The Man Who Lived
Chapter 8
Author's Note: Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. You make a difference.
oOo
"Well, isn't anyone going to say anything?" asked Harry.
"I would, mate," said Ron, his brow furrowed, "but I don't have any idea what you're on about."
Harry was back in Russia, sitting in his magically-enhanced, private tent within the World Cup players' pavilion. As soon as the portkey had whisked him back, he'd hurriedly tracked down Ginny, Hermione, and Ron. He'd been so excited to tell them the incredible news. The four of them were now sitting at his kitchen table, and he'd just shared with them that, a couple of hours earlier, he'd surrendered his life to Jesus. At first, none of them had verbally responded. They'd just stared at him until he'd finally broken the silence.
"Well, it means that…I have a relationship with God now," Harry answered with a grin. "That He sent His Spirit to live inside of me. That Jesus is the Lord of my life now."
"What? A spirit lives inside of you? What are you, like, possessed or something?" asked Ron, his once confused look replaced by one of fear. "Like Ginny during our second year?"
Harry's smile grew a little wider. "No, Ron, I'm not possessed." And then he paused and let out a small laugh. "Well, yeah, I guess, in a sense, I am. But in a good way."
"Huh?"
"Never mind," said Harry, still smiling. "Don't worry about it. We can discuss the details later."
"What made you decide to do this, Harry?" Hermione finally asked. She had a very pensive look on her face. "To turn your life over to Jesus?"
He turned his eyes toward his bushy-haired friend, and his smile slowly disappeared.
"Hermione, if I'm completely honest – I'm not really sure. Because, the truth is, I didn't hear anything in this morning's sermon that I didn't already know. That I hadn't already read about in the Bible or heard in last week's sermon. In fact, this morning's sermon wasn't even really about Jesus at all. Festus talked almost exclusively about the Father and our relationship with Him. So, I honestly don't understand why I decided to follow Jesus today instead of yesterday or last Sunday. It doesn't make any real sense to me."
Harry paused to look at his fiancée and Ron before continuing.
"After the service, I spoke to Festus briefly, before the portkey brought me back here. When I told him that I was confused about it, he just smiled and said that God's Spirit is like the wind – which I remember is what Jesus said to someone in John's letter. That we can sense Him, but we can't control Him. He just goes where He wills. Festus said that, for whatever reason, God simply decided that today was the day that He was going to save me. To send the Spirit to live in me and open my mind to the truth. And, honestly, I don't know how else to explain it. I certainly don't have a better explanation for everything that's happened today. It was as if I was sitting there on that chair - in the dark - and suddenly, the lights just came on. And, suddenly," and then a complete look of joy came to Harry's face, "I just believed."
"So, you really believe that Jesus is God?" asked Hermione.
"I do," he answered – staring straight into her eyes.
"How much of the Bible have you even read?"
"Not a lot," he admitted. "I've read John and Ephesians all the way through and parts of Luke and the Psalms."
"That's it?" She sounded incredulous. "You're going to make this type of decision, and that's all you've read?"
"I know, Hermione. I know I've got a lot more of the Bible to read. And I'm going to. I'm actually looking forward to it. I can't wait to learn more about Jesus. So, yes, I realize that I don't know a lot, but I've read enough and heard enough that I do know this." At that point, he held up his index finger. "I am a lost sinner who has rebelled against God. Two, I can't do anything to fix that. I can't do anything to get 'right' with Him and, therefore, I need someone to save me. And, three, Jesus is that Savior." He lowered his hand but continued to stare into his friend's eyes. "I don't know much else, but I'm convinced of those three things."
"But why are you convinced of that, Harry? I've read the Bible – more than you, in fact – and I didn't come to those conclusions at all."
"I know, Hermione. I remember what you told me. And I obviously don't agree with you."
She suddenly clenched her jaws.
"So, you're saying I'm wrong."
He let out a small sigh and paused for a moment before responding.
"Hermione, I didn't ask the three of you here to get into a debate," he stated slowly. "Or to try to convince you of anything."
"Then, why did you ask us here, mate?" asked Ron.
Harry gave his friend a sad smile. This wasn't going like he'd hoped.
