1 Timothy 1:12-17 ; Phil. 3:12-15 - The Christian and depression #5 “How does a Christian deal with that one sin committed in the past, which keeps coming up in the present?“

 

I want  to highlight  another common problem   that appears  to trouble  the minds of many  Christians. It is the problem of that  ‘one sin’   committed in the past. This past  sin comes up in your mind time and again.  You  analyze it, scrutinize it  and condemn yourself because of it. It troubles you, and it robs you of joy and peace. Dr Martyn Lloyd  Jones  says: “I would  say that in my experience in the ministry, extending now over many years, there is no more common difficulty. It is constantly recurring and I think that I have had to deal with more people over this particular thing than over anything else .” [1] For some people  the thought of this one sin  makes them believe that they may have  committed  the unpardonable sin.

The effect of this recurring thought  is   joylessness  and unhappiness. They know  that they are Christians, but they also know that they are not experiencing  the joy  that they are supposed to have. Jesus said to His disciples:“These things have I spoken to you, that my joy  may be in you , and that your joy may be full.” (Jn.  15:11; 16:24; 17:13). You are designed by God  for that happiness. These are not simply empty, wishful  words from the lips of  a motivational speaker. These are the  words that your Creator, your  Saviour  speaks into your ear.

But  now that  joy seems illusive to you.  That one sin  does it for you.

We have asserted  previously that   an unhappy Christian is  a contradiction in terms. An unhappy Christian is no great ambassador  for  the  King  and His heavenly kingdom.   The ambassador does his very best to present his country’s  most winsome face. Some Christians, because of this  thing that is perpetually with them,  look  and act  as if they  did not  belong to the land  milk and honey, but to the land of  vinegar and  lemon juice!

The truth  is that  as  ambassadors of King Jesus   we are sent  into this world with good news. These good news are  spoken to set  people  free and not to enslave them [2].  The  effect of the Christian gospel  is to give  joy in all circumstances [3].  So, it is important to know  what to do with that “one sin “ from your past which  robs you of your joy  and which makes you depressed  and ineffective as a Christian.

We  seek a biblical  example and  solution to this common problem. As we do so, we must  remember that   this joy  must be worked out in the midst  of  our life in a fallen world.   Jesus said,  “In this world you  will have tribulation“ (Jn. 16:33).  We ought to be constantly amazed  by that superficial view that so many hold in our day, that Christian  people  are somehow  exempt from  trials and tribulations. That this is simply not true. The Bible and life   is filled with   the examples of believers  who  suffer and who are in trouble for their faith.  The Bible  shows us that  trials and  unhappiness are   a very common experience of the Christian  life. The Psalms bear many examples of this.  Peter  says:  “Beloved do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”  (1 Peter 4:12). James says, “Count it all joy, my brothers when you meet  trials of various kinds…” (Jas. 1:2)  
Recently we had completed a study of 2^nd Corinthians in our evening service, in which we noted  the sufferings of the apostle  Paul. The sufferings of Jesus are  ell known. Jesus said,  “ If the world hates  you, know that it has hated me  before it hated you… if they persecuted me, they will also  persecute you …” (Jn.15:18).  Sufferings  are part of our  Christian  experience.

Some sufferings  come about as a result of our own  stupidity (1 Pet. 4:15). Other suffering  comes because  we are being sinned against. 

Whatever the case may be …here is  an important  message  for you:  If you  are unhappy  or depressed because of what  may have happened to you in the past,  that is no indication that you are not a Christian! Yes, it  is not a  good thing to  live  in  a state of depression, but  the fact that you have troubles and the fact that you are  depressed  is  not a sign   that you are not a  Christian.  In fact, one could argue  that if you had never experienced any trouble one might doubt that you are a Christian at all.  The  work of Satan  in the Christian is to keep  us obsessed with our past and with our  troubles.  He  works hard  to keep non Christian  people  blinded to the truth  of Christ and his work  (2 Cor 4:4). But  after  one becomes  a  Christian, Satan's  chief work is   to keep you from seeing  the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2  Cor 4:6).  He  is committed to harass  you and to  rob you of  the joy that you have in Jesus. He knows that  a joyless Christian cannot  really export  his  faith!

So  then we ought to know  HOW we may overcome our depression. We need to  know HOW to live  as a Christian when  joylessness and  depression threaten us.We  need to keep the realities of life  in this fallen world in mind.

I  refer you therefore to  the good example of one who  had come out of a real problematic past  - the apostle Paul.  Read again  what he  writes to Timothy:  (read 1 Timothy 1:12-17)  and ask the question,  

How is the apostle Paul a good model  for those  who feel  that there is no cure  for  their particular sin?   

1. Paul  is a supreme example  of a forgiven sinner: He holds himself up as a supreme example :  i.e. as the foremost sinner  (ESV)/the worst  of sinners (NIV). Notice how he  qualifies that  in  v.13. He said that he was formerly  a blasphemer,  a persecutor, a rude man  and   the foremost – the worst of sinners  (vv. 15,16).Was  he overstating the case? Was  he being overly dramatic?  No!  Think of how he blasphemed the Lord Jesus  Christ  before  he became a Christian (Acts 9). Think of how he persecuted the church  (Acts 8; Gal.1:23)giving approval to  the execution of some of  the finest  Christian men and women  (8:1).

Now here is  the first application for you:  Think of his case and say to yourself, “If he is the worst of sinners“  then there must be hope for me  and my sin."

2.  Paul’s  thinking  is not  dominated  by  depression because  he knows  the Saviour and His work   so well!  How could  Paul be so sure  concerning  the forgiveness of his sin – so much so that he could  not be oppressed  by his past  sin?

Look at his language :

(i)          I thank  Him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord  because  He judged me faithful, appointing me to  His service …

(ii)        I received mercy because I  had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace  of our Lord  overflowed for me  with the faith and love  that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus  came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

(iii)     But I received  mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ  might display   His perfect patience as an example to those who were  to believe  in Him for eternal life.

We see very clearly  that  Jesus was at the center  of  Paul’s  life.  He knew  what Jesus  had  done for him.  It is because of this that he could write to the Roman  Christians  in 8:1,  “ There is  therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ  Jesus.”  Paul understood the doctrine of salvation.

