Grace, behavior, and unity

Grace, ,

 

I’ve been thinking on unity this week. In Ephesians, unity is the first response that we’re to have as  Christians to the overwhelming grace of God. God who in Christ raised us from the dead, abolished the law of commandments against us, and promises us eternal life.

 

What God has done is so powerful; His one-way love for me so incredible! It has birthed in me a deep desire to respond, to have my life be about whatever my Savior wants it to be. And right away, the Word says, be humbly, gently, kindly focused on unity.

 

I’ll save an exposition of Ephesians 4 for Sunday morning… but that begs an immediate question… what is unity?

 

Most of the teaching I’ve heard on unity focuses on what I’d call “behavioral unity.” Eagerness to maintain the bond of peace with each other, I’ve been told, should lead to giving up any action that might be in a “gray area,” and hence avoid causing one’s brother or sister to stumble.

 

What this practically leads to is uniformity. One develops a rather narrow subset (out of all possible behaviors not specifically prohibited by God) of approved behaviors to be done for the sake of unity.

 

I’m not talking about sin, the clear prohibitions against immorality, lust, and evil. I’m not even talking about the wisdom of whether to do some specific behavior (as in 1 Corinthians 10:23). I’m talking about behavioral unity in the sense of conforming to the “lowest common denominator” of what anyone might think is unacceptable. If you don’t conform, you are quickly judged as lacking unity, humility, or violating a “weaker brother” principle.

 

A personal example is rowing crew. I was strongly urged to consider stopping this athletic endeavor because some of my non-Christian associates imbibed too much alcohol and spoke too crassly. It was suggested that the behavior (rowing) was therefore unacceptable because the association might cause other believers to stumble.

 

Scriptures such as Romans 14, 1 Corinthians 8 or 1 Thessalonians 5 are quickly brought to bear. “Avoid every appearance of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22). Conform to the scruples of the weaker brother, so that there is unity; it doesn’t matter if something actually is evil; beware the appearance (as defined by another believer). This will preserve unity.

 

This thinking seems on closer examination to be a distortion of the Bible, and a sullying of what is a beautiful, amazing response to what Christ has done for us.

 

In the case of 1  Thessalonians 5:22, it is important to see that false teaching is in view, not lifestyle or behavior. An accurate capture of the thought  might be, “avoid every kind of false coinage.” The thought is not that the believer should avoid gray-area behavior, but that Christians should test teaching to make sure it is biblical. Dan Wallace, author of a widely-used intermediate Greek grammar, has an excellent article on this here, showing how wrongly this verse is twisted.

 

Similarly, Romans 14 seems to have a different focus than avoiding possibly criticized behavior for the sake of unity. The point Paul is making that we should be doing all that we are doing for the Lord. “The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord… the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord.” (Romans 14:6). You see, you could eat or not eat, and both would be for a single purpose: honoring the Lord. The unity is found not in the behavior, but in the purpose, and Paul urges the Romans not to judge one another in their behavior (Romans 14:10-13), nor to impose one’s own conscience on another (Romans 14:15-19).

 

Neither the “strong brother” (joyfully eating) or the “weak brother” (joyfully abstaining) is to judge the other. The “strong brother” isn’t to eat if it will destroy the weaker’s conscience by making the weaker one partake in it (1 Corinthians 8). The 1 Corinthians passage isn’t about conforming to behavior standards, it is about not actively enticing your weaker brother to do what he thinks is wrong (do you see how this is different than avoiding a behavior because it might be judged by the weaker brother)?

 

So if behavioral unity isn’t the response we need, then what unity are we really after?

 

This is where Ephesians 4 is so helpful. Our response to God’s power on our behalf is that we are to be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3). This is immediately followed by a list of “ones” – one body, one spirit, on hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, on God and Father. Using an asyndeton, a seeming lack of connection, Paul emphasizes the critical connection between unity and the list of “ones.”

 

So the thought is that unity is unity of truth. Unity is unity of reality, seeing what is actually true. We don’t always see what is true… but we are helping each other, day by day, see what the truth is. Reality is that there is only one body, only one Spirit, only one Lord. Though we are bombarded with differences in appearance and behavior, we have unity at our core because that is what reality is.

