"For Christ's love compels us..." (2 Cor. 5:14, NIV).
"He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not wholeheartedly" (2 Chron. 25:2, NIV)--the epitaph of Amaziah
"Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit (Gal. 5:25, NIV).
The Christian life is not a test to compare ourselves with others (cf. 2 Cor. 10:12); however, God is testing where our loyalties lie and our motives. We tend to become performance-minded and think that it all depends upon our personal efforts and goals; however, it's more trusting than trying if you will; e.g., "I wonder who the best preacher, singer, or writer is?" Some Christians try too hard and never learn to let go and let God take over in faith. That is the essence of faith: reliance and trust; it's not being rules-obsessed as the Pharisees were.
Christ is at work within us and gives us the power to live the obedient Christian life--for without Him, we can do nothing (cf. John 15:5). However, God is always working within us (cf. Phil. 2:13). The Christian life, they say, is not hard--it's impossible! It's not a code of conduct, a system of ethics to live by, or philosophy to embrace, but a relationship in knowing a person--the unique personhood of Christ indwelling us. We aren't presenting a creed to believe or recite, but a person to know! The wonderful thing about our faith is that Christ gives us the power to live it out for Him and we don't have to rely on our own strength; we don't achieve, we believe!
We can never achieve the perfection of the Father, though that is the goal--direction is the test and perfection is the standard (cf. Matt. 5:48) that we will never meet in this life short of glory. We must learn as Paul said in Gal. 2:20 that the Christian life is not a successful life of imitating Christ, but an exchanged life of Christ living in us--the substituted, surrendered and relinquished life only Christ can offer. Some people try too hard and never achieve this trust that we must rely on the Holy Spirit for renewal to come (cf. Job 14:14). This is why it's ill-advised to compare ourselves with other believers because they don't have the same gifting or calling and are accountable to God not us for fruit-bearing. We plant, water, and reap; however, God makes it grow--what a concept! A fruit tree doesn't require effort to bear fruit, it comes naturally! And so when we are filled with the Spirit, fruit comes second nature and we are not trying to bear fruit, but do so naturally.
We must learn to walk with Christ in the Spirit and to rely on His strength, not ours. Strong people are the last to learn to lean on Jesus because they don't have the weaknesses that weaker believers have, who more readily learn to surrender and live in the Spirit. A fruitful life is giving back to the Lord what He has invested in us and letting God have His way with us, giving up ownership of our lives to the One who bought us. We owe a deep debt of gratitude to our Lord for His redemption of us and we must trust Him to guide and use us for His glory.
We will be tested and can pass with flying colors if Jesus is ruling our spirit and we are walking with Him, but we inevitably will learn our lesson somehow, either through the school of hard knocks or the easy way--via the Word of God. There will be no braggadocio at the bema of Christ, but God fully rewards us for the work He accomplishes through our willing obedience. It has been well said that we are Christ's ambassadors: His feet to go for Him; His hands to help others; His voice to speak for Him; His ears to listen and hear for Him, and His heart to love for Him.
The final test of our efforts are not the results, for they are up to God, but our submission--God gets the glory as we are vessels of honor and He is using us to glorify Himself--it is wrong for a minister, after a sermon, to ask, "How did I do?" for it was the Holy Spirit at work through the sermon that brought conviction and opened hearts! Mother Teresa of Calcutta, 1979 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, now canonized, says God calls us to faithfulness, not success.
Obedience is the only true test of our faith, as Bonhoeffer said: "Only he who believes is obedient; only he who is obedient believes." Disobedient Christians are a contradiction in terms--we can fall short and disobey, but not permanently--we must live lives in line with the Spirit's leading, for those who are led by the Spirit are the children of God (cf. Rom. 8:14).
"He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not wholeheartedly" (2 Chron. 25:2, NIV)--the epitaph of Amaziah
"Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit (Gal. 5:25, NIV).
The Christian life is not a test to compare ourselves with others (cf. 2 Cor. 10:12); however, God is testing where our loyalties lie and our motives. We tend to become performance-minded and think that it all depends upon our personal efforts and goals; however, it's more trusting than trying if you will; e.g., "I wonder who the best preacher, singer, or writer is?" Some Christians try too hard and never learn to let go and let God take over in faith. That is the essence of faith: reliance and trust; it's not being rules-obsessed as the Pharisees were.
Christ is at work within us and gives us the power to live the obedient Christian life--for without Him, we can do nothing (cf. John 15:5). However, God is always working within us (cf. Phil. 2:13). The Christian life, they say, is not hard--it's impossible! It's not a code of conduct, a system of ethics to live by, or philosophy to embrace, but a relationship in knowing a person--the unique personhood of Christ indwelling us. We aren't presenting a creed to believe or recite, but a person to know! The wonderful thing about our faith is that Christ gives us the power to live it out for Him and we don't have to rely on our own strength; we don't achieve, we believe!