Here lies the big problem for so many Christians  who  keep on battling with their past sins. It is an ignorance  concerning the completeness  and the fullness of Christ's saving work  on the cross.

Dr Lloyd Jones   has  very helpful  counsel  at this point. “Let me put this  plainly and bluntly  in order that I may  emphasize it even at the risk of being misunderstood. There is a sense in which  the one thing that these people  who are in this condition must not do  is to pray to be delivered from it! That is what they always do … Now the Christian must always pray … but this is one  of those points  at which the Christian must stop praying  for a moment, and begin to think, for there are particular problems in the Christian life concerning which I say, that if you do nothing but pray about them you will never solve them. You must stop praying at times because your prayer may just be reminding you of the problem and keeping your mind fixed on it. So you must stop praying and think, and work out your doctrine (of salvation).”[4]

So what must you think about?  You must  think  biblically about the doctrine of salvation. You must  see how  Paul deals with it -   firstly in his own life. Look at how he deals with his very sinful past. He clearly intends  his own experience to be an example  of Christ’s sufficient grace for every Christian. You cannot read his testimony without realizing that Jesus  has  provided him with a  full, comprehensive salvation! Christ  has given him strength  to  have faith. Jesus  has given him mercy despite his wickedness. Jesus  came into the world to completely save the worst of sinners – and here, says Paul, am I , …a  perfect  example and proof  of that  free sufficient grace.

Someone  may interrupt at this point and say,  “Yes, but you don’t know how bad my sin was!”  What  you  are really saying is this, “My  sin was worse than Paul’s!  My sin is even to big for Jesus  to handle!”  Do you really believe that?  This is bad, unbiblical doctrine on your part!  

If you have not yet seen  in the scriptures  that  any sin (no matter  how big or small) is sufficient to condemn you, and if you have not seen yet that  the blood of Christ  is more powerful than all your sin  (it can cover the sin of this world and infinite   world’s over!), then you must not be surprised that  the devil takes your poor theology and turns  it on you, so that you  are doomed  to be  perpetually down in the dumps! 

Don’t let  a poor grasp of Scripture  and of  the person and work of Christ  send you back into bondage. (*this  was ultimately the problem of the Galatians and the Corinthians) 

1. You need to know that if you believe that your sin cannot be  fully dealt with by Christ  then you  really do not believe the Scripture. Then your ultimate trouble is unbelief. You are not  accepting the Word of God planted in you. Therefore  do not go on praying about that ‘one sin’,seeking deliverance from it  from this faith healer or  that one. You have but one duty: Believe  the Word of God. Don’t  ask  God for a message of forgiveness. He has given it to you. Your prayer may well be an expression of unbelief at this point.

2.  Make sure that  you understand  what Jesus achieved on that cross. Remember that Jesus  purchased  salvation… full freedom.. for those that He came to save … for those that believe in Him. It is a finished work. There is nothing lacking. It is done. It is completed.

3.  Make sure that you understand  the nature of justification. Remember   when the death of Jesus is imputed to you, then you are righteous – permanently righteous. You are clothed  with Christ’s righteousness. Your life is now hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).
 

4.  Understand  the fact  of your union with Christ. You are one with Christ. That is what salvation amounts to. “ I have been crucified with Christ. It is  no longer I who live, but  Christ  lives who lives in me.  And the life I now live in the flesh  I live by faith  in the son of God, who loved me and  gave Himself up for me.”  (Gal. 2:20)  

Conclusion 

Don not let your past life   lead you to despair. With Paul you must say: “That was my former life!  I  am  forgetting that now. I am straining  forward to what lies ahead" (Phil. 3:13). And never  forget  to praise God  for that completed work! (1 Tim. 1:17)  That is how Paul completes his thoughts  when he  writes in v.17: " To the King of ages, immortal , invisible, the only God, be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen 

---

[1] D. Martyn Lloyd Jones : Spiritual depression: It’s causes and cure , p. 66

[2] This was the problem  found in the Galatian church . They were set free through Christ , but they allowed themselves to come under the yoke of the law again.  ( see Gal 5:1)

[3] Paul had learned this .( see  Phil  4:11-13)

[4] P. 69

THE CHRISTIAN AND DEPRESSION # 9

TEXT: Galatians 6:9 
TITLE: “Growing Weary in the Work “

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9) 

Here is another great cause for discouragement and depression among Christian pastors -Working hard in God’s field and seeing very few and meager results for all our labour!

This problem may be more accentuated among those who are very committed in gospel labours, but it is by no means peculiar to those that work hard in the cause of Christ and His church. 

This equally applies to many Christian parents who are determined to raise their children for the glory of God, and who grow at times weary, wondering whether they will ever see their children’s hearts firmly attached to Christ. 

We see it also in the lives of those Christian husbands or wives who live with a difficult man or woman, and who always praying,  and always seeking to live for the glory of Christ in that difficult marriage, may wonder how much longer they will be able to bear up under the strain. 

May the Lord  encourage you then with this word from Galatians 6:9.

This text does not only tell us concerning the reality of the discouragement that arises from maintaining a consistent Christian work and testimony, but it also contains an important encouragement !

Context 

As always, we must consider why and for what purpose we find this text here.

a. In the broader scheme of this letter

The letter to the Galatians (a region in  modern Turkey) was written by Paul in response to the news that the Galatian Christians were beginning to revert back to the law as their primary term of reference. Surely it must be very disheartening for any preacher of the gospel to hear that the people that had made such a promising start by trusting in Christ alone for their salvation, are now reverting back to the Jewish lifestyle with its emphasis on living by the law, rather than by faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross.

“Christ has set us free”, says Paul … “ stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery “ (Gal 5:1). The Christian life cannot be lived by self effort , but only in dependence upon the power of Grace and Faith in Christ. One of the most famous verses in the Bible affirming this truth is found in Galatians 2:20:

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live , but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the son of God , who loved me and gave himself for me.”

