That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Rom 8:4 KJV)
The life of the Spirit within will fulfil the righteous requirements of the Law. The issue is not the Law. The Law is good, righteous. The issue is how we fulfil the Law. God's way is to commune with Him, blend our hearts with His, be nurtured by His grace, enjoy His Fatherhood.
The life of God is inherently, intrinsically, completely good. Anything else is not. It is only a sham. God is looking for His own life within us.
When James asks us to look at our lives, he mentions virtues garnered form the Law, see James Ch 2. Favouritism, judging and bearing grudges and lack of compassion and justice are all condemned by the Law, see Lev 19 esp. v15,18. There are many similarities between James Ch2 and Lev Ch19, similarities in the types of behaviour commended in each book.
Leviticus Ch 19 is from the Pentateuch, the OT books of the Law. James, of course, is from the NT, the Covenant of Faith.
God is not a God of lawlessness. The NT condemns lawlesness. Sharing in the life of God, the life of the Spirit, results in the righteous requirements of the Law being fulfilled. It is not that we strive to keep the Law. What we need to do is pursue intimacy with God. If we do, the righteous requirements of the Law will be fulfilled in us with ever increasing fidelity to the heart of God.
James is not revoking righteousness by faith or suggesting an alternative. He is asking us to realistically assess whether our faith, our fellowship with God, is alive and well. If it is, it will be bearing fruit. Our lives will be fulfilling the righteous requirements of the Law.
James is turning Romans 8v4 back on itself. If your faith is real and you are indeed walking in the Spirit, you will be seeing the righteous requirements of the Law met in your life.
If you are not, don't strive to keep the Law to earn God's favour and life. Come to Him and seek Him for answers, and for more of His life. Confess your sins and shortcomings to Him. Receive forgiveness. Ask Him for what you need. Agree with him that you need help to produce the fruit He desires in your life.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
In Spirit and In Truth
Western man seems to have a remarkable ability to dissociate the rational analytical mind from the actual practice of his life; to deceive himself about his true spirituality.
Our godliness must be in deed and power, in lives and resources and treasures laid down, in real sacrifices made for the Kingdom. Otherwise our professed faith means little. It is dead, of the intellect only. A rich man can make nominal sacrifices which may look impressive, but which are not really very sacrificial and costly to the heart. In the modern age, with money and technology, he can make a 'christian' impact. It may be a clanging gong if it does not come from the depth of the spirit, from communion with the Spirit. It is possible to be born again and just live from ourselves, from a heart not rent before God. We will beget Ishmaels. We may be an obstacle and hindrance to those walking more genuinely before God. What we need is consecration, yieldedness, not resources. The resources will follow the yierldedness. They must, God has promised they will.
Our godliness must be in deed and power, in lives and resources and treasures laid down, in real sacrifices made for the Kingdom. Otherwise our professed faith means little. It is dead, of the intellect only. A rich man can make nominal sacrifices which may look impressive, but which are not really very sacrificial and costly to the heart. In the modern age, with money and technology, he can make a 'christian' impact. It may be a clanging gong if it does not come from the depth of the spirit, from communion with the Spirit. It is possible to be born again and just live from ourselves, from a heart not rent before God. We will beget Ishmaels. We may be an obstacle and hindrance to those walking more genuinely before God. What we need is consecration, yieldedness, not resources. The resources will follow the yierldedness. They must, God has promised they will.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Knowing One Another after the Spirit
Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Cor 5:16-17 KJV)
Are we looking for Christ in one another? It is easy to find fault, to be disappointed in ourselves and others. Let us look firstly for Christ in one another. Christ will bring out the flavour of each of us! See Matt 5v13.
Let's pray that the new man comes forth in one another.
We have a new identity in Christ. We have a new name. We are the only people on Earth with a truly solid sense of identity if we learn to abide in Christ.
