Out of Neutral | Grace Baptist Church

[https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56b23a868a65e24fb5da70bb/00d9abed-66d5-4e63-bed6-ade99ca19b3f/OON+m10w2+Thumbnail.png?format=1000w] Going to the Canadian National Exhibition is a family tradition. Watching the performances is always the highlight of the day. Appearing before the crowds day after day, with multiple shows, has to be exhausting. That’s why the performers usually retreat behind a curtain as soon as their act is over. The Flying Wallendas were the exception. But what happened after the show was every bit as moving as the act itself. I didn’t expect to get a masterclass on sharing my faith, but that’s what happened. Let me explain. LOOK FOR NATURAL OPPORTUNITIES There’s a good reason that the Flying Wallendas have been in the circus business for over 200 years. They put on an incredible show and display an unusual dedication to their craft. Watching a 63-year-old man do a headstand or ride a bicycle while balancing others on a high wire was truly impressive. But after the show, instead of retreating for a rest, Tino Wallenda stayed behind to speak with the crowds and handed out free pictures of his act with the story of his faith on the back. If he had shared his testimony during the act, it would have distracted from the performance. After the show, it was personal and inviting. I appreciated the care he had taken to develop the cards and how generous he was with his time. I think we all have natural opportunities to share our faith if we make the effort to look for them. KEEP THE FOCUS ON JESUS Tino’s story of faith began with a touching story of how his grandfather taught him to walk the high wire when he was 7. He learned how to hold his body rigidly, keep his elbows close, and put his big toe on the wire with his heel inside. But the most important thing he learned was to focus his concentration on a point at the other end of the wire—this was the key to maintaining balance. He quoted Hebrews 12:2, “let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,” and explained how he had come to believe that fixing his eyes on Jesus was the key to maintaining balance in life. He also shared how he had been changed by Hebrews 4:13: “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” He felt lost imagining his sins laid bare before a holy God, but found hope in Jesus as the one who had crossed the chasm that separated him from God. I appreciated how Tino shared a very personal story of his faith but kept the focus on Jesus. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A NATURAL Because Tino wrote and spoke about his faith so naturally, I assumed it had always come easily to him. But I was surprised to read in an interview [https://victoriouslivingmagazine.com/2019/04/the-show-must-go-on/] that it hadn’t. When he left the troupe and began a new act with his wife, he found the work hard and the response unsatisfying. He felt little of the presence of God in his life. In despair one day, he got down on his knees and had to admit that the frustration he was feeling was a result of refusing to give God control in his life. He surrendered his life and career into God’s hands, asking Him to lead. Prayer and Bible study became a daily habit, and he surrounded himself with other believers. Soon after, he began to receive requests from churches and prisons asking him to perform, but also to share his faith and the hope of the gospel. This was far outside his comfort zone. But as he surrendered his fears and did what God asked, God began to use Tino’s craft and his story to impact people’s lives. He would later write, “No longer was my performance just a source of entertainment; it was a source of hope.” I think everyone should have that goal to see our life’s work not only in terms of the tasks that are required for us to earn a paycheque, but also as a means to point people to the eternal hope that we have in Jesus. If God could help Tino overcome his fears to share his faith, He can do the same in our lives.  Tino’s example reminds me that sharing our faith doesn’t need to be flashy or forced—it just needs to be faithful. If God can use a high-wire act to point people to Jesus, then He can use our everyday work, conversations, and opportunities as well. Consider how God might use you today. In awe of Him, Paul

[https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56b23a868a65e24fb5da70bb/ee1ad71b-2e14-44af-82dd-7897ed7fd0b1/OON+2025+10+08.png?format=1000w] Anyone who has watched someone close to them experience loss has felt the struggle of not knowing what to say. And listen to grieving people, and you realize that people’s well-intentioned words can cause real damage in times of loss. We need to tread lightly on the sacred ground of grief, and the Bible gives principles that can help guide our steps. Let me share four. 1. SHARE YOUR TEARS, NOT YOUR ADVICE The only thing more famous than Job’s suffering is the damage caused by the friends who came to comfort him. They showed great compassion at first. Job 2:13 says, “And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.” Their initial response looks very much like the counsel of Romans 12:15: “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” The problem came when they opened their mouths to speak. They gave lectures and advice that were misguided and ill-timed. Their words are a cautionary tale for all of us. 2. DON’T SPEAK OF WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW While advice is seldom what’s called for in times of grief, it’s especially unhelpful when we speak about things we don’t understand. Job’s counsellors confidently described God’s purposes in Job’s suffering as if God Himself had told them. As the story unfolds, we learn that their words were not only painful but wrong. Moses spoke to God directly and personally, but even he had the humility to say, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God” (Deuteronomy 29:29). There is so much about God’s ways that we don’t understand, and to suggest otherwise is dangerous. The same is true for grief that we haven’t experienced. As Proverbs 17:28 warns us, “Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.” 