The principle and power by which the Christian lives is by the indwelling Christ. When you are born again, the Holy Spirit brings Christ into the center of your life. He directs our hearts and minds to love, obey and serve Christ. The Christian lives by his attachment to Christ, and not to the law. Christ surpasses and completes the law.

Now, to return to our point - if you are a preacher and a pastor, and you have preached these things, and you have seen your people come to know the joy of freedom under Christ, then it is a very discouraging thing to see them revert to the bondage of slavery of the law, and the flesh and the world which leads them to live by fear (Rom 8:15) and not in the freedom of Christ. At such times it is very tempting for pastors to grow weary in doing good.

b. The narrower context of Galatians 6 

In Gal 6:1 we are introduced to the very real issue of sinning Christians, and how those that are spiritual must restore them. Sin not only damages the life and testimony of the sinning Christian, but it drains the energy of the church and particularly the energy of her elders. And all these things make the pastor / elders grow very weary at times – to the point of wanting to give up.

We may  apply this problem not only to the spiritual leaders of the church - but to all who labour intensely to see Christ at the center of everything, whether in the church, our children, our marriages or at work.

So then, there is this particular danger that faces those that are very committed to Christ,  those who are going in the right direction, but who are now at that place where they feel weary. They are as it were “shuffling along with drooping heads and hands and the whole spectacle and picture they present is the very antithesis of what the Christian is meant to be in this life and world.”

It is not so much that such people are “tired of the work, but tired in it“.

What counsel must we give to such ?

a. Don’ts 

1. Don’t give up by running away:  e.g. The Elijah syndrome (1 Kings 19). In 1 Kings 18, Elijah fights a very courageous battle against the ungodly regime of Ahab and Jezebel and their 400 prophets of Baal. This singular prophet in the hands of an Almighty God defeats this evil syndicate; however much to our astonishment,  in the very next chapter (1 Ki.19) we see him fleeing in an instant when Jezebel threatens him (19:2). How do we explain this? Well, he capitulated to the “ Peter syndrome” (see Matt. 14:29-31). Formerly he had his eyes firmly on God, but now after the battle is over, he has his eye on Jezebel, and as a result we read in 19:3: “Then he was afraid , and he arose and ran for his life …”. He finds himself in the wilderness wishing for his death (19:4). Clearly this great prophet is depressed. What accounts for this?

Two aspects may be considered in this regard: 

(i) God allowed this to happen to ensure that He alone would retain the glory and not man.

(ii) We must remember that all men are dust. All of us are very frail . And on a human level we must confess that particularly after significant exertions of energy we re prone to experience ‘letdowns’. So be aware of this ‘Elijah syndrome’. When this happens, stay put. Don’t run away. Look to Jesus, even when all looks dark and bleak. Many pastors face the Elijah syndrome on Mondays, after they have expended themselves on Sundays. Mondays are the days when the temptation to quit is the greatest. A good friend once wrote to me and said: “Never resign on a Monday!” That is good advice. You will feel better by Wednesday, provided that you take your eyes of yourself and look where you ought to look: at Christ!

2. Don’t give up by simply resigning yourself to the situation; don't become stoic about the situation. Don't just  “grin and bear it“, and  so simply fall into the category of the “dutiful but joyless” Christian.

3. Don’t become dependent on artificial stimulants to counteract your weariness. Here we must not only mention the danger of alcohol and drugs or pain killer prescriptions. We must also mention the common sex addictions that seem to haunt our generation, and from which it appears, Christians are not excluded, and to which the internet greatly contributes.

4. Don’t try to change or substitute the gospel with fads. One of the greatest temptations for those who have become weary in gospel labours, is  to adopt new methods, new programs. Some churches live on this mentality and they work hard at keeping people entertained and easy. It is of course true that new activity stirs new interest. But we must remember that we will never convince the world that Jesus Christ is LORD by pandering to the world – by making Jesus attractive to the world. We are not here to announce to everyone that Jesus loves them and has a special plan for their life! No! We must let the world know that there is bad news - all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God  (Rom. 3:21)! And we must tell the world that Christ is the soon coming King who will judge the living and the dead according to their acceptance / rejection of Him who is the way, truth and life. The world must know that Christ has given the world an ultimatum to turn to Him and be saved. Only when people cry out “What must we do to be saved?”, can we give them the Good news that Jesus saves broken sinners! We have no right to entertain sinners; we must preach the full gospel !

There is great pressure on a weary preacher to change this message. Don’t!

b. Do’s

1. Do examine yourself : get to the source of your weariness.

If you do not know what makes you depressed and discouraged you will not be able to treat the cause. 

Some Diagnostic Questions to ask may be

• Are you working too hard? Not enough balance in your life between work, rest and exercise ?

• Are you doing this work in your own strength? Are you depending on Christ, and are you persevering in prayer?

• What are your real motives for doing this work? Are you really called to do this work? This is a strange question, but it is an important one. Many people may be wearing themselves out in the ministry, or in the exercise of their ‘perceived‘ rather than actual spiritual gifts. The reality is that no one can do God’s work without God’s blessing or power. You will burn out, if you are not equipped or called by God for the ask at hand.

2. Do persevere! Do not grow weary in doing good! Don’t give up on  the first principles of the Christian life. Continue to do what is right according to Scripture,  even if everyone around you disagrees. Continue to let your life be shaped by biblical principles of doing ministry, child raising, marriage principles etc .

Positively speaking … a promise !

“… for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up …”

Whenever you feel tired and weary, take a step back and ask yourself this question: 

Where is all this perseverance leading me to? 

Then tell yourself that it is leading you to eternity. So, keep eternity in view!

See this life as a preparation, the foyer of eternity.

Remember also that the greatest joy you are able to experience here is but a faint glimmer of the unspeakable joy that you will experience, when you see Jesus face to face.

For this reason the Bible encourages you to keep on sowing and planting: In due season you will reap a harvest if you do not give up. God knows how to encourage us with little harvests now – but remember the ultimate harvest is in heaven. 

That is why Jesus says, “Store up for yourselves riches in heaven.”

So, keep eternity in view.

When you understand that, then you will have understood and applied Galatians 6:9. 

