Transformation

In one place, Paul urges us to be transformed, and transformation comes from the renewing of the mind. The word for “mind” in the original language come from the word for “knowledge.” Meaning, Paul is specifically saying we need to change our “knower”. I have spoken quite a bit about my view of the inner man, so I will skip it here. But, part of transformation is changing what we know, and therefore, how we think. Transformation comes when all of the inner man comes into agreement.

But, what happens because of transformation? What changes? Paul goes onto describe that.

First, he says we grow in our recognition that we are part of the body of Christ. Each one has a place. Each one belongs. Each one has a gift, or a means to contribute.

When a person gives his allegiance to Jesus, the Holy Spirit makes his home in the person’s inner man. He begins a process of changes thoughts, words, actions, motivations, desires. He fires up the person’s uniqueness. Part of that uniqueness is a particular area of service, for which he/she have been designed. This includes motivation to serve in that area. As skills, renewal and growth occur, this service becomes recognized by the body, and used more consistently.

And sometimes, the Holy Spirit uses a person’s service, but it has an effect outside his normal practice. A teacher evangelizes. A server becomes a path way for physical healing, maybe even miraculous healing.

No matter the gift, no matter the particular effect, it is important to the particular part of God’s family the person is associated with.

Not only does the service matter, but the perspective matters. The perspective of what is important, and how different issues should be approached, is different for someone motivated by physical service, emotional health, accurate understanding of the Word, or the promotion of prayer. Any issue confronting God’s family needs each perspective, so that all the bases are covered. God builds his body with multiple viewpoints on purpose.

Second, love must be real, and genuine. Love should be disgusted when evil is done, and hold fervently onto what is good. Love treats others like family. Puts others first. Works hard, and passionately, to serve God, because it recognizes God’s will is being best for people. Expectations about the future should lead to joy, and it should motivate people to persevere. It opens up hearts to embrace others. From giving to meet needs, to opening up one’s home.

And love compels a different view, attitude, and action toward ones who oppose, and are against you. Love wants good for everyone. And it might even work for good for those who attack you.

Love is genuinely glad when good happens to people, and genuinely sad when something bad happens.

Love does not place one’s self above, or look down on, others. It lives in harmony, connects, and associates with those society regards as inferior, or without value. Love seeks peace with all.

Transformation involves change in attitude, perspective, and action about how people – yourself and others – fit in God’s world

Discerning the Best

In one of Paul's letters, he prays that the church would abound, or would exceed what was expected, in love. Normally, one would expect that abundant love would result in abundant generosity, service, or good deeds. And it should. But Paul combines this abundant love with knowledge and understanding. The result is God's family can discern what is best, and live blamelessly. 

Godly discernment can never be just knowledge alone. Nor can it be just love alone. Knowledge brings just a list of rules with no motivation for the good of others. Love alone wants, and works, for others' good, but without direction, boundaries, or an idea of what good entails.

I have discussed this here before. Father has designed the world, and people, to work optimally on specific types of fuel. There are physical fuels, like food, water, and rest. There are spiritual fuels, like love, creativity, and purpose. And the primary fuel is a growing relationship with the Creator, and Father of all. Discerning the best means finding the best way to meet all these needs.

Moreover, love and knowledge need to rule over our conduct. Paul says love and knowledge should produce pure and blameless lives. Fruit of righteous ness that results in glory to Father.

The most obvious thing I am seeing currently is a lot of "hate speech". There may be accurate, even correct, knowledge, but it is not combined with love. And so it does not see, or promote, what is best.

Our Ruling Allegiance

Jesus taught that a person could have only one ruling allegiance. People have many allegiances. But they should give their primary, ruling allegiance to the Father.

He was specifically speaking about consumerism, as something that could assume the position of the ruling allegiance. That is, seeking significance by amassing stuff.

I have been realizing that a person’s political position can also become the ruling allegiance. Especially here in the US.

If your ruling allegiance is to the Triune God of the Bible, then you realize he created the world to be perfect. And when man sinned, he set about to re-create the world to be perfect.

Then, the teachings of Jesus ought to inform you what leads to God’s perfection, and what ought to make good governmental policy. Policy is different than God’s instruction to people, but God’s word ought to influence, and guide, the policy. So, in a world that gives its allegiance to Jesus, that is what should be pursued.

And the teachings of Jesus ought to inform you how to do politics, and how to speak politics.

People, who have given their allegiance to Jesus, should speak, and act, as a demonstration of God’s character, and as a draw toward God’s family, and kingdom. The life of God’s family, standing alone by itself, should be one that is compelling, and convincing, toward choosing to give one’s allegiance to Jesus. Jesus specifically said that love and unity within God’s family demonstrates the reality of Jesus’ identity, and purpose, in the world. And the love of God’s family to the world is part of the declaration of the gospel to the world.

What means the odds are pretty good that a follower of Jesus will need to show love, to communicate love, to someone he/she disagrees with politically. And if demonstrating patience, and kindness, to someone on the other side of the political fence is difficult, or distasteful, then maybe one’s ruling allegiance is not to Jesus.