 

Even the rest of the passage stresses the strengthening of that unity through equipping, through the teaching of the Word. The unity is “of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God.” We have the exact same God, the exact same calling, the exact same Spirit sealing us, the exact same Savior. Unity is a fact.

 

So this isn’t lifestyle unity, uniformity of behavior. If anything, this unity is peaceful – Christians will lovingly tolerate each other, even when they have differences. This tolerance is because believers already have true unity, which is a singleness of faith and knowledge, and are maintaining it by growing in faith and knowledge, seeing reality as God sees it. We have a one-ness because there really is just one body, there really is one God, there really is just one Spirit. This unity of faith and knowledge won’t be knocked off by winds of human fancy, but will allow us to love each other even though we have different interests, different joys, different behaviors.

 

Unity is a fact to be understood, a truth to be walked in. We should not aim to destroy it by our petty desires for others to submit to our ways of doing things, when they aren’t backed up by God’s clear instruction. But the truth of unity is a together-submission to God’s truth, which means we all submit to God’s ways of living, when the instruction is there.

 

The fact of unity means that you and I can live to glorify God and truly enjoy Him forever… even as we live lives of different circumstances, experiences, and preferences.

 

Praise God for the reality of grace: true unity in a world of diversity!

Grace in knowledge

Grace,

We live in such an age of information. I was moving my office last week, and packed up just a few of the medical tomes that have followed me wherever I’ve lived for the past years… thousands of pages, each page filled with accumulated information and specific knowledge.

Though I’ve benefited greatly from education, I think I’m probably not alone in having grown up in a Christian culture which doesn’t value knowledge much. “Book learning” is looked at with a skeptical eye. Seminary, I was warned, is often better called “Cemetery.” Knowledge is cold stuff, making the head big and the heart small.

This is in the Bible, I’ve been told, and 1 Corinthians 8:1 quoted: “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”

Does knowledge just puff us up?
Does knowledge just puff us up?

So… why a post on knowledge in a site dedicated to grace?

Because as I’ve grown in my Christian walk, I’ve come to see true knowledge as the single greatest gift, the very ground of the grace in which I stand.

How can this be? Because knowledge, true knowledge, is a gift of God. And true knowledge of Christ is the center of my life. All the true knowledge of Christ I have is from God, from His Word. All the experience of Christ, of His love, understood in light of this knowledge.

It’s not hidden knowledge, special knowledge, in the sense of Gnosticism. But it is fantastically special, and hidden in the sense of being thought foolishness by those who don’t know Jesus. I pursue it with all my heart, mind, soul and strength.

Consider a brief survey:
“For you know the grace of the Lord Jesus” (2 Corinthians 8:9). Knowledge leads us to consider what Jesus did for us.

“We know that a person is not justified by works of the law” (Galatians 2:16). Is this not a marvelous truth that we have to know to be saved?

“I count everything loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8). Everything loss, for the sake of knowledge.

“We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true” (1 John 5:20). Jesus himself gives knowledge.

We are told that the Holy Spirit is primarily a teacher, a passer on of knowledge. We are prayed for by Paul (Ephesians 1, 3), to understand (know) God’s working on and for us, and to know the love of Christ. We are urged to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

Every single one of these passages… involves knowledge.

Well, the argument goes, it needs to drop the 18 inches from your head to your heart. Because if it is in your head, it puffs up.

Well… maybe. But don’t use 1 Corinthians 8:1 for that thought. There, the thought is that the knowledge of food offered to idols is puffing up; the context is that those folks thought that they knew what God required… and they didn’t. What puffed them up was false knowledge.

You could say that false knowledge puffs up.
True knowledge, knowledge of Christ, is different. That knowledge pushes us to respond in love, because of the grace that Christ has poured out on us. That knowledge “fills us to the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19).

So… the greatest grace I’ve experienced is knowledge. Knowledge with a particular object: Christ. Knowledge of who He is. Knowledge of what He’s done. Knowledge that knocks my socks off, that changes who I am, that alters my perception of reality. Knowledge that is so huge, that God himself, in the person of the Holy Spirit, is the one who must impart it to me.

