My Heart, Christ's Home

 

Text taken from Robert Boyd Munger. Learn about the life change that happens when Jesus is allowed into every area of our lives.

Download My Heart, Christ's Home


In Paul's epistle to the Ephesians, we find these words:


"That (God) would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith" (Ephesians 3:16). Or, as another has translated, "That Christ may settle down and be at home in your hearts by faith."


Without question one of the most remarkable Christian doctrines is that Jesus Christ Himself through the presence of the Holy Spirit will actually enter a heart, settle down and be at home there. Christ will make the human heart His abode.


Our Lord said to His disciples, "If a man loves me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him" (John 14:23). It was difficult for them to understand what He was saying. How was it possible for Him to make his abode with them in this sense?


It is interesting that our Lord used the same word here that He gave them in the first of the fourteenth chapter of John: "I go to prepare a place for you... that where I am, ye may be also." Our Lord was promising his disciples that, just as He was going to heaven to prepare a place for them and would welcome them one day, now it would be possible for them to prepare a place for Him in their hearts and He would come and make His abode with them.


They could not understand this. How could it be?


Then came Pentecost. The Spirit of the living Christ was given to the church and they understood. God did not dwell in Herod's temple in Jerusalem! God did not dwell in a temple made with hands; but now, through the miracle of the outpoured Spirit, God would dwell in human hearts. The body of the believer would be the temple of the living God and the human heart would be the home of Jesus Christ. It is difficult for me to think of a higher privilege than to make Christ a home in my heart, to welcome, to serve, to please, to fellowship with Him there.


One evening I invited Jesus Christ into my heart. What an entrance He made! It was not a spectacular, emotional thing, but very real. It was at the very center of my life. He came into the darkness of my heart and turned on the light. He built a fire in the cold hearth and banished the chill. He started music where there had been stillness, and He filled the emptiness with His own loving, wonderful fellowship. I have never regretted opening the door to Christ and I never will - not into eternity! 


This, of course, is the first step in making the heart Christ's home. He has said, "Behold I stand at the door and knock: if any man hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20). If you are interested in making your life an abode of the living God, let me encourage you to invite Christ into your heart and He will surely come. After Christ entered my heart and in the joy of this new relationship I said to Him, "Lord, I want this heart of mine to be Yours. I want to have You settle down here and be perfectly at home. Everything I have belongs to You. Let me show You around and introduce you to the various features of the home that you may be more comfortable and that we may have fuller fellowship together."


He was very glad to come, of course, and happier still to be given a place in the heart.


The Library


The first room was the study - the library. Let us call it the study of the mind. Now in my home this room of the mind is a very small room with very thick walls. But it is an important room. In a sense, it is the control room of the house. He entered with me and looked around at the books in the bookcase, the magazines upon the table, the pictures on the walls. As I followed His gaze I became uncomfortable. Strangely enough, I had not felt badly about this before, but now that He was there looking at these things I was embarrassed. There were some books there that His eyes were too pure to behold. There was a lot of trash and literature on the table that a Christian had no business reading, and as for the pictures on the walls - the imaginations and thoughts of the mind - these were shameful.


I turned to Him and said, "Master, I know that this room needs a radical alteration. Will You help me make it what it ought to be? - to bring every thought into captivity to you?" 


"Surely!" He said. "Gladly will I help you. First of all, take all the things that you are reading and looking at which are not helpful, pure, good and true, and throw them out! Now put on the empty shelves the books of the Bible. Fill the library with Scriptures and meditate on them day and night. As for the pictures on the walls, you will have difficulty controlling these images, but here is an aid." He gave me a full-size portrait of Himself. "Hang this centrally," He said, "on the wall of the mind."


I did, and I have discovered through the years that when my thoughts are centered upon Christ Himself, His purity and power cause impure thoughts to back away. So He has helped me to bring my thoughts into captivity. 