3. DON’T MINIMIZE GRIEF TO ELEVATE FAITH One of our knee-jerk reactions toward people who are sad is to tell them to cheer up. When people are grieving, we seldom use those words. But we’re quick to “look at the bright side” or the “silver lining,” when what’s really needed is to acknowledge the loss and feel the grief. Proverbs 25:20 warns against this tendency when it says, “Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day.” When someone feels down, it may be because they’re doing the important work of accepting the reality of their loss. Trying to lift them up may interrupt that work. Christians often want to say, “But we have a great hope in the Lord!” That hope changes our grief rather than eliminating it, though. When Paul spoke of those who had lost loved ones, he said that he didn’t want them to “grieve as others do who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). He didn’t tell them not to grieve at all. Even Jesus wept at the grave of His friend (John 11:35). We shouldn’t speak as if faith eliminates grief. 4. PRAY MORE THAN YOU SPEAK As much as we want to comfort those who face loss, God is the one who can bring the fullness of comfort that our friends need. Grieving people need our prayers more than anything. David reminds us in Psalm 34:18 that the Lord is the one who is “near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” And James 5:16 urges us to “Pray for one another, that you may be healed.” If we’ve experienced the same loss as a grieving friend, we may be uniquely qualified to comfort them, but even then, our focus must be on the comfort we’ve received from God. Hear Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” Hearing someone who’s been there say, “When I was at my lowest, God was faithful,” can be just what’s needed to believe God for the comfort and mercy that He can give. But even then, we need the help of people’s prayers. It's only a matter of time before grief visits someone close to us. When it does, we should listen and pray more than we speak and trust the Lord to speak comfort where our words often fall short. In awe of Him, Paul

[https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56b23a868a65e24fb5da70bb/c6bdcfd0-fe16-4441-a338-f0905b59939f/OON+m9w4+Thumbnail.png?format=1000w] Has your conscience ever been troubled by fears that you’d sinned so greatly that you can’t be forgiven? If so, you’re not alone. Studies show that up to 15% of religious people struggle with intense fears about their spiritual standing, including worries that they might have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit or committed the unforgivable sin. Fears like that should neither be blindly accepted nor easily dismissed. Understanding what the Scriptures teach about this gives us clarity to deal with our feelings. THE UNFORGIVABLE SIN ISN’T JUST “A SIN” Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is addressed three times in the Gospels, once each in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Matthew provides the longest and most detailed account. In Matthew 12:31-32, Jesus says, “I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” The difficulty comes from the fact that Jesus says that “every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven,” but then turns around and warns that “the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.” Is He contradicting Himself? It helps to realize that Jesus is at first addressing individual sins and then dealing with a hardened position. That’s the point of contrasting “every sin and blasphemy” with “the blasphemy.” There is no single sin or act of blasphemy that would disqualify a person from seeking God’s forgiveness. But there is a position of blasphemy that places someone outside of God’s grace. To understand why we need to figure out what “the blasphemy” is, but for now, we note that it cannot just be a one-time act. THE UNFORGIVABLE SIN ISN’T JUST A DISMISSAL OF JESUS In Matthew 12:32, Jesus contrasts the person who “speaks a word against the Son of Man,” who can be forgiven, with the person “who speaks against the Holy Spirit,” who will not be forgiven. The first person may be like Peter, who rebuked Jesus (Matthew 16:22) and famously denied Him three times (Matthew 26:74). God realizes that people will get things wrong and sometimes falter in their faith. There’s nothing unforgivable about either of those things. That still doesn’t explain what can’t be forgiven, though. THE WARNING IS AGAINST THE HARDENED REJECTION OF THE SPIRIT Most people who are worried they might have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit feel the terror of the warning without taking time to read the context. Jesus’ words were directed against the Pharisees in response to their slander in Matthew 12:24. Jesus healed a man