Posted on by jwlozano

The Difference is Grace

Lately, I have found myself thinking about the way Christians respond to the world around us. It seems that everywhere we look, there is criticism, judgment, and condemnation. People are quick to point out the sins, mistakes, and poor choices of others. Yet when I read the life of Jesus, I see something very different.

Jesus never ignored sin, but He never lost sight of the person behind it.

One of my favorite verses is found in John 3:17:

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”

Jesus came on a rescue mission. He came for the broken, the hurting, the confused, the deceived, and the lost. He saw people not as they were in their sin, but as they could become through His grace.

That perspective should change the way we view the world around us.

Too often, Christians can become frustrated with unbelievers. We wonder why they do not understand God’s ways. We shake our heads at the choices they make. Sometimes we even hear people use harsh or derogatory language when talking about those who are far from God.

But Scripture gives us a different lens.

2 Corinthians 4:4 says:

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.”

Think about that for a moment. The Bible says they are blind.

If we met someone who was physically blind, we would not mock them for being unable to see. We would not laugh at them for stumbling. We would not criticize them for needing help. We would show compassion. We would offer guidance. We would patiently help them find their way.

Why should our response be any different when it comes to spiritual blindness?

The lost are not our enemies. They are people who need Jesus.

One of the most powerful reminders of this truth is found in Titus 3. Paul writes:

“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us…”

It is so easy to forget where we came from.

The longer we walk with Christ, the more tempting it can be to look at someone’s current situation and forget that we were once just as lost, deceived, and in need of grace. We were not saved because we were smarter, more moral, or somehow better than everyone else. We were saved because God, in His kindness and mercy, reached down and rescued us.

When I read Titus 3, I am reminded that the difference between me and someone who does not know Christ is not my goodness. The difference is His grace.

God’s kindness led me to repentance. His patience gave me time to grow. His mercy covered my failures. And if that is how He treated me, then that is how I should treat others.

The next time I am tempted to judge someone who is far from God, I want to remember where I came from. I want to remember the patience God showed me, the grace He extended to me, and the countless times He pursued me when I wasn’t pursuing Him.

The world doesn’t need more condemnation. It has plenty of that already. What the world needs is for Christians to reflect the heart of Jesus.

May we never forget that we were once blind too. And may we be willing to lovingly help others find the Savior who opened our eyes.

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Posted on by jwlozano

A Life Worthy of the Gospel

One verse from this week’s study in Philippians really stood out to me:

“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” (Philippians 1:27, NIV)

Paul wrote those words from prison.

He wasn’t writing from a place of comfort or convenience. He wasn’t writing during a season when everything was going according to plan. Yet his focus wasn’t on his circumstances. His focus was on how believers should live regardless of their circumstances.

As we worked through Philippians chapters 1 and 2, one theme kept appearing over and over again: personal responsibility.

Paul reminds us that as followers of Christ, we are representatives of the gospel. We are ambassadors for Jesus. The way we speak, the way we treat people, the attitudes we carry, and the words we choose all communicate something about the Savior we claim to follow.

In Philippians 2:5, Paul writes:

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” (NIV)

He goes on to describe Christ’s humility, His willingness to serve, and His obedience to the Father. Then later in the chapter, Paul gives a very practical instruction:

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.” (Philippians 2:14-15, NIV)

Those verses feel especially relevant today.

We live in a culture where criticism is common, complaints are constant, and everyone seems to have an opinion about everything. It’s easy to get swept into that mindset. It’s easy to join the conversation, add our two cents, and echo the negativity around us.

But Paul calls believers to something different.

Recently, I heard pastor and author Carey Nieuwhof say, “The culture needs an alternative to itself, not an echo of itself.” That statement immediately reminded me of Philippians.

That statement immediately reminded me of Philippians.

The world already has plenty of criticism. Plenty of anger. Plenty of complaining.

What people are looking for is something different. They are looking for hope. They are looking for grace. They are looking for kindness. They are looking for people who respond differently because Christ has changed them.

As believers, we have an opportunity every day to show the world what Jesus is like.

We can reflect His humility.

We can reflect His patience.

We can reflect His kindness.

Or we can simply blend in with everyone else.

Lately, I’ve been trying to put this into practice in my own life. Sometimes I’ll see someone doing something differently than I would do it. Maybe it’s a ministry, an organization, or a person making a decision I wouldn’t make. My first thought might be to critique it.

But then I’m reminded: if God hasn’t called me to lead that ministry, run that organization, or make that decision, perhaps my role is not to criticize but to encourage, pray, and trust Him.

Not every opinion needs to be spoken.

Not every criticism needs to be shared.

Not every disagreement needs to become an argument.

Paul’s challenge to the Philippians is the same challenge for us today: live a life worthy of the gospel.

Whether things are going well or poorly.

Whether circumstances are easy or difficult.

Whether people agree with us or not.

May our words, attitudes, and actions point people to Christ.

And may we shine brightly in a world that desperately needs to see Him.

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Posted on by jwlozano

A Different Kind of Clean

I was reading Matthew 23, where Jesus is speaking to the religious leaders, the Pharisees and others who were interpreting the law of Moses. He doesn’t hold back. He calls out how everything they do is for show, how they elevate themselves above others, and then He reminds them of what really matters.

“The greatest among you must be a servant.” (Matthew 23:11)

“Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12)

He goes on to say that while they are careful to follow the law, they are neglecting what matters most: “justice, mercy, and faith.” (Matthew 23:23)

But what really stood out to me was this:

“You are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy, full of greed and self-indulgence… First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean too.”

Matthew 23:25–26

“Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (Matthew 23:28)

As I read this, it made me think about something very practical. I am in a season of spring cleaning right now, going room by room, getting rid of things that no longer serve us, donating what I can, throwing things away, and reorganizing what’s left.

And it hit me, how easy it is to do that in our homes, but not in our hearts.

It is easy to let things build up inside. Pride, greed, bitterness. Just like clutter in a room, those things do not just disappear. They sit there until we deal with them.

So while I am spring cleaning my home, I am also asking God to help me spring clean my heart.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart… See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23–24)

We live in a culture that puts so much emphasis on the outside. Looking put together. Wearing the right things. Presenting ourselves well. And while those things are not wrong, they can easily become the focus.

But God looks deeper.

“People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

And the truth is, when we look honestly at our hearts, we need Him.

“The heart is deceitful above all things.” (Jeremiah 17:9)

“All our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64:6)

We cannot clean our hearts on our own. Real cleansing only comes through Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit in us.

So this has become my prayer in this season: that I would not just focus on the outside, but that I would take time to sit before God with an open heart, willing to receive His correction and His refining.

To let Him deal with what is inside first.

Because when He cleans the inside, the outside follows.