Author: Jay Lehman

Understanding the Red Letters   Part 22

One of the hallmarks of the gospel message that seems to be buried by the Christian religion is the complete forgiveness of our sins brought to us by the shed blood of Christ.

“When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13-14).

What happened to the totality of our sins?  “Having forgiven us ALL of our transgressions.”

What happened to the penalty of our sins?  “Having canceled out the certificate of debt against us.”

What happened to the placement of our sins?  “Having nailed it to the cross.”

Christ did all the work upon the cross for our forgiveness AND it became ours when we appropriated it by faith; when we believed the gospel message of Jesus Christ.  Christ’s death plus our faith = our complete forgiveness.

In fact, our forgiveness is so complete that, The Holy Spirit declares, ‘Their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more’ “ (Hebrews 10:17).  Our forgiveness is so complete that, “By one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14).  We are perfected and sanctified – past tense – by the offering of Jesus.  We are not perfect in our actions, but we are perfect in regard to our complete forgiveness.

Again, the key to appropriating God’s forgiveness is faith.  It is the pattern in the gospels.  What did we learn last time about the woman who anointed Jesus’ feet?  “Then Jesus said to her, ‘Your sins have been forgiven … Your faith has saved you; go in peace’ “ (Luke 7:48-50).  But wait there is more.

Think back to the story of the paralytic being let down through the roof.  Do you recall Jesus’ proclamation of the man’s sins forgiven?  The words of Jesus are very similar to the woman’s experience in Luke 7.  “Being unable to get to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying.  And Jesus SEEING THEIR FAITH said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven’ “ (Mark 2:4-5).

I don’t even know how much was the paralytic’s faith or his friend’s faith, but either way, their faith prompted Jesus’ declaration of forgiveness.

I believe Jesus declares us completely forgiven the moment we believe His gospel message.  So why do so many pastors insist that we revisit our sins and seek God’s forgiveness as an integral part of our Christian experience?  We will talk about at least four reasons next time.

Understanding the Red Letters   Part 21

Last time, we featured Jesus as “friend of sinners”.  Jesus came to befriend, call, and save sinners, which we were!  He came for us.  And this mission of Jesus riled the religious leaders of His day.  Let’s look at another story of our beautiful “friend of sinners” in action.

“Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.  And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.  Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.’ “ (Luke 7:36-39).

You can see the wheels turning in the host’s mind, “If Jesus were really a prophet, He would know that this woman is a sinner.  And if He had any scruples at all, He would not be allowing her to touch Him.”  Of course, Jesus knew exactly who the woman was.  She was exactly the type of woman that Jesus came to rescue!

Jesus then tells Simon, His host, a parable about forgiveness with this point.  Those who have been forgiven much, love much; love that this woman is showering upon our Lord.  Jesus concludes his story, “For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much” (Luke 7:47).

Did Jesus just say that her sins are forgiven?  Did Jesus just say that her sins, which are many, have been forgiven?  We haven’t heard a word from this woman in the text.  We have not seen a single word from this woman asking for forgiveness.  Has Jesus truly forgiven her?  The next three verses give us the beautiful truth.

“Then Jesus said to her, ‘Your sins have been forgiven.’  Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, ‘Who is this man who even forgives sins?’  And He said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace’ “ (Luke 7:48-50).

Jesus said it again, this time straight to the woman, in verse 48, “Your sins have been forgiven.”  Again, how can this happen if she did not ask for Jesus’ forgiveness?  Jesus gives us the simple and straightforward answer in verse 50, “Your faith has saved you.”  Her literally pouring out her love for the Savior is an expression of her faith.  She and us are forgiven of our sins when we believe in Jesus; when we believe His gospel message.  It is just that simple.

Yet, the church makes asking God to forgive us a staple of the Christian life, especially the need to seek God’s forgiveness over and over when we sin.  Why would be encouraged to do this when our sins, even if they are many, have already been forgiven?  We will continue this thought in the next few posts.

Understanding the Red Letters   Part 20

Even a casual reading of the gospels suggests that Jesus’ ministry had a particular focus toward “sinners”.  In fact, we see now that coming to save sinners was the heart of Christ’s gospel mission.  “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (I Timothy 1:15).  Paul wrote it.  Jesus said it.  And Jesus lived it!

“Friend of Sinners” is one of the most overlooked, but powerful titles ascribed to Jesus.  It was initially given to Him as a criticism by the religious leaders of His day.  Jesus had a penchant for hanging out with sinners.  He seemed to make a point of gathering with sinners.  And it was a constant angst for the religious leaders.  They accused Him of being “a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ “ (Luke 7:34).

Accepting a dinner invitation and eating with tax collectors and sinners was considered the worst by the Jewish religious leaders.  “Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him.  Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them’ ” (Luke 15:1-2).