who had been oppressed by a demon. Immediately the man’s blindness was cured, and he was enabled to speak for the first time (Matthew 12:22). People were moved and couldn’t help but wonder if Jesus was the promised Saviour (Matthew 12:23). The Pharisees, however, said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons” (Matthew 12:24). They had been given repeated demonstrations of the Spirit’s power at work through Jesus. They had heard His claims and seen the evidence. They hadn’t just doubted it or battled unbelief. They hadn’t just dismissed it or ignored it. They saw all that the Spirit had done to persuade people that Jesus was the Messiah, and they taught that it was all demonic. Such people have hardened themselves so completely against God’s invitation to forgiveness that they will die in their sins. IT’S NOT THAT THERE’S A SIN TOO TERRIBLE FOR GOD TO FORGIVE Wayne Grudem makes a helpful clarification. > “In this case it is not that the sin itself is so horrible that it could not be covered by Christ's redemptive work, but rather that the sinner's hardened heart puts him or her beyond the reach of God's ordinary means of bringing forgiveness through repentance and trusting Christ for salvation. The sin is unpardonable because it cuts off the sinner from repentance and saving faith through belief in the truth.” If you feel disturbed by your sin and long for Christ’s forgiveness, that in itself is evidence that you haven’t committed the unforgivable sin. You don’t need to take my word for that. God deliberately saved the worst sinner to convince you that there is forgiveness for all who truly repent and put their faith in Jesus. Hear the words of the Apostle Paul: > “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.” (1 Timothy 1:15-16) The unforgivable sin isn’t something you stumble into accidentally. It’s the settled, defiant rejection of the Spirit’s witness to Christ. If your sin grieves you and you desire His mercy, that itself is evidence that the Spirit is still at work in you. So turn to Him today and find rest in His forgiveness. If Jesus could display His “perfect patience” toward the worst of sinners, He’ll surely forgive you! In awe of Him, Paul

[https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56b23a868a65e24fb5da70bb/22fff06b-fc26-41f3-93a0-d615a806b759/OON+m9w3+Thumbnail+Template.psd.png?format=1000w] The Bible’s teaching about Satan can feel confusing. Some verses describe him as “bound” and even “destroyed.” Others show him hindering, harassing, and seeking to devour God’s people. How do we make sense of that tension, and what does it reveal about his power in our lives today? IN JESUS’ MINISTRY, SATAN WAS ASSAULTED At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, Satan tries unsuccessfully to tempt Jesus to sin (Luke 4:1-13). At the end of Jesus’ ministry, however, Satan manages to “enter into” Judas (John 13:27), leading him to betray Jesus and secure His arrest and crucifixion. In between, Jesus claims that His casting out of demons is evidence that He has bound Satan (Matthew 12:28-29). This is the exact same word used in the much-disputed passage in Revelation 20:2, where Satan is said to be “bound” for a thousand years. Jesus’ coming has somehow restrained the work of the devil. Additionally, when the disciples return from their mission, they report that “even the demons are subject to us in your name” (Luke 10:17), to which Jesus replies, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18). Satan’s authority and power seem to have been dealt a powerful blow. This language appears to be picked up again in Revelation 12, where Satan and his demons are described as being “thrown down” from heaven (Revelation 12:9). This is a great victory (Revelation 12:10), but also a cause for caution, “for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short” (Revelation 12:12). Satan’s fate is sealed and his power restrained, but he still does all he can with the time left to him. AT THE CROSS, SATAN WAS DEFEATED What we see glimpses of in the ministry of Jesus and the disciples comes to fulfillment at the cross. On the cross, Jesus declared, “Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out” (John 12:31). By taking the punishment for our sins, Jesus “disarmed” the demonic powers (Colossians 2:15) in that they were stripped of any basis to accuse or threaten believers. In fact, Hebrews 2:14 goes as far as to say that “through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.” This doesn’t mean Satan ceased to exist, but like saying a fighter “got destroyed,” the cross decisively defeated him and sealed his fate. IN OUR WORLD TODAY, SATAN IS DOOMED BUT DANGEROUS Satan has been thrown out of heaven, tied up, and dealt a fatal blow, but until he meets his final judgment, he’s intent on causing as much damage as he can. He blinds people from seeing the truth of the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4) and disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14-15), spreading lies as if they were truth and temptation as if it were hope. Satan not only tempts Jesus’ followers to sin (Acts 5:3), but he also harasses them with painful trials (2 Corinthians 12:7) and hinders them from carrying out God’s work (1 Thessalonians 2:18). We’re warned in 1 Peter 5:8 that “the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” We don’t need to see a demon in every problem, but we do need to put on spiritual armour. Through faith, prayer, Scripture, and a gospel-grounded life of holiness, we are protected against spiritual opposition (Ephesians 6:10-17). And we have the confidence that Satan is no match for God. As James 4:7 assures us: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” In awe of Him, Paul

