In Wednesday’s Bible reading, in Revelation 3, Jesus exhorted the believers in Sardis that “I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead… for I have not found your works complete …”
 
Praise God that He loves us enough to help us see the truth. The Dr. doesn’t hate me to tell me that I’m unhealthy; my dentist doesn’t hate me to tell me that my teeth need care, nor my mechanic when he explains that my car needs repairs. And the LORD, our God, is not hateful to reveal to us what He knows that is not right. “You have a reputation… but I know…”
 
Undeniably, there can be gaps between what is seen or perceived and what is true, image over substance, perception vs. reality. But how do we get into that position to begin with? The very reason we need redemption is precisely because we have a capacity to settle for what is created and to jettison our Maker instead. In its essence, sin is to live as if something is more important than the LORD in His holiness, yet this is just fundamentally untrue because no created thing possibly can be more powerful, valuable, or beautiful than Him. So, if at its root, sin is a lie, it follows logically that in sin we can try to live a lie – or grow content with it once it’s established.
 
This throws light on the amazing nature of God’s mercy in the Gospel. Jesus loves us even knowing everything about us, especially the ugly truths. To save us, He has worked not only for our forgiveness but also for our healing – not only for our justification but also for our sanctification. Knowing our profound shame and guilt, Jesus moved toward us in love to save our lives.
 
What then should we do when we get exposed? Jesus says, “Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent” (Revelation 3:3). What we have received is nothing less than Him, His Spirit, His saving Grace, and His guarantees about an eternally glorious future. To keep it means to cherish it. Hold it dear like a treasure; prize it like immeasurable riches. And note the order: these come first; then repent. To repent means to turn, and the best repentance comes from a position of security, even if our instincts are to run and hide. The purest motivation to leave behind what was vain or fruitless is because Jesus has given me something indescribably better.
 
From our website, where we summarize our Values, when we believe that the Gospel, and an eternally secure relationship with our God, produces openness, we say:

The Gospel is a story of being loved not when we were successful and impressive. It is instead a miracle! God knows our deepest shame and failures, and He loved us there “while we were yet sinners!” Because Jesus knows us at our worst, His love is liberating. And because Jesus calls us out of lies, life in Christ is increasingly honest and candid. Jesus regularly asked hard questions and said forthright things, but always with grace and kindness (He is “full of grace and truth”). So as His followers, secure in His love for us, we grow more courageous to go on record against ourselves; we get better at confessing our sins; and we get better at leading others out into the light away from the shadows of shame and deceit.

What is the appropriate response whenever we get revealed? Personally, or as a family, or as an entire congregation? Wherever we are revealed to lack integrity, we trust the LORD and repent. In the coming days, we will communicate more about needs in our church and our plans for how, as an entire church family, we need to cherish all that Jesus has given us and repent. For now, just please consider how you personally need to close the gap between your reputation and what is really true. And please pray with us that everyone who considers Trinity their home would do the same.