"Because this is the most incredible day of my life, Ron. And I'm not talking about the Quidditch match. I've been forgiven and saved. I've been adopted by the Creator God of the universe. I'm now His son. Don't you understand?"
"To be honest, Harry – no, I don't think I do," said Ron.
Harry nodded his head.
"You know what – I don't blame you. Two weeks ago, I wouldn't have understood either. Just know this, Ron - I have a relationship with God now – the one thing that my soul has been longing for - for my entire life – even though I didn't even know it. And I wanted to share this moment with you – my three best friends. So that you'd celebrate with me."
The room was quiet for the longest time, nobody saying a word. Finally, Hermione broke the silence.
"We are happy for you, Harry. Right guys?" she asked, looking at Ginny and Ron. "This is just a bit of a shock, that's all. It'll take us some time to adjust."
Harry looked at his three friends, and, to his eyes, they didn't look happy at all. He was about to respond when he heard Ginny speak.
"What does this mean?" she asked in a quiet voice.
"I'm sorry?" he said, turning towards his fiancée.
"What does it mean that you've turned your life over…to Jesus? What does it mean for us going forward? Does it change anything?"
Harry saw the trepidation in her eyes so he immediately reached over and grabbed her hand.
"No, Ginny, it doesn't mean that at all. Nothing's going to change between us. Going forward, the only thing that I know for sure is that I'm supposed to get baptized. That's what Festus told me before I left church. I'd like to do it this week, and I'm hoping that you will all come. I'm going to meet with him in a couple of days to finalize the plans and to talk about some other things."
"Baptized? What's that?" asked Ron.
"It means that he's going to get dunked under some water, Ron," answered Hermione.
"What? Like a bath?" asked Ron with a laugh. "I've got to be honest, Harry. This whole thing sounds a bit barmy. But, hey, if this makes you happy, so be it. As long as you keep catching the snitch, I don't care what you do. In fact, if you think that God helped you catch that snitch today, then maybe I'll start going to church with you."
"Thanks for your support, Ron," said Harry, shaking his head, a small smile on his lips.
oOo
England had caught the World Cup fever. The next morning, when the team had arrived back at mid-field of the National Team stadium via portkey, they'd found that half of the stands were filled with screaming fans decked out in white and red paraphernalia. Thousands of fans that had skipped out on sleep and/or work just to cheer on and welcome back their heroes. As a thank you, the players had decided to spend a couple of hours signing autographs before their morning meeting. The coaching staff would be going over the scouting report for their next opponent that morning before they hit the pitch that afternoon after lunch.
The World Cup was now down to sixteen teams, and they'd all be playing that upcoming weekend. Four regional sites from around the globe had already been determined, with each site hosting four teams. From here on out, it was a single-elimination tournament. Harry knew that they'd be playing the team from the USA that Saturday afternoon, and unfortunately, they'd be playing on American soil in a place called 'Death Valley.' Harry had never played at that stadium, but he'd been informed that it was in the middle of the desert and hotter than hell.
"You wouldn't believe what Diagon Alley looks like," said Ginny as Harry toweled off. "It's even crazier than last week."
He'd just stepped out of the shower at Grimmauld Place, and she was leaning against the sink. He had arrived home from that day's practice a few minutes earlier, and the two of them would soon be heading to Andromeda's for dinner and to spend time with Teddy.
"How so?"
"Every storefront is decorated with National Team flags or pennants. There are banners hanging across the streets. Everybody there is wearing team gear." She then let out a laugh. "Even the mannequins in Madame Malkin's are sporting your uniform."
"So, what you're saying is that I definitely need to avoid the place," he said with a smile.
"If you want to keep from getting mobbed, definitely. And you should've read Beekman's article in the Prophet this morning."
Harry groaned. "No thanks."
"No, seriously. It was almost glowing about you."
"Really?"
Ginny nodded. "I couldn't believe it either."
"Yeah, well, he honestly doesn't care if I win or lose. In fact, he'd probably prefer that I fail. Makes for a better story. If he's building me up now, it's only in the hopes that he can tear me down later. Regardless, he's just happy I'm back on the pitch instead of riding the bench. No offense to Jonas, but having my name in the headline is going to always sell more copies."
"You're probably right. So, enjoy Beekman's adoration while it lasts."
