Too Sinful to be Saved?

Conversion of Saul on the road to Damascus

As we see the signs of the times all around us, evil is increasing exponentially as we near the Lord's return. Believers may sometimes wonder if some are beyond the point of redemption by the Lord's saving grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Jesus was able to forgive, cleanse, heal and raise up those who were sinful, unclean, diseased, and even dead (Luke 7,8; John 11) without in any way corrupting or defiling His own holiness and purity (Hebrews 4:15). Before Jesus drove out devils from the demon-possessed man (Luke 8:27-35; Matthew 8:24-32; Mark 5:1-20), this man was in a state of nakedness. In the Garden of Eden, this was first a sign of innocence (Genesis 2:25), but it then signified shame after Adam and Eve sinned (Genesis 3:7).

Man’s attempts to deal with his sin are woefully inadequate. His nakedness was not properly clothed until God covered him with animal skins (Genesis 3:21), which meant that animals had to be killed. There was no death until sin entered in by the fall (Romans 5:12). This first recorded death foreshadowed the perfect sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, that would not just cover our sins but remove them for all time (John 1:29).

The demon-possessed man was not only naked, but outcast from the city and from society, living among the tombs, which the Jews considered to be unclean. He was possessed by so many evil spirits that they called themselves Legion (Luke 8:30), referring to a Roman army division that consisted of about 6,000 warriors, and they were cast into a herd of about 2000 swine (Mark 5:13).

Interestingly, these evil spirits immediately recognized Jesus as the Holy Son of God (Luke 8:28) Who had power to cast them into hell (Luke 8:31, Revelation 20: 1-3, 2 Peter 2:4). This shows that salvation comes not solely by believing in God (James 2:19), but by repenting of sins (2 Corinthians 7:10) and trusting Christ in a personal relationship with Him as Lord and Savior in addition (John 3:16). In fact, once Jesus healed the formerly demon-possessed man, he was not only clothed and in his right mind, but sitting at the feet of Jesus (Luke 8:35).

Can someone be too sinful to be saved? The capture and execution of Osama Bin Laden in 2011 gave the civilized world cause to rejoice that he would no longer commit evil acts of cold-blooded murder and terrorism. Yet as Christians, we should be saddened, not necessarily by his physical death, but by the absence of any outward sign that he had repented of his sins and trusted Christ, which would have kept him from being doomed to hell.

Even Bin Laden or Hitler or Stalin were not beyond the all-cleansing, all-forgiving, gift of grace and eternal life so freely given by Jesus as He died on the cross to pay the sin debt, in full, of all sinners, past, present and future (Romans 5:8). Yet that gift must be accepted to be valid. Although only God knows the heart (Psalm 44:21), sadly, there is no evidence that any of these did so.

The apostle Paul, who was Saul before he trusted Christ, described himself as chief among sinners (1 Timothy 1:15) because he zealously persecuted, imprisoned and even executed Christians (Acts 22). Yet God used him to write a large part of the New Testament, to evangelize the Gentiles, and to plant many churches. Thank God that no one is beyond His saving grace (Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13), and that no matter what our past before we repent and trust Jesus, He can use us for His glory. As in the case of the sinful woman who washed the feet of Jesus with her tears, dried them with her hair, and anointed them with costly ointment, the person who is forgiven much will love Christ all the more (Luke 7:38-50).

Even a man formerly ruled by 6,000 demons can be restored to his right mind, forgiven of his sins, and sitting humbly at Jesus’ feet in right fellowship to Him. When Christ changes us it should be obvious to everyone who knew us before. Praise God that by His grace through our faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) we can leave behind our spiritual nakedness and be clothed with His righteousness (Revelation 9:7-9; Isaiah 61:10).

Because Jesus paid our sin debt by suffering and dying on the cross and being separated from His Father, in our place, we can leave behind the nakedness of sin and shame and the filthy rags of our own righteousness, which do nothing to counteract our sin or the laws we have broken. When we come to the end of our own strength and realize that without Him we are nothing, we have nothing, and we can do nothing (John 15:5), He covers us with His salvation and His righteousness (Romans 5:6-21). 

