We live in a world that holds that our actions or attitudes aren’t wrong unless they hurt others. But I’ve often wondered, is there anything that we think or do that doesn’t harm or help others in some way? Take, for instance, sins of the heart and mind, like bitterness, jealousy, or greed. Don’t those sins affect how I treat others? I could be graciously greedy, couldn’t I? Hebrews 12:15 shows us this when the writer said that a “root of bitterness” causes trouble and defiles many. The opposite of this is also true. If I think graciously about others, believe the best about God’s work in them, and I hope good things for them, I will treat them and say things to them that will reflect that.
I bring this up because how we think and feel about others affects them, and those things are either like Christ or they’re not. These things have a blessing or a consequence attached to them.
I say that because our sins may or may not be like those of the people in Ezra’s day. But our sins affect others nonetheless.
Sin has a name:
One interesting thing about the Bible is how often it mentions sinners by name. Ezra 10:18-43 is a great example. These men seemed repentant and willing to make hard choices. But their names are written in God’s word for eternity. There are others. Think of the sons of Korah in Numbers 16 or Alexander the Blacksmith in 2 Timothy 2:14-15. God is never shy about calling sin by name and dealing directly with it.
I bring this up because in Romans 7, Paul seems to personify sin. He puts a face on it, a name, if you will. He attempts to make it real. It’s easier to do this when you think of all the people in your life that your sin would harm. Several years ago, I wrote myself a letter about the consequences of potential sins. I had not committed any of these, but I wanted to put faces and names to the people I would hurt. Some would say this was a morbid exercise. But what it has done for me is allowed me to put death to sin quickly and harshly, rather than play around with it. I think long-term about actions and attitudes. For instance, if I allow suspicion towards another Christian friend to linger, where will that end up, and what will it cost? If I offer ungodly criticisms of them, where will that end up, and what will it cost? You see my point. Have you put a name and a face to your sin? Have you put a name and a face on the people who would be hurt?
Reformation and Transformation:
As we finished Ezra this past Sunday, one comment I made was that Jesus is the greater Ezra, because Ezra reforms, but Jesus transforms. I have been stewing on this idea since I wrote it last week and then preached on it. Here are a few thoughts that have come to mind:
- Like Ezra, we can all bring God’s word to our friends and offer suggestions, but only Christ can actually transform their hearts to apply it. It takes a heart transformation to do what God says consistently.
- The Great Reformation was led by great Reformers (John Calvin, Martin Luther, etc.), but they sought transformation. If Calvin and Luther found us studying their theology and only mentally grasping it, without being transformed by the Christ they proclaimed, they would roll over in their graves.
- We’re coming up on a new year, and I’m sure all of us will be thinking about new “reforms” to put in place (new Bible reading plan, exercise routine, or schedule). While those are good, they are not enough without being transformed into the likeness of Jesus. These reforms are not competing obstacles to transformation, and they can be necessary tools of grace. But those tools of grace are meant to transform us.
This week and looking ahead:
For the next few weeks, we will consider Jesus. This week, we start in Hebrews 1:1-4 as we look at the Superiority of Christ.
Cheap Seats (Quite a bit has happened since my post):
- Calvin Anderson (Derick and Abby Anderson’s son) was on the Compass Robotics team that won their championship at UCC this past weekend. They competed against 14 other schools and won the whole thing!! Congrats, Calvin!!! By the way, you should see Calvin handle a basketball.
- Things are about to heat up in the Hot Stove. But Pete Alonso to the Orioles is a big one, and Kyle Schwarber back to the Phils. The expectation was always that Schwarber would go back, but for $30 million/year!! Wow.
- While Notre Dame overreacted (in my opinion, acted like crybabies), the way the College Football Playoffs were decided was weird. How can they be ahead of Miami in every ranking up to the final one, and neither play the last weekend? Makes no sense to me.
- I do agree with Alabama getting in but not sure why BYU didn’t. Their coach had the best quote of the weekend, “We lost to the #1 team in the country twice. Everybody else is about to find out.” Here are Texas Tech players responding to the question about their team being bought with NIL money: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=703714915832636
- And finally, watch this short commercial about Freddie Freeman (Dodger and Canadian) attempting to help a hospital in Canada raise money: https://tinyurl.com/537n7k85
Have a great week!
Christ is King!
In Christ,
Dave York
