Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 116
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life Ministries
International
Littleton, Colorado
Notice: this email is part of a
BLOG, called Living Life With a Capital “C”. Why a blog? So that many can receive the weekly thoughts
I express on Michael’s writings in an easy manner.
It
is a common complaint among church members that the preacher is too easy on sin…not
enough preaching on sin. Even though
every one of them doesn’t want the preacher to preach on “their sin,” they love
to hear hard preaching on someone else’s sin.
It is like the recognition of others’ sins softens the blow of one’s own
sin eating on them.
DAY 303
Too Easy
on Sin!
Do
not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved
by Him.
--Hebrews 12:5
But when we are judged, we are
disciplined by the Lord in order that we may not be condemned along with the world.
--I Corinthians 11:32
Often
after finishing the first few lectures in the Abiding Life seminar I will be
questioned as to whether I am not being too easy on sin. There is an interesting fear
among many that unbelievers and other believers may think that they are in some
way going to get away with sin. These people would like to hear me stress that
God is going to judge them. However, there are inherent, biblical problems with emphasizing
judgment. First, our
sin judges us on the spot. Because we are held together by Christ, to invite something that is
anti-Christ into our being is to invite immediate judgment; it is too
late to warn people after they have sinned, for sin brings its own judgment with it.
Second, if any believe that the Abiding Life message is easy on
sin, we ask them to look to the cross. God is not easy on sin; He always made it clear that sin required a blood
sacrifice, and His Son died because of sin. The popular term "cheap
grace" must never be uttered. Grace is not cheap; it cost the Son. God is
not easy on sin or man's inner life that sins, for He crucified it. The cross
proclaims to all that God is concerned with sin. To say that we need His life
is an acknowledgment of our concern. I will not listen to that accusation.
Third,
when I hear, "People
must know that God will judge their sin," I know it is a statement of
unbelief. God has
already judged all men in Christ. To wait around for judgment is to wait for
something that has already happened. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been
justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through
Him" (Romans 5:8 & 9). "That God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not
counting their trespasses against them" (II Corinthians 5:19).
Fourth, the person who worries about sin's
not being preached has forgotten that he came to Christ through the preaching
of the good news. All men have sinned and have
recognition of that fact. The idea that Christians are sinning because they are
ignorant is not plausible. The Holy Spirit is faithful to shed light on our
sin. Again, God
did judge sin in the form of Jesus Christ, and because of this judgment we have
received grace and mercy. Therefore, grace and mercy is our message.
Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green
– IT, Incredible Truth
Red – GP, Greatest Promises
Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink
– PV, Priceless Victory
Michael gives us some very important realizations of how God has dealt
with man’s sin, how man KNOWS when he has sinned, how sad it is that man has
such an inaccurate and inappropriate focus on sin, and what IS the message of
the Cross. And we wonder why so many
Christians are living in bondage, and fear, and confusion, and division???
What is it about being “free” and under “no condemnation” that
Christians cannot seem to accept and live joyously with?
Scripture differentiates between judgment and discipline…and Christians
can’t seem to grasp the difference. In
fact, it is almost incredible that many don’t want to recognize when God is
disciplining them!
Michael makes an astounding statement that proves to be so true: “…our
sin judges us on the spot.” And then he
adds. “Because we are held together by
Christ, to invite something that is anti-Christ into our being is to invite
immediate judgment…sin brings its own judgment with it.” Wow!
We don’t need preachers “judging” sin…we don’t need God “judging our sin”…our
sin brings its own judgment!
So, when are we going to learn that sin is to invite something
anti-Christ into our being that is held together by Christ…therefore bringing
about a division of our life? Chaos
instead of calm. Depression instead of
peace. Dissension instead of oneness. And our message is to be “grace and mercy,”
instead of judgment.
To access ALL past weekly
blogs, go to Living
Life With a Capital “C” by logging onto www.leemccm.blogspot.com
Lee McDowell Christian Ministries
leemccm@gmail.com
P. O. Box 633244 Nacogdoches, Tx 75963 936-559-5696
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