The issue is a false sense of assurance based on a false sense of obedience. First, assurance of being right with God is not based on our obedience (cf. Jn. 5:39-42). Romans 4:5 is clear that it is actually faith apart from works that makes us right with God. “And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness” (cf. Ephesians 2:8-9). Second, we are not as obedient as we might think. Even the apostle Paul, who after being saved was pretty much the best Christian who ever lived, confessed many years after his conversion, “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:14-25; cf. 1 John 1:8-10). As we will see, this is a very important confession if we want to grow in our relationship with God.

Jesus would often teach His followers the truth by rebuking what was false. Consider the following parable as Jesus teaches against the prideful legalism of the Pharisees.

9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

• Do you see the importance of confessing yourself as a sinner?
• Do you see the rebuke for thinking of yourself as a righteous person because you think your sin is not that bad?
• Do you see the correction of condemning others for sins you don’t realize in your own life?

Many times those who condemn others use their own life as the right example (“look at me, I’m not like them.”). Again, they have a false sense of assurance based on a false sense of obedience.

God does not exalt those who are confident in their own obedience and condemning of the sin in others. He exalts those who confess themselves as sinners and depend completely on the mercy of God. This confession is where we find forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9). This confession draws us back to cross where we find the power unto genuine righteousness (Ro. 1:16-17). This confession breeds a life continually dependent on Christ for everything (Jn. 15:5). This confession transforms us into the people God desires us to be (Ro. 12:1-2). Not a people who are proud we don’t sin like others, but people who realize our own weakness and are continually dependent on the grace and mercy of God (Heb. 4:14-16).

Condemnation from others is damaging and hurtful, but beyond that it is also spiritually defeating. As we approach people struggling in sin may we do so in humility and restoration (Gal. 6:1). When you are condemned by others remember this parable, search the Scriptures for genuine conviction, and depend solely of the mercy of God for righteousness.

Romans 12:3

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highlythan he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

If you feel you haven’t committed sexual sin, consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 6, especially verse 28, “…I say to you that everyone who looks with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Remember, God judges the motive of our heart, not just the actions of our bodies (1 Co. 4:4-5).

In our relationship with others there is a distinction between conviction (appropriate and helpful) and condemnation (inappropriate and hurtful).  The primary difference is motive and hope. The motive of condemnation is to make you feel bad (Matt. 7:1-5). The motive of conviction is to make you realize your need (Jn. 16:8-11). The hope of condemnation is that you will straighten up your life and stop sinning (Luke 18:1-8; Gal. 3:1-3). The hope of conviction is that you will turn to Christ, yield to the Spirit, and draw near to God (Jn. 3:16-18). In this context condemnation is of man and leads to death, but conviction is of the Word and the Spirit and leads to life (James 3:1; 1 Thess. 1:5).

So how do we deal with sexual sin? Let’s look at the example of the apostle Paul.

In 1 Corinthians 6:15-20 Paul is correcting the believers in Corinth for sexual immorality. They were having sex with prostitutes as well as with their step-moms (1 Cor. 5:1). This is some evil sexual sin! Notice how Paul moves them to conviction and towards Christ.

 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Did you see it? Paul starts out hard against sexual sin; you are joining Christ with a prostitute. The translators even use an exclamation point to communicate his tone! Paul shows them the spiritual union that takes place with sexual relations; it is not just a physical act! You are hurting yourself in a uniquely sinful way. You are in grave sin indeed.

But look at the first verse again. He starts by reminding them they are in Christ. He ends this rebuke with the same truth. He reminds them who they are in Christ, that they are indwelled with the Holy Spirit, that they were bought by the death of Christ (the gospel), they belong to Him and should seek to glorify Him in their body (cf. 1 Co. 6:9-11).

Do you see the gospel appeal? Do you see the motive? Do you see the hope?

Instead of causing people to doubt who they are in Christ Paul reminds them who they are in Christ. He does this because the solution to our sin is not feeling guilty and condemned by others but feeling convicted by the gospel and realizing who we are in Christ, refocusing our attention on the cross, and walking in the hope of drawing near to God through Christ.