May this knowledge strengthen us, grow us, cause us to change… as all things pertaining to life and godliness are “through the knowledge of Him” (2 Peter 1:3).

Happy studying, and much grace be yours… in the knowledge of Christ!

Counting Blessings… and settling on one

Grace, In Christ,

I was counting blessings today. I don’t know if you do that. But as I was walking from where I park my car to where the church is, I had a really beautiful view of South Hill, with Western Washington University aglow, and the crisp green of trees contrasting the clear blue sky with just an occasional puff of cloud.

I thought, what a blessing. I live in such beauty.

And then, as I strode along, I was thanking God for being healthy. Big long strides, no problem.

What blessings do you count?
What blessings do you count?

And the church came into view, with the sign lit up, and I was praising God for a place to meet, a place to grow. And all the people who He has stirred up to be involved. Great blessing.

And my kids. Hope & Grace are so wonderful. Even when they’re not sleeping. I can’t believe that my wife and I get to raise these precious children.

And my wife. She is such a fantastic companion and helper and friend.

These are real blessings. And there are so many more… a mind to think, fingers to type, air to breathe… endless really.

But I thought if I had to pick one this morning, it would be knowledge.

That’s a funny one, you might say. Aren’t wife and kids and health and job the real blessings? Why would you want to count as your major blessing some dry, intellectual thing like ‘knowledge’?

Well, it is because of the object. I know Jesus. I know, in the way that counts, who he is. What he’s done. I know him relationally. I know him because he’s shown himself to me. I know him when so many people don’t.

Another way to say it is that my major blessing is the Bible. The teaching of the Word. Because the Word of God is about my Savior. The Word of God reveals our need for him, his coming to earth, his life and death for me, his living right now interceding for me, his glorious return. The grace that changes everything comes through this knowledge. 

True, deep, life-changing knowledge of my Savior is the ground of my faith, revealed in the Word, implanted in my heart by the Holy Spirit, and it is all I need for life (2 Peter 1:3). This knowledge drives me to repentence, shapes my actions, motivates my heart, causes me to sing. This knowledge doesn’t make me perfect… but it works on me, and it promises a glorious future.

This is a blessing that can be counted… and is why I love to spend time in my Bible.

In the words of Sinclair Ferguson: “It is essential for us to realize that God’s word is the central gift Christ gives to the church. The major gifts of the New Testament era were given either to write that word (apostles), apply it (prophets) or teach it (pastors and teachers). We must see to it that our gifts are fed on the teaching of Holy Scripture, so that they grow strong and are channelled in the right direction, and so bring glory to Christ.” (Ferguson, Grow in Grace)

Count some blessings with me today… yours may be different than mine… but don’t forget the incredible blessing of our knowledge of our Savior.

Grace in Humor

Grace, Uncategorized, ,
Is my joy really in plumbing?
Is my joy really in plumbing?

I’m so thankful my Father in heaven has a sense of humor. I know that things like discipline are signs of His love (Hebrews 12:6), and I know that there are many serious aspects to the Christian life.  But I’m also struck by circumstances in my own life that are… well… humorous, in a good way, in a teaching way, through which my Father teaches me.

I think of the example of Jesus, who often used wit to season his teaching. After Nathanael had pestered Philip in John 1 about Jesus being from Nazareth (“can anything good come out of Nazareth?”), Jesus pokes at him: “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” We might not get the humor, but it is there: Jacob, who became Israel, has a name which means deceit. “Behold,” Jesus says, “a son of Jacob indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Hmm. Just a little sarcasm, Jesus… and Nathanael may have rethought his statements about origin right there.

For me, I have to go no farther than this last weekend, when I was speaking on the joys of plumbing. Enjoy it, I was telling those around me, but don’t think it is your major blessing from God. Our blessing from God is our election, our redemption, our sealing… and we need to hold onto the hope of His calling, the riches of His inheritance, the greatness of His power toward us. Grand things all, and there are many who don’t have plumbing… but hold onto eternal life.

So, last night, I went downstairs into the kitchen… and lo, a veritable pool of water was on the dining room floor, having dripped down from the ceiling. It seems that our upstairs tub has sprung a leak, soaking drywall and letting water make its way down the wall and onto our floor.