May I suggest to you if you have difficulty with this little room of the mind, that you bring Christ in there. Pack it full with the Word of God, meditate upon it and keep before it the immediate presence of the Lord Jesus.


The Dining Room


From the study we went into the dining room, the room of appetites and desires. Now this was a very large room. I spent a good deal of time in the dining room and much effort in satisfying my wants.


I said to Him, "This is a favorite room. I am quite sure You will be pleased with what we serve."


He seated Himself at the table with me and asked, "What is on the menu for dinner?"


"Well," I said, "my favorite dishes: money, academic degrees and stocks, with newspaper articles of fame and fortune as side dishes." These were the things I liked - worldly fare. I suppose there was nothing radically wrong in any particular item, but it was not the food that should satisfy the life of a real Christian. When the food was placed before Him, He said nothing about it. However, I observed that He did not eat it, and I said to Him, somewhat disturbed, "Master, don't You care for this food? What is the trouble?"


He answered, "I have meat to eat that you do not know of. My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me." He looked at me again and said, "If you want food that really satisfies you, seek the will of the Father, not your own pleasures, not your own desires, and not your own satisfaction. 


Seek to please Me and that food will satisfy you." And there at the table He gave me a taste of doing God's will. What a flavor! There is no food like it in all the world. It alone satisfies. Everything else is dissatisfying in the end. Now if Christ is in your heart, and I trust He is, what kind of food are you serving Him and what kind of food are you eating yourself? Are you living for the lust of the flesh and the pride of life - selfishly? Or are you choosing God's will for your meat and drink?


The Living Room


We walked next into the living room. This room was rather intimate and comfortable. I liked it. It had a fireplace, overstuffed chairs, a sofa, and a quiet atmosphere.


He also seemed pleased with it. He said, "This is indeed a delightful room. Let us come here often. It is secluded and quiet, and we can fellowship together." Well, naturally as a young Christian I was thrilled. I couldn't think of anything I would rather do than have a few minutes with Christ in intimate companionship.


He promised, "I will be here early every morning. Meet me here, and we will start the day together." So morning after morning, I would come downstairs to the living room and He would take a book of the Bible from the bookcase. He would open it and then we would read together. He would tell me of its riches and unfold to me its truths. He would make my heart warm as He revealed His love and His grace He had toward me. These were wonderful hours together. In fact, we called the living room the "withdrawing room." It was a period when we had our quiet time together.


But, little by little, under the pressure of many responsibilities, this time began to be shortened. Why, I don't know, but I thought I was just too busy to spend time with Christ. This was not intentional, you understand; it just happened that way. Finally, not only was the time shortened, but I began to miss a day now and then. It was examination time at the university. Then it was some other urgent emergency. I would miss it two days in a row and often more.


I remember one morning when I was in a hurry, rushing downstairs, eager to be on my way.


As I passed the living room, the door was open. Looking in, I saw a fire in the fireplace and Jesus was sitting there. Suddenly in dismay I thought to myself, "He was my guest. I invited Him into my heart! He has come as Lord of my home. And yet here I am neglecting Him."


I turned and went in. With downcast glance, I said, "Blessed Master, forgive me. Have You been here all these mornings?"


"Yes," He said, "I told you I would be here every morning to meet with you." Then I was even more ashamed. He had been faithful despite my faithlessness. I asked His forgiveness and He readily forgave me as He does when we are truly repentant. 


"The trouble with you is this: you have been thinking of the quiet time, of the Bible study and prayer time, as a factor in your own spiritual progress, but you have forgotten that this hour means something to me also. Remember, I love you. I have redeemed you at great cost. I value your fellowship. Now," He said, "do not neglect this hour if only for my sake. Whatever else may be your desire, remember I want your fellowship!"


You know, the truth that Christ desires my companionship, that He loves me, wants me to be with Him, wants to be with me and waits for me, has done more to transform my quiet time with God than any other single fact. Don't let Christ wait alone in the living room of your heart, but every day find some time when, with your Bible and in prayer, you may be together with Him.


