"... God, be merciful to me the sinner" (cf. Luke 18:13, emphasis mine).
The kingdom of God differentiates itself from the ways of the world in manifold ways. They say you should stick up for yourself and defend yourself at all cost, and bully your way to the top of the dog-eat-dog world, but in God's economy the way up is down, just as John predicated, seeing Jesus: "He must increase, but I must decrease," (cf. John 3:30, ESV). The question is not how high we can aspire to and how high our dreams or aims are, but how low can we go in Christ's name--can we share in His humiliation? The world measures a man by how many people serve him, but God does by how many men he serves.
Faith alone pleases God and it's given, not achieved; however, we must put it into practice! NB: In God's economy, there's purpose and design, and everything is done in a "fitting and orderly way" [or decently and in order] (cf. 1 Cor. 14:40). As is said, it is in giving that we receive, and in dying we live! In admitting our failures, we find success. As Socrates said, that we must first admit our ignorance to begin learning. In humbling ourselves, we're exalted. It seems like God's economy is antithetical and a paradox.
The ironic thing about the rat race, according to Lily Tomlin, is that even if you win it, you're still a rat! And who wants to be the top dog who wins in the law of the jungle and the survival of the fittest by applying the Iron Rule when the leadership class eventually develops. These social Darwinist theories don't jibe with Christian dogma and in God's economy the weak are taken care of by God and the job of the mighty and noble is to look out for the destitute and needy--the less fortunate, for God made the rich as well as the poor and it's an insult to our Maker to despise anyone in God's image. We may not have a social gospel to preach but the Christian social commission to aid the needy has not been rescinded. In the ways of the world, one learns to brownnose and curry favor by flattery and bribery--saying just the right things to gain approbation. Even lying is a way of gaining an edge and advantage over one's competition or political opponent--what politician is known for being aboveboard nowadays?
Also, in God's economy (spiritually speaking), emptying comes before filling; i.e., we must confess our sins and seek the filling of the Holy Spirit--it's not a given regardless of our conduct and behavior. To meditate on Christ, we must forget about ourselves! When we look at Christ all else fades in comparison. We must walk the walk, not just talk the talk (being sensitive to the presence of God and the Spirit) and practice what we all preach or profess in Christ's name, not to be nominal Christians in name only. Ethics or praxeology (right behavior) is the practice of our orthodoxy (right belief). How can you find yourself in God, but by losing yourself? We find out that we must die to our dreams and then our meaning in life is hidden with Christ in God according to Colossians 3:2 as quoted in paraphrase; i.e., we die to self in order to live and lose our life to find it! Most people don't know that it's not about them and it doesn't occur to them to get their eyes off themselves and to stop focusing on self and living selfishly.
In God's economy, we never make a real sacrifice--Christ made an infinite one for us. Whatever we do we are rewarded for and God makes up for bad or hard times with equal good times and blessings. We never come out the loser in God's economy. He is on our side--we cannot lose; He believes in us--our situation is never hopeless; He is with us--we are never alone. Jesus paid the price and the battle is already won through His work.
Also, in God's economy, it pays to give and it is in blessing others that we are blessed in return. We can never out-give God and this is a true test of our faith to see if we will trust Him for His daily bread or provision. In God's economy, He promises to meet all our needs, but not our felt needs or wants. He promises to withhold nothing good, but that isn't the same as having everything, for some people, are doubly blessed, but all are blessed--for God is good to all in some ways, and to some in all ways, and everything in the continuum. There are so many resources God entrusts to our accountability and we have made stewards over, such as time, talents, gifts, ambitions, property, relationships, opportunities, testimony, witness, and hobbies or pastimes, and so forth. Let us all seek to be a blessing, for this is the very purpose of our calling and salvation that brings God glory (cf. Zech. 8:13; Isa. 43:7).
But it's a bleak outlook with no real hope in a belief system without God in the equation or economy! Remember, the greatest in the kingdom of God is the one who can humble himself as a child (cf. Matt. 18:3), not exalt himself, for whosoever exalts himself shall be humbled and whosoever humbles himself shall be exalted. For God "resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (cf. James 4:6). We share in His glory and will be glorified in heaven because He has given us this moral compass and code to share as examples of Christ to the world as we are the feet to go where needed, the voice to speak for Him, the heart to share His love, and the hands to help those in need.
On the other hand, the Eastern faiths believe in karma and don't want to interfere with anyone's karma--Christians alone are known for their charity and good deeds as well as noble social movements and reforms in Christ's name. We must stop thinking like the world, which is so pragmatic (the ends justify the means and only results, not truth matter) and practical (how it works for us), and they think something is true because it works (a la yoga as faith, not an exercise, TM, meditation, horoscopes, et al.), but Christianity works because it's true--just the opposite (but we must find out for ourselves--as they say the proof of the pudding is in the eating--and "taste and see that the Lord is good" according to Psalm 34:8; 1 Pet. 2:3!).
In God's economy, salvation is free but not cheap--it will cost you everything (surrender of the ownership of your life)--you can never pay it back, you don't deserve it, and cannot earn it because it's grace. When we realize that life comes from death and the old can be reborn, our eyes are on their way to enlightenment and our souls to regeneration. NB: Christ is not against our works, just ones done in the flesh!
A FINAL WORD TO THE WISE: IN GOD'S ECONOMY SUFFERING BRINGS CHARACTER AND CROSSES BRINGS CROWNS. Soli Deo Gloria!