The Christian and Depression #8

TEXT:    Psalm 73

TITLE:   “Lacking Perspective “

Date  preached :     22/11/2009   

This Psalm  deals with   a double problem  which has often perplexed God’s people :

1. Why  do godly people  suffer   so frequently?
2. Why do the ungodly  prosper so frequently?

I thank God for the  remarkable honesty  of the  Psalms. Thank God that the Bible   portrays life as it is , ‘warts and all‘.  The Bible is not about perfect people  who  never put a foot wrong . You will not find a person  in the Bible  who gives you the impression that  they are always on the top of the  mountain.  That is a distorted view of  Christianity –  a distorted  view of life in this world under Christ.  

Christians  do  struggle- and perhaps sometimes even more so , because their whole worldview  is opposed  to ungodliness , and therefore they are  even more at risk  concerning  the range of  possibilities that could cause  depression. The difference  is however   that the Christian  woman and man   is ultimately in the hand of God,  and when  they cry out to Him , they will once again  find  deliverance  and perspective. This is the  testimony   concerning Israel in the book of Judges. This is the story  of the man in  Psalm 73. 

This Psalm  reflects  the confession of a man   called  Asaph[1]  who tells us  of an occasion   when “ his  feet had almost  stumbled / slipped”  (v.2).  The indication here is that   this  situation arose  unexpectedly. He was clearly not prepared for this .  It nearly “threw” him.

 But  we are running ahead of the story. 

V.1   begins with a testimony  of  praise and thanksgiving: “Surely  God is good to  Israel, to those who are pure in heart “. He is  reflecting on a past event  in which he had nearly fallen into  a  dreadful trap – but praise be to God , he has escaped  from that. The  important point that he makes here  is that God  is  always good to the pure in heart. Let us consider   how he arrives at this conclusion.

What he is saying in a nutshell :   

He  reflects the experience of a believer  who at some point nearly went spiritually astray. He became almost embittered  and disillusioned  with  God,  on account of a situation  that  he had observed and misinterpreted .   With this experience now behind him  he  uses these  graphic terms  to describe what almost happened: “ My feet  had almost stumbled , my steps had nearly slipped .”    “Almost …”  , “ nearly…”  !  Thank God , he did not  slip!

Vv   3 – 14: What it was  that had nearly caused him to slip .

He was observing life ( as we all do)  from his perspective  as a believer , and he began to note  that whilst he was seeking to live a godly life, seeking to  keep his heart clean, washing his hands in innocence  (v.13), he   became overwhelmed by the fact  that “ all the day long he had been stricken and rebuked every morning…” (v.14),  whilst observing  that the wicked  were “ …always at ease, increasing in riches …” .

He   was having a hard time  reconciling  his suffering as a believer   with the seeming ease and prosperity  which  the arrogant  and the wicked  (v.3) enjoyed.     He saw how self assured  , self confident   and  successful  they appeared  to be.  The thought  of death does apparently  not scare them  (until death comes !) ; their bodies   are fat and sleek . They do not appear to have any troubles.   They are proud , violent  , fat  ( Note the vivid description - ‘ their eyes  swell out through fatness’ ); their  speech  is scoffing  and malicious ; they threaten oppression. In modern day terms they  would say : “ Don’t  touch me ,  I will sue you! “  But worst of all,   their mouths even spoke  boastfully against God  (see vv 9- 10) .  They say  : “ How  can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High ?”  You hear this sort of thing today  .  You hear modern scoffers say : ” You Christians talk about your God . But  all  you seem to  have is problems . You and your church  .Look at the hypocrites you live with ! And look at us . Nothing is wrong with us . We are happy , we are secure – but  you who are so godly , look at the things that happen to you .”

By the time  we get to v.13 , we see that the Psalmist is quite despondent  : “ All in vain  have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence” .

So , this is the position in which he finds himself. These are the thought patterns  which  cause this spiritual depression  in Him,  and it is obviously a very great temptation to his soul  - for humanly speaking it  nearly led to his  demise.

Before we  continue to consider  how the Psalmist was delivered from this problem , let us  make ...

A few observations  about the nature  of such  trials  and temptations  which are common to Christians . 

1.      In and of themselves such  perplexities and temptations  are not sinful . It is what we do with them that  determines  whether we will get through this storm. Note that the apostle Paul  who suffered very great  temptations  so very often ,  said in 2 Cor 4 :8   : “We are afflicted in every way , but not crushed ; perplexed , but not driven to despair; persecuted but not forsaken ; struck down but not destroyed …”. Paul was perplexed. He did not understand  what was happening to him , but this fact did not drive him to despair .

2.       Perplexities  and lack of perspective  are dangerous  in that they can  easily lead us  into temptation . This  was  the situation with the Psalmist . We  must remember that  lack of perspective  produces a ‘ blinding effect '. It is like driving into the  sun as it sets on the horizon . You struggle  to see  the  road  ahead .  In the same way there  are  come these perplexing times when  we  are  caught "off balance"  and are not able to think clearly.

3.      All of us must  be very  careful   concerning this and not think that these things cannot happen to us  . We must take  counsel from   1 Cor 10 :12   : “ Therefore  let anyone  who thinks that he stands  take heed  lest he fall”. In this regard it is also important that we should  make  full use of the armour of God ( Eph 6:10-18)

The Turning Point : vv  15 ff 

The turning point  begins  in v.15  “ If I had said: I will speak thus  , I would have betrayed the generation  of your children.”   Please note, the problem isn’t solved  yet, but he makes  a very important  turn here .  He is saying , “I don’t understand  what is happening here, but I also know that  my thoughts  have been leading me into very dangerous, blasphemous   paths. I must watch my subjective feelings now,   for  if I carry my thoughts to a logical conclusion , I am going to do damage – I am going to betray  the generation of your children ;  I am going to be a negative  example  to   other believers.”    

Asaph is expressing a very weighty matter here . Since he seems to have been a spiritual leader who is now going through a spiritual crisis, it will be very  important to watch him how he  copes with this crisis.  If he fails, he may  cause much damage  in the process.

So, note that Asaph is beginning to think about the consequences of his thoughts .  

 The slipping  has stopped ! 

