I don’t know why we do the things we have been doing, but as followers of Jesus, we need to pull things together. We keep trying to get the approval of everyone else, instead of simply obeying the directives of our Lord . . . that’s it, nothing more. Maybe when we tell people that we are a Christian, we simply do not understand what that is
suppose to mean.
At the very heart of our faith is the
cross of Christ. I know, know. You have heard that hundreds of times, but do we really understand what it means? I mean we love to continually spout religious pablum like that out, but do we really
know what they mean?
Yes, I realize that in many ways we will never fully understand everything that the cross means. I guess in some way, we just have to think of it as a “
Holy Paradox!” A “
Holy Mystery.” (Ooh, I should be careful. Whenever you use those kinds of words eyes tend to gloss over). Let me put it this way, we know what we
are like, yet, Scriptures say that, because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross, we now stand before His Father clothed in Righteousness! Do we feel
righteous? Nope. But the
Robe of Righteousness has been placed on our shoulders and we can now rejoice!
So I guess Tozer was correct when he declared, “
The truth of the cross is revealed in its contradictions.” I say that because we won’t figure it out with our minds but only through our act of
faith. Think about it, if you can
prove something, you don’t need any faith to accept it, do you? Our faith rests entirely on the character of our God, and not on any laboratory demonstrations or logic.
Nope! The cross stands in complete opposition to our natural way of thinking. That’s why Paul could bluntly say that the preaching of the cross is
foolishness to those who are dying. If you are hoping to find common-ground between the message of the cross and your own reasoning and intellect, you are hoping for the impossible.
Now, if you are going keep trying to make it work that way, by twisting the message so it doesn’t offend anyone, you are going to end up with a meaningless message and a faith without any power.
So let’s argue this out a little:
As Christians, we believe that indeed Christ had died, yet he is more alive today than before and he fully expects to live forever! Go ahead and try to wrap your mind around that if you can, but I assure you, many have tried and failed. Jesus walks on earth — yet he is also seated in heaven. Can you explain that?
I believe that is the reason John wrote:
The Father has loved us so much that we are now children of God. And we really are his children! We are not “kinda like” his children–we are his children! The reason the people in the world don’t know us is because they do not known him. We are children of God, NOW, and what we will be in the future has not been revealed yet, but this much we do know, when Christ comes again, we will be like him, because we will see him as he really is. Now, [this is the part to remember] if someone has this hope in Christ, they will keep themselves pure, just as Christ is pure (I John 3:1-3)
Ooh Ooh! That puts it where the “
rubber meets the road,” don’ you think? What that seems to be saying is that if you want to be a victorious ambassador of Heaven, don’t be like those around you. Don’t behave like them; don’t talk like them; don’t think like them; and don’t put yourself in jeopardy! If you are not strong and confident in your faith, don’t hang around those who are going to pull you down. You are supposed to be setting the example, not the world!
Jesus said that you must be wiling to
lose your life to
save it, because if you are more interested in preserving it, you are in danger of losing it. In other words. if you are more concerned that people will think you’re weird and a kook, then you better evaluate where your faith is.
The Gospel Truth is, you are going to be strongest when are at your weakest and weakest when you are strong. Sounds weird, doesn’t it? Well it certainly is . . . but not only that, even though you may be a poor example sometimes, you
still have the power to make others rich in faith. However, if you are over-confident in your ability to set “
the standard” for living a
Holy Life (whatever that means), you are going to embarrass yourself. I know you have seen this kind of thing . . . but you need to hear it again (and again, and again . . .)
Here’s the thing: when you are struggling and at your lowest, believe or not, you will often be at your highest, when it comes to being a witness for Christ! Do I understand that? Nope, and I don’t try. Once again, it is one of those “
Paradoxes” of our faith. We are wisest when we know we don’t know all of the answers and sometimes act the fool when we have acquired the greatest amount of knowledge. In the times when we have such a “
heavy” spirit, we will still be able to rejoice and keep our heart rejoicing. That actually speaks louder than our words.
We are constantly revealing the paradoxical character of our faith. For instance, we believe that we are saved
now, yet we still expect to be saved later and in fact, we joyfully look to a future salvation! We fear our God yet . . . we are not afraid of Him! In His presence we feel overwhelmed and undone, yet there is nowhere we would rather be than in His presence.
We know that He has cleansed us from our sin, and we are still painfully aware that in our flesh there
ain’t anything’ good.
How are we going to explain any of that? We have an overpowering love for Someone we have never even seen! How can that be? And even though we are often weak and needy, we are able to talk personally with the One who is King of all kings and Lord of all lords! Sometimes we feel that we are altogether
less than nothing, yet we still believe without question that we are still
the apple of God’s eye – and even though our natural condition is so lowly and weak, our God’s own Son became flesh and died on the cross for us. Can you explain that to me?
As Christians we are both citizens of Heaven (and to that we proudly display our allegiance); yet we still love the life we are living, and fear losing it to that evil state we call death. We can cheerfully know that at death the Lord will greet us, but at the same time be in no hurry to leave this world.
The Christian who is willing to carry their own cross recognizes that the same judgment that fell on
The Innocent One, actually displays his own depravity and condemns him to death. He also knows that
without that Sacrifice, he will die in his sin.
Yet he is able to calmly rest in his optimism. If the cross condemned the world, the Resurrection of Christ guarantees the ultimate victory over that sin. Through Christ all will be well at last and the Christian waits for the consummation of his Salvation!
Nickolas
(I send out messages like this each morning in emails, and if you are interested in receiving them, send me your email address and I will add you to the list)
I thank you for all of your generous tithes and gifts.
Just remember that it is through your faithful and continued support
that make these messages and other aspects of ministry possible.
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