The kingdom of God differentiates itself from the ways of the world in manifold ways. They say you should stick up for yourself and defend yourself at all cost, and bully your way to the top of the dog-eat-dog world, but in God's economy the way up is down, just as John predicated, seeing Jesus: "He must increase, but I must decrease," (cf. John 3:30, ESV). The question is not how high we can aspire to and how high our dreams or aims are, but how low can we go in Christ's name--can we share in His humiliation? The world measures a man by how many people serve him, but God does by how many men he serves.
Faith alone pleases God and it's given, not achieved; however, we must put it into practice! NB: In God's economy, there's purpose and design, and everything is done in a "fitting and orderly way" [or decently and in order] (cf. 1 Cor. 14:40). As is said, it is in giving that we receive, and in dying we live! In admitting our failures, we find success. As Socrates said, that we must first admit our ignorance to begin learning. In humbling ourselves, we're exalted. It seems like God's economy is antithetical and a paradox.
The ironic thing about the rat race, according to Lily Tomlin, is that even if you win it, you're still a rat! And who wants to be the top dog who wins in the law of the jungle and the survival of the fittest by applying the Iron Rule when the leadership class eventually develops. These social Darwinist theories don't jibe with Christian dogma and in God's economy the weak are taken care of by God and the job of the mighty and noble is to look out for the destitute and needy--the less fortunate, for God made the rich as well as the poor and it's an insult to our Maker to despise anyone in God's image. We may not have a social gospel to preach but the Christian social commission to aid the needy has not been rescinded. In the ways of the world, one learns to brownnose and curry favor by flattery and bribery--saying just the right things to gain approbation. Even lying is a way of gaining an edge and advantage over one's competition or political opponent--what politician is known for being aboveboard nowadays?
Also, in God's economy (spiritually speaking), emptying comes before filling; i.e., we must confess our sins and seek the filling of the Holy Spirit--it's not a given regardless of our conduct and behavior. To meditate on Christ, we must forget about ourselves! When we look at Christ all else fades in comparison. We must walk the walk, not just talk the talk (being sensitive to the presence of God and the Spirit) and practice what we all preach or profess in Christ's name, not to be nominal Christians in name only. Ethics or praxeology (right behavior) is the practice of our orthodoxy (right belief). How can you find yourself in God, but by losing yourself? We find out that we must die to our dreams and then our meaning in life is hidden with Christ in God according to Colossians 3:2 as quoted in paraphrase; i.e., we die to self in order to live and lose our life to find it! Most people don't know that it's not about them and it doesn't occur to them to get their eyes off themselves and to stop focusing on self and living selfishly.
In God's economy, we never make a real sacrifice--Christ made an infinite one for us. Whatever we do we are rewarded for and God makes up for bad or hard times with equal good times and blessings. We never come out the loser in God's economy. He is on our side--we cannot lose; He believes in us--our situation is never hopeless; He is with us--we are never alone. Jesus paid the price and the battle is already won through His work.
Also, in God's economy, it pays to give and it is in blessing others that we are blessed in return. We can never out-give God and this is a true test of our faith to see if we will trust Him for His daily bread or provision. In God's economy, He promises to meet all our needs, but not our felt needs or wants. He promises to withhold nothing good, but that isn't the same as having everything, for some people, are doubly blessed, but all are blessed--for God is good to all in some ways, and to some in all ways, and everything in the continuum. There are so many resources God entrusts to our accountability and we have made stewards over, such as time, talents, gifts, ambitions, property, relationships, opportunities, testimony, witness, and hobbies or pastimes, and so forth. Let us all seek to be a blessing, for this is the very purpose of our calling and salvation that brings God glory (cf. Zech. 8:13; Isa. 43:7).
But it's a bleak outlook with no real hope in a belief system without God in the equation or economy! Remember, the greatest in the kingdom of God is the one who can humble himself as a child (cf. Matt. 18:3), not exalt himself, for whosoever exalts himself shall be humbled and whosoever humbles himself shall be exalted. For God "resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (cf. James 4:6). We share in His glory and will be glorified in heaven because He has given us this moral compass and code to share as examples of Christ to the world as we are the feet to go where needed, the voice to speak for Him, the heart to share His love, and the hands to help those in need.
On the other hand, the Eastern faiths believe in karma and don't want to interfere with anyone's karma--Christians alone are known for their charity and good deeds as well as noble social movements and reforms in Christ's name. We must stop thinking like the world, which is so pragmatic (the ends justify the means and only results, not truth matter) and practical (how it works for us), and they think something is true because it works (a la yoga as faith, not an exercise, TM, meditation, horoscopes, et al.), but Christianity works because it's true--just the opposite (but we must find out for ourselves--as they say the proof of the pudding is in the eating--and "taste and see that the Lord is good" according to Psalm 34:8; 1 Pet. 2:3!).
In God's economy, salvation is free but not cheap--it will cost you everything (surrender of the ownership of your life)--you can never pay it back, you don't deserve it, and cannot earn it because it's grace. When we realize that life comes from death and the old can be reborn, our eyes are on their way to enlightenment and our souls to regeneration. NB: Christ is not against our works, just ones done in the flesh!
A FINAL WORD TO THE WISE: IN GOD'S ECONOMY SUFFERING BRINGS CHARACTER AND CROSSES BRINGS CROWNS. Soli Deo Gloria!
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