The Workroom


Before long, He asked, "Do you have a workroom in your home?" Down in the basement of the home of my heart I had a workbench and some equipment, but I was not doing much with it. Once in a while I would play around with a few little gadgets, but I wasn't producing anything substantial or worthwhile. I led Him down there. He looked over the workbench and what little talents and skills I had. He said, "This is quite well furnished. What are you producing with your life for the Kingdom of God?" He looked at one or two little toys that I had thrown together on the bench and held one up to me. "Are these little toys all that you are doing for others in your Christian life?"


"Well," I said, "Lord, that is the best I can do. I know it isn't much, and I really want to do more, but after all, I have no skill or strength to do more."


"Would you like to do better?" He asked.


"Certainly," I replied.


"All right. Let me have your hands. Now relax in me and let my Spirit work through you. I know that you are unskilled, clumsy and awkward, but the Holy Spirit is the Master-Worker, and if He controls your hands and your heart, He will work through you." And so, stepping around behind me and putting His great, strong hands over mine, controlling the tools with His skilled fingers He began to work through me.


There's much more that I must still learn and I am very far from satisfied with the product that is being turned out, but I do know that whatever has been produced for God has been through His strong hand and through the power of His Spirit in me.


Do not become discouraged because you cannot do much for God. Your ability is not the fundamental condition. It is He who is controlling your fingers and upon whom you are relying. Give your talents and gifts to God and He will do things with them that will surprise you.


The Rec Room


I remember the time He asked me about the playroom. I was hoping He would not ask about that. There were certain associations and friendships, activities and amusements that I wanted to keep for myself. I did not think Christ would enjoy them or approve of them, so I evaded the question.


But there came an evening when I was on my way out with some of my friends, and as I was about to cross the threshold, He stopped me with a glance and asked, "Are you going out?"


I replied, "Yes."


"Good," He said, "I would like to go with you."


"Oh," I answered rather awkwardly. "I don't think, Lord Jesus, that You would really want to go with us. Let's go out tomorrow night. Tomorrow night we will go to prayer meeting, but tonight I have another appointment."


He said. "That's alright. Only I thought that when I came into your home, we were going to do everything together, to be close companions. I just want you to know that I am willing to go with you."


"Well," I said, "we will go someplace together tomorrow night."


That evening I spent some miserable hours. I felt wretched. What kind of a friend was I to Jesus when I was deliberately leaving Him out of my associations, doing things and going places that I knew very well He would not enjoy? When I returned that evening, there was a light in His room, and I went up to talk it over with Him. I said, "Lord, I have learned my lesson. I can't have a good time without You. From now on we will do everything together."


Then we went down into the playroom of the house and He transformed it. He brought into life real joy, real happiness, real satisfaction, new friends, new excitement, new joys. Laughter and music have been ringing through the house ever since.

The Hall Closet


There is just one more matter that I might share with you. One day I found Him waiting for me at the door. An arresting look was in His eye. As I entered, He said to me, "There is a peculiar odor in the house. There is something dead around here. It's upstairs. I think it is in the hall closet." As soon as He said this, I knew what He was talking about. Yes, there was a small closet up there on the landing, just a few feet square, and in that closet, behind lock and key, I had one or two little personal things that I did not want anyone to know about and certainly I did not want Christ to see them. I knew they were dead and rotting things left over from the old life. And yet I loved them, and I wanted them so for myself that I was afraid to admit they were there.


Reluctantly, I went up with Him, and as we mounted the stairs the odor became stronger and stronger. He pointed at the door. "It's in there! Some dead thing!"


I was angry. That's the only way I can put it. I had given Him access to the library, the dining room, the living room, the workroom, the playroom, and now He was asking me about a little two-by-four closet. I said to myself, "This is too much. I am not going to give Him the key."


"Well," He said, reading my thoughts, "if you think I'm going to stay up here on the second floor with this odor, you are mistaken. I will take my bed out on the back porch. I'm certainly not going to put up with that." Then I saw Him start down the stairs. 


