Remember What We Were Like

In discussions with a Christian brother regarding these end times and the world’s increasing godlessness, he sometimes allows his frustrations to get the better of him. “Why can’t these people see it?” he asks. “Why are they so blind as to what’s going on in the world?” My response is not one he’s not heard numerous times before, “They are not God’s people, they belong to the devil and it’s his job to keep them blind.” 2 Corinthians 4:4. “I know,” is his regular response to “Remember what we were like.” That settles him down for that particular discussion, but only for that one. The next time he calls it’ll be on again! I notice similar frustrations coming from Christians on “social” media.

To remember what we were like is not to suggest we focus on our past sins, for that devalues the blood of Jesus, but I do believe it’s healthy for Christians to remember that when we belonged to the devil we were every bit as blind as the people we criticize. They’re simply doing what sinners do best – sin! For the purposes of this post, if we think of sin as self-will totally dis-interested in God’s will we’ll clearly understand why, “these people can’t see it.” That’ll put a stop to one’s frustrations getting the better of them. Grieve for such sinners, yes, but to get frustrated with them is to fall into the devil’s trap. There’s nothing righteous about frustration; it opens the gates to self-righteousness if we fail to recognize the trap.

It was mid-June 1985 when Jesus removed my blindness. Until that time godlessness was business as usual for me and I neither knew nor cared that it was increasing in the world. But I praise God for the Christian/s who prayed for my blindness to be lifted. I know someone did pray for nothing in God happens without it. I praise God too that frustration didn’t overtake them to the point of them ignoring prayer in preference for criticism. We often hear, “If God can save me, he can save anyone.” We never hear, “God saved me, but they are beyond it.” But given the state of the world one can be forgiven for thinking that it’s all too often believed by God’s people. With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible Matthew 19:26. 

As it was for us, God’s grace is the key to this, not works or self-merit. It’s my personal belief that after we’ve been Christians a while, caught up in church things and doctrinal hobby-horses, how easy it is to get seduced into thinking otherwise. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast Ephesians 2:8-9. If not for God’s grace we would be just as hell-bound as anyone else currently outside of Christ. Nobody needs the grace of God to be religious, but they need it to be real. To be mindful of God’s grace operating in our lives is a the grandest blessing and motivator I know of for praying for those blinded by the devil.

Another brother in Christ rings regularly to speak of the increased godlessness he reads about or views on TV. No frustration for him though, he understands why they are so blind as to what’s going on in the world. He sees it as lining up with what the Bible declares about such conditions in the end times too, but because he’s never forgotten the day God’s grace came to him loosing him from the devil removing his blindness, that’s his prayer for others  presently blinded by the devil. And so it seems to me the difference between the two men has to do with how much each one appreciates the value of God’s grace. Taking it a step further, appreciation of the value of God’s grace may explain why Bible promises are highly valued by some, but not so by others.

For those of us who are saved, we ought to be continuously in awe of the grace of God for our deliverance from the devil’s evils. King David was in awe of God’s grace for his deliverances; so much so that he wrote a heap of songs about them. Most of us couldn’t do that, but surely we can sing or recite some of the words he wrote into and over our lives. If we do, we’ll get similar victories. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; the God of my rock/strength, in Him will I trust, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; my Savior, You save me from violence. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies 2 Samuel 22:2-4; Psalm 18:1-3. 

The LORD is my rock: Go to Google Images, type in ‘Rock of Gibraltar’ and study the various images of it. Do you think it possible for man to blow that thing out of the water? Not a chance! Well, Jesus made that rock, and being the Rock of our salvation, nothing can blow Him out of the water either – or you or me as believers. How awesome is that? The LORD is my fortress: Do the same again; check out some of the fortress images in Google and study them. Most of them look rather impenetrable, but in any case, Jesus is totally impenetrable! And given that we’re in Him, the same applies to us. The LORD is my deliverer: delivered from temptations, out of the hands of our enemies; delivered from sin and death – plus from the wrath to come 1 Thessalonians 1:10.

The God of my rock/strength: In Christ only is our strength – spiritually, mentally, morally, physically. In Him will I trust: In Christ only will I confide in, have hope in and make refuge to. My shield: the shields of olden days gave good protection for the front of a warrior but not for his back. Given that the devil and his crowd specialize in back-stabbing Christians, thank God for Jesus who says to us, “Don’t worry about them, I’ve got your back as well as the front!” The horn of my salvation: horned animals use those things as a great weapon of defense to push, injure and destroy their enemies. Jesus does that to His enemies, metaphorically speaking. My stronghold and my refuge: high tower, Jesus’ name; the righteous will run to it for safety Proverbs 18:10.

My Savior: One only, complete, powerful, perfect, free, universal. You save me from violence: who knows what violence we’ve been saved from due only to the grace of God? This much I firmly know; if he could, Satan would kill us in a nano-second. It’s a wise Christian who regularly prays Psalm 91 over his or her life and that of family. I will call upon the LORD: for everything! – who is worthy to be praised: King David had much to praise God for throughout his life and so do we. Praise God, “for the perfections of His nature, the works of His hands, His providential goodness, and more especially for His covenant grace and blessings in Christ.” – John Gill. So shall I be saved from my enemies: And so shall we if we make it our business to praise God daily.

If only they realized it, Christians failing to value God’s grace and Bible promises are a bad witness to the devil’s people. They see them getting angry and frustrated and acting silly over all sorts of things and they ask themselves, “What’s that all about? Where is this Jesus you keep going on about? I do not see Him in you.” The devil’s people are blind, but not all are stupid! If they can get a glimpse of the reality of Christ in a Christian person’s life, that glimpse will come to mind again at some stage. Especially will it when left alone with their thoughts, God will make sure of it. We must let it sink in deeply, many of those people are watching us like a hawk and not all are waiting for us to slip up!

As a sinner enjoying sinning many years ago, there were rare occasions when I was in the presence a Christian man. Although I was, “nice to his face,” I mocked him behind his back. At the same time I was inwardly forced to admit, “You’re a better man than I’ll ever be.” In conversation I never heard him curse or criticize anything or anyone. Perhaps he was one who prayed for my blindness to be lifted. He had no opportunity to speak a Bible promise, but he did demonstrate by his life that he appreciated the value of God’s grace; I understand that now. A righteous man who falters before the wicked is like a murky spring and a polluted well Proverbs 25:26. That Christian man gave no witness to that truth and it’s my prayer I don’t either.

If we fail to curb our frustrations towards people blinded by the devil, the gates to self-righteousness will open. Conceit will enter, as will smugness, self-satisfaction, hypocrisy and intolerance. We will look down our noses at everyone not in our league and dismiss them at the drop of a hat. Such behavior will also demonstrate however, that we have no appreciation of the value of God’s grace. The devil’s people may not know that, or even some of God’s people. But God Himself will know it! Remember what we were like. We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain 2 Corinthians 6:1. Beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness………. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18.