I wish I could invite you over for a Munchkinz Bakery treat and coffee so we could converse and share what the Lord is doing in each our lives. But since I can’t, wherever you find yourself today, welcome. I’m glad you’re here.

Holy Conviction

Transparency in Love was conceptualized from a conviction I had years ago to live out 2 Timothy 4:2-5 and 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. I believe, as a community of believers who claim to know and follow Jesus, we have a responsibility to each other to love as Christ in honest transparency. This means encouraging each other in the ways of the Lord but also calling each other out in Truth when our ways and words are not reflecting the mind, life and behavior of Christ.

It can be uncomfortable to be that person to someone else. Both might become embarrassed, offended or angry; and it might require many attempts of patient endurance. But when we’re both rooted in the Truth of God’s Word, His Holy Spirit will work it out.

1 Corinthians 2:10-14 says, and I’m going to blend the NIV and AMPC versions for emphasis:

“…The Spirit searches [diligently, exploring and examining everything], even the deep things of God. For what person knows [perceives] a man’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows [discerns, comes to know and comprehend] the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the [Holy] Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand [realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly bestowed up on by God].

This is what we speak [setting these truths forth in words], not in words taught by human wisdom but in words taught by the [Holy] Spirit, explaining spiritual realities [combining and interpreting spiritual truths with spiritual language to those who possess the Holy Spirit]. The person without the Spirit [the natural, nonspiritual man] does not accept [or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations] that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness [meaningless nonsense], and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the [spiritually discerned].”

We have plenty of superficial relationships and even more who tell us “live your life,” or, I cringe when I hear this, “You do you boo,” without sound conviction or wisdom for how we as believers are called to live.

Enough is enough.

I’d even say that within the body of the church, believers everywhere, there are many who don’t want to “ruffle feathers” and who are too concerned with “political corrected-ness” for fear of repercussions if they speak against another believer’s life. “You can’t judge me!” (More on that another time too.)

Perhaps there has been unclear teachings within the church for what is and is not expected from believers after accepting Christ as their Savior.

It’s hard to distinguish what is and is not acceptable according to Truth if 1) we aren’t taught more than the fundamentals of salvation and 2) if Christians continue to look more like the world, because its ways are more widely accepted and “easier” to conform to (according to the world).

We are called to live in the world but not be of this world. (1 John 2:15-17)

I appreciate this passage from 1 Corinthians 6:12 that says, “Everything is permissible (allowable and lawful) for me; but not all things are helpful (good for me to do, expedient and profitable when considered with other things). Everything is lawful for me, but I will not become the slave of anything or be brought under its power.” This passage ends with, “You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body.”

Where’s the conviction and accountability of Truth if we, as a community of believers, can’t see or don’t know what to correct, rebuke and encourage in loving Truth?

Who Am I Talking To?

Now, I must be clear, I do not believe we go around correcting anyone and everyone whose behavior or lifestyle is contrary to God’s Truth. Absolutely no way is that going to draw people to Christ. There must be what I call, relationship equity. A mutual respect and understanding between two people.

I have much to say about this at another time, but there is a major difference in communicating Truth with a believer versus a non-believer. They cannot be communicated with in the same way. The passage above says so, they cannot be understood because these Truths are only discerned through the Holy Spirit. One can’t receive the Holy Spirit until they have been born again by faith in Jesus Christ.

For the context of what I’m writing today, I am talking to those who know God the Father and have accepted Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. You, and me, have a conviction under which the Holy Spirit holds us accountable to live.

It is under this conviction I bring God’s Truth through Transparency in Love.

Even though much of what I write will be tailored to believers, I hope and pray those who are not may come to know their Lord and Savior through the Truth shared here. And maybe even ask questions to aid in their discovery of Him who actively pursues and loves them and wants to lead them to a better life with eternal glory.

The Word is Alive and Active

One important, and I’d almost say critical piece to understanding the following passages of scripture is understanding the context in which it was written.

We need to ensure we’re looking through the correct lens to grasp the context of what the words meant then and what they mean to us now. Remember, “God’s Word is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit; joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

What was spoken then has significance now. With the Holy Spirit’s leading, we can understand the connection.