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

The wickedness, evil and overt hatred in today's sin-corrupted world bring many to rage and despair. Yet once we have trusted in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the only Way to Heaven, our gratitude for His gift of eternal life should encourage us to forgive others as He has forgiven us. May we remember that each of us is created in His image, and that no one is too sinful to be saved by His mighty power! May the Holy Spirit empower us to forgive, love, and pray for our enemies to be saved, for then they will become our brothers and sisters in Christ!

Copyright 2011 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives, edited and expanded 

Be Fruit-full!

 

                                                                                                    

When God told Adam and Eve to “Be fruitful,” (Genesis 1:28), He was of course referring to having children. Yet I believe He also wanted the first husband and wife to have productive lives according to His will, tending to the beautiful garden and bountiful fruit trees, and having dominion over all the animals. 

Adam and Eve's disobedience and rebellion against God had severe consequences (Genesis 3). They were expelled from the garden; they had to work by the sweat of their brow just to eat, and they caused all mankind to be subject to the curse of sin, which is physical and spiritual death.

Thankfully, God had a plan for man's redemption since before the beginning of time. Jesus Christ, the perfect, sinless Lamb of God (John 1:29) and God Himself, came to earth in human form to die in our place, paying our sin debt in full. He then rose again on the third day, proving that He is God, and offering the gift of eternal life to all who trust Him as their Lord and Savior (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). 

Now that we are in this age of grace, we can also interpret “Be fruitful” to mean not only to be prolific and productive, but also to produce the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) so that people know we belong to Christ by our words, our works, our attitude, and our behavior (Luke 6:43-45).

When a man and woman marry, they have an opportunity for the light of Christ to shine, not only through each one individually, but through their new, combined family and community. Ideally, their marriage should portray the perfect union of Christ and His bride, the church (Ephesians 5:21-33). The wife should submit to her husband's Godly authority as the church submits to the perfect will of Christ. The husband should love his wife self-sacrificingly, even as Christ loved the church and died to save her.

For that to happen, each of the partners individually, and combined in the marriage, must have the fruit of the Spirit (Ephesians 5:9). This will keep us from the works of the flesh, which can destroy individual lives and a marriage through evil deeds and thoughts including adultery, hatred, anger, drunkenness, etc. It is a daily battle between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5: 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

We can’t work to produce the fruit of the Spirit. It is not naturally found within us, but it flows from us when we are saved, turn away from our sin, and put our faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the only Way to Heaven. Then the Holy Spirit indwells us and produces this fruit, if we yield to Him and die to our sin nature (Galatians 5:14-16).

Love refers to “agape,” the self-sacrificing love best portrayed by Christ on the cross, shedding His blood to be the perfect sacrifice and complete payment for our sins (Matt. 26:27), and God the Father giving His only begotten Son so that sinners could be reconciled to Him (John 3:16). God is love, and if we know Him, we will love one another (I John 4:7-8)

Joy in the Lord can be constant even in times of trials and tribulation, no matter what the external circumstances. As born-again believers, we have reasons to be joyful (Philippians 4:4) – God loves us; He has forgiven our sins; He allows us the privilege of prayer 24/7, He has indwelled us with the Holy Spirit; He communicates with us through His Word; He has adopted us as His children and appointed us as His ambassadors, He will return for us, and we will live eternally with Him in Heaven (1 Peter 1:5-8).

Our peace, which passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7) comes from knowing that our sins are forgiven, that we are reconciled to God, that He works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28), and that we have eternal life in Him. (Romans 5:1-2)

The fruit of the Spirit we’ve spoken of so far are sweet and pleasant, but we can’t pick and choose which fruit of the Spirit we would like – they all come together when we are saved and the Holy Spirit indwells us. That’s why Paul refers to it as fruit of the Spirit, and not fruits of the Spirit. Some, like long-suffering, or patience, are not as pleasant, because they are the result of trials and tribulation (Romans 5: 3-5). 

