Dan’s Deliberations
“True Christianity is a fight…”

Romans 7 (15)  I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.  (16)  And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.  (17)  As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.  (18)  I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out ….(22)  For in my inner being I delight in God’s law;  (23)  but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.  (24)  What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?  (25)  Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
¬¬
There has been a fair amount of debate among theologians as to whether or not Romans 7:14-25 is talking about the Christian or the Non-Christians.  I believe it is speaking of the Christian and here are some of the reasons. (Taken from Tim Keller’s Bible Study on Romans) First, this passage is written in the present tense, leading us to believe Paul is talking in the now.  Secondly, Paul is no longer talking about sin “killing” him, but rather an ongoing struggle with sin (I can relate) in which he refuses to surrender.  Thirdly, Paul says he delights in God’s law (v22) which is impossible for a non-Christian because their “sinful mind is hostile to God.  It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so (Rm 8:7).”  Finally, Paul is also aware of his lostness and sinfulness and inability to sanctify himself, this too is impossible for a non-Christian to understand.
So why does this matter?  Because it encourages those who are fighting sin and rebukes those who are not.  Throughout the Scriptures, God commands us to continually uncover and fight the sin in our hearts and actions.  According to Romans we do this through living by the Spirit (Rm8:1-17) and through understanding, believing and applying the Gospel to a greater degree (v25).

“True Christianity is a fight… Do we find in our heart a spiritual struggle? Do we feel anything of the flesh lusting against the spirit and spirit against the flesh, so that we cannot do the things we would? (Gal.5:17) Are we conscious of two principles within us, contending for the mastery? Do we feel anything of war in our inward man? Well, let us thank God for it! It is a good sign. It is strongly probable evidence of the great work of sanctification. All true saints are soldiers. Anything is better than apathy, stagnation, deadness, and indifference. We are in a better state than many. The most part of so-called Christians have no feeling at all… I say again, let us take comfort. The children of God have two great marks — they may be known by their inward warfare as well as by their inward peace.”—     J.C. Ryle, Holiness
Biblical Story of Sin
In Created State:        Man had the ability to sin.
In Fallen State:         Man did not have the ability not to sin.
In Redeemed State:    Man has the ability not to sin.
In Glorified State:    Man will not have the ability to sin.

Don’t give up, keep fighting, the Gospel is true and redemption is real.

Water Break by Dan Jackson
My sophomore year of college was not the most financially prosperous time for myself or my friends.  That’s what led us to our first annual “cheapo spring breako.”  Since gas was still inexpensive, the options were endless.  After many discussions and throwing darts at a map, we decided to take a hiking expedition to Guadalupe Mountains National Park near El Paso Texas.
Upon arrival, we set up our campsite at the bottom of the hiking trail.  After a nights rest and a skimpy breakfast of donuts and water, we headed up the side of the large plateau.  The climb was quite exhausting because not only was it nearly vertical in a few places, but we were also carrying all our camping gear and food and water for the next three days.  Early on in the hike, we developed a pattern of stopping about every half hour in order to rest our muscles and rehydrate.  Between sips of water, we would look down the path we had just traveled and determine how far we had come since our last pit stop.  Because we didn’t waste much energy talking during the hike, these water breaks also gave us an opportunity to catch up on what we had just experienced.  We would point out some of the difficult parts of the trail and share the story of how we got through them with a certain hand grip, or foothold.  We would also share about how nice the easy parts were as well as the parts that were filled with various kinds of plants and wild life.  After we had consumed enough water, we would then pick up our packs and continue on to the next water stop.
When I compare yesterday to today, I find it very difficult to see how God is growing me or those around me.  I often wonder, “Am I growing at all in my faith?” “Is God doing anything in this ministry, or in this relationship?” Just like with an apple tree, it is very hard to see fruit bearing when you look every day, that’s why New Years is a great time to sit down and take a water break with Jesus.  With Him, you can look at the path you had just traveled together over the past year.  Recall the difficult parts of the journey and remember how God got you through them.  Survey the path and see how far the Holy Spirit has brought you since last January.  Reminisce about the wonderful times that were blessed with awesome gifts of God’s grace.
When we look back and recall what God has done and given to us, we are validating the promise that Paul gives to us in Philippians 1:6, which tells us that God, “who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”  As you celebrate the coming of 2009, take a break, and remember God’s faithfulness and work in 2008.

Redeeming Santa

Growing up I remember many cold December evenings when the Jackson family would pile into the van and sing Christmas songs while driving around aimlessly looking for Christmas displays. One of those songs that became very familiar to me was Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. Do you remember how it goes? You better watch out. You better not cry. You better not pout. I’m telling you why, Santa Claus is coming to town. He’s making a list, Checking it twice; Gonna find out who’s naughty or nice. Santa Claus is coming to town. He sees you when you’re sleeping. He knows when you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good. So be good for goodness sake!
I know that among Christian households there are various opinions on whether we should or should not teach our kids the legend of Santa Claus. I appreciate and respect the decision of many who choose not to speak of Santa because of their noble desire to preserve the true meaning of Christmas, which is Christ’s birth. With that said, I am writing this article mainly to those who choose to make Santa a part of their Christmas tradition.
Without doubt, Santa is not God, but then again, neither is a human father, an earthly king or a lion named Aslan, yet all of these can be used to help illustrate to our children the greatness of God in ways they can understand. I want to challenge you this Christmas to redeem the fictional legend of Santa Claus. The typical two-pronged theology of Santa says,

1. Santa is looking over you all the time ~ He sees you when you’re sleeping. He knows when you’re awake.
2. Santa gives gifts according to your goodness ~ Santa Claus is coming to town. He’s making a list, Checking it twice; Gonna find out who’s naughty or nice. Santa Claus is coming to town.