A moment later, Harry felt Ginny's hands on his body. He immediately stopped toweling off and looked over his shoulder and into his lover's eyes. He recognized the look within. He loved that look.
"Uh, babe, what are you doing?" he asked with a smile.
"Just helping you dry off."
"But you don't have a towel in your hands…and I already dried that part."
"Just shut up and kiss me."
The two of them arrived at Andromeda's house a few minutes late, but Teddy quickly got over his annoyance with their tardiness. He was wearing his child's-sized Cannons jersey with 'Potter' on the back and was chatting non-stop, asking Harry a thousand questions about the World Cup matches from that past weekend. Even though he'd listened to the contests with his grandmother on the Wizarding Wireless, he wanted his godfather to tell him everything in detail.
After dinner, Teddy begged Harry to take him up on his broom. The boy was still too little to fly any training brooms, but he routinely ran around the front yard with a normal broom between his legs, pretending he was the seeker on a championship team. The two of them flew for at least an hour with Teddy constantly asking Harry to go faster and faster.
Harry cherished times like this – holding his godson close and hearing him laugh. He wanted to make sure that Teddy's childhood was nothing like his. To make sure that Teddy always knew that he was loved and had value. And, suddenly, Harry thought of God – His heavenly Father. He knew that he wanted Teddy to know God and His love just as he did, but he just wasn't sure if Teddy was even old enough to understand yet.
"Hey, bud, there's Andromeda," said Harry a moment later, seeing the boy's grandmother walk out onto the front steps of the house and wave her hand. "Must mean it's time to go in."
"Noooo," Teddy immediately whined. "I wanna keep flying!"
"I know you do, buddy, but you know the rules. You've got a bedtime."
"But why?"
"Because it's important to get your sleep."
"But why?"
"So that you can grow up strong and be a world-class Quidditch player. To be a great athlete you need a lot of exercise, a good diet, and plenty of rest. Okay?"
Suddenly, the little boy stopped whining.
"Okay, Harry. If you say so."
"I do. Now, let's head down."
A half an hour later, Harry closed the small children's book that was Teddy's favorite bedtime story.
"I'm going to see you on Thursday, okay?" said Harry, giving his godson a final 'tuck' into bed.
"For your…bat…batpism?"
Harry smiled. "Close enough."
Earlier that evening, at dinner, Harry had asked Andromeda if he could use the small pond behind her house for his baptism, and she'd agreed. He was planning on inviting all of his close friends and loved ones to attend. He was going to feed them dinner and then share with them the miraculous event that God had done in his life. He was really looking forward to telling them all about Jesus and His amazing love.
oOo
"Do you have a few minutes more?" asked Festus. "Because I'd really like to discuss a couple of more things with you if you have time."
It was Tuesday evening, and Harry and Festus were sitting in Festus' office at Grace Bible Church. Before Harry had said good-bye on Sunday, the two men had arranged to meet to discuss the life-changing impact of Harry's decision to follow Jesus. Specifically, what the next steps would be for Harry. They had just finished discussing the details of Harry's baptism that would be taking place in a couple of days.
"Yeah, I've got time," said Harry. "Plus, I've got a few questions of my own if you don't mind."
"I don't mind at all. In fact, I'm glad you've got questions. I think one area where the church has traditionally faltered is in helping new believers in their initial steps with God. We've been Christians for so long that we forget what it's like just starting out. Therefore, many 'infant' Christians are left to figure out their new life on their own. And, unfortunately, many of them get confused about things, lose their way. So, that's why I wanted to meet with you."
"Well, I appreciate it."
"So, how about I go over some basics with you and, then, if you still have questions, we can discuss those?"
"Sounds good."
"On Sunday, after the service, when we spoke, you made it clear that you believe your salvation – that is, your right standing before God the Father – is 100% dependent upon Christ's sacrifice on the cross. That there is nothing you did – or even could do – to pay off the penalty of your sin and earn your way into God's favor, correct?"
Harry nodded. "Correct."
"So, your relationship with God is based upon you placing your faith in the person and works of Jesus. And nothing else, right?"
Harry nodded again. "Correct, again."