But self-sacrificing love requires suffering, sometimes brought on by the one we love, or at least putting the other person’s needs ahead of our own. Self-sacrificing, agape love is patient, kind, seeking to meet the needs of the other person, always thinking the best of the other person, not expressing anger, being constant through all circumstances. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

The Greek word for gentleness in Galatians 5:22 is the same word which is translated kindness in 2 Corinthians 6:6. It means goodness, wanting to please others and to be pleased with what they do, mildness of temper, calmness of spirit, not easily flustered, polite, always putting the needs of others before your own (2 Corinthians 10:1, Psalm 18:35).

Goodness is another fruit of the Spirit expressing doing good for others, spiritually by educating them in the Word, and meeting their physical needs also (Romans 15:1-4; Exodus 34:6; Psalm 107:9).

Faith is the belief we must have in order to be saved and in order to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Our faith is in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Son of God, the perfect, holy sacrifice to pay for all our sins. In Galatians 5:22, the word “faith” also refers to trustworthiness, keeping your word and promises, keeping the secrets or confidences of others. God is faithful to keep His Word and His promises, and He is faithful and unchanging in His love for us, and we should strive to do the same (Psalm 119:90; Isaiah 25:1).

Believers are meek because their power and destiny are based on the indwelling Holy Spirit, not on their own strength, status, or circumstances (Matthew 5:5). Paul tells the believers that to be good ambassadors for Christ, they should be humble and meek, patient toward one another, and putting up with each other’s faults (Ephesians 4:1-2)

As Christians we have access to all the wisdom and power of God within us through the Holy Spirit, but when others ask us about it, we must answer meekly, not showing off that power, but sharing the truth with humility and love (1 Peter 3:15). Jesus could have summoned legions of angels to rescue Him from the cross and to destroy His enemies, but instead He went meekly like a sheep led to the slaughter.

If a wife who is saved is married to an unsaved husband, He may become saved through her meekness. He may see Christ in her not through displays of power, but because she lives a sanctified life, is submissive to the will of God and of her husband, and puts her husband's needs ahead of her own (1 Peter 3:1-4). In marriage, as in life, submission to the one in authority does not diminish our power but confirms it, and is pleasing to God.

Temperance means power or control over the sin nature, including tendencies toward sexual immorality, drinking alcohol, using other intoxicating substances, angry outbursts, and overindulgence. Galatians 5:23 says “Against such there is no law,” meaning that we will never get in trouble by using too much self-control. Temperance is a stepping stone to patience, godliness, and self-sacrificing love (2 Peter 1: 5-8).

All the fruit of the Spirit represent qualities of Jesus Christ Himself. The nine words emphasize different aspects of these qualities, but they are all interrelated and based on self-sacrificing love. Similarly, all the names of God emphasize His different attributes, but they all describe the same God. When we are saved, all these qualities enter our heart through the indwelling Holy Spirit, but we don’t always show these qualities because our sin nature fights against them.

In marriage as in life, we will show the fruit of the Spirit if we die to self and yield to the Holy Spirit, loving God and loving one another, doing His will and putting the needs of the other person ahead of our own. In a Christ-centered marriage, the wife can submit to her husband because the husband loves her completely and with a spirit of self-sacrifice.

Ephesians 5: 22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.

Copyright 2011 Laurie Collett

Edited, expanded, and reposted from the archives

Triplets of Spirit: Know, Seek, Find

 

Art by The Catholic Guy 2012

In God we live, and move, and have our being (Acts 17: 28). We depend on Him completely for our very existence, whether we are unsaved (natural man), saved and yielded to the Holy Spirit (spiritual man), or saved but serving our own fleshly desires (carnal man; Romans 8:5-14; 1 Corinthians 2:14; 3:1).

These planes of being determine our eternal destiny: hell for the unsaved or natural man; Heaven with rewards for the spiritual man; and Heaven but with loss of rewards for the carnal man. But praise God, He does not want any to perish (2 Peter 3:9). He designed us in His image (Genesis 1:26) to want to know Him, to look for Him, and to find Him (Acts 17: 27).

