How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. – 1 John 3:1
Paul warned the church at Corinth against isolating itself from the world (1 Corinthians 5:9-13). He told Christians to shun those who call themselves “believers” yet continue to live in licentiousness and immorality. The purpose of such rejection is to awaken the alleged believer to the incongruity of his or her position. On the other hand, Paul says there is nothing wrong in associating with those of the world who are greedy or immoral. We expect them to live as they do, and we are primarily in the world to be salt and light. Our association with the ungodly provides them with a positive example and a new perspective which may infect them with love of the Truth.
It should not come as a surprise to us that, in spite of our best efforts – or perhaps because of our best efforts in the Spirit, the world does not recognize us. Having never known our Father, how could they see the resemblance in the sons and daughters? To them our beliefs and behavior makes no sense. They ridicule our naiveté and mock our faith. People who call themselves Christians have given the world plenty of ammunition through hypocrisy. Yet, what often gets quickly labeled as hypocrisy by the worldly watchers is only the stumbling misstep of a child learning to walk.
Walking in the Spirit is impossible for fallen man, and it is far from easy even for the redeemed. Though we have trusted in the work of the Cross and been reborn in spirit, and even though our spirit is now in union with God and a temple of His Spirit, it is tough to rely on those new spiritual appendages. If pigs did sprout wings, I wonder how many of them would really try to fly.
We have been transformed whether those around us recognize it or not. It is the truth and remains the truth. We cannot allow the opinions of those who have no knowledge of our new life to keep us pinned in the mud when we are now creatures of a different medium.
13 comments:
Slightly OT...I'm mostly ok with churches when I look at them as hospitals. It's to be expected that unbelievers cannot see that, but most distressing when believers forget it as well.
Great post. Great ending.
You will appreciate this Scipio, I’ll wager, If you haven’t already..
“Walking in the Spirit is impossible for fallen man, and it is far from easy even for the redeemed.”
You know, I was thinking just this morning, the Commandments actually are easy. I mean, look at ‘em. Don’t murder. That should be easy for John Q. Pedestrian. Obviously the Ten are not all there is to Walking in Spirit, but they are a start – and you can’t get any of them wrong, or else... Yet somehow we begin as if some of even these can actually be debated somehow, or exceptions or loopholes found...
Robin, that's what I was thinking Sunday which probably led to this post -- that the gathering of the 'called-out ones' should be a lot about reinforcing, growing, and very often healing. We get beat up pretty badly out here sometimes, and it would be nice to have a place where we could get at least a pat on on the back.
The picture of Ted alone -- if indeed he is alone in that vasty abode -- is worth a thousand words.
I heard the editor of the Manchester, NH paper (can't remember the name) talking about how old Joe came and asked him to endorse Jack for President in 1960. The editor refused. He told Joe something like, "I won't endorse John, but I would endorse you. Of course, I'd want to count the money every night."
At least bootleggers believe in capitalism.
The problem with walking in the Spirit is that we have trouble getting rid of the "good stuff". The Commandments deal with the bad side of the flesh, and, as you say, it's pretty straightforward.
The Spirit demands that all the flesh including the "good" but slightly independent parts be subjugated and put to death as well as the obviously bad. I don't see the need for that. I should be able to analyze and evaluate and figure stuff out, even in doing the Lord's work. What's the problem with that?
I should say it is very, very hard for me -- for another it might be easy. I don't know. I just want to help God out, you know? I've been getting by pretty good. I'm street-savvy. I know how it goes down. Just let me handle it, Lord.
Peter is probably the perfect example of a guy who desperately wanted to do the right thing but always did it the wrong way -- until after Pentecost anyway.
I know why you chose Peter and I would too. If he wasn't important we wouldn't still be talking about him 2000 years later. Nor would Jesus if he didn't think so. As Bob told me once, everyone has a role to play.
I still say, there are Saints and there is living as close to one as you can. And of course we are capable of more than we know. So we shoot for that. I read tonight that even Jesus can't say who a Saint will be, if I read it right.
Here it is, from Matthew 20
"The Request of the Mother of James and John
20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favor of him. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?”g They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
Ho! Good point. Jesus makes the way, or is the Way, but status in the Kingdom is determined by something other than His sovereign decree. Nor is there a sainthood formula.
In the interplay between the individual path we are given to walk and our attitude and response to that path, we move toward holiness.
The error of James, John, and their mother was thinking because Jesus loved and specifically chose them as foundation stones of His Church that somehow that entitled them to special consideration. And after all, Jesus said, ask what you will, didn't He?
We can all, by God's grace, find rest and peace. We can all do His will, but our place in the Kingdom is a different matter, and possibly best left out of our thoughts.
I've have been acquainted with people in ministry who have fallen, in a couple of cases, spectacularly. They were all very effective at what they did. Like James and John, they were deceived by their gifts and thought they had special access and status in the Kingdom. They failed to realize it was just the path they were on.
It seems the warning signs are everywhere; in scripture, about scripture and presented in people. I want to know where I am on the ladder; not where I think I am, or dream I am. Jesus seemed to make it clear that he knew even where he stood, knew there was “only one Good”. And that he was a servant. Not easy for us in that respect, as you say.
Thanks for this thought provoking, Mushroom.
Excellent, thought-provoking post, Mushroom!
Indeed, also heart-provoking. One of the prayers God always answers is when we ask Him to show us who we are in earnest, which tells us where we are and what we need to do...no, BE to grow and continue in our quest for Truth, Goodness and Beauty.
To love and yet gno God's Mercy, Love n' Justice, for they aren't opposed.
Aye. Prayin' for conviction and the strength, courage, surrender to Him and will to fight the Good fight will always be answered, and it can be quite painful, which is the hard part of the easy burden Jesus offers us.
That old man, the flesh, needs a killin' everytime it digs it's egotistical self outta the grave we buried it in. That's much more difficult, for me, than the other aspects of spiritual warfare.
'Cause if we don't gno who we are, and do/be our pOtential, we just become static (lukewarm)...or worse.
Thanks, Mushroom, and God bless you! :^)
If we divided humans into three categories: those who were "established Christians," those who "expressed hope," and those who were "without hope.", I'd place myself in the middle category. "Have no other gods before Me" seems to be my full time job.
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