Reformed SHEology

I recently adopted two cats from my local animal shelter. One was a rambunctious little kitten, the other was a two-year-old female Torbie for which I did not have a name at first. “No Name” was undeniably sweet, docile, and responsive to human attention. She also had a sadness in her eyes, as though she wanted desperately to be loved, but knew that she was unwanted. I don’t know exactly what it was about her, but I was drawn to her, and so I completed the paper work for adoption on January 1, 2011 – New Year’s Day.

On January 4, I took my new cats home. I had to isolate them both from my existing cat, just to ensure that they were healthy, and so that my existing cat would not be overwhelmed by his new roommates. “No Name” was staying in my bathroom. She was coughing and sneezing, so I took her to the vet the next day, and began treating her with antibiotics for the cold. Over the next several days, I began to bond with this animal as I cared for her. She allowed me to do anything – clean her ears, clean her eyes, administer medication – she especially loved to be wiped down with baby wipes (I did not want to give her a bath just yet). She never scratched, bit, or fought me. It was like she knew I loved her, and she trusted me.

I noticed this cat had large paws, and that she most likely was going to grow bigger. I spent that entire first week on the internet, trying to determine if she was at least part Norwegian Forest Cat. In a nutshell, she reminded me of a teddy bear. So I finally settled on a name for her: Corduroy.

Corduroy was a book I owned as a child. First published in 1968, the story follows a little teddy bear named Corduroy who sits amongst the other toys in a department store, hoping that someone will buy him and take him home. One day, a girl named Lisa sees Corduroy, and tells her mother she really wants the bear. Lisa’s mother tells her that they’ve already spent too much money, and besides, the bear is missing a button.

That night, Corduroy searches the entire department store, trying to find a button so he can fix his defect. He does find a button, but he is returned to the shelf before he can do anything about it. The next day, when the department store opens, Lisa returns to buy the bear with her own money, and Corduroy gets to go home, even though he still is missing a button.

As an adult, I am struck by the profound similarity between this simple children’s story and the gospel.As a child, and I remember being overcome with emotion when Corduroy was finally taken home. But as an adult, I am struck by the profound similarity between this simple children’s story and the gospel. Here is a teddy bear who is not perfect, and in order to increase his chances of being loved, he tries to “fix himself”, and he fails. In an unlikely twist, a little girl spends all she has in order to purchase the bear, brings him home, and sews a new button on for him, making him like new again. The story doesn’t tell us why Lisa chooses this bear. We never know why. She just elects to take him home, even in his imperfect condition. The story continues to have such a profound impact upon me, even as an adult. It was only natural I name my new cat after the bear in this story.

On January 9, Corduroy showed marked improvement. She was no longer sneezing and coughing, and she was anxious to get out of the bathroom for a change, so I took her outside and sat with her on my screened-in lanai. There we were, just the two of us: creature and caretaker, delighting in each other’s company. For two hours, Corduroy sat in my lap and purred, occasionally looking up into my eyes as if to say, “Thank you!” It was magnificent. I imagined it would only be a few more days before I could allow her to freely roam the house and see her stretched out on my living room furniture in all her feline glory.

But Corduroy's improvement was short lived. On the evening of January 11, her eyes were weighed down by mucous and her breathing became quite labored. I took her to the vet the following day and had her x-rayed. Her cold was gone, but her lungs were nearly filled with fluid, and she had a few nodules on her lungs as well. The x-ray also showed that she had a BB lodged in her back. “I don’t know if this cat is going to live,” the vet told me, but she gave Corduroy an injection to help open up her airways, and sent me home with even more aggressive antibiotics. Within five hours, Corduroy took a turn for the worse. She began to panic as she realized she could no longer breathe. I acted quickly, and headed for the overnight emergency clinic to have her euthanized, but I was too late. Corduroy died on January 12, 2011, only 8 days after I brought her into her new home. I bawled, listening to her cries as she struggled for oxygen, and the final gurgling sound she made as she drowned right there in my car.

