Love is Ushered in on the Wings of Service
"If you repent and believe the promises, then God’s truth
justifies you; that is, God forgives you your sins, and seals you with his Holy
Spirit, and makes you heir of everlasting life through Christ’s deservings. Now
if you have true faith, so that you see the exceeding and infinite love and
mercy which God has showed you freely in Christ, then you must love in return.
And love cannot but compel you to work, and to boldly confess and acknowledge
your Lord Christ, and the trust which you have in his word. And this knowledge
makes you safe; that is, it declares that you are safe already."
When I was growing up, I thought I had pleasing God figured out. You keep 90% of your body covered, say "Yes, Sir" and "Yes, Ma'm" to daddy and mommy, never express anger or any other negative emotion (that would be a bad witness-real Christians are always filled with the joy of the Lord), and don't listen to music made within the last fifty years. What I actually had figured out was pleasing man.
The Holy Spirit convicts and changes people. That is His job. He may use us to do that, but I think He's able to use more effectually a person who, like the women of 1 Peter, allow Him to shine through them so that others 'may be won without a word...as they behave your chaste and respectful behavior." What if we appreciated and praised people's God-given gifts instead of treating an individual like a 'fixer-upper'? What if we told the girl with long red lines across her arms and dark black streaks streaming down her cheeks that God forgives sin and heals wounds, that she doesn't have to bear the guilt of her past or future sins around with her, instead of muttering about the horrors of our modern culture? What if we comforted the young boy trying to hold back the tears brimming so near, instead of telling him to 'man up'? What if we befriended the working mom instead of dismissing her because she spends her days in the office and anyway her highlights make her look worldly? What if we recognized that people are in pain and what if we admitted that nobody is perfect? What if we encouraged excellence instead of nitpicking at details?
What if we, like God, aimed for the heart of the matter? Christ came to capture our hearts. Christ showed us how to love. Love is ushered in on the wings of service. We didn't know how to love without Him, and if we had known, we would have been unable to do it. Philippians 1:29 says, "For to you has been granted, for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake." He has granted us the privilege of suffering for His sake. How completely counter-cultural, counter-everything-we-know that is!! He's calling us to lay down our lives for others: to make the emotional journey to a hurting brother's side, to ruin those soft hands washing dishes for the mother of eight, to drive many miles to spend time with the friendless who need encouragement, to drop what you're doing and give precedence to somebody else. The hands He gave you? Those are for wiping away your brother's tears. The feet? Dance with somebody who's rejoicing. That energy you never have enough of? Give it to your sister by taking her kids out of the house. Christ radically altered my life by laying His down for me. In His power, and through His example, these hands can touch others in love, and act in love as He did. That is indeed a privilege.
The truths expressed in this passage by William
Tyndale are commonly disregarded in the modern fundamentalist movement. A
complete misunderstanding or disregard of human sin, repentance, and divine
grace are at the bottom of their teachings. Grace is cheapened by the prevailing sentiment that your jean
jumper and your utter repugnance of anything "cool" or trendy is
contingent to one's salvation, not to mention how many "jewels in your
crown" you get in heaven. The underlying message is that
one's performance of works is really what God is looking at, not the
heart. Sin is virtually non existent in the "real" Christian's
life--it's such a shameful thing to sin that it goes unrecognized and doesn't
get dealt with because nobody can imagine admitting a problem with sin. Heart
issues like pride, greed, and lust flourish because they are hidden under a
"good appearance". Instead of teaching about repentance and sin, they
teach how to look like you've got it together and refuse to acknowledge real
heart issues. As if God can't see under your headcovering! A woman who looks
modest and meek and is a petite 5'4, 110 lbs, with a neat and tidy braid or bun
containing her 2 feet of silky (and covered) hair, who has a deep desire to be
a stay at home mom, is regarded as the pinnacle of womanhood. None of
these things are bad things. But neither are they necessarily pleasing
to God. Yes, outward appearances do reflect the inward heart. But changing the
appearance does nothing to change the heart. Without a fundamental relationship
with her Creator, these esteemed displays of righteousness are so many pearls
around the neck of a swine.
The pharisaical attitude that the fundamentalist mentality
promotes (one with which I am very familiar and still struggle) is destructive
to every relationship in one's life.
When I was growing up, I thought I had pleasing God figured out. You keep 90% of your body covered, say "Yes, Sir" and "Yes, Ma'm" to daddy and mommy, never express anger or any other negative emotion (that would be a bad witness-real Christians are always filled with the joy of the Lord), and don't listen to music made within the last fifty years. What I actually had figured out was pleasing man.
Pleasing God is better. It's not that easy, but it's nowhere near
so burdensome. To please God, you have to recognize your need for Him. You have
to spend time with Him.
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied, ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
This command can only be accomplished by God, in you,
not by the clothes that are on you. There is freedom in Christ. Not freedom to
do whatever you want, or whatever makes you feel good. No. He gives freedom
from self, freedom from the disgraceful judgments of others'
outward appearance. Freedom from the poisonous belief that you have
God's favor because you believe in a six-day creation, and you can defend it,
too!
The Holy Spirit convicts and changes people. That is His job. He may use us to do that, but I think He's able to use more effectually a person who, like the women of 1 Peter, allow Him to shine through them so that others 'may be won without a word...as they behave your chaste and respectful behavior." What if we appreciated and praised people's God-given gifts instead of treating an individual like a 'fixer-upper'? What if we told the girl with long red lines across her arms and dark black streaks streaming down her cheeks that God forgives sin and heals wounds, that she doesn't have to bear the guilt of her past or future sins around with her, instead of muttering about the horrors of our modern culture? What if we comforted the young boy trying to hold back the tears brimming so near, instead of telling him to 'man up'? What if we befriended the working mom instead of dismissing her because she spends her days in the office and anyway her highlights make her look worldly? What if we recognized that people are in pain and what if we admitted that nobody is perfect? What if we encouraged excellence instead of nitpicking at details?
What if we, like God, aimed for the heart of the matter? Christ came to capture our hearts. Christ showed us how to love. Love is ushered in on the wings of service. We didn't know how to love without Him, and if we had known, we would have been unable to do it. Philippians 1:29 says, "For to you has been granted, for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake." He has granted us the privilege of suffering for His sake. How completely counter-cultural, counter-everything-we-know that is!! He's calling us to lay down our lives for others: to make the emotional journey to a hurting brother's side, to ruin those soft hands washing dishes for the mother of eight, to drive many miles to spend time with the friendless who need encouragement, to drop what you're doing and give precedence to somebody else. The hands He gave you? Those are for wiping away your brother's tears. The feet? Dance with somebody who's rejoicing. That energy you never have enough of? Give it to your sister by taking her kids out of the house. Christ radically altered my life by laying His down for me. In His power, and through His example, these hands can touch others in love, and act in love as He did. That is indeed a privilege.
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