It's me, mike hillebrecht

hyper-
A prefix appearing in loanwords from Greek, where it meant “over,” usually implying excess or exaggeration ( hyperbole )
loan·word [lohn-wurd] noun
a word in one language that has been borrowed from another language and usually naturalized, as wine, taken into Old English from Latin vinum, or macho, taken into Modern English from Spanish.

Romans 5:20
(20) Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

According to an article in Charisma magazine on 6-28-2013 written by Joseph Mattera there are eight signs of a hyper-grace church that all believers need to be aware of. These signs are:

1. The preacher never speaks on sin.
2. The lead pastor never takes a cultural stand for righteousness.
3. The Old Testament is almost totally ignored.
4. People who lead immoral lives are allowed to teach and lead ministries.
5. The lead pastor speaks often against the institutional church.
6. The lead pastor preaches against tithing.
7. The lead pastor only preaches positive motivational messages.
8. Key members of the church are regularly living sinful live with impunity.

The defining characteristic in every hyper-grace church is antinomianism (anti means “against”; nomos means “law”). According to the author,

“This is the belief that the moral law of the Old Testament has been done away with and that, once we are in Christ, there is free grace in which we can almost live any way we want since we are not under the Law but under grace. Thus, according to this view, the Old Testament is not that important to read except for metaphors, types and symbols regarding the coming of Christ. The New Testament is all about grace and does away with the Old Testament Law!

I believe antinomianism is a dangerous trend in evangelicalism and is something we need to lovingly take a stand against with our brothers and sisters who espouse it.”

Another concern of the author is,

“Furthermore, many churches and preachers refuse to take a stand against sin and rarely if ever mention the need for repentance or topics like hell and judgment. Many of these same churches allow people to minister in music, as small group leaders and even as ministers with no personal accountability while looking the other way when they are living sexually immoral lives and regularly engaged in drunkenness!”

The conclusion of the article also reveals the author’s fear that a hyper-grace church is one step away from universalism, which is the belief that all people will eventually be saved, whether they believe the gospel or not; and also one step away from liberalism because of the increasing amount of Scripture which is being gutted because it is culturally offensive (i.e. husbands being head of household, views on homosexuality, ect.).

Throughout the body of the article the author cites a number of New Testament scriptures from Paul’s writings, Matthew, Jude and John as evidence that the Old Testament moral law (Ten Commandments) are still valid for believers as a means to living their new life in Christ. However, are these citations accurately portraying the nature of the new covenant believer? I do not believe so and I will offer my beliefs according to what I have found in my studies of the scriptures.

Foundation

Every argument must begin somewhere. The text of the bible is a story of two people groups: The Children of Israel and those who aren’t, commonly called in the New Testament as the Gentiles. The Apostle Paul was possibly the most educated Hebrew scholar of his day, yet God, rather than making him the one to convert the Children of Israel to the Way, makes him the apostle to the Gentiles. Here is Paul’s understanding of the Gentiles relationship to God found in Ephesians 2.

Ephesians 2:11-13
(11) Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
(12) That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

In verse 12 Paul clearly states that Gentiles were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel. This means that they didn’t have any heritage or bloodline within them that could be traced to Abraham. Additionally, the Gentiles were strangers to the covenants of promise that Israel had with God. These two truths applied to all Gentiles throughout the world then, and still do to this day.

I believe it is safe to say that 99% of the church today is a Gentile church because it does not have a natural bloodline with Israel. Having made that claim, I also state that the same percentage of the church should not have the same “covenants of promise” that Israel presently shares. Only by believing in the finished works of Christ are these Gentile churches brought into the spiritual family of Abraham because they then resemble how Abram believed God and was accounted as righteous.
However, today, many Gentile churches have elected to enter into the same arrangement Israel has with God by thinking they can come under the Law while declaring to being saved by grace. Just like water and oil, grace and law don’t mix.

These “Law churches” have adopted a portion of the Law as a guide to keep themselves in right standing with God. Unfortunately, in doing this, they have ignored the commandment which clearly declares that if you follow just one commandment you are required to follow all the commandments. Believing that following a set of procedures will bring them closer to God they miss what Paul states in the next few verses in Ephesians 2.

Ephesians 2:13-19
(13) But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
(14) For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
(15) Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
(16) And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
(17) And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
(18) For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
(19) Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

Verse 15 clearly states that the law of commandments contained in ordinances was abolished in the flesh of Christ on the cross. In the Greek, the term “abolish” means to render entirely useless. This doesn’t mean in a future date but it was already done once for all. The enmity spoken of here is the division that the Law created between the children of Israel and the Gentiles making one group close to God at the exception of the other. Now through the finished works of Jesus the ordinances that created the separation between these two groups has been rendered useless bringing both groups together so that they may have access to the Father by the one Spirit. This access is not based on a rule or law but on a belief that Jesus accomplished this.

What about the Law?

Acts 15 describes a pivotal point in the development of the first church. A group of men who believed that it was vital to be circumcised according to the Law in order to be saved ran into Paul and Barnabas who had been teaching the Gentiles for years that they weren’t required to follow the Law of Moses to be saved. Both of these parties came to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles in order to determine who was correct. After Paul informs the apostles of the great work that is occurring through the Spirit with the Gentiles, the apostle Peter makes the following statement:

Acts 15:7-11
(7) And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
(8) And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
(9) And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
(10) Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
(11) But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

Notice in Verse 10 that Peter clearly states that the children of Israel were never able to bear the yoke of the law that they operated from. But they believed just like the Gentiles did that through the grace of Jesus they were saved. After this speech, James makes this declaration:

Acts 15:13-21
(13) And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
(14) Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
(15) And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
(16) After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
(17) That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
(18) Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
(19) Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
(20) But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
(21) For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

Having heard all the arguments from both sides, James decides how the Gentiles should function as a church body. Take a good look at verse 20. Rather than stating that the Gentiles should follow the Law of Moses in all of their doings, James asks that they abstain from the pollution of idols, fornication, things strangled and from blood. These items were all found in the temple worship ceremonies that the Gentiles had come from in their various communities. There is no reference to following any of the commandments of the Law of Moses even in one ordinance.
Obviously, if the Law was to be a vital component of the church James or any of the other apostles would have clearly made reference to it as a parting instruction to Paul and Barnabas. They however did no such thing as Paul explained in Galatians 2.
Paul, while called to the Gentiles, had great concern for the children of Israel relating to the new covenant conditions. Here is his desire expressed in Romans 10.

Romans 10:1-4
(1) Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
(2) For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
(3) For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
(4) For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Notice that he plainly states that Christ is the end of the law. Righteousness, or right standing with God, was not something they could earn from their works but was solely found in the belief of the finished work of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 1:30 Paul also states that besides righteousness God has made Christ to be wisdom, sanctification and redemption. These additional attributes were also defined in the Law through its ordinances particularly found in the sin offerings.
These offerings had been given yearly since they were instituted in the Law of Moses. Yet in Hebrews 10 we find that Christ, the last sin offering, sat down at the right hand of the Father having perfected all those that were sanctified.
What then is the purpose of the Law? In Romans 3 Paul tells us what the law function truly is.

Romans 3:19-24
(19) Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
(20) Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
(21) But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
(22) Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
(23) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
(24) Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Verse 20 tells us that the law gives us the knowledge of sin and that no deeds accomplished under it will be justified before God. But notice that in the next verse that a righteousness without the law has been manifested in believing in Christ. As you move into the fifth chapter of Romans, Paul claims in 5:20 that the law entered so that the offenses may increase. Relying on the law only makes the offense increase more and more. So why the law?
While Paul says in Romans 7:12 that the law is holy, just, and good, he also declares in 1 Timothy,

1 Timothy 1:9-10
(9) Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
(10) For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

To further drive home his point on the worthiness of the law for the Gentile church Paul makes his argument in the 2nd chapter of Colossians.

Colossians 2:16-23
(16) Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
(17) Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
(18) Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
(19) And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
(20) Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
(21) (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
(22) Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
(23) Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

The items listed in the opening of this passage were clearly defined practices of the Law and yet Paul says that they are the shadow of what is now real. He also claims that to continue in these observances may look good, some of them are the doctrines of men and do nothing but satisfy the flesh.

The Response

So how do we answer the questions and concerns of a hyper-grace movement?

1. Is there such a term as hyper-grace found in scripture? “Hyper” in the Greek means excessive or over abundance. Romans 5:20 clearly describes that where sin abounded, grace much more abounded. So yes, it is scriptural.

2. Is it a doctrine of antinomianism? Yes, it is the end of the Law of Moses. Christ is the end of the Law. However, every new covenant believer has the law and commandments of God written on their new heart. It is not the 613 laws of Moses, but it is the laws that each believer is responsible to keep as God reveals it to them through the inward working of the Holy Spirit.

3. Is this new doctrine of grace leaning towards universalism? God so loved the world… So how do you interpret “universal” if you don’t make it mean everyone? Does the gospel require people to believe? The term “Gospel” in the original Greek means news that is almost too good to be true. It is a term of hyperbole to the Greek thinking. At some point to be called a believer, you have to make the conscience choice to believe something which sounds too good to be true. That is the act of faith which pleases the Father.

4. When were the issues of sin dealt with? When a person becomes “saved” or at the cross, 2,000 years ago, or even before that? If all our past sins have been dealt with on the cross, what about our future sins? Don’t they fall under the same jurisdiction? If God doesn’t remember my sins, why should I, or even the preacher?

5. If Christ is our righteousness, how does a culture display that without quoting a law that has been abolished? Each believer is as righteous as they will ever be so there is nothing that can be added to make us be more. Standing up for a cause may have the appearance of wisdom but is it merely a doctrine of man that will change as quickly as the wind of public opinion blows. If the church is to take a stand for the morality of region they had better be following the first law of Christ within their own sphere of influence before they think they can create change in a broader community.

6. The Old Testament is not the New Testament. It depicts a shadow of what has already occurred. Is it relevant? If used to show how a people group couldn’t perform it requirements to be in right-standing with God, yes. To point out the nature of sin in non-believers, yes. As a tool to reinforce our identity as new believers, no. To show the new covenant types and shadows, yes. However, if people still don’t understand who they are in Christ, what his finished works are and what the love of the Father has done, why not just stay focused on the one quarter of the Bible that explains that to them.

7. Immoral people lead ministries. Behavior is not identity. Morality is not godliness. Grace teaches us to live godly lives (Titus 2:11-12). This means that we learn how to live with God inside of us, not living a moral lifestyle dictated from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Sin is a cancerous enemy that affects all. The Law clearly reveals that there is therefore none righteous, no not one. So who can be view from the eyes of law to be worthy to be in the ministry? We all, through grace, have been made ambassadors of reconciliation, even to the household of faith!

8. If a pastor, seeing the dichotomy between New Testament scripture and his active church life, speaks out against the “institutional” church, how is this pastor any different then Martin Luther or any of a number of past martyrs who raised a voice that made an incremental change in the direction for the present day “church?” One should not throw stones if one lives in glass houses, no matter how stained the glass is.

9. The lead pastor teaches against tithing. So what? Is it a requirement of the law? Is it? My question would be, if they preach against it, how are they meeting their monthly budget? If they really believe God to be the source of all their needs, and are seeing evidence of His provision, why not preach against an institutional act which has lost its relevance? Abram’s meeting with Melchezidek came long before the Law and for all appearances was a one-time act. Gentile churches don’t have a priestly family that is supported by the rest of the clan. We are all priests. So why aren’t all the members of the congregation receiving tithes? It all belongs to God, so do you really think that your 10% is going to influence Him?

10. If the Gospel of grace is really news that is almost too good to be true, who would want to sit in a meeting for any length of time listening to the opposite message? If you’re not getting people to respond, “this sounds too god to be true,” I would submit that you’re preaching another gospel and Paul has a few choice words for you in Galatians 1! You should be motivating the hell out of people not moving them into it!

11. Key members live sinful lives with impunity. Really? Are they eating bacon and shrimp cocktails while sipping margarita by the pool having told their pastor it was a couples retreat? Could it be that they actually went to another service on Saturday and didn’t feel obligated to go to the Sunday service too? What I mentioned in item 7 applies here too. But what’s the big deal anyway, next week is a confession service where I can be cleansed all over again and then go back to my own domain, right? If leadership is not willing to take action how is it any different from any Catholic organization who didn’t take care of its kids for a number of years. Should leadership be held to a higher order? Not if it’s going to keep them isolated from the people that they lead. Why not hold everyone to the same new covenant command: Love your neighbor as I have loved you. I know how much grace did for me and it’s obvious that you might not be as bad off as I was. So at least my level of God’s grace could deal with your problems!

The real problem that the hyper-grace detractors have is that they can’t control or modify the behavior of new covenant believers. They believe that no rules or laws mean that everyone is going to hell in a hand basket. There is no evidence of this in any of the New Testament writings. Is it possible that the greatest fear that these detractors have is that their style or method of leadership will be called into question as to whether what they claim to be from God actually is just a soothing of the flesh?

Every believer is called to minister the manifold grace of God. This means it will not look alike at any one time to every single person. Yes, believers have been called to a new liberty, a new freedom, which for better or worse is chaotic and unruly at times. This, however, is what draws people to look at what is going on and sets each of us apart from the world. I guess if you really have an issue with the grace revolution that is coming you need to go into countries of this world that have lived in oppression and see how it is transforming their lives and their culture to reach for new vistas in freedom.

This is what I believe and if you don’t that’s fine by me. I came by my belief because I studied myself to be approved. I only trust that you’ve made the same effort in your claim, and didn’t just come to your conclusions based on someone you simply heard or read. Whether you believe me or not, this one thing I know: The same message of grace that I declare is the same for you too – all you have to do is believe it. So why not get hyper!

As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Peter 4:10

You are a steward of God’s grace. Did you realize this? This isn’t something that will someday happen to you. It is going on right this moment. It has been a reality since the creation of man. What Adam lost in the garden has been regained at the resurrection of Jesus.

Look carefully at the wording in this verse and follow the pattern according to what you have learned. 1. A gift was given and received; 2. The gift is now to be given to another; 3. The release of the gift demonstrates the varied nature of God’s grace. At no point in this transaction is the gift held onto. In order for it to be a demonstration of grace it must be released. You are deemed a good steward when the transaction is completed.

Action. This is the characteristic of a verb. I know I’m repeating myself here but I need to make this point clear. In this verse the word “gift” is a charis word. More importantly, its Greek root word is the verb-tense of charis. Even more important than the last statement is that this single word has been demonized in all religious circles. As such, I am deciding not to reveal it at this time so that you may not put your spiritual blinders on before I get finished.

The title of this section is not “Doing Grace” which some of you might feel would be appropriate if I’m going to speak about the action of grace. However, that would imply that by doing, you could also chose not to do. Worded in another manner, you could chose to not do the will of the Father! Does that sound like the actions of a good steward?

Consider this: Did you teach your pet dog to bark or pet cat to meow? Why not? Obviously, you don’t have to do this because it is a feature which is “built in” to the model of pet that you have. They do this because of how they are made. Or, out of their being they do these things naturally. Your ability to control, or limit, the use of this feature is what classifies you as a good owner, or steward, of your pet in the eyes of the public. Now granted, not everyone likes pets; so despite what you may think about them being a gift, their nature can offend.

For those of you who may at this point become slow of thought, let me apply this example to you. Your old nature was not a gift given to mankind from God. Because of your old nature, you did things which offended God. Even those things which you thought were “good” were offensive to God.

The Father knew that your past actions were a result of the stewardship you were under, however, those actions were based on a corrupted nature. In His infinite wisdom, He gives you a glimpse of His goodness. Desiring to receive more of this goodness, you believe in His Son’s works and the Father births a new nature in you. Next, He places you under the stewardship of Holy Spirit so you can learn how to properly give the gift of this new nature He placed within you.

It is from “being” the new nature that you “do” the acts people recognize as grace. Everything that you henceforth do, comes from being, from the smallest to the most monumental. All that you do is evidence of the grace-gift you have received, and give away to those around you. Notice that the grace-gift is not for

Autism. Dyslexia. Scoliosis. Cancer. Diabetes. Alzheimer’s and dementia. Congestive heart failure. Rheumatoid Arthritis. William’s syndrome. Paralysis.

This is a partial list of medical conditions that have affected my family and close friends over the past few years. Each of these conditions have long-term issues that are or have been addressed since their diagnosis. I offer this list to you for a singular purpose: I know from personal experience what I’m about to say.

Furthermore, having just come back from a week-long camp designed for families with child who have special needs, I witnessed the up-close and personal lives of families caught in a vicious cycle little are willing to expose.

A century ago, this list of conditions would in many parts of the world have been considered the examples of a person, or family, who is cursed by God or is oppressed by demonic powers. Even today, this type of thinking is prevalent in many churches across the globe, and yes, even right in your own community. This thinking cuts across all denominational lines so don’t consider for a moment that your tribe doesn’t have to study what I’m discussing. For this is a topic that no one wants to address, so I’m going to speak out.

The church practices bigotry.

In my journey through the nature and realm of grace I came to understand one of its basic tenets is that it applies equally for all, period. Now if you’re a “word of faith” person that sounds right, but you’re still working your faith to see the healing come that Jesus purchased for you with the stripes on his back. Don’t tell me I’m off here because I’ve been down that road, and have a whole wardrobe closet full of the ragged T-shirts it got me. The big boys, names I’ll not mention because you know who they are, worked me and my family up into a frenzy of confessing healing scriptures, reading the word, speaking those-things-that don’t-exist-as-though-they-do until it became quite evident that I, or we did not have the right kind of faith that even a mustard seed could rely upon.

Every charismatic church believes in the gifts of the Spirt to heal the sick. They practically foam at the mouth to lay hands on you, anoint you with oil and pray for healing to envelope you; cast out the spirit of infirmity; discern the generational curses that keeps you bound up; and of course, bind the strongman, satan and his demons, while loosing the healing anointing of the blood of Jesus. They are concerned about your well-being…only to the point of placing another notch on their promotional video about the wonders of God moving in their congregation.

You see the church, all the people, not just the leadership, don’t like you to stick around in their midst if you can’t display the healing power their doctrine is based upon. Sure they believe that healing stuff in their heads but…if you’re going to belong to their group, you’ve got to play by the rules. You must stay at the back of the sanctuary because you make too much noise coming in or going out, or you block the aisles when people are called to come down for prayer. You have to also give others the opportunity to be prayed for, after all, you’re not the only one with an illness or infirmity. After all that story about blind Bartimaeus is just that, a story.

How is this possible? It’s the nature of people both in and out of groups of people in all types of social environments. It’s that curse mentality which no one seems to want to shake off. We hate differences, be it ethnicity or gender-roles, besides being healthy is big business today. If you’re not fit, take a pill or two or three, and get back in the game, dude. If you can’t cut it, we’ll cut you. Tribalism at its finest moment.

Sick people are different. Everyone knows that we need to keep them apart from us because we don’t want what they’ve got. That logic works good for a virus but it doesn’t stop there when you’re dealing with handicapped or infirmed people. Marginalize them. They’ll get the picture and finally leave us to our “healing doctrine.”

The greater works of Jesus.

Jesus never healed all the people. The man, at the gate beautiful, is someone who spent his entire life at the temple as a cripple depending on the handouts of others to provide for him. In his social milieu he was cursed of God. Jesus had to pass by him to go into the temple at least three times a year for thirty-three years. Yet not once did Jesus heal him. That man was restored by Peter and John after the ascension of Jesus. This, we are told, is what a greater work looks like. Hence, it is also the pattern of how every church thinks they are to function – instantaneous, miracle power. Unfortunately, it’s not truly the greater work, or for that matter, even the good works prepared for you before the foundations of the world.

It’s easy to lay hands on someone or pray for them. No results, next. The greater work is staying with them for however long it takes for you both to see the healing. Yes, you may never see it. This is what makes it a greater work. It challenges our propensity to seek speed and convenience over relationship. Have you ever considered that sometimes it is just a miracle to be in a relationship with someone?
The church is called to be the body of Christ. Regrettably, in most cases it is merely a depository of selfish individuals vying for spiritual superiority and recognition through self-help, Tony-Robbin-laden, one-liner preaching. Leadership is not equipping the saints to deal with real issues in a body when their only method is to pray and confess by rote the lifeless words spoken 100 years ago from the last healing revival. Honestly, when I’ve spent the last 36 hours dealing with vomit, phlegm, and diarrhea your quaint, antiquated, little prayer isn’t worth the toilet paper I’ve expended in my toils.

Jesus said, “…as you’ve done for the least of these you’ve done unto me.” Every person with a long-term illness is “the least of these” in the eyes of the church. Rather than embracing them and their families, the church puts up with, or even marginalize them out of the very body they are a part of.

In that great chapter of faith of Hebrews 11 there is an often overlooked passage at the end which describes all the people who never saw the end of their faith. I think The Message version captures the summation of this chapter the best:

God had a better plan for us: that their faith and our faith would come together to make one completed whole, their lives of faith not complete apart from ours. (Heb 11:40)

Notice how there is a joining of faiths which makes everyone whole. We are not independent individuals as much as we are dependent interviduals, a term coined by Rene Girard to explain how each of us is hard-wired to express the non-conscience desires of others. Another way of understanding this concept is to realize that I am who I am only in relationship to you, and vice-a-versa. I am nothing without someone to relate to. I hope you just caught what I said.

When a church marginalizes the infirmed, they have made them to be nothing because they have no one to relate with. The church thereby has claimed,” Jesus, I will have no part of you.” Now that might seem harsh but let the record speak for itself. How many infirmed people do you know right now? How active are you in their life? How often do you see them outside of a normal church service?

I don’t know if you realize it yet but life is a 24/7 experience. I do know for certain that the church hasn’t figured that out yet. Church is not life, right? It’s an hour on Sunday and maybe one on Wednesday, and then free time. To an infirmed person those two hours a week are actually six agonizing hours of ramping up and winding down just to hear a cotton candied message of hope. This is why so many will not come to the one place they need to be and the church accommodates them accordingly. It just is too painful on so many levels – the church has become just as isolated as the infirmed.

So what are the practicalities once prayer has been made, anointing has been administered and still no evidence that Jesus is in the house? If you’re a disciple, you better start serving. I trust that you can determine that each person is unique in how you serve them. Don’t think for a moment that what I’m able to say is all that can be done. This is where you learn how to develop a relationship with people by asking them what they need. But understand this too, they often don’t know what they need simply because they have been so focused on dealing with their illness. Just keep in mind 24/7, what do you do?

Now I know that some of you fine people out there go to great lengths to make meals for these poor folks, however, have you ever considered that no one seems to stays behind to do the dishes, mop the floor, clean the kitchen, stock the paper towels or do a load of laundry, including drying, folding and putting them away? Many of you will never know the pleasure of being able to vomit into a clean toilet and then rest your head against the coolness of a clean pedestal all night long simply because someone cared enough.

If you’re aiding a family who has a child who is ill, you have no idea how much gratitude you will receive if your help simply allows the parents to take a shower or bath. The laundry thing also gets big points here. Even mowing the lawn is appreciated. Also, bring over a movie and just sit around together to enjoy it. The infirmed don’t have ready access to the latest forms of entertainment, so bring it to them and share the experience. Learn to relate! Texting and emails will not cut it. But by all means don’t feel compelled to be chatty. You’re there to lend a hand and hold one, dry a tear and shed a few, be encouraging in the face of their greatest discouragement.

Right now some of you are getting anxious about how you’re going to do all of these things and the stuff that your life entails. Relax. You’re not required to do all this for everyone, just some one. There is always some church who want to be able to walk into a hospital and clear it out with a healing move of the Spirit. Why not be sensible for a moment and just offer to help those being discharged until they’re back on their feet, and try to do it without even mentioning the name of Jesus.

For those of you who know my story, realize that this message is not a plea for me. My family began our journey down this road in 1994 and we’ve learned a few things along the way. Through thick sleepless nights and thin nurse-less days we’ve muddled along praying diligently for the miracle which would resolve all the issues which seemed to crash down upon us like waves in the ocean. Our faith was challenged, stretched and punched beyond all recognition, even to the brink of shame and disgrace, but it’s never been about our faith anyway. That was a hard lesson to learn but now so vital to our peace. Along the way, a handful of good disciples did the very things you’ve just read. Of the hundreds of people in all the churches we’ve frequented, a handful knew the challenges we faced and chose to walk with us all the way to the end. We lost a few to their own battle along the way, but together we walked through theirs and ours. It’s what you do with those who have become closer than a brother or sister.

24/7 applies to all, equally, just like grace does. What is the least you can do to be like Jesus to the least of these? Get out of the box you’ve put yourself in and be who is inside of you. Maybe then you’ll look like a church-body rather than a spiritual social drama queen.

Have you ever witnessed, or actually created, the following scenario? Two young children from different families are thrust into the awkward social situation of playing together while the adults go and talk among themselves. One of the kids decides to make the bold move of giving a toy to the other as a gesture of kindness which is gratefully accepted and playtime begins. Some considerable time passes and the adults determine that they need to return to their proper daily routine; so they begin the process of attending to coats, and other outer wear, while straightening things up. In this moment of rectification, an adult takes the toy from the small child claiming in soothing parental tones that it belongs to the other child. Suddenly, all hell breaks loose! Screaming, wailing, gnashing of teeth kind-of-hell.

I’ve been to a number of church services that operate every weekend just like this. People come together for an awkward social gathering to enjoy the gift of Christ and then some “adult” gets up and takes the gift away screaming about the wailing and gnashing of teeth that awaits those who refuse to accept the gift of Christ! It was already there and everyone was enjoying it until an adult felt it was time to get back into the routine and rectify the matter. Nothing quite like traditions…

But is Christ really a gift if you have to give it back? You probably never thought of that did you? The gift that keeps on giving as long as you return it. Sure, I know that some of you are scratching various body parts trying to figure out what I’m talking about and it’s disappointing for reasons that I’m about to explain.

The present day “grace movement” has missed a very crucial point in its depiction of the grace gift given by the Father. It comes from understanding the history behind the Greek term charis which has been translated as “grace” in the scriptures. There are a number of facets that charis covers which I’ve discussed in a number of prior postings, however, the primary attribute it displays is reciprocity – giving and giving back in return.

Consider the last grace message you heard; a message that went somewhat like this:

“Christ died for you. He took all your sins and was crucified on the cross so that you could live.”

Fairly common, right? But what is missing? If it’s going to true to the principle of grace in its fullest it will sound more like this:

“Christ died for you. He took all your sins and was crucified on the cross so that you could live. He died as you so that you would live as Him.”

The Father’s gift of His Son rectified the condition of mankind and produced a whole new creation in the resurrection of His Son. Everyone has been included in this new creation event – this is our Genesis. This newness of life is not ours though, it only comes through Christ. You may think that you’re not bound to the law anymore, which is true, however, you have become a slave to love.

Back in the days when there was chivalry found in going into battle to defend country against an enemy, certain men would actually take the place of others upon the field of battle. This was not a light matter for either man because they both understood the responsibility each faced. The one going into battle understood, that even as he faced possible death, he represented the other man on the frontline and everyone would associate his actions with the man he was replacing. The man who would stay behind would be bound to live the rest of his life as a memorial to the man who went into battle knowing that he only lived because someone gave his life for his. This was their grace gift to each other – honor for honor. Friends, family members and associates of the man who went to war paid close attention to the man who stayed behind so that they could remind him of the manner in which to live his life so that it exemplified the character of the one who had gone.

Today, very few are able to make the connection with Christ at this level of honor simply because they believe that he died so that they could be free to live a glorious, spirit-filled, drunken, slosh-fest with no concerns in this life about how they appear to others in their graceful stupor. Your life is not your own, it is a memorial to the one who gave his life for yours. You are expected to give the gift back without wailing and bawling about your freedom being infringed upon. You live in the liberty of grace so grow up into it. The whole world is watching.

Have you ever thought there has to be more than this? Are you unsettled with the sheer lack of a self-ordained objectives to accomplish simply because it is all “finished?” Are you still trying to delineate where your efforts and his faith meet? Believe it or not, these thoughts mean you’re resting in grace.

I know, it sure doesn’t feel like rest, but it truly is. You’re at that spot where everything you’ve thought you knew about this grace or faith thing hits the reality of Jesus. This is where the finished work declared 2,000 years catches up with you, and after surveying the terrain of a life now before you, you’re stupefied as to what your next move is. This is rest.

Now I’m certain that some – no most – will object to me claiming this as rest. They’ll claim that rest is what happens as a reward to work, a respite between intense personal effort and the next accomplishment. That might be a good explanation of what you’ve always known to be rest but how does that stack up to the reality that everything is…well…finished? Jesus declared it and gave up the ghost to defend it. Now what? Ah, there’s the rub.

The writer of the book of Hebrews claims that the children of Israel failed to enter the rest of the Lord because they lacked faith in the promise that was given them. This same writer then claims that the people of God, through Jesus, have the ability to enter into the same rest through his faith. So you’re resting, right? What? What about your faith? It doesn’t matter. Yes, I’m serious.

Consider that Israel, by their lack of faith, couldn’t enter into the rest of God. Do you seriously think that God would risk the entire population of the planet upon their own faith, once again, just so that they could miss entering His rest? You enter His rest through the faith of Jesus, not yours no matter how much you’ve exercised it. But don’t think that your faith isn’t worth something because it is, just not here. What Jesus did was done for you and me long before we ever believed. Any belief we have about it can’t reverse it or even add to it. Hence, it is finished. Now rest.

At this point some of you might have fallen into the trap of thinking how rest now means you don’t have to do anything – ever again. All the works have been accomplished for you so why not just sit or kick back and marinate in the presence of Jesus. If it was good for Brother Lawrence then is should work for you too, right? In my best Apostle Paul impression, “You foolish Christian, who has bewitched you?”

Before you were saved, I’m certain that you came across certain people who were…how do I put this so you’ll relate? They were lazy, good-for-nothing, free-loading bums. Yup, that is the term I think most of have used to define the behavior of those who seem to be on a perpetual holiday from life. Well, guess what? Now, after salvation, the term hasn’t lost its meaning simply because you can claim to be a child of grace. If you’re offended by my statement, good, because it means you’ve taken the bait in the trap. The last thing the world needs is an apostle of rest who won’t even go out and preach through their actions rather than their words. Seems like an oxymoron doesn’t it? (No, I didn’t just call you a moron.)

Understand this: Jesus is the personification of grace. He lives in you. He clearly stated that you would do greater works than him. He also said that His Father continues to work even to this day. So where is the rest in all of this? In the fact that you do not have to work to be approved, found in right standing, and concerned about if your last, or present, sin will be forgiven. Your rest from these works, the rest this whole message is about, has already been guaranteed by Jesus. This is the finished work of the cross. Now rest – for the greater works of grace await you.

If the Kingdom of God is anything – and it is everything – it is relationship.
Paul Luchsinger 1955-2015

It has been a hard year. My good friend Paul left this world for a greater glory a year ago. His passing was on the heels of my mother moving on three weeks prior. In both of their absences this week I’ve been pondering this quote so often spoken by Paul to me and honestly to anyone who ever came into contact with Paul. I’ve looked over the progression of events that have transpired this past year and I am amazed at the relationships that have developed, matured and/or withered.

I have been on a quest for the Kingdom of God being fully manifested in my life, as I’m sure many others have too. The one thing that I have taken note of is how our relationships with others cultivate the kingdom that is within us. Honestly, I don’t really need to be awed by the revelation you have of God if it doesn’t strengthen our ability to be united as friends, equals on the same journey. There is a lot of preaching and teaching going on in the church today but how much of it is building strong healthy relationships? If there are people leaving your congregation then I’d say that you’re teaching the wrong thing.

If you’re a “zippity-do-dah” preacher who can’t stand the sights or sounds of personal turmoil, your feel-good message is not going to build relationships. Yes, the sun will come up tomorrow, but for many that simply means more of the same crap they’ve had to deal with the day before. Yes, Jesus does love them, but that is not going to pull any weight with the demands a dying family member instills. Yes, there is a day of greater glory for all of us, but mister, you need to lower your vision to those about you, those who look to you for guidance in the day-to-day glory of the here and now and step out of your comfort zone of rarified platitudes and deal with the mess of living. If your message is all about the blessings of God, then don’t forget the blessings spoken over the poor, the hungry, and those who mourn aren’t for a latter day but for now.

Looking at the past year, turmoil is the hallmark of my strongest relationships today. Those of us who couldn’t deal with it had someone they could come to and walk with them in it. There wasn’t any finger pointing or brow beating just acceptance and love. As we walked out the daily messes and misses our commitment to the relationship grew and the influence of the inner kingdom became more apparent. Mourning and weeping will always lead to hugging and laughing if relationships are vital.

I guess the whole reason for writing this is to affirm that two important people who I miss greatly are still projecting an influence in the inner kingdom and that is what relationships are truly about. Just how will you favorably impact the life of another when you’re not there?

Today is Super Bowl Sunday for Christians! Yup, it’s Easter. The day when the multitudes of people, believers and pseudo-believers alike will assemble in pretty new clothes and frilly new hats to celebrate…just what are we celebrating? The risen Lord?

Why don’t we just for this one time be honest with ourselves? Historically, two days ago the ultimate display of human pride was displayed when they/we murdered God on a cross. No, I’m not going to sanitize this for you. Humanity, believing they/we knew what was right, determined through malicious intent and devious means arrested, detained, judged, flogged to the point of death and then ceremoniously hung the Son of God upon the most demented torture device ever conceived simply to keep order in the city at a time of heightened unrest.

Three days later an empty tomb awakens a city which spreads panic throughout the governing body and the people who witnessed the prior mockery. This is the day, today, which we celebrate. Sure we’ll shout praises to a risen Lord, sing anthems to His greatness yet not truly understand the real meaning of today. We won’t relive the panic of suddenly finding out that an innocent victim who they/we put to death is now alive to confess their/our guilt. No, we won’t cry out to God to forgive us in our complicity in the travesty of justice. We’ll say a few amens and rush off to the ham banquet which awaits us.

Why do we truly need to celebrate this day? Forgiveness and mercy. At no time did God respond like us. He could have, and should have, cleaned our clock for what happened. But He didn’t. Having mercy, He forgave just as His Son asked. Certainly Jesus could have rubbed everyone’s nose in the dung of their hypocrisy, but he didn’t. He responded as usual with compassion and love.

Today is not a celebration of a risen King as much as commemoration that we didn’t truly get what we deserve from that King. However, who we did get, had us along. Go enjoy your ham.

What is a three sentence comment that distills the spirit of 2015 across all the media, including Facebook?

“I’m right and you’re wrong!”

“What! That is the most blatantly absurd thing you’ve said today! I’m the one who is right and you’re the one who has no clue, buster.”

“You can’t really see that your explanation is so full of holes that it even embarrasses swiss cheese? No, I’m right and you are positively lost and wrong. You will just have to live in the knowledge of my mind being more superior to yours.”

Am I right or am I right?

I’ve been involved in quite a bit of study recently and came across something that might address this issue in a way many might want to consider. In the New Testament writings there is a Greek word which the translators/interpreters have claimed to be either “righteous” or “justified.” There are obvious variants of these two words such as “righteousness” and “justification,” but these words all trickle down from the well spring of one Greek word employed by all the writers. (I could give you the word, but unless you read Greek, what difference does it make?)

Each of these two translated words, in our era, are attached or associated with a particular viewpoint which when the Greek was penned was not intended in its use. Righteous, for example, is a term that specifies a correct position according to a moral or written code of behaviors. Justified, conversely, is a term which comes from the legal field establishing innocence from accusations made from violating laws and commandments. In each of these descriptions for these words there is a “human” distinction or factor involved. What if these two “right” words are wrong?

There is an old proverb that states, “When faced with deciding between two choices, always pick the third.” Consider the use of a third word, little employed, yet vast implications follow its meaning throughout the New Testament text. That word and its variants are: rectify; rectified; and rectification. The definition means to correct a matter, bring it to a correct conclusion; to realign to a predetermined course.

Notice how the use of this word assumes that an agenda or plan was already in force before someone comes to make the correction. Notice that the corrective matter never involves those who are in the process but comes from outside of it. Note too, that once the correction is made, the process continues along as intended or predetermined.

What if we have been looking at this whole salvation matter and its results completely sideways? What if there is no possible way that we ever have been righteous according to a moral or written code of behaviors defined by the religious establishment? What if, similarly, we have never been justified, or declared innocent, through a series of laws and commandments enacted by humanity to keep peace in the community?

However, we have all been rectified by the work of the Father in Jesus Christ. We had no part in it simply because we were in the process or their creation. Their work came from outside of where we were headed and it corrected all of us to their predetermined plan. Notice that not one person missed out on this correction by not doing something right or justly. All were rectified in Christ by the cross.

If you want to understand the depth of grace, look at it from being rectified for a change. The air is much clearer here and no one can argue about their position being right, before or after the fact.

Imagine that you’ve spent your entire life, every waking and breathing moment to do one thing to its ultimate perfection. Then that day, the day you didn’t know when it would occur, finally arrives; the precise moment when all the forces in the universe aligned, this was the day, this is your calling.

After the events of that day have come and gone, your purpose fulfilled, your destiny accomplished, what do you do? Do you retire from life, or find another line of work? Maybe you lay low and watch the unfolding events occur around you. Or maybe you continue to be you and manage to piss off the people you’ve always pissed off. That’s what John did and upon state-imposed reflection, determined that maybe he didn’t complete his destiny. How can that be?

“Change your freaking minds because the kingdom of God is at hand!” (my paraphrase)

This was the sound of the voice of one crying in the wilderness preparing the way of the Lord according to the prophet Isaiah. John was there, slamming the noggins of the people trying to get them to think straight and fly right because the day was coming when all that they were living for would suddenly change and then…

The religious folks, Pharisees and Sadducees all came to investigate the claims of John. He saw right through them and their tactics. “Are you the Christ, the Messiah?“ they would anxiously ask. We read this and interpret it to mean that these holy and noble men of the cloth were eager to meet the one foretold of in the scriptures. What a farce!

These boys were out to keep secure their position with the occupying Roman forces. They were acting as the point guard for an invasion into the territory from any foreign kingdom. The Messiah of scripture was a deliverer, someone who would wrestle control from the present forces inhabiting the land and return Israel back into a land governed under a king from the line of David.

This would not sit well the religious order of the day who pretty much had final say on how things should run in the country. You see while Rome occupied the land, they permitted the priests to practice their rituals; all of which had the power of the people behind them. Restrict the rituals, incite the people; permit the rituals, pacify the people.

John knew this very well. His tirade at these interlopers wasn’t just a show for the common people. His destiny would not be hindered by those intent on preserving their kingdom over the kingdom of God. So he swatted at their accusations like they were flies hovering over dung; which is probably a more apt description of how he felt about them.

Then the day and the person of the day arrives and John is uncertain about what to do. It’s his cousin who must instruct him about what John has prepared his whole life for. And then after he baptizes Jesus, John begins his journey. You see up to this point all he was doing was fulfilling his destiny. Now his journey into believing in his destiny was at hand. If he did his part correctly as foretold in scripture, then everything else…

We’re not really told how long it was from the time John began his journey until we find him in prison because he could keep his mouth shut around certain people. But some time had definitely passed because there were stories being told throughout the land about things happening, crazy, miraculous things being done by his cousin, Jesus. John, in his inner most thoughts, begins to doubt his very own destiny simply because the stories don’t align with the scriptures he knew.

It’s been a year since I wrote about the adventures of our family at Camp Attitude. This year we took the plunge and took the entire first week of camp to attend. We spent the year planning the logistics on our side while allowing Holy Spirit to preparing our hearts for the journey.

For those you who aren’t familiar with Camp Attitude it is a week-long camp designed to cater to the needs of families with children who have special needs. I’ve written about a few of the experiences our family has endured in this area in my book Your Life is a Freaking Mess. Finding a facility who’s mission is solely designed for special needs people is very rare particularly when the cost to the attendees is free while the entire volunteer staff pays to help.

Jesus said, “…as you’ve done to the least of these you have done also to me.” Society views special needs people, children and adults, as less than the least. Social functions rather than being inclusive are exclusives; education rather than being all encompassing is circumvented to core skills training; even the very manner we herd these special people to the farthest corner of the auditorium while the preacher regales us about how God loves all the little people of the world is indicative of our shallow feelings towards all those not “like” us.

At Camp Attitude inclusiveness in the true normal. Parents welcome other parents who deal with issues similar to their own and experience the comradeship in a life journey few travel. Campers, the invited children, of all ages welcome old friends from past years. These friends encompass the volunteer staff who may have been their buddy, or the cooking staff dedicated to delivering three outstanding meals and snacks each day, or the grounds crew who keeps the facility running smoothly. Each friend contributes their “Christocentric” nature which permeates the entire facility.

Everyday at camp is a celebration of firsts for each camper present. It might be the first time they’ve eaten within a large group of people where their shrill of excitement wasn’t stifled and disdained by those around them. It might be the first time that the camper has had someone spend an entire day with them doing whatever they wanted to do, not what they were told to do. It might be the first time that they’ve ever been in a large body of water with others who are just like them. It might be the first time that dancing with someone wasn’t the means of keeping them away from something more than allowing them to express who they are. Lastly, for those returning it might just be the first time since last year that they have been shown appreciation for being themselves.

Far too many Christians talk about doing the greater works of Christ without really knowing what those works entail. Sure, there is the allure of the ministry of healing, signs and wonders. But when the reality of a life of a special needs person crosses that path of ministry and these people leave no different then how they came, this is where the greater work of Christ truly begins. This is where the camp excels.

At Camp Attitude there are no prayer lines or fire tunnels, no healing evangelists, no anointing oil ceremonies. There is simply the laying on of hands. Hands of love helping a camper into their chair; hands dedicated to embracing a friend when they’ve accomplished a task; hands willing to push a swing for hours if that is what the camper wants; hands that rejoice, hands that support, hands that caress, and hands that appreciate the dirty work of caring when all others have lost the incentive to care.

Jesus said that people shall know that we are his disciples because we love one another. Camp Attitude demonstrates this point day in and day out and it is impacting lives in the process. People who come onto the facility are transformed by the love demonstrated to them as well as to the campers and their families. Skeptics at the beginning of the week are impassioned promoters at the end not because of some hyped up sales pitch but simply by the joy of seeing the genuine loving support of other people.

Camp Attitude is a shining example of those who live by the Grace Rule: Give abundantly unto others what they have no way of doing for themselves. I would urge all of you to support their work in some manner. I say this simply because I know what an impact they have had on the life of my daughter this past week. However, I also know of the impact that it has created in the lives of multiple families who had lost hope and now are renewed.

If you or organization is interested in knowing more about Camp Attitude, becoming a volunteer or a buddy, you can find them at http://www.campattitude.com for more information.