That is why life before we were in Christ felt so empty, and why we continually looked for comfort in false religions (Jeremiah 7:9), humanistic philosophies (Colossians 2:8), and modern-day idols (Leviticus 26:1; 2 Kings 17:12; 1 Chronicles 16:26; etc.) such as money (1 Timothy 6:10), power, and substance abuse (Proverbs 20:1). But God made us, and we cannot ourselves make gods of gold, silver, or stone and expect them to have any power (Acts 17: 29; Habakkuk 2:19).

The day is coming when God will judge all those who misplaced their faith in false idols, rejecting His Son Whom God ordained and of Whom He gave proof to all men by raising Him from the dead (Acts 17: 31).

Before we were saved by placing our faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), we were children of the devil. Our spirit reflected the nature of Satan, who then was our spiritual father (John 8:44). But once we were saved, we were born again (John 3:3-8) as children of God (1 John 3:1), our spirit progressively shaped into His image during our earthly journey (Romans 12:2).

While we were still lost, we were dead in our sins (1 Corinthians 15:22), but when we are born again, He “quickens” us, or makes us alive (John 5:21; 6:63; Romans 4:17; 8:11), to walk in the Spirit (Romans 8:1,4; Galatians 5:16,25), as a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15), in newness of life (Romans 6:4).

When we are born again, He elevates us to a new plane of being. We are then born not of blood (for it is a spiritual and not a physical rebirth), nor of the will of the flesh or of man (for we are no longer motivated solely by our own desires), but of God (John 1:13). He gave us physical life; He gave us Spirit-filled life as we were born again; and He will make us perfectly into His image in our glorified bodies that we receive at the Rapture (1 Corinthians 15:38-54).

Jesus said that we are to live or abide in Him, like the branches live on the vine, so that we can bear fruit and receive His blessings through prayer. If we abide in His love, we will love one another, and our joy in Him will be full (John 15:5-17).

God created each of us as a unique life (1 Peter 4:19), which we should offer back to Him as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). He sustains us with what we need to survive, grow and thrive through our earthly life (Psalm 55:22; 3:5), and He redeemed us from our sins to reconcile us to His Holy Self (Job 19:25; Psalm 19:14; Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20).

We should now move for His glory, not our own, as we go, baptize, and teach all nations (Matthew 28:19). We should now use our mouths not for idle words (Matthew 12:36), but to praise (Psalm 150:6; etc.), thank (1 Thessalonians 5:18; Ephesians 5:20), and pray to Him (1 Thessalonians 5:17). 

Our thoughts, words and deeds should encourage (Romans 12:15), exhort (Hebrews 3:13), and edify fellow believers (Romans 14:19; 15:2), for we have become His witnesses (Acts 1:8), colaborers (1 Corinthians 3:9), and ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20).

As we move in Him, He empowers us as soldiers (2 Timothy 2:3-4) to fight the good fight (1 Timothy 6:12); as athletes (1 Corinthians 9:24-25) to run with patience the race that He set before us (Hebrews 12:1); and as victors through Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57) to finish the course (2 Timothy 4:7). Whatever we do should be in the name of our Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him (Colossians 3:17).

When we have our being in Him, our personhood is in His image. Our identity is now as God’s child (1 John 3:1), friend to Jesus (John 15:14), and Christ’s bride as a member of His church (Ephesians 5:23-32). In this status we have forgiveness of sins (justification; Romans 5:18), abundant life (sanctification; John 10:10; 1 Corinthians 1:30), and eternal life (glorification; John 3:16; Romans 8:17, 30).

As joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), we share in His inheritance, we receive a new name (Revelation 2:17), and He is preparing a mansion (John 14:2) for each of us! We even have a new address: in heavenly places with Christ during this life (Ephesians 1:3), present with the Lord in Heaven after physical death (2 Corinthians 5:8), and in the New Jerusalem throughout eternity (Revelation 21:2).

Praise God that in Him we live, move, and have our being! May we embrace new life as we are born again, be Spirit-moved as He guides our actions, and rest in our new identity in Him!