When you have come to know and love Christ, the worst thing that can happen is to sense His fellowship retreating from you. I had to surrender. "I'll give You the key," I said sadly, "but You'll have to open the closet and clean it out. I haven't the strength to do it." 


"I know," He said. "I know you haven't. Just give me the key. Just authorize me to take care of that closet and I will." 


So with trembling fingers I passed the key to Him. He took it from my hand, walked over to the door, opened it, entered it, took out all the putrefying stuff that was rotting there, and threw it away. Then He cleaned the closet and painted it, fixed it up, doing it all in a moment's time. Oh, what victory and release to have that dead thing out of my life!


Transferring the Title


Then a thought came to me. I said to myself, "I have been trying to keep this heart of mine clear for Christ. I start on one room and no sooner have I cleaned that, then another room is dirty. I begin on the second room and the first room becomes dusty again. I am so tired and weary trying to maintain a clean heart and an obedient life. I am just not up to it!"


So I ventured a question: "Lord, is there any chance that You would take over the responsibility of the whole house and operate it for me and with me just as You did that closet? Would You take the responsibility to keep my heart what it ought to be and my life where it ought to be?" 


I could see His face light up as He replied, "Certainly, that is what I came to do. You cannot be a victorious Christian in your own strength. That is impossible. Let me do it through you and for you. That is the way. "But," He added slowly, "I am not the owner of this house. I am just a guest. I have no authority to proceed, since the property is not mine."


I saw it in a minute, and dropping to my knees, I said, "Lord, You have been a guest and I have been the host. From now on I am going to be the servant. You are going to be the owner and Master and Lord."


Running as fast as I could to the strongbox, I took out the title deed to the house describing its assets and liabilities, location and situation and condition. I eagerly signed it over to belong to Him alone for time and eternity. "Here," I said. "Here it is, all that I am and have forever. Now You run the house. I'll just remain with You as a servant and friend."


He took my life that day and I can give you my word, there is no better way to live the Christian life. He knows how to keep it in shape and deep peace settles down on the soul. May Christ settle down and be at home in your heart as Lord of all!


Relevant Scriptures


Psalm 24:1-2

1 Corinthians 7:23

Romans 14:8

Matthew 13:44


Questions for Discussion


It may be good to take time to talk through each room. Ask if Christ has been let into that room and what had to change accordingly. If Christ is not yet allowed in that room, ask why and discuss the hesitancy and the positives of letting Christ take over that room.


Think back through the rooms? Is there a room that specifically stands out as one that you have not let Christ into yet? Why have you been hesitant to let Christ into that room?


Why does Christ deserve all of our lives?


Read Psalm 24: 1-2. This shows that he is the Creator of all things. He founded everything and everything in it is His.


Read 1 Corinthians 7:23 and Romans 14:8. This shows he is the Redeemer of all things. We belong to the Lord and were bought at a price!


Can you think of any other reasons that Christ has a right to our lives?

