DownshoreDrift

The Gospel of the Kingdom for Everyone

Darrow Miller, Bob Moffitt, and Scott Allen have put together a series of Bible studies on the Kingdom of God. They are primarily for small groups, but I am perusing them as a reference for my study on Wednesday nights this summer. Here is a passage from their study, God's Unshakable Kingdom:

In the second century a devastating smallpox epidemic swept through the Roman Empire. The epidemic was so severe that over the next fifteen years a quarter to a third of the Empire's population died from smallpox, including the famous Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius.

According to Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria, the typical Roman response to the illness was to flee from it. "At the first onset of the disease, [the non-believing Romans] pushed the sufferers away and fled from their dearest, throwing them into the roads before they were dead. [They] treated unburied corpses as dirt." Even Galen, the famous physician, left Rome quickly once the epidemic began, departing fo rhis country estate in Asia Minor until the danger receded.

In contrast, wrote Dionysius, "Most of our Christian brothers showed unbounded love and loyalty, never sparing themselves and thinking only of one another. Heedless of danger, they took charge of the sick, attending to their every need and ministering to them in Christ . . . drawing on themselves the sickness of their neighbors and cheerfully accepting their pains. Many, in nursing and caring for others, transferred their death to themselves and died in their stead.

This perspective is amazing to me and explains why the early church exploded in growth and turned the Roman world upside down.  Where did the early believers derive this type of love and self sacrifice? Many Christians today live this way, although it is not exactly something that has become a part of our normal discipleship in American Christianity.  But, I'll save that for another day.

Here's a thought: Colossians 1:19-20 says, "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."  These verses are not teaching that everyone and everything will be saved. There are lots of passages that speak against that idea. Rather, this passage is saying that Jesus has made it possible for all things to be reconciled to Himself. Eventually, everyone will bow the knee to Jesus. Eventually, all of creation will be redeemed. But for now, we know that there is no sin too large, no family too estranged, no community too divided, and no nation too evil that Jesus cannot bring back to Himself. The Cross is sufficient to bring all men back to Him. It is also sufficient to restore the entire created order.  Somehow, I think that the early church understood this. When they laid their lives down to bring the love of Christ to the sick and the dying, they were just doing the work of the gospel by reconciling the world back to God through the sacrificial love displayed through the Cross.

So, when I see evil, sickness, death, and despair around me, I should not run away in fear.  When I see people enslaved to sin and living in wickedness, I should not pull back and condemn them. Instead, I should go into those situations in the confidence that Jesus has already won the victory and everyone and everything can bow before Jesus because of what He has done on the Cross and through the Resurrection.  Jesus is our hope. Somehow, I think that the early church understood this. That is why they were able to lay their lives down and care for the sick, even at great danger to themselves. They were compelled by love. They did not look at people from a worldly point of view. They knew that they were given the message of reconciliation because God was reconciling the world to Himself through Jesus.  How could they do any different as His ambassadors?  (2 Corinthians 5:14-21). 

How could we?

The Gospel of the Kingdom - Shalom

Last night, I continued on with our study on Jesus and the In-Breaking Kingdom of God. I was really excited to talk about the concept of Shalom, or peace, as it is related to the reign and rule of God in Christ. Many of us think of peace as a pleasant emotion or a state of stress free living. We think of peace in an individualistic or internal sense.  Or, we think of it as the absence of conflict. But, the Biblical idea of Shalom is much more holistic than that. The New Bible Dictionary says,

Basically, the Old Testament word for peace, shalom, means ‘completeness’, ‘soundness’, ‘well-being’. It is used when one asks of or prays for the welfare of another, when one is in harmony or concord with another, when one seeks the good of a city or country.  It may mean material prosperity or physical safety. But also it may mean spiritual well-being. Such peace is the associate of righteousness and truth, but not of wickedness.                                          

                                                                        

Because of the world’s chaos through man’s sin, and because peace comes only as God’s gift, the messianic hope was an age of peace (Isaiah 2:2-4; 9:1-7), or of the advent of the Prince of Peace.  The New Testament shows the fulfillment of this hope. In Christ peace has come (Luke 2:14, 29-32). By Him it is bestowed (Mark 5:30-34; John 20:19-22; 26), and His disciples are its messengers (Luke 10:5-12; Acts 10:36).

