Not that I have already
attained, or am already perfect… —Philippians 3:12
{CHAMBERS} “[…] God’s purpose is to make us one with Himself. The
emphasis of holiness movements tends to be that God is producing specimens of
holiness to put in His museum. If you accept this concept of personal holiness,
your life’s determined purpose will not be for God, but for what you call the
evidence of God in your life. How can we say, “It could never be God’s will for
me to be sick”? If it was God’s will to bruise His own Son (Isaiah 53:10), why
shouldn’t He bruise you? […] Christian perfection is not, and never can be,
human perfection. Christian perfection is the perfection of a relationship with
God that shows itself to be true even amid the seemingly unimportant aspects of
human life. […] I am called to live in such a perfect relationship with God
that my life produces a yearning for God in the lives of others, not admiration
for myself. Thoughts about myself hinder my usefulness to God. God’s purpose is
not to perfect me to make me a trophy in His showcase; He is getting me to the
place where He can use me.”
{ELGIN} (2 Corinthians 4:8-11)
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in
despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We
always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus
may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given
over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our
mortal body.” Does that sound like
living the Christian life is trouble free?
(James 1:2-4) “Consider it
pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because
you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance
finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” Both of these verses address the issue of
spiritual perspective. Seeing life through
the lenses of spiritual understanding.
Paul said that he prayed that the eyes of our heart would be opened. (Ephesians 1:18) The “natural” thing to do
is to expect that our new life in Christ, which is supernatural, will result in
a better natural life … maybe free of sickness, heartache and want. If that is what you expected, how is that
working for you?
When Jesus healed, there was
a spiritual purpose … like the blind man … the disciples asked who sinned ..
the answer was no one, but the man was blind so God might be glorified. He was blind so that Jesus could make a
spiritual point in his healing, fulfilling prophecy. What!
You mean to tell me that the man had lived for, let’s say, 30 years
blind and deprived of a “normal” life just for Jesus’ healing? He lived, day
after day, wanting to see … would God do that to someone? He sent His Son to
die on the cross. There is a greater,
eternal story going on here. We look at
everything from the “natural”, even God.
If you don’t gain spiritual understanding then you will live a
conflicted life. The chief end of man is
to glorify God. You do that by doing His
will and offering yourself as a living sacrifice. What do you think being a sacrifice
means? Having a new car and a 70” 4k TV
on your wall? Probably not! More likely it
means trusting God in the midst of the storms of life. Seeing life from God’s perspective and responding
to life with that perspective. Living a life of
faith in Jesus, who has overcome the world. (John 16:33)
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