Archive for the ‘Considering Christ’ Category

Considering Christ is my devotional blog, an online journal of thoughts flowing out from meditating on the Word of God.

Posted on August 5, 2006 - by ericholter

Christ a Minister of Sin?

“But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be!”
Galatians 2:17

Paul confronted Peter in Antioch for standing aloof from the Gentiles when his fellow Jews arrived from Jerusalem. Paul recalls this story in his letter to the Galatians as a means of defending the gospel. The issues at hand were not small but the truth of the gospel was at stake—and not just the facts of the gospel, but how the gospel is lived out.

Walking in the gospel involves a considerable amount of effort. I want my life to reflect well on my Savior and so I try to please him by avoiding evil as I represent Christ. A good measure of my motivation for holiness is that I would adorn the gospel by my good behavior. But imagine if by my very consistency with such gospel living—by faithfully reflecting Christ—that the result was to make some people think of Christ as a minister of sin. Imagine that!

This is what was happening in Antioch. To a Jew, merely being a Gentile meant being a “sinner.” One might be a very upright, honorable, noble individual, but if a Gentile, he’s a sinner. To the Jews then, what was the net result of the gospel of Christ? It meant that Gentile sinners were being included among the people of God—and that without becoming “Jew-like;” no circumcision, no Law keeping, not kosher. As if this weren’t enough, good Jews (like Peter) were even starting to act less Jewish and more like Gentile sinners. To a Jewish mind this just could not be. If Christ was the messiah and the gospel was true, how could His church be so non-Jewish, so Gentile—so, so sinful!

But Paul would not water down the gospel. Surely, it would have been easier, more politically correct, and more diplomatic to just make some concessions regarding Christian practice so that the reputation of Christ would not be besmirched in the eyes of the Jews. After all we are His representatives and we want to reflect well on Him—if our behavior in the gospel makes some think of Christ as minister of sin—how could that be good?

But no. The gospel of Christ crucified is a gospel of grace. It is of grace and not by works of the Law. The gospel which brings justification by faith may not be entered into, or lived out as if it were by works of the Law. There can be no compromise, even if it means that some, many, or even most look on and think that such a gospel cannot be right. And such is the case even today. For the Western mind is just as opposed to gospel truth as is the Jewish mind. We just substitute a different kind of law. Salvation in Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone—without any basis in my worthiness or effort is inconceivable to the natural human mind. Yet entirely free and solely by grace it is—so that no man may never boast before God.

What does this mean for me today? It means that I should not underestimate how counterintuitive and God-centered is the truth of the gospel. If the effect of the gospel was so perplexing to the Jews and is so foolish to the modern mind I should not assume that my mind has been fully oriented to the radical truth of the gospel of grace. Paul rebuked the Galatians because they started off with the true gospel which was, and only could be, received in and through the power of the Spirit—and quickly departed to another gospel that tried to combine grace with works of the Law. If those Christians could so easily tip toward a version of the gospel that was no gospel at all, I am also susceptible to this kind of error.

The gospel causes me to die with Christ to the Law in such a thorough and complete way that the mere attempt to rebuild even part of the Law becomes itself the height of transgression. For I died to the Law with Christ and if I try to now live by the Law Paul says to me, “you fool, you are cursed if you go back under the law. Having been justified by faith do you now seek to be justified by your own efforts?”

And so I must dwell on the radical, Christ-centered gospel of grace and seek to root out all works oriented motives and efforts from my life. Only grace oriented efforts, gospel worthy motives, and Spirit empowered works are pleasing to God. And if the gospel life is a stench to some—the solution is not to change the gospel, but to pray that the noses that smell it that way would be changed.

Lord Jesus, open my eyes to the ways, both overt and subtle that my life and my heart move not by grace but as though I related to you by works. I have died to such “dead-living.” Reveal the areas of my life that have not been saturated by the gospel of grace and cause me to love only the true gospel of grace of Christ. Amen.

Posted on July 5, 2006 - by ericholter

Beatific Boasting

“Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me–to keep me from exalting myself!”
2 Corinthians 12:7

The apostle Paul was blessed with a glimpse into the glories of heaven. He saw and heard things that cannot be uttered. I would think that such an unobscured view of the glory of God in heaven would have the most positive, sanctifying, God exalting, eternity desiring effects on Paul. Indeed, I’m sure it did. Yet, even so, Paul was also in grave danger as a direct result of these revelations. Embedded in his corrupt flesh was the prideful tendency toward self exaltation. In our perfected state - after death - the glories of heaven will only produce perfect God centered joy. But because of our current corruption these same glories carry with them the potential effects of prideful self exaltation. God knew that Paul’s revelations would inevitably lead him to boasting. So for this very reason God assigned him a messenger of Satan. Some form of constant pain, severe enough that Paul entreated God three times for its removal, was given to him. But it was not removed because God knew that should this man, having received such great heights of revelation, would surely fall into the snares of pride and end up boasting.

