Wednesday, July 23, 2008

(38) - "in Christ" continues

A forceful conclusion in my thinking came in just seeing that "in Christ" means I cannot do it IN MYSELF. This forced me to begin making Jesus the focus of all my theology. Problem is - the concept of theology seemed to be focused (at least in my own mind - but seemingly for many of us) in my thoughts about God and my positions about the Trinity and what repentance meant - even how baptism works and how many times I take the Lord's Supper and when I can or cannot take it - and that begins a list of stuff I DO which causes splits at every point in the discussion. My question then was - how is ANY OF THIS actually "in Christ" ?

If I accept Christ as my "all in all" - how do I immediately jump to what I do and don't do and think and don't think ?

I don't think the question is moot - so let's trace the mindset and track the conceptual construct - if we can. Much of Christendom divides the Christian life into what must I DO to be saved and then - what do I do next ? That way all my responsibilities are covered. There is a certain logic to that - if we begin down that road. It seems analytical - balanced - common sense.

Problem is - "Christ is ALL" gets left behind - oh, I don't mean we would be giving up on Christ - just that as our Representative, He had finished His job and now it is up to US ! And - since I believe in freedom of Choice - at each step - it DOES seem that the focus can easily jump off Jesus and on us and be the right way to continue. Verses like "I buffet my body and bring it into subjection" by Paul - can easily fit our new lifestyle here. "Study to show yourself approved" seems to be a focus on my behavior - and "have a ready answer" means I have responsibilities now I never had before !

That is part of my continuing problem of picking out verses and stapling them together and forgetting conceptual verses which are meant to give the overall structure. In fact, most objections ANY of us make to others' positions involves a verse which we want to make a POWER verse in life which others seem to relegate to "not as important" - and we call their verses "sugar sticks" or some such comment. OK - I'll admit right here and now that the "JESUS is ALL" concept seems like an overall structural concept to me. If that doesn't ring true to you - I will have to say our discussion is pretty well limited. Well - let's at least say we need to settle the place Christ is supposed to have in salvation AND in life first - then we can go on. If Scripture seems to indicate that God's design was to give Jesus preeminence in EVERYTHING, then I am convinced that giving Jesus preeminence in everything is at least an innocent conclusion for me to stick with. BUT - scripture doesn't stop there. Paul will teach "For me to LIVE is Christ" Philippians 1:21. And - although we can make that some over-reaching vague principle - Paul seemed to make it a daily FORCE concept. "Whether we live or die we are the Lord's" is a life concept - structuring our behavior towards others for our whole lifestyle. "Jesus came and lived and died that those who LIVE might no longer live for themselves - but for HIM who for their sakes died and was raised" (2 Cor. 5:15) and "Jesus the author AND FINISHER of our faith" Hebrews 12:2 - convince me a focus on JESUS is what I do every second - and I don't wish to get involved in a "my Scriptures vs. your Scriptures" debate to solve this issue. Let's engage in finding out where ALL Scripture fits into our lives - don't leave ANY of it out ! My mind is convinced at this point that Jesus is the focus of the whole Bible - but that doesn't mean I'll debate how Jesus fits into getting gored by your neighbor's ox ! (With my former commitment to arguing, I might even DO that - I just can't DEFEND that anymore.)

What DO I do ? Well - I have called it two things:
(1) Like Mephibosheth, I ENTER the Palace and live at the King's table forever, so I learn how Palace life works - to live efficiently and relationally as Royalty.
(2) I live an "Adventure with Abba" - daily - so I try to see where HE is going and what He is doing - especially as "God is at work in you , to WILL and to DO" - I expect that all my life is done with God. I expect Him to work in me - and on me - I am HIS project (Ephesians 2:10) BUT - I also think YOU are His project and He might use us to bless each other in that process.

How does that effect church life and doctrine ? Well - I know already not to dispute over opinions (2 Timothy 2:14ff. Romans 14:1ff.) or argue over words, and to teach gently and leave others to God. So - if we all do that, EDUCATION can take place at the pace of the ones being educated. I also know that "knowledge PUFF US - but Love builds up" 1 Cor. 8:1 - so I am "speaking the Truth in Love" (Ephesians 4:15) and allowing others to talk to me since "LOVE is easy to be reasoned with" 1 Cor. 13. Paul taught "each should live up to what they have mentally attained" - but don't take the focus off our FOCUS - as Paul told Timothy "because we have our hope set on the living God" 1 Timothy 4:10.

Conclusions for today - if Jesus is ALL - and the Bible teaches us that He IS - then I purpose to allow Him to take that kind of dominant place in my WHOLE life. He is my Savior - and He is my LORD - and that word is dominating. Luckily for us, HE is a servant of Love, so it isn't hard to submit to His continuing Lordship. If Jesus is my LIFE - then maybe my studied interpretation may pass muster with some scholar, but Jesus didn't always pass muster with the scholars of His day - so I don't use passing muster as my my final authority. Paul taught us - "If it doesn't have LOVE - it amounts to nothing" 1 Cor. 13. So - being "in Christ" means HE did it all in salvation - but we LIVE IN CHRIST - so He is still ALL for me. "Author AND finisher of faith" seems like a lifestyle which never leaves Jesus - even for an instant - and most of MY arguments over the years hardly joined Jesus - even for an instant.

ALL of this is under the umbrella of Jesus as my covenant Representative - HE won the war, He dethroned Satan, HE paid the price - and HE is my life. I am UNDER Him for my continuing protection and my new identity. So - I still discuss matters of opinion - but since we're BOTH under Jesus for our protection - you're not going to get me to leave being by your side (under Him) - FOR ANYTHING ! I have changed the concept of "our fellowship" to being in Christ together. I just don't get to make all those decisions about your hangups - that's between you and Him, Romans 14:4. My part in your life is to teach, encourage and in any other way I can to LOVE you. And - if you nail me up to a tree - I still know how to act - in forgiveness. Jesus showed that and Stephen learned it - and Paul was affected by that - I believe ! Stephen teaches me that even if the stones are falling - I am still in relationship to JESUS ! More to come

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