Our worth… God's glory

God says we alone are in his image (nothing else created in all the universe is LIKE God like we are!). Because of this, we are of tremendous value and worth to God, for only we can reflect God (who is of infinite, eternal, and absolute worth) back to him and out to others in a way no other creature or created thing can. Other than his eternal Son, who is the radiance of his glory and the exact representation of his nature, we are the most capable of this. 

We were created to recognize and take part in God himself, the most valuable (most High) of all, and made to be infinitely valued/loved by him. Our worth and value are precisely because we have the capacity to show forth, bring attention to, and raise awareness of the greatest and most worthy of all beings, only second to Christ himself, our "big" brother - Hebrews 2:11,17;  Romans 8:29. Only we can also receive God's love; appreciate and enjoy his glory in a manner equivalent to God's (Jesus) receiving and enjoying it. 

Incredible as all this is, we reject this because we prefer to be our own god. We value our independence more than our true joy and highest good i.e. which is being in union with the Highest of all. 

Being like God, in his image, has nothing to do with what we do for God or provide him (doing some good work or performing some task such as covering our shame with fig leaves) but is based solely on who God has made us to be (like God himself!) and what he has given us. Our problem is we want our identity based on what we do, not who we actually are - who He has made us to be. 

Because we are disconnected from God, the ground and source of our being and value, we live with a subtle, buried, and deep sense of guilt, shame,  worthlessness, and inadequacy. As a result, we are always seeking to do things to prove we are not worthless but important and valuable. We are constantly attempting to prove our worth by doing "important" things.

Our having a hard time accepting that we are worth God's love - because of who He created us to be as creatures in his image - is actually a subtle form of rebellious unbelief. God tells us we are designed by him, for life in him. Why? For us to partake of and enjoy him as much as possible, we must be like him as much as possible without actually being him. And since this is so, we can not function properly without a relationship-union with Him - our Creator. We are only a "shadow" or "vapor" of our original design. But we still have the capacity to be fully restored to God and our original design and will be if we are in Christ.

Yet we refuse to recognize this and reject a new status (offered to us by God through Christ, not earned by us). We now attempt to be our own god; to hang on to the lie that we can operate without him and even do something to prove our worth and earn God's love. But this is contrary to who God designed us to be i.e. who we actually are and who he tells us we are. And this is the very attitude (distrust/unbelief) that keeps us from reconnecting with God through the provision he has made for us in Christ.

For a discussion of our worth in relation to sin click here

For a discussion on the tension between being and doing click here

Created for glory

We have this ongoing tension of wanting to be seen yet not seen at the same time. We want to both hide and be noticed.

We want to be seen, noticed, and praised for our accomplishments so we might feel significant, important, valuable, etc. Yet we don't want to be fully seen because we know if people saw us truly, with all of our flaws, they would reject us.

The solution?

Christ sees us as we really are and still wants to be with us even when others reject us. As adopted children in Christ we are now his restored and beloved (valued) castaways, fully embraced in Christ and by Christ.

The underlying dynamic common to both of these is the need to be valued. We were created for glory because we were created to know the all-glorious One.

John 5:44 "How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?"

For a fuller discussion on being created for glory click here and here. 

#Valued #Glorious #Seen #Hide #ThoughtsAboutGod #ThotsAboutGod

True abiding = much fruit

Constant emphasis on living out the second part of the greatest commandment without a regular reminder that this must flow out of participation in the first part can deteriorate into a performance-based approach to God.

Constant emphasis on the first part without a regular reminder that the fruit-evidence that we are truly participating in the first part is the second part, loses sight that only Gods love can empower us to carry it out.

" 'Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?'

And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. 

And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." - 
Jesus answering the question of a self righteous Pharisee among the crowd. Mat 22:36-39

All legitimate fruit must be the result of abiding. But true abiding always results in much fruit.

"...Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. - Jesus to his disciples at the Last Supper. Joh 15:4-5

Seeing fully vs clearly

We should hold what we understand to be true lightly; including our understanding of scripture.

Not because scripture isn't true, sure, or absolute. It is. And not because we can't understand or see clearly what scripture says. We can. But to see things clearly is not necessarily to see them fully. 

What we know can be absolutely correct, as far as we know it; it's just not everything there is to know about it. So even if our understanding is correct, it is still only partial. And because it is, in a sense, it is not completely true; or maybe we should instead say not truly complete.

You may have heard the analogy of the three (or more) blind men who were told there was an elephant in the room. They were all directed to it and asked to describe what they "saw." The one directed to the trunk said an elephant is like a large hose, the one directed to the tail said it's like a rope, and one directed to the leg, said it's like a tree. When the elephant was prompted it made a loud noise with it's trunk and all agreed the elephant was like a trumpet. All were correct as far as what information they had gathered (they had true information) but also incorrect because they were basing their conclusion solely on their very limited (finite) perspective i.e. they had true information but they didn't have all or complete information. 

