Victory in Jesus!

 

I absolutely love the song, Victory in Jesus. The tempo and words are so encouraging. However, (you knew there had to be a condition, or this would be a Twitter post, not a blog) there is a problem not with the song but with how we interpret the idea of victory. Victory as many see it is everything being great in the here and now. Victory is everyone saying how they love us or at least respect us. Victory is us standing at the finish line arms raised high or in the end zone spiking the football in Christian love, of course. Victory isn't that in the world and isn't what Jesus told us it would be.

Often times victory is a hard-won thing. Victory means battles and losses. Victory more often than not meant long hard fights and falling over the finish line or being tackled into the end zone. Victory sometimes means death. Even the often celebrated sports stars spend years pushing their bodies to near breaking or to breaking and then not always winning the prize. Talk to a person whose side won the war but they lost a son or daughter about victory. Victory isn't easy.

Shouldn't it be easy for a Christian? We have Jesus right? Yes, we have Jesus, and the Scriptures say that He will work all things together for good but look at the context of Romans 8:28. 

And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ, we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later...And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us...And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them...Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?(As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”)  Edited for space.

Jesus's words over and over tell the disciples that his followers will suffer. However, they will be victorious.

My reason for sharing this isn't to discourage anyone but for you to take a real look at what victory may cost. Victory isn't fun in the process. Even for those who aren't Christians, victory requires a cost. Consider this, however. losing or not trying at all always leads to a bad place. 

The benefit to following Christ is that the victory is certain no matter the cost or what evil may come. I don't want you discouraged and give up when tough times come and gaining victory is hard.  In the battle or in this world we may not feel like singing, but someday we will. 

We have Victory in Jesus.

Wesley's Questions #6

  

 I have been recently asked if I could answer the 19 questions that John Wesley had his bishops ask those wanting to enter the ministry. I believed I could so in taking on that challenge I am going to post my answers. They probably won't be perfect or how you might answer them but they will be mine. Perhaps you might ask yourself how you might answer them.  

John Wesley’s Questions

Responses by Charles Wesley Areson

6. Do you know the General Rules of our Church?

The basic content of the General Rules is four-fold though at first glance there would seem to be only three. These rules like the doctrines of the church are rooted in scripture. They are more detailed but they can be summed up as can the Old Testament in the greatest commandment, “You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27 NLT).

The first is to do no harm by avoiding evil. After this is a list of things which are examples but not complete of activities Methodists and I would say all Christians should avoid. The only one I might question is the interpretation of profaning the sabbath which I will not go into detail here.

The second is to do good. Here again, follows a list that cannot be limiting as there are many good things Christians can do. I am especially glad to see that no one was tempted to leave out that Christians are to do good “especially” to other Christians as this seems to be frowned on by some though it is scriptural (Galatians 6:10).

The third is attending to our own salvation. This is vital because what use is it to gain in all these other areas and yet lose our own soul (1 Corinthians 9:27, Luke 9:25). Here also we find a list that is not exhaustive. For myself, the spiritual discipline of journaling and writing is vital for the strengthening of my soul.

The last one I see in the general rules is the idea of mutual accountability. This is the area that not just many Methodists have abandoned but most of the Western church. Yes, there are dangers of abuse when people open themselves up to accountability, Scripture teaches accountability therefore the rewards of proper accountability are far greater than the risks (Luke 17:31, Romans 15:1-7, Galatians 6:2 Corinthians 5:1-13, James 5:19-20 Hebrews 10:24-25, 13:17).  This is something that I pray isn’t just lip service but will become the norm in the church.  

Wesley's Questions #5

  

 I have been recently asked if I could answer the 19 questions that John Wesley had his bishops ask those wanting to enter the ministry. I believed I could so in taking on that challenge I am going to post my answers. They probably won't be perfect or how you might answer them but they will be mine. Perhaps you might ask yourself how you might answer them.  

John Wesley’s Questions

Responses by Charles Wesley Areson

 

5. Are you resolved to devote yourself wholly to God and to God’s work?

I am resolved to devote myself wholly to God. This is what it means to me to make Jesus Lord of my lives. I am devoted completely to him. The beautiful thing about this is that God isn’t looking to just make me a slave or servant but his child. My commitment to God means that I don’t give up living but that I can now live a fuller and more fulfilling life. Yes, there are things I need to let go of, but being fully committed to God means I gain far more than anything I surrender.

When it comes to fully embracing the work of God I hesitate for a second because often when we speak of the work of God we think of the work of the church. The work of the church is important. The work of an Elder is an important role. However, God's work for us is more than just church work. The work of God is first and foremost changing our own lives and striving to be holy. Secondly, working with our families. God’s work in communion with our marriage partner, parenting, and the care of parents carries greater weight than church work (1 Timothy 3:4-5). So yes I'm fully committed to the work of God but it is my heartfelt belief and I believe scripture agrees that my first responsibility is to work for the Christ-like benefit of my family. Further, when it comes to the work of God I have to be willing to accept as Wesley said in the Covenant Prayer God willing not just to work and be employed but also to be laid aside to be full or if necessary to be empty if that is the will of the Lord. Oswald Chambers often reminds us in My Utmost for His Highest that we have to guard against letting the work of God become our god.

