“As God’s prisoner, then, I beg you to live lives worthy of your high calling. Accept life with humility and patience, making allowances for one another because you love one another. Make it your aim to be one in the Spirit, and you will inevitably be at peace with one another.” (Ephesians 4: 1 – 3 Phillips)
The worthy life of a person called to “follow” Christ is a life of “love.” And for most of the rest of his letter Paul writes about virtually every aspect of our relationships with one another.
“Accept life with humility … .” This is personal. It’s about “me.” That Paul would begin with advice on how to relate to oneself is revealing. He obviously understands our propensity to be begin there. But he doesn’t condemn us for that. He instructs us. Our view of ourselves, he explains, must be humble. Humility, for Paul, was not about self-deprecation. He is not teaching us to “put ourselves down.” He is encouraging us to begin our living day-by-day with a “sane estimate of our own importance.” (Romans 12: 3) Wisely he reminds us that this must be done with “patience.” We’re not the center of the Universe, so demands we put on ourselves to live as though we were; driven to “change things we cannot as well as things we can,” will only frustrate us and those around us. At the same time we’re not insignificant. To be “patient” with ourselves is to be “gracious” with “me;” to “cut ‘me’ a little slack.”
If we learn to “make allowance” for ourselves, recognizing the “Grace” our Lord has shown us, we will find it more natural to offer the same to one another. It’s when our importance is properly measured that we can freely give way to others.
“Make it your aim,” is another way of saying, focus on what matters most. For Christ-followers “unity in the Spirit,” matters most. It is, after all, what Jesus prayed for on the night before He was crucified. (See John 17:11, 20 & 21.) The “Spirit of Truth” is “with” all of us. He is “in” all of us. It makes sense that He would be working to bring us together. So, as we submit to His influence, we’ll be drawn to each other. It even makes sense to our finite minds that His influence in one of us will have different emphases than in others of us. He is “infinite.” The mind of God knows no limits. It stands to reason, then, that I will know “the Truth,” more completely when I’m learning what He’s saying to you and others as well as to myself. This interdependence and mutual respect for one another as “the dwelling place of God in the Spirit,” will, inevitably lead to “peace.” We’re filled with the same “Spirit.” He’s guiding us. He is our “strength.” We’re finding a deep sense of security and certainty as we learn to trust Him. When we realize that this is a mutual experience within our Community we begin to feel safe with each other. We realize we’ve found not only a “person” we can count on. We’ve found “people a person can count on.”
Friday, May 07, 2010
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
"... no matter what happens it can be well with us!"
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” (Matthew 7: 24 & 25)
Foundational people; strong, stable, solid people are people who do what Jesus said they should do. He assumes it is so when He speaks of “everyone …” here at the end of lengthy teaching about “the Kingdom of Heaven.” He assumes so when He commissions the eleven. “God authorized and commanded me to commission you:” He said. “Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28: 18 – 20)
It’s unfortunate that I have to insist on this. But not all Bible Teachers believe it is so. Some teach that “we’re not perfect, just forgiven.” Others tell us that the principles Christ taught are for a “millennial kingdom.”
Jesus used the “present tense.” He is teaching about life in a Kingdom which He said is “now accessible to everyone.” (Mark 1:15 Willard Paraphrase) Jesus believed; personally experienced; and taught that when God rules in a person’s life, by the Holy Spirit in them, they will live this way. This “blessed” life will be the privilege of any and all people who “repent and believe.” Unlike the “hyper-religious” “pretenders” of His day, these “solid people” would have changed hearts. Jesus, quite simply, expected such a transformation in those who were “born of the Spirit.” (John 3: 6)
As our hearts are made over we are progressively changed. We love each other more perfectly. We even love those who “mistreat us.” We become the sort of people who wouldn’t even think of taking advantage of another person. Our piety is a personal thing between ourselves and “Our Father who sees the secret hidden places in our hearts.” We are people who, as Dallas Willard explains, “put their lives together in such a way that, no matter what happens, it is well with us.” We are focused on what’s important despite the chaos that often threatens to overwhelm us. We inspire confidence in others. Our real life is a demonstration of what we say we believe. Just as Jesus said it should be: our lives, veritable “beacons,” enlighten the world around us. People see “goodness” in us and give the “glory to our Father in Heaven.” We increasingly prove to be “people a person can count on.”
Foundational people; strong, stable, solid people are people who do what Jesus said they should do. He assumes it is so when He speaks of “everyone …” here at the end of lengthy teaching about “the Kingdom of Heaven.” He assumes so when He commissions the eleven. “God authorized and commanded me to commission you:” He said. “Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28: 18 – 20)
It’s unfortunate that I have to insist on this. But not all Bible Teachers believe it is so. Some teach that “we’re not perfect, just forgiven.” Others tell us that the principles Christ taught are for a “millennial kingdom.”