As a former existentialist, I tend to focus on what I've lost. But as a Christian, I can easily take these thoughts captive to Christ, and rejoice in what I have, knowing it will all someday be taken from me. The old Jen would have focused on how terribly Corduroy suffered. The new Jen rejoices, knowing that for 8 glorious days, I was able to provide this animal with the one thing she probably wanted more than anything in the world: compassion. Corduroy died a terrible, frightening death, but she died knowing that she had been chosen. And for those 8 days she lived, she taught me a great deal about the gospel.

I highly recommend the book Corduroy, by Don Freeman, and believe it will be an important addition to your child’s library. If you are unfamiliar with the story, you can have it read to you here:

Twice a month, my church goes street evangelizing on a Friday night. This past Friday, I got into an interesting conversation with a 13-year-old girl named Amanda. Amanda told me, "I don't believe God does miracles. I believe you make your own miracles happen." I challenged her on this. I asked her if she could change a person's heart, or if she could cure someone's cancer. She agreed that she couldn't, but added that her lack of ability didn't automatically point to God's ability. "I've never seen a miracle that I couldn't explain somehow through other means. I would have to see one to believe it. And so I just don't believe that God does miracles." At this point, I replied, "Well that's something you and I have in common, Amanda. Because I don't believe God does miracles either!"

Amanda seemed shocked that I would say that. After all, if I am going to approach her on a Friday night and tell her and her friends about God, why would I want to proclaim a God who doesn't do miracles? "Well it's very simple, Amanda," I explained. "God has already shown me many times that He does miracles. I just don't believe it."

It's true. I am no different than Amanda. I have been a Christian now for 17 years, yet I still don't believe. Like Amanda, I say, "I'll believe it when I see it." But even now in my life, I am seeing miracles happen before my very eyes, and I just don't believe that God is at work. For example, I have been praying for 17 years that my Dad would get saved. About two months ago, my father developed an avid interest in the Bible (where there was none before). He has been asking me for so many resources, I cannot keep up with him. The other day, I found my father in his bedroom, listening to R.C. Sproul sermons!

There is no other explanation for this, other than the fact that God is doing a miracle in my father's heart. But do I see it that way? No. The thought crosses my mind of course, that maybe God is actually drawing my father. And then I brush it off and think, "Nahhh. He's just bored and has nothing else to do but check out the Bible," or, "There are plenty of people who have a philosophical interest in the Bible, and my dad is probably just one of them. But that doesn't make them Christians." On occasion, I have even gone as far as to think that this interest in the Bible is as far as it will go, and that my dad will never actually be born again.

I was able to explain to Amanda that the real reason she does not believe in God's miracles is because it is our human nature to not believe. Amanda doesn't believe that God can grow an amputee's legs or raise a dead person to life. I don't believe that God can save my parents, send me a husband, heal my sicknesses, or fix my finances. So what makes me so different from Amanda?

I told Amanda the story about the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16. Remember what happened when the rich man asked Abraham to send Moses and the prophets to his relatives, so that they would believe?

[27] And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— [28] for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ [29] But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ [30] And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ [31] He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’” (Luke 16:26-31 ESV)

"Amanda," I said. "I am like you. I arrogantly say, I will believe it when I see it. Well I am seeing it every day! My dad is growing in his knowledge of the Bible, but even though I am seeing it, everyday, with my own two eyes, I still have unbelief." Belief is an evidence of grace in our lives. The fact that we believe on Christ for our salvation is an act of grace on God's part. Does that end once we become Christians? Of course not. God continues to give us the grace we need to trust Him at His word. Naturally, this does not mean that we should believe that God will give us everything for which we ask, but we can believe that He still does miracles!

Is there something you are not trusting God for? If so, the reason is simple: you're just like me and Amanda. If God raised Jesus from the dead, and then chose for you to become one of His daughters, why can't you believe that He will also give you a child, save your husband, mend your relationship with your in-laws, or provide for your basic needs? Could it be that you don't believe in miracles either?