Wesley's Questions #4

 

 I have been recently asked if I could answer the 19 questions that John Wesley had his bishops ask those wanting to enter the ministry. I believed I could so in taking on that challenge I am going to post my answers. They probably won't be perfect or how you might answer them but they will be mine. Perhaps you might ask yourself how you might answer them.  

John Wesley’s Questions

Responses by Charles Wesley Areson

 

4. Are you earnestly striving after perfection in love?

When I consider striving toward perfection in love, I don’t think of my struggles to break bad habits or even to study the word of God as important as those may be, I think of loving as God would love. This for me involves living a life of forgiveness and seeing everyone as God does.

I have written on forgiveness in Impossible to Forgive: What God Can Do When You Can’t. I do not wish to go into those struggles here but to say that for me if I am not willing to forgive everyone for even the least offense then I am putting myself in a place where my ability to love will be challenged. Truly you can’t fully love those you are unwilling to forgive. This isn’t even considering the dangers of cutting myself off from God (Matthew 6:5-15).

Secondly, I strive to remind myself that God loves everyone and wants to see everyone redeemed. Red and yellow, black and white, conservative or liberal, Christian, heathen or atheist… God loves them all even if they aren’t little children. God so loved us that while we were, yet sinners Christ died (Romans 5:8). If I love only those that love me, I’m no better than the world (Luke 6:32). This isn’t always easy but remembering scripture and praying for those I disagree with as Jesus commanded (Matthew 5:43-48) helps me live out this love.

 

Wesley's Question #3

 I have been recently asked if I could answer the 19 questions that John Wesley had his bishops ask those wanting to enter the ministry. I believed I could so in taking on that challenge I am going to post my answers. They probably won't be perfect or how you might answer them but they will be mine. Perhaps you might ask yourself how you might answer them.  

3. Do you expect to be made perfect in love in this life?

Jesus would not make the command be perfect as my Father in Heaven is perfect if it were not possible for us to achieve. We see in the New Testament that Paul talks about us being able to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the rest of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). John tells us that we’re to walk in love and there's an expectation that we do not have to sin (1 John 1, 2 John 2:6). The very fact that 1 John 2:1 (NIV) said “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin…” (not “when you sin”) is a clear indication that we can live in perfect love and above sin.

There have been times in my life when I feel that I was walking in entire sanctification/perfect love. These times have been broken by bad habits or ingrained patterns. There are still some, perhaps more than I now know, but I strive against them. I trust that through the power of the Holy Spirit I will eventually break their power. I have the promise Jesus will finish the good work He started in me (Philippians 1:6). My cooperation with the Holy Spirit in this effort lead this into question four.

Wesley's Question #2

 

 I have been recently asked if I could answer the 19 questions that John Wesley had his bishops ask those wanting to enter the ministry. I believed I could so in taking on that challenge I am going to post my answers. They probably won't be perfect or how you might answer them but they will be mine. Perhaps you might ask yourself how you might answer them. 

2. Are you going on to perfection?

In myself, I cannot move on to perfection (Romans 7), however, when I submit to the power of the Holy Spirit and walk as He would have me I can and do strive to move on to be perfect as Jesus commands (Matthew 5:48).  John says that those who have this hope within them purify themselves. Paul says that we're to crucify the flesh here again there's an expectation to strive toward perfection.

For me, going on towards perfection means giving Jesus my whole heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37) and I would add my body. I am striving to do this work by putting myself in places of accountability, reading scriptures, writing, attending church services and prayer meetings, and other spiritual disciplines which bring my mind and spirit into communion with God.

In the last few years, God has laid upon my heart the need to maintain the body that He is giving me. We are bodies not just spirits. If I'm going to be all that God wants me to be (entirely sanctified), I must maintain, to the best of my ability, the body God gave me. This is one of the more difficult challenges I have faced in my striving toward Christian perfection. However, I trust with God's help and the assistance of family and friends I will see victory also in this area.

Wesley's Questions #1

NO! John Wesley, not John Wayne!

 I have been recently asked if I could answer the 19 questions that John Wesley had his bishops ask those wanting to enter the ministry. I believed I could so in taking on that challenge I am going to post my answers. They probably won't be perfect or how you might answer them but they will be mine. Perhaps you might ask yourself how you might answer them. 

1. Have you faith in Christ?

Romans 10:9-10 says, "If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved" (NIV). I have and do declare that Jesus is Lord of my life. I trust in His death on the cross has paid for my sins and His resurrection is proof the payment for sin is covered and that by having faith in Him, I too will have everlasting life. I further believe Jesus’ words that He is the only way to salvation (John 14:6).

I responded to an alter call at the First Baptist Church of Clinton, Indiana when I was 7 years old. I remember before consenting to baptize me the pastor sitting down with me in his office and asked if I knew what it meant to be a follower of Jesus. I do not recall the exact words I used but I understood Jesus paid the price for my sins and I could have a new life in Him and heaven when life was over. Since that time, I have come to understand more of the price Jesus paid, the depth of my sins, the promise of eternity, and the hope of a better life now with Jesus as my Lord (master, director, leader). 

Picture by CARTER SAUNDERS