Jesus used the “present tense.” He is teaching about life in a Kingdom which He said is “now accessible to everyone.” (Mark 1:15 Willard Paraphrase) Jesus believed; personally experienced; and taught that when God rules in a person’s life, by the Holy Spirit in them, they will live this way. This “blessed” life will be the privilege of any and all people who “repent and believe.” Unlike the “hyper-religious” “pretenders” of His day, these “solid people” would have changed hearts. Jesus, quite simply, expected such a transformation in those who were “born of the Spirit.” (John 3: 6)
As our hearts are made over we are progressively changed. We love each other more perfectly. We even love those who “mistreat us.” We become the sort of people who wouldn’t even think of taking advantage of another person. Our piety is a personal thing between ourselves and “Our Father who sees the secret hidden places in our hearts.” We are people who, as Dallas Willard explains, “put their lives together in such a way that, no matter what happens, it is well with us.” We are focused on what’s important despite the chaos that often threatens to overwhelm us. We inspire confidence in others. Our real life is a demonstration of what we say we believe. Just as Jesus said it should be: our lives, veritable “beacons,” enlighten the world around us. People see “goodness” in us and give the “glory to our Father in Heaven.” We increasingly prove to be “people a person can count on.”
Sunday, May 02, 2010
We All Need Somebody to Lean On ...
“Together, we are His house, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. And the Cornerstone is Christ Jesus Himself.” (Ephesians 1: 20)
We must never forget that we are “together,” in these “Heavenly” experiences. Many of the Christ-followers Paul dealt with were Jewish. Some of them insisted that Gentiles could only be accepted into this new Community – the Church – if they complied with all the requirements of Judaism. Paul adamantly insisted that Christ has “reconciled both – Jew and Gentile – to God by the sacrifice of one body on the cross … And it is through Him that both of us now can approach the Father in the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:16 -18 Phillips)
No one has greater privilege than another in this “Kingdom.” Oh, I am the King’s “house.” His “Spirit,” “the Spirit of Truth,” is “in” me. But He’s “in” you too. We are “His house,” “together.”
This metaphor, the imagery of our being God’s house, is more than just a young concept. Paul’s reference to Christ as the “cornerstone” – the most important stone in the foundation on which this “house” is built – is taken from the Psalms. An ancient songwriter wrote, “the stone which the builders rejected has become the capstone …” (Psalm 118: 22) Not only Paul, but Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Peter each take this to be a reference to Christ the foundational Person in the Kingdom of God.” (See Matthew 21: 42; Mark 12: 10; Luke 20: 17; Acts 4: 11; 1 Peter 2: 7.) Jesus Himself took the idea that He is the foundation of His Church and gave it a whole new meaning. He told Peter, “… you are Peter, and on this rock – Petra – I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades, will not overcome it.” (Matthew 16: 18) So there would be no confusion – no tendency to make Peter more prestigious than all other Christ-followers – He said to a multitude of people; potential members of that invincible Community, “everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had it foundation on the rock.” (Matthew 7: 24 & 25)
Like the “apostles and prophets,” we, “trained” in Christ’s teaching and by His example; guided and empowered by the “Spirit of Truth” within us, become “foundational people.” We become stabilizing influences. In his book, “The Great Divorce,” C. S. Lewis calls heavenly people “Solid people.” And so we are. More than a metaphor, we become, here and now as well as there and then, stones in the foundation of the Church. Yes, Christ is the “chief” stone. But He has chosen us to be, like Himself, “people a person can count on,” “someone to lean
on;” “foundational;” “strong;” “stable;” “solid” people.
We must never forget that we are “together,” in these “Heavenly” experiences. Many of the Christ-followers Paul dealt with were Jewish. Some of them insisted that Gentiles could only be accepted into this new Community – the Church – if they complied with all the requirements of Judaism. Paul adamantly insisted that Christ has “reconciled both – Jew and Gentile – to God by the sacrifice of one body on the cross … And it is through Him that both of us now can approach the Father in the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:16 -18 Phillips)
No one has greater privilege than another in this “Kingdom.” Oh, I am the King’s “house.” His “Spirit,” “the Spirit of Truth,” is “in” me. But He’s “in” you too. We are “His house,” “together.”
This metaphor, the imagery of our being God’s house, is more than just a young concept. Paul’s reference to Christ as the “cornerstone” – the most important stone in the foundation on which this “house” is built – is taken from the Psalms. An ancient songwriter wrote, “the stone which the builders rejected has become the capstone …” (Psalm 118: 22) Not only Paul, but Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Peter each take this to be a reference to Christ the foundational Person in the Kingdom of God.” (See Matthew 21: 42; Mark 12: 10; Luke 20: 17; Acts 4: 11; 1 Peter 2: 7.) Jesus Himself took the idea that He is the foundation of His Church and gave it a whole new meaning. He told Peter, “… you are Peter, and on this rock – Petra – I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades, will not overcome it.” (Matthew 16: 18) So there would be no confusion – no tendency to make Peter more prestigious than all other Christ-followers – He said to a multitude of people; potential members of that invincible Community, “everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had it foundation on the rock.” (Matthew 7: 24 & 25)
Like the “apostles and prophets,” we, “trained” in Christ’s teaching and by His example; guided and empowered by the “Spirit of Truth” within us, become “foundational people.” We become stabilizing influences. In his book, “The Great Divorce,” C. S. Lewis calls heavenly people “Solid people.” And so we are. More than a metaphor, we become, here and now as well as there and then, stones in the foundation of the Church. Yes, Christ is the “chief” stone. But He has chosen us to be, like Himself, “people a person can count on,” “someone to lean
on;” “foundational;” “strong;” “stable;” “solid” people.
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