Who's pouring on the water?

In the parable that is the inspiration for this blog, there are two people pouring different liquids on a fire. One person is pouring water -- trying to put the fire out -- and the other is pouring oil -- stoking the flames.

The fire represents our faith as God works it in our lives. The oil represents Him working. The water (according to the story) is being poured by the devil. The story is an allegory of the struggle between good and evil for our conscience, our faith, and our very soul.

Today, I was wondering if there can be other water pourers in our lives. The devil is not the only source of discouragement. I find that my job, the kids, and the day-to-day minutia of life act like water on the fire of my faith. This does not mean that I start to believe less in God or Jesus as my savior. However, I start to look away from the cross of Christ and the power of His salvation. My faith that God will really work all things for my good is diminished because I am looking inside myself. I see only failure and find no answers for life's problems.

It is at times like this is when I need to read God's word and let the oil of God strengthen me. I need to believe everything it says. I need to keep my thoughts "in heaven" and off of myself.

"Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God." -- Colossians 3:1-3

I smell smoke

Some day, I'm going to write a book. The title will be, "When I get to heaven, my clothes will smell like smoke". I hope to expound upon the dichotomy of Christianity that says, on the one hand, I am totally depraved and on the other hand, I am perfect.

In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul lists some bad stuff that his readers had done. Then he says, that they were bad people, but now are not. Does that mean that they stopped sinning? I don't think so.

Hebrews 10 says that "if we keep on sinning" we are in danger of hell. What does it mean to keep on sinning? How do we become new creations? How do we act as sanctified Christians?

I think the difference is that we struggle with sin. People who do not know Christ accept sinful ways as okay. They "keep on sinning" because they think their choices are okay. Christians still sin, but they regret it. Is that hypocritical? I don't think so. Its human nature to sin. Its God's will for us to feel contrition and seek forgiveness.

Hmmm... So, what am I saying? Anyone who feels guilty about bad things they do is a Christian? Only people who can do bad things with no remorse are on the highway to hell? That can't be true because the vast majority of people feel bad about things they do from time to time. If you ask the average person if they are good or bad, they will say that they are "mostly good." They realize that they do bad things, but they do good things at least 51% of the time so its okay. That may be true. It may be that most people are mostly good (from a worldly standpoint) and feel bad about things they do wrong. So does that mean that most people are going to heaven?

Maybe its not so much making individual choices or even repetitive choices and not regretting them that is important. What does make the difference is making life choices and not regretting them. So, adultery is not the unforgivable sin, but living with someone who you are not married to, sleeping with them and refusing to get married or acknowledge that what you are doing is wrong, is. This type of behavior is what indicates that a heart is hard and closed to God's call.

Getting drunk may not put one on the road to perdition. Being an alcoholic may not either if one fights against the urges. Its giving in to the lifestyle or not feeling Godly remorse that is damning.

That is why the bible talks about how Christians need to warn other Christians who are caught up in sin. We should not judge people for the sins they commit individually. We should cast a discerning eye on people's lifestyles and warn them if their persistent behavior is potentially destructive. It is the persistent nature of sin that is damning.

Now, I am not saying that simply fighting against evil is enough to keep someone out of hell. It is only faith in Jesus Christ as savior that gives a person the key to the pearly gates. What I am saying is that every person struggles with sin. We have all gone astray. We all fall short of the goal of perfection. This struggle does not disqualify a person from heaven or mean that Christians are phony. It simply proves that we need a savior and shows how great God is to help us.

Oil and Water parable

Here is a parable that represents what I hope this blog will be about. It is an excerpt from The Pilgrim's Progressby John Bunyan.

"Then I saw the Interpreter take Christian by the hand and lead him into a place where was a fire burning against a wall, and one standing by it, always casting much water upon it, to quench it; yet did the fire burn higher and hotter.

Christian: What means this?

Interpreter: This fire is God’s work of grace in the heart. He who casts water upon it to put it out, is the devil; but you shall see why in spite of the water it still burns. So he led him to the other side of the wall, where he saw a man with a vessel of oil in his hand, which oil he continually cast, but secretly, into the fire.

Christian: What means this?

Interpreter: This is Christ, who continually, with the oil of His grace, maintains the work already begun in the heart. So in spite of what the devil can do, grace never dies out in the heart. The man behind the wall to keep the fire is to teach thee that it is hard for the tempted to see how this work of grace is kept alive in the soul."