He is no longer  in danger  of uttering those blasphemous  thoughts  that were threatening to overflow from his mouth and thus affect those around him.  But still  the  perspective is not  quite  there  yet !  We see this , because in v.16  he confesses: “But when I  thought  how to understand this  , it seemed to me a wearisome task .”  

 Let’s face it – how do you figure  out something as perplexing  as this?  Will you ever  figure out   how  a good God  allows his children to suffer , whilst allowing the wicked to prosper ? 

V. 17 – The turning point  and  the importance of spiritual  thinking

“…until I went  into the sanctuary of God ; then I discerned  their end.“

When Asaph went  to the house of God his perspective changed in an instant. In an instant  he  began  to adopt a spiritual  approach to thinking about life  and its complexities  instead of  a humanistic, rational , “at face value” approach . Everything changed  in a  moment when he saw that.   Spiritual thinking  had now  put everything  into perspective  for Asaph.

If there is a lesson for us in this , then it is this: The Bible  has an answer  for  all the perplexities  of life.  We need  to bring ourselves under  the influence of the Word of God (both in our  private  reading of the Word and  in  hearing the Word read and expounded  in  public worship). We need  to have our thought processes   regulated by spiritual logic and wisdom , rather than by conventional human wisdom.

If only we would  allow ourselves to think spiritually  and biblically about everything,  we will  not easily be taken captive  by such oppressive thoughts. We will always be able to come to the conclusion of Asaph  : “ Truly God is good to Israel , to those who are pure in heart”.  There is always an answer for the seeker after  God’s truth. For Asaph that happened when  he went into the sanctuary of God. 

Dr Lloyd Jones   preached a series of sermons on this Psalm  and has has  helped me to see  some important  applications. I quote : [2] 

 “When something  happens which we do not understand, the first thing we have to say to ourselves is : “ Am I facing  this spiritually ? Am I recollecting that this is a question of my relationship with God ?  Am I sure my thinking  is spiritual at this point  ? Or have I reverted unconsciously to my natural way of thinking about these things ? “

He then gives a very useful  example of how  easily we succumb to  rationalistic rather than to biblical thinking :

“I have often  known Christian people revert completely from spiritual   to rational  thinking when talking about politics. On this subject  they do not seem to be talking as  spiritual people any longer. All the prejudices of the natural person enter in … and all the worldly arguments . Our lives must be consistent …. We  must be spiritual at all points…“

Lloyd Jones relates   how  Spurgeon  once told his students that they would find people who in prayer meetings prayed like real saints, and who in general behaved like true saints, and yet in a church meeting  suddenly become devils .

Lloyd Jones comments further: “You see , in praying to God they think spiritually. Then they come into the business of the church and they become devils. Why? Because  they start off in an unspiritual manner, on the assumption that there is an essential difference between a church meeting and a prayer meeting. They have a party spirit within them. And out it comes. It is simply because they forget that they need to think spiritually in everything .”

Lastly …

What did Asaph see in the sanctuary  that provided him with this spiritual perspective ?   Verses 18-  28 tell the story:

1. Vv 18 – 20 &  27   he tells us how he  had been provided  with a revelation  of the future of the wicked . he saw at once that there is no way  that the wicked shall escape  the  just  wrath  and  the omnipotent  eye of God . Therefore,  the child of God must therefore  not envy them , and  not worry  about the short lived prosperity of the wicked. Life is short and eternity is long. Asaph has the pleasure of knowing  that he will be received into glory (v.24).  But those that are far from God  will perish ! (v.27)
2.  Vv 21-22 are a confession. Asaph confesses his  own sinfulness in this matter . He confesses that this wrong thinking has made him  embittered … brutish … ignorant . He  admits :  “ I behaved like a beast  toward God” . 
3. Vv 23-26 & 28  is  a reaffirmation  of the  love of God and the sovereign protection of God  for  him.

Truly God is  good to you,  dear child of God. He is  good  to those who are pure in heart – those who have set their eyes continually upon their  God .  He will not cause their foot to slip. Thank God for the  doctrine  of the perseverance of the saints . Amen !

---

[1]Asaph  was a descendant of Gershom , son of Levi  ( 1 Chron  6:39) . He was nominated by the chief Levites as a leading singer  when the ark was brought back to Jerusalem  ( 1 Chron  15:17-19 ). David made him the head of  choral worship ( 1 Chron.  16:4,5). In 2 Chron.  29:30  and Neh. 12:46   David  and Asaph are named together . In  2 Chron  29:30  Asaph  is  called “ a seer” . He is the author  of a number of Psalms

[2] D.Martyn Lloyd Jones  : Faith on Trial , p 105/106

The Christian and Depression #7

TEXT: Romans 8:15

TITLE: “Dealing with the spirit of slavery which leads to fear “

DATE PREACHED : 15/11/2009

Here is another problem which frequently contributes to Christian depression : “The spirit of slavery which causes us to fall back into fear “ ( Rom 8 :15 ; ESV). Let me explain this with the help of Paul’s logic in Romans and particularly Romans 8.

Understanding the context:

Why did Paul write his letters (epistles) – for what purpose? They were always written for some practical reason. They were “pastoral letters “, and they were written to help struggling Christians to get perspective in their various situations. The apostle Paul knew very well that after men and women had received Christ, there would come a time of inevitable testing. The Christian follows Christ in this regard who “…was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil…” (Matt 4:1). Jesus warned His disciples: “In this world you will have tribulation …” (Jn 16:33). The apostle Peter said: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you…” (1 Peter 4:12). Christ after His baptism was tempted by Satan, and so will you, when upon conversion you identify with Christ and His body in Christian baptism . in this regard we remember also the words of the apostle Peter …” your enemy the devil who prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1Peter 5:8).

Satan’s strategy in the life of the Christian ( since he cannot undo the saving work of the cross in a believer) is to take away the Christian’s joy – the Christian’s full perspective on his /her salvation , and to replace that joy with a spirit of slavery ( or bondage ) causing them to fall back into fear . This is what Paul addresses here.

So then , we remember that the letter to the Romans is written to Christian men and women , born again into a fallen , sinful world so infested with human depravity and exploited by demonic powers.

