I have a friend whose shield of faith is often turned into a target. By religiously inserting statements of faith into every conversation, when she makes the slightest misstep the world around her is quick to point out behind her back, “…
and she calls herself a Christian!” It’s interesting that we can turn anything into an idol – even our statement of faith.
2 comments:
Gail;
-----Jesus’ faith in His Father was perfect. And by that faith He made the most significant religious statement in the history of the world. He raised Himself from the dead. “Some of the guard went in to the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sum of money to the soldiers and said, ‘Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.’ So they took the money and did as they were directed; and this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.” (Matt 28:11-15) Then even Jesus’ shield of faith became a target. And it has continued to be a target to this day too.
-----I have formulated a theory about actions or words amongst people. And although a complete testing of the theory is impossible because it would require observing every person’s reaction to every word and action possible, the small sample of observations I have made in my life has born it out so far. A good word or a good action will receive both positive and negative reactions from the various types of people who have heard or experienced it. Also, a bad word or action will receive both negative and positive reactions. And the same theory seems to apply to the effects that words and actions have upon others, not just to the reactions evoked from them. We can see this happening in Jesus’ life as some believed Him for His deeds and statements and followed Him, while others rejected, and some crucified. So also for Paul. So also for you, and for me, and for your friend.
-----I admire the presence your friend makes of truth about life and the Lord. In the final analysis of things, I do not believe in the existence of the secular. There is no dividing line between a secular world and a religious world. Everything, every deed, every statement made by every last person who has lived, is living, and will live is intimately about the Lord Jesus Christ. Just because the time of today has not made for us this conscious connection like the time of The Day will make when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess does not mean that time itself is not bearing out the fact that everything will glorify Jesus Christ and, ultimately, His Father. The real dividing line is between how something will glorify Them. Those words and deeds that run counter to His nature and oppose His kingdom will glorify Them like the Broncos glorified the Cowboys, Giants, Redskins, and 49ers in their respective Super Bowls. And if you ponder the basics enough, you will see many ways bad words and deeds glorify Them in that way even while they are being spoken or done.
-----Your friend glorifies God in a different way, maybe like the way millions of fans glorified the Broncos while they settled the issue about the Packers, and then used the Falcons for punctuation the following January. Even so, while the moments yet precede The Day, Packer and Falcon fans find fault with all that cheering for the Broncos. And it will continue to be so as those who try to be secular and those who try to be religious, both in their own different ways, partake in the one same reality: Christ is King, and all things will be tied up in Him and handed back to the Father, regardless of what anyone may have to say.
-----I don’t wear as bold and pointed statements upon my sleeves as does your friend, even seeing that my sleeves are ultimately a part of His kingdom. But I am always aware that what I do wear upon them evoke both positive and negative reactions and effects. It is just the way things work in this world mixed of truth and treachery.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
....judge not....
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