Hospitality

By Chi Alpha • 01 Nov, 2023
Download Hospitality “So we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.” -1 Thessalonians 2:8 What is Radically Ordinary Hospitality? “Those who live out radically ordinary hospitality see their homes not as theirs at all but as God’s gift to use for the furtherance of his kingdom. They open doors; they seek out the underprivileged. They know that the gospel comes with a house key” (Butterfield, 11). The practice of radically ordinary hospitality is an opportunity for us to invite those around us into our messy, everyday lives and reveal what true Christian faith really looks like. We don’t have to make an extravagant meal or know all the answers to Biblical questions to practice radically ordinary hospitality . We can do it by being ourselves and letting others see what it looks like to follow Christ in the mundane and extraordinary of our lives, including all the highs and lows. Our invitation has the power to disrupt preconceived notions that our friends may have about Christianity based on social media and the news. This is not a modern concept; we have a Biblical basis for it. Jesus ate with sinners and tax collectors (Luke 5:29-32). He interrupted the status quo and made outsiders feel like insiders. We, too, have experienced the personal invitation of Jesus! In the same way that Jesus welcomes us, our hospitality provides a place for those proximate to us to encounter Jesus through us. This can bring about a radical change in their lives. This vision of hospitality should empower us to examine our surroundings and ask, “who is on the outside and how can I invite them in?” How do we practice hospitality? We must start where we are, whether that’s a dorm room, family living room, or apartment. We all have resources that we can use for the sake of others. Hospitality is about being open: open to others and open to what God is doing. Here are some practical elements to think about when considering next steps in hospitality: Invitation : Think about who is in your class, your major, or your program that you can invest in and invite. Preparation : Plan where you will meet and what you will do. Prepare your location, food, and activities accordingly. It doesn’t have to be too fancy, just accessible to the people you invite. Execution : The most important thing is to do something—do not get stuck in all the planning that you forget to actually practice hospitality. Some Ideas Host a dinner at your house Super Bowl Party at the Hub Ice cream float night Game night where everyone brings a favorite game Video game tournaments (Smash bros, Mario kart, etc.) Gather a group to go to a friend’s dance, band, comedy show, etc. performance Your idea: __________________________________________________________________ Remember, sometimes what is most hospitable is entering into other people’s spaces before they ever come to your space. Take your time and listen to God. Know that this journey is often slow, but God is present through it all. Take a step of faith and invite someone into your life. God can transform lives, yours included! Relevant Scriptures 1 Peter 4:8-10 Romans 12:13-20 Questions for Discussion What are the biggest things keeping you from having the emotional space to recognize the needs of those around you? How can you limit/remove them? What strengths & interests do you have that you can use for hospitality? Where can you start? What are the particulars about your life that you can utilize to bless others? Recommended Reading: The Gospel Comes with a House Key by Rosaria Butterfield