There is a general aspect to our new identity; those things from Scripture which apply to us all. There is also a specifric revelation of our new nature; those things which are specific to us. We need to know who we are, what we are for. Prophecy will help you, ask God for it. God will give us a revelation, because He alone knows who we really are. The world will have distorted our character to some degree or other, God knows the intended shape.
Again, we must lose our life to gain it; surrender, yield, put on the new man. The Holy Spirit will guide us.
Everyone has a distinct and special character in Christ, we are not clones. We will all be righteous though.
Are we looking for Christ in one another? It is easy to find fault, to be disappointed in ourselves and others. Let us look firstly for Christ in one another. Christ will bring out the flavour of each of us! See Matt 5v13.
Let's pray that the new man comes forth in one another.
We have a new identity in Christ. We have a new name. We are the only people on Earth with a truly solid sense of identity if we learn to abide in Christ.
There is a general aspect to our new identity; those things from Scripture which apply to us all. There is also a specifric revelation of our new nature; those things which are specific to us. We need to know who we are, what we are for. Prophecy will help you, ask God for it. God will give us a revelation, because He alone knows who we really are. The world will have distorted our character to some degree or other, God knows the intended shape.
Again, we must lose our life to gain it; surrender, yield, put on the new man. The Holy Spirit will guide us.
Everyone has a distinct and special character in Christ, we are not clones. We will all be righteous though.
Friday, November 26, 2010
James Again
Apparently Luther didn't like this Book of James because it appeared to contradict justification by faith.
I don't think so, it encourages us to examine our faith and see if it is real.
If it is, and we have real deep fellowship with the Lord, we should be producing certain forms of behaviour. One is not showing favouritism. Another is caring for the truly needy.
As we step out, we also find out if our faith is real enough to give us confidence over challenges.
I was humbled in the last few days when we were faced with an opportunity to live in a risky, rough place. I did not have what it takes to say 'yes'. I have renewed appreciation for those who have done, and who come from priveleged places. The Bakers from Iris Ministries spring to mind, along with Jackie Pullinger!
I don't think so, it encourages us to examine our faith and see if it is real.
If it is, and we have real deep fellowship with the Lord, we should be producing certain forms of behaviour. One is not showing favouritism. Another is caring for the truly needy.
As we step out, we also find out if our faith is real enough to give us confidence over challenges.
I was humbled in the last few days when we were faced with an opportunity to live in a risky, rough place. I did not have what it takes to say 'yes'. I have renewed appreciation for those who have done, and who come from priveleged places. The Bakers from Iris Ministries spring to mind, along with Jackie Pullinger!
Monday, November 22, 2010
The Rest we are Designed For; Seated in Heavenly Places.
I recently asked God to help me picture 'being seated with Him in heavenly places.' The Bible tells us we are to enter into the rest of God. It is the same place as the peace of God, and of abiding in love.
I had a picture of Jesus and myself chating, in a relaxed manner, reclining in big cream leather seats with chrome frames! We were in a big room very high up.
David says we are to lie down in green pastures. This is not necessarily a physical lying down as much as a true rest of the wearied soul. We can be very productive, take big decisions, astonish onlookers, and still remain in the rest of God.
To abide in this state we must make quality decisions to conduct our lives in a Kingdom way. We must have decided that Jesus is reliable and in control. We are seated with Him in heavenly places. Our spirit is in his presence while our bodies do his work on earth.
(Ephesians 1v20)
I had a picture of Jesus and myself chating, in a relaxed manner, reclining in big cream leather seats with chrome frames! We were in a big room very high up.
David says we are to lie down in green pastures. This is not necessarily a physical lying down as much as a true rest of the wearied soul. We can be very productive, take big decisions, astonish onlookers, and still remain in the rest of God.
To abide in this state we must make quality decisions to conduct our lives in a Kingdom way. We must have decided that Jesus is reliable and in control. We are seated with Him in heavenly places. Our spirit is in his presence while our bodies do his work on earth.
(Ephesians 1v20)
Walking in Grace, Staying in the Green Pastures.
