In a blog post entitled “My Biggest Sin,” McKay Caston writes:
You couldn’t help it, could you? This is gonna be juicy, right? Could be. Okay, let’s get to it. What is my biggest sin? Of course, most of us probably think of the Top 10 list in Exodus. “Thou Shall Not…” But we’ve all broken every one of those. No surprise there. So what is my biggest sin? Here goes: Not believing that I have been fully forgiven, totally accepted, and am dearly loved by the Father. Sorry to disappoint you, but when I DON’T believe this, I get religious and become a Pharisee of sorts, who were the biggest sinners in Jesus’ day (because of their prideful, “I can do it if you just show me the rule” hearts). To look upon the work of Jesus on the cross as my judicial substitute and to NOT believe that I am fully forgiven, totally accepted, and am dearly loved is to cheapen the gospel. To think that I can add anything of my own merit is to severely diminish God’s glorious grace. It is an insult to the blood of Jesus. “So Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.”
The other day I was sent a comment by a gentleman that I do not know who happened across my blog thru a Google search. He gave me some encouragement on my birthday as well as a critique. The reason I wanted to write about his comments was easy...
In the recent past I have jumped at the chance to write about the wrong way to be critical of another's ideas, see this blog (Comment Response) Its only proper for me to give you an example of the right way to do things. Here is part of what my reader said:
As I was scrolling through your blog, one thing jumped at me is your eagerness to mock non-calvinists.
I think one thing we need to learn is to agree to disagree. We can disagree on the 5 points, but does that make us not brothers? Is it more important than the oneness we have in Christ?
We, as christians, need to set that aside, and go into the world because the time is near.
John 13:35 - By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
I only mentioned this with the intent to exhort you. No argument as to the doctrine itself.
Now, I am not sure how much I agree with him. I actually tend to think that we can, and should, seek to correct heterodox beliefs even when they remain within the broad sphere of our faith. Thus, I am not planning to put aside my conviction to bring Reformed truth to Arminian brothers and sisters.
However, he is very right in expressing to me that I should not let that passion turn into arrogant, prideful, mocking of my bretheren. If I have done that, I am sorry and I repent of it. It wasn't my intent to be that way, it simply crept in (as our sin often does)
I hope that all of us can see how this reader was able to offer his advice in a way that was non-abrasive and helpful. We could all learn something by this example.
I dedicated a new blog to Irish Folk Music...it gives me a place to store up my favorite videos and re-visit them over and over. Maybe you'd like to see them too...http://irishfolkvideos.blogspot.com/
I have mixed feelings today. On one hand I am very happy to be blessed with a roof, heat, indoor plumbing, a job, a wife, 2 healthy kids, etc...
On the other hand, I get very sad sometimes when I look at where I am today in the world's eyes. I live in a small house and I draw a small paycheck that barely covers the bills (usually at least). We drive cars from the mid-90s that are falling apart and I am in desperate need of some home repairs to improve the enviormental health of my house.
I know that all of my woes are nothing compared to the tragedies that occur daily around the world. There are hundreds of thousands dead from the earthquake in Haiti, genocide is still rampant in Darfur, the people of North Korea are completely oppressed...the list goes on and on.
Yet, I still struggle on most days with my own troubles and stresses, however small they are compared to many out there. I know that God loves me (despite my wretched unworth) but I don't feel it somedays (or someweeks...)
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I want to acknowledge this birthday with some prayer requests for the coming year (2010, my 32nd)...
1) Help me to improve on being a good husband. I am the head of my family and their behavior is both my responsibility and a representation how I act to them. Let me be kinder and more loving to my wife. Show me where I can help her reduce her pain and stress. Encourage me to be more positive towards her daily.
2) In the same way, teach me to parent with a loving heart full of grace so that my children would see Christ in my actions and their understanding of mercy would increase along with their notion of obeying. Use me as an instrument in the salvation of their little souls.
3) Give me a promotion at work or a new job that will provide just abit more income to allow us to never want for grocery money, to fix home repairs, and to purchase a used minivan.
4) Bring my small immediate family group closer together. We have been through much sorrow on my side of the family, help us to bond together in new times of trial and not separate from one another.
5) Provide me with men to fellowship with who share my interests and who can sharpen me into a better person. Also, provide me with the opportunities needed to regularly have that time with other guys, in the midst of a crazy schedule.
6) Most of all - fix my heart as to remove the pride, the envy, the lust, and all the other sin that dwells within it. Replace those things with the fruit of your Spirit as described in Galatians 5. Use me in a capacity to spread your Gospel and to advance your kingdom. Make of me someone that others are drawn to because I show an image of your love in my words and actions. I am in desperate need of this revival within my own soul - come I beg.
These things as you will,
Amen
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Lastly, let me share with you this video. It is famous Irish Folk Music duo of Clancy and Maken singing 'The Dutchman."
Its a love song about an old man who is going abit senile and his wife who cares for him. I don't hope to go senile one day, but if I do I hope that God has used the years between these and those to make me a man whose wife and kids would be glad to care for as the Dutchman is cared for.
Its also an excuse to plug my favorite genre of music again...Enjoy.
American Christianity needs to hear this message from Pastor John that was just delivered in the ATL.
He said:
"Do we love for God to love His glory ... or is our vaunted God-centeredness a cloak for self-centeredness by loving a God who is man-centered?"
"God demands that we all get on our face and worship Him, admire Him, treasure Him ... and count Him as the supreme value in the universe and He's angry when we don't,"
"Wherever you hear God saying 'praise me' what He's really saying is since praise is the completion of pleasure in greatness, please come to the fullness of your joy ... [and] of your satisfaction,"
"You weren't made to be somebody. You were made to know somebody and to be thrilled to know the greatest person in the world as your friend."
"It's counterintuitive at first but when you scratch deeper, it's so right."
"God is the one being in the universe for whom self-exaltation is not a needy act of a need ego but an infinite act of giving ... for our enjoyment," he said.
"This is not arrogance; this is grace. This is not egomania; this is love."
We are all sinners, he told the young audience. "You came into the world trading the glory of God for the glory of anything else but God. That belittles the glory of God."
Tying the Gospel message to his talk, Piper explained that when Christ died on the cross, God accomplished two seemingly impossible things: "He vindicated the worth of His glory ... and we've been forgiven."
"The foundation of our salvation is not our worth but God's worth," he stressed.
"There can't be a more solid foundation for our salvation than to know it's not based on my value but on god's infinite value," he said to applause.
The holidays were stressful. Two kids, tons of family, a close relative dealing with surgery complications, 3 ear infections, 2 pink eyes, RSV, and a trip to the ER for breathing difficulties in the Glover household (within 14 days) was challenging.
I have not posted recently because of a mind-drain. Maybe that will change soon. Until output is forthcoming again, please take a look at what I've been putting in the old noggin.
Look for a post next week on some engaging topic. In the meantime, check out Jeremy's new blog venture and updates of our family friend and FISH radio DJ, Lauren StJane.
And be praying for Ian and his wife as they seek to live out the love of Christ in urban missions just around the corner from us. We could all learn something from what they're doing.
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