"Well, what we've just talked about is a theological term called 'justification.' It is the first act – or type, if you will - of God's salvation. And I'm telling you that because, as you continue to read the Bible, you're going to come across that word. So, I want you to understand it. It's basically a legal term that means that God – the holy Judge of the universe – has declared you 'not guilty' – even though, technically, you are. It is the sovereign act of God whereby He declares righteous the believing sinner while we are still in a sinning state. So, on Sunday morning, when you placed your faith in Christ, you were justified. At that point, Jesus saved you from the penalty of your sins. Still with me?"
"I think so."
"Good. Now, however, you are in the second act – or second type - of salvation. This second act is called 'sanctification,' and it's going to last for the rest of your life. It is basically your practical, day-in day-out walk with God where He will increasingly transform you into the image of His Son and where you are increasingly saved from the power of sin. But this second act – sanctification – is very counter-intuitive. It's going to be like nothing else in your life."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, think about when you were first learning some skill. Maybe how to play chess or hit a golf ball. Something like that."
"Okay." Harry immediately thought of magic and of casting spells.
"You probably had a teacher who taught you the basics. And as you progressed and practiced, you got better and better to the point where, in theory, you no longer needed that teacher. It's every teacher's dream – or should be - that their pupils will actually by-pass them in terms of knowledge and skill. Right?"
Harry knew that he'd never be better than Dumbledore at casting spells, but he saw the point Festus was trying to make.
"I'd agree," he said.
"Well, your walk with Christ will be nothing like that. In fact, it will be just the opposite. You will never bypass Christ in terms of holiness. The truth is - the more time you spend with Him, the moreaware you're going to become of just how sinful and depraved your heart really is. But that's a good thing."
"Wait, that's a good thing? Really?"
"It is. Because, then, hopefully, it will make you realize just how much more you still need Him. Every day. There will never be a point when you tell Jesus, 'Hey, man, I've got this.' Because if you do say that – if you do ever try to live your life without His leading - things will go badly for you, really quickly. You will never outgrow Christ. Ever."
"Okay."
"Okay. I actually got side-tracked a bit there. I was talking about the three types of salvation. So, let me go back to that."
"Alright."
"As I was saying, you have been saved from the penalty of sin – justification. You are being saved from the power of sin in your life – sanctification. And one day, when you're finally face-to-face with Jesus, you will be saved from the presence of sin. And that theological term is called 'glorification.' Which will be an amazing day. There will no longer be any sin to interfere with our relationship with Jesus. We'll be in perfect intimacy with Him – and each other. I can't wait. So, there is a past, present, and future aspect to salvation. Understand?"
"I think I do."
"Okay. So, justification is done. It happened. It's in the past. You don't ever have to worry about that again. There's nothing you did to earn it, and there's nothing you can do to lose it."
"Wait – I can never lose my salvation?"
"That's right."
"Really?"
"Really. Christ's sacrifice – His blood, His death – was sufficient for all sins. All of them. There is no sin that His death does not cover. No exception clauses.
"Plus, think about this, Harry. God is eternal. Without a beginning or end. He exists outside our time-space continuum. The Bible says that, for God, a thousand years is like a day and a day is like a thousand years. So, He knows all. He sees all. Including all of your sins – past, present, and future. So, if you, hypothetically, were going to commit some sin in your future that He wouldn't forgive, then He'd know, and He never would have sent His Spirit to live within you and adopted you as His son in the first place. Paul wrote to the Christians in Ephesus that, when they believed, they were marked with a seal - the promised Holy Spirit, who is a guaranteed deposit of our inheritance as God's children. In Old Testament times, God did place His Spirit upon people temporarily. King Saul and Samson are examples. But, now, ever since Pentecost – ever since Jesus ascended into Heaven – once He seals us with His Spirit, it's done. Forever. He never removes it. And there is unbelievable assurance in that. There is freedom in that. Never again do I have to worry about where I stand with God in any given moment. He promises us in His Word that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus and, also, that there is nothing in all of creation that can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. So, once we've placed our faith in Christ – and He is in us and we are in Him – then justification is settled. And when God promises us something, it's a guarantee. We know it will happen."
"That…that sound wonderful," Harry said with a smile.