Psalm 23 Romans 8v1-2
The Law is exacting and precise. It is a nitpicking, unrelenting judge. Satan uses it against us because he loves to accuse the saints. The Law is enforced with rigour as Deuteronomy chapter 28 makes clear. Trying to please God and gain goodwill, blessing and favour by the precepts of the Law is an exasperating and exhausting business, and it does not please God. The reason is that God has sent Jesus in order that righteousness may be imparted to us without striving to fulfil the Law. The Law in context is the Law of Moses set forth in the Pentateuch. However I believe it can be extended to mean any rigorous code of external conduct. Such codes are often part of church life, though they will likely vary from church to church. we may also derive our own 'Law' which we feel determines the righteousness of ourselves and others. We then judge the worthiness of ourselves and others by measuring their outer conduct.
Living under law is like tottering on a tightrope, nervous and anxious, waiting for inevitable failure.
This sort of nitpicking scrutiny leaves no room for us to delight in the Lord. We are more likely to be secretly irritated. Jesus came to free us from this sort of yoke and give us a light yoke.
Does this mean God has no behavioural requirements of us at all? A balanced view of New Testament writing answers that question with a clear 'no'. We are in a broad pasture of grace. Psalm 23 offers a good poetic description of the pastures of grace. We are not under a written code of outward conduct. Neither are we in a 'zero tolerance' program of enforcement.
Love overlooks a multitude of sins. We are in relationship with a God who desires fellowship, friendship, love and even the intimacy of our souls. He is a nurturing Father who knows our frames individually. He knows the weaknesses and limitations of our individual make-up. Law is a 'one size fits all' set of rules and commandments. But we are known, accommodated and loved individually by our Father. He knows there are areas where one child is easily succeeding where another may struggle. Harsh, unsupportive judgement and criticism do not help. God encourages, reminding us of what Christ has done for us and of our true identity.
David had a prophetic revelation and appreciation of the Messiah and he lived in the good of it. When we read of David, we think 'relationship'. When we read of Moses, certainly after Sinai, we think 'proceedure'. This is a good working definition of the difference between Law and Grace. Law is the preference for proceedure over relationship. The God who ordained the ordered wonder of the universe with it's physical laws is still a God who wants relationship with us, and for us to enjoy relationship with each other. Beyond formality of relationship, He wants fellowship and ultimately intimacy. The analogy of the wedding feast, with the church as the bride of Christ, speaks of the consummation of a process of encounters of increasing intimacy. This process is not encouraged through Law. It happens through grace and willing yieldedness to His love.
This is the pasture. This is the rest of God. This is the place of abiding in His love. This is the intended normal Christian life. This is enjoying the family of God. This is the Law of Life in the Spirit. There is one gate into the pasture, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The pasture is much broader than the tightrope of law. We can relax and feel safe. We can explore and move around. However, we can still invoke God's anger, grief and judgement beyond certain points. While the God of Love will overlook many sins under grace, He will not overlook everything.
Certain behaviours will violate our fellowship with God. (Though not necessarily our relationship. We may be related to someone without having fellowship with them). Grace is not Lw but neither is it license to do anything that comes to mind. In particular, we need to know that we are to be constrained by the Law of Love. If we move seriously out of love in our conduct, we will move into a place where our fellowship with God is violated and we will move into darkness. Now this is a thing of the Spirit. There are few absolute rules because we differ as individuals and in our maturity. There is a liberty.
However when the man mentioned in 1 Corinthians 5 had sexual relations with his father's wife, it was indicative of the person being completely out of fellowship with the Lord. Such a person had violated the boundaries of grace for church fellowship. Since we can assume warning was not working, Paul instructed the church to exclude him pending repentence.
There is a difference between attempting to put a person under Law and surmising from their behaviour that they are not walking in the light of the Lord and therefore in the felllowship of believers.
Since we are in relational fellowship with the Lord, we must extend grace to the body, and ourselves, but there are still limits. They are flexible, reasonable and broad, but they are still there. One found in sin should be restored gently, if possible.
