UNDO THE BENT SOUL
12/08/24 07:37
I don’t know any Christians who are anxious to make a thing of ‘cheap grace.’ But I know many who are constructing their own grace, be it a couple of formulated behaviours or a more intellectualised version of Christianity that is a form of the knowledge of good and evil – which is what any legalised gospel is.
HAND-CUFFED TO ONE’S IDEAS
Views that are grossly misguided are not honourable and in fact pathetic. Views embraced by the humble and sincere are no less debilitating. There is no glory in being certain about everything and right about scarcely anything. Christ is who Christ is whatever our misguided doctrines. But His Truth and life for us and as us, is the difference between travelling cattle class and first class.
HUMBLE OR NOT
On out part, humility is the way of receiving Jesus’ light burden. There is something for us to do which is to accept Him in place of ourselves and our favourite ideas/idols. There are modes of belief that suffocate our ability to hear and know Christ and be agents of His Kingdom.
IN CHRIST ENTER THE PRESENCE
Leanne Payne observes that, “There is great beauty in the movement of the soul as it forsakes its alienation and its inability to hear and know God, and comes into a position of listening, illumination, and union with Him. There is a splendid simplicity to it. On entering the Presence, no matter how twisted and bent the soul has been toward its idols, it receives the grace to renounce them. As one’s will is thoroughly converted and made one with God’s, one has a new backbone, upright and strong, with which to stand erect in the vertical, receiving position with the Father. The soul sees, it hears, it comes into holy converse.” (1)
Payne is talking of the incarnation which is ours by atonement and the intent of God. This infilling by God – Christ come in our flesh – is not just about gifts and anointings. It’s the living way in which our inner life is healed and we grow whole and holy because of the trinity in us. It’s good to be a believer. Better to be a disciple and even better to live as the daughter/son that you are. We do this because Christ is our life.
(1)Payne, Leanne. The Healing Presence (p. 55). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
HAND-CUFFED TO ONE’S IDEAS
Views that are grossly misguided are not honourable and in fact pathetic. Views embraced by the humble and sincere are no less debilitating. There is no glory in being certain about everything and right about scarcely anything. Christ is who Christ is whatever our misguided doctrines. But His Truth and life for us and as us, is the difference between travelling cattle class and first class.
HUMBLE OR NOT
On out part, humility is the way of receiving Jesus’ light burden. There is something for us to do which is to accept Him in place of ourselves and our favourite ideas/idols. There are modes of belief that suffocate our ability to hear and know Christ and be agents of His Kingdom.
IN CHRIST ENTER THE PRESENCE
Leanne Payne observes that, “There is great beauty in the movement of the soul as it forsakes its alienation and its inability to hear and know God, and comes into a position of listening, illumination, and union with Him. There is a splendid simplicity to it. On entering the Presence, no matter how twisted and bent the soul has been toward its idols, it receives the grace to renounce them. As one’s will is thoroughly converted and made one with God’s, one has a new backbone, upright and strong, with which to stand erect in the vertical, receiving position with the Father. The soul sees, it hears, it comes into holy converse.” (1)
Payne is talking of the incarnation which is ours by atonement and the intent of God. This infilling by God – Christ come in our flesh – is not just about gifts and anointings. It’s the living way in which our inner life is healed and we grow whole and holy because of the trinity in us. It’s good to be a believer. Better to be a disciple and even better to live as the daughter/son that you are. We do this because Christ is our life.
(1)Payne, Leanne. The Healing Presence (p. 55). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
