GOD IS FOR
YOU
A psychologist named Lawrence Kohlberg developed an elaborate test to measure maturity in
the area of moral reasoning. He concluded that good behavior to avoid
punishment is the lowest form of motivation for doing what is right.
Is this what Christian repentance is like?
Do we simply modify our behavior in order to avoid punishment? Is Christianity
just one among many means of pursuing moral development?
Many Christians tend to think of holiness as
being the same thing as sinlessness. And while that
may not be totally wrong, that perspective has a major flaw. Holiness is not an
absence of something, namely sin. Holiness is the presence of something
greater, namely, participation in the life of God.
In other words, it is possible to try to
clean away all our sin, but even if we were to succeed (and that’s a mighty big
“if,” since no one has ever done it except Jesus) we would still be missing out
on an authentic Christian life.
Authentic repentance is not when we turn away from something, it’s when we turn toward God, who loves us, and who is
unswervingly committed to sharing with us the fullness, joy and love of the
Triune life of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Turning to God is like opening
our eyes, letting the light shine in so we can see the truth of God’s love,
truth that has always been there, but that we could not see because of the
darkness of our minds.
The Gospel of John describes Jesus as the
light that shines in the darkness, the light that the world could not
understand. But when we put our trust in Jesus, we can begin to see him as the
Father’s beloved Son, our Savior and older Brother in whom we are cleansed from
sin and made right with God. And when we see Jesus for who he really is, we
begin to see ourselves for who we really are – God’s beloved children.
Jesus said he came to give us life and life
more abundantly. The gospel is not just some new and better behavior
modification program. It’s the good news that we are near and dear to the
Father’s heart and that Jesus Christ is the living proof of the Father’s
unrelenting purpose of drawing us into the joy of the eternal love he shares
with his Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Whoever you are, God is for you, not against
you. Let him open your eyes to his love.
I’m Joseph Tkach,
speaking of Life.