But at the heart and root of it all, is the problem of sin. It affects the life of every person on this earth ( Rom 3:23).

Living in such a fallen world is very challenging for a Christian. If we do not continue to see our need to keep our eyes on Jesus , and continue to live by faith in Him ( having begun our journey in faith) , then although we cannot loose our salvation , we can easily be taken captive (i.e. be made slaves) again , falling back into fear . It is classically seen in the life of Peter who walked on the water as long as he looked to Jesus, but began to sink when he looked at the wind and the waves. (Matt 14:29-31). Thankfully and mercifully, dear believer, Jesus is always there to rescue His own , even when  you  loose perspective. By His Word today He is able to restore your perspective and your joy.

So the question arises : What is this spirit of slavery or bondage that causes us to fall back into fear? How does it happen, and what must we look out for?

Paul’s primary  answer to this question  would be  this:  "Beware, that you do not fall back under the yoke of the law after you have begun with Christ! " In the letter to the Romans Paul has much to say about the relationship between law and grace. While you will never find  Paul denouncing  the law of God   (because it is a righteous , holy law) , yet Paul  persistently teaches that mankind is utterly unable to redeem itself from the righteous demands of the law . We are so fallen, and so kept in bondage by sin, that we cannot resist sin by our  power  We simply fail to keep the law perfectly. The extent of our fall into sin is so deep that the old theologians have termed this  condition “Total Depravity “. So, I trust that you can see that only Jesus can save us from this sea of depravity. This is so important , and we must never tire of repeating this : Cling to Jesus ; look to Jesus ( like Peter on the water) . Jesus  has kept the righteous demands of the law for you .

Here's a useful illustration once again from Matthew 14:29,30:   Jesus suspends the law of the viscosity of water . Normally you cannot walk on water! But because of who Jesus is, He can command that law to be suspended. This is exactly what He does when He suspends the law of God, not by denying it, but by surpassing it, because He is the end of the law. Similarly, when you look to Christ , the  normal  way of the law ( which judges all our sin  in utter  righteousness) is  not ignored , but  it is suspended .  When Paul struggles with the righteous demands of the law  in Romans 7  , and sees that he cannot possibly  meet them , he looks to Christ !  ( see Rom 7:24, 25.)  Consider also  the results  of that action  in  Rom. 8:1 : " There is  therefore now no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus " !

So trust that you see this clearly. This is the basis of our salvation. But this is not necessarily the end of our problems! After we have been saved by grace, having looked to Christ for our redemption and justification, we must continue looking to him.

The slavery of the law.

Here is  the problem for the new Christian. Will she/he continue to look to Christ as long as they live? The sad truth is that when God “leaves them"  ( though not finally) a while ”to test them” , the Christian very often reverts to a default mode . He starts trusting  in his own  strength once again  ; and very  often Christians will fall into a pattern of legalistic religiosity. This, in essence is what the letter to the Galatians is all about. The prime illustration there is that of the apostle Peter. He fell under the spell of the law, and thus into the slavery of fear because he was afraid of the circumcision party (Gal 2:12). Paul had to rebuke him for that act of hypocrisy  , in which he was clearly not trusting in Christ . Instead he was  intimidated by the law and thus he was driven by fear  (Gal 2:11).

This is a common trap  laid for Christians  by Satan. After the new Christian has become alive in Christ ( see Col 2:6-15) there is a real danger that he  may get caught in a  legalistic trap ( see Col 2:16-23 -  see also Romans 14:17) . The result of a legalistic way of thinking is that we begin to “fall back into fear “. The most prominent exhibition of this legalism  is the fear of man. (See Peter’s example in Galatians once again). When legalism grips us, we fear more what people think and say  than what the Word of God says! People become big and God becomes small.

The result of coming under the law is that you live your life more by do's and don’ts than by a living relationship with Christ.

Listen! A relationship with Christ will take care of the do's and don’ts! When you love Christ  you , will love His  commands - the law of God – after all you do not want to offend your Saviour? But you will not be under the law because you are in Christ!  Living under Christ  and in Christ and with Christ makes you moral, and at the same time He gives you grace for when you sin. When you fail the law, you fail. The law is powerless to save you from the consequences of sin. But when you fail as a Christian , then you have an Advocate ( 1 Jn 2:1) : “My little children , I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin . But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.”

The truth is that many Christians  are tempted  to live more under the fear of law than by the joy of a gracious Christ. You were designed to live by joy and not by fear.

A subtler variation !

Now some Christian people are quite clear about their relationship to the law.  They know that the law cannot save them and they know that they cannot be justified through the works of the law. But subtly, very subtly, this spirit of slavery can creep back into their lives. Luther was correct: “It is very hard to keep the gospel in our hearts. They are too slippery”!

And it may be  the committed Christian  that is  at  risk here!

Let me explain. Here you have a serious Christian who is very committed to the principle of holiness. He reads the Scriptures and sees the standards of the Christian life portrayed there. She reads the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5 – 7) and she is challenged by it; she desires to live this kind of life. So, she organizes her life, and makes sure that the spiritual disciplines are kept. Now there is nothing wrong with these things in themselves. In fact they are almost indispensable to living a happy life! I said “almost”! But, here’s the subtle problem! Her life becomes characterized by that quest for holiness. The activity (routine and discipline) subtly become greater than her love for the  Saviour. And a subtle thing that develops quietly alongside  this is pride! (What’s wrong with this person that they can’t manage a daily quiet time?).  Very subtly the passion for Christ is substituted by all sorts of good things!

The effect is that you begin to feel depressed , and yourself and your   Christian friends can’t figure out why on earth you should be depressed . After all you’re doing everything right. But you are down, and the reason is that your center is no longer in Christ! 

Some subtle substitutes for  Christ  in Christian circles  would be  to make  your  family , or your church into a god. The net result  is that  you  put your family or church  first and if you had to be honest , your  worship of God  follows a distant second place ! You have become a Martha (distracted by much serving – anxious and troubled about many things) and not a Mary (at the Lord’s feet – enjoying the good portion, which will not be taken from her)  (Lk. 10:38-42). In your desire to have a disciplined routine, you may actually become an idolater!