                                                         

In classical Greek eirene had a primarily negative force; but by way of the LXX (Septuagint), the word in the New Testament has the full content of the Old Testament Shalom, and nearly always carries a spiritual connotation. The breadth of its meaning is especially apparent from its linking with such key words as grace, life, righteousness, and from its use in benedictions such as 1 Thess. 5:23 and Hebrews 13:20-21.

                                                                     

For sinful man there must first be peace with God, the removal of sin’s enmity through the sacrifice of Christ (Romans 5:1; Colossians 1:20). Then inward peace can follow (Phil. 4:7), unhindered by the world’s strife (John 14:27; 16:33). Peace between man and man is part of the purpose for which Christ died (Eph. 2:11-18) and of the Spirit’s work (Gal. 5:22); but man must also be active to promote it (Eph. 4:3; Hebrews 12:14), not merely as the elimination of discord, but as the harmony and true functioning of the Body of Christ (Romans 14:19; 1 Cor. 14:33).

                                                                                        

If this definition is true, then we have a shortsighted view of what “peace” means. Like so many other things in the spiritual life, we have personalized it and made it all about us. It has become all about our current state of mind. But, the Biblical idea of peace, or shalom, is consistent with the idea of the establishment of the reign and rule of God through the coming of the Kingdom. We are to come under God’s authority where He brings peace with God, peace in our lives and families, and peace between one another.

                                                                                                                                             

The Hebrew people understood that when Jesus said that the Kingdom of God is at hand, that it meant that the messianic reign had come. This was the time where God would set right all that had gone wrong. When Jesus said that He gave us peace, it meant that He gave us soundness, completeness, wholeness. All of this was to be found in Him. Peace, or shalom, is to come upon our homes. It is to come upon our churches and our communities. It is to transform our nation. We are to live complete, sound, and whole. It can all be found in Christ. Jesus Himself is our peace. He tears down the dividing walls between warring factions and groups that are at enmity. He brings them into prosperous, healthy, and mutually beneficial relationships. Not only do we gain peace with God, but we also gain peace within ourselves and between one another. The gospel is the gospel of peace. We are messengers of peace and we are to be peacemakers in the lives of others. The peace that we experience and share is not just a nice feeling or a lack of conflict, but it is all that derives from our union with God as He gives us healthy relationships with our families and through community with one another.

To each of you today, I say, Shalom. Peace be with you.

When we stop reducing the wonders of the gospel to a private devotion life with Jesus, we begin to understand what He really has in store for us. Jesus puts His life in us and that life transforms the world. He gives us peace that is different from what the world gives. It lasts, spreads, and transforms.

The Gospel of the Kingdom

I am starting a 7 week Summer Bible Study on Wednesday nights called, Jesus and the In-Breaking Kingdom of God.  I have come to believe that the gospel that we have been preaching in much of the Western Church is too small. Many people believe that the gospel is just the good news of the forgiveness of sins. They are to turn from their sins, ask for forgiveness, and believe that their sins are forgiven. Then, they are to stop sinning, or at least try real hard. But, that is a gospel that is all about sin. Sure, sin is what keeps us from God and solving our sin problem is essential to having a relationship with God and to having eternal life. But, somehow I don't think that Jesus saved us just so we could continue a life long focus on sin. Jesus saved us so that we would be a people unto Himself. He saved us so that we could participate in His Kingdom. The gospel of the Kingdom is much bigger than just having our sins forgiven. Through the gospel of the Kingdom, we participate in the reign and rule of God. We live our lives for Him. We love others sacrificially. We put the needs of others above our own. We humble ourselves. We give up all to pursue the Kingdom of God. It has direct results on how we live our lives now. The Gospel of the Kingdom is more than just forgiveness of sins, although that message is central. It affects our whole life and the lives of others, both near and far.

I am beginning to believe that the some of the weaknesses in our churches may stem from a lack of preaching and living out the Gospel of the Kingdom. Instead, we are often preaching and living an individualistic substitute that makes the work of God in space-time all about us, when in reality, it is all about Him and His glory. God wants to catch us up in what He is doing because He loves us and He wants us to co-labor with Him.

Any thoughts on what the Kingdom of God is and how it might make a difference that we believe the full-orbed Gospel of the Kingdom instead of just the message of forgiveness?