We can never achieve the perfection of the Father, though that is the goal--direction is the test and perfection is the standard (cf. Matt. 5:48) that we will never meet in this life short of glory. We must learn as Paul said in Gal. 2:20 that the Christian life is not a successful life of imitating Christ, but an exchanged life of Christ living in us--the substituted, surrendered and relinquished life only Christ can offer. Some people try too hard and never achieve this trust that we must rely on the Holy Spirit for renewal to come (cf. Job 14:14). This is why it's ill-advised to compare ourselves with other believers because they don't have the same gifting or calling and are accountable to God not us for fruit-bearing. We plant, water, and reap; however, God makes it grow--what a concept! A fruit tree doesn't require effort to bear fruit, it comes naturally! And so when we are filled with the Spirit, fruit comes second nature and we are not trying to bear fruit, but do so naturally.
We must learn to walk with Christ in the Spirit and to rely on His strength, not ours. Strong people are the last to learn to lean on Jesus because they don't have the weaknesses that weaker believers have, who more readily learn to surrender and live in the Spirit. A fruitful life is giving back to the Lord what He has invested in us and letting God have His way with us, giving up ownership of our lives to the One who bought us. We owe a deep debt of gratitude to our Lord for His redemption of us and we must trust Him to guide and use us for His glory.
We will be tested and can pass with flying colors if Jesus is ruling our spirit and we are walking with Him, but we inevitably will learn our lesson somehow, either through the school of hard knocks or the easy way--via the Word of God. There will be no braggadocio at the bema of Christ, but God fully rewards us for the work He accomplishes through our willing obedience. It has been well said that we are Christ's ambassadors: His feet to go for Him; His hands to help others; His voice to speak for Him; His ears to listen and hear for Him, and His heart to love for Him.
The final test of our efforts are not the results, for they are up to God, but our submission--God gets the glory as we are vessels of honor and He is using us to glorify Himself--it is wrong for a minister, after a sermon, to ask, "How did I do?" for it was the Holy Spirit at work through the sermon that brought conviction and opened hearts! Mother Teresa of Calcutta, 1979 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, now canonized, says God calls us to faithfulness, not success.
Obedience is the only true test of our faith, as Bonhoeffer said: "Only he who believes is obedient; only he who is obedient believes." Disobedient Christians are a contradiction in terms--we can fall short and disobey, but not permanently--we must live lives in line with the Spirit's leading, for those who are led by the Spirit are the children of God (cf. Rom. 8:14).
We should emulate King David who did what was right in the sight of the LORD (cf. 1 Kings 15:5), Joshua and Caleb who followed the LORD wholeheartedly (cf. Josh. 14:8), and even King Hezekiah who earnestly sought the LORD and worked wholeheartedly (cf. 2 Chron. 31:21) because the eyes of the LORD are everywhere looking for those whose hearts are fully committed to Him (cf. 2 Chron. 16:9) in the manner of serving God with gusto and with all our might! This may mean going the extra mile and being willing to go all the way with the LORD no matter what the cost.
We should emulate King David who did what was right in the sight of the LORD (cf. 1 Kings 15:5), Joshua and Caleb who followed the LORD wholeheartedly (cf. Josh. 14:8), and even King Hezekiah who earnestly sought the LORD and worked wholeheartedly (cf. 2 Chron. 31:21) because the eyes of the LORD are everywhere looking for those whose hearts are fully committed to Him (cf. 2 Chron. 16:9) in the manner of serving God with gusto and with all our might! This may mean going the extra mile and being willing to go all the way with the LORD no matter what the cost.
Therefore, we must desire to know Christ and the power of His resurrection (cf. Phil. 3:10). The essence of the Christian life is simply "Christ"--without Him, it's disemboweled. One can illustrate it by an "inhabited life", not an "imitated" one. In the final analysis, God doesn't want our performance or even achievements--He wants our obedience and full surrender so He can do with us whatever He wills to His glory and live through us (cf. Isa. 43:7).
Therefore, we must desire to know Christ and the power of His resurrection (cf. Phil. 3:10). The essence of the Christian life is simply "Christ"--without Him, it's disemboweled. One can illustrate it by an "inhabited life", not an "imitated" one. In the final analysis, God doesn't want our performance or even achievements--He wants our obedience and full surrender so He can do with us whatever He wills to His glory and live through us (cf. Isa. 43:7).
Caveat: Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried (G. K. Chesterton). Soli Deo Gloria!
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