It seems a spiritual necessity that great revelations be accompanied with some form of counter balancing affliction in order to keep human flesh from boasting. God knows I cannot bear too much revelation while in this sinful body.

The pattern is frequent in scripture. Was not Peter’s great revelation in stating that Jesus was the Christ the son of the living God followed quickly by his being sternly rebuked for standing in the way of Jesus and the cross? Are not some of the most blessed new covenant promises of adoption, sharing in the Spirit, and eternal inheritance conditioned upon sharing in the fellowship of His sufferings? Are not fiery trials appointed for the refining of faith more precious than gold?

There is a spectrum of experience for the Christian, and I must live along this spectrum moving between one extreme and the other day by day. On the one end is circumstantial and physical ease, usually accompanied by simpler, more modest revelations. And on the other end are the greater revelations of the glory of God in the face of Christ accompanied with burdens borne to counter balance pride. Truly the second state is to be preferred over the first, but who can bear it? No one can bear it, and certainly no one can prefer it except by grace. And joy! His grace is sufficient for bearing all such burdens.

To receive the gift of revelation and grace to bear burdens I must learn - like Paul - to say “therefore I am well content with weakness, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Lord grant me the grace to most gladly prefer pain and weakness if such might afford me a better revelation of Christ. You O God are my soul’s satisfaction. Let me not guard so diligently against all pain and discomfort but rather be ready to receive trouble - if with it also the grace to endure - that the result might be more of you. For Jesus sake, amen.

Posted on June 10, 2006 - by ericholter

Serving the Good Master

“So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’”
Luke 17:10

The context for this exhortation toward unassuming, obligatory service is Jesus’ command to forgive - even the same person seven times in the same day. Because I am forgiven so much and so often, withholding forgiveness or presuming that my forgiving is a big deal is laughable. When I forgive it’s no great shakes - I’m only fulfilling my most basic obligation as a forgiven sinner.

There is a danger in misapplying this verse however, by thinking that God is pleased with service that flows out from a mere fulfillment of duty.

Truly, I have a duty to obey the Lord’s commands. Satisfying His standards is to be expected. My failure to fulfill His requirements is entirely blameworthy. Fulfilling the obligations of a slave, answering fully to all the master’s orders, is but the fitting response of any servant. But, this does not mean that God is satisfied with my mere fulfillment of duty. Such a disinterested obedience is unbecoming a Christian. I believe this passage speaks to everyone - Christian or not. When a non-Christian rebels, rejecting their status as creatures in God’s universe, they are guilty of derivation of duty. If they should obey a command, they have nothing to boast about since obedience is our humblest duty.

Yet, for the Christian disinterested service is not an option. Meditating on the nature of the master in this parable helps me drive home how mere upholding of duties is offensive to God. I rerun this parable inserting three different masters.

Master one: the scoundrel. There are many masters who gain their position through dishonorable, even deceitful means. And such a master, who has no regard for honor and integrity in his dealings - would be even more contemptuous of his slaves. Nevertheless, the slaves of a scoundrel are still slaves - they’ve been bought and so it is their duty to serve their wicked master. Yet they might do so, fully satisfying their duty, with no internal respect and with little regard for the master himself.

Master two: the honorable master. Now I consider an honorable master, one who gained his wealth by working hard. He treats others with proper regard and provides his servants with appropriate accommodation and fair treatment. Such servants must also perform their duties, it is their obligation. Yet I can imagine such slaves being more wholehearted in their service. They might genuinely respect their master, and even strive to do their jobs with distinction.

Master three: the good master. Consider a very wealthy master who uses his wealth to relive those in distress. His occupation is to feed and clothe widows and orphans. His extensive good works are evident to all in his household. He is renowned for altruism and generosity. He consistently gives himself to meeting the needs others. And this master did not buy his slaves off the market. No, he traveled far and wide to find the sorriest, most mistreated and oppressed slaves - belonging to the harshest, most wicked masters. He purchased them for outrageous terms. Having redeemed them from oppressive masters, at high price, he brings them into his home where they serve him by joining in his occupation of blessing others in distress.

What of the mere duty of these slaves? Yes, they are slaves whose duties are just as obligatory as any other. But could such a slave serve such a master with a dispassionate, disinterested duty? Never!

As a Christian, I must fulfill my duty - and not wait for a prize every time I do. Yet I may never merely fulfill my duty as though that is all that is required. My duties must be fulfilled - but they must be fulfilled like a servant of the good master - who being so good, serving Him can hardly be called service at all. No, more like astounding privilege and honor.

Dear Lord - grant me an enthusiasm for serving you that is fitting for one called to so great a master. Forgive me when my attitude and motivation is so much less than it ought to be for one redeemed, rescued and brought into your great kingdom. Set my eyes on the payment you made - demonstrated on the cross, that I might no longer live for myself but for Him who died for me and rose again - joyfully, happily, and thankfully. Amen.