|
John wrote:
> Two things: (1) You didn't answer any of
> my questions and
I don't see the point in them, so I did not
take the time. I wrote what I thought was more relevant to conveying an
understanding to you of my perspective of spiritual growth. I have no
interest in comparing believers with me or with one another. The
Scriptures say that this is not wise.
John wrote:
> (2) how is it that you are like Jesus at [His]
> age 5? How is this possible with
the Holy
> Spirit teaching you
propose. Is the Holy
> Spirit slow to act? Why
not, BAM, there you are? I mean God has taken over your life,
right. Has God taken over your life, David Miller.
[How can you answer "no"] If that is His job, why has this not
happened in full measure. What makes you "5 years old" David?
John
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, January 16, 2005 11:39
PM
Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Traditional
Christian theology
Two things: (1)
You didn't answer any of my questions and (2) how is it that you are like
Jesus at [His] age 5? How is this possible with the Holy Spirit teaching
you propose. Is the Holy Spirit slow to act? Why not,
BAM, there you are? I mean God has taken over your life,
right. Has God taken over your life, David
Miller. [How can you answer "no"] If that is His
job, why has this not happened in full measure. What
makes you "5 years old" David?
John
In a message
dated 1/16/2005 8:02:22 PM Pacific Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
writes:
John wrote:
>David, have you done
everything possible today,
>for the service of the
ministry. This day, did you
>pour yourself out for the
afflicted? Is there any
>degree of selfishness or
pride in your life.
>You you say that you lived
your life exactly as
>God in Christ would have to do in every
respect.
We continually grow in
knowledge and understanding, but this does not mean that we are condemned at
sinners just because we have room to grow. When was the last time you
looked at a baby? Did you say, "what an evil child, so selfish, crying
too often, does nothing but eat, sleep, cry, eat, sleep, cry, every two
hours!" Most people look at a baby and say, "oh, how beautiful, how
perfect, how innocent." Why? It is because they see the
potential. They perceive the lack of motive to hurt others, the
innocency of not knowing how evil the world is around them, and they see
potential to grow in the right direction.
In like
manner, none of us have arrived. None of us are in the full image of
Christ, and none of us alone will reflect the full image of Christ.
Nevertheless, we can reflect that part of him for which he has manifested
his grace in us.
Suppose I pass a homeless
man on the street and he asks me for a quarter. So I reach in my
pocket and give him a dollar and go on my way. I'm busy. I don't
want to get involved in his life, but I do kind of care about him, so I give
him something that does not mean too much to me. Suppose you then come
across this same man, but instead of just giving him a buck, you take him
home with you. You feed him and give him a shower and some new
clothes. You take him out the next day and help him get a job.
You help him find an apartment and bring him to church with you several
times a week. Which of us loved the man better? Which of us was
less selfish. You would be the greater lover here. You would be
the least selfish of the two of us. But does that mean that I sinned
because I only gave the guy a buck? No. Emphatically NO!
Think about it.
I have sometimes said to people, "my life may
not be like Jesus Christ when he was 32 years old and ministering to others
without a place to lay his head, but maybe, just maybe, his grace has worked
within me so that I am like Jesus Christ when he was 5 years old." Now
the analogy is not perfect, but it makes a perfect point. The idea of
Jesus being perfect is not static one. The Scriptures teach that he
grew in wisdom and stature, and he learned obedience by the things which he
suffered. Just because we might not compare to his life in what we see
in Scripture as he ministered, this does not mean that Christ does not live
in us and through us. The way he lives in us and through us might be
like that of an earlier time of his life, and that as we mature in Him, we
can expect our life to more closely approach that which we read in the
Scriptures. The only caveat is that we will never look exactly like
him in every way, but we can look exactly like him in that part which the
Spirit has chosen to impart to us as individuals. We can perfectly
represent one aspect of him, even though as a lone individual we do not
represent all of him. It is only the entire local church that can
represent all of him, in all of his glory. This is why relationship
and community is very important.
Peace be with you.
David
Miller.
|