But Jesus had an answer for their complaints.  When Matthew gave a big reception for Jesus that was attended “by a great crowd of tax collectors and other people, the Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, ‘Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?’ “ (Luke 5:29-30).

Before the disciples could answer, Jesus spoke up.  “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick.  I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance’ “ (Luke 5:31-32).

This is Jesus’ answer to their charge of “friend of sinners”.  Jesus said, “This is exactly why I came and who I came for!”

This was us!  Sinner is who we were.  Sinner is who we were when Christ first found us, loved us, and saved us.  “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).  Praise the Father and the Son for finding, loving, and saving sinners!

Let me close with three quick points on Jesus’ answer, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”  First, we lose the “sinner” label immediately when we believe the gospel.  Holy and beloved saint is our new name.  Our sinner label is in our past.

Second, Jesus did not come just to be a friend of sinners, as beautiful and reassuring at that is.  He came to call us and them to repentance.  Jesus did not require the tax collectors and sinners to change their behavior to come to Him.  Their requirement to join Jesus’ kingdom was the same as ours; repent, change your mind, and believe the gospel.  Change would come to them the same way it came to us; change over time as we allow Jesus to live His life through us.

Finally, the “righteous” who seem to be left out of His call?  These are the self-righteous who had no interest in repentance.  High on their own perceived moral superiority, they were unable to see that they were sinners as well; sinners who needed a Savior.

Understanding the Red Letters   Part 19

“At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.  Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight’ “ (Matthew 11:25-26).

Embracing the gospel message of Jesus Christ has always been about seeing with the eyes of faith.  It has not been about seeing with the most educated eyes, the most intelligent eyes, or even the most religious eyes.  And I believe Jesus’ reference here to children fits this “eyes of faith” theme.

Children have a natural trust in their parents.  Even if we don’t deserve it.  Even if our parenting skills are lacking.  Children have an inherent trust in their mom and dad.  And in a healthy family, that trust is rewarded with a home of love, acceptance, and peace.

Our approach to our heavenly Father should be a child-like trust in the goodness and grace of God.  Fear of His disapproval or disappointment in us is removed as we truly trust our Father’s unconditional love for us.  Don’t overthink it with a bunch of “what ifs” regarding His love for you.  There are none.  He loves you just as you are!

Children understand this kind of love and respond to it.

I think that it is significant that just after Jesus offered this prayer to the Father commending child-like faith, He called out the following invitation.  “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Infants know how to rest.  Jesus is inviting you to enter His rest as a child.  Not as a toddler who is screaming, running away, and resisting a nap.  No, be like a newborn infant softly resting in the arms of his fawning parents.  God loves you and you can rest in His unconditional love.  You are safe and secure in the loving arms of your heavenly Father.

Understanding the Red Letters   Part 18

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in” (Matthew 23:13).

How do we “shut off the kingdom of heaven to people” today?  I think we do this in two ways to two different kinds of people.

To the lost, we shut off the kingdom of heaven by preaching a message of rules and regulations to become a Christian.  We have painted Christianity as a religion of restrictions, sin management, and self-effort.  How is the message of try harder, clean yourself up, and then come to Jesus good news?  It’s not.

The grace of God is good news.  The love and forgiveness of Jesus that is waiting and available to you no matter where you are in your moral endeavors is good news.  The fact that Christ died in our place on a cross, finished the work, and took away our sin is great news!  Our response is to believe His gospel message and be saved.

When we preach an old covenant to-do list such as obeying the ten commandments as our path to God’s acceptance; when we preach the punishment awaiting us from an angry God when we stray; when we preach an Old Testament mindset as part of the Christian life, we are raising a barrier to the gospel.

Jesus’ offer is come as you are.  Our offer is often come when you have it all together.  Preaching a behavioral requirement to becoming a Christian is shutting people out of the kingdom.  Preaching grace is opening a door to the kingdom.

Secondly, we can shut the door for those who already believe from enjoying the kingdom of heaven.  We do this by leading them away from the freedom that comes to us when we enter God’s family; when we enter the kingdom of heaven.

It seems everywhere I look, I see heavy chains placed upon believers.  Following rules, regulations, and spiritual disciplines are required to stay in the kingdom (if your church believes you can lose your salvation) or at least to stay in good standing in the kingdom (if you are taught that your salvation is secure).

In either case, join me, join us, in throwing off your chains!  You are always in good standing with Jesus.  Why?  Because His love is unconditional, His death paid for all of your sins, and you believed His gospel message.

You are set free in Christ from rules, regulations, the Law, or any other burden that leaders send your way.  “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1).

Throw open wide the doors to the kingdom of heaven so the lost can enter in and the saved can find joy and freedom in the journey!