Filthy Righteous Acts

Brethren,
I would like to share some convictions. I thank God for disciplining me, thereby showing me that I am a legitimate son (Hebrews 12:7-8). And it seems that I require much discipline from my Father. I praise the Lord for His forbearance with me!

1) What kind of righteous acts am I performing? Am I doing my righteous acts to be seen by men, so that I might be heralded as a “godly man”?
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1)

2) Am I a hypocrite when I tell men to repent, because I myself am unwilling to admit my mistakes and repent before men, even before ungodly men? Do I always try to justify myself, or my words, instead of admitting my faults and my sins?

3) Do I look down on others I consider less godly, or do I recognize that apart from the grace of God, I am just the same?

God sure knows how to keep me broken! Praise the Lord! Please do share your thoughts about these convictions.

Love in Christ Jesus

Oh sinful man that I am. I always want to do my deeds before men. Therefore I must remain obedient to God's word by his grace, because these works were prepared in advance to walk in.How could I possibly boast? Even these posts of mine may stem from pride and be filthy in the eyes of the Lord my God.
Please God purify the hands that type these words and the heart they spring from. In the name of Jesus.

The Lord disciplines His children to prevent them from becoming pharisees. The unconverted know it's wrong to steal, lie, cheat, commit sexual immorality; how much more the converted? But God goes beyond the letter of the law with His true children.

I believe that for His own children, the Lord focuses on matters of the heart, to the root of sin that gives rise to the rotten fruit listed above. Every branch in His Son that bears fruit is pruned, and pruning involves both cutting and taking away. The pruning shears are brought at once to the invisible thoughts and corrupted motives that germinate in all God's children, that, if left unpruned, would eventually grow into hedges of hypocrisy.

The Lord received sinners, harlots, drunkards and publicans but categorically refused hypocrits. To break free from prostitution, drug addiction, gluttony, lying and stealing one doesn't need the power of the Holy Spirit; psychological therapy and 12-step programs have had notable success in pruning that kind of outward fruit. But hypocrisy is a spiritual matter, an intangible root that can only be dealt with by God's shears. If you find that during the day you are not able to harbor a wayward thought without immediately the Holy Spirit approaching the branch with His spiritual shears to cut and remove -- rejoice! You are one of God's own.

There are many situations where the shears come out: a word spoken to another person in concealed agitation; a surreptitious glimpse at an object of lust; a secret excitement over increased money; a momentary jolt of satisfaction when tragedy strikes another brother or sister (examine your heart with this one and you'll see it's true); the impulse to share a revelation God gave you in scripture to obtain honor before other believers; feigned humility, et cetera.

We need to come to the realization that these and many others are objects of pruning, and whom God loves, God prunes. If God were not to prune, such corruptions would spread throughout us like spiritual poison ivy and strangle our growth. To the pharisees and the children of the world, these prunable elements are nothing of a concern and so God leaves them alone. But the reason He so ruthleslessy and meticulously tends to us is twofold: one reason is to prevent the spread of phariseeism but another is to foster an abundance of good Spiritual fruit when the season arrives. God knows our times, limits, seasons. If we are careful not to become exasperated with all the snipping and removal, and if we won't despise the chastening of the Lord, in due time we will reap awesome results to His glory.

The catastrophe is that today Christians are taught by unpruned ministers and as a result expect immediate returns on the harvest in their own lives. Instant, microwavable results. But the truth is that it can take God years and years to prune away the dross in a believer's life to the point of mature sufficiency in which a genuine life-giving ministry can now be entrusted.

Brother Paul

MyVeryHeart, PaulWest, and Appolus:

I agree with all of you. Praise God for the way He deals mercifully with us!

I know, oh I know, that Christ deserves all the glory, and that my vile self has no claim to it... He disciplines, He prunes, He loves, He leads, He condescends, He forbears. Praise be to His name!

