Author: Christine Wyrtzen

For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.  Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  Romans 8:7-8

I once witnessed a live panel discussion in Minneapolis where the theologian, John Piper, was asked, “Is it possible for an unbeliever to do anything that pleases God?”  John thought a minute and started enumerating wonderful things that people can often do; people even outside of Christ.  Charitable acts of compassion and kindness, sacrifices a parent makes for his children, and generous philanthropic outreaches.  Many are given with an open heart, are not  self-serving, and are even costly to the person who gave them.

So, does God see any of them as good?  Is He moved by them?  Does He acknowledge that we were created in His image  and, therefore, we are capable of genuinely demonstrating love for others?  And finally, isn’t there really such a thing as a good person and would God let someone like this really go to hell?

There are two inherent problems in this kind of thinking.  1.) The only thing that matters to God is what we do for His glory, with Him at the center of our motivation.  2.) And, a life comprised of many stellar gestures towards humankind does not fix the sinful nature that person inherited from Adam at his birth.  The curse must be reversed.  His sins must be  forgiven at the cross. He must acknowledge God as his personal Lamb, the One who takes His sins and promises to give back undeserved righteousness.  What ushers in this event?  Repentance and an admission of sinfulness, not goodness.

The best of people still sin and fall short of the glory of God. Consider the nicest unbeliever you know.  Put his wonderful deeds for others aside for a moment.  Try to picture how he might handle the rest of God’s precepts.  Would the ways of the kingdom even appeal to him?  Would living by the Spirit make sense to him?  Would he find joy in submitting to what is, to him, upside down?  To live, I must die to self.  To lead, I must first be a servant.  To get back at my enemy, I must love him and pray for him.  This is why Paul says that those who live by the flesh can not submit to God’s law.  That person is repelled by what his sinful nature cannot understand.  The nicest person will still live by his flesh and will perish eternally because of it.

The cause for such blindness is revealed by Paul.  2 Corinthians 4:4  The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.   

 Give us all eyes to see what’s behind Satan’s clever arguments, the ones that make us see you as one not worthy of our trust.  Amen

For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.  Romans 8:6

I was so encouraged that yesterday’s devotional sparked so much conversation.  I am so impressed by the spiritual depth and maturity of this devotional family.  Some of your notes were challenging, asking me questions to provoke thought so that I can further clarify what I believe I’m learning.  Thank you!

I’ve got my feet set pretty firmly in this new direction.  Those who live according to the flesh are unbelievers.  Those who live according to the Spirit are God’s children.  Another reason for this conclusion is because of the phrase, ‘setting your mind’, in today’s scripture.

To set my mind on the flesh is to be habitually consumed with things that offend God.  How can I focus all my attention, as a consistent way of life, on the very things enemies of God think about?  Doesn’t that make me God’s enemy?  I believe Paul is saying ‘yes’. “She who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.”  I Timothy 5:6  She is the ‘living dead!’

The unbeliever lives for himself.  He is consumed with getting his needs met his way.  He has no thought of God except for the occasional nagging at his soul that something is wrong.

The believer has been born again into a completely new reality.  God has become his father.  He is being re-parented by a perfect Parent.  Everything he used to love, and want, has been turned upside down.  His mind and heart were set in a new direction.  His heart – made new – is aware of a deep peace that he is finally right with God.  He is not perfect, but he is on the path of righteousness and his mind is habitually set on the new reality of the kingdom.

One of you sent a short email asking the question, “Where does the lukewarm church fit in?”  I don’t know yet for sure but I’m studying. One thought is this ~ If I offend my earthly Father, I’m still going to be thinking about him, perhaps even obsessed. A true child of God can not live grieving His Heavenly Father without it tearing at his soul.

Lead me into all truth.  In Jesus’ name, Amen

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.  Romans 8:5

Many believe that a person is in one of three spiritual conditions; he is an unbeliever, he is a committed follower of Christ, or he is backslidden. I have always followed this line of thinking but after wrestling with Romans, perhaps there are only two categories; believers and unbelievers.  Those who live according to the flesh are unbelievers.  And, those who live according to the Spirit are believers. 

Could it be that simple?  We either follow Christ or we don’t.  The notion of God’s church being largely comprised of lukewarm, backslidden people could mean that we will all be surprised one day to witness ‘too whom’ Jesus says, “Depart from me.  I never knew you.”  It is worth asking the question ~ “Are we either followers of Jesus (with our minds set on the things of the Spirit) or are we hostile to Christ (having our minds set on the things of the flesh?) In just a few verses past today’s scripture, Paul will say that those who have their minds set on the flesh are hostile to God. He doesn’t call them backslidden.

Please don’t misunderstand me. I am not saying that if I sin today, I am not God’s child.  I am going to sin – and I have already sinned even though it’s yet early in the day.  The question I must ask myself is this ~ “Did I sin with no regard whatsoever to the heart of God?  Did I sin without a conscience?  Will future sins follow today for which I will feel no tinge of remorse?”  The reason King David was called a ‘man after God’s own heart’ was not that he never sinned. It was because, when he did, his heart was pierced with remorse.

If I am a disciple, I will be ever conscious of the One I embraced as LORD.  If He never crosses my mind, then how, by definition, can I say that I gave my life to Christ?

