Here's the thing: if our hope is not foundationally one of relationship with each other and God, I despair of putting stock in it.
Laying down my life and following Christ that I may have a life where I get power and authority and majestic responsibility does not move me. In light of what must be endured, I see no point. God may well be holy and good and worthy and the only one, but I do not find enough in that hope to awaken the faith to persevere.
When I connect with others, and sing songs that waken the relational part of me, I can hope. That gives me solice and lifts my head: not only is life offered, but it is a life worth living. Not a perfect machine, but a breathing thing with tender unexpectedness.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self control--where are these revealed if not in relationships, even broken ones? How can they be provoked, or honed, or seen without connection with others? What meaning do they have without that context?
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3 comments:
Good point.
I don't know why I am responding but after reading some of your posts I would like to make a few observation of your writings.
The only way I can have hope in relationships with other people including my wife is FIRST having a relationship with Christ. How can I possibly truly have selfless love if Christ is not in me. How do I love my wife like Christ loves the Church? It is only through His power that I have hope. It really sounds like you are "expecting" people to live up to your preconceived notions on what "christians" should be like. I would be more worried about my plank before I start trying to remove others.
If laying your life down for Christ is going to get you something then you are missing the whole point of being a Christian.
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ, yet I live, no longer I but Christ lives in me, and the life I live in the flesh I live by Faith toward the Son of God WHO LOVED ME AND GAVE HIMSELF ON MY BEHALF.
He died for you a sinner and a God hater before you repented (if you have repented I don't know by your writings). It is not what you get from God that you should be focusing on but what can you do for Him because He was willing to DIE for you.
Why does it sound like your expectations of others is so high but you are not even willing to submit to Christ completely. Do you exhibit the fruits of the spirit in your relationship with God? Do you love God with all your heart, mind, body and strength?
I have a question for you? Who gives you the faith? Are you seeking God or does He seek you? You think you can lose your faith?
Oh and I would highly suggest reading Acts 2 for what you should be looking at in a church, sound doctrine, praying, fellowship, communion, worship and giving are all qualities of the Acts 2 church.
I hope I have not offended you in anyway and maybe I have totally mis-characterized you which I hope I have not done but I guess my idea is to challenge you in your thinking.
Well, heck, Wes, yeah, that offends my flesh. I'd rather not have published your comment. You just said that the stuff that comes out of my heart doesn't bear witness to Christ, so yeah, that's offensive, though undoubtedly true in spots. Isn't it the job of the gospel to offend our flesh? Why should we be afraid above all of offending one another? Offend away.
Are my expectations of Christians too high. My expectations of other believers are mostly that they not play games. I need other people to be honest and patient. I don't really expect to get that. I expect to be rejected and misunderstood. I am struggling to be deeply okay in Christ so that I can persevere through those things, remain in relationship and just stand in truth and love and not cave into saying, "Yeah I'm terrible" nor put my nose in the air and defend myself. To be honest, the quest to remove the plank is, in no small part, why we aren't in church.
As for "doing something for God," that is a completely alien idea. What on earth can I do for an infinite holy God of all power? What need does he have that I can meet? While I do strive to submit to him in every way, I don't imagine that he is going to be grateful for that, or respond with relief because he didn't know how he was going to get that task done. What do you imagine you are doing "for God?" As you say, our position is one bankruptcy apart from him. If anything good flows from us, it is Him alone causing it. My role is to cooperate, but I do not imagine that to be of some massive blessing to him. Is that wrong? But you are completely right that I too often think "my" life to be my problem. There is great peace in Gal 2:20.
If I don't exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, can you tell me how to remedy that? If its the Spirit's fruit, what is my role in producing it? If you tell me to screw up my courage and just pretend that I'm controlling myself, I'd have to say that I don't see how that is the Spirit's fruit--that's mine. Lots of non-Christians control themselves by trying hard. What's the difference?
I took your advice and read Acts 2. I don't know where I can find a church that has miracles happening all the time, where they meet daily in public buildings and homes and eat together all the time, and sell their stuff and share everything. Are you really suggesting I set that as my standard? I'd love to share lives like that, but I don't think that the institutional church lends itself well to that. Does your church engage in communal living?
Who gives faith--God. Am I seeking God or is he seeking me. Well, both, I'd have to say--but mostly he is seeking me, because the comparison of power to do so is immeasurably unbalanced. Yes, I do think by rebellion or passivity I can step out of faith. I don't know how else to account for the strong warnings in scripture.
Have I looked at the things you wished me to? That I am too snobby is true. I hope God will fix that. Sooner rather than later!
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