2 Timothy Continued

I realized tonight while driving that I brought up a question in my last blog that I never answered!

2 Timothy 2:15 "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth."

Question: Does this means that our approval from God is dependent on our behavior?

We answered, "No, our approval from God is based on the finished work of Christ in the Spirit of the believer." However, 2 Timothy is very clear about what works (fruits) will be evident when, as believers, we are walking out a life dependent on the Holy Spirit. This life of faith is a life approved. Our approval from Him is based on our identity, but there may also be "life approval" in which our choices are approved. "For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin." Romans 14:23 When we turn away from the flesh-life (sin) and turn toward the truth of who Jesus is in us and who we are in Him, we are "accurately handling the word of truth" and we are ready for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:17)

I can definitely see that when turned toward my flesh, I am a vessel not ready for the work He has set aside for me. When I choose faith in His sufficiency, I prepare myself for the Holy Spirit's work through me.

Although, there is no amount of approval or love I can earn from God, I am definitely ready to choose the life He has set aside for me. This means a choice to turn my back on the life of flesh and independence I am often tempted by. The choice to turn toward truth isn't always easy. It is a choice to surrender much of what we have held on to and depended on for years.

I am thankful for the grace He pours out on us and the incredible gift of the Holy Spirit that even makes the choice possible.

He's AWESOME.

My Rights

Our missions pastor, Tim, has given incredible sermons for the past two weeks.

This week he talked about how we are holding things so tightly in our fists. In one fist, holds the negative fleshy stuff that we know we need to get rid of. Pride, selfishness, greed, gossip, etc. In the other fist, we are squeezing all of the "good things" that we really think we ought to hold on to. I realized during that sermon that "my rights" are clenched so tightly in that fist holding the good things. I do not want to surrender my rights. This week has been an incredible week of me learning what it feels like to surrender even the good things...my rights, my dreams, my goals, my hard work, the things I "deserve," acceptance from others, comfort, my family, my house, my cars. Really, everything. Christ was crucified and I was crucified with Him. My old self is gone, yet I have a death grip on my old dreams and my old ways.
The more Christ leads me through this surrender, the better my life gets. Surrender is such a difficult and painful thing. Only He can do it in us as a work of grace.
A.W. Tozer, in The Pursuit of God, speaks of the deep root that is torn out of us when we surrender our self-life.
Self is the opaque veil that hides the face of God from us...to tear it away it to injure us, to hurt us and make us bleed. It is never fun to die...God must do everything for us. Our part is to yield and trust.
The end result is so worth it though when we are finally able to experience the wonder and fullness of Christ's life in us and through us.