I was tempted to be quite frustrated… and I was immediately reminded… my blessing is not plumbing. It is God’s certain call, His treasuring of me, power exerted on my behalf. How quickly I forget His real blessing, that ought never make me move from grateful praise.

Nothing to drive it home like water on the floor.

Thanks, Father. You always know what I need. I enjoy plumbing, running water… but I need to find my joy always in You.

Grace in plumbing.

Grace in Bellingham

Grace, In Christ, peace

So, I’m sitting in an empty building in downtown Bellingham. It is our new church plant – and we’ve now had two services – joyful, exciting, hopefully Christ-exalting. Many people are engaged and helping… wow!

A new beginning... what is around the corner?
A new beginning... what is around the corner?

And yet… the building is covered with blemishes on its walls, and a big loading-dock door on one end. There are mountains of things to do. And I’m thinking through the joy of fellowship at the community church we’ve been at for many years, the comfort of it, the ability to focus just on teaching and counseling, the many fun times we had… and I get a wave of doubt. A heaviness of heart.

Why are we doing this?
What is the purpose of “planting” a church?
Can’t we just live life, and not worry about all the details and struggles and obstacles that go with starting a new work?

I’m not much of a rabble-rouser or rebel; I’m not up in arms about this or that. I’m not very political, though I believe in fulfilling my obligation as a citizen to vote.

So what cause is so great, what passion so high, that we do push through the obstacles? That it overcomes doubt? That we dependently stand, hoping and praying and desiring to proclaim God’s Word, clearly and truly?

For me, that doubt-banishing motivation is reflected in the very first greeting of Paul in almost all of his letters, echoed in Ephesians (1:2):

“Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

There really is grace to us from God Himself, maker of the universe, the one who is offhandedly referred to as He who “made the stars, too” (Genesis 1:16). The Lord of Lords, who became flesh and lived among us and died for us and rose again and is forever making intercession, He declares peace to us, and has grace for us.

The “us” in this are those who have been set apart by God, those who in the realm of Christ Jesus are faithful, who believe that our only hope is Christ and our lives truly are united to His.

The motivation is – we know this grace. We know this peace. And the “we” and the “us” is not a big enough group. Everyone should know this grace! Everyone should know this peace! Could it be that there are many in Bellingham who don’t really grasp this grace and peace? Could it be that God would have us proclaim this message to them?

And even beyond that – we need to remind each other of this grace from God. We need to put specifics on it, explore the depths of its truth and show the reality of its experience. What has He really told us in His Word? How does that lead to our actions and encouragement of each other?

Actually “need” is perhaps the wrong word in the little paragraph above. We will remind each other, we will put specifics on it, because we can do no other.

This is what banishes doubt for me. The depth of knowledge that I, by God’s grace alone, have tasted peace and grace from God. That my life – yours, too – has purpose. That purpose is not toward doubt and fear but toward standing as heirs… by which we cry ‘Abba, Father’ (Romans 8:15).

May we be used by our God to proclaim His truth to those around us, in word and deed. May our love for Him lead to love of others, glorifying Christ in all things. May we truly be motivated by the grace we have received.

Ok… I’m stepping off my excited mini-platform now. But I’ll come back when my heart is tempted by doubt, or when my eyes want to dwell on shadows.

What grace we have received!

Avoiding despairing (un)belief

In Christ, Quotes

Dr. Rod Rosenbladt, who is one of the hosts of The White Horse Inn, a popular reformation discussion/radio program, warns of the dangers of giving morality lessons instead of the Gospel in our churches. We as believers must continue to grow in our knowledge of the Gospel… and indeed beware the return to morality-based salvation, even as we produce fruit through the working of the Spirit in us.

Here’s an excerpt from his The Gospel For Those Broken By The Church :

“If the Ten Commandments were not impossible enough, the preaching of Christian behavior, of Christian ethics, of Christian living, can drive a Christian into despairing unbelief. Not happy unbelief. Tragic, despairing, sad unbelief. (It is not unlike the [unhappy] Christian equivalent of “Jack Mormons” i.e. those who finally admit to themselves and others that they can’t live up to the demands of this non-Christian cult’s laws, and excuse themselves from the whole sheebang.) A diet of this stuff from pulpit, from curriculum, from a Christian reading list, can do a work on a Christian that is (at least over the long haul) “faith destroying.” You might be in just this position this evening.

