Servanthood is something difficult to understand, a Christian principle that is often misunderstand by the world as being warped, cruel or abusive. It is contrary to human nature, because we by nature are intemperate, selfish, and self-serving. Obedience, submission, and sacrifice are difficult, painful, hard to swallow, and inpalatable. What is being required is indeed the highest and most difficult price - a price that is as good as death.
When we are called to follow Jesus, we are called to lay down everything - our lives, our ambitions, our rights, our previous existences... Such a calling is anthetical, but we have a precedent for this and that is the example of Jesus Himself. If Jesus did not do what He did, He could not have preached what He did.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
(Php 2:5-11 KJV)
We do not need to learn to be leaders, but to be servants. It is far more important to be under the authority and leadership of God That is why the only Christian leaders are servant leaders.
Wash one anothers' feet, Jesus commanded. He emphasized that He came not to be served and ministered to but to minister.
The last shall be the first, the greatest least and the least greatest.
Again and again, Jesus lambasted religious hierachies, decimating the pedestrals that religious people tried to create for themselves. He scorned those who dictated "laws" and "regulations" and who put burdens on others' shoulders that they themselves could not carry.
The teachings of Jesus call us to ultimate servanthood, to meekness, to humility, to brokenness, to the laying down of our lives and surender of our rights. To those who want to borrow from us, we cannot turn away. We are to turn the other cheek when struck, even. We lose our rights to self-defense, in deed and word.
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
(Mat 5:43-45 KJV)
Indeed, in God's eyes, observance and worship (religion) is found in serving the poorest and weakest in society.
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
(Jas 1:27 KJV)
Let us not forget that in serving the people we come across who are in need, we are serving Jesus. Jesus was truly a "man for others" as Dietrich Bonhoeffer put in. Indeed, he would not have been became a man it is was not for the Father.
Serving God essentially serving other people, because that's where God's love, grace and mercy extends.
We know that God's ways are in all ways superior to our ways. It is by being faithful in little, by serving the least and the lowest, that we are serving Him. In addition, Jesus in Matthew 6 commands us to pray, do charity, and fast in secrecy, away from the people we might be tempted to impress, even the religious and pious we wish to have of ourselves. What matters is what God sees, not from outward appearances, but from the heart.
This is not something only a select few Christians are called to do. It is the same calling and requirement that Jesus has upon all His disciples, something that can be applied even in daily life.
It is only from this perspective that we can view submission to authority, whether governments or otherwise. The epistles of Paul often speak of slaves' obedience to masters or wives' obedience to husbands. Indeed, Christians are called to "submit to one another", and we are reminded of our inherent and inherited equality in God where there is no distinction by gender, race, or hierachy - all have sinned, and the same God is rich upon all who call upon him. However, we are called to serve one another, love one another, to be humble and meek and lowly, and to lay down our lives for one another because Christ has done so for us.
Monday, September 14, 2015
Separation From The World
Humanity is sinful. Society is sinful. The world is sinful and corrupt.
Man's solution is often this: Let Christians live apart from the world in a parallel culture. Let Christians strive to cleanse ourselves and remove any worldly influences. Let us shun the people of the world and live holy and separate lives.
To put it simply, we often think that the best solution is to build a wall to shut the world and its sinfulness out. However, that is the antithesis of the gospel, because the Messiah Jesus came to
to be the reconciliation between humankind and God.
What is God's solution to sin?
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 KJV)
What then is the role of the body of Christ, the church, in our world today? We are to go out into all the world, proclaim Jesus and preach the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven. We are to point men to the reconciliation of Jesus' blood. How can we do this if we barricade ourselves in Christendom, if we live in isolation?
For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
(Col 1:19-22 KJV)
The word "holy" often brings to mind "piety" or "religiousity". Another synonymous phrase, "set-apart", is also a good translation. Unfortunately, that again conveys the impression that we are to be "separated" from humanity. While God is indeed high and lofty and set-apart, He came and dwelt amongst men, He took on the corruptible and mortal human flesh, and yet without sin and was not corrupted.
We are not to withdraw from the world. We are not to be quarantined in a sterile environment as perfect Christians. being preserved or pickled until the Kingdom of Heaven is revealed.
Under the previous covenant, God INDEED called for his people to be separated from the sinful society of world. That is because they were living by the flesh had inherited the sin of Adam. However, in the Messiah, we have now been redeemed and made a new creation. What separated God's chosen people from the Gentiles who were without hope has now been abolished through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection.
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
(Mat 27:51 KJV)
That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
(Eph 2:12-18 KJV)
What then is our answer? As Christ has saved us, so He has called us to proclaim His salvation to all people, and to overcome the world.
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
(John 16:33 KJV)
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
(1 John 4:4 KJV)
God does not call us to hide from sin, but to overcome it, which is of course not only far more difficult, but humanly impossible. Only by a supernatural work, the miracle of the cross, can sin be overcome and slain, the devil vanquished and rendered powerless, impotent.
For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
(Rom 10:12-15 KJV)
However, let us not forget to keep ourselves unspotted from the world, to serve God singleminded and not mammon. Let us remember that this battle is not one that we fight externally, but that worldliness is essence self-service, indulgence, pride and lustfulness. Indeed the battle within us the fight that we must overcome.
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
(Jas 1:27 KJV)
Man's solution is often this: Let Christians live apart from the world in a parallel culture. Let Christians strive to cleanse ourselves and remove any worldly influences. Let us shun the people of the world and live holy and separate lives.
To put it simply, we often think that the best solution is to build a wall to shut the world and its sinfulness out. However, that is the antithesis of the gospel, because the Messiah Jesus came to
to be the reconciliation between humankind and God.
What is God's solution to sin?
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 KJV)
What then is the role of the body of Christ, the church, in our world today? We are to go out into all the world, proclaim Jesus and preach the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven. We are to point men to the reconciliation of Jesus' blood. How can we do this if we barricade ourselves in Christendom, if we live in isolation?
For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
(Col 1:19-22 KJV)
The word "holy" often brings to mind "piety" or "religiousity". Another synonymous phrase, "set-apart", is also a good translation. Unfortunately, that again conveys the impression that we are to be "separated" from humanity. While God is indeed high and lofty and set-apart, He came and dwelt amongst men, He took on the corruptible and mortal human flesh, and yet without sin and was not corrupted.
We are not to withdraw from the world. We are not to be quarantined in a sterile environment as perfect Christians. being preserved or pickled until the Kingdom of Heaven is revealed.
Under the previous covenant, God INDEED called for his people to be separated from the sinful society of world. That is because they were living by the flesh had inherited the sin of Adam. However, in the Messiah, we have now been redeemed and made a new creation. What separated God's chosen people from the Gentiles who were without hope has now been abolished through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection.
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
(Mat 27:51 KJV)
That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
(Eph 2:12-18 KJV)
What then is our answer? As Christ has saved us, so He has called us to proclaim His salvation to all people, and to overcome the world.
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
(John 16:33 KJV)
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
(1 John 4:4 KJV)
God does not call us to hide from sin, but to overcome it, which is of course not only far more difficult, but humanly impossible. Only by a supernatural work, the miracle of the cross, can sin be overcome and slain, the devil vanquished and rendered powerless, impotent.
For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
(Rom 10:12-15 KJV)
However, let us not forget to keep ourselves unspotted from the world, to serve God singleminded and not mammon. Let us remember that this battle is not one that we fight externally, but that worldliness is essence self-service, indulgence, pride and lustfulness. Indeed the battle within us the fight that we must overcome.
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
(Jas 1:27 KJV)
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