Understanding Western Life and Culture

Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. - 1st Corinthians 6:13b-14

“THE HUMAN BODY is … created for spiritual life in the kingdom of God and to be honored—indeed, glorified—in that context. But when taken out of that context and made the central focus of human experience and endeavor, it is betrayed—robbed of the spiritual resources meant to sustain its life and proper functioning—and in turn it then betrays those who center their life on it.

The sense of this betrayal is what lies at the heart of youth worship in Western societies.

It also is the source of the fear, shame, disgust, and even the anger directed at fat, old age (or just aging), and death and dying that dominate our culture.

An outlook focused entirely on the body finds the body’s failure and cessation to be, of course, the ultimate insult from which there is no recovery.

You have to understand this if you want to understand Western life and culture” - Dallas Willard¹

- fritz


^{1 - Renovation of the Heart, NavPress, copyright 1992, page 184}

Christ in You, the Hope of Glory

the mystery ... hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" - Colossians 1:26b-27

It has been a great comfort to realize God is in me - my body, such that it is; my soul in all it's emotions; and my human spirit.

When I don't know what to do I begin to thank God he is living through me, knows what to do, and will tell me what I need.

As I grow older I thank God my body is his, that I am part of Christ like my finger is part of me, and that he will sustain it¹. Believing Jesus Christ came in the flesh² means many things, not the least of which that He is not in a wafer of bread, but in the human flesh of those who receive him.

He is not waiting for me to do or become anything other than obey him and be his.

- fritz


^{1 - Romans 8:11
2 - 1st John 4:2}

He is all we need.

Handkerchiefs taken from Paul's body healed the masses¹, yet a self described "thorn" was impervious to prayer.

Why? We may not appreciate the answer.

Apparently God has a bigger plan than just us and our wants.

"I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,

My grace is enough; it's all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become." - 2nd Corinthians 12:6-10 (Message)

-fritz

^{1 - Acts 19:12
Related Post: The Prosperity Gospel, September 24, 2010}

Christian Living in Two (2) Questions

That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; - Philippians 2:15

Before you do whatever it is you think you ought, ask yourself two questions.

Is it blameless?
Is it harmless?

If so, proceed.

- fritz

Where are they now?

"The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight ... he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way." - Mark 10:51-52

Many people, like blind Bartimaeus, were touched by Christ and followed - but where were they at the crucifixion?

Where are we when following Christ is not so popular? More than just being receivers, we need to be disciples?

- fritz

What to ask for?

"[B]lind Bartimaeus ... sat by the highway side begging ... he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me ... And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight." - Mark 10:46b-47,51a

Jesus made no assumption about what blind Bartimaeus wanted.

Why? Maybe Jesus saw other needs just as grievous as his blindness; we can only speculate. Fact is, in spite of his obvious need to us, Jesus waited until he identified what he wanted. Had Bartimaeus not asked he may not have received.

We, too, have what some would consider obvious needs, but like Bartimaeus, we need to ask.

- fritz

The Humblest Man

[T]here came one running, and kneeled to [Jesus], and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. - Mark 10:17b-18

The story is told of the town wanting to honor its humblest citizen.

They found just the man and presented him with a trophy, but they had to immediately take it away from him because he accepted it.

Jesus was not even guilty of the sin of self-righteousness.

- fritz