Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Which Husband Do You Prefer??!

I was driving home this morning listening to Rob Rufus's session at the first "Glory and Grace Conference" in Hong Kong (still waiting for my CD's of this years!) and it was his penultimate session. He had decided to postpone the awesome fire-tunnel to the following day because everyone was tired and he spoke on "Staying sane in revival". The second half of that message was an awesome treatment of the law and grace. Although I've heard so much now on the law - this morning it was really like seeing this truth again from another level up the spiral staircase.

Here was the quote that I actually had to stop and pull over to copy down;

"The law does not die, the law must stay in the earth thundering out judgements as a school-master to lead the self-righteous to a place of revelation that they are going to hell if they try to keep the law and they will not gain inheritance through the law so they must repent and turn to Jesus Christ!".

So the question is this - which husband would you prefer?

1. A Husband who will make it his life's work to point out every area of wrong in your life - and the more that you proudly conquer an area of wrong - the faster he will find another to point out. (Romans 2:23)

2. A Husband who when he speaks does not expect or a require a response from you and when you do try and speak, you will be told to "shut up" - other than have you obeyed him TOTALLY and 100% PERFECTLY? If you have not - then you are condemned. (Romans 3:19 - "so that every mouth may be closed").

3. A Husband who will only speak to you to tell you that you are a sinner and you have fallen short. Again and again for all time. He will never commend you for a small act of "righteousness" - rather he will condemn you that your "righteousness" is putrid to him. Or rather is like a dirty sanitary cloth to him. (Romans 3:23 and Isaiah 64:6).

4. A Husband who does not require you to have any faith whatsoever and offers no promises to you. Only when you keep that requirement of having no faith - he will again condemn you and find fault with you for that. (Romans 4:14 and Hebrews 11:6)

5. A Husband who will delight in telling you that his only mission in your life is to bring about wrath - but will emotionally taunt you that if he were not around there would be no pointing out of the wrong in your life. (Romans 4:15).

6. A Husband will tell you that you will never be free from him until he dies (and he will never die) but if he did die (and be assured - he never will) then your faults would not be held to your account and you would be truly free. (Romans 5:13 and Romans 7:2).

7. A Husband who simply makes it his life's ambition again and again to point out every area of fault in your life and drives you into such a frenzy of frustration and despair and exhaustion that you end up cheating on him and finding your behaviour is getting worse and worse. And your husband will find out and punish you for those acts of defiance also. (Romans 5:20).

8. A Husband who will face you when you are guilt-ridden after a sin such as lying or pride and will tell you you may as well commit murder or adultery or lust as well - seeing as you have failed totally his requirements of you. And he will even sketch out a graphic description of how good those said sins may feel. But then if you do do them will point out your failures again. (Romans 7:5)

9. A Husband who is irritatingly perfect in every way - and never falls or fails. And never fails to point out that fact either. (Romans 7:7 and Romans 7:12).

10. A Husband who will remind you that before you married him, you were a vibrant, alive, free individual. But when your marriage was secured - you died inside and became an emotional ice-cube. (Romans 7:9).

11. A Husband who you know is 100% accurate about your flaws and failings. He never lies but is only truthful. You can't even claim he is unjust. He isn't. (Romans 7:16).

What a man! I don't know about anyone else but if I was married to someone like that I would be seriously considering suicide. This man is an emotional rapist. He will never, ever make you feel good about yourself. So whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy ..... would any Christian want to still have anything to do with this Law?!?! Why?! Are we mad?!?! Especially when you consider how good the alternative is! Rob said;

"When you came to Christ you died to Christ and God cancelled for you the writing of the 10 Commandments. You DIED to the Law! The Law doesn't die - it is still around for the lost! If you are dead to something then you are dead! But you are alive to a different Husband who has sympathy with your infirmities and He mediates a covenant depending on HIS performance! This Husband doesn't point your faults out!

The Gospel isn't a revelation of what's wrong with you but how right you are with the Father in Jesus Christ!!".

Of course as Christians we can choose to stay under Law - but there are consequences. Rob said;

"They will go to heaven but they will never recieve their inheritance. A person under law has an ideal self that they are trying to live upto and fall so short that they feel they deserve the abuse of the law. God will never punish you again because all punishment was poured out on Jesus.

But God cannot allow you to inherit New Covenant life under law. If you commit adultery - stay under grace! God knows how to restore adulterers! He knows how to love adulterers! He wants heart transformation not behaviour modification".

This isn't just theology for me anymore. Another friend of mine has just been diagnosed with HIV. He's only in his mid-20's. And I can't express how it feels to sit across from him and see the pain and the regret in his eyes. The agony as he tries to decide whether to tell anyone. And you know what? I can't recommend any church around here to take him to ... yet. Because he needs signs and wonders and power accompanying the gospel of truth. So I am finding it hard to celebrate so-called unity that is specifically leaving aside "secondary" issues - of which the movement of the Holy Spirit is one. That's not to say my friend doesn't need the gospel which addresses the Cross. He does. But Jesus Christ didn't stop there. He went on.

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because He anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor, He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind. To set free those who are oppressed and to proclaim the favourable year of the Lord".

My friend needs a Jesus Christ (and a church) who will do this;

"If Jesus was here today and so many thousands of people had HIV or further advanced AIDS - He wouldn't say; "Your sin got you into this". Jesus would heal them ALL".

5 comments:

Nick Cameron said...

Thanks for posting this Dan!
One line leapt out at me when I read this post - it was the line "This husband doesn't point your faults out!" And as it leapt at me it was like I heard the Lord whisper to me, "If I don't point your faults out then why do you?!?!?!" ............got me thinking today! x

lydia said...

Amen, Amen, Wow!! That list written out should be so eye opening to everyone!!! I agree with Nick.....just before I read this, I said to myself (as I have been experiencing some condemnation lately) - God is not pointing out my faults, I am just going to live my life and not worry so much about what I am doing wrong or not. You see being married to Jesus, who never points out my faults and who loves me NO MATTER how I perform, is so refreshing, so wonderful, so liberating, that I can't help but be encouraged and empowered to live well!! But I must abandon myself to him and him alone!! No more trying to run back to Mr. Law..........that is futile, it's like shooting yourself in the foot or worse!!!!

Anyway, Dan I am truly sorry for your friend. I am glad he has you though, you are the church, God is tabernacling in you, you have the very same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwelling on the inside of you and he has the faith to heal your friend now, because he already has made provision for his healing at the cross!! May you be filled with faith for him and begin to declare the truth of the gospel and healing, and blessing over his life!!!

Much love

Dan Bowen said...

Thanks so much Lydia and Nick. Glad it helped! That's amazing what you said Lydia, about "he has you though, you are the church, God is tabernacling in you".

That TOTALLY backed up and evidenced a prophetic text that Pete Day sent me that went like this;

"I felt God tell me to say these words to you; "Dan, you may feel you can't recommend a church to him, but he's got you. You show him, you can be church to him".

I love, love, LOVE being in a living, dynamic relationship with God and fellow sons and daughters of God! He speaks! He acts! He loves! So exciting! And He HEALS!

I went out for dinner with this friend of mine last night and during dinner I got to tell him about "this church" in Hong Kong. Where there is a guy there with full blown AIDS and he has had an awesome manifestation of healing and he's off drugs etc.

Bearing in mind my friend has never heard of religion, God before (I don't ram the Bible down people's throats - not my style). His reaction?

"WOW! When can we book our tickets to Hong Kong?".

You see .... non-Christians don't want to have anything to do with their perception of church. But start speaking to them about signs and wonders and they are interested!

And Rob says that miracles give us a right to then speak to them about the gospel!

jul said...

Dan, that's amazing! Go ahead and take him to HK! Maybe he would be interested in listening to some of Rob's stuff, I wonder if we can figure out which place Rob talks about that man's testimony...you probably know anyway. I'll definately be praying for your friend and for you.

You are such a blessing to anyone who has the privelege to cross paths with you.

Dan Bowen said...

Thanks Julie! :) I know, I'm torn between agony for these people that God is bringing across my path, frustration that Hong Kong isn't closer (!!!) and desperation that fountains of pure grace churches will spring up here!