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Written by Peter Youngren on January 11th 2008People from most religions aspire to live according to a code of good morals, and Christians are no different. The Judeo-Christian morals are best summarized in the Ten Commandments. However, when it comes to how to live a moral life, Christians who believe the Gospel view things vastly different from other religions. Within Christianity there are two very different schools of thought; one based on the Gospel of grace, and the other a moralistic view of Christianity. The Gospel view is that good morals are unattainable by human effort. Though an appearance of morality can be obtained through various rules, rituals and behavior modifications, true morality starts with a transformed heart.
When Christians pour all their effort into movements like the Moral Majority, or Moral Clarity, or getting “America back to its moral foundations”, though such efforts are noble, they are, in fact, counter productive. If morality could be obtained by setting a standard of holiness or by motivational teaching then Jesus’ coming would have been in vain. Instead, the Gospel view is clear that good morality is the result of our yielding to Jesus, who works in us. Without Him, we can, at best, create an appearance of good works, but when Christ is allowed to live through us genuine holiness and sanctification results. The way to good morals is first to receive Christ and be born again, and then to allow Christ to live through us.
When Christians forget this gospel distinction and instead preach morality, they are encouraging a belief system that, in fact, leads to immorality. Unbelievers look at Christian preachers whose main message is morality and they are quickly turned off, whereas if the focus is on Jesus the heart is transformed. Once the heart transformation has occurred, behavior is not only modified but also transformed.
A major illustration of this is Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus, a man of high morality. Yet Jesus makes no allowance and does not credit his morality in any way, but quickly tells him that he must be born again. When Paul lists those things that are “dung” to him, he includes his own morality, his own righteousness. These things, he says, are not to be compared with the righteousness obtained through Jesus Christ.
I am getting a fair bit of attacks from people who seem to want to misunderstand this teaching. Yet, it is crystal clear Gospel. Do we really want our society to embrace Jesus? Christians have been praying, prophesying and declaring revival as long as I can remember, yet do we really want this thing called revival? Do we really want our society to turn to Christ? We are not going to get there by focusing on morality but by focusing on Him whose indwelling power produces good morality.
Send me your thoughts…
.tom weighill
Take heart, Peter, because they said all kinds of evil, about our Lord, Jesus, because he was full of grace and truth. The slave child will persecute the free child.
Romans 7, 1-6 clearly shows us how we were set free from the whole law.
Paul uses adultery , one of the ten, to illustrate this, only when we recognize that we died with Christ, can we truly understand our freedom, not only from the law of Moses, but from the sinful nature, that we inherited from Adam. In the New birth we inherited God Himself and His nature, and became a new race, sons of the living God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. In Christ Tom.
Phyliss Manfrfedi
Life giving words… no doubt about it.
I grew up in the Church and never wanted to be ‘separated’ from God, and certainly not for eternity (prayed religiously every night, out of fear of going to hell and very unsure that I was really saved) so that by the time I was 12, I said to God in frustration, ‘I can never live up to your standard, and I’m not even going to try anymore’ because I’d felt like such a performing monkey for most of my childhood. It was the 70’s, so ‘experimentation’ in drugs etc was to follow and every time I’d do something terrible, I’d turn to God and say, ‘you’re still here??? you still love me?? didn’t you see what I just did?‘ and every time.. that voice.. ‘I’ll never leave you… never forsake you.. I’ll always love you’... until I finally understood that the way my parents had advocated for me whenever I was attacked or maligned was the kind of unconditional love the verses I’d memorized as a child were talking about… ‘God SO loved…‘ By this time we were living in BC., moving from St. Joseph Island in N Ontario when I was 14.. I remember the only ‘good’ part about the anticipation of moving to Vancouver was thinking of the article I’d read about the ‘Jesus People’ living in Stanley Park and being curious about them. But surprisingly it was the Holy Spirit Himself who wooed me back to the fold at the age of 17 and I remember saying at the time, ‘ok… You I accept.. but