To the Condemning

Instead of condemning people for sin we should realize our motive and the hope we offer. We should also realize our own pride and purpose (Gal. 6:1; 1 Co. 10:12; Matt. 7:1-5). Like the apostle Paul, rebuke sin and correct the sinner but with humility and in love do so with the hope of the gospel, the reminder of who we are in Christ, and the sanctifying challenge of drawing near to God (Heb. 4:14-16). If you state the problem you must also state the solution, and like God provide a way of escape (1 Co. 10:12-13).

To the Condemned

Instead of feeling condemned for sin we should realize our need for Christ and our battle against the flesh (Gal. 5:16-18). Realizing our need is a work of the Holy Spirit and the first step of turning to Christ for forgiveness, cleansing and victory (Jn. 16:8). Then we must refocus our attention on the cross, remember who we are in Christ, and seek to draw near to God. This is the solution, the way of escape God has provided, and the only way to glorify God in our bodies (Jn. 15:5; 1 Co. 10:31). This is also the way to freedom and joy in Christ!

The truth is that sin is horrible. In fact, it is so damaging it took the life of God’s one and only Son to remove it. This is why we rejoice in Christ, He has paid for sin! The Bible teaches very clearly that when we step into Christ we are forgiven of our sins, we are washed clean by the blood of Christ, sanctified by the Holy Spirit, made new and made alive. In fact, God does not even remember the sins of your past! Consider the following verses of Scripture:

1 John 1:9 – forgiven and cleansed of sin (sin has been removed!)

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Heb. 9:14 – purified conscience (no more guilt!)

…how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

1 Cor. 6:11 – washed, sanctified, justified (you are right with God!)

And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Eph. 2:4-6 – Sinner loved by God and made alive in Christ (you are a new person!)

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Heb. 10:17 – God does not remember our sin (you are viewed in Christ!)

“AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE.”

As a result we need to realize this important truth:

1 Cor. 5:16-18

16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh…17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God…

When we step into Christ we are forgiven, cleansed, purified, washed, born again, and made new. My past sin does not have to haunt me, torture me, and continually punish me. I do not have to pay for sin the rest of my life. Christ paid for my sin once and for all. My sin ended at the cross. This is the beauty of the Gospel!

God does not remember your sin but the preacher might want you to remember forever. However, Christ brought us freedom from this guilt and condemnation.

Romans 8:1-2

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

So I saw in verse 1, “My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” As a speaker/teacher/preacher I appreciated this sentence.

Then in verse 4, “For the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness…” Meekness has always been an area of encouragement and growth for me. Meekness can be defined as ‘courage and strength under control coupled with kindness.’ I like that a Christian is called to be a person of courage and strength (I always thought Christians were weak and wimpy). But I need to grow in the area of self-control and kindness. This word is a great description of Christ and an area I always want to grow in.

So this was an encouraging read but nothing revolutionary…BUT THEN I stumbled across an amazing yet simple truth that God has been showing me over the last year and a half.

Our lives are all about participation in spreading the rule of God over the earth!

 Verse 6 states, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom.” The ‘throne’ and ‘kingdom’ are parallel ideas referring to the rule of God. The ‘scepter’ was the official staff of a ruler. In this passage it symbolizes God’s authority and power.  The kingdom is God’s forever rule of righteousness. The author of Hebrews quotes this passage when speaking of the rule of Christ from heaven (Heb. 1:8).

Verse 7 states, “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of joy about Your fellows.” He goes on in the following verse to state other blessings such as “garments are fragrant…instruments make you glad…Kings daughters are among your nobles ladies…you have gold from Ophir.” Again, the author of Hebrews includes these blessings in the inheritance of Christ as the Son and King.

The Application

Participation in spreading the righteous rule of God over the earth results in a blessed experience.