"Amen, brother," answered Festus with a smile of his own. "So, justification is settled and we can now focus on 'sanctification.' What it means to live your life – day-in and day-out - as a follower of Christ."
"Sounds good."
"Okay. Because here is where a lot of people – even professing Christians – get fouled up. The more that you read the Bible and the more sermons you listen to you, you're going to come across a bunch of rules. A lot of 'Do these things' and "Don't do those.'"
"Yeah," agreed Harry. "I already have. In fact, I had a question about something specific I read this week."
"What was it?"
"About sexual immorality."
Festus nodded.
"Okay. We'll discuss that. I promise. But, first, let me continue, okay?"
"Okay."
"So, as I was saying, there are a lot of rules in the Bible, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. And, unfortunately, a lot people – even professing Christians – believe that their worth – their right standing with God – is dependent upon them following those rules. But that's not the case, at all."
"Then, why are all the rules there?"
"Great question. There are actually two reasons, and the Bible discusses both. I see you've got your Bible with you, so turn to the book of Romans. It's near John. It goes John, the Acts, then Romans. Turn to Romans 3, verse 20."
Harry opened his Bible and a minute later found the verse.
"How about you read it out loud," said Festus.
"Therefore, no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin."
"When Paul says the 'law' here, he's referring to the Mosaic Law – meaning the commands that God gave to Moses and that are found throughout the Old Testament Scriptures. Have you ever heard of the Ten Commandments?"
"I've heard of them. Don't know what they are, though."
"Well, they're a part of the Law. But notice what Paul says. Notice for what purpose they were given – to make us aware of our sin. This is vitally important to understand. God did not give us His Law so that in our lost state, we could then start working for our salvation. Trying to earn our righteousness by obeying His rules. As we just read, 'no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law.' So, His Law was not given to be used as a ladder by which we could climb our way to God and Heaven. No, the Law was given – out of grace - to act as a mirror by which lost sinners could see our sin – to make us conscious of our sin. And, once we'd seen our sin, we could then repent of it and turn to Christ for salvation. That's what makes Christianity different than every other religion out there. In fact, I'd argue that Christianity really isn't even a religion."
"Not a religion? What do mean?"
"Well, I guess it all depends upon how a person defines 'religion.' Personally, I define it as a belief-system based on the idea that one must follow an arbitrary set of rules in order to be viewed 'righteous' by God and, therefore, be accepted into Heaven. Now, obviously, each religion has its own unique set of rules, and each religion has its own beliefs about the character of God and the nature of Heaven. Heck, some religions don't even believe in the existence of God. Some simply view God as fate or karma and Heaven as simply the highest level of enlightenment that a human can achieve. But, regardless of how each religion views God and Heaven, in my experience, they all have that arbitrary set of rules that their adherents must follow in order to be deemed 'worthy.' But that's not Christianity, is it?"
Harry shook his head.
"Christianity is not turning to a bunch of rules to find salvation – neither for justification nor sanctification. It's turning to Jesus. Christianity is about our relationship with Christ. And that's completely different than religion."
Harry nodded. "Yeah. That makes sense. So, then, what about all the rules in the New Testament? Are they given for the same reason as the Law?"
"Another great question, but, no, they're given to us for a different purpose. You once mentioned that you have a godson – about four years old, right?"
"Yeah. Teddy."
"Do you love him?" asked Festus with a smile.
"Definitely," said Harry. "A lot."
"When he's at your place, or when you're together, do you have any rules that he has to follow? Like he has to eat his dinner before he can have dessert, or he has to go to bed at a certain time? He can't play in the street? Things like that?"
"Yeah, I do. The main rule is that he has to do what his grandmother tells him."
"Does he obey your rules – or his grandmother's – perfectly?"
"No."
"When he disobeys, do you tell him that he's no longer your godson?"
"No. Of course not."
"When he disobeys, do you love him less?"
"No. Not at all."
Festus nodded. "So, then, why do you give him rules? For what purpose?"
"Well, because, we know what's best for him. And we love him so…we want what's best for him."