© 2015 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Alpine Dream

 

Photo by Dana Hutchinson 2017

I once dreamed that my mother, husband and I were at an Alpine resort in springtime. Stretching out behind the cozy Swiss chalet was a beautiful vista of snow-capped, bluish-gray mountain peaks encircling a lovely green meadow, dotted with wildflowers in bold shades of yellow, red and violet-blue.

The guide at the resort suggested that we follow a parcourse that was challenging yet would lead to an even more inviting view. The first part of this was a platform resembling a flattened-out metal jungle gym suspended several feet off the ground, made of metal bars about 1 inch thick and outlining rectangular structures of differing sizes and uneven placement, without apparent pattern.  It was partially covered over with an opaque tarp that blocked vision of where the bars were. The tarp would crumple if stepped on between the bars, so that the person walking there would lose their footing and fall through to the ground.

The others decided against it, but I ventured forth, figuring that I could use my free foot to discern where the bars were and trace a safe path. But it proved to be much more difficult than it appeared, and I was in great danger of falling. Thankfully, the guide took pity on me, walking alongside the structure and holding my hand. Despite my numerous missteps, he steadied me sufficiently so that I made it across to the other side.

The next challenge was a long, steep, metal ladder, leading downward to an unknown destination. The guide advised me to descend it backing the ladder, despite the awkwardness and unfamiliarity of that position, so that I could see where I was going rather than where I had been. As I started down the rungs, a chilling wind blew across me, and I wished I had worn a coat. Instead, I was wearing a very long, woolen scarf, which was now more of a nuisance as it whipped against my body and face, often blinding me momentarily.

Finally I had reached the final rung and was surprised and delighted at the peace and solitude within that valley. I sat down on the lush grass and enjoyed the birds singing and darting among the shrubs and bushes. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted what appeared to be a tiny ballerina whirling through the air. I caught it and discovered that it was a delicate white flower, fashioned from what looked like Queen Anne’s lace or cauliflower fronds cut in paper-thin sections. The intricate detail in the dancer’s face, arms, hands, legs, pointed toes and tutu were an amazing testimony to God’s handiwork.

I gently tossed the ballerina into the air, and she began pirouetting on a gentle breeze and then softly spiraled to earth, spreading out like an ostrich plume on a velvety patch of dusky green moss near my feet. A little boy approached me in wide-eyed wonder as he eagerly showed me the treasure he was carrying. It looked like a miniature drone but was actually a bee-like insect, its wings constantly whirring and its multifaceted eyes turning in every direction.  

As the sun slowly began to set, I realized this glorious day was slipping away, and it was already growing colder. The ladder was no longer visible, and I didn’t know how to get back to the lodge. I wandered off and was surprised to see a large group of children, dressed only in shorts and swimsuits, laughing and playing in a pond.

“Aren’t they cold?” I asked a stranger standing near me.

“No, it’s a hot spring,” she explained.

As I awoke and began to consider the symbolism of the dream, I wondered if it could be a metaphor describing our journey through life once we are saved (Acts 2:21; 4:12) by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way (John 14:6) to Heaven. At the moment of salvation we are elevated to heavenly places in Him (Ephesians 1:3; 2:6), visualized in the dream as a beautiful, serene meadow enclosed by the mountain peaks and inspiration of His greatness.

But we are not meant to linger there, but to embark on a spiritual journey that will progressively shape us into His image (Philippians 3:10). It is not an easy upward stroll, for the path often takes twists, turns, and even sharp descents. Yet these challenges (2 Corinthians 11:23-33), symbolized by the parcourse in the dream, strengthen us and improve our spiritual fitness.

We are constantly in danger of falling, for we cannot see where the path leads or the obstacles threatening us, like the tarp obscuring the view of where I could safely step on the metal bars. Our own feet are unreliable to direct our path, but we will progress when we are holding onto the hand of our Guide (Proverbs 3:5-6). May we remember that He is holding and protecting us in the hollow of His hand, which is held tightly in the hand of the Father (John 10:27-29), and sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30). Nothing can separate us from His love!

