Over the last couple of years, I have written a bit on church and different frustrations people feel about it. Many have written to me expressing their appreciation for tackling topics that often feel too scary to discuss.
It’s not uncommon to hear that someone was about to give up on their church (maybe even God) until they read a post I wrote. They tell me, “It was relieving to have someone put into words what I felt.” It gave them hope, and, as a result, are still walking with the Lord.
Hearing testimonies like that give me renewed vision and energy for writing. There are so many people who are disillusioned with church, today. It grieves me that this generation is walking away from the church more than any generation past. So, I am grateful I to be at least a small part of helping reconcile hurting people with the body of Christ.
It is easy, however, to get overly focused on the negatives and weaknesses of church that we miss the profound beauty and glory it displays to the world. In Ephesians 5, Paul alludes to the church as the Bride of Christ. Brides are beautiful, and Christ’s no less.
So, in an attempt to help us regain (or stay focused on) the beauty of the Bride of Christ, I am going to share a three-part series over the next few days entitled, “What I love about…” focusing on the raw beauty of Jesus, His people, and His leaders.
Because the church is Christ’s bride, I’m going to start with What I Love about Jesus.
The One Thing about Jesus
Now, how do you encapsulate everything Jesus is, even everything you love about Him, in one blog post? That’s why I’m not even going to try. Instead, I’m going to share the one thing I tell my children about Jesus that makes Him uniquely beautiful and someone worth becoming one with.
Jesus is God come to dwell among His Creation. (Mt. 1:23)
What I love about Jesus is that God did not wipe out His creation and start over, even though we walked away from Him. Instead, He saw His creation as so good He decided to rescue it. And Jesus is His rescue plan.
Through Jesus showing us the way to live as God designed, then dying in our place and paying our eternal punishment, God restores His perfect relationship with creation. Because of Jesus, you and I are made righteous.
Paul said in Philippians 3 that all his credentials on this earth (circumcised, Israelite, Hebrew of Hebrews, obedient to the Law, an educated Pharisee) is but rubbish compared to the value of knowing Jesus Christ. Because of Jesus, he has a righteousness not of his own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith. (3:8-9)
We have no confidence in the flesh; it’s all in Jesus. Without Him, we have no hope.
Paul goes on to say in the book of Colossians that,
If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations—“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch”—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.
He then tells them to set their minds on Christ. He is their hope. Through Him, they have the righteousness of God. And the same is true for you and me.
Uncomfortable Implications for Us Today
This is really good news! And many in this generation love that news because it frees them from the legalism they feel. However, what often goes missed are the implications for us.
The fact that man-made regulations are of no value doesn’t give us permission to live however we want. It calls us to be truly born again in Christ. To take on a completely new framework from which we live life.
You see, Christianity is not about creating a certain lifestyle; it’s about entering into a divine relationship with God.
If we truly want to experience the glory of Christ, today, we need to ask ourselves two difficult questions:
The first question is, “Do I have a true relationship with Jesus Christ?”
Paul says he counts everything as loss in view of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord. (Phil. 3:8) Two often we’re not really pursuing Christ, we’re just getting rid of what feels fake. And maybe it’s legitimate to get rid of it. But unless we count everything as loss, I’m not sure we can have a true relationship with Christ.
If our jobs are priority to us, if certain relationships give us our ultimate sense of security, if being able to do what we want to do is what we’re most concerned about, then Christ is not our focus. Everything is not counted as loss. And I’m afraid we have but a shallow (if any) relationship with Jesus.
The second question we must ask is, “Is my mind set any more on heavenly things than those who regulate lifestyle?”
In light of the fact that regulations are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh, Paul says, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is.” (Col. 3:1)
So, when we’re busy getting rid of regulations, we need to ask ourselves if our minds are any more set on things above then those who came up with the regulations we’re getting rid of. Regulations have no value. But unless we set our minds on Christ we’re not any closer to Him without the regulations.
How can we experience the total, transformation of Jesus Christ?
“Put to death”
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. . .put to death, therefore, what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these, the wrath of God is coming. (Col. 3:3, 5-6)
You want to experience Jesus transform your life? Put to death what is earthly in you. We love Jesus because He connects us back with the Father. He takes our place in the punishment we deserve. That is the reality of what He has done for us, and when believe it as Truth, Paul says our lives are hidden with Christ.
But Christ did not come only to clear our slate. He came to rescue us. To help restore us to how we should have been living all along. Unless we take on the life He now enables us to live, we are just as far away from God as before.
In order for the work of Christ on the Cross to become reality in our life here on earth, we need God’s Holy Spirit to work in us. We cannot “put to death” anything, in and of ourselves. Paul says, “Christ is all and in all.” (Col. 3:11)
Next time you feel the desire to lust, get angry, worry about finances or whatever temptation you keep stumbling over, ask God for His Spirit to transform your heart and habits. It may not happen overnight, but as you continue opening your heart to Him, specifically the areas of sin in your life, He will respond by pouring out His righteousness through the Holy Spirit and into your life.
“Put on”
Conversely, Paul says to,
Put on, then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other… Above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” (Col. 3:12-14)
You see, Christ is our rescuer. Through Him, Creation is being restored to the perfection God intended for it. Without sin, there would be no immorality, bitterness, or selfishness. We would naturally love each other with kindness, humility and forgiveness.
But since this world is broken, since we have instilled habits of living outside of God’s design, we must put those habits to death through the grace of Jesus Christ and put on His righteousness.
I love God’s story, how He restores a broken creation. I love His Rescuer. And I love His church, which I’ll tell you about in my next post.