Do We Read the Bible Correctly? The Message and the Mission Are Connected

When I was in seminary at Golden Gate back in the late 90's, I was highly impacted by the teachings of Dr. Thom Wolf. He, along with Dr. Stanley Nelson, my systematic theology professor, gave me a lens through which to interpret Scripture. I began to see the Bible as a whole, not just a random collection of books, sayings, and unrelated chapters. I began to see that the Bible was about the mission of God through the sending of God's Son, Jesus Christ, to rescue the human race from sin and death for God's own glory and because of His redeeming love for us. As I began to read the Bible as an unfolding message of God's wooing and rescue of the human race with Jesus as the Hinge of History, all of the side doctrines that had created so much confusion began to slide into place. Jesus is central. He was sent by God and He redeems us and calls us to Himself, gathers us together, and then sends us out with His power to proclaim His salvation. His gospel is our message. The gospel is the Gospel of the Kingdom announcing God's reign and rule through the person and work of Jesus. He is calling people everywhere to Himself through the proclamation of the gospel. Jesus is our focus.  His mission is the mission and purpose of the church.

One of the passages that Bro. Thom unfolded for us was Luke 24:45-49.  It says,

45Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

The Message:  The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day.

The Mission:  Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations.

The Message and the Mission are connected. One flows from the other. We have wrongly separated the two and have said that we need to accept the message and then maybe if you become spiritual enough and receive a special "call," then you can take part in the mission. Wrong. When you receive the gospel, you receive a redemptive spiritual virus that is meant to be spread to others. I really wonder if those who have no desire to share the gospel or see others come to Christ have really encountered what the gospel is about. As Bro. Thom used to say, "the gospel that has come to you must now go through you."  If we are just sitting on the gospel, then we don't really understand it. It is like people who claim to receive grace yet they continue to sin. If you really understood grace, then you would not continue to sin. Grace provides forgiveness AND it brings change in our lives.

Recently, David Phillips reviewed Christopher Wright's book, The Mission of God. In his review, he quotes Wright and says,

In Chapter one of this book, Christopher Wright begins to lay out the search for a missional hermeneutic. We need to move past the search for a biblical basis of missions, but to see the Bible through a missional lens.

Drawing from Luke 24, Wright begins to express his basis for a missional hermeneutic. He believes that beyond a messianic centering of the Old Testament there is a missional thrust as well. Luke 24:45-47 states:

45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. (ESV)

In this, “He seems to be saying that the whole of scripture (which we know as the Old Testament) finds its focus and fulfillment both in the life and death and resurrection of Israel’s Messiah, and in the mission to all nations, which flows from that event.” Thus the proper way for disciples of Christ to read the Bible is both messianically and missionally.

In doing this, we need to move past trying to express a “Biblical Foundation for Missions.” We need to see the Bible not as containing several verses about being on mission (ie Matthew 28:19-20), but to see everything through a messianic and missional framework.

Yes, Jesus is my personal Savior and I am to know Him personally. But, He also came as the Savior of the World to seek and save the lost. If I have believe His message, I am also to be caught up in that mission. There was never meant to be a dichotomy between what Jesus said and what He did. In the same way, there is to be no separation between the message of the gospel and the mission of bringing that gospel to the world. Why have we created such a distinction? Why have we unduly separated what God has joined together?  How can we say that we are being faithful to Christ and that we are walking with God if we are not taking part in His mission to bring salvation to the ends of the earth?  We cannot, and the fact that we have created a faith that gives us the option shows how we have effectively shelved the implications of the gospel and have replaced it with a message of personal piety and satisfaction.

Michael Frost expounds upon the idea of the missional nature of the church.  He says that mission is the organizing principle of the church. If we see the church through the lens of mission and we organize ourselves around the purpose of lifting up Jesus in a lost culture, then we are seeing the church rightly and we are reading the Bible as we should.  The entire Bible is the record of God in search of man to call a people to Himself. God is a sent God, a missional God. It is His nature and His character. God sent His Son, and the Father and Son now send us. Spirituality is tied to our "sentness." Please take a few minutes to watch this. I hope to do a further review on this message and will repost it again later.

May we open our hearts and read the Bible rightly.