I very much agree and appreciate this honesty. It is like taking a spiritual shower.

hi, as a young man,for some strange reason God mightilly used me in the gifts of the Spirit where many were healed and saved and filled with the Holy Spirit...words of knowledge and wisdom...this is when i was in fellowship eith bro len...all of a sudden i was filled with spiritual pride and for 35 years i have been asking the Lord to use me again...He has given me a taste here and there but nothing like it was... i am now hidden in my room as an intercessor who really doesnt want to here about any of the results because i am probably still that stupid to believe i could have somrthing in myself (other than the wonderful Savior)that was special. some of what i see in the writings of some make me see myself full of arrogance and pride and that grieves me greatly.in the love of Jesus jimp

Jimp,
Thank you for your honesty. I have often prayed, “God, use me, but don’t let me see the fullness of what You are accomplishing, lest I should become puffed up with pride”, and, “God, keep me humble”. I have to admit that often, when I prayed these prayers, I was secretly thinking that I was all that great… Well, God has been tremendously gracious in showing me that deep down, I am NOT that great at all! He has been gracious to show me that deep down, I am a wretched, rebellious, stiff-necked, hypocritical, selfish, arrogant, sinner.

Some of you might think, “You’re done! You’re officially removed from God’s list!”, to which I would reply, “That would be my due verdict; but let me tell you about the amazing forbearance of our God!” Let me tell you about His unequalled mercy! Why He has chosen to pour out so much mercy and grace upon me, I cannot fully understand. I understand that it is because of His pity upon me, but I cannot grasp the end of it. I cannot grasp the fullness of His forbearing love. I cannot grasp the height or the depth of His goodness. I am amazed that He would take such an evil man and make something good out of me. I am constantly thrown down at the foot of the cross, saying, “Why me?” I am constantly in awe of God’s relentless compassion upon me. I am constantly broken under the weight of His holiness in the light of my vileness. If it wasn’t for God’s kindness to me, I would die from lack of His discipline. I would die from lack of the flow of life. Left on my own, I would willingly run off to the darkest pit of hell! But, whenever I start going astray, His rod brings me back to the right path. Oh, I know His rod, and I thank Him for it, because it springs from His faithfulness and His love.

Some of the most blessed words to come out of the mouth of God are simply, “You are mine own. You are mine own.” How can you hear these words and not begin to sob? How can you hear these words and not crumble into pieces? How can you hear these words and not melt in love? How can you hear these words and not be overtaken by joy? How can you hear these words and not fall into your rightful place? How can you hear these words and not be humbled?

Some of the most blessed words to come out of the mouth of God are simply, “You are mine own. You are mine own.” How can you hear these words and not begin to sob? How can you hear these words and not crumble into pieces? How can you hear these words and not melt in love? How can you hear these words and not be overtaken by joy? How can you hear these words and not fall into your rightful place? How can you hear these words and not be humbled?

When God told me I was his when I was repenting for going after strange gods all I could cry out is I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy. I still not worthy. But the Lord Jesus is worthy!!! and He died for me a sinner!!! Today God directed me to 1st Timothy 1:16.

It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. Timothy 1:15-16

It is for his glory and for the blessing of others that he has been so patient and merciful with me.Praise God!!!

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1st Timothy 1:17

The following hymn was written by John Newton, the converted slave-trader and author of "Amazing Grace", who was certainly acquainted with the strict workings by which God fosters growth in grace in His children. Just read this and see if you can sympathize:

"I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek, more earnestly, His face.

’Twas He who taught me thus to pray,
And He, I trust, has answered prayer!
But it has been in such a way,
As almost drove me to despair.

I hoped that in some favored hour,
At once He’d answer my request;
And by His love’s constraining pow’r,
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.

Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry pow’rs of hell
Assault my soul in every part.

Yea more, with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe;
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.

Lord, why is this, I trembling cried,
Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?
“’Tis in this way, the Lord replied,
I answer prayer for grace and faith.

These inward trials I employ,
From self, and pride, to set thee free;
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
That thou may’st find thy all in Me.”

-- John Newton (1725-1827)

MyVeryHeart and PaulWest,

My heart is filled with joy from reading your posts! What a blessing to be able to share these glimpses of the beauty of God’s own heart.

May the Lord continue to richly bless you and keep you.
In Christ Jesus