One of the greatest things about reformed theology is that there is such a tremendous focus on God. Ironically, this is simultaneously one of the worst things about reformed theology. Let me clarify that - the theology is not really the problem. It's the people. People are and always have been the major reason why things get fouled up. We're sinners. We can't help it. And even in our attempts to glorify God to the absolute fullest, reformed folks can sometimes get carried away.

I came across a wonderful article about this very thing two years ago while I was struggling over this paradox. Specifically, if the Doctrines of Grace emphasize the importance of humility in our lives, as we are utterly helpless in our depraved estate, then why do we have a tendency to be so legalistic? It would seem that as we realize God's tremendous grace in our lives, that we would be more patient with those who do not understand or agree with reformed doctrine. But sadly, we are often not very patient with them at all.

In his article, "Are We Jerks?" Scott Clark helps to explain this phenomenon. Scott asks:

How can this happen? After all, of all folk shouldn’t Calvinists know God’s amazing grace? Sure they should. So why do they sometimes “cop an attitude?”

Our very own Latisha has shared some fantastic insights from Thabiti Anyabwile on the very same subject. In a series of posts entitled, "Calvinist Confessions: I am a Pharisee," Anyabwile writes:

There is this tendency to live in our heads. And when that meets with a theological tradition as rich and robust as the Reformed tradition, sparks fly–in our heads. Add to that a pinch of argumentative spirit and out comes the Pharisee.

But you know what’s lost? The spirit, or the Spirit. Sometimes both. The letter kills. That’s what happens with us Calvinist Pharisees. To read all the articles, visit Latisha's blog by clicking here.

I think one of the areas in which "Reformed Jerkism" has done a great deal of damage is in the manner by which women have come to view Biblical femininity. This results in one of two extremes. Some women will flat out reject God's design for modesty, holiness, and submission altogether. Others will embrace it to the point of erasing even the human aspects of femininity from their lives. It has been my experience that most reformed folks I've come in contact fall into the second category. They are often fearful of the natural traits that God has given women which make them unique. Physical beauty, artistic talent, leadership skills, friendliness and intelligence are not sins. Yet many times, women who possess these traits are often treated as though they are harlots.

Secular culture is often criticized as being ungodly, and this is often true, but not always. There are many times secular culture can be enjoyed as a means of celebrating our humanity. As we consider some of the "secular heroines" out there and examine their work, it is my hope that those of us who've been in bondage to legalism can regain our spirit -- the same spirit Thabiti Anyabwile claims many of us have lost. I'd encourage you to pray about what you may have repressed in your own life. Is it your spunk? Your smile? Your charming personality? God has not only brought me out of my shell these last few weeks, He's completely smashed that shell to smithereens! And I am praying He will do the same for you.

God's sovereignty is undoubtedly intertwined with His holiness. What better time to focus on these subjects than at the 2009 Ligonier National Conference held last week in Orlando, FL. This year, the topic of the conference was "The Holiness of God." I attended most of the sessions, and I thought everything that was said was appropriately framed by R.C. Sproul's opening and closing messages. Here are some of the highlights from those two messages - notice how the line between God's holiness and His sovereignty are nearly indistinguishable:

Opening Message on The Holiness of God (Session 6)
God is Holy. The word "holy" has two meanings. In one sense, "holiness" refers to God's "otherness." He is different than anything created. In another sense, it refers to God's purity, as in, "Be holy as I am Holy." This can only be accomplished in the second sense. We cannot in this life or the next achieve holiness in the first sense of the word.

We are finite. There are limits/boundaries by which we are contained. God is boundless. "God is not bound by the borders of creaturely-ness . . . No matter how far we go, we can't reach the end of God, because there is no end."

God is immutable. Creatures change, God does not. He is not subject to change. God has the power of being in and of Himself, but nothing else can exist apart from Him. God didn't die on the cross -- Jesus did. If God had died at any point in time, creation would instantly vanish.

Conclusion: The God who is holy is the God who is sovereign.