For Anyone Struggling With Fear or Sickness

Emily Hunter McGowin, a theology student at Baylor that I have become familiar with through her postings on SBCOutpost, has published an incredible message on Romans 8:28-39. She writes about how God works in our lives even when we are going through incredible hardship and suffering. As I read her words, I was reminded of what we have seen God do in our lives through our son, Caelan. Today, we can rejoice in Caelan's birthday and that he is healthy and has turned two, but our real joy comes in knowing that God is always for us, is always working circumstances for our good, and is laboring to conform us to the image of Christ. Thanks for the reminder, Emily.

All of Life is Repentance

Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC says that. I think that he's right.

I've been asked by a couple of people over the past week about repentance - what it is and how you do it. I preached about it on Sunday as I happened to be at that point in the Book of Acts - Acts 3:19-20, which says, "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus."

Now ultimately, Biblical repentance is about salvation. It is about turning AWAY from your sin and rebellion and turning to God through faith in Jesus Christ. Too many people make repentance into something like, "stop doing bad and start doing good." But, there's no power in that. True repentance means that we turn AWAY from sin and turn TO faith in Jesus.

Repentance means to turn around. A man might say, "I was headed for a cliff, but I repented. I turned around and went the other way and lived."

Repentance is more than just being sorry. It means that we turn around - we forsake our sinful thoughts and activities. It is not a burdensome thing, but rather, it is extremely lifegiving. When we repent, we step into who God has truly made us to be as we place our faith in Jesus.

Who needs to repent? Paul, in Acts 17:30 says that repentance is for everyone: "he (God) commands all people everywhere to repent." We all need to repent because we have all sinned and fall short of God's glory. And, repentance is not just a one time thing. Jesus told the church in Ephesus in Rev. 2:5 that was doing so much right, to "Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place."  Turn around from the direction you were going and turn to Christ. Even Christians.

So, I thought that I would list some steps to repentance. Repentance, for the Christian, renews our relationship with God and puts us back on the right path. It involves a looking away from and forsaking past behavior and attitudes and a looking to Christ. It seems that many do not know how to repent. Here are some thoughts:

1. Ask God to search your heart (Pslam 139:23-24). We are all pretty subjective. If it is my job to search my heart, I will often rationalize attitudes and actions that God would get rid of if I would just submit to Him. When asking Him to search my heart, it is helpful to read the Bible and focus on passages like Colossians 3.  What from that passage do I need to believe and incorporate into my life? What do I need to deal with?
2. When God shows you the areas that you need to deal with, confess them to God. Confession is basically agreement with God that we have sinned (1 John 1:9). When we agree with God about our sin, we admit that He is holy and that His character is in tact. We confess our sin and claim His forgiveness. We agree with God about what we have done, give it to Him, and begin to receive His forgiveness. This enables us to walk with Him. Amos 3:3 says, "Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?"
3. When you confess your sin, forsake it. Turn away from it. "Put off the old" (Eph. 4:22).
4. Turn to Christ in faith. It is not enough to just try and stop doing/thinking negative things. We must additionally turn to Christ. He makes us "new in the attitude of our minds" (Eph. 4:23). In this, we receive His unlimited forgiveness and mercy.
5. We must put move on. We put on the new self and enter into times of refreshing (Eph. 4:24).

Repentance has gotten a bad rap. It has this image of being this guilt induced experience that makes us feel awful and very ashamed. That is not so! Biblical repentance is liberating and it leads to life! It is a way that God has given us to throw off our sin and turn to Jesus to find true life! It is an avenue to wholeness, because we are only truly whole when we walk with Him. We all need to be in an attitude of repentance all the time. We never become so holy or perfect that we do not need to continually realign ourselves with God's work, will, and purposes taking place around us. Who do we think we are?

I am not talking about feeling bad all the time. But, I am talking about having a basic understanding that I need to realign myself to what God is doing and His holiness and not the other way around. I need to turn around from the direction that I was headed, and by faith, turn to God. It seems that we make repentance too hard on people and they miss an incredible blessing of laying down their will to take up the yoke of Christ. We have made another blessed means of knowing God more deeply into a shameful and legalistic exercise that is only for "really bad sinners."

Well, I am here to confess that I need continual repentance. I need to consistently realign my life with God's will and purposes. I am not ashamed to admit that, because that is a place that I find refreshing, life giving, living water from Jesus. Sometimes it is difficult for us to admit that we need to keep turning our lives over to God, but it is true. And, there is life in recognizing the we still need a Savior each and every day.

