Why Was I Singing That?

As I stood out in the rain earlier this morning while tossing the ball to Fiver, I found myself unintentionally singing a song that had been playing on my home entertainment system as the dog and I went out back.  It was a Southern Gospel tune that was slow and melodic with a sound and style that resonated with me.  The only problem was that the words that I was repeating were totally unbiblical!  They sounded good.  They sounded very humble and very loving… except again… they were a misrepresentation of Biblical truth.

With great feeling and purpose, the deep baritone voice kept repeating the chorus singing, ♪“I’m just an old sinner saved by grace.”♫  Now don’t get me wrong here… As a Born-Again Christian we all have to go to the cross of Christ to enter into the ABC’s of salvation where we Admit that we are a sinner, Believe in Jesus and put our trust in Him and then with our mouths Confess Him as our personal savior and Lord… RIGHT?

But that is not where we should stay in our Christian walk.  In 2 Corinthians 5:17 the Apostle Paul tells us what happens to us next by declaring, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (KJV)  So yes, you and I WERE old sinners who WERE saved by grace but NOW… we are NEW CREATIONS IN CHRIST!  And according to the Word of God, those OLD THINGS are passed away… or better said – GONE – and everything from now on is NEW!

With Piper’s passing, I have spent a lot of time going through old picture from our past.  And while it is fun, deeply meaningful and most definitely pulls on my heart strings, I can’t stay there.  I enjoy comparing pictures of her from the seventies, eighties, nineties and into the 2000’s before she was promoted to heaven.  To me, those pictures are proof of not only how beautifully she matured from a spunky, cute teenager into a gorgeous, mature women of God, but also of the wonderful life that we developed and grew with our children, our ministry experiences and with our extended family and friends.  And then there are the Grandkids… What more could I say! 

“Life with Pipe…” as I like to say it, because I like things that rhyme… got better and better as the years went by.  Throughout the years we changed, we grew, we made mistakes and learned good things from them… and we kept on going forward, not wanting to miss any of the good things that the Lord promises all of His children!

Likewise, why would any Christian want to stay right where we all start as a baby Christian?  Jesus Himself moved FROM the CROSS to the THRONE…and so should we!  In fact, concerning this very point, Ephesians 2:4-6 tells us, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (KJV) 

And while you and I may not as of yet, be physically seated in heaven next to Christ as Piper is… it is positionally where you and I as Believers sit after we become born-again.  Thinking about our Christian life in that manner, puts a whole new spin, strength, purpose and determination on the way we should be living our lives… wouldn't you agree? 

So again, YES, I was an old sinner… but NOT anymore!  Therefore, for you or me to be thinking, saying or singing that “I’m just an old sinner saved by grace,” we in effect, would be telling a lie and discrediting most of the revelation that Jesus gave to Paul.  The writers of the New Testament epistles were anointed of the Holy Spirit to tell the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The Good News of who we are after we receive salvation and move forward from the cross toward the throne.  I’ve heard it said that the CROSS was a place of death and defeat (of our old lives) while the THRONE is the place of our new lives where we can experience our ever-increasing VICTORY in Christ!

I guess that’s why I like the thought of “WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING?”  Philippians 4:13 tells me that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (EMTV) Therefore, every day I love jumping into His Word EXPECTING to discover more and more of the man I am called to be, of the things that HE wants me to do, and of the lives that HE wants me to touch for HIM… in this life… and then in eternity!

Whooo!  Kinda makes me want to jump and shout!  Will you join me in that?

Have a great weekend, and keep EXPECTING His best!