How many times have you read a Bible passage when, like a bolt of lightning, God gives you new clarity on it - a passage you have read dozens (maybe 100's) of times - that you had never seen as clearly before? And not only so, this new understanding gave you a fuller understanding of the rest of scripture. So every part of scripture is now open to you in a fuller and clearer way. Has this ever happened to you?

Do you understand this also means prior to this fuller understanding, every part of scripture was a little more obscure to you? Again, not necessarily in the correctness of what you knew but in the fullness of it i.e. you knowing it more fully. What we knew before was true, just not as complete. We didn't get a different meaning in the strict sense, but a fuller one (though sometimes that fuller meaning is so much greater it can seem like it's also different).

Why is this?

First, we are limited/finite. Therefore, all truth can only be seen if God reveals it to us. Without the Spirit revealing truth to us, we can not see well, if at all.

Mat 16:16-17  Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

John 16:12-15  "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.  All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you."

And the extent of our seeing is tied directly to our willingness to listen, i.e. our humility

in knowing we need to hear, be instructed, and directed; that we are limited in our understanding and dependent on another (God, who has perfect knowledge unlike us) to properly understand things. It is for good reason Christ often said, "for those who have ears to hear..." and eyes to see...  

What is truly interesting about John's "coverage" of the upper room discourse is how often he suggests - if not directly states - how the disciples did not understand certain things they were told or demonstrated directly to them; particularly that Christ had to die - i.e. "go away" - so He could send His Spirit to reveal to us all the things he said and did.

Joh 13:7  Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand."

Joh 13:12  When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you?

Joh 13:17  If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

Joh 14:4  And you know the way to where I am going."

Joh 14:5  Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?"

Joh 14:7  If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him." 8  Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." 9  Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

Joh 14:21  Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest 
myself to him." 22  Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?"

Joh 14:26  But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Joh 15:26  "But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

Joh 16:16  "A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me." 17  So some of his disciples said to one another, "What is this that he says to us, 'A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me'; and, 'because I am going to the Father'?"18  So they were saying, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We do not know what he is talking about."

Joh 16:25  "I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf;  for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28  I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father."

29  His disciples said, "Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 30  Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question  you; this is why we believe that you came from God."

Joh 17:8  For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.

Joh 17:25  O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26  I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them."

The above passages clearly indicate that truth is truth objectively, but our hearing or being told something is not the same thing as seeing it fully. The truth can be right in front of us, but that doesn't mean we see all there is to see regarding that truth. Christ himself (who is the truth) was clearly seen by (displayed before) the religious leaders of his day, yet was not understood by them. So much so, they had Him killed.

Why? Because seeing the truth depends not only on God by His Spirit revealing truth to us (because of our limitations), but on having hearts that are able to see it (I would suggest one does not occur without the other i.e. having a humble heart is the condition needed before God reveals Himself to us). 

Much of our own heart is hidden from us due to our natural, deeply embedded (and subtle) inclination to distrust God and try to operate independently of Him, which in turn, affects our thoughts and ability to see clearly, even as God's children. The key to understanding scripture is not just intellectual ability but a humble disposition. In fact i would suggest humility is more necessary to true understanding than studying. 

I am not saying we should not study or be uncertain about what we know; I am saying we should be aware that there is much more yet to be seen because our hearts still have a far greater need for humility (admitting our limitations). 

In fact, I am suggesting we will actually never plumb the depths of what is in scripture. Why? Because the word of God is living and active. It's not simply and only ink or words on paper i.e. objective truths (though it is certainly that at a minimum). In fact, we are told that Christ is the living Word of God. And if Christ, the living word, is infinite in the depth of His knowledge and wisdom, I would suggest that his written word is as well.

But again, this is not saying it's not absolute or objectively true. Truth is truth; it can never be true and not true at the same time. 

"...my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power... 

... as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"-- these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 

Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned." - Paul an Apostle of Jesus. 1Co 2:4, 10 -14

"...At that time Jesus declared, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children (members of society considered least likely to understand things and also most humble);  yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.

All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." - Jesus  Mat 11:25-27

Increasing humility is an ongoing process because the depth and strength of our commitment to independence from God (i.e. pride) is far greater than any of us know or recognize. We never "arrive" when it comes to humility. Therefore, we never arrive when it comes to our understanding of God or His words to us.

Be holy for I am holy

God's calling to "be holy for I am holy" sounds impossible and over-the-top. We may think, "how can I ever be as good, righteous and holy as God!?" Impossible, right?!

But might this be a misunderstanding of this command? Note the verse does not say do holy as I do holy. It is addressing our state of being; who we are, not what we do. This is not a focus on rightness of conduct i.e. "living right," though it certainly includes and results in right behavior. 

This involves singleness of focus and devotion i.e. It is to value (treasure) God above all things, having our hearts wholly devoted to him in the same way he is to himself. It's having the ultimate affection of our hearts captured by him and by nothing else. We value (worship) Him above everything. Our devotion to him is distinct or separate (holy) and greater than any other devotion because He is distinctly and immensely more valuable and greater than anything and everything.  

