2 Nov 2001

Implant versus Application

Submitted by theshovel

An application employs an OUTSIDE influence to produce a desired effect. So, while I might apply a bandage on a flesh-wound I WILL remove it. Applications don’t become part of me. We might talk as if an applied teaching melds into our hearts, but truth be told we only HOPE it will it stick. Otherwise we wouldn’t have to keep applying it. In Jeremiah 31:31-34, God claimed that though the first covenant didn’t work, the second couldn’t fail. The first was doomed by breakable written commands, but the second was guaranteed by unbreakable IMPLANTED commands. Notice, He did NOT etch written commands on hardened hearts, He embedded His very life into new and living hearts. Having done so, GOD fulfills every legal requirement by producing the one thing that cannot break it: LOVE. That’s why “Love one another” was - and continues to be - NEW. Degrading these words into a Christian application bypasses the Christian miracle. Viewing life as a process of making application of God’s word only thrusts us into the same perception of those under the Law. Now if Israel was UNDER the law and it didn’t work, what good would it do those who have DIED to the law? If you think the application of God’s commands made a mess of the stony heart, what might it do to a LIVING one? The law was Israel’s jailor, and with each generation hope faded. Most regarded the promise as an illusion. They lived as dead toward God, their actions were merely outward attempts to produce the appearance of righteousness. Being alive toward sin, every newly created law or rule only produced a flurry of new transgressions - broken laws. The miracle of Christ made us dead toward sin and alive toward God. Why don’t we simply live in view of it? Attempting to apply the written (or spoken) truth to our life is an attempt to get this extra something within us. This is thinking outside - in. But when we recognize that the goods have been put within us, we gain confidence that we HAVE BEEN hearing God through this miracle of Christ. He supplies from the INSIDE and works it out. We actually hear TRUTH - not just words. We have been grafted into God through Christ - as the branch is IN the vine and the life flows through the vine and into us. As far as believing goes, we have been brought INTO faith - it IS happening. I refuse to believe my own insinuations that I need MORE faith. You want to know why? Because every time I thought I didn’t have enough, God removed even what I THOUGHT I had until nothing remained, and I was left simply believing HIM. We become so sure that we don’t even believe Him so often, but then we find ourselves believing Him even though we find nothing left in ourselves. We don’t grow more faith, the truth is that WE grow in IT. Why do I view myself as being OUTSIDE this miraculous faith, instead of being wrapped up inside it!!! :) Know this, that your miracle ears hear Him and you are encouraged and uplifted in faith in so many ways. Of course you will sense yourself being built up sometimes when reading or hearing the written words of the Bible (both the old writings, and the letters of the apostles). You will also discover the same in your encounters throughout the day - especially when you recognize how free you are to hear God in EVERYTHING!!

Comments

Re: Implant versus Application

theshovel - August 25, 2011 - 3:21pm

These comments were all transferred over from the original website

Jim,

Those are the words I've been trying to verbalize!!!!! Awesome! I was just talking to some "youth leaders" the other day about trying to impose "inward" workings from the outside. Thank you so much. I was telling them it's an effort in futility! I guess they wouldn't be doing their "job" if they weren't trying to get the kids to "act" right. Thank you so much.
Love, John D

Dear Jim,
I just recently discovered your website and subscribed to your "almost weekly" newsletter. Thank you so much for this article. I was raised in two legalistic religions, so it's been a rather long and painful row that I've hoed on my way to the true grace of our Lord. It's always conforting to read articles such as yours because they help me to see how truly loving The Lord is and that I don't have to live up to a set of rules. How amazing that He would change my heart! And how wonderful that I don't have to "grow more faith" but that I can "grow in it"!!!!!
Deborah

Spent quite a while at the shovel website. Why? I don't know, other than to appreciate your work. The revelation of clarity that you share in the "shoveletter" is valuable. I like it. The truth of the Grace of God is so misunderstood my so many. The length, depth, and full scope of it will take eternity to fully en-joy...... no hurry of course, we are just having a wonderful time here, and thank you for your input, Jim.
Steve R

Dear Jim -

I love your S-Letters! My buddy John and I respond to your epistles like a couple of cats with catnip! It is so much fun.