Many of us have friends whose story is not a far cry from this. We all regularly rub shoulders with such “alumni of the Christian faith” who are sad that the Gospel of Christ didn’t (for them, at least) “deliver the goods,” didn’t “work.” In a Christian context, the mechanism of this can be, I think, a very simple one:

1. You come to believe that you have been justified freely because of Christ’s shed blood.

2. Freely, for the sake of Jesus’ innocent sufferings and death, God has forgiven your sin, adopted you as a son or daughter, reconciled you to Himself, given you the Holy Spirit, and so on. Scripture promises these things.

3. Verses like “Be ye perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect” seem now – at first read – to finally be possible, now that you are equipped for it. Or you hear St. Paul as he writes, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Same thing.

4. You realize that you might have had some excuse for failure when you were a pagan. But that’s over. Now you have been made a part of God’s family, have become the recipient of a thousand of His free gifts.

5. And then, the unexpected. Sin continues to be a part of my life, stubbornly won’t allow me to eliminate it the way I expected.

6. Continuing sin on my part seems to be just evidence that I’m not really a believer at all. If I were really a believer, this thing would “work!”

We start to imagine that we need to be “born again again.” (And often the counsel from non-Reformation churches is that this intuition of ours is true.) Try going again to some evangelistic meeting, accept Christ again, surrender your will to His will again, sign the card, when the pastor gives the “altar call,” walk the aisle again. Maybe it didn’t “take” the first time, but it will the second time? And so forth…

Are we Christians saved the same way we were when we were baptized into Christ, or when we came to acknowledge Christ’s shed blood and His righteousness as all we had in the face of God’s holy law? That all of our supposed “virtue” – Christian or pagan – is just like so many old menstrual garments (to use the Bible phrase)? But that God imputes to those who trust Christ’s cross the true righteousness of Christ Himself? We are pretty sure that unbelievers who come to believe this are instantly justified in God’s sight, declared as if innocent, adopted as sons or daughters, forgiven of all sin, given eternal life, etc. But are Christians still saved that freely? Or are we not? We are pretty clear that imputed righteousness saves sinners. But can the imputed righteousness of Christ save a Christian? And can it save him or her all by itself? Or no?”

*******************

I’m not sure I’d agree with Dr. Rosenbladt, a reformed Lutheran, on everything… but I love his representation of Luther’s conviction that Christ is the “center and circumference of the Bible,” and resonate with his rueful statement that we in the church (including me personally) continue to struggle over solus Christus (and clicking the link there takes you to one of his articles where he talks about what solutions are)…

May we be overflowing with the glorious depths of what Christ has done for us!

Graceful gleanings

Grace, Quotes, ,

Thanks for looking at my bimonthly blog. With great excitement, much planning is being done for a new church plant which will commence in August, 2009… but that has led to a concommitent decrease in thoughts on practical grace.

Which is a bit grevious… my continued walking as a Christian in the depths of Christ, who he is, what he has done and continues to do for us, is both the theme of this site and the single greatest component of my insignificant life.

I was stopped in my tracks last week by this beautiful little book from C.J. Mahaney, titled The Cross Centered Life. It is a small gift book, only 85 pages, but it was wonderfully refreshing. Here is one of his illustrations, along with a few excellent quotes.

——————————————————————————

C.J. Mahaney: “On Monday, Alice bought a parrot. It didn’t talk, so the next day she returned to the pet store. “He needs a ladder,” she was told. She bought a ladder, but another day passed and the parrot still didn’t say a word. “How about a swing?” the clerk suggested. So Alice bought a swing. The next day, a mirror. The next day, a miniature plastic tree. The next day, a shiny parrot toy. On Sunday morning, Alice was standing outside the pet store when it opened. She had the parrot cage in her hand and tears in her eyes. Her parrot was dead. “Did it ever say a word?” the store owner asked.