Engaging Culture

By Chi Alpha • 22 Feb, 2023
Download Engaging Culture “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” - Romans 12:2 Christian Living Have you ever wondered what the Bible has to say about social media? Or how Jesus would have responded to any of the other hot topics in our culture? Frankly, the Bible has a lot more to say about farming than it does about social media. Yet, we know that God’s Word was given to show us how to live not just in the age of Jesus, but in every age following. Romans 12:2 reminds us that we are not to look like the world, but rather to have our minds renewed that we might learn the will of God. Indeed, John 17:16 quotes Jesus as saying, “they are not of the world, even as I am not of it,” about his followers. So we know that while we live in this world, we are “not of the world” and are not to conform to it either. But how does this play out in our daily lives? What We’re Up Against The average American college student faces many challenges in answering the call of being in the world but not of it. We find ourselves in conflict with the culture on everything from our sexual ethic, to how we handle alcohol, and even where we find our identity. Our college culture, and indeed the culture of our world, is always trying to form us in more ways than we can fathom. Some of these ways are obvious, like violent and sexually graphic television or music that glorifies a sinful lifestyle. But what about gossip or influencers who always tell us to have the latest brand name clothes or resources? Or how about the way we spend hours scrolling through social media, or how we confront someone over text messages rather than waiting to speak face-to-face? Our modern world is filled with intricate social structures and phenomena that aren’t specifically mentioned in Scripture, but are all deeply formative in how we follow Jesus. If you feel the argument of: “wait a minute, not everything has to be bad all the time” argument welling up inside you, please pause for just a minute. I’m not trying to say that taking a selfie is a sin, or that you need to delete your Netflix. As Christians we are not called to live totally separate from the world, yet it is important to be cognizant of the ways we are being formed by the culture. If we simply avoid the culture, it holds us back from the goal of reaching those who do not yet know the Lord! Instead, we need to think critically about how to engage with culture without compromising our witness. We are also not called to be antagonistic towards culture. It is too easy to point out problems from the outside without stepping into the world to offer solutions and care in the midst of brokenness. We are called to look different because we are citizens of a different Kingdom! Even still, we must point out perhaps the most common danger for our generation of Christians: falling into the alluring trap of relevance. We all feel social pressure to connect with people and no one wants to be considered strange or elitist or judgmental or lame. Relevance draws us in with thoughts of, ‘everyone else watches it’ or ‘they won’t listen to me if we can’t relate over anything!’ However these arguments are just a rationalization for indulging our own desires. Walking this line of thinking and questioning, ‘how harmful can it be?’ minimizes God’s call to holiness. All of a sudden, Christians who are called to be the prophetic voice in the brokenness of a culture are participating in it along with the very people they’re trying to welcome into the Kingdom of God. What Then Are We To Do? So, we are not called to live separate from culture, but neither are we called to love it. But what then are we called to? We know that Jesus lived a radically pure and self-sacrificial life, yet he also entered into some of the most rejected and sinful subgroups of society. Somehow, he formed those places rather than being formed by them. Jesus was neither separate from, nor part of those cultures - he was countercultural . Gabe Lyons, in his book The Next Christians, points out that those who live counter-culturally like Jesus: “...see themselves as salt, preserving agents actively working for restoration in the middle of a decaying culture. ... They understand that by being restorers they fight against the cultural norms and often flow counter to the cultural tide. But they feel that, as Christians, they’ve been called to partner with God in restoring and renewing everything they see falling apart.” We are the salt of the earth, and our call is to be restorers and renewers. We must learn to discern what is good, what is not, and to pursue holiness. Sin Is Sin How do we enter into culture with the hope of redeeming it, yet not be swayed by it? The first and obvious point is to know and avoid sin. Not just the “large” sins, like murder/theft/adultery, but also the sins we consider not as dangerous. We may find ourselves indulging in things like watching or reading pornography, swearing, gossiping, or