May we engage in true heartfelt repentance this week. May we confess our sins and our desperate need for Christ and also the victory that He has for all who believe in Him. Then, by faith, may we receive the incredible grace that God lavishes upon all who call upon Him and move on into the path that God truly wants us to walk - a walk in agreement with Him.

The Fruit of the Spirit, Pt. 4: Love Without Restraint

Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Vacation was WONDERFUL!!! My family and I spent a week at the beach and it was great. I have a ton of pictures that I will be putting up later this week. The time away was much needed.

Here and there I was able to peruse some of the reaction from the SBC Annual Meeting. Let me just say that I am more than glad that I have decided to bow out of all of this. I will be limiting my involvement in SBC issues to being a contributing writer for the new SBCOutpost, which will be a group blog effort. Other than that, further participation appears to be pointless.

So, all of that brings me back to the point of my writing: to try and lift up the name of Jesus and to point out where I see God at work in the world around me. I have continued to think about the Fruit of the Spirit, so I wanted to start the week off with some further reflections on Love. We know that God is love. In Romans 5:8 listed above, we see how God demonstrates His love for us by having Christ die for us while we were still sinners. Before we had ever done anything good and while we were still completely stinking with sin, Jesus died for you and for me. It is hard for us to fully grasp that, because we become so convinced of our goodness and righteousness and we begin to feel that we somehow merit the merit of Christ. This is never more true than when we are judging others. Let me tell you a story to illustrate my point.

In the late 1990's, I was a young seminary student at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in the San Francisco Bay Area. My wife and I joined First Baptist Church, San Francisco, and from there started a ministry to homeless people. We used to meet with a team of other folks in their 20's on Sunday mornings really early. We started going to the Civic Center park, which bore the popular name of "Crack Park" for obvious reasons. Each Sunday morning, we would pass out sweet rolls, orange juice, and clean socks (homeless people love clean socks) to those who were just waking up on benches or under trees. This was right in the shadow of City Hall and the police and city leadership turned a blind eye to the wide stretch of homeless people laying in the plaza. We were their Sunday morning wake up call, and we would share breakfast with them, offer them prayer, and invite them over to a central place where we would share the Word of God with them. We saw several come to Christ through this and we began discipling them. It was a powerful time.

One Sunday morning I was walking around the park and I was trying to give away the food and bless people through prayer and/or friendliness. Then, I saw the most disgusting sight I had ever seen in a human being. Before me lay a black man who was a homeless transvestite. He had partial make up on with a half grown beard. He was a mess and could not keep himself up. He had his shoes off and his feet were swollen and were oozing pus from open sores. From his body emanated a stench that was nauseating. Actually, I found myself gagging at the sight of this "man", rejected by both the straight and gay community. He was a complete horror show. As I gagged from the sight, smell, and aura of this he/she who was clearly very ill, I knew that I could not turn away. I was being overwhelmed by my own precious sensibilities and I wanted to run, but I knew that was wrong. I wish that I could say that I was just SO compassionate. But, I wasn't. I didn't know what to do.

So, in that moment, I decided that prayer was the answer. I cried out to God and I asked Him to let me see that man the way that He saw him. Immediately, I was flooded with love and warmth. Tears came to my eyes and my heart broke for the man. I saw him as a child of God, broken and bent, but still bearing God's image upon himself. I was overcome by the love of God for him. I don't know if I remember a prayer ever being answered so quickly. I realized that God loved this man so much, that while he was still in his sin, Christ died for him. Love flowed out of me as well. I walked over to the man, offered him something to eat, told him that Jesus loved him and died for him, and then I hugged him. The man was receptive and opened up to me. I wish I could report some miracle regarding the man, but the real miracle happened in my heart. As I experienced God's love for this man who was filthy with sin, my own heart was changed and I felt myself experience brokenness over his alienation from God. I was overwhelmed with God's grace that was available for this man. I was overwhelmed with God's love.

What kind of God do we serve who could love sinners? What kind of God is it that demonstrates His love by dying for us while we are still lost in our sin? If God has forgiven us this way, then who are we to not forgive others? How can we push someone else aside when God has given all to bring us back to Himself? And, having experienced this for ourselves, how can we not extend it to others?

Ephesians 3:17-19 "And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

The Fruit of the Spirit, Pt. 3: What the World Needs Now . . .