Closing Message on the Holiness of God (Session 17)
Scripture Reference: 1 Chronicles 13
"The sin of Uzza was the sin of arrogance." - Jonathan Edwards
We tend to think that God was "unreasonable" in striking Uzza dead for touching the ark of the covenant. All Uzza was trying to do was save the ark from falling into the mud. Are we to believe that it would have been better to allow the ark to fall into the mud, when the mud is so dirty? Uzza assumed that contact with the mud was a greater desecration than contact with human hands. There is no sin in the dirt. There is sin in the human hand. This is why Uzza was killed. (C.R. Numbers 4, Leviticus 10).

We have become unimpressed with grace because we expect it. And when we expect it, we lose that sense of fear, awe, and reverence for God. (R.C. Sproul told a story about his days as a professor. When his students turned in an assignment late for the first time, they feared him and were thankful for his grace in the form of an extension. But they soon assumed grace was the norm and more students began turning in their term papers late. Eventually, the students demanded grace and believed they were entitled to it. They not only did not have their papers to turn in, but they no longer feared anything would happen to them if they didn't.) We cannot forget as people under God's grace that He is still holy.

Additional Quotes on the Holiness of God During the Conference
Robert Godfrey: "This is the essence of American religion: I like sinning. God likes forgiving. The world is well put together." (Isaiah chs. 6 & 53)

Thabiti Anyabwile: "Sin is contempt toward God. Don't say it was a mistake, or I messed up."

Alistair Begg: "On what authority do you do this? The money changers never objected to what He [Jesus] said, they just wanted to know by what authority was He saying it." (John 16:5-15)

Robert Godfrey (On predestination): "How is it that some believe and some don't? It's all according to God's sovereign purpose."

Ligon Duncan: Question: "What would make an Calvinistic evangelist even get up in the morning, knowing that nothing he does will affect the outcome of his work?"
Thabiti Anyabwile: Answer: "Guaranteed success!"

R.C. Sproul (on God's sovereignty in predestination): "Let me give you pastoral counsel if you don't like this concept: TOUGH!"

If you missed it or want to watch it again, the entire conference is available to watch (including the first five sessions of the pre-conference) by clicking here.

I am not exactly what one would call a Monty Python fan, however, there are certain bits I really enjoy. Perhaps my favorite skit of all time is the "Constitutional Peasant." This scene, taken from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, depicts a smart-aleck peasant who insists on arguing politics with King Arthur, who merely wants to know the answer to a simple question. Listen carefully for some of the objections raised by Dennis, the "Constitutional Peasant," against Arthur's authority:



Two things are evident in this scene: 1) Arthur is king; and 2) Dennis doesn't like it. In fact, Dennis comes up with numerous reasons why Arthur's sovereignty does not apply to him, why he thinks Arthur's rule is oppressive and therefore wrong, and how things should be run. Yet Dennis' feelings and opinions do not change the fact that Arthur is king. While it makes for great comedy, there is a ring of truth to this exchange when we consider its similarity to our human understanding of God's sovereignty.

Not too long ago I had read a transcript of a panel discussion in which one of the members of that panel, John MacArthur, had made an excellent point regarding sovereignty. MacArthur said that people who are accustomed to democratic rule will especially struggle with the idea of sovereignty. Here is an excerpt from that interview:

PASTOR MACARTHUR: I also think that Americans have a specially difficult time with this, because we don't know what a monarchy feels like. We have never lived under a sovereign ruler. We don't have any concept of that. You would find people historically in a culture where they're ruled by a king, who have a very clear understanding, and willingly bend their minds to the fact that somebody can actually be in charge. Not everybody is an elected official. Some people have a divine right to sovereignty. This is a bigger problem in America, I think, than it is in Europe . . . And it has to do with, I think, as much culturally, we just really have a hard time understanding that somebody is the king, and the king does whatever the king wants to do. And the King of the universe does exactly what He wants to do, whenever He wants to do it . . . And we don't like the idea of not being free, you know. We want to have the freedom to choose whatever we want to choose. And that may be the American way, but that isn't the biblical way.