Festus smiled. "I couldn't have said it better myself. That's exactly why God has given us – His children – commands in the New Testament. Because He loves us, and He wants what's best for us. He created us, and therefore, He knows what will bring us our greatest joy. And being ruled by our sinful nature isn't it. Because, make no mistake, Harry, you may now be an adopted son of God, but you are still a horrific sinner. You still have a sinful nature that is going to tempt you and lie to you and try to convince you that God doesn't know what He's talking about."
"Really? I thought you said that sanctification was God taking away the power of sin?"
"Oh, He will. But He doesn't do it all at once. It's a gradual process that will take the rest of your life. And believe me when I say that your sinful nature won't go down without a fight. It's going to battle until the very end – until the day you are finally face-to-face with Christ. In fact, this is one of the things that I wanted to discuss with you. There is this misconception that once you become a Christian, once you're in a loving relationship with God through faith in Christ, that suddenly your life becomes easy. That's not the case at all. In fact, in some ways, your life may become even more difficult."
"How? Why?"
"Before Christ saved you, who was in charge of your life?"
"Well…me."
"Right. And you did whatever you wanted. Whatever your sinful nature thought was right, you did it. But, now, you've got a new Lord – Jesus. Isn't that what you told me?"
Harry nodded.
"Well, your sinful nature hates Him, Harry. It is hostile to Him. So, now, you're going to have a daily war waging inside of you. A constant, day-in day-out battle between the Holy Spirit and your sinful nature. And I don't want to discourage you – the Holy Spirit is much stronger than your sin. However, you will have to decide which one of the two is going to lead you.
"Think of it this way. Think of your soul as a house. A house that for twenty-two years, you've let go. But, now, God – the Holy Spirit - lives in that house. And He's royalty. He's King. He's Lord. And He's not going to live in some pigsty. He lives in a palace. So, when He comes into your life, He's going to start renovating - tearing down weak walls in your house and building new ones. He's going to start pulling out weeds that are sprouting up through the floor boards. He's going to start killing the power of sin in your soul. That's called 'mortification.' And it's painful. Your sinful nature is going to cry out against it. Because, whether you realize it or not, you've got sins down in your soul that you still cherish. And God's not going to stand for that. While it's true that He accepted you just as you were – as a filthy sinner smelling like a pigsty – it's also true that He loves you too much to leave you like that.
"So, now, when you sin – and you will – the Holy Spirit will start convicting you of it. And if you choose not to listen to Him, if you choose not to repent of it, then He'll continue and continue poking at your conscience. And if there are some weeds in your home that you refuse to let him pull out – some sins that you refuse to let go of…well, then, out of love, He'll break your fingers so that you will let go of those sins. And, then, out of love, He'll mend your fingers so that you can, once again, hold onto Him."
"You're not making this sound fun."
Festus laughed. "Because it's not. The mortification of sin – the killing of your sinful nature – is painful. As Jesus said, 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'Think about that. The cross is excruciating. That's where the word excruciating comes from. And that's what Jesus says you have to carry every day."
Immediately, Harry thought of the Cruciatus curse. He'd never realized that the origin of the curse's name was connected to the same word as the cross.
"But, while mortification of sins may be painful, it's worth it. Because it is the process of God making us more like Christ and drawing us closer to Him. I want to emphasize that God is not some cosmic kill-joy. His commands are not to make you miserable. They're given to keep you away from sin and to bring you ultimate joy. Because, as Christians, our ultimate joy comes from our relationship with God, and sin – while it doesn't destroy our relationship with Him – it does destroy the intimacy and joy of that relationship. Therefore, He's given us some rules to live by so that our intimacy with Him will be strengthened. They're given for our good – just like your rules with Teddy."
"Okay, I think that all makes sense."
"Let me say one more thing, and then we can get to your questions, okay?"
Harry nodded.
"I've discovered that Christians – even those of us who understand that justification is by God's grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone – still get too wrapped up in rules when it comes to sanctification. We understand that salvation first came by God's grace, but now we want to try to keep that salvation through our own power and hard work – by following the rules. I can speak from personal experience. When I focus too much on obeying the rules, I start to turn my walk with Christ into something it's not meant to be. I start to turn it into a system of works-based righteousness. I turn it into religion, which is nothing but exhausting and frustrating. So, I urge you not to go down that path."
"Okay. So, then, with regards to sanctification – what exactly should I do?"