[https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56b23a868a65e24fb5da70bb/086b72aa-d07e-4352-b894-30fd1b67d90f/OON+m9w2+Thumbnail.psd.png?format=1000w] This summer, “K-pop Demon Hunters” became a breakout hit and the most-watched film in Netflix history with 236 million views and counting. Even if you didn’t see the movie, you can’t help but hear the music as it became the first movie soundtrack to place four of its songs on the Billboard Hot 100’s top ten. While the story contains fantasy elements from Korean folklore and presents a do-it-yourself recipe for the problems of life, it deals with some important biblical truths that are worth reflecting on. 1. EVIL SPIRITUAL FORCES COME DRESSED IN BEAUTY AND CHARM For too long, popular culture has pictured Satan and his demons as hideous, red beasts with pitchforks and horns. As a result, people have dismissed the idea of a spiritual realm or assumed that anything supernatural must automatically be from God. K-pop Demon Hunters sees demons as having an impact on our world, but their influence doesn’t come through a devil sitting on your shoulder. The demons instead disguise themselves as an irresistible boy band who look as good as they sing. The Bible warns that “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” and adds that “his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15). Jesus, similarly, warned of those who “come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves” (Matthew 7:15). The message is that evil spiritual power is communicated with charm, beauty, and appeal. We should be on guard and show discernment toward the words expressed by the people selling out stadiums, topping best seller lists, winning elections, and bringing home gold medals. Even a K-pop boy band could be used to lure people with a demonic message. Don’t be taken in by pretty packaging. 2. SHAME IS A TOOL USED BY DEMONS TO KEEP PEOPLE IN DARKNESS The character Gwi-Ma—whose name means “Ghost Spirit” in Korean—is the movie’s Satan figure, the lord of the underworld. He exerts his control primarily through shame. One demon explains, “It’s all demons do. Feel. Feel our shame. Our misery. It’s how Gwi-Ma controls us. Do you not hear him in your ear?” In a sense, the plot is all about striving to break free from shame. Linking that shame, and in particular the debilitating voices of shame in your ear, with Satan is a refreshing topic to be addressed by a popular movie, and all the more surprising to see in an animated one. One of the names that’s used for the devil in the Bible is Satan, originally a Hebrew word meaning “accuser” or “adversary.” In Job 1:9, he attacks the motivations for Job’s devotion. In Zechariah 3:1, he stands accusing the high priest before God. In Revelation 12:10, he’s called “the accuser of our brothers and sisters,” and it says that he “accuses them before our God day and night.” The ironic nature of Satan’s working in the Bible is that he is the one who both tempts us to sin as well as the one who condemns us for giving into sin once we’ve done what he proposed. If K-pop Demon Hunters helps people question the voices of shame they hear rather than simply accepting them, it offers a positive message. 3. THERE’S POWER IN CONFRONTING YOUR SHAME AND GATHERING TO SING SONGS OF DELIVERANCE In the movie, the music of the K-pop girl group Huntr/x and the enthusiastic response of their fans provide a spiritual barrier against demonic influence. But the group’s lead singer, Rumi, must confront her own “demons”—feelings of shame over things her family taught her to hide. When she fails to do this, it affects her singing, her relationships, and her own well-being. In the song “Free,” Rumi and Jinu sing, “We can’t fix it if we never face it. What if we find a way to escape it? We could be free, free!” Burying your shame ensures that you never escape it. Unfortunately, K-pop Demon Hunters does a better job of pointing to the problem than it does of addressing the solution. Dealing with feelings of shame is important, but calling everything about ourselves or our past “good” doesn’t make it so. We don’t just need to accept ourselves—we need the acceptance of God. And that comes through the Saviour who took the guilt of our sins upon Himself at the cross. As we confess our sins and turn to Jesus in faith, God declares us accepted and forgiven and dismisses all condemnation against us. As it says in Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” and in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” While K-pop Demon Hunters misses the mark on the nature of the song, one of the reasons that Christians gather to sing songs of Jesus’ deliverance is that they remind us of His grace and drown out the false accusations and judgment in our heads. Sometimes the voices are so loud, we struggle to sing on our own, but as we gather with others in worship, the chorus overpowers any accusations Satan might level against us (Hebrews 10:24-25). As it says in Ephesians 5:19, “Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.” K-pop Demon Hunters is an imperfect movie, but our culture needs reminding of the spiritual world around us and of the voices of shame that only the forgiveness of Jesus Christ can silence. In awe of Him, Paul