“Yes,” Alice said through her sobs. “Right before he died, he looked at me and asked, ‘Don’t they sell any food at that pet store?'”

Just as no amount of parrot-cage amentities can make up for a lack of parrot food, nothing can replace the gospel in a Christian’s life. Without it our souls will become like Alice’s pet — starving in a crowded cage.” (The Cross Centered Life, 18-19)

 

D. A. Carson, on Paul: “He cannot long talk about Christian joy, or Christian ethics, or Christian fellowship, or the Christian doctrine of God, or anything else, without finally tying it to the cross. Paul is gospel-centered; he is cross centered.” (The Cross & Christian Ministry, 38)

Sinclair Ferguson: “The evangelical orientation is inward and subjective. We are far better at looking inward than we are at looking outward. Instead, we need to expend our energies admiring, exploring, expositing and extolling Jesus Christ.”

Also Ferguson: “Our greatest temptation and mistake is to try to smuggle character into God’s work of grace.” (Know Your Christian Life, 73)

——————————————————————————

May we continue to grow in the incredible grace and knowledge of our Savior!

Grace in participation

Grace, In Christ

One of my favorite passages over the past few weeks has been John 21. Most of us know John 21 because of the famous end — where Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him, and Peter responds three times that he does.

Fish also catch us in the grace of Christ
Fish also catch us in the grace of Christ

But I’m particularly thrilled at something that foreshadows Peter’s restoration and usefulness to Jesus that comes earlier in the chapter.

Peter and his cohorts have returned to Galilee after the crucifixion. They are back to fishing, which is what they were doing before they ever met Jesus. Peter in particular is a failure, having publically and emphatically denied that he even knew Jesus (Luke 22).

And Jesus (yea!) comes to them on the shore. And he reminds Peter of his calling, of the joy and absolute change of identity that it entailed.

Hang in there. We’re getting to a really striking Scripture.

Jesus again gives them a huge catch of fish. They realize it is him, and Peter jumps overboard to get to Jesus.

And here’s John 21:9-11: “So when they got out on the land, they saw a charcoal fire already laid and fish placed on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish which you have now caught.’ Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty three…”

This is absolutely wonderful.

Jesus, the King of Kings, makes them breakfast. He serves them. That’s amazing, they don’t deserve it.

But that’s not all Jesus does. The text specifically says that Jesus has already made breakfast with supplies that he had. And then the text says that Jesus instructed Peter to bring some fish.

Why? Jesus already made them breakfast. He didn’t need more fish! Why ask for Peter to bring more?

Isn’t it because Jesus is going to allow Peter to participate in Jesus’ ministry? Jesus doesn’t need Peter’s fish… but he is full of grace in bringing Peter in, in having Peter be a part, of what Jesus has already done.

What a statement of divine sufficiency and yet love toward us, that God would want us to be a part of what he is doing.

Jesus even says to Peter, “bring some of the fish which you have now caught.” Remember, they were fishing and had not caught anything (v.5). So the fish which Jesus is referring to is fish that Jesus caught! Jesus told them to put the net down again, Jesus had the fish go in the net… and Jesus refers to the fish as Peter’s.

Lest we think it is just a metaphor, there were 153 of them. Not 152 or 100 or “a bunch.” 153.

Peter hasn’t even been restored.

God is so good to us. He saves us through faith in Jesus Christ, He restores us, and He lovingly and amazingly uses us… He doesn’t have to. He doesn’t need to. But He does.

Praise be to God! May He use us to catch much fish!

Grace found

Grace

Luke 5:11 “And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.”

I’ve been thinking on Luke 5 for the past week, preparing a bit for an upcoming family camp on the life of Peter. This verse, in particular, has struck me.

This verse is the summary of Peter’s, James’ and John’s response to the call of Christ.

There they were, set for life. They knew who they were – fishermen. They had a steady job. They had partners and families. They had an identity.

And Jesus came and turned that identity upside down. “Get away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” Peter exclaims. Knowing who he was, and then understanding that Jesus was calling him, Peter gladly dropped all he was to follow.

The way that Jesus enters the life of Peter is a longer subject. What I’ve been marveling at here in v.11 is the response that Jesus provokes in the ones who respond to the call.

They don’t need whipping. They don’t need another check on the radical commitment of the Christian. They don’t get a rulebook on what they need to do to follow Jesus.

Rather, the sign of the changed life of these men is that they “left everything and followed him.”

As I reflect on my own life and the lives of others I know who are Jesus followers, this is the radical heart-change of brokenness and Jesus-focus that He has brought about in them, too. To His glory and by His work.

The wondrous reality of a life invaded by God is that He’s utterly worth following. He has changed our identities forever, from electricians and mechanics and doctors and housewives, from husbands and fathers and wives and daughters, from honor student and musician and pauper and millionaire… to abject sinner. To adopted child. To follower of Him. To eternal worshiper.

This response in Luke 5:11 is the glad response of a changed heart.

I suppose I could stop here and ask, “Christian, do you have this all-encompassing changed heart?” or “Christian, here are four commands to make sure that you are following Jesus rightly.” But don’t you see that such questions miss the point? If the answer is “no,” then you’re not a Christian. If you’re whipping yourself to show you’re following, maybe you need the essential life-alteration of the risen Christ.

Perhaps you need Peter’s perspective, seeing his own sinfulness then joyfully discovering that Christ wants him nonetheless (and not just wants him, but will die for him).

Our response to the incarnate God who has invaded our lives is such a radical identity shift, that we will lay down our own rights, our own desires for self-justice, for self-worth, for self-fulfillment… and run after the only one who really saves.

Praise to our Savior, our blessed hope… may we joyfully follow Him forever, because like Peter, we’ve found grace.

A proclamation for today

In Christ

Well… I should be calling this “practical grace, monthly” for all the paucity of posts… much (good) going on in other areas of my life, for which I daily praise our Savior!

Proclaim the good news: we're in Christ!
Proclaim the good news: we are in Christ!

I’ve been chewing on Colossians 1:28 today, after discussing it with a friend. So often my post-conversion Christian life becomes about worrying if I’ve broken the rules, or slogging through a tough day. My Christianity can become one more task to be done, one more responsibility to be handled.

Which is why this verse is really exciting. Here’s the verse:

“We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.”

Hmm. Admonishing and instructing doesn’t sound all that grace-oriented, does it? Great, you might think, another warning, another heavy burden of what I have to do as a Christian.

But that’s not it at all. Two really wonderful observations:

1. “Him we are proclaiming” — Paul is talking to the church, to believers. And he cries out, we are proclaiming Jesus! So day by day, after the Colossians were saved, Paul was still proclaiming Jesus. Still focused on the Savior. Still talking about the impact of who Jesus is, what he’s done, and why it matters. Preaching Jesus isn’t “just” to get people saved… He’s for every single moment of our lives on earth.

Wow, how I need to hear that every day. My Savior lives! His blood spilled for me! His perfections, mine! His righteousness, given! My salvation, assured — because of Him. And He continues to mold me, shape me, pray for me. “Him we are proclaiming,” that’s the focus.

2. The continual wonder of the Gospel is driven home by the context. Paul writes that He proclaims the mystery shown to the saints, to whom “God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). The Christ that Paul is proclaiming is the Christ who is in us, our only hope of glory.

This leads to a bit of a different emphasis for the “warning” that Paul is doing. Warning — don’t find your hope of glory in anything else. Warning — don’t swim back to self-righteousness, merit, or anything that might de-emphasize the amazing union you have received, being in Christ.

That’s why he’s so eager to be proclaiming through “teaching,” too. He has such a great struggle that the Christians there — and us, too — might have the “full assurance of understanding… of Christ Himself” (Colossians 2:2). We have been given such riches! If only our eyes would be opened to the amazing knowledge of God’s reality: we are His children, we have an eternal inheritance, and the mere moments on earth that we have should be gloriously poured out in moment-by-moment proclaiming of the wonders of our Savior.

So consider this proclamation for you, for me, today: Christ in you, the hope of glory! May we rejoice in our union, lean on Him, live lives for Him, because of what He’s done.

May we proclaim on earth what we will shout forever in heaven: Worthy is the Lamb!