"For me, I've discovered that my focus everyday should simply be on loving and glorifying God. Having a relationship with Him. That's it. And what's a vital key to a good relationship? Spending time with that person, communicating with them – like you do with Teddy. And the two main ways we communicate with God are through prayer and reading His Word. I've discovered that if I focus on that – my relationship with Christ – if I keep Him at the forefront of my mind, then all that other stuff - the mortification of sin, obeying the rules, leading my wife and kids well - it all seems to take care of itself."
"So, I should just keep reading my Bible and praying? That's it?"
"And find a church family to belong to. It's imperative that you're around other believers, and not just on Sunday mornings. That's why at Grace Bible we also have what I call 'house churches.' Once a week, for a couple of hours, we meet in small groups – ideally, no more than around ten adults. We get together for dinner first and then about an hour of Bible study and prayer. That's where real Christian community takes place, where you really learn what it means to be a member of Christ's family – to love and serve one another. I typically recommend that people find a church family near to where they live so that they can more easily be a part of the lives of their new brothers and sisters. I know some pastors in the London area that I respect. I can give you the names of their churches, if you'd like. Of course, you're always welcome here at Grace Bible. I just know that it's a really long way for you to travel."
"It's okay. It's really not a hassle. Trust me. Anything else?"
"Well, if you'd like, I'd be honored to mentor you – at least initially. At least, until you get a little more mature in the faith."
"What do you mean by 'mentor' exactly?"
"Nothing strange," Festus said with a smile. "We could just meet – say once a week, like tonight. We could discuss the Bible and our walk with Christ. I could, hopefully, answer any questions you might have."
"Yeah…that…that would be great." And Harry meant it. He couldn't believe that Festus was willing to do that, but he realized that he shouldn't have been surprised – for he was one of the nicest men that Harry had ever met.
"Excellent. So, what was that question you had. It was about sex, right?"
"Yeah," answered Harry, and then he went on to explain the discussion he'd had the previous Monday with Barnabas and coming across the verse regarding sex in Ephesians a few days later.
"Well, first off, your friend is wrong," said Festus with a laugh. "Sex isn't only for procreation purposes. Not even for us Christians."
Harry exhaled deeply.
"Well, that's a relief," he said with a small smile. "I used the concordance in my Bible and looked up other verses that talked about sexual immorality, but I never could find a definition or explanation of exactly what God means with that term."
"Yeah, it would be helpful if He'd included a glossary in the back, wouldn't it?"
Harry nodded.
"Well, unfortunately, we are not given an exact definition of 'sexual immorality' anywhere in the Bible. In the Old Testament or New. However, God does talk a lot about sex in the Scriptures, and if we look at the entire Bible – from Genesis to Revelation – then we can definitely see a pattern emerge. A definite pattern for God's design regarding sex. Starting in Genesis, it is clear that sex was God's idea. He created us – male and female, including the requisite male and female parts. But He didn't have to, right? He could've come up with a form of asexual procreation for humans. So, then, why did He give us sex? Well, He never exactly says, but I believe He gave it as a gift. In 1st Corinthians 6, Paul talks about how sex isn't just a uniting of two bodies but also a uniting of spirits. It is an incredibly intimate act."
Harry nodded in agreement. He'd had those exact thoughts before – of how making love with Ginny was like a co-mingling of their souls. He was surprised to know that the Bible said the same thing.
"And, then," continued Festus, "just like with that verse you read in Ephesians, Paul goes on to tell us to flee from sexual immorality. So, clearly, there are ways to misuse this gift of sex. And if you look at the repeated pattern throughout the Bible, you will see that God gave us sex as a gift to enjoy, but only to be enjoyed within certain boundaries. And that boundary is between a man and his one wife. Genesis 2 states that a man and his wife unite and 'become one flesh.' And throughout the rest of the Bible, any sex that takes place outside of that husband-wife relationship is considered sin."
"You're serious?" asked Harry after swallowing hard.
Festus nodded.
"But why?" Harry was thinking of his sex life with Ginny. They were great together. Was he really going to have to give that up? "Why does God consider it a sin? I mean, I can understand why things like murder or stealing or lying are sins. Because that hurts someone else. But how is sex between two consenting adults – even if they're not married – harmful?"