The pastures of grace mean God will not force us beyond a certain level of maturity. Maturity in part relates to self-sacrificial living and the deferring of reward. We will not experience the full measure of knowing Him unless we press on to maturity though.
The Law is exacting and precise. It is a nitpicking, unrelenting judge. Satan uses it against us because he loves to accuse the saints. The Law is enforced with rigour as Deuteronomy chapter 28 makes clear. Trying to please God and gain goodwill, blessing and favour by the precepts of the Law is an exasperating and exhausting business, and it does not please God. The reason is that God has sent Jesus in order that righteousness may be imparted to us without striving to fulfil the Law. The Law in context is the Law of Moses set forth in the Pentateuch. However I believe it can be extended to mean any rigorous code of external conduct. Such codes are often part of church life, though they will likely vary from church to church. we may also derive our own 'Law' which we feel determines the righteousness of ourselves and others. We then judge the worthiness of ourselves and others by measuring their outer conduct.
Living under law is like tottering on a tightrope, nervous and anxious, waiting for inevitable failure.
This sort of nitpicking scrutiny leaves no room for us to delight in the Lord. We are more likely to be secretly irritated. Jesus came to free us from this sort of yoke and give us a light yoke.
Does this mean God has no behavioural requirements of us at all? A balanced view of New Testament writing answers that question with a clear 'no'. We are in a broad pasture of grace. Psalm 23 offers a good poetic description of the pastures of grace. We are not under a written code of outward conduct. Neither are we in a 'zero tolerance' program of enforcement.
Love overlooks a multitude of sins. We are in relationship with a God who desires fellowship, friendship, love and even the intimacy of our souls. He is a nurturing Father who knows our frames individually. He knows the weaknesses and limitations of our individual make-up. Law is a 'one size fits all' set of rules and commandments. But we are known, accommodated and loved individually by our Father. He knows there are areas where one child is easily succeeding where another may struggle. Harsh, unsupportive judgement and criticism do not help. God encourages, reminding us of what Christ has done for us and of our true identity.
David had a prophetic revelation and appreciation of the Messiah and he lived in the good of it. When we read of David, we think 'relationship'. When we read of Moses, certainly after Sinai, we think 'proceedure'. This is a good working definition of the difference between Law and Grace. Law is the preference for proceedure over relationship. The God who ordained the ordered wonder of the universe with it's physical laws is still a God who wants relationship with us, and for us to enjoy relationship with each other. Beyond formality of relationship, He wants fellowship and ultimately intimacy. The analogy of the wedding feast, with the church as the bride of Christ, speaks of the consummation of a process of encounters of increasing intimacy. This process is not encouraged through Law. It happens through grace and willing yieldedness to His love.
This is the pasture. This is the rest of God. This is the place of abiding in His love. This is the intended normal Christian life. This is enjoying the family of God. This is the Law of Life in the Spirit. There is one gate into the pasture, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The pasture is much broader than the tightrope of law. We can relax and feel safe. We can explore and move around. However, we can still invoke God's anger, grief and judgement beyond certain points. While the God of Love will overlook many sins under grace, He will not overlook everything.
Certain behaviours will violate our fellowship with God. (Though not necessarily our relationship. We may be related to someone without having fellowship with them). Grace is not Lw but neither is it license to do anything that comes to mind. In particular, we need to know that we are to be constrained by the Law of Love. If we move seriously out of love in our conduct, we will move into a place where our fellowship with God is violated and we will move into darkness. Now this is a thing of the Spirit. There are few absolute rules because we differ as individuals and in our maturity. There is a liberty.
However when the man mentioned in 1 Corinthians 5 had sexual relations with his father's wife, it was indicative of the person being completely out of fellowship with the Lord. Such a person had violated the boundaries of grace for church fellowship. Since we can assume warning was not working, Paul instructed the church to exclude him pending repentence.
There is a difference between attempting to put a person under Law and surmising from their behaviour that they are not walking in the light of the Lord and therefore in the felllowship of believers.