God, please make things clear. If your child sins, He will think of you and be miserable. If someone else sins and does not think of you at all, is he simply lost? Bring me understanding. Teach me. I am your child. Amen

For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.  Romans 8:2

Why do we require it of ourselves? If our self-talk were to become audible for all to hear, we would shock those around us. They would hear us call ourselves idiots. They would hear us declare ourselves hopeless losers. They’d hear us lament that our sins are simply unforgiveable. They’d witness us calling ourselves liars, thieves, immoral men or women, disappointments to those who love us, and people who have no chance at a real future. This kind of self-talk is a death sentence to joy. We can’t lift our heads enough to look up.

Self-hatred didn’t originate with us. Satan accused us first before our Father in heaven. But, Jesus silenced him and reminded him that we have been forgiven and have been made perfect. Unsuccessful, Satan then came to us with the same accusations but we failed to silence him with the same truth. His labels and pronouncements stuck and our joy was stolen.

My friends, there is a cure for regret. There is a cure for crippling guilt. There is a cure for self-loathing. It’s embracing the truth that my sins no longer belong to me! They were given to Jesus 2,000 years ago. Is Jesus laid low today with the weight of them? Heavens no. After paying dearly for them, He declared that the sacrifice was finished. Right now, He is in heaven rejoicing that we are free. Why in the world should we be depressed and weighed down? It’s all based on a lie.

For every one today who suffers for nothing, remind them through Your Spirit that we are forgiven. We are free. We are loved. We are dressed in Your perfection. Amen

‘Build the bridge of friendship strong enough to support the truth.’

Jesus said, “The world will know you are my disciples if you have love one for another.” When unbelievers see us loving each other when it’s costly, when there is little appreciation, when the journey is long and complicated, they sit up and take notice. We become aware of what it meant when Jesus spoke of being ‘salt’ and ‘light’. It’s more than saying the right words. While that’s important, our speech has to lay against the backdrop of love.

Those who watch us love others like Jesus have to admit that this kind of love is unnatural. Who loves like that? They reason, most likely, that God may be alive and well after all. They simply can not explain the consistency and grace as someone being a really nice person. Especially if they see example after example and it’s coming from within a community of believers. And if they are the ones receiving our supernatural love and care, what an open door to lead them to the perfect love of Jesus! Love constrains. It is not God’s power and might that draw sinners, it’s His love. God could easily force people to worship Him, and one day He will, but for now ~ it is His love that reaches and draws us close. If we prioritize the spiritual skills we intend to strengthen this year, learning to love others well would yield the highest return for our labor. With our acts of love, we build a bridge that will support the truth. When it comes to loving unbelievers, they are never more open than when they are broken. The window of opportunity may be short. Which of the twelve skills might be the right one for today? Personalize. Apply. And always pray first.

* Would you like a PDF of this entire series? Perhaps you’d like to have it for a printout – to share with others. Here is a link.

VALIDATE!  DON’T HUMOR!

Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances.  Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear.  Proverbs 25:11-12

Jesus was a truth teller and Jesus didn’t sugar coat it.  He told it the way it needed to be told.  But He was Truth and He was also Grace so He knew perfectly how to marry the two.  I can call myself a lover of truth but, then in situations where my gift of mercy goes askew, I sometimes tone the truth down so that it isn’t more painful than it has to be.  In some cases, like in the following story with my mother, I could have easily invalidated what was true.

My mother had been battling cancer for more than a year.  She was painfully thin.  Nonetheless, on a weekend when our family was able to visit, she insisted on making the effort to go to church with us.  My mother, not a complainer about anything and prone to suffer silently to a fault, surprised me when she blurted out in frustration.  She had put on her favorite dress, looked at herself in the mirror and then said to me, “Look at me!  I’m a bag of bones in this dress.”  I wanted so much to protest.  “No, no, Mom.  You look beautiful in the dress.”  I caught myself before answering poorly.  I said, “I’m sorry you don’t look like you want to look in the dress.  These changes have to be horribly painful and I’m so sorry.”  

A believer in the midst of a very painful journey usually has a clear vision of this world.  What was once murky gray has become black and white.  What is frivolous doesn’t appeal.  What is most important becomes most precious.  And in the process of seeing life more clearly than most everyone else, they make truthful statements about life, Christianity, people, and religion that are usually true.  Their statements sound blunt and stark. Our first reaction is to protest, to soften it, thinking we are lessening the pain of what they’re vocalizing.  However, in protesting, we are not helping.  We are making it worse by accentuating their feelings of isolation.  Even if the truth was said in anger, there are ways we can validate them without matching their angst.  Not without prayerful wisdom though.  Jesus will give us words that smooth their ragged edges with grace.

God values truth and I should value truth and affirm it when it is spoken.  At times it will make me squirm.  It will challenge the common everyday deception that stares me in the face that I don’t see yet because I haven’t walked in their shoes.  Their statements will most often depict the hopelessness of this world, the futility of living life poorly, and can sound like the ‘last word’ of the day.  But after listening, after offering empathy first before words, after giving a creative gift, and laying a foundation of true friendship, there will be a time for me to frame their truthful words with the ‘hope that lies before us.’

Lord, I don’t want to fill the air with my words.  I want apples of gold to come forth – truth with grace, truth with mercy.  Amen