Festus didn't answer at first. He simply peered into Harry's eyes and nodded his head a few times.
"I could give you all kinds of answers, Harry. Answers that I believe are correct. I could talk about how marriage is an earthly analogy to Christ's relationship with His church and so forth. But any answer would just be based on educated inference and extrapolation on my part. Because the truth is that God never tells us why He considers sex outside of marriage to be a sin. Just like He never tells us why He decided to create sex in the first place. The Bible, while it tells us everything we need to know, it does not tell us everything that we want to know. So, He doesn't tell us why it is. He just says that it is."
Harry didn't respond. He just swallowed again.
"But you're not alone in your questions, Harry. I'd argue that sex – perhaps even more than money or forgiveness or anything else – is the one area of the Bible that ruffles the most feathers. It may be the one issue that keeps most people from surrendering their lives to Christ. I think that it's definitely where God's Word is most at odds with our culture. And it's not just a stumbling block to non-believers. I have no doubt that there are professing Christians in my congregation that are having sex outside of marriage. I don't know for sure, because if I did, then I would confront them, out of love. But I'm also no fool. I know human nature." After a pause, he continued. "I'm guessing you're not asking this question as a hypothetical situation."
Harry shook his head. "No. It's not hypothetical at all."
Festus nodded in understanding.
"Well, Harry, what we discussed earlier – about God's rules and our response - it's no longer theoretical for you, is it? You are about to experience sanctification in a very real and very tangible way. Now that you know what God's teaching on sex is, you're going to have to ask yourself a question. It's a simple question – one that a child can understand. But though it's simple, it's also incredibly challenging, and that question is – do you trust God? Do you trust that He knows best and that He loves you and wants what is best for you? Just like you hope that Teddy does with you. Do you trust Him even in an area that you don't fully understand and one in which you may not even agree? Especially in those areas - because it's easy to obey God's commands when they line up with what we want and agree with. But in those areas where our sinful nature disagrees…well…." Festus raised his hands and gave Harry a pointed look. "So, if your answer is yes – that you do trust Him - then you'll prove it through your obedience. And if you don't trust Him, well, then your behavior will be evidence of that, as well."
Harry broke eye contact with Festus. He looked down at the desk top and let out a long breath.
"I told her nothing would change," he said, barely above a whisper.
"Say again?"
Harry brought his eyes upward.
"Ginny…she asked me if anything would change between us by me becoming a Christian, and I told her no."
Harry could see the compassion on Festus' face, the tenderness in the man's eyes.
"The two of you are engaged, correct?"
"Yeah, for about six weeks now."
Festus grimaced but didn't say anything at first. He looked away for a few moments, before finally nodding his head a couple of times.
"Harry, I hate to do this to you. I really do. But, as a preacher…heck, just as a fellow Christian, out of love, I have to tell you something else. To let you know what God's commands are. Even the hard ones. Especially the hard ones."
"There's more?"
Festus nodded.
"Harder than me having to tell my fiancée that we can't have sex anymore?"
He nodded again.
"You're scaring me, Festus. What do you have to tell me?"
"Could you turn in your Bible for me, please? To 2nd Corinthians 6? I think it would be best if you read it for yourself than heard it from me."
The two men stared at one another, but after a moment, Harry grabbed his Bible and started flipping pages.
"Okay. I'm at chapter six," he said once he was there.
"You need to read verses fourteen and fifteen."
Harry dropped his eyes to the page and read silently to himself: 'Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?'
After he was done, he quickly read it again, wanting to make sure he'd read it correctly the first time. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest. Certainly, it couldn't mean what he thought it meant, could it? Eventually, he lifted his eyes.
"What does 'yoked together' mean exactly?" But he already knew. Down in his soul, he knew.
"When you take other verses of Scripture into account, I believe that it means – and I've never met another preacher who disagreed – as Christians, we are not to marry non-Christians."
Harry didn't say anything. He simply closed his eyes and clenched his jaws. This couldn't be happening, he told himself.
"I'm sorry you're having to face this, Harry. I really am. But you needed to know now, before you said 'I do.'"
Harry let out a long sigh and gave a slight nod of his head, but he had no idea what he was going to do.