What's His is Mine!

For this is what the Lord has commanded us: 'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.' - Acts 13:47

Paul took a scripture from Isaiah 49:6, clearly referring to the work of Christ, and proclaimed it was God's calling to him.

Can he do that? Sure. Can we do that? Yes.

Paul, knew that those who are joined to Christ by faith are part of Christ in actuality.¹ What belongs to us now also belongs Christ - our sins, griefs, shortcomings.² He embraced them and took them to the cross. What belongs to Christ is now ours³ - his payment for our sins, his resurrection, his fellowship with the Father, his anointing with the Holy Spirit, his seat on the throne, even his call to ministry and the work of others in Christ. He now lives his life through us (though not exclusively), and not just for our benefit, but to those He came to save.⁴

- fritz

^{1 - 1st Corinthians 6:17, Ephesians 5:30
2 - 2nd Corinthians 5:21
3 - Romans 8:32, 1st Corinthians 3:22
4 - 1st John 4:17}

Bible - a book about one man

And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, [Jesus] expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. - Luke 24:27

Two travelers on the way to a place called Emmaus picked up a stranger they did not recognize as Jesus. He took them through the Bible with a new perspective. Their response, "Did not our hearts burn within us!"¹

The Bible is, really, a book about one man.

All the apostles saw it that way. Paul, quoting a very familiar passage about Adam and Eve said it really means something more:

"For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." - Ephesians 5:30-32

Our very salvation hinges on the fact that when we accept the living Christ, Jesus, as our savior we are joined to him. Both we and Jesus are no longer just ourselves, we are eternally linked in covenant.

He took on our sinfulness, we take on his righteousness² to become one new man³, the last Adam⁴ (male and female ⁵). We now approach God with nothing owing and all debts paid, his Grace working is us in all circumstances to bring about our good and more.⁶

- fritz

^{1 - Luke 24:32
2 - 2nd Corinthians 5:21
3 - One new man (not referring to Jew and Gentile but us and Christ) - Ephesians 2:14-15
4 - Last Adam - 1st Corinthians 15:45
5 - Adam, male and female - Genesis 1:27
6: - See Post from July 11, 2010 - "Where is God's Blessing"}

Spiritual Teenagers!

"Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." - Ephesians 5:13b-16 (KJV)

Having teenagers I learned a couple of their characteristics - difficulty getting out of bed and feeling invincible are a couple that come to mind. Teens sometimes have an attitude of unconcern for what we, adults, know is important and warn them about. Most grow out of it and survive but, tragically, some don't.

We can't afford being spiritual teenagers, with a similar disregard. Almost weekly another evangelical pastor, politician, or believer makes the headlines with failure, or just quietly falls away - like baby sea turtles getting picked off as they dash to the sea. They can't all have been fake believers; at some point we must adopt the perspective that at least some of them had a vibrant faith but somehow stumbled into trouble.

No one is immune, make a special effort to hang around God's people and stay vibrant. Avoid potentially compromising situations. Ask Jesus to give a fresh look at him through the Bible, actually opening it up and reading (it doesn't matter where, it's all good).

-fritz

A Bridal Paradigm

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. - Ephesians 5:31-32 (KJV)

Jesus elevated physical existence and circumstances to a new level.

He spoke of "living" water - something like water, but for the soul (John 4:10). With his water you don't get wet but you do get refreshed, in a different way.

Jesus said He was the "Light" of the world. He illuminates reality. It could be said light is simply a physical metaphor for what God does when he come into the human heart.

The Bible uses another physical metaphor, that of being a Bride for Christ.

Our female brethren may have an easier time understanding the metaphor, but not the exclusive rights to it. It has nothing to do with gender or sex like his "living" water has nothing to do with getting wet.

It has everything to do with the relationship and love between the saved and their Saviour. It describes the heartfelt relationship Jesus has towards me (individually and for the Church as a whole). It illustrates the excitement of being sought out and chosen by the real "Mr. Right" - not in us finding him but him finding us(Philippians 3:12b).

If 2nd Timothy 3:16 is to be believed, when it says "All scripture is inspired..." then the mystery of "a man with a maid" (Proverbs 30:19) and the book of the Song of Solomon are physical metaphors of the mystical relationship between the man, Christ Jesus, and the maid, us individually and collectively as the church.

I have heard this but until now it has been dormant; I am awaking to a whole new world!

- Fritz