November 9, 2022 -- John 8:31-32 -- Transparency: a key to true freedom

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in Him, “If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:31-32 ESV

Today’s character trait is transparency. The positive side of this trait is being open to correction, ready to be taught by Spirit Who uses the Word, sermons and fellow Christians to help you stay on the path of right living. Transparency is hard work. A week ago I laughed at a friend’s statement. Let me explain. He was facing a necessary, though relatively minor, surgery. He told a few people at church. My friend reported that suddenly our local congregation was filled with doctors and nurses. Everyone had an opinion on what he should do, how to treat this condition and all the home remedies they’d tried. (This is why I laughed and at the same moment was also warned.)

The warning the is attached to transparency is humorously made by the illustration in the previous paragraph. When a Christian examines his life, looking for the truth of Jesus to set him free from self-deceit, from not taking responsibility for his ways and his choices, there is a chance there’ll be a flood of “doctors and nurses” in his circle of family or friends to diagnose exactly what is going on. Or, perversely, there may be many who see what is wrong, but none who speak to help or correct it.

When a Christian opens himself to the work of the LORD, it is critical to have two or three close friends who have a right to comment on his life. These trusted friends are given permission to comment on his life, his strengths and weaknesses, and such friends within this tight circle invite such open, helpful commentary on their own life as well. Guys are always ready to critique a hockey game, what player should have done this to make the game better, what player was slacking off and then, oi vey, don’t even get me started about the coaching. Rather than being arm-chair coaches and commentators, the real need for Christians is to be able to examine their lives, get to the root of a matter that is holding them back so that they can be fully on board and up their game in serving Jesus. Christians should not be arm-chair Christians, watching everyone else, but instead should live fully into the call of God on their lives.

Pray to God asking His Spirit to show you one or two friends who are trusted, whose walk you admire. Then ask such friends if they’d be willing to meet once a week and review strengths and weaknesses and pray together for the strengthening of their walk with God according to the principles being shared here, so far 11, with more coming each day until all 24 are shared.

Why do this? So sin is not allowed to grow unchecked. So that brothers in Christ and sisters in Christ may grow to attain the maturity of the faith which God the Father intends. (Men should hold men accountable and women hold women accountable. This is intimate work and can blur lines of friendship; be careful on this!) So that Christians are not just giving lip service to their beliefs but are striving to implement the full blessings which God intends for them. So that prayers will be unhindered, unconfessed sins hinder prayer.

Who is like You, O God of full mercy and kindness?! You have sent Jesus to rescue Your people from their sins. You have given the Holy Spirit so that sinners can repent, be set free from the chains of sin and patterns of evil behaviour and so grow in holy obedience and rapturous joy in living for You. Triune God, we confess it is altogether too easy to get caught up in the thickets of this world's busy-ness and entangled in life's demands with the result that the first and early elation of serving You can become stale or routine. Faithful Father, may Your Spirit keep believers in the Word of God and so abide in Jesus Christ, in Whom there is true freedom and life-everlasting. Amen.

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