your people… no way… they’re all a bunch of hypocrites’ and again… that unconditional acceptance. After a time… I kept hearing in my spirit, “water baptism” which I ignored for quite some time… till one night I awoke in the middle of the night and knew I needed to do something concrete towards finding out what that meant. So I took the Yellow Pages out of the cupboard and opened them to ‘Churches’ and left the book on the kitchen table so it would be the first thing I’d see the next morning, and with that, I had peaceful satisfaction and was able to go back to sleep. The next morning I avoided the kitchen at all costs… I was annoyed. I didn’t want to have to speak to any other believer’s, but I valued the new intimacy with the Lord so much and I didn’t like the idea of not following through if it really was His voice urging me to action, so FINALLY I said, “alright… I’ll try phoning someone, but if they lay that legal mumbo jumbo on me, I’m hanging up”.. the first place I phoned, I got ahold of the Pastor and sure enough, he began telling me (probably all very good, truthful things, but the spirit of it was very judgemental and I couldn’t abide that anymore) about the propriety of water baptism etc etc and how I’d have to tow the line in order for him to water baptize me…..to which I cut in, “thanks for your time Pastor, but you’re obviously not the person I’m supposed to be talking to” and I hung up. I stood there for a moment, not really surprised at the response and a bit dejected, until the urging to “try again” got my attention. This time I decided to try a new tactic and turned to the heading, ‘Christian’ instead of ‘Church’ and found a listing that said ‘Christian Centre non-denominational’… that sounded safe to me, so I tried “one more time” and this time when I spoke to the Pastor, I swear I heard the bleating of lambs, and his voice sounded so familiar to me, like the voice of Jesus through the Holy Spirit sharing the Father’s heart, that I’d learned to love during my years in the ‘wastelands of the world’. When I told this Pastor what I’d been experiencing and how I’d come to be seeking water baptism his response was, “of course we’ll water baptise you” and he was encouraged to hear the sovereign way the Lord was dealing with me in that regard. Again, I stated my ‘non-interest’ in fellowshipping with believers (hypocrites in my opinion) and his response was the same as the Lord’s… no comment..just love and encouragement. I’d have to write a book to share the rest of the events of the Lord’s orchestration, but it was after the water baptism when I was coming out of the water and great light was pouring over me, that the Lord gently said, “I love you..and you’re a hypocrite..couldn’t you extend the same courtesy to my people and accept them in the same way?”…. well… what can you say to that??!! His timing is impeccable and talk about disarming!
I had an experience once where I asked advice of two different Pastor’s (you can imagine.. I was still pretty messed up, though I was immediately delivered from some things, others were a struggle) and they said almost the identical things, but the first one I couldn’t receive from, but the second was the voice of Jesus to me. What was the difference? I think it was the love and grace of Jesus… and the Father’s heart in the second Pastor. Thank you for exemplifying that same Spirit through your ministry.. Words of life.. Indeed.
Dominic Cerisano
Dear Pastor Peter,
Past very vain attempts at following rule-based morality have only led me to frustrated, sanctimonious and judgemental anger, and worse.
Ususally in the presence of unbelieving detractors - how terrible.
You mentioned transformation of the heart - a pastor in San Francisco spoke of this, just before I was born again.
There are many who hear of this transformation and are completely mystified by it.
Since it is a somewhat recent experience, I shall attempt to describe it.
It is the sudden awareness of someone greater than yourself living inside of you.
Now, I simply confess this humble truth - greater is he that lives in me than he that is in the world.
It is the last thing I do, just before my circumstances improve. My challenge now is to make the first thing I do, too.
Hopefully in the presence of unbelieving detractors - how wonderful!
Beena Thomas
I still remember your sermon Pastor wherein you said the biggest enemy of the cross of christ is HUMAN WISDOM..How true!! Ever since the first man sinned , the voice of his own human spirit, his concience dominated his life ,that is this sense of right & wrong ( Morality) Even as an unbeleiver when ever I sinned I knew it perfectly well that I had done wrong , you don;t need the HOLY SPIRIT to convict you of sin. Infact the Holy spirit convicts you of your righteousness in Christ.
Humanity has partaken of the tree of knowledge of good & evil & Christians refuse to see this trap evenafter being born again & having received the tree of life.