I think this is an exceptionally astute observation. Much of what we understand about God is unfortunately overshadowed by our own personal experience, and even worse, our own personal opinion. We forget that God is King. We like to talk back to Him. We raise our objections using our puffed up knowledge and our fancy, inflated vocabularies. We like to make the decisions, take votes, and decide - on the basis of "majority vote" - what is right and what is wrong. Yet this does not negate the fact that God is King, and the King has spoken.

It is easy to see this rebellious attitude in others who openly and deliberately reject Christ. Like Dennis, they argue that "supreme executive power comes from a mandate from the masses," and not some "farcical" story about a Messiah who conquered the grave. But this attitude often continues to live in our hearts, even after we have sworn loyalty to the King. We object when circumstances do not go our way. We cry "foul!" when we are reminded that we did not seek after God, but rather, He chose us. We struggle with doctrines that are clearly taught in scripture, and assume that if we take a church "vote" on it, we can change the rules to better suit our liking.

When things do not go according to our plans, let's not be "constitutional peasants", crying out, "Help, help! I'm being repressed!" every time God attempts to mortify our pride or give us a thorn in the flesh. We are merely peasants who have been granted the privilege of addressing Him directly. But He is King, He is sovereign, and He is all-powerful. When we try to raise objections against the Sovereign, Almighty King of Kings based on the concept that we are entitled to certain inalienable "rights," we become, like this scene, nothing short of comical. I have been guilty of being a constitutional peasant. Have you?


Click here to read the complete transcript of the panel discussion featuring John MacArthur, or listen to a recording of it, courtesy of Grace to You.

We're all familiar with Revelation 3:15-16, in which God states "I wish you were either hot or cold! But because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of my mouth!" And of course, we've all been force-fed the common interpretation of this passage: that God wants us to be "totally for Him," or "totally against Him." In fact, He'd rather us be "totally against Him" than lukewarm. There is just one problem with this idea: Which of us can claim we are "totally for God?"

The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
They have all turned aside,
They have together become corrupt;
There is none who does good,
No, not one. (Psalm 14:2-3, 53:2-3)

I think we have our answer! None of us are "totally for God". In fact, the doctrine of depravity would support this idea one step further and illustrate that everyone of us is "totally against God." So what does God mean in Revelation 3:15-16 when He says He wishes that we were hot or cold? Simply put, He wants us to be intense! Intensity is the antidote for the lukewarm church. Consider this:

Laodicea was situated between two other important cities, Colossae and Hieropolis. Colossae, wedged into a narrow valley in the shadow of towering mountains, was watered by icy streams which tumbled down from the heights. Hieropolis, on the other hand, was famous for its hot mineral springs. These springs flowed out of the city and across a high plain until they cascaded down a cliff which faced Laodicea. By the time the water reached the valley floor, it was lukewarm, putrid, and nauseating. At Colossae, therefore, one could be refreshed with clear, cold, invigorating drinking water; at Hieropolis, one could be healed by bathing in its hot, mineral-laden pools. But at Laodicea, the waters were neither hot (for health) nor cold (for drinking). . . [Christ] is not saying that outright apostasy is preferable to mediocrity; rather, He is wishing that the Laodicean Christians would have an influence upon their society.(Source)

Cold is just as useful as heat. When you sprain your ankle, do you want a cold compress or a lukewarm compress? When you've been out in the sun on a hot day, would you prefer a lukewarm glass of lemonade to a cold one? Let's face it, sometimes hot just isn't appropriate. When my brother visits me in Florida, he usually asks me to turn up the air conditioning, not double his misery by turning on the heat!

We all seem to understand that being "on fire" for God means that we are to be passionate and intense in our love for Him. But being passionate and intense is not limited to being "on fire." Have you ever had someone slip an ice cube down your back when you least expected it? What was your reaction? Did you pause for a moment of reflection and say, "What was that? I thought I felt something. Hrm. Must have been my imagination." Of course not. You jumped from your seat as soon as you felt that ice sliding down your back, and chances are you screamed! That's because the feeling of having an ice cube slipped down your back is intense!

