Under the Law of Moses, or as they’re more commonly known – the Ten Commandments – we were meant to identify where we were sinners. These laws were meant to give us a guide to live righteously, to live holy and aligned with how God wants us to live. Our flesh however, desires to live it’s own way. It seeks pleasures, easy satisfaction and quick gratification via low hanging fruits like sex, drugs, alcohol, food, social media and external validation from peers.
Christians, Catholics, and Jews alike, along with many other religious communities often use these laws (or those of their defined faiths) – much like the Pharisees of Jesus’ time, and have begun to use “law” to pass judgement over those deemed “not [insert organized faith group here] enough”.
This turns up via rejection and accusations regarding the declarations of, and validity of, other individuals faith claims. It presents as gossip and condemnation towards others.
We are currently seeing this online with “influencers” of faith, towards those who are in the public eye and are publicly sharing their new and imperfect walk with Jesus. (One example is Shia LaBeouf in his Catholic faith, who used some curse words in an interview where he shared his journey with Jesus – many believers accused him of not being a “real believer” because of his word choices).
We often see this among our own congregations and in friendship circles and study groups when someone feels slighted by another believer, or when we witness someone’s stumbling and they lapse back into alcoholism, drug use, revealing attire, promiscuous behaviors etc. We have become all too eager to “share the tea”, and gossip in these spaces and online.
As followers of Jesus we are called to lead by example.
So is it any wonder the world has distain for our faith when this is the example we are leading with; Hypocrisy and judgement rather than grace and love?
Some questions we should be asking ourselves are:
- Where am I still living and projecting onto others under the weight of Law?
- Where am I judging when I should be giving grace?
- Am I unfairly judging someone’s journey of growth and development with the Lord?
Compare the way you’re currently living with the Fruits of the Spirit in Gal 5:22-23.
- How does your life hold up to how we are called to live through Jesus?
- Are you being patient, kind, loving, living in joy, being gentle with tender hearts?
Grace was given to us by Jesus when he took our place on the cross for the sins we commit in our daily living. We all fall short of the glory of God.
We were not perfect, nor deserving, nor worthy of such a sacrifice. Yet he did it for us fully knowing the lives we would live, the choices we would make, the sins we could commit. He did it anyway. He loved us and met us in our worst moments, our shameful moments, and he raised us up to be better. Jesus sought us out in our shame – like the women at the well. She was living in active sin, living with a man who was not her husband, having had 5 husbands already – and Jesus made a point of seeing her out in the midst of her shame, and told her she was forgiven, she was loved, and she was worthy. Then told her to share of this grace, and sin no more.
Before you judge someone and begin to point out their shortcomings, ask yourself – Did I get myself to where I am today, or did Jesus get me here? And if I didn’t get myself here, what right do I have to condemn someone else for not being here also?
If you believe in Jesus, reflect on where you once were. Where did he find you?
Think about where you are now. How did he grow you and shape you and heal you? What did he forgive in you?
Now ask yourself – Where did I fail to extend that same grace to others?
Ask Jesus to reveal it, to forgive it, and for the Holy Spirit to convict you when to begin to withhold grace from others. (Sometimes we forget to give ourselves grace too!)
And if you haven’t yet encountered Jesus, I encourage you to reflect on the areas in your life that have left you wanting more, that have created an emptiness in you. Do you want better? What hurts are you carrying? Do you want healing? Theo Von said it perfectly when he said he prayed for God to forgive his sins, knowing he was likely to do it again.
Jesus already knows when and if you will stumble – but he wants the opportunity to love you anyway. Let him re-write the story of your life. Because when Jesus holds the pen, the story is far more beautiful than anything we can create for ourselves.
Remember, grace isn’t condoning poor choices and bad behaviours. It’s about meeting each other where we are at. It’s acknowledging we all have shortcomings, and being willing to grow through them together. To lift each other up to better. How do we do that?
With love.
What is love?
Love confronts the lies we believe about ourselves… lies that we are rejected, unworthy, unlovable, not enough, or that we don’t belong. These are the number one reasons we are tempted into sinful actions. By loving others well, we show that the opposite of these beliefs is true. That they are accepted. They are worthy. They are loveable. They are enough. And they do belong.
How many more people would be willing to walk through the doors of your church if they were made to feel this way?
Love can become a mirror for things we want to hide or refuse to acknowledge. This may be the strongest reason why we avoid God. Because drawing near to him often reveals the things we know we shouldn’t do, but are choosing to do because it is easier, it feels good in the moment, or it’s what makes us feel accepted by our peers.
But love is also restoration. Its protection. It’s forgiveness. It’s enduring. God gave Moses the 10 commandments out of love, to protect his people from the path or destruction they were headed towards. Living as God calls us to, prevents many of the hardships we endure while living separate from him.
The most important commandments were to love God, forsaking all other gods, and to love our neighbor; To love others as Christ loved the church.
Love is sacrificial. To love well is to sacrifice and to give.
Apostle Damon Thompson said, “Love is not a sentiment. It is a fire. Fire by nature brings warmth and comfort by what it is currently devouring.” The more we put onto the fire, the hotter it gets, the more we are warmed.
Apostle Damon explained that: God himself is love. God is an all consuming fire. He will burn up all that does not serve you, your purpose or the person he calls you to be.
Gods fire is not a condemning fire, but rather a refining fire – burning away the impurities the way a silversmith cleans silver before it can be polished into a masterpiece.
Reflect on what Gods love looks like and what he sacrificed for you.
- What can you sacrifice and give to bring the fire of love into its most invigorating expression?
- What lies need to be burned on the altar to allow the Lord to work in you and through you?
- Are you allowing him to love on ALL parts of you, not just the parts you want him to see, but also the parts of you that are kept in the shadows of shame and guilt.
- How can you show and reflect Gods love into your day-to-day living to bring people closer to Jesus and enter into partnership with Him?
Thank you for joining me today as we dive into the Kingdom Secrets found in the Word of God. I hope you found value in this bible study.
If you don’t yet know Jesus, if you’re tired of feeling like you aren’t enough, I encourage you to seek him out, to invite him into your life and let him do the wonderful works in your life that he has done in mine.
Give him a chance to love you.
Below is a prayer we use every Sunday at Saints Church, as an invitation to encounter and accept Jesus in our lives. Feel free to use it to seek him out if you don’t know what to say. An imperfect prayer is better than no prayer.
Dear Jesus,
I need you. Now more than ever. So I give you everything; my wins and my losses. My sins and my successes, they’re all yours. Be lord of my life. Give me a new heart, and lead me on the path you have for me.
In your name I pray, Amen.
Scriptures to Read
- John 1:17
- 1 John 5:18-23
- Romans 6:12-17
- John 5:13-21
- Romans 3:27-31
- Ephesians 2:8-10
- Ephesians 3:6-12
- Colossians 1:8-14
- John 3:16
- 1 Cor 13:4-7
Thank you to my pastors, mentors, church apostles, community and friends for the inspiration, guidance, leadership and direction that helps drive me into the word and relationship with with Jesus so I can in turn, share what the Holy Spirit reveals to me.
Life's Kingdom Secrets 