Living TrueFaced

I received an email from Brian Stayte on Saturday night after our gathering that I just had to share with you. He wrote this last Friday after having a conversation with one of his students. I love how God speaks to us each individually and then confirms what he says to us in the context of community. Enjoy what he wrote...I thought it was too good not to pass on...

Marc

I came across a quote today that I thought spoke loudly what I see in
so many Christians today, and what was true about me until about a year
ago.

It's from "A Knight's Tale". "When a knight dies during the recession
of a fight, one of his squires, William Thatcher, disguises himself as
his master in order to win the prize money of the tournament. He wins
the fight and decides to, together with his fellow squires Wat and
Roland, take on a new false identity as a knight and make a living
winning tournaments." (Written by J. Rieper)

When young William's true identity is found out, the villain, of true
noble bloodlines, Prince Adhemar jumps the squire and beats him to a
pulp. And he finishes him off with,

"You have been weighed, you have been measured, and you have been found
wanting. In what world could you possibly beat me?"

Rather than embracing his true identity, William decided to hide behind
the mask of someone he admired. He was aware of his condition. The
reality of his world was that he was stuck. He saw an opportunity to
"become" a knight without going through the proper channels, and he took
it. He put on the mask, and people called him Sir. Deep down inside he
knew it was a lie. But he CHOSE to believe that he'd find more meaning
and greater fulfillment as a knight. The sad self-story had begun long
before Prince Adhemar spoke those words. Long before he stole that
man's identity, he already believed he was "found wanting."

How many Christians strive, posture, and try to fake their identity in
Christ? They try to "be good" and "follow the 10 commandments, "read
their Bible daily," and "pray more." But, if we were truly honest with
ourselves, we'd tell you that it doesn't work. Something is still
broken inside of us and we can't figure out the newest technique that's
going to fix it. We're still unfulfilled, and the pile of sin doesn't
ever get any smaller. The guilt over not measuring up continues to
build. We're still "just" William, wearing a suit of rusty armor that
belongs to someone else.

The reality is that Jesus didn't just die to save us from eternal
separation from Him. It wasn't just a "get out of hell free" card. He
died so, primarily, so we could receive His spirit inside our heart and
become a totally new creation. He didn't die to "fix" our sin. He died
so that we could receive HIS righteousness and justification. Then, and
only then, can our sin be dealt with. If we read the Bible from that
perspective, and we believe that it's true, Why don't we believe all of
the stuff Paul says about our new identity? "Maybe your old self died,
but mine didn't" . . . isn't this how we think sometimes? If William
had believed that he was, in fact, adored by God just the way he was,
maybe the rabbit hole he went down wouldn't have been so deep.

And his closest friends supported his decision. Rather than trusting
his friends with his poor view of himself, William asked them to follow
along . . . and they did. Instead of affirming him in how they already
looked up to him and saw his leadership, all they could think about was
the next treasure they could win. You see, William was good at what he
did. He was winning tournaments, and gaining a crowd. And, most of
all, he was good at pretending. He'd seen the way nobles acted, and he
was sure that he could do it. And so, he hid his past, and his reality
from everyone. By following his lead, these "friends" only affirmed
what he already thought was true . . . that the real William wasn't
enough. So, not only did he believe it, but his friends confirmed it by
allowing him to hide behind this fake identity.

Why does our theology allow for so much hiddenness? Where did "confess
your sins to one another" go? When did we buy into the fact that mask
wearing was acceptable in Christ's church ? And it goes both ways. We
might be the one hiding, or we might be the one ignoring and therefore
encouraging the sins of our brother. When we hide our sins from each
other, there are many truths that follow. First, we are hiding that sin
from God, and hindering His Spirit from doing its great work in our
hearts, making his gift of repentance impossible. Second, we are
rejecting love from God and from the others that he's placed in our
lives. We're being arrogant. We'll never know the love of Christ, and
of others. Third, hiddenness gives power to a sin. It feeds our sinful
nature and the cycle of sin continues. Last, Satan fills in the blanks
of our heart and those that we've sinned against. And his lies are
ALWAYS going to be worse than the reality of whatever it was we did.
Every time.

There is only one option. . . . full disclosure. OUCH! Does that mean
. . . .yes, yes it does . . .we've got to come clean. With our wives.
With our kids. We are to be an open book with God and with others. No
more secrets. No more lies. No more generalities and half-truths.
"Let your yes be yes."

Here's the deal . . . The Bible says that we are a new creation when
we accept Christ into our lives. Thus begins the "war" that Paul speaks
about, between our NEW nature, and our old nature. So, in that war,
which has more power? The spirit of the living God, or this bag of skin
and bones we wear? Our robe of righteousness that He gives through
belief (like Abraham)? Or our robe of flesh? Don't we all know the
answer? So what do we have to hide? That is . . . IF we believe in the
power of this new nature. And IF we understand the difference between
our sin, and our identity. What are we afraid of?

We're still afraid that we will be "weighed, measured, and found
wanting." But it's a lie from the devil himself. "For you have not
been given a spirit of fear, but of POWER, and sound mind." The TRUTH
is that with Christ in our hearts we will NEVER be found wanting again.
He measures us by HIS Righteousness in us . . . DONE through faith (not
just in who He says He is, but what He says He's done in us).
Justification . . . NO PROBLEMO. Redeemed our of slavery and bondage to
our sinful nature. . . PAID IN FULL. Intimately adored by God . . .
EVERY SECOND OF EVERY DAY, AND LONG BEFORE WE KNEW OUR SAVIOR.
Reconciled to Christ . . . ABSOLUTELY. Condemned . . . NEVER, EVER
AGAIN NOT MATTER WHAT WE DO! When are people going to trust God and
others with what He already says is true about us?

Friends, we've got to be better at teaching each other these truths,
and living them out. It is essential to our effectiveness as salt and
light.
Have a wonderful weekend. Ask God to reveal to you how HE sees you, to
show you the truth about your identity. And believe it. Join in the
battle and pray for the attacks of the enemy to fail in Christ name.
Take time to share with others how you see Christ working in their life.


Live TrueFaced,
Brian