So what does this intensity look like? What does it mean to be "on ice" for God? I personally believe that being "hot" involves having a love for truth while being "cold" involves having a love for mercy. In other words, being "cold" for Christ means that we show abundant displays of kindness, compassion, and mercy toward others. As women, this should come easy to us. We are always dubbed "the emotional ones", so why not use that to show our love for the Lord? Here are some examples from Scripture:

"A gentle answer turns away wrath" (Proverbs 15:1). Don't fuel the flames of someone's hot temper. Put out those fires with a gentle word.

"As cold water to a weary soul, so is good news from a far country" (Proverbs 25:25). When your husband comes come from a long day on the spiritual battlefield, don't barrage him with problems, complaints, or a to-do list. Instead, give him a glass of cold water in the form of soothing words of comfort and praise.

"Whoever restrains his words has knowledge,and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding" (Proverbs 17:27). Don't be quick to argue. Hold your tongue and your composure until you have all the facts.

"For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink" (Matthew 25:35). Give to those in need. In doing so, you will quench someone's thirst for food, shelter, clothing, or even a friend.

"And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.'" (Luke 16:24). Share your faith with people who are lost and hurting. Right now, there are people who are perishing, and those who have gone before them are wishing someone would go to their loved ones with the message of the gospel. Why not you?

God can use you if you are hot. God can use you if you are cold. But He can't use you if you are lukewarm. What are some ways you can be a "cold" Christian who is "on ice" for God?

~Photos of the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival, Harbin, China~

One way we can best support the doctrine of depravity is to look at the sin that continues to remain within us as believers, even long after we are saved. One of the best resources on the subject is the book, Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate, by Jerry Bridges. The preface of this book makes a statement that I could not agree with more – a statement that serves as one of the pillars of this website:

This book, as the title announces, is about sin – not the obvious sins of our culture but the subtle sins of believers . . . The motivation for this book stems from a growing conviction that those of us whom I call conservative evangelicals may have become so preoccupied with some of the major sins of society around us that we have lost sight of the need to deal with our own more “refined” or subtle sins. (Bridges, 2007, p. 9).

To Mr. Bridges I say a hearty hallelujah and amen! Bridges asserts that every believer is a saint – regardless of their level of maturity (just look at the Corinthian believer). This is essential to understand for several reasons. First and foremost, it supports the doctrine of perseverance of the saints. Secondly, and more importantly to our own sanctification process, it renders us guilty of judgmentalism without excuse when we claim to judge fellow believers as a “false convert” based upon some man-made standard of behavior.

The presence of sin is not indicative of one’s status with God. You and I, although chosen and sealed by God, continue to live in sin, as explained in the prior post. We love to deceive ourselves into thinking we are no longer “living in sin” because we’ve repented of the obvious ones. But Bridges lists a number of sins that many believers, myself included, continue to make a lifestyle of, despite our status as born again believers. Look over this list carefully. Where on the list do you see your heart represented?

Ungodliness
Anxiety and Frustration
Discontentment
Unthankfulness
Pride
Selfishness
Lack of Self Control
Impatience and Irritability
Anger
Judgmentalism
Envy, Jealousy, and Related Sins
Sins of the Tongue
Worldliness

We may not be fornicating, we may not be shooting up drugs, embezzling money, or worshipping Satan. But if any of the above sins are a way of life for us, then I think it would be fair to say we are living in sin. This is our lifestyle. And as a born-again believer, I too am forced to admit that my name belongs right beside every single one of these sins.

Does that make me a false convert? No. My salvation is not based upon my ability to overcome these sins on my own. My salvation is the result of Christ dying on the cross to pay for these sins that I continue to cherish in my wicked heart. I am a sinner saved by grace. But I am still a sinner, and for this reason I still need the gospel. Bridges claims that believers still need to preach the gospel not only to unbelievers, but to themselves as well.