God has called us from the very beginning of creation to be His ambassadors, people who spread His glory and rule over the earth (Gen. 1:26-28). Since the Fall God has been working to restore His rule through man (Gen. 3). Today, Christ rules from His heavenly throne with the ‘scepter of righteousness’ working through His people to spread God’s glory and His rule over the earth (Heb. 1:8-9). As we participate in spreading His rule we walk in His blessing.

• God is to rule your life first. In what areas could you participate with Christ to spread the righteousness of God’s glory and rule in your life?

• God desires you to spread His rule in your areas of influence. In what ways could participate with Christ to spread the righteousness of God’s glory and rule in your community (home, work, friends, etc)?

Psalm 72:8, 19

May he also rule from sea to sea and from the River to the end of the earth.” (vs. 8) “And blessed be His glorious name forever; And may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.” (vs. 19)

You can watch the video our trip here:

Our Team- Me, Gary, Ashley, Gill

Leaving Bangladesh

Outside Classroom

Today was our last day in Bangladesh. We made the trip from Cox’s Bazar to Dhaka yesterday. Thankfully we were able to fly. Last time we took a mini-van (micro-bus), which took 13 hours and was the most frightening experience of my life. I was literally terrfied for 13 straight hours. The 60 minute flight snacking on cookies and reading a Men’s Healthy magazine was much, much better! They even brought me a box of mango juice!

Gil and I having a coconut

We had a free morning in Cox Bazar and an entire day in Dhaka. This gave us time  to explore the two cities and the culture. In Cox’s Bazar we walked the beach and had great interaction with locals and visitors. They are very interested in Americans. In Dhaka we went to the historical museum and learned a lot about the history of Bangladesh.

We begin our two day journey back home tomorrow- 5.5 hours to Dubai, 9 hour layover, then the 16.5 hour flight into Houston. We also loose 12 hours. Hopefully we can get some sleep during the layover!

Gil taking on the culture!

I want to thank those of you who have been praying for me and our team. We have had great ministry opportunities, from training leaders to planting seeds. I appreciate your partnership and participation!  I am excited for the movement God is leading in Bangladesh and hopefully I can continue to participate in spreading God’s glory, rule, and dwelling presence over the earth, specifically in Bangladesh. But now, I can’t wait to get home and hug my family!

Mortuza, Kama-John, and Jacob

National Partners

We began our day meeting with our three national partners. Each of these men are solid believers, grounded in the truth, and living out their faith. My prayer in regards to our time with these leaders has

been from Romans 1:11-12, “I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” I think God accomplished this prayer and I am thankful for the opportunity to parter and serve with these men.

Luke Distribution

Muslim woman receiving gospel

We began in the city and headed out to some nearby villages. The reception was great. Most people were excited to see the Americans and receive a gift. We decided to stay in the van most of the time so we could keep moving and remain effective in passing out 1,000 copies of the gospel of Luke. We stopped at a school and passed many books out. Our national partners tell us they will take these home and even their parents will take a look at what was brought to them. From the city to country, to men and women, to young and old God was gracious and protective as we passed out the gospel. Again, God accomplished our prayers!

I have included several pictures of our evangelism below. Continue to pray with me. Our nationals will be returning to these areas to talk with people and see if anyone is interested in learning more about Jesus as the Savior. Let’s pray for their perseverance and watering of these seeds, for the hearts and minds of these people to be open to Jesus as the true Son of God, for their protection so they can continue to spread the gospel in Bangladesh, but ultimately for God to cause the growth of these curious hearts into believers who spring up into eternal life (1 Co. 3:6; Matt. 13:23).

School in a nearby village

Man in the village

Child in the village

Women in the village

Older man in the village

Downtown Intersection

Man in city

A city street in Cox's Bazar

Entire group at training center

The Passion

I taught on The Passion of Christ, that is, the last week of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. I also included His appearances, ascension, and then the sending of His Spirit. We walked day-by-day and learned many things that challenged us, encouraged us, and renewed the passion of the gospel within us.