We could even argue that a fair translation would be, "be wholly devoted to me and my honor - glory - in the same way I am wholly devoted to it." And that is simply because he is the most honorable being. For from Him, to Him, and through Him are all things. Without him nothing else is. To Him the glory forever. So be it (amen)!

Or as Christ said if our eye is healthy -- not blurry but clear and focused -- then we are full of light (truth) i.e. right conduct/holiness is the fruit of clearly (truly) seeing God in all his glory and valuing (treasuring) Him accordingly. 

How and when does this occur?

It occurs only when we see the true value/glory of God. The more clearly we see him in all his beauty and glory, the greater our treasuring of Him and affections for Him, and the more we are drawn to him and the harder we pursue him.

Mat 6:21  For where your treasure is (that which you value/treasure most and have the greatest affection for), there your heart (longings/desires) will be also. 22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye (focus) is healthy (clear and on the right thing i.e. that which has true and lasting value), your whole body (everything else about you; your actions, conduct etc) will be full of light, 23 but if your eye (focus) is bad (unclear and on the wrong thing), your whole body (your conduct) will be full of darkness. If then the light (your focus) in you is darkness, how great is the darkness (in your conduct)! 

This verse clearly indicates that the body - by which our actions are carried out - moves as the result of our focus (eyes) being set on either the right or wrong thing. Actions are always the result or fruit of our focus. Our focus is always on what we value most. And what we value most is where our greatest affections and longings lie i.e. we are most affectionate about what we treasure most. In time we are shaped and eventually become more like what we adore most. Our values shape our affections which shape our behavior. 

So our focus is not on right behavior/conduct, it's about right seeing and right valuing; seeing God clearly (with singleness of focus) and truly as he is...as all-loving, wise, good and glorious and most worthy of our highest praise, adoration, devotion and love. We will never do so if our gaze/affection is set on something other than him (including right conduct) i.e. We will never be holy as he is holy by "trying" to be holy. That only creates legalistic, hypocritical Pharisee like behavior. This is a stench in the nostrils of God.

Summary

Holiness is not being perfect in conduct (though it certainly is the cause of our behavior becoming increasingly more perfect) but being perfected in devotion which is the fruit of an increasingly clearer view of his great glory/worth resulting in our treasuring Him above everything else. As our view of God in all his love and glory becomes clearer, our value of God grows as well as our devotion and faithfulness to Him; our behavior becomes more righteous and increasingly reflects the greatness of his worth. 

Pressure to act...good or bad?

Does guilt and shame ever pressure us to act? 

Constantly! Without the love of God filling us, by and through the grace of God, these are always a part of our actions. 

Should we ever act out of guilt and shame? 

Never! At least not if we are in Christ. 

Shift

Is all pressure to act, bad? 

No. We can feel impelled out of fullness to represent God well which is a good pressure (if we can call it that), a pressure from within; one we can embrace and should heed. 

This comes out of a love for God and desire to honor him because he has loved and honored us in Christ.

Conclusion

We act only for one of two reasons; the glory of God or the glory/comfort/relief of self apart from God.

Why we act (motive) is always key to distinguishing good from bad actions; good from bad pressure.

#Guilt #Shame #Love #ThoughtsAboutGod #ThotsAboutGod

Misplaced hope… Unfounded anger

One of our greatest challenges in handling the pain and suffering of this life is we place far too much value on the comforts of this life. In fact we often place ultimate value in them. We long for something in this life that God has not promised and then are surprised when we do not find it. We look for life that is pain and trouble-free when it is not promised. At least not yet. In short we seek the full bliss of heaven on earth now when it is yet to come. 

There is nothing wrong with seeking comfort or pleasure in itself. We were designed for it. The question, however, is a matter of expectation and how or when do we legitimately obtain it. 

Psa 16:11  You make known to me the path of life; in your presence, there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 

We find legitimate and true pleasure only in and through God. 

We are told that we, (along with this earth) are broken and in bondage. That in this life we will encounter thorns and thistles and ultimately death itself. Yet we are always shocked when our "heaven on earth" is rudely and often interrupted.

We must remember that Christ stepped out of the bliss of His eternal glory and communion with the Father into our broken world of pain. He did this to free us from our brokeness and pain so He could ultimately unit us with him in his new heaven and earth of bliss. This is our true and ultimate hope, not heaven on this present earth of brokenness and bondage. And this ultimate bliss is yet to come. But make no mistake, it is coming - and only because of Christ. 

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying:

“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them.

They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.

‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.” - Rev 21:1-4

If we find ourselves angry at God for the pain and suffering of this life, it is due to our rebellious attempt to make life work independent of God and our refusal to recognize our dependence on Him for all things and the need to be restored and reunited to him in this life resulting in ultimate freedom from pain in the next life.

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. 

In the world you will have tribulation. 

But take heart; I have overcome the world." - Christ. - Joh 16:33  

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. 

Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience." - Rom 8:18-25

But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him" - 1Co 2:9  

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." - John 14:1-3

For a discussion on how we have the kingdom but not yet fully click here