Holy Spirit conviction in our lives. We need to discern how God defines sin without defiling his work by adding insults. We need truth, not trash talk. May God give us grace to hear Him as He has revealed Himself in His Word. And may we learn in the process that His conviction of sin is not a beat-down or an insult. It is the first step on a pathway to God’s forgiveness – and honestly – to freedom as well.

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You Da' Man, part 6 - Silencing Gossip and Slander

12/12/2011

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May God give us grace to be able to silence the slander of fools who speak out against our brothers and sisters in Christ. I am about to write some very controversial words—so you might want to prepare yourself—or—set this article down or put it in the trash now. If you have not done that, let’s proceed and talk about the sin of gossip and slander. For several weeks we’ve been looking at the seven “I wills” of the godly man in Psalm 101. This week’s article deals with how the godly man handles slander and gossip. These things one and the same because gossip spreads information to everyone except the person with whom they have the problem. They may even be spreading accurate information, but since it is not being used to reconcile with or confront the person involved, it is destructive. We’ve all be unfortunate enough to watch relationships damaged badly by this kind of thing. Some of us have even watched entire churches torn apart because people did not go directly to the person with whom they were offended.

How does the godly man handle slander and gossip? Psalm 101:5 says this, “Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him will I destroy.” The word “destroy” here is a little unfortunate in its translation. What is being destroyed in the Hebrew is the actual slander of gossip. The word means to silence someone. Therefore the godly man, when hearing slander of someone or gossip about them silences the speaker from going on about the situation.

I remember a very godly man who taught me about slander and gossip saying that when he began to hear one brother speak against another—or share an offence, he would listen for a few moments until he could speak. He did this out of respect for the person speaking to him. Then he would say something like this, “I know that this hurt you or was offensive, but biblically you should not be sharing this with me. You should be meeting with him—sharing it with him—and seeking to either reconcile the situation or offer rebuke if he is clearly sinning.” After saying this he would offer to get the two men together and help them work out their problems. If the brother would continue to try to tell him more about the offence at that point he would again politely, yet firmly say that he was not the one needing to hear this. He would reiterate the biblical truth he did before while adding that he did not want to hear any more unless it was in the other party in the offence. What he was doing was silencing the slander and gossip. But he was doing much more. He was offering an opportunity for reconciliation and healing to take place. He was healing a breach that had happened in the body of Christ—and was grieving the Holy Spirit. These are the actions of a godly man who has made the commitment, “I will know no evil.” May God help each of us to be such a man.

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Whose Spirit Was Expressed Through You?

How to Speak Offensive Truth Less Offensively

The Uselessness of Spiritual Self Beat-Downs, part 2

You Da' Man, part 6 - Silencing Gossip and Slander

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