Teach the Word

2 Timothy 4:2-5 says, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage- with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”

Context then: Apostle Paul is writing this letter in the New Testament to his “co-worker” in Christ (aka a disciple of Paul’s teaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles) Timothy, who was in the city of Ephesus. The gospel message had already been brought to the church in Ephesus, but since Paul, Timothy and the others left to continue their ministry, dissension and confusion corrupted the church. Paul had sent Timothy back to Ephesus an effort to bring back order and truth. It wasn’t an easy task and Timothy was feeling the burden and intimidation of the depth of corruption within the church, so Paul wrote this letter of truth and encouragement to Timothy so that he could remain faithful and steadfast in trying to bring truth and order- even to the point of death- and remind him of the Truth he was once taught and continues to teach to the Gentiles.

Application now: As believers, I think we have done a poor job, as a body, in separating ourselves from the world. Denomination dissensions, false prophecies, luke-warm convictions, passive teachings- “having a form of godliness but denying its power.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5) The Bible warns us of what people are going to be like in the last days, “…people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God…”

I’m not sitting behind this screen typing as if I am perfect or have Christ’s perfection achieved. I do not. And this current season of seeking the Lord is revealing to me my shortcomings, and I have many. I have a ways to go to become less like the above and more like Christ.

And like Timothy, we have a calling as believers to penetrate the darkness with the Light and Truth of Jesus by encouraging fellow believers to remain faithful and steadfast to the Truth. We need accountability. We need community. We need brave, courageous, Spirit-seeking men and women in our lives and our family’s lives who are going to correct, rebuke and encourage with honest transparency so together, we can be a better reflection of Christ on earth.

I absolutely love the AMPC version of this 2 Timothy 4:2-5 passage, I think it brings it to a more understanding and applicable meaning:

“I charge [you] in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, Who is to judge the living and the dead…preach the word! Keep your sense of urgency [stand by, be at hand and ready], whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable. [Whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome, you as a preacher [teacher] of the Word are to show people in what way their lives are wrong.] And convince them, rebuking and correcting, warning and urging and encouraging them, being unflagging [never tiring or lacking energy] and inexhaustible [incapable of becoming empty] in patience and teaching.

For the time is coming [and is here] when people will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold, and will turn aside from hearing the truth and wander off into myths and man-made fictions.”

Do you feel the conviction with me?!

We are to be encouraged like Timothy to keep up the spiritual fight of faith to bring Truth to the church, which is body of Christ.

Offering Comfort in the Process

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Even in answering the call to teach, encourage, rebuke and love others, there will be challenges. There will be hardships. There will be resistance and misunderstandings to the Truth being taught, but check out James 1:2-8. Verse 8 continues the message with “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

As I mentioned in a previous post, spiritual pruning hurts. I know! But as long as we’re connected to the True Vine and other deeply rooted believers, we can endure. The Holy Spirit comforts us in times of trouble and growth, and just like we are called to correct, rebuke and encourage others in the faith, we’re also called to comfort in the process.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our trouble, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

Many times, at least in my experience, we experience comfort and encouragement from others AFTER they themselves have made it through the hard time. They’re on the other side in rejoicing while we are in the mud and muck of the valley. Rarely do we experience the transparency of others who are currently going through a battle, much less getting comforted in the same way they are IN the trouble.

Consolation and encouragement do not have to come with a past tense. It can come with a “I’m-struggling-right-now-too, but-we-can-get-through-it-together” tense also.

Sometimes the most comforting words I heard from a friend in trouble was, “I don’t know…but I’m here with you.”

When we’re going through spiritual pruning by the Holy Spirit to become more like Christ, correcting our ways, changing our behaviors and embracing more of the things that reflect Christ, we’re not always going to understand the “whys”, “how comes” and “for how longs.” But together, as a body and community of believers, we can comfort each other through it as not to lose faith but endure to the end.

This is “Transparency in Love”

I hope you’re ready. The Lord is revealing things to my own heart that I can’t contain. His Truth hurts, but only because it is contrary to what most of us are taught or are led to believe. But He didn’t come to the world to condemn the world, Jesus came to save the world through him. (John 3:17)

So don’t sit there in condemnation for not knowing or not living according to His word, He offers you (and me) grace and forgiveness. Praise God! God loves you, and me, so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to be born of a virgin, live on this earth, suffer to the point of death, defeated Satan and rose to sit at the right hand of our Heavenly Father so that when we believe in Him, we shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christs power may rest on me.”

But when we learn the Truth of God’s Word, we have an obligation to repent [confess our sins] and turn away from the things that are not of the Truth.

“So repent (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return [to God], that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean), that times of refreshing (of recovering from the effects of heat, of reviving with fresh air) may come from the presence of the Lord.” (Acts 3:19)

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise [for the return of Jesus Christ], as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with [us], not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

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