Living in the Spirit

Scott and I have been reading the book Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges for our couples small group. It's always amazing to me how God orchestrates circumstances in our lives to sanctify us. Scott and I have both been in a bit of a slump lately. Our pastor at Connection Church has been really bringin' it lately, stepping on toes, and getting real about our responsibility as Christians. Scott and I had grown weary of hearing these sermons. I know for me personally, I felt like they were not applicable to me. I thought, I don't need to hear a message about giving, serving, or any of that. I do those things! Sure, I can do them more, but for the most part, I feel like I've been a good Christian. I didn't think I was really sinning very much either. The past couple weeks have been a huge eye-opener for me, especially with reading this book and talking in group.

I realized that I do sin--all the time. I knew I wasn't perfect, but I'm like really not perfect! The book focuses on "respectable" or "acceptable" sins of society. No, I am not a murderer, drug dealer, adulterer, etc... But I do the things that society usually excuses like gossiping, lying, or being angry, impatient, or unkind. The first respectable sin that the book talks about is ungodliness. Bridges makes the distinction between ungodliness and wickedness or unrighteousness. Ungodliness does not mean you do bad or evil things, it just means that you ignore or are not aware of God. And the truth is, I often go through most, if not all, of the day without giving a single thought of my God and Savior. I don't talk to Him, I don't think about Him, I don't worship Him or share His love. I'm busy with my day and all my worldly duties and I "don't have time" for God...the one who gives me time and life in the first place. This was my first wake-up call.

Scott and I decided we wanted to become more God-focused. Being a Christian isn't something you do on Sunday mornings or at Bible studies. It's not a part of my life it is my life! Or should be anyway. So, to help recenter ourselves with the Lord, we both resolved to wake up early every morning during the week and pray, read the Bible, and spend time with God. We read the Bible together at night occassionally, but this is a time for us individually to spend with God. We've done this for 4 days now, and I can already tell the difference. I am definitely thinking about and with God more often during the day, and feel closer to Him.

My second wake-up call came during my first morning of Bible study. I prayed to God about wanting to be more Godly, and also about wanting to feel more fulfilled about all the good things I am already doing--serving, giving, worshipping, etc... Not knowing what I wanted to read for the day, I asked God to guide me and speak to my heart with His Word. I felt drawn to Galatians. I feel I can always turn there for some guidance because I love the Fruit of the Spirit as discussed in Galatians 5. On my way to that chapter, I glanced at Galatians 3. I decided to start there. That chapter is all about living by the law instead of by the Spirit. The Galatians were all geared up for Christ when Paul last saw them. Then he finds out that they have lost their joy. They have become obsessed with following and enforcing Christian laws and have stopped loving and enjoying God's presence in their lives. But the law doesn't save us, Christ does. The law doesn't bring us joy and fulfillment, Christ does.

2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?[a] 4 Have you experienced[b] so much in vain—if it really was in vain? 5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? 6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[c]

10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”[e] 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”[f] 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”[g] 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”[h] 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

Hmm...sounds familiar! If someone met me last year, shortly after I was saved, when I was constantly going on about Jesus, I was always listening to worship music, I was dilegently reading my Bible and spending time with God in prayer, I was loving life, if that person saw me now, they would probably wonder what happened to me. Did I completely forget all the I knew and loved last year? Have I already reverted back to struggling to redeem myself through works and the law? Don't get me wrong, the giving and serving and church-going that I do is GOOD. I should definitely be doing these things. BUT they should be giving me joy. Why? Because I should be doing them because I'm so in love with Jesus that it's all I want to do. The Holy Spirit should be living in me, guiding me to these Godly acts of worship and purging me of the sinful desires of the flesh. But instead, I ignored God with my general ungodliness and relied instead on following the rules, doing my good deeds, and resisting temptation by my own feeble strengths, just because it's "what I'm supposed to do."

But that's a miserable existence. The law doesn't bring joy. The law brings condemnation because our imperfect flesh cannot follow every order of the law---and you would have to follow ALL of it if you're going to get saved that way. But no one can do that. So, where's the joy in that? It's just frustrating. But Christ sets us free from that burden. And now we can live through the Holy Spirit in us that fills us with joy, love, and life. We can celebrate that we have been redeemed. And as we are sanctified and become more and more like Jesus, we will naturally follow the law more fully, we will naturally serve, give, and worship with cheerful hearts. Sometimes it's easy to forget these things. When you take God out of the picture by not thinking of Him or spending time with Him each and every day, it's easy to focus on the law and the simple acts of Christianity instead. Those things are a by-product of living in the Spirit (or living in the promise...), it's not a prerequisite to salvation and fulfillment. If you try it that way (and so many of us do) you're in for a very frustrating endeavor. You can't get to God by being good. You have to go to God who makes you good. :)

Thank you, God for drawing me close to you. You work out the circumstances in our lives to further sanctify us and get us back on track. Thank you for guiding me to this small group, to this book, and back to you. Continue to work in me, Lord. I'm ready to keep living in your promise! Amen.