THE INCOMPARABLE RICHES
24/05/24 08:41
‘In order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus’ Eph 2.7 NIV.
To be fully alive in our riches in Christ we must ensure that we are living the Gospel of Jesus and Paul rather than some diluted or distorted gospel.
THE GOSPEL FOR US
Timothy Keller wrote, “It is very common in Christian circles to assume that “the gospel” is something just for non-Christians. We presume that the gospel is a set of basic “A-B-C” doctrines that Christians do not need to hear or study once they are converted. Rather, they should move beyond the gospel to more “advanced” doctrines. But the great declaration of the gospel of grace in Galatians was written to believers who did not see the implications of the gospel for life-issues confronting them. Paul solves the disunity and racial exclusivity not with a simple exhortation to “be better Christians.” but by calling them to live out the implications of the gospel. So Christians need the gospel as much as non-Christians do. Their problems come because they tend to lose and forget the gospel. They make progress only as they continually grasp and apply the gospel in deeper ways.” (1) This is important to note if the gospel we have been following is ‘no gospel at all.’
WHAT IS THE DEEPER WAY
The ‘deeper way’ is making Christ our life instead of ‘religion our life’. We are not born again until we do. By living moralism our holiness is less than incremental but by living incarnated – which Paul names as Christ who is our life, we become the expression of the indwelling Christ by the Spirit.
GOD LOVES THE WORLD
In previous posts we have noted that the manner in which we nurture the earth is germane to new creation life and the Kingdom of God with effect. To live in a way that ‘kills the earth’ negates Christ and His regenerative Gospel of new creation life. The living of Christ come in our flesh ensures that we live Christ’s wholeness rather than gimmicks and formulaic methods of self-salvation.
DEEPER WAY
Attention to the Deeper Way is a sign of our loyalty to Christ who is life and our passion to live His Gospel rather than some dilution or counterfeit with its false Christ and dodgy gospel. A stubborn attachment to a half-gospel - because it is ours deforms our living and suffocates what could have been real life if we had lived grace and truth rather than granting ourselves to the licence to live error in a false kind of grace.
YOUR INCARNATED LIFE
The Gospel is not really a religion since religion is the package and union with God in Christ is the Reality. The most life-giving spirituality is the living out of the eucharist as a life rather than as a rite. Christ come in our flesh means that we are woven into God in Christ and that God is woven into us. We have become the home of the father, son and holy spirit. We are never alone and always in oneness with God in the person of Jesus who has earned us for God.
(1) Timothy Keller. Galatians. P6.
To be fully alive in our riches in Christ we must ensure that we are living the Gospel of Jesus and Paul rather than some diluted or distorted gospel.
THE GOSPEL FOR US
Timothy Keller wrote, “It is very common in Christian circles to assume that “the gospel” is something just for non-Christians. We presume that the gospel is a set of basic “A-B-C” doctrines that Christians do not need to hear or study once they are converted. Rather, they should move beyond the gospel to more “advanced” doctrines. But the great declaration of the gospel of grace in Galatians was written to believers who did not see the implications of the gospel for life-issues confronting them. Paul solves the disunity and racial exclusivity not with a simple exhortation to “be better Christians.” but by calling them to live out the implications of the gospel. So Christians need the gospel as much as non-Christians do. Their problems come because they tend to lose and forget the gospel. They make progress only as they continually grasp and apply the gospel in deeper ways.” (1) This is important to note if the gospel we have been following is ‘no gospel at all.’
WHAT IS THE DEEPER WAY
The ‘deeper way’ is making Christ our life instead of ‘religion our life’. We are not born again until we do. By living moralism our holiness is less than incremental but by living incarnated – which Paul names as Christ who is our life, we become the expression of the indwelling Christ by the Spirit.
GOD LOVES THE WORLD
In previous posts we have noted that the manner in which we nurture the earth is germane to new creation life and the Kingdom of God with effect. To live in a way that ‘kills the earth’ negates Christ and His regenerative Gospel of new creation life. The living of Christ come in our flesh ensures that we live Christ’s wholeness rather than gimmicks and formulaic methods of self-salvation.
DEEPER WAY
Attention to the Deeper Way is a sign of our loyalty to Christ who is life and our passion to live His Gospel rather than some dilution or counterfeit with its false Christ and dodgy gospel. A stubborn attachment to a half-gospel - because it is ours deforms our living and suffocates what could have been real life if we had lived grace and truth rather than granting ourselves to the licence to live error in a false kind of grace.
YOUR INCARNATED LIFE
The Gospel is not really a religion since religion is the package and union with God in Christ is the Reality. The most life-giving spirituality is the living out of the eucharist as a life rather than as a rite. Christ come in our flesh means that we are woven into God in Christ and that God is woven into us. We have become the home of the father, son and holy spirit. We are never alone and always in oneness with God in the person of Jesus who has earned us for God.
(1) Timothy Keller. Galatians. P6.