Interestingly recently I was presented a book by name THE SECRET
(NO, Not your sermon series Pastor), the book itself . It was given to me mentioning that it was great read.As soon as I even started to read it I knew by an inward witness that this book is OFF in some way It was nothing but new age GARBAGE about the law of attraction & thinking positive thoughts & in the process attracting good things in your life.. It quoted examples of so called successful people in the world having employed it & that it was all about how one thinks and the power of the mind etc etc.. I was sad coz the book was presented to me by a christian & I saw how satan had hoodwinked some beleivers to still depend upon human soulish power instead of HIM. Now I know the true meaning of the verse in JOHN- apart from me you can do nothing. Soulish power seems to produce results in this world but in the end as the LORD says in 1 Cor 3 its all hay ,wood & stubble & it would only form a big pile of ash. I thank my lord a million times coz he showed me how sometimes my dependence upon my own talents & abilities can be a huge hindrance to him. One really need eyes to see this & its only the holy spirit who can enlighten us to this deception.
I remember being the Christian who was obsessed with DOING the right thing but now bless GOD I am a christian who is obsessed with BELEIVING the right person- OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. AMEN!!
Rema
1 John 5:16
If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. (KJV)
Is there anyone you know that is a Christian that has fallen to sin? God said that He will honor your request on behalf of your brother or sister. When you see your brother sin, you can ask life for him and God will give it to him. God said even if he does not ask himself, you can ask for him and God will hear you.
God knows we have a lot of people we need to pray for. Well God said He would hear your request. Why is that? You are His child and you are an overcomer. James 5 says. “…the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much,” or the literal Greek says, “…your prayers make tremendous power available.” That is because you are His child.
Any father listens to his children. I listen to my children. Sure I do. My children can ask me to do something, and if I can do it, I will do it. They know not to ask me something that is not my will. If they ask according to my will, I hear them. And they shall receive the petitions they desire of me. Now if a man is that generous, how much more generous is God who made man?
Now praying for someone that has fallen into sin is quite different than praying for someone that has committed the sin unto death. The Scriptures says not to pray for the one who has committed the sin unto death, because it is impossible for them to be restored. Now there are some people who are confused about this.
What is the sin unto death? He is not talking about one that never received Jesus as Lord, then dies having never received Him. We know this is not the one because we are instructed to pray that the Lord of the harvest send forth laborers to minister to those individuals. However, he is talking about one that is fully mature in Christ, who operates fully in the gifts of the Spirit. It is noteworthy to mention here, that in my 27 years in ministry I have not met one yet that denounced the Savior. I have seen many that have backslidden. But even they do not deny that Jesus is the Christ. They just decided not to live for Him. So, we can pray for the one that has missed the mark. That is what sin is, missing the mark.
ANDREW OLIVER SATCHELL
Society moral are developed with individual taking personal initiative
Jeffrey Teo
Exactly Pastor.
The main obstacle and the clearest sign if someone has caught the Gospel of Grace is whether they understand that we have no more ties and relationship with the 10 commandments.
Rom 7:1-6
The question most frequently ask is,‘What is our guide if we don’t have the 10 commandments?‘(law written on tablets of stones) 2 Cor 3
The epistles does talk about commandments and laws in the new covenant but it is not focus on self effort but living out the Christ life in the New Creation.Col 3:8-10,Heb 8:10, 1 Cor 7:19
Circumcision in the new covenant is of the heart and not by the letter of the law.(Heart transformation not behaviour modification).It is God working within us by the Spirit instead of laws and rules enforced from outside.
When we understand and grasps that we have no ties and relationship with the law,the veil is removed and the bible opens up with revelations of JESUS! We suddenly see verses we have never known was there before.We are able to rightly divide the Word of Truth and know the difference between the old and the new covenant,between law and grace etc.2 Cor 3:14-16, Jn 1:17
The fault with the law is not with it’s contents but with it’s capability.What the law was powerless to do,CHRIST DID!In order the the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met IN US not by us who do not walk according to the flesh(self effort) but according to the Spirit(by grace).Rom 8:3-4
The CHRISTian life is not us trying to keep the 10 commandments to be righteous but letting CHRIST live in and through us as our righteousness.Gal 2:20,Col 3:3,1 Cor 1:30,2 Cor 5:21
Our life is not a journey to attain,but a journey to DISCOVER and to EXPERIENCE what Christ has ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED for us!
It is not an achieving system(old covenant of law) but a receiving system(new covenant of Grace).
That’s why it makes JESUS ATTRACTIVE and regardless of the objections,the crowds are increasing! All glory to Jesus.
Jeff