Think about what Jesus said in Mark 16:15. Did He say, “Go and preach the gospel to every unbelieving creature?” No. He said “Go and preach the gospel to every creature.” Every creature needs the gospel. Those of us who are already saved are no exception.

Total depravity can be defined as the absence of purity. When we consider how much sin is still residing in our heart, even long after we’ve given up the “obvious” sin, can you see how hopeless our case is? For 13 years after I was saved, I was astonished to learn that I was still embracing these sins as a lifestyle. The realization helped me to understand how incredibly depraved I really am, and how much I truly need the Lord every day.

A friend once explained it to me like this: Have you ever tried to wash out a jar of peanut butter? After the jar is empty, and there is no peanut butter left, the scent of peanut butter still remains. You can scrub and soak that jar for hours, but somehow, that stubborn peanut butter smell lingers. You and I have been scrubbed clean by the blood of Christ. But the stench of sin still lingers in our hearts.

Bridges' book discusses each of the "respectable sins" which we tolerate chapter by chapter, and provides practical, sound advice for mortifying these sins. This is a great book that belongs in every Christian's library. You can purchase Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate by clicking here.

For many years, I did not understand that I was depraved. I knew I was a sinner, but I didn't think I was that bad. After all, there were many people out there who had sinned far worse than me. I understood that Christ had died for my sins, but they were only "white collar crimes." I wasn't depraved. At least I didn't think so.

Depravity, as far as I was concerned, was something one measured on a sliding scale: Serial killers on one end, Mother Teresa on the other. Perverse, evil, morally corrupt, wicked - these were all words to describe depraved behavior. But depravity is something much more compelling than this. Depravity is not something we measure by our behavior, because depravity is a condition that affects the human heart. Depravity is the complete and total inability to stop sinning in one's own power.

There is sin in your life. You may be aware of it, you may not. But it's there. Think about it. Right now, there is some sin in your life that you have not repented of. I'm not talking about the obvious examples, like drugs, alcohol, sex, lying through your teeth, shoplifting, etc. I'm talking about whatever it is that renders you, at this very moment, less than perfect.

Romans 1:18-32 discusses the depravity of humankind. For the first 13 years of my walk with God, I never saw myself in this passage. But one day God compelled me to look closer -- and I was stunned by what I saw:

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

Have you ever suppressed the truth? Have you ever insisted that words like "submission" are outdated and certainly not meant for the modern woman?

19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

Have you ever made excuses for your "preferred doctrines," even though God has made the truth evident to you? Have you ever made excuses for why it was okay for you to usurp the leadership role from a man to whom it was rightfully given?

21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

How many times did I profess to know something by looking to psychologists and sociologists for answers when it came to relationships between men and women? How many times did I look to stupid secular magazines for advice, rejecting the Word of God, exchanging it for a lie, and profess to be wise by doing so?

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

I thought this passage was not about me. I am not involved in homosexual behavior. Remember, I am just a white collar criminal. But the only difference between me and the person in this passage is that God did not give me over to my debased mind. For whatever reason, He chose to save me from it.

29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,[a] wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving,[b] unmerciful;

Can any of us deny that this is an accurate description of us, even now? When was the last time you had a covetous, malicious thought? Have you whispered lately? Are you proud? Untrustworthy? Unloving? Unforgiving? All of these describe the condition of my heart even now, after sixteen years of knowing the Lord.

32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

How many times did I cast this passage off as an indictment of the sexually perverse? Meanwhile, I clung to my man-bashing habits, my "girl-power" attitude, my admiration for the "independent woman." Oh, not only did I engage in these behaviors, there I was, giving hearty approval to others who practiced this as well.

I was a Christian for 13 years before God had revealed to me that I was living in sin. I had an idea that my attitude was not pleasing to Him. But depraved? Certainly not! Remember, I am just a white collar criminal.

But white collar criminals are still criminals.