Often we feel unprepared for the journey, having neglected to equip ourselves with needed gear, like a coat when climbing on chilly slopes. Choices we made, perhaps favoring fashion over practicality, as in the case of my overly long scarf, or worldly rather than spiritual priorities (James 4:4), may return to haunt us. In our Christian walk, we are far more effective when we put on the whole armor of God, preferably before rising each morning! We cannot reach Heaven on our merit, but only when robed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Climbing down the ladder while facing outward reminded me that we are not to look back, dwelling on the evil or guilt over where we have been (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Philippians 3:13). Instead, we are to ask forgiveness (1 John 1:9) and focus on where He is taking us, even if that seems to be downward. Like the apostle Paul, we can learn to be content in whatever state we are in, whether humbled and brought low, or abounding in spiritual victory and material blessings (Philippians 4:12).

Especially as we age, our life journey may sometimes seem to be headed downward into depths of infirmity (2 Corinthians 12:7); trouble; and loss of loved ones, abilities, material provision, and dreams (Job 1:21). But Jesus Christ is the God of the valleys as well as the God of the mountains, and He will not desert us there. He is the Lily of the valleys (Song of Solomon 2:1), which are filled with reminders of His beauty, power, majesty, and compassion.

When we hit bottom, we are more receptive to His mercy, grace and love. We need not fear, for He will even guide us through the valley of the shadow of death, comforting us, providing for us, giving us peace, restoring our soul, and leading us in the paths of righteousness (Psalm 23). He is truly our Great Shepherd Who provides the green pastures and still waters.

God speaks to His children primarily through His Word (Psalm 119), but also through others (Proverbs 27:17), through life circumstances, and through the beauty of His creation (Psalm 19:1; Romans 1:20). Often His love letters written in nature are unique for each of us, speaking to our heart in a particularly meaningful way, like an image of Christ in the clouds, treasures on the beach bearing special reminders, and even the crucifixion and ascension intricately carved into the skull of a catfish!

I had this dream a few nights before a performance for our dance ministry, when I had become discouraged over rehearsals not going as well as we had hoped. It is fitting that in the dream God sent me a reminder in the shape of a tiny ballerina, as if to say, “I can shape even a flower into a beautiful dancer expressing My glory, so why would I not do the same for you, My child?”

Lack of energy and spiritual vision had recently also become a concern, and the endless energy and multisided vision of the insect in the dream reassured me that God would supply these needs as well, and all our needs according to His riches in glory (Ephesians 1:7; 3:16; Philippians 4:19).

The playful children in the dream had no need to fear the cold, for they were basking in a hot spring. When we are growing old and cold, Christ’s inner spring within us can restore us to youth and fresh fire (Exodus 24:17; 40:38; 2 Chronicles 7:1). May even our later years be filled with childlike faith (Matthew 18:3-4), fountains of Living Water (Song of Solomon 4:15; Jeremiah 2:13; 7:13), and the passion of being on fire for the Lord! 

May we abound in service and good works as His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) and fellow workers (1 Corinthians 3:9), not growing weary (Galatians 6:9; 1 Corinthians 15:57-58), for in due time He will show us the fruit of our labor!

© 2019 Laurie Collett

Edited and reposted from the archives

Take the Plunge!

 

Photo by Hubert Stoffels 2009

Many years ago I went to a swimming hole in a pristine wooded area with a waterfall plunging into a refreshing stream. Some young people had a Labrador retriever puppy with them, and they took great delight in carrying him to the top of the falls, releasing him into the current, and letting him plunge to the bottom of the falls into the stream, where one of them waited with open arms to catch him.

Labradors love water, and he seemed to enjoy the experience. But even though he could see his master waiting below with open arms, he paddled all four limbs frantically the whole way down and even after he was safely in his master’s embrace.

