...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;
whom we preach, warning every man,
and teaching every man in all wisdom;
that we may present every man perfect
in Christ Jesus: whereunto I also labor,
striving according to his working,
which worketh in me mightily.
Colosssians 1:27-28
(Geneva Bible)
Authentic Christian do not follow any man, rather they follow the One Man that is worthy to be followed: Jesus Christ. Some will say: "Are you not following Paul? The answer is no: for what Paul wrote was under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to address what was needed to bring the Church into the truth and to teach them how to live as Authentic Christians. These new Christians came from many backgrounds, paganism, false idols in their homes, and a worldview that was and is not the worldview that Authentic Christians hold as right and true. What was written then is applicable today: if only a person would quit trying to find fault with what the Holy Spirit inspired to be written and learn to live this life of God, a blessed life in many ways and a final and absolute blessing of salvation, eternal life.
Christians are the Go-between, sacramental people who have identified themselves with Jesus Christ and the reality of His redemption and allow Jesus Christ to be continually created into a life in Him. Man, natural man, does not want God, oh, he or she knows something about God, even at times to make little gods, a safety net, all due to the fact that God made man in His image even though by Adam's sin the soul of man is corrupted, he or she may reject this image even in its smallest part, they as natural men and women do not have the strength to come to God: it requires something more. That more is Jesus Christ and to come to know Jesus Christ requires something more than to have a "safety net" god, it requires to believe upon Jesus Christ and to allow Him to superimpose His personality , that real necessity, His presence to come upon a person. God has given that responsibility to bring to the world Him, the truth about Him, and this He does through those who have come to believe upon Him, and to be converted to Him. How is this done? By workers who teach the facts of Scripture, the historical fact of the death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven by Jesus Christ. Not to do or teach as some do that it takes more than what the Bible teaches to be a "real" Christian. Real Christianity is Authentic Christianity not some man-made theology, a theology that is not founded upon Scripture. When a person teaches the truth of the Bible those words are conveyed sacramental words based on the work and redemption act of Jesus Christ. Too many are preaching the effects of salvation, and not the revelation regarding Jesus Christ. When this is done then the preaching is not leading to a new birth, but a refined culture, and the Spirit of God cannot witness to it because such preaching is in another domain.
I usually will speak against in some manner about being sympathetic over empathy, but there is good at times in sympathy. Here is a good use of sympathy: We live in sympathy with God; therefore, we feel what God feels, as much as a human can, and we live then according not to feeling, not to just sympathy, rather by this sympathy, and if I can say: Holy Sympathy, we will be effective to bring to our world the Gospel, the truth about God, His Son, and the Holy Spirit. By this sympathy God can create in us the things which He alone can do, and then by empathy, that is to understand the needs of others will be able to help them and not just become identified with their problems.
When people attribute to themselves some sort of glory, to say: "what a wonderful person I am," or, what a fascinating person I am," or "what insight I have," then that person is of no good to God, they are only good to themselves. The Gospel cannot penetrate those personalities that are of self and not of God. If a person is identified or attracts by his or her personality, and this is being done by such men as Joel Osteen, and others, then is appeal is along that line, and that line is not the line of Jesus Christ. If a person will become identified with the teachings of Jesus Christ this his or her teaching will be along that line and on that line the Gospel can be realized by others for it is on the line of what Jesus Christ can do. There is always a danger when men try to have glory unto themselves for when this is done, Jesus Christ is no longer present.
Do you want the presence of Jesus Christ? Yes! Then follow Him, and this is done by reading and studying His word. Blessing now, maybe in the way you would like, or not, but the final blessing is the blessing of all blessings: salvation, eternal life. Praise God for His promise for this is sure.
Love the LORD, all his saints!
the LORD preserves the faithful,
but the proud he pays back in full.
Be sstrong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD.
Psalm 31:23-24
Keep your dwelling place safe
Richard L. Crumb
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