One of my classes today

I tried to show many connections through the story that might not be obvious at first reading but the men seemed especially encouraged to see how 1) the day of Jesus entry into Jerusalem was the same day the Jews selected the Passover lamb to sacrifice, 2) how the day and time Jesus gave up His Spirit on the cross was the same day and time the Jews sacrificed the Passover lamb, 3) how the day Jesus rose from the dead was the same day the Jews celebrated the feast of first fruits, and 4) how the events and circumstances surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion matched the prophetic Word of Psalm 22. Even I am am continually amazed at how Jesus showed Himself as the one and true Messiah and Savior throughout His ministry, even in His death He is proven as the victorious Redeemer!

The Prayer Need

Street of the training center

Tomorrow is our last day in Cox’s Bazar before heading back to Dhaka. We need extra prayer for this day. We purchased 1,000 copies of the gospel of Luke in Bangla, the language of Bangladesh. We will be going into the community with 3 national evangelist to plant seeds through passing out these Bibles. Our national partners will then follow up to water these seeds. We are trusting God for the growth (1 Co. 3:6). We will need a few prayers:

1. Our passing out of the gospel of Luke would be an effective way to spread the seed of the gospel in this community (Matt. 13:1-23).
2. That God would prepare the hearts and minds of those we come into contact with and the gospel of Luke and our witness will fall on good soil (Matt. 13:8, 23).
3. Our nationals will begin building relationships with the people we speak with, watering the seed that would eventually lead them to faith in Christ (1 Co. 3:6).
4. Protection as we minister. There is a level of hostility to the gospel in this country (with some of the Muslim Fundamentalist) and we hope not to have any trouble spreading the seed of the gospel through testimony and the passing out of the gospel of Luke (Acts 1:8).

  

The Bengali Way

1. While the other team members continued teaching the 30 men and 5 women who are attending our conference, I had the  privilege of spending the morning with Jacob Bashia. Jacob is a young man with CRU (Campus Crusade for Christ). Kingsland has been supporting him for several years. He is a very committed, and dedicated national. He has a strong ministry in Chittagong with both students and professional business people. We hope to partner with him in the near future.

Lunch: rice, fish, and fingers

2. Lunch was another ‘in country’ experience. We had rice and fish…as I got my plate (no silverware) I notice the fish was still totally intact- head, eyes, tail, and all. After I reminded myself to always take full advantage of the experiences offered on these mission trips, I began to eat. The fish was actually very good!

3. I spent the afternoon with Ashley (one of our team members) and the women. I shared my testimony and reminded them that the true God is a God of love and grace as demonstrated through sending His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. I explained to them why I came to Bangladesh, namely, to participate in spreading the glory and rule of God over the earth (Gen. 1:27-28; Ps. 72:8, 18-19). I then shared from Romans 1:11-12  why I came to them specifically, that I hope to impart to them something to equip them but that we would both be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith in Christ.

The women attending our training conference

One of my favorite parts of the afternoon with the women was teaching how the Bible honors and elevates women in light of an oppressive biblical culture. This is much of what they also experience in the common religions of this area. Although God has given different roles and responsibilities to men and women, the Bible also emphasizes that man and woman where both created to equally reflect God and rule over creation (Gen. 1:27-28). The conflict between man and woman that often results in oppression is a result of the Fall and was overturned by Christ (Gal. 3:28). Further, it is the female that personifies the wisdom taught in Proverbs, women were active leaders and servants in the life and ministry of Jesus (ex. Luke 8:1-3), the apostle Paul considers many women fellow workers and instructs us to honor them as such (ex. Ro. 16:1-7), and women continued to be active servants in the early church (ex. Acts 2:17-18; 1 Co. 11:5; 12:7; Acts 18:26). We also looked at how Christian husbands are to love, sacrifice, and honor their wives. I believe they were very encouraged.

It was a good day. Please continue to pray for us. Tomorrow I will teach the Passion of Christ, which is the final week of His life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. We will go day by day through the end of Luke and see how Jesus spent the last week of His physical life on earth. It should be challenging and glorious!