I think that we who are very zealous for the Lord need to see this! We may be faultless with respect to the exercise of our disciplines , but if Christ is not at the center  we  will begin to experience a joylessness- a reminder that you must return to Him quickly ! If you cannot say with Paul : “ The love of Christ compels me ...” ( 2 Cor 5:14) , then it may be a lesser love that compels you. . A lesser love, may I remind you, is a loss of your “first love “. The Ephesian believers were made aware of that by the ascended Jesus (Rev 2:4)

So here are some things that make for joyless Christianity , and frankly it may be the reason for many a good Christian’s spiritual depression . It’s not easy to see that, because on the surface of things you may be doing all the right things!

Can I say this in another way? A quest for holiness without Christ at the centre makes us no better than “his- holiness –the- Dalai- Lama “, who is sometimes called a holy man by many in this world. But remember: he is a Christ-less man! And what good is it my brothers and sisters, if we gain the attention of the whole world, with reputations of purity , holiness and good deeds and yet have not Christ at the centre and so forfeit our soul? (paraphrasing Matt 16:26)

But let’s not miss the main point: The spirit of slavery / bondage always brings with itself a spirit of fear! Legalism and the subtle legalism ultimately bring you into a spirit of bondage that issues in fear.

THE ANTIDOTE TO DEPRESSION:

“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of Adoption as sons by whom we cry “Abba Father”.

Remember,  that you do not need to be a slave held in the grip of fear because Paul reminds us that the Holy Spirit lives in you and testifies that you are not the children of slavery, but the sons of God!

You will  need to wrestle with these things again and again as you live your life in a fallen world , but be assured that as you wrestle against your own sinful nature (Rom 7) and against Satan’s “spiritual booby traps” (Eph. 6:10ff)  , so the Spirit of God Himself bears witness with your spirit that you are a child of God (8:16) . That is important to know, for when you are depressed you often think that God has forsaken us. But the Word of God says that “you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons “– and so at such a time you must cry out (pray) “Abba Father!” God will not forsake you in your hour of need. He has promised you that. (Josh 1:5  Hebr. 13:5)

But one more thing that you should know , and it comes to you out of the text: When you are in Christ , you are not only in right standing with the Father , you are not only empowered by the indwelling witness of the Holy Spirit , but you have something to look forward to : your heavenly inheritance (8:17) . When you are depressed and oppressed by things that rob your joy right now , remember Jesus, and remember that He has promised you a glorious future. What you will inherit through Christ is not yet known. But what we know is what is written: “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Cor 2:9  cf Isa 64:4). The sufferings and the sacrifices made gladly now for Christ’s sake will soon be compensated with eternal Life that is filled with greater joy and greater glory (8:18) ! So while life in a fallen world is difficult, let no legalism and no subtle legalism rob you of your present birthright – which is your joy in Jesus. May the Holy Spirit be pleased to seal this truth to your hearts. Amen!

“THE CHRISTIAN AND DEPRESSION” #6

TEXT:    Psalm  31

TITLE:   “ Dealing with the Feeling “

DATE PREACHED :     08/11 /2009  

Here is another   problem   which frequently contributes to Christian depression:  A lack of understanding the proper place of the feelings   in the life of the Christian.

To help us to understand the nature and the pitfalls of this problem we turn to Psalm 31. The Psalms  in general  are a mixture  of  thrilling , joyful , God centered  affirmations of faith  and truth on the one hand  , and  on the other  hand they  often reflect    extreme  despair and depression .   Both of these   aspects happen to be found in this 31st Psalm.  Follow me now  in reading the Psalm , and see  whether you can identify   these elements  , before we  consider,  by way of application what  David’s  solution  to his  emotional turmoil   might be.  

This Psalm is an emotional outpouring of David’s soul to God in prayer (31:2, 17, 22).  This is a great example of real prayer. The Psalmist begins with God (v.1) and ends with God (v.24). There is much that we can learn from that in terms of dealing with our emotions before God!

Background to this Psalm

There   appears to be   a group of enemies who have conspired together to kill David. They have instigated a widespread campaign of slander and lies. As a result, his  name has become a reproach, even among his  neighbors and former friends.(v.11)  When they see  him  coming, they turn and  avoid him . Perhaps they fear being identified with him. Perhaps because they think that he is on his way out.  Perhaps they don’t want to be implicated with David by association.

Not only that, but in addition he realizes that many of his troubles stem from his own sin. (v.10) .  So,  in addition to everything else, he is wrestling with guilt.

We note that  this  experience has taken its toll on his health (v.10).   His bones are wasting  away. Wherever he looks, it seems that terror is staring him in his face.

As a result of these problems, he is struggling with depression.

We can’t be sure   what the exact situation behind this Psalm is.   Some  commentators think  that because  David mentions being  in  “a besieged city”  (v. 21),  that this  might refer to the  time  in  1 Sam. 23:7-14  when the  people  of the city of  Keilah conspired to hand David over to Saul, who was trying to kill him.  Others,  like Charles Haddon Spurgeon  think  that  David’s reference to his own sin  in v. 10   points to the fact  that this Psalm  was written in connection with Absalom’s rebellion  in  2 Sam 15 ( which is as a result of a prophecy  spoken by Nathan  in 2 Samuel 12  after  Saul’s  adultery with Bathsheba  ) .

Whatever the  case may be , the Psalm  is here  for  every  Christian to  meditate upon  , to identify  with , and   to  find an answer   for our  own particular  set of  emotional  challenges  that may threaten to  overwhelm us  .

The Psalm in greater detail:  

He begins with the affirmation “I take refuge in you.”  This thought is expressed repeatedly.  In the midst of  his   emotional  turmoil , David declares  God to be  his  refuge (  vv 1, 2,4) ; his strong   fortress ( vv  2,3); his rock  ( vv2,3) .

Incidentally, the Greater Son of David, the Lord Jesus, in His hour of greatest need, in His hour of abandonment upon the cross, as He bore our sin on the cross, uses the very words of verse 5:  “Into your hand I commit my spirit.”  In the hour of abandonment the Son of God does not abandon Himself to fate and uncertainty. He abandons His spirit into the hands of the Father!

