June 21, 2012
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GROSS IRRESPONSIBILITY
Stop Holding Off And Live Born Again
"...to be made new in the attitude of your minds;"
Ephesians 4:23
There is a Xangan I'd like to thank and give credit for inspiring this post. Miss @clumsyandunaware posted this on a recent pulse...
"And we like being his, until we realize we're not ours anymore."Truer words have never been spoke. But they are dangerous words to say, especially to those who call ourselves Christians in America. Miss "clumsy..." we American Christians are a freedom minded people who don't like hearing things which make us someone's property. None the less the statement you make is gospel truth...
"You are not your own; you were bought at a price."
1 Corinthians 6:19 & 20
We don't like the idea of being bought and owned, even if it is God's doing. We don't openly rebel against what God says, we excuse our rejection of God's ownership by quoting some other Scripture which speaks to freedom. Never mind that the same Scriptures which proclaim our freedom in Christ proclaim God's ownership of us. We belong to God, and he calls us to the works he desires for us to do. I've heard Christians often quote part of Jesus teaching,"You may ask anything in my name and I will do it for you."
John 14:14
But the same savior who says "...ask anything in my name..." also says"Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can only do what he sees the Father doing, because what the Father does the Son does."
John 15:19
So when asking Jesus for something it must always and without fail be completely in line with Father's perfect will, purposes, plans and ways. Jesus himself was sent into the world to be a "lamb lead to the slaughter"; a suffering servant savior.
"For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son."Romans 8: 29
So if it is Jesus' desire to do what he sees his Father doing then to be in the image and likeness of Christ necessarily means I, a born again person, desire to do only what Father is doing. I like what my friend Shawn says, "Find out where God is working and involve yourself in that work." So simple, but not at all self-serving or self-centered, but very like Christ. The call is God's, the work is God's, the credit is God's, and God making us a worker in his call and in his work is intended to be a tasty slice of heaven. In the story of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well, his disciples leave Jesus to go and purchase food (John 4). When the disciples return it is just in time to see the Samaritan woman leave Jesus. His disciples can only watch silently, which is not at all surprising. No good Jew could ever understand why another good Jew would ever speak to a Samaritan, let alone a female Samaritan. One of Jesus' disciples finally tells him they've got food, to which Jesus responds, "I have food you don't know about... My food is to do the will of my Father." No wonder Jesus wants to do whatever Father is doing, IT IS GOOD FOOD!!
Here's the deal if you claim to be born again then God owns you. God doesn't treat us like slaves, but that is what we are. I love the way Paul says it, "I am a bond servant of righteousness..." Jesus was a bond servant; slave of righteousness, and so like his savior, Paul reveled; boasted; loved; rejoiced in being a slave of God. Being a slave of righteousness isn't so much obligation as it is the DNA of every born again lamb of God. Obedience isn't burdensome, because we, literally, have the the spiritual DNA of Christ... What do you think "partakers of the divine nature, " means?? "We are kind after his (Jesus') kind." We are made new creations being molded into the eternal image of Jesus Christ. But of course that kind of thinking isn't what we freedom minded American Christians want to think about or do. Too bad, because slavery to Christ is better than one day as a free American.
Comments (7)
It seems like a conflicting concept, but in being a "...a bond servant of righteousness..." we actually have more freedom than we do apart from God.
This is something I have a difficult time explaining to non-believers.
@firetyger - Its difficult to explain to believers, so I don't try to explain too much to unbelievers. There are some things which take experience and maturity to better grasp. Grasping the truth is never as important as the truth getting a good grasp on us. If we are owned by the truth then we are richly blessed.
@Such_are_you - I only attempt to explain it to non-believers when they ask me. But yeah. It's even difficult for those who believe.
@firetyger - Well, sure, I wasn't suggesting that you not. I only meant to say its some pretty tough meat to chew. Give them a little bite, but then as much as possible draw them toward the more central matters of the saving gospel. Our position in Christ is of great importance, but being placed in Christ is a matter of first importance. Everything, as much as possible, in the best order.
I'm sorry I didn't mean to pass any judgment with my response...more observation, I hoped.
@Such_are_you - Oh no worries, I didn't take your response that way
It is a lot of meat to chew.
Funny, it's actually my servitude to the Lord that led me to post that pulse. Lol, the full quote is referencing the slippery slope that is an emotionally abusive relationship, and that portion really hit home to me. I have allowed myself to become someone's slave--someone that I had no business giving that power to begin with. I love the scriptures you posted
And for the record, I have no qualms with belonging to God. It's the other people I have a problem with, lol. Well, actually, I guess it's myself I really have the problem with.