Since we are in relational fellowship with the Lord, we must extend grace to the body, and ourselves, but there are still limits. They are flexible, reasonable and broad, but they are still there. One found in sin should be restored gently, if possible.
The pastures of grace mean God will not force us beyond a certain level of maturity. Maturity in part relates to self-sacrificial living and the deferring of reward. We will not experience the full measure of knowing Him unless we press on to maturity though.
Stop trying to deserve the Kingdom!
Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. (3 John 1:11 NIV)
God is good.
I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me. (Psa 13:6 KJV)
God's Kingdom is about fufilment and abundance. See also John 10v10, Ps 63v5.
Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32 KJV)
God's heart is to give us these things. What things? Fulfilment and abundance.
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. (2 Pet 1:3 NIV)
God has the will and ability to give us these things (fulfilment and abundance) and indeed everything we need for us to walk in His purposes..
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. (Psa 16:6 NIV)
God's portion for me is special and delightful.
God will deal with us in line with His revealed character.
There is a Kingdom experience to be had on Earth. An employer might give you a 'package'. Well God has a more complete and superior 'package' for you. It entails provision, relationships, ministry, work, everything you need for life and Godliness.
There is a 'package' for earth and a 'package' for heaven. I am not talking about 'one-off; gifts, but of ongoing provision.
This package is custom fitted for you. God sees you as special. While Jesus died for all, and his death is the only way to acceptance and favour with God the Father, He still sees us as individuals and knows us intimately. He has a much better idea of what true fulfilment and happiness are for us than we ourselves have. There is a place in His heart set aside for you, and you only. When we touch God's heart, we start to find our true identity. When we walk in our true identity, we wil meet the provision of God without difficulty.
To enter into the experience of the Kingdom in this life we must learn to let go of the relationship we have with this world. Every attitude, every relationship, every possesion, every belief, everything.
If we truly let go of everything, He will clean up the mess we may have made as we move into His new purposes.
In our natural self, we will value some things too much and some things too little. This wil lead to frustration. If however we have truly released everything into God's hands, He will cause us to have correct values. Our hopes will be in the right things, and He will not disappoint us.
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Mat 10:39 NIV)
...it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32b KJV)
God is good.
I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me. (Psa 13:6 KJV)
God's Kingdom is about fufilment and abundance. See also John 10v10, Ps 63v5.
Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32 KJV)
God's heart is to give us these things. What things? Fulfilment and abundance.
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. (2 Pet 1:3 NIV)
God has the will and ability to give us these things (fulfilment and abundance) and indeed everything we need for us to walk in His purposes..
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. (Psa 16:6 NIV)
God's portion for me is special and delightful.
God will deal with us in line with His revealed character.
There is a Kingdom experience to be had on Earth. An employer might give you a 'package'. Well God has a more complete and superior 'package' for you. It entails provision, relationships, ministry, work, everything you need for life and Godliness.
There is a 'package' for earth and a 'package' for heaven. I am not talking about 'one-off; gifts, but of ongoing provision.
This package is custom fitted for you. God sees you as special. While Jesus died for all, and his death is the only way to acceptance and favour with God the Father, He still sees us as individuals and knows us intimately. He has a much better idea of what true fulfilment and happiness are for us than we ourselves have. There is a place in His heart set aside for you, and you only. When we touch God's heart, we start to find our true identity. When we walk in our true identity, we wil meet the provision of God without difficulty.
To enter into the experience of the Kingdom in this life we must learn to let go of the relationship we have with this world. Every attitude, every relationship, every possesion, every belief, everything.
If we truly let go of everything, He will clean up the mess we may have made as we move into His new purposes.
In our natural self, we will value some things too much and some things too little. This wil lead to frustration. If however we have truly released everything into God's hands, He will cause us to have correct values. Our hopes will be in the right things, and He will not disappoint us.
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Mat 10:39 NIV)
...it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32b KJV)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)