LOVE

The first fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5 is LOVE. I am just going to list some relevant Scripture. Considering all that has been going on and the Convention coming up in the SBC next week, this should be self explanatory:

1 Corinthians 13

1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Romans 5:8

8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1 John 4:7-21

7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

13We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
      God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

19We love because he first loved us. 20If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Most will probably not read this far because the Scriptures are familiar and this is not controversial enough to draw out interest. But, it is pretty important. If we have everything and have not love, we are not good for anything at all. Also, love is not just a disposition of the heart, but it is always carried out in action. "Peter, do you love me? Then feed my sheep." Jesus showed us true world changing love by laying His life down for us. How can we lay our lives down for those around us?

I have been very frustrated with the events of the past weeks leading up to the Convention in San Antonio.  I am going and praying for change. But, I know that if I go angry and looking for a fight, my spirit will be empty and I will only live out of the desires of the flesh. We all need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. May we never become so focused on what we can accomplish that we forget that our first priority is to love God and love one another - sacrificially. I pray that that attitude overtakes all of us in every aspect of our lives.

Fruit of the Spirit Pt. 2: Abiding in the Vine

As I've thought about this series on the Fruit of the Spirit, I think that I am going to make this an on again, off again project until I work through all of it. In other words, I will not do a post a day on a different aspect of the manifestation of the Spirit in our lives and character, but will likely work through it this summer. It will take more time than I thought for me to digest it and I don't want to rush as I am praying for transformation in my life instead of just wanting to write a bunch of stuff.

So, with that said, I thought I'd continue this series with some comments from a friend and writer, Bill Wilke. I met Bill a few years ago at a conference, and he has continued to challenge my thinking on a variety of issues. He sent me some emails regarding the necessity of abiding in Christ when it comes to producing His Fruit in our lives. Please read through his thoughts, especially the ones on the second page as he explores the Vine analogy in John 15. This is some really great stuff! I'd appreciate your comments as well.

I (Bill) agree with your analysis that without being grafted into the vine, which you did not talk about specifically as opposed to standing close to the vine (in proximity), we cannot produce anything of value. 

However, in the real biological world of the vine, the DNA or character of the fruit is determined by the branch not the vine if it is really grafted properly.  For example, you can have three varieties of apples on the same tree. 

I have found that when people know that they contribute to shaping the character of the fruit, it is awesome.  It is not about the branch being totally passive, as some analyst argue, where the sap just passes through and the branch contribute noting. Each individual plays a distinct and important role as a grafted branch onto the vine/Christ.  Challenging people in their own world to manifest and later discover the shape, color, texture, taste and even character of the fruit that they are manifesting is both fun and exciting.

______________________________________________________________________

Alan,

I don’t want to interrupt what God is doing through you but I have the following question.

Fruit is a by-product/symptom.  Should you study the Spiritual Fruits before or after you understand the gratfing process into the vine which I think is the real “cause and effect.”

I will give you a few examples of topics that a believer needs to comprehend and integrate about the vine before they can appreciate or manifest the spiritual gifts.  Some may try through human effort and I have been surprised at the level of success even though they are really “fakers” and the truth will eventually come out.

The Fruit of the Spirit: An Overview

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23

I've decided to start a new series here on Downshoredrift on the Fruit of the Spirit. With all the talk about the Gifts of the Spirit in relation to the IMB and SBC issues, I felt that some discussion on the development of Christian character was in order. So, over the next couple of weeks, I hope to take a look at each of the nine manifestations of the Fruit of the Spirit as displayed in Galatians 5:22-23.  After discussion of each manifestation, I want to look at how they each relate to our relationship with God, our relationship with one another, and our relationship with the world and it's expectations. You might be surprised at how revolutionary this concept of living the Spirit life before the powers, principalities, and personalities of the world can be. So much of what we try to accomplish in Christian life and ministry is attempted through the power of the flesh and human organization and effort. But, God gives us a different way - the Way of the Spirit. It is a way that is rarely chosen, but it is powerful beyond measure and there is no law against it. It is articulated through the Sermon on the Mount and the ethic of Jesus and it has implications that shatter the power of this dark world. It will raise valleys, bring low mountains, and make crooked paths straight. It will bring about justice in a corrupt world and harmony to our relationships. It is the way forgotten in the Christian life in the midst of many more popular paths of human success and fulfillment. But, it is the Way that we must travel.