Love ya!
Mike N

Dear Jim I praise God for insight into truth about His grace.A lot of times what you write I learned that week.I thank the Lord for our oneness in Christ.Love, Dan

All I can say is, awesome. Thanks. oceanwaves

ive been thinking about applying verse implanting and want to share my thoughts,,,using jims scenio of applying a bandaid,,,when we apply a bandaid we do so because we have a wound,,and the bandaid we apply helps to heal the wound,,and although we do eventually remove the bandaid,,we don't usually remove it untill the wound is healed,,,same with a cast for a broken leg or stiches for a deeper wound etc,,,so i was thinking how that would work with appling grace,,and it does seem to fit in a way and although grace does heal us it is not somthing we ever remove from ourself,,and God won't remove it either,,,we may start out by just " applying" grace but what i think what really happens is that God applys grace to us then implants grace into us,,,like if you need a pace maker for a bad heart the pace maker is implanted into you never to be removed,,,so i kinda see grace as being applied for healing then implanted for Life,,if that makes any sence,,,
MonkyRat

Hello Monkeyrat! : )

I have to say, no ... it doesn't. You have me dizzy with this interpretation. I say this with a big smile on my face because I tend to make myself quite dizzy with confusion when trying to fit things of GOD so perfectly into various illustrations. Ask Jim. He knows this well. He confuses me a lot with his illustrations sometimes. When I personally try to illustrate things, I illustrate them into oblivion! Ha!

I thought Jim was saying that the grace of GOD, and GOD HIMself, and all things pertaining to HIM and to us, are not things to 'apply', but are the very LIFE of GOD HIMself in us.

I am always refreshed by the good news of Christ encouraging me that I no longer need the bondage of 'applying' things of GOD to my life to futilely make me more like HIM. It simply does not work.

There is nothing for us to 'apply'. We already have everything in Christ. Isn't that freeing?

: )
Sherri

I am sooo thankful and relieved to know that the grace of GOD, and everything else that HE IS, is not something that has to be Ã¢â‚¬Ëœapplied' at all! It is wonderful to have the confidence that all things of GOD have been provided by Christ Who IS, as you said, implanted within us.

Yes indeed, you wield that shovel like a Knight with his lance! If I therefore were a Queen, I would Knight you Sir Shovel! : )

I love and appreciate the breath of fresh air that you share "¦ all that is true of Christ! You speak of HIS LIFE being our Life, and that all HE IS, HE IS in us. Miracles indeed. (Yes, I had to say it!)

Excellent Shoveletter! Short, sweet, to the point.

I am amazed recently with the awareness of how we (mankind) have had such a habit over the years of taking words and Ã¢â‚¬Ëœspiritualizing' them for the purpose of manipulating one another with law and fear and guilt and shame, etc. What we have done most times is simply pervert a perfectly good word by misusing it and abusing it. We have done it so well that we do not even notice it when we do it!

This is done excessively, but not exclusively, within the realm of Ã¢â‚¬Ëœreligion'. I understand why and how this is done in order for so many religions to be able to validate their individual claims of speaking for GOD.

Well, I am not one who is very good at Ã¢â‚¬Ëœshort, sweet and to the point', obviously. : )

I really enjoyed this Shoveletter! Thanx!
Sherri

hi sherri,,
i guess i didn't make myself clear,,sorry,,,i was trying to say that it is God who does the applying and the implanting,,,,and i was trying give my thoughts one that,,,again sorry of i wasn't clear,,,,and i absolutly agree,,,God does it all and there is nothing we can do,,and amen that is a great feeling to know that,,,that God alone heals us and God alone saves us,,just God alone,,,and i tell ya i can't even begin to know what all that really means but i am having a blast learning about it and resting in it,,,
MonkyRat