Sadly, this theology of Santa is also the world’s theology of God. Children often connect the mythical Santa to a real God by thinking, “God is watching, and He will reward me if my niceness outweighs my naughtiness.” I want to challenge you this year to redeem this fictional character of Santa so that he may mirror and teach your kids the character and love of the one true and living God. To do this, you cannot tell your children that “Santa gives gifts according to their goodness” but rather that “Santa gives gifts despite their naughtiness.”
If you think through this traditional Santa theology, it is actually very contradictory. We are told that Santa gives “gifts” to those that earn them by being nice, yet a “gift,” by definition, cannot be earned. You see, an earned “gift” is not a gift at all, but rather it is a reward. But because you are too naughty, God cannot give you a reward, because you have not earned it. Because of our sin God has to give you a gift, The Christmas Gift, and it comes in the form of a baby, His very own Son, Jesus Christ.

Rom 4:4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due…Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Enjoy your gift from God and have a very Merry Christmas!

Dual Identity

My Own Worst Enemy is one of TV’s newest action thrillers.  On its website, NBC explains that the show “explores the duality of a man who is literally pitted against himself” and asks the question, “Who can you trust when you can’t trust yourself?”  In the show, Christian Slater plays a man with dual identities, Henry and Edward.  “Henry is a middle-class efficiency expert living a humdrum life in the suburbs with his wife, their two kids, a dog, and a minivan. Edward is an operative who speaks 13 languages, runs a four-minute mile, and is trained to kill… Henry and Edward are polar opposites who share only one thing in common - the same body.”
While I have never actually seen the show, I have to admit that I can identify with the character because I too have a dual identity. (No, I am not a secret agent on my days off…or at least that is what I want you to think). Then again, I am not the only one that has a dual identity; you do too, as well as everyone in your family, at your office, and on your street.  All people have the identity of being an image bearer of God, but all people also have the identity of being fallen; it is a dual identity which shares only one thing in common – the same body. Francis Schaffer described your dual identity as a glorious ruin.
First, you are glorious, because “God created man in His own image.” (Gen. 1:27)  Unlike the animals you have a unique spiritual component that is woven into the very fabric of your soul.  This component allows you, and all men, to contemplate God, to make moral decisions, to exercise dominion over the earth, and, most importantly, to have a relationship with Christ if you trust in Him.
Secondly, you are ruins, because your sin has corrupted every aspect of your life.  It has corrupted your righteousness, your mind, your motives, your will, your tongue, your relationships with others, and your relationship to God (Rom. 3:10-18). To put it simply, the effects of sin in your life are pervasive, and they ruin your perfect glory as an image-bearer of God.
Like Henry, as a person with dual identities, you are literally pitted against yourself.  There is a war waging inside of you, a battle between the two identities for your thoughts, your actions, and your heart.  Such inner turmoil leaves us with this question, “Who can you trust when you can’t trust yourself?”  The answer is simple, trust in Jesus, who is the perfect image of the invisible God and who wants to re-create you into His perfect image for all eternity.

Unashamed

When I was growing up, I was ashamed of many trivial matters, like when I wore generic shoes to school, or when my family used coupons to go out to eat, or when my mom wanted to give me a hug in front of my friends, or when my dad would wear knee high socks with his shorts.
That was what I was ashamed of then, but now I’m ashamed of much more serious matters, such as sin. Paul describes sin as “the things of which you are now ashamed,” (Rom. 6:21.) Personally, I’m ashamed of how I often fear man more than I fear God. I’m ashamed of the countless times every day I put my own needs ahead of others. I’m ashamed of the way I don’t serve my wife and kids as I should. I’m ashamed of how lazy I can be. I’m ashamed of how I seek first the kingdom of Dan instead of the Kingdom of God. And of course, I’m ashamed of the things I don’t want to share with you, because I’m ashamed of them.
The amazing thing about the Gospel is that it triumphs over shame. In a way, the Gospel takes us back to the Garden of Eden, before there was sin, in which Adam and Eve “were both naked, and they felt no shame,” (Gen. 2:25.) It was true that they were naked physically before each other and felt no shame, but what is more amazing is that they were naked spiritually before God and they felt no shame. God knew everything they had ever thought, said, or done, and yet they had no shame, because they were sinless.
Three times in the book of Romans, we are told that “everyone who believes in (Christ) will not be put to shame,” (Rom. 10:11.) Paul is reminding us that on the Day of Judgment, we will stand before God, completely naked spiritually. Nothing we have ever thought, said, or done will be hidden from His knowledge, and yet those who “believe in Christ will not be put to shame” because through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, their sins have been transferred to Christ. What is more, Jesus righteousness has been transferred to them. For you who believe, on that Day God will look at you and He will see Jesus. He will look at you as if you had never, ever, ever, ever sinned and you will be unashamed.
~ Dan Jackson