underage drinking. You may think underage drinking is no big deal, but when God tells you to obey laws, your underage drinking is not just casual – it is sin. Patrick Lencioni reminds us of the truth behind our worldly ranking of sins: “...which brings me to a powerful truth that I easily and often forget: every sin is a sin. None of it is good, and all of it, in every form, can corrupt us. I love the saying “whether a bird is tethered by a chain or a piece of twine, it still can’t fly.” We must face the fact that the secular world – the one that is the theater of the prince of darkness – will be happy to see us tied down by twine. It/he hopes that we will be falsely comforted by the idea that ‘it is only twine.’” This can be a hard truth to live out. The smaller sins seem so innocuous but we have to face the truth, even if every sin isn’t necessarily equal in earthly consequence, they all hold us back from the freedom that God desires for us. They lead to death, and we are called to repent of and cease them all . We can’t have our secret sins in the Kingdom of God. Living in the Kingdom of God means that we submit our lives, in every small decision, under the rule and reign of God. In other words, we don’t have the right to decide something is okay when God has said it isn’t. It’s as simple as that. But What If It’s Not Sin? There’s more than sin to confront in the question of how to consume culture, right? What about the gray areas? Hebrews 12:1 says to, “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Even if something is not a sin, it can hinder our accomplishment of the life Christ has called us to. Philippians 4:8-9 has the same encouragement with a positive spin: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” Is the culture you are consuming helping you to think about true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable things? Or is it hindering you from running the race God has set before you? Maybe this needs to be more specific. Consider how these things may be forming you: Is that movie going to help you think of pure things? Is cursing helping your witness? Are hours alone playing video games or binge-watching shows drawing you into deeper community? Is the time you are spending on Instagram or TikTok forming you to look more like Jesus? These little things that we consider to be so inconsequential can actually begin to corrode our sense of God’s purpose and desire for our life. What if these small things, even more than the sins we can name, are holding us back from making an impact in our relationships and our community? Why It’s Worth It Reevaluating how we engage with our culture can have a positive impact on different aspects of our lives. In our relationship with God, it can help us to recognize and eliminate sin, ultimately leading to a greater sense of freedom and intimacy with the Lord. In our relationship with others, confronting our engagement with culture can help us to let go of behaviors that hinder our ability to form genuine connections and to love others as we are called to do. Finally, the way we engage with culture can also have a significant impact on our witness to the lost. When we choose to look different and live by God's standards, we demonstrate to the world that a life in Him is worth far more than a life in the world. This, in turn, can offer hope to others that there is something better than what they currently know. This is Jesus’ invitation to all of us, to live in the world but not to be formed by it. Jesus is inviting us to look beautifully different from the culture and in doing so, to live in a way that showcases the radiance of Christ to a world in desperate need of His eternal hope. Relevant Scriptures Psalm 141:4 ...Don’t let my heart be drawn to what is evil 1 Corinthians 3:19 ... For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight Colossians 2:8 ... See to it that no one takes you captive by empty deceit. Jeremiah 10:2 ... Do not learn the way of the nations. Questions For Discussion Where do you find yourself most tempted to look like the culture? What might be things that aren’t sin but fall under the “hindrance” category? What do you think it means to “take up your cross” on an average day? Have you ever been inspired by someone who lived differently from the rest of your friends/community? What was it about them that inspired you? Application: It is important to turn our understanding into actions. This week, fast from something you engage with regularly (TV, secular music, Instagram, TikTok) that you think may be hindering you from the race God has set before you. Fill that time with praying or reading His Word. When we refocus our brains on truth, these cultural lies or hindrances become more apparent and we can begin to submit our desires to the Holy Spirit’s transforming power! Recommended Reading: Beautiful Resistance by Jon Tyson Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis The Next Christians by Gabe Lyons