I was by far the worst swimmer at school and at summer camp, and I know I tried the patience of many instructors who attempted, to no avail, to teach me to dive head first. Even though I could see where I was going and had my body aligned properly as I stood on the diving board, my head inevitably lifted the moment before I entered the water, resulting in a painful “belly flop.” 

One day the swimming instructor had me repeat this so many times that my chest turned beet red, and as a last resort, he picked me up and hurled me into the water head first. But in my stubborn refusal to submerge my head under the water, I belly-flopped yet again.

A popular beverage commercial urged us to “Take the Nestea plunge!” It showed a parched cowboy in the arid desert reaching for a can of tea and experiencing refreshment so profound that it was like falling backward into a cool blue swimming pool.

It was fear that kept me from diving head first even though I could see where I was going, and a survival instinct in the puppy that kept him paddling even though he didn’t need to. I can only imagine what it would be like to abandon all fear and plunge backward into a refreshing spring, not seeing where I would land and surrendering all control.

Yet that is exactly what we should do in our Christian walk. Trusting Christ means total surrender, with His perfect love casting out all fear (1 John 4:18), and His Living Water refreshing us so deeply that we will never thirst (John 4:10-14). Once we are born again by trusting in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), we are a new creature in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Once we are saved, baptism is a picture of “taking the plunge,” falling back into the water as a symbol of dying to our sin nature, then rising again to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). Christians should no longer be governed by the desires of our flesh and sin nature, but instead we should yield control of our life to His Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16-25) Who enters us at the moment of salvation (2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5.

But so often I am like the puppy, paddling frantically against the current of my Lord’s will instead of trusting His everlasting arms (Deuteronomy 33:27) to shelter, protect and lead me. In my own flesh, I can do nothing (John 15:5), but with Him, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26; Philippians 4:13). Peter even walked on water when Jesus willed that he do so, but the instant he looked at the turbulent storm instead of his Lord’s steady gaze, he began to flounder and sink (Matthew 14:28-31).

We walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), so ideally our journey in Christ should be more like the Nestea plunge rather than my painful experience of diving only when I can see where I’m headed. Only if we trust His infinite love (1 John 4:8-10), absolute power (Genesis 17:1, etc.), and complete wisdom (Psalm 139:1-18) can we fully experience the fountain of His blessings (Song of Solomon 4:15; Jeremiah 2:13; 17:13), being in His perfect will.

But if we try to do it ourselves, whether “it” is being saved, serving God, or loving others as He loves us, we are doomed to failure. How many people want to put off trusting Christ until they “clean up their act” or “get it all together”? How many new Christians put off witnessing to others until they learn “enough” about the Bible? Yet all that reasoning is futile because none of us is capable of doing anything in our own strength (2 Corinthians 12:9).

As Bible-believing Christians, we know that we are saved by God’s freely given gift of grace through our faith, not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). There is nothing we can do to earn our way to Heaven, and any attempt to do that is an insult to God, Who gave His only Son as the perfect Sacrifice to pay for all our sins (John 3:16; Romans 3:23-25; 1 John 2:2). On the cross, He said “it is finished,” (John 19:30) because he paid our debt in full, once and for all, to reconcile sinful man to Holy God (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

The tremendous relief many feel at the moment of salvation, far more refreshing than any earthly equivalent of the Nestea plunge, comes from leaving our burdens of sin and guilt behind and releasing them to Him, freeing us to receive His great blessings. In our gratitude, relief, and worship, it is natural to want to serve God by good works (James 2:17-26; Philippians 2:12). But there lurks the trap of feeling we need to work to please God or to figure out on our own how to serve Him.

Praise God that His love is infinite, so He can’t love us any less even when we fail Him, and He can’t love us any more when we work hard to please Him. As a loving Father, He places no pressure on us, yet sometimes we collapse under the self-imposed pressure to try in the flesh to work “for” Him. But paradoxically, the harder we work, the less we trust in Him. Only complete surrender to His will (James 4:7) and faith in His power to accomplish His good work through us (1 Corinthians 15:58; Philippians 1:6) allows His perfect plan to flow through our life (Ephesians 2:10; Jeremiah 29:11).

Saul of Tarsus learned that the hard way. As a religious zealot, he thought he was pleasing God by persecuting and killing Christians, for he did not accept Jesus as the Son of God. Finally, when Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus, he recognized that He was God and surrendered completely to Jesus Christ as Lord of his life. The glorious light of Christ blinded him, perhaps in part so that he would have to rely on faith and not on his own vision (Acts 9:1-18).

Jesus gave Saul the new name of Paul, and more importantly, He gave Him new life, just as He does to everyone who asks Him (Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13). Except for Jesus Himself, Paul is the best Biblical example of what God can do through a fully surrendered life. Yet even Paul had the daily battle with his own desires and his own flesh (Romans 7:12-25) and had to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) to die daily to self (1 Corinthians 15:31).

May He empty us of self, leaving us as a conduit through which His Living Water can flow to others. May we remember that it’s not about what we can do, but about Who He is and what He does through us! May we not be afraid to take the plunge headlong into the rushing current of His will, for the reward of a surrendered life is blissfully exhilarating!

© 2015 Laurie Collett

Who's Driving?

 

I had a dream in which I was a front seat passenger in a luxurious, comfortable car, traveling on a quiet, winding road at dusk. Although the car made hairpin turns as it navigated up through the mountains, along sheer cliffs with nothing but churning ocean below, I felt strangely serene and content, admiring the breathtaking scenery as I settled back into the plush upholstery. Gazing out from my open window I could feel a gentle sea breeze and see the constellation of Orion, and many other stars twinkling brighter as the night sky darkened.

I glanced over at the driver’s seat, then panicked because I could see no one there! Suddenly the joy of this journey disappeared, replaced by confusion and fear over having placed my trust in a driver I could not see.

Next I found myself desperately pedaling a rickety bicycle up the same road, but now I was terrified by the blackening night, and by the sheer drops into sure death if I misjudged the turns. I was wearing a new pair of sneakers, but the canvas had already started to unravel and loose cords were flapping against the bicycle spokes. If they got caught I was sure the bike would crash and send me hurtling off the precipice to a watery grave against the rocks below.

Mercifully, I awakened, and rather than writing off the dream to an overly spicy midnight snack, I wondered if it could hold a lesson for me. Once we are We walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), and faith enables us to trust in what we cannot see (Hebrews 11:1). To find peace in the Christian life we must be willing to yield control to God, focusing on Him alone, and to let Him be in the driver’s seat (Isaiah 26:3). Our actions and even our words and thoughts should be yielded to the Holy Spirit Who indwells every believer at the moment of salvation (2 Corinthians 1:21-22), rather than letting sin control us (Romans 6:11-23).

We don’t always see or understand His plan, but we must trust that He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6), and that He is safely conveying us through our perilous journey even when we can’t sense His presence. Only then can we experience the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:6-7), as we trust that He is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).

Jesus’ disciples lost heart in the stormy seas even though their Master was on board their frail boat, because He was sleeping and seemed to be indifferent to their plight. Little did they know that a mere rebuke from His lips would quiet the waves (Matthew 8: 23-26; Luke 8:22-25). When we lose sight of Who God is, and of His limitless power (Revelation 19:6) and love (1 John 4:8-10), our joy and peace at knowing Him may be threatened by our doubt and unbelief (Mark 9:23-24).

At times like these we may resort to our old ways, pridefully trusting in our own flesh to get us out of trouble rather than relying on Him (Romans 7:18), even though without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5).

In the dream, my own ability to pedal up that dangerous road in the dark was pitifully inadequate, whereas the car with no visible Driver offered safety, security, comfort, and peace. Although our own flesh is unable to withstand many physical struggles, it is even more worthless in the spiritual realm, which is where the greatest battles are fought, with eternal consequences (Ephesians 6:12).

Those bumper stickers saying “Jesus is my copilot” are eye-catching, but in my opinion, they miss the point. As I journey through life, I want Jesus to be the driver, not the copilot! Thankfully, He always will be, as long as we hand the keys over to Him.

© 2012 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives