Thoughts
on Devotions – LD33
Q.
88
What is involved in genuine repentance or conversion? Q.
89
What is the dying away of the old self? Q.
90
What is the rising to life of the new self? Q.
91
What are good works?
DeYoung,
in The
Good News We Almost Forgot,
titles
this chapter “Dying Away and Coming to Life.” He gives many
examples of how the Bible describes conversion – being born again,
being resurrected to new life, etc. He reminds us that what the Bible
is talking about is a spiritual awakening that affects every aspect
of life, not trying to do a better job of following a set of rules or
agreeing to some theological statements. From this deep spiritual
transformation will come fruit – good works in service to our
neighbor.
Monday:
Christian
conversion is the Holy Spirit's work of transforming a non-believer
into a believer, or disciple of Christ. “Conversion” comes from a
Latin word meaning “to turn” – it involves a person turning
away from one type of life to another, affecting every aspect of the
convert. In fact, the Bible talks of this transformation as the old
self dying and a new self coming to life.
1
Thess. 1:9-10
For people everywhere report how you welcomed us and how you turned
to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for
his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus our
deliverer from the coming wrath.
Romans
6:17-18
But thanks be to God that though you were slaves to sin, you obeyed
from the heart that pattern of teaching you were entrusted to, and
having been freed from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness.
Tuesday:
Before
conversion a person sees nothing wrong with sin – other than
perhaps embarrassment or regret over being caught. Where there is
genuine repentance there is sorrow for sin – it is more than just
feeling bad, it is coming to hate sin and running away from it.
Joel
2:12-13
“Yet even now,” the Lord says, “return to me with all your
heart - with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not
just your garments!” Return to the Lord your God, for he is
merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and boundless in loyal
love - often relenting from calamitous punishment.
Acts
2:36-38
Therefore let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt that God
has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.” Now
when they heard this, they were acutely distressed and said to Peter
and the rest of the apostles, “What should we do, brothers?”
Peter said to them, “Repent, and each one of you be baptized in the
name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
2
Cor. 7:10
For sadness as intended by God produces a repentance that leads to
salvation, leaving no regret, but worldly sadness brings about death.
Wednesday:
Adam's
sin caused him to become spiritually dead, and all his descendants
inherit that condition. We are not able to please God when we are
dead in sin, in fact we hate God. When the Spirit brings us to life
spiritually we come to know God and grow in love and joy in that
relationship.
1
Peter 1:8-9
You have not seen him, but you love him. You do not see him now but
you believe in him, and so you rejoice with an indescribable and
glorious joy, because you are attaining the goal of your faith - the
salvation of your souls.
Romans
5:1-2, 11
Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have
also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and
we rejoice in the hope of Godʼs glory... Not only this, but we also
rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have
now received this reconciliation.
Romans
6:12-13
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey
its desires, and do not present your members to sin as instruments to
be used for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those
who are alive from the dead and your members to God as instruments to
be used for righteousness.
Thursday:
Genuine
conversion can only be accomplished by the Holy Spirit. No amount of
praying, preaching or wanting to change, in itself, is enough. The
Holy Spirit works in a person's heart when they hear God's Word,
convicting a person of sin and causing them to trust His promise of
salvation.
Ephesians
2:1-10
And although you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which
you formerly lived according to this worldʼs present path, according
to the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the ruler of the spirit that
is now energizing the sons of disobedience, among whom all of us also
formerly lived out our lives in the cravings of our flesh, indulging
the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of
wrath even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of his
great love with which he loved us, even though we were dead in
transgressions, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you are
saved! - and he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the
heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, to demonstrate in the coming ages
the surpassing wealth of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ
Jesus. For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no
one can boast. For we are his workmanship, having been created in
Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do
them.
Friday:
The NT says that Christians have died to sin, and that we must die to
sin every day. And yet we sin – Instead of a life of ease, we need
to realize that living as a Christian involves struggle and
discipline. We are new creatures in Christ, but we need to keep
putting on our new self to be like Jesus. The NT uses words like
fight, strive, “run with endurance” and “put to death” in
regard to growing in holiness, so we should not be surprised that it
is difficult to resist sin.
Colossians
3:1-3, 8-10
Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the
things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Keep
thinking about things above, not things on the earth, for you have
died and your life is hidden with Christ in God... But now, put off
all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language
from your mouth. Do not lie to one another since you have put off the
old man with its practices and have been clothed with the new man
that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one
who created it.
Luke
9:23
Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to become my follower,
he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Saturday:
Even though people do good deeds for many reasons, the only good
deeds in God's perspective are done out of true faith – that means
that they come out of a right relationship with Christ. Good deeds
must also conform to God's law, not just what we think might be good.
Good deeds must also focus on bringing glory to God, not looking for
approval of others or some other reward.
John
15:5
“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me -
and I in him - bears much fruit, because apart from me you can
accomplish nothing.
Matthew
5:17-20
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them. I tell
you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest
letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything
takes place. So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands
and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of
heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be
called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your
righteousness goes beyond that of the experts in the law and the
Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
1
Cor. 10:31
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for
the glory of God.
Reading
between the lines...
Jesus
harshly criticizes the Pharisees and teachers of the law, but the
last verse in Matthew 23 expresses his sadness at their refusal to
turn to God. Jesus himself is the one who longs to gather the people,
like a hen gathering chicks. This is the heart of Zion's king –
while he has anger and rebuke for pathetic leaders of the people, his
last word is love and grace.
Matthew
23:37
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those
who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children
together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would
have none of it! Look, your house is left to you desolate! For I tell
you, you will not see me from now until you say, ʻBlessed is the one
who comes in the name of the Lord!ʼ”
Luke
19:41
Now when Jesus approached and saw the city, he wept over it,
A
culture's impressive buildings and structures often point to what
people put their trust in. In Jesus' day it was the temple. The
disciples would have been shocked at Jesus' prediction that the
temple would be destroyed, but he was also referring to a larger
judgment, ultimately, of the whole world. We need to put our trust in
Jesus – not in the structure and riches of this world. Only the new
Jerusalem provides the security we want.
Mark
13:1-2
Now as Jesus was going out of the temple courts, one of his disciples
said to him, “Teacher, look at these tremendous stones and
buildings!” Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great
buildings? Not one stone will be left on another. All will be torn
down!”
1
Peter 4:17
For it is time for judgment to begin, starting with the house of God.
And if it starts with us, what will be the fate of those who are
disobedient to the gospel of God?
Wars
and rumors of wars is not the end – it is the beginnings of birth
pains – a pain that leads to new life. Jesus speaks speaks of
painful events, but it is leading something – it is leading to the
end – the goal, the regeneration of all things. Jesus will return
in a cloud – the cloud that symbolizes God's presence with his
people, which will never leave again. When Jesus returns it will be
the end – a rebirth and gathering of his people.
Mark
13:7-8
When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. These
things must happen, but the end is still to come. For nation will
rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There
will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines.
These are but the beginning of birth pains.
Matthew
16:2-4
He said, “When evening comes you say, ʻIt will be fair weather,
because the sky is red,ʼ and in the morning, ʻIt will be stormy
today, because the sky is red and darkening.ʼ You know how to judge
correctly the appearance of the sky, but you cannot evaluate the
signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a
sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.”
Then he left them and went away.
Matthew
13:26
Then everyone will see the Son of Man arriving in the clouds with
great power and glory.
Matthew
13:28-29
“Learn this parable from the fig tree: Whenever its branch becomes
tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also
you, when you see these things happening, know that he is near, right
at the door.
Talents
– Jesus has given us talents and he expects us to put them to work.
Naturally we use our talents to impress others, or we coast, resting
on talents instead of developing them. Or we hide our talents,
fearing that we will be called upon if we make them known. Jesus
wants us to use the talents he gives, to risk them in service of the
Kingdom. We need to consider our talents and how we can invest them
in the Kingdom.
Matthew
25:14-15, 30
“For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves
and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents,
to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability.
Then he went on his journey... And throw that worthless slave into
the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of
teeth.ʼ
The
reason that we are able to risk our talents is that we trust our
Master. When we get a vision for the kind of King that Jesus is we
can become the outward looking servants that he seeks. The servant
who buries his talent has a perverted view of the Master. We wonder
where he gets this view – but we are all prone to paint God as a
harsh task master – then we feel that we can just dismiss him and
ignore his Kingdom purposes. Such servants get the master they
imagined! If you want to leave, God will tell you to go. Jesus gives
himself fully and invites us to share his happiness – that is the
vision that creates good and faithful servants.
Matthew
25:23
His master answered, ʻWell done, good and faithful slave! You have
been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many
things. Enter into the joy of your master.ʼ
The
Father blesses the sheep, but the goats remain under their curse. The
sheep and goats are on the right or left before their deeds are
described – they do not become sheep or goats based on their
actions, they simply cannot help acting as a sheep or goat. The sheep
care for the week like their shepherd, but Jesus says that they did
their acts of mercy are not just like him, but “to him” - even
when the sheep no longer remembers what they had done. The goats do
not do acts of mercy, yet become defensive – they are indignant
that they should be found wanting. The sheep have found their
righteousness in their shepherd and unthinkingly share it with
others; the goats assert their righteousness to the shepherd, but
they are unthinking towards his people. Jesus does not say do the
acts of a sheep and you will earn eternal life. True sheep do not
care about earning, they just act like sheep – they act like their
shepherd. Jesus is not just our example, he is the recipient of our
mercy.
Matthew
25:37-40, 44-45
Then the righteous will answer him, ʻLord, when did we see you
hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When
did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?ʼ And the king
will answer them, ʻI tell you the truth, just as you did it for one
of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for
me.ʼ... Then they too will answer, ʻLord, when did we see you
hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and
did not give you whatever you needed?ʼ Then he will answer them, ʻI
tell you the truth, just as you did not do it for one of the least of
these, you did not do it for me.ʼ
How
is our church seen by others? Jesus commands us to be loving, and it
is the ultimate distinguishing mark of a Christian. As Jesus loved
us, we should love one another. Jesus takes off his robe, the
clothing of a king, and puts wraps a towel around himself, the
clothing of a slave. Do we understand what Jesus did in washing the
disciples' feet? The Lord becomes a servant. In a matter of hours he
will be nailed to a cross. The humble acts of a servant are Christ's
divine glory. Jesus said he did only what he saw his Father doing –
we see him loving in action. God is washing feet and serving even
those who will deny and betray him. He says as I have love you now
love one another. We tell ourselves that we are loving until it means
inconvenience or is not returned. Our love is not like Jesus' love.
We need to learn Jesus' lesson of love – we need first to be loved
and then love others. Jesus does not want us to pay him back – but
to “pay it forward” - as Jesus loved us we are to love one
another.
John
13:34-35
“I give you a new commandment - to love one another. Just as I have
loved you, you also are to love one another. Everyone will know by
this that you are my disciples - if you have love for one another.”
John
13:1-5
Just before the Passover feast, Jesus knew that his time had come to
depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were
in the world, he now loved them to the very end. The evening meal was
in progress, and the devil had already put into the heart of Judas
Iscariot, Simonʼs son, that he should betray Jesus. Because Jesus
knew that the Father had handed all things over to him, and that he
had come from God and was going back to God, he got up from the meal,
removed his outer clothes, took a towel and tied it around himself.
He poured water into the washbasin and began to wash the disciplesʼ
feet and to dry them with the towel he had wrapped around himself.
John
13:15-17
For I have given you an example - you should do just as I have done
for you. I tell you the solemn truth, the slave is not greater than
his master, nor is the one who is sent as a messenger greater than
the one who sent him. If you understand these things, you will be
blessed if you do them.