That is where the faith of the believer is anchored!   You are not in the hands of your enemy or your emotional trauma. Child of God – you are in the hand of God the Father!

So ,  in  the midst of this emotional turbulence  , David strongly expresses  his  faith in the fact  that he  believes that God has  seen his affliction ; that God knows the distress of his soul  (  v. 7b)  which is caused  by his enemies  ( vv. 8,11,15) . He is not denying that all this causes him great emotional turmoil.

Please note again the effects which this   distressing time has on his physical, emotional and spiritual condition   :

• V. 7  “ You have seen  my affliction ; you have known the  distress of my soul”
• Vv.9 -10 “I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also.  For my life is spent with sorrow, and my  years with sighing ; my strength fails because of my iniquity , and  my bones waste away. “
• V. 12  “ I have  become like a broken vessel “

But, it is the thought expressed in vv 21b and 22a that helps us to see   that   David was almost overcome by his emotions: “When I was in a besieged city… I had said in my alarm, I am cut off from your sight…”

We know of course that he says this with hindsight (see vv.21a and 22b to get the perspective), for God has brought him through this time of emotional turmoil.

Verses 23 &24    are a call to believers to take this Psalm and to learn from it. He calls all emotionally battered believers to   “… Love the Lord, all you saints! The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord. “   He closes this Psalm on the same note with which he began in verse 1.

Understanding the nature and place of the human emotions through Psalm 31

 What do we learn from this Psalm in terms of “dealing with our feeling “?

1.      We begin with the facts: We do have feelings!  We are people created by God with emotions.  David profoundly portrays his emotions in this Psalm. The emotions are therefore an important component of our humanity.  Emotions  and feelings in themselves are not sinful  , and we will never be helped  to cope  with our emotions  and feelings if we  keep suppressing them or ignoring them . God does not resent us sharing our depth of despair with Him.  And the emotion of Christian joy is meant to be an essential part of our Christian emotional experience. You cannot read through your New Testament without seeing that joy is an essential part of your Christian experience. And when the gospel  comes to us , it  engages  us  holistically - all of us – mind , will  and  emotions . So, dear Christian friend, thank God for those emotions and use them for the glory of God – as they were designed to be. 

      Having said that …

2.      We remember   that the fall (Gen 3) has affected us in all spheres of life, including the realm of our emotions and feelings.  The fall has distorted our capacity to live holistically under God’s rule. David was a fallen man, living in a fallen world. Not only did he have to cope with his own sinful nature (v.10)  – which  would cause  some of  his  emotional highs & lows   ;   he also  had to cope with  what was  being done to him  by his enemies( vv 6,11,18 ). Remember,  that apart from God at the centre,  we are  confused  about  who we are ,  and  we are confused about our purpose in  life .   Without God at the center the balance and the   relationship between minds, will and emotion   is lacking and confused.  Frequently therefore, people will interpret life through their emotional   framework.  The opposite extreme to this is people who completely squash the emotions and insist that only the mind   can be a reliable guide.  But they forget that their mind is also affected by the fall.  Both extremes are bound to lead you into emotional trouble.  Therefore we need a biblical framework to cope with our entire being.

3.       The solution:  Bring the mind, will and the emotions under God and his Word. We are specifically interested in the aspect of the feelings.  In this regard    we must  remember that our emotions / feelings are  impacted   and influenced  by our  life situation ( where we have come from) , our  personality  or temperament ( introvert or extrovert  ) , our thoughts ( true and false )  and of course by our bodies ( sick  /  tired or healthy  and fit )  .  Nobody comes from, and nobody lives in ideal circumstances.  Life in a fallen world throws us many “curve-balls“.  We must be prepared for them .  We must be realistic about these things  .  Remember that feelings, while they are real, must not control us. Our feelings are powerful stimuli to our thought life and consequently to our actions. They will easily control us.  David felt   as if he was a in a besieged city, and he felt cut off from God (21b, 22a).  But it was not so!  God was in control, and David gives testimony to the fact that he had been delivered in response to his prayer. The steadfast (covenantal) love    of God did it!  David’s feeling was wrong. He wasn’t cut off!   Think  about your own experiences in this regard .  How many times did you not feel something strongly, and afterwards you find that you were wrong? Do not   let your emotions rule you. They are not meant to rule you. What then  must rule you? The truth contained in the Word of God   as you apprehend it with your mind   must rule you. The truth as it is in Jesus is God’s supreme gift to man. So you must never ask in the first place: How do I feel about this?  The first question is this: What does God have to say about this ? What does the truth of God’s Word have to say about this?  So ,  settle your disturbed soul first by settling the truth in your soul.  That is precisely what David does.   That may not necessarily produce an immediate feeling of peace  or sense of joy. But be assured, that joy will come eventually as you make the right choices. Joy is a by-product of making right choices. 

CONCLUSION

So , when your feelings and emotions are  threatening to get  hold of you  , speak to yourself  and say to yourself : “Who is in charge here ? “  And you tell yourself : “ God is in charge here ! “

David did that . He was in emotional distress , but  his  prayer expressed in  Psalm 31   teaches us that he does not get lost in his  emotions  and feelings that come   as a result  of  these  terrible trials .

Yes , David  does give free ventilation to his emotions . But  he  does so in the face of the God  of truth  , and  by reminding himself of  the truth . And so  David places  his confidence  in the truthful  God who hears Him – and  who eventually answers him . 

We have seen that this Psalm  begins and ends with the thought of  God .

And from our New Testament perspective  with Christ as the fulfillment  of the Old Testament   we know that  the peace  of God  comes  only  when we have Christ  between us and God . He is our Mediator . He is our peace  , our joy  and our happiness  , our life , our everything . 

He  went  to the cross to bear  your sin and guilt  and shame . He came to  meet  all  your  needs  : physical , emotional  and spiritual .   He is the Way,  the Truth , the Life .  Look to Him  and not primarily to your feelings. 

And now , let us demonstrate  our faith in the finished word of Christ as we draw  near to the Communion table  , as we remember that  Christ  died  for me , the whole of me . Draw near then in full assurance of faith .  Amen .