Why We Forgive

By Chi Alpha • 22 Feb, 2023
Download Why We Forgive "Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." Isaiah 1:18  How do you define forgiveness? Forgiveness is what exists in the gap between the standard God holds us to and the reality of our sin. “ Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy” (Micah 7:18-20). Then, in our human experience, forgiveness is the gap between the pure motives and actions that we desire of others, and the reality of how they fail to meet them. “ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13). We have an axiom in Chi Alpha that says it this way: what God does in you, He wants to do through you. Forgiveness is a blessing we receive from God so that we can pass it on to others. God’s forgiveness in our lives is meant to expand our capacity for forgiveness to those who have wronged us. But what is forgiveness? Forgiveness is acknowledging that the other person hurt you, and yet offering them your mercy. You are turning over the debt slip they owe you into the hands of God. Forgiveness is saying, “you have hurt me, but the debt you owe me is gone - I will pay the cost as Christ paid the cost for me, and I will acknowledge that justice is His alone.” Our Enormous Debt Read the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant in Matthew 18:21-35 The first servant owed 10,000 talents. Did you know that one talent was the equivalent of 15 years wages? That means the servant would have to work non-stop for 150,000 years to pay that back! Your salvation through Jesus on the cross was not just a gift; it was payment of your impossible debt. This parable compares our offenses against God to debt in order to help us understand our actions as currency in the kingdom of heaven. Remember, the King not only has the power to call us to pay our debt of disobedience, but also the right and duty to do so. He is the King, and I'm sure many of us, myself included, are guilty of treason, theft, slander of the King and his policies, insurrection, aligning with the enemy, and even claiming to be King. Sin always has a cost. Our Debt is Forgiven This servant owed his King 150,000 years' worth of wages, and yet the King showed mercy. Look at the wording - the servant asked for patience, right? But the King went above and beyond by canceling the debt instead of giving more time to pay it. The King knew the servant couldn't pay, and so he absorbed the debt himself. Another one of our Chi Alpha axioms is: when forgiveness is extended, someone must absorb the wound. This means someone lets the demand for payment end with them, carrying the cost themselves. And in this case, we see that the King is willing to bear even the most exorbitant debt, the deepest grievances. That's our King! “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23). Every morning, God’s mercies are new. This means every morning, we can be that servant looking at the King saying: “I know I’ve sinned. And your law explicitly says that the wages of sin is death. But will you have patience?” and He says, “not only patience, but I will cancel your debt. I will pay it myself. I will absorb the cost.” And He did, on the cross. So, not surprisingly, when the King hears of the servant He had just pardoned abusing other servants for their debt, He is incredulous! He says, “shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” In the Kingdom of God, mercy begets mercy. Consider this: when we hold a grudge against our offender, we are essentially putting them in a prison where they are unable to repay the debt we feel they owe, just like the unmerciful servant did to his debtor. We have already sentenced them to the jail of judgment in your mind. When we talk badly about those who have hurt us to others, we are grabbing them by the throat and leaving bruises on their reputation. We are cutting off their ability to respond and instead replacing it with our own pronounced condemnation. Yet the Lord says, “Love keeps no record of wrongs”, and offers us a clean slate. What wrongs are you keeping a hidden record of while rejoicing that your slate is clean? Forgiveness Inspires a Reaction Now to be clear, Jesus is not implying causality in this parable. He is not trying to scare us into forgiving others for the sake of securing our own forgiveness. Jesus tells us that we must forgive “from the heart” (Matthew 18:35). Instead, Jesus is emphasizing a significant point: if you have received mercy, you will want to offer mercy. If you have been forgiven, you will want to learn to forgive. The unmerciful servant did not personally receive the Lord’s forgiveness. Look back at what he says when he first encounters the king, he says, “Be patient with me, and I will pay back everything.” We know that the King has canceled the debt, but the servant never seemed to understand. He is frantically scraping together pennies to repay an impossible sum, trying to justify himself. Doesn’t that sound hopeless? It is no wonder he is resentful and hostile to someone who is just like him - a sinner in need of mercy. Are you living in the forgiveness that God has offered you, or are you still living as someone with a large debt to pay? Perhaps the person you need to forgive right now isn't your neighbor; maybe it's yourself. Jesus has already offered forgiveness. Have you accepted it, or are you still punishing yourself? Are you still carrying the burden of your sin, trying to earn your way back into the graces of the King? Are you still justifying yourself based on the shortcomings and debts of others? Are you withholding forgiveness over a small offense, when you have been forgiven so much? Who are you struggling to forgive? Are you (whether physically or metaphorically) standing like a king above someone else and demanding they ask for your patience, and respect your power over them, instead of showing them mercy and pointing them to the King who pays all debts? The Question You Have Been Wanting to Ask Does this mean that forgiving is abandoning justice? Honestly, some of us won’t see vengeance on this side of heaven.Our worldly justice system is just a shadow of the heart of God. He looks at what someone did to His beloved child and He desires justice for it more than we can imagine! We all will appear before the King and will be called to pay our own account. On that day that person will have to face the punishment they justly deserve before the King who has the power and right to exact it, or they will be forgiven because of their faith in Jesus, just as you have been forgiven. Either way, justice will come. Whether it comes at the final judgment, or on the Cross, God’s justice is secure. This is why we can have true peace when we allow these debt slips to pass from our hands and into the hand of our just and merciful King. When you forgive as a Christian, you can rest knowing that justice ultimately will be served, no matter what. Relevant Scriptures 1 John 1:9. " If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us...” Matthew 18:35 “ ... unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” Matthew 6:14-15 " ...if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” Daniel 9:9 " The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled...” Questions for Discussion ● What do you think is the difference between acknowledging you’ve been hurt (as in the definition of forgiveness) and excusing it? ● What do you think it means to “absorb the wound”? ● What is the most difficult aspect of forgiveness for you? How does this parable address that difficulty? ● Why does forgiving not mean that you have to give up on justice? Recommended Resource If you feel like you need to forgive someone today, if you want the freedom of giving over the debt slip you’ve clenched in your hands and heart over to God, the resource Forgiveness on